Thanksgiving 2012

Postdated November 2012


We had planned on going to Phoenix for Thanksgiving this year, and we were super looking forward to it, but it didn't end up working out with Mike's work schedule (boo!).

We missed being with family, but had a lot of fun carrying on our own little family's Thanksgiving traditions.

We began the day with a turkey trot:

Josh was really sick, and someone put my running shoes in a bucket of water outside (aren't kids fun?), so Mike, Adam, and Grace went, which Josh and I stayed home and cuddled.

When they got home, we got cooking.

The kids all chose and helped make a side dish (Adam-sweet potatoes, Grace-Grammy's cranberry salad, Josh-green beans).  They LOVED that!

While dinner was cooking, we played our football game.  Adam and I won!

(It's nice to have a pro on my team).

;)

Finally... at 7:00 that night... because I didn't plan well with the baking schedule... we ate Thankgiving dinner.

It was soooo yummy!

I'm thankful for a month to focus on what we are grateful for, and all our blessings.

And I'm most especially thankful for this sweet family of mine.

Halloween 2012

Postdated October 2012


I have always, always wanted to do a family Halloween costume thing (like all the cute families do) but could never get everyone on board.

But... I did this year!

We all agreed on a Peter Pan theme: Adam-Captain Hook, Josh-Peter Pan; Grace-Tinkerbell; Mike and I-pirates.

I LOVE making the Halloween costumes every year.  It is sooo much fun, and we save money, too.

They are all completely thrifted or made:

After a busy day of Halloween parties and parades at school, we came home, did a photo shoot, went trick-or-treating in our neighborhood, and then went to our ward's trunk-or-treat.

We had such a fun Halloween!

I'm always a little sad to see it over, but the stolen Reese's from kiddos candy loot, usually make up for it.

;)

October Randomness

Postdated from October 2012

Our little 'check engine' light that has given me one big headache.  We barely got it to go off (and passed emissions... yay!), and then it turned on again.  Ugh!

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Josh went from drawing scribbles and circles to his first 2 "real" drawings: a spider (on top) and me (on bottom).  Apparently, I'm balding.  Love first sweet little pictures!

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Our Saturdays have been spent doing football games, but one weekend the game was cancelled.  We enjoyed a picnic and a cool, sunny day at our most favorite park.

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Reindeer antler hat.  That sang and danced.

He cracks me up.  

And the kiddos about died laughing seeing Mr. Super Serious Dad being silly.

***

My kiddos ALWAYS pick a flower (or weed or stick) for me whenever they see one.  They always say, "I have something for you for Mother's Day" and then give it to me.  I adore it (and them).

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I love, love, LOVE our new house... and I think my most favorite thing is my "real" mantle.  I have so loved getting to decorate it each month.

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Silly boy, taken by Grace.

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He made this sweet puppet in nursery, and told us the story about the First Vision with it.  It was so sweet!

A Month of Halloween Fun!

Postdated from October 2012

Ooohhh... I LOVE Halloween! 

I can't quite figure out why... it's not because I like scary stuff. 

(Seriously... at one point I wanted to be an FBI agent who hunts down serial killers. I would've lasted about 1.3 seconds in that field, I'm such a chicken). 

But, man, I have always adored Halloween. It's just such a fun holiday.  We had a ton of fun this month getting ready and celebrating the spooky holiday. I didn't get a picture of everything, but we had a month of spookalicious fun and got through EVERYTHING on our countdown!

We: 

Boo-ed some friends with treats

Made homemade Halloween costumes

Played "Trick or Treat"

Played "Don't Eat Frank" (with a makeshift game card, because ours was temporarily lost)

Painted mini pumpkins

Went to a Halloween party

Played "Mummy Wrap"

Went to the haunted house/carnival at the library (our library ROCKS)

Made mummy mini pizzas

Played a spider game

Ate "Dinner-in-a-Pumpkin" (yeah, I've only pinned 22 ways to clean my baking sheets... goodness knows I've yet to try them, though)

Went to the school Halloween carnival

Played "Pin-the-Face-on-the-Pumpkin"

Bought pumpkins (I probably should be pulling the youngest punk off the pumpkins rather than taking pictures, I know)

Decorated cupcakes (I always chicken out of making sugar cookies)

Delivered MORE goodies after we got BOO-ed

Carved pumpkins (1 for boys, 1 for girls, and Adam's pumpkin he made at school for a math project)

Made haunted houses

Decorated our windows with spooky orange lights

Went to a Halloween story time

Ate a special Halloween-themed dinner (Goblin Eye Meatballs with Blood Sauce and Green Worms, Bone Breadsticks, and Crunchy Witches Salad with Potion for Dressing)

Went to the Halloween parade at the kids' school

Made "floating" ghosts

Hung ghosts from our tree out front

Made milk jug ghosts

I LOVE Halloween and celebrating ALL month with my kiddos is the best!