Getting Ready for Halloween!

First of all...she's just cute. Moving on...

We live in the same town as Bama...but she has been gone A LOT! So we made her these signs to welcome here home from Edmonton last time. The girls helped color them in and did so good!

 The kids have been bugging me for a while now about making the house "spooky." I do not like Halloween. I don't do it. Especially yucky, scary spooky. But on Oct. 30 I decided I would please the crowd and do some cute spooky. So while they were all at school, Addie and I got some supplies and decorations to spookify our place...for a day! The best part! Thanks to pinterest we made a monster door... 

And thanks to superstore and their pre Halloween sale I got this garland for a few bucks. I love a deal!

Then we put the kids to work and painted beads...YES I said HAND PAINTED A LOT of beads 4 different colors to make this garland! They did so good and it was fun to sit down with them and make a craft that turned out so good! I mean don't look too close, but really, they did a great job! And we all had fun. The girls did the colored ones with me and Zach did the black ones with me and strung it all when he got home from school! It was fun!

 

See, looks good eh?! I'm telling you...child labor! I am sure we will do more of these. A Christmas one is calling...and I think they would be perfect for Easter...they look like Easter eggs!

 

 

Add in some overpriced candy corn and a vase from your mother in law...that's spooky enough, right?

 
My mom also reminded me of a fun thing she used to do...tarantula biscuits! We were having leftover soup, so I made the spider biscuits and the kids loved them!

They even stand up! See, who says you have to go out of your way to do cool things. Super easy and the kids thought I was Supermom. 

Then that night we carved pumpkins!

Glad Papa came over to help. I get a rash when I touch that pumpkin gunk.

Addie loved being a part of it all.

She was so funny though...she didn't quite get that we were taking it out and keeping it out. She just kept trying to fill every one's pumpkins back up!

 

 
"What's gonna work? TEAMWORK!"
(name the show) 

I really love living close to Justin's parents. It is special that the kids will have such a close relationship with them. I wish it was my parents too, but we will just have to visit Cali a lot. And Brian is very involved. Super easy going, helpful, and up for anything!

 

 
Yup. Fill 'er up Adaleigh! :)

She did it! Love her expression here. Eew!

The masterpieces. Keeping it simple. :) And they were even cooler lit up...stay tuned!

Three little pumpkin heads. I usually do a picture like this every year, but thought I'd have the kids do it instead this year. It was so funny, they were struggling SO HARD to lift the pumpkins up! They were too heavy!

First Snow!

Our first BIG DUMP of snow! October 28 we woke up to this. The first thing Addie said... "Eew...doss." HA! I thought that was so funny. Really, every time we go outside or she sees it out the window she says "Eew." My thoughts exactly. :) She must be half Californian. No, I think it is beautiful (for a couple months) I just hate it on the roads. Luckily down here it comes and then melts and then comes and melts...and now most of my kids can suit themselves up for it if they want to go outside. Easier! They did however all come in ripping their close off while exclaiming, "I have to go to the bathroom!!!" We need to remember to do that BEFORE putting on our snow gear. ;)

What a winter wonderland.

Kate REALLY wanted to go out in the snow, first thing. SO I thought I would bring Addie out so she could see what that "Doss" stuff really is. 

 Kate's perfect snow angel on the driveway.

Showing Addie the ropes. 

No wonder you cheeks are always bright red Kate! She loves to eat snow. 

 

Figuring it all out. Gotta love a bundled baby!!! :)

Pure Joy. :)

(Just ignore the large booger.)

 I wanted to go in. I was cold. Addie didn't, and neither did Kate, so they just kept walking around together.

Nah, don't teach her that! 

Too late. Even though she had a great time out there, she still says "Eew" every time she sees it out her window or when we are driving in the car.

Not only can they (mostly) dress themselves, but they can build their own snowmen too! See it? Just use the big pile of snow that Dad and Zach shovelled, add some parts, and there you go. Instant snowman! Kara was still inside gathering things for Kate...craisins, a carrot, and blue string for the hair. Perfect!

Utah

The kids had a long weekend for Canadian Thanksgiving, so since Justin didn't get to go to Utah with us in August, we headed down there for a quick trip to see family and to go to a BYU football game. Justin LOVES BYU sports. Football and Basketball especially. I don't know why, but I was hesitant to go! We just did! But it ended up being so fun and I always love seeing my family! There were some BEAUTIFUL views on the way down! Among other things...ahem...diapers and wipes...I forgot the blow up bed and the camera. Thank goodness for Justin's iPhone. :)

Addie missed some of them. :) She was such a good little traveler.

Look at those delicious lips and cheeks. They need a smooch.

On the way down, we stopped in Salt Lake to show the kids around Temple Square. It was raining pretty good, but first we toured the Conference Center (which was cool because the kids just saw Conference on TV the week before). This picture has big meaning in Justin and my marriage...I have the puzzle of this, and it was one of the first activities we ever did together. Looking back on it now I know he wanted to spend time with me because that was probably the last puzzle he's ever done! Not his favorite thing to do. We have it framed in our house now. :)

Kate really wanted a picture by the Salt Lake Temple doors. I think I have one just like this! :)

 

We took the kids to the Church History Museum. They have a Children's Book of Mormon corner and it was done so well! The kids played there for a long time and had a great time!

 

Gardening...

This was Kate...and my favorite part! Dancing like a chica with a big twirly skirt on! 

 

Dancers!!!

 

Next we went over to the new mall across the street from Temple Square...it was INCREDIBLE! I felt a little out of place there...it was such a ritzy mall, but it was beautifully done! This stream runs down the middle and if you look close you and see the trout in there! Zach and Justin started drooling!

We stayed long enough to watch the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra practicing in the Tabernacle for their performance for Music and the Spoken Word that Sunday.
 

Addie and I playing on the phone during the practice...the Tabernacle has amazing acoustics...it is true that you can hear a pin drop without any microphones, so we tried our best to keep this tired baby quiet! She squawked a few times, but we stayed as long as we could until we knew we had to leave. :)

 

 

Not the best quality, but I love this picture. I love my family. I love the Savior.

The next day we got together with my brother's family and my sister's families. My kids LOVE their cousins. They were in heaven. Uncle Chris helped us light a fire for our wiener roast! What a professional.

Uncle Chris helping Lumberjack Zach. :)

 

The AJs reunited. Adaleigh Jane (born on May 5) and Aleia Jane (born May 8) were so cute together. :)

And Cannon! So funny. He has a string of marshmallow stuck to his cheek. We were all cracking up. He wasn't very impressed with all of that attention. Poor guy!! :)

And of course Katani=Kate+Nani. They love each other!

 
Kids got the iPhone. French toast anyone? Life at Karen and Alvin's place. :) Thanks again guys!! We love Kalvin!!

 

 

Tire swings! I love our home, but I so wish there were large established trees there so we can have shade and tire swings and fun! Maybe someday!

 

I loved this. Chris and Sherelda came up with this Personal Media Plan and I think it his the mark perfectly. Genius. I really do think they were inspired when they wrote this up.
 

And some more GORGEOUS views through Montana on our way home.

  

Chief Mountain from the side. Such a unique shape. 

  

 

The kids did SOOOO WELLL on the drive home! We made it in 11 hours?! The fastest we've ever done it, even without kids, was 10 1/2 hours! Another successful road trip. Thanks for making me go, hon. :)