The REAL Halloween

I wasn't planning on carving pumpkins this year, but when I told Madi that she wasn't very happy AT ALL!!

So, we decided to do a little pumpkin carving on Sunday. I mostly gave in because I wanted to eat some pumpkin seeds.

MMMMMM!!

I love getting all the "guts" out! So squishy between the fingers.

Aaron is getting to work and starting to carve.

He is quite the carver:)

Ry working on his pumpkin.

Aaron and Porter working so diligently.

Porter loves his pumpkin!

I think he spent the most time working on his.

Porter and I happily engaged in our work.

That night at my moms I made some pumpkin chocolate chip bread.

It was yummy!

I guess that is about as Halloweeny as we get!

Halloween Night

Halloween Night was a good one. I kind of feel like a slacker because we haven't been home once for Halloween night in the last 5 years we have lived here. Honestly though, who would want to hang out at my house when we can go have a party with friends and family!! This year we celebrated with the West Family. Heather was so cute to make us all delicious taco soup and yummy scones. She's just the coolest!! Brent pretty cool too.

All the crazy/cool boys. They are so cute!

Aaron and I with our boys. Getting ready to go trick-or-treating.

Madi was with my mom and dad celebrating with her cousins on the other side of town. Poor girl doesn't have any friends in the West Family. Well, besides Heather:)

These crazy boys all ready for some treats.

Don't mind the Easter Baskets!

The trick-or-treating group.

Heather and I stayed and handed out candy. There were about 1 billion kids that came by. It was CRAZY!! So fun though.

Thanks to the West Family for having us over and letting us "hang"

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Halloween Parade

Madi and Porter looked so sweet for their Halloween parade at school. I didn't get a picture of them before school but I do have some random ones of the parade.....

Porter bringing his chair and almost falling down the grass.

Madi in all her glory!

Here is a better picture of my sweet Porter...

Oh Porter:)

While the chairs were empty in front of us because the students were walking, around Brayden claimed one....

Such a cute little man.

Then Ry and Brenden joined him.

Later that day, as the co-room mom, I helped at Porter's Halloween party. I took Brayd and Ry with and we had a good little time.

Ry getting his face painted by Ms. Poullton

Porter and Ry drinking their yummy root-beer.

It was SO yummy!

Brayd was around somewhere....

More Halloween....

Brayd and Ry had their Halloween parties for school on the same day. They were so excited to be a pirate and on the "SQUAT" team.

Such cute little baby boys!

Halloween.....

I didn't get many pictures of Halloween this year, but the ones I did get are cute ones. We had our ward trunk-or-treat this year at the park. The kids had a lot of fun........

Can you tell?

Recital Time!

I LOVE that my kids are involved in music. I LOVE that they LOVE their teacher and she LOVES them! I think:)

They had their annual Halloween piano recital which is always a little stressful but I'm such a proud momma too.

Porter played "Yankee Doodle" he did an excellent job and was such a good 'Iron Man'. This was his first recital and he didn't seem nervous. He did tell me afterwards that he was a little nervous right before it was his time. He didn't show it and did GREAT!! Porter ultimately wants to play the guitar, but I told him he needs to get good at the piano first.

I looked over at Madi about 2 songs before it was her turn and she was "practicing". I love that she looked over because I think this is such a cute picture of her.

Madi played "Spanish Fiesta" She did GREAT also! I can't believe she has been playing for 3 1/2 years! I have very high hopes for her and the piano. I wish I could play and I am going to admit that I may be living vicariously through her. I want her to play the piano/organ, cook/bake, sing, and know how to sew. These are all traits I wish I had.

Seriously!!!!!

There is NO way there is a better piano teacher/friend out there for my kids. They both LOVE her and tell me this quite often. Madi just adores her! When Vegas was in the works she was most upset about moving because of having to find a different piano teacher. I really can't believe how much Madi looks up to her and just KNOWS she's the best. Heather is PERFECT for Porter also! He listens-so she tells me-and does a good job.

We love you Heather!!

Helper Brayd

My Brayd has always called this pastry brush a paintbrush, so he was SO excited when I asked him to "paint" as I was making some dessert.

So intense....

So happy to paint!

Brayd always loves to help.

I love him!

Just Hangin'

While we were hangin' with Brenden because Moss was having surgery we ended up playing outside. Porter is great at entertaining us all.

This is the stand-up jetski. Porter would push the kids really fast then they would sit down and Porter would swing the wagon around.

Rather entertaining I thought.

Sweet little Brenden watching the entertainment.

Madi even got in on the action.

Ry taking a turn.

The night did end by Porter thinking it would be fun to go really fast then stop. Well, Madi flipped over the front and Porter went to his room.

Surprised?

A Little Danish...

Aaron made this cute little old lady so happy when he became her friend on his mission. Her name is Grethe and she LOVES Aaron. She calls him about once a month and she usually calls his phone. This morning she had the missionaries call my phone so she could talk to him.

It was 9:00 a.m. and yes, Aaron was still in bed. I ran outside and told the kids that dad was speaking Danish and they all came running in. They think it's so funny to hear him speak another language.

I so wish that I could speak to her, but wow, that's way too much work. Maybe in the next life:)

Sleepy Man!

While we were reading scriptures and I was tickling Brayd he fell asleep. Our only problem was that he had eaten a fruit roll-up just before we started reading. Aaron was very adamant about me brushing his teeth.

So, I told him to open up and he did! He even kept his mouth open the whole time. What a good boy!