Halloween 2012

We love Halloween around here and we usually have a few events leading up to the actual day.  First off the year, the Halloween Carnival at the kids' school.  Our friend Lorna is always in charge of the spook alley and we try to help out where we can.  This year, Garrett was a glow-in-the-dark stick figure in one of the rooms of the spook alley.   While he did that, I took Hannah, Ryan and Blake to the rest of the carnival.  It was fun for all.  

Here is Garrett all dressed and ready to go.

Here's what he looks like in the dark.  It is a really cool effect and when there is a whole room full of these guys just standing there and then they start moving towards you, it can be a little creepy!

At the carnival they did face painting.  Ryan got a handlebar mustache and beard (although his beard is dang near worn off by this point).  Still lots of fun!

Carving pumpkins is a must.  Here is Garrett and Blaine getting ready to gut the first one.

Ryan, showing how strong he is to lift up his pumpkin.   

Miss Hannah scooping seeds.

The finished product.  Yay!

Next up for fun activities is witches' night.  Always a fun event hosted by my friend Lorna and her mother and sisters.  This year Jessica came with me.  Don't we look witchy?  So much fun to get out with a large group of women, all dressed as witches.  You should see the looks we get.  This year one man asked if he could take a picture with a group of us.  Lots of fun!

Here is my kiddos on Halloween, getting ready to go to the trunk-or-treat at our church. Hannah is a black cat, Blake is a monkey, Ryan is a skunk and Garrett is a Lego man.   

After the trunk or treat, we headed over to my parent's house for trick or treating with the cousins.  Doug and Kara always have the cutest group costumes.  This year was Bert, Mary Poppins and two little chimney sweeps.  Very cute!

Porter the tiger and Ryan the skunk.  (Ryan kept calling it the stunk).

Garrett made this costume himself with help from his buddy, Topher.  They each made one for themselves.  Very creative boys!  See those bright blue eyes peeking out!

Baby Paige trying to figure out what all the noise and commotion is.

Baby Bryndyn (little lamb with her bottle).  When she first got to my mom's, she was actually chewing on that huge calf bottle.  Funny!

My cute little skunk.  Look at those big brown eyes.  When we were out trick or treating, if you ask him what a skunk does, he would turn his little tail towards you and make a spraying sound.  Nice.  Who taught him that?  

Sweet little kitty cat!

An attempt at a group picture with all the kids.  Dang near impossible but worth a try.  Here we have Beckie with Paige, Remi with Bryndyn, Lexie on the floor, Garrett, Jayson, Jonah, Hannah and Liam.

Halloween was a big success and as always, the brownies came and brought goodies!  We had such a fun time this Halloween season!  Thanks to all our friends and family who got to help us with it and share it with us!

Summer 2012 Randoms

What we did this summer:

We grew a garden.  Most things grew really well (beans, peas, tomatoes, onions,  peppers, cucumbers), other things grew so-so (squash, potatoes, raspberries), and others not at all (pumpkins and carrots).  We canned a bunch of stuff and ate fresh fruits and vegetables.   We did not grow corn this year but enjoyed eating it all the same!

We went to Rigby Lake.  We went a bunch of times.

Its close, its cheap, its shallow at the edges for little kids.  We love it!

We went with Beckie 3 times, well I went with Beckie 3 times, my family went with her 4 times!

Beckie loves the lake.  She likes to just float around and relax.  Nice!

I also love that there is grass just behind the sandy area.  Keeps you so much cleaner!  Here is me, Beckie and Kara just chillin' on Labor day.  Not many people here this day either.  Awesome!

We snuggled clean, cute babies!

(Actually my kids spend a ton of time in the water.  Garrett, Hannah and Ryan took swimming lessons this summer.  In addition to pool time, lake time, running through the sprinkler time and bath time, my kids should have been little brown raisins this summer!  Luckily, they were just brown!

We went boating with friends.  Our awesome friends, the Coffmans invited us to go boating at Blacktail one night.  We had a ton of fun and I actually rode the tube behind the boat.  I'm pretty sure their daughter was videoing the whole thing and my face is probably a mix of laughing, sheer terror and screaming.  I'm pretty sure there is some look of G-forces trying to push the skin off my face as we whipped around corners in the 3 man tube.  Good times, right?  :)

We went to a family reunion with Blaine's family.  It was a lot of fun.  We watched a movie outside one night-so much fun.  The next day was lots of fun games and getting wet.  They played a water kickball game that got everyone wet!

We played minute to win it type games.  Here is Garrett and Lucy trying to get the cookie into their mouths without touching it. 

 It was lots of fun to hang out with everyone.  And EVERYONE was there.  Its a big group when they are all together but its fun just the same!

So the last thing we did at the family reunion (off the official agenda) was to milk a goat.  

Blaine's sister Rachelle has a couple milk goats (among other things) so we decided to have a turn at milking the goat.  The kids loved it.  Above is Hannah (with help from Rachelle) milking this very patient goat.  Nice.

 

And, last but certainly not least, we mowed lawn.  Once or twice a week from may to the end of September or so.  Here is Blaine with Blake.  The kids like to ride with us around the yard.  Garrett is old enough that if we mow the edges, he can mow the rest.  Awesome!   Ah, as much work as it was, I'm kinda missing my green lawn and warm sunshine.   

We had a great summer with lots of fun things seen and done!   Can't wait until next summer!!

Happy Birthday Hannah!

Hannah turned 6 on September 8.  I can't believe she is so old already.  I took the day off work and we went to Rigby Lake (per her request) to spend the day with friends and family.  

Hannah requested a Hello Kitty cake this year.  Have I mentioned I hate making cakes?  Anyway, I think it turned out pretty cute.  She loved it, of course, and that is all that matters. 

Her birthday was on a Saturday this year and the day was gorgeous!  I am so glad we got to spend the day at the lake.  It was warm, no wind and hardly anyone at the lake-even better!   We had so much fun playing in the water.  We took lunch for all and then after playing for most of the afternoon, we headed back to our house.   Our awesome friends and family were there with us and I hope they had as much fun as we did!  Hannah was so happy to have them there!

She got to open a present at the lake.  It was a super soft stuffed dog and carrying case from our friends the Hopkins family.  Thanks guys!  She loves it! 

(*Sidenote:  Looking at these pictures makes me a little sad because this was really the last day of summer fun for us.  School had already started at this point.)

Back at home, here is the birthday girl with her cake.  

Blowing out all 6 candles, surrounded by friends and family!  

Some things about Hannah:  

-she still loves pink and anything pink.  

-she is in kindergarten, Mrs. Zaladonis is her teacher, and she LOVES school!

-while I can't remember how tall she is, she remembers that she weighs 42 pounds.

-she is just on the verge of reading like a pro.  She is sounding out everything in sigh!.

-she is our little artist.  she is always drawing pictures for us, her artwork is everywhere.

-her favorite foods are chicken rice casserole, watermelon, ramen noodles, apples, "banana cookies" (sliced bananas), baby carrots and no bake cookies.  (all per her telling me so).

-she has long hair, its slightly past her waist.  she wants to grow it out like Rapunzel.  

-she is such an awesome helper around the house with Blake and Ryan and anything I need her to do.

Hannah's birthday was such a great day.  I know she had a great time and felt loved.  Thanks so much to all our friends and family who spent the day with us!  We love you and we love this Hannah girl so much!!