Halloween Costumes

We had our annual ward trunk or treat this past weekend so the kids put on their costumes for the first of the Halloween celebrations for the week. 

Carter wanted to be a teenage zombie. He decided this at the last minute too so we just had to pull what we had together and I'm definitely not a make-up artist!!

( I told him that wasn't too far of a stretch since he sucks the life out of me on a regular basis. He didn't find that very funny, for some weird reason, he never finds me very funny anymore. Teenagers!)

Brendan changed his mind a couple of times. At first he wanted to be a swordfish. A swordfish? He always wants to be these very unique things, but I was really getting nervous about how I was going to make that kind of a costume. Then he decided to just be a lacrosse player. Then it became a zombie lacrosse player. But he got queasy at the sight of Carter's fake blood and could only handle the sight of a little on him.I didn't even really have to make him look pale because he had done of good job of that himself.  It was quite the time getting him ready. Then for pictures he didn't want to have his helmet or hold his stick. So I'm really not sure anyone really knew what he was really going for. 

 

Hailey had decided months ago that she wanted to be a mummy. She actually has a list with next six years of costumes planned out. Thank goodness I could make it, it's a little easier than a swordfish, and she was happy with it. 

Emery has costume issues every year. In fact, the only year she has been in full costume was her first Halloween when she was too young to protest. I had been asking her for weeks about dressing up and she didn't really want to have anything to do with it. I was fine with that, but then at the last minute she decided to be a fairy. The same thing as last year. However last year she wore the wings and tutu, this year she didn't want to wear either. I think the wings are kind of crucial to pulling a fairy costume off, but she was not convinced. Not sure anyone knew what she was trying to be either. 

I convinced her to put on the wings for a couple of pictures, but it all went down hill when after those couple I asked if she would put on the tutu just for a couple of more. Then the wings came off and the smiles went away. 

 

 Kayden is missing...again. He was not into dressing up this year or for having his picture taken. I will just have to say that he was there and had a good time. Despite the costume drama, which for some reason seems to occur every year around here, they all had a fun night and came home with a sack full of candy. In their book it was a successful night.

Fire Station

Emery loves to go to her preschool. It's been so good for her and she has already learned so much. Last week she had her first field trip to the fire station. It was so much fun to go with her and share in the excitement.

We started with a tour of the fire station. 

 The best part was getting to see and go inside the fire truck though.

 ( Emery's dog joined us for the whole tour too)

 But when I thought she couldn't get any more excited, they drove the ladder truck around to the back and lifted the ladder in the air. That thing went so high it made me dizzy just to look at it. Then they lowered it, swung it around, and climbed on the roof. All the kids just stood and watched in awe. 

We had so much fun and this trip has been the highlight of her week. It's been the topic of many conversations around our house since.

These two

The bond between these two has always been a strong one. The two of them really can't live without each other. I think it makes the other kids a little jealous sometimes, and they certainly can drive each other crazy,  but it is fun to see them enjoy each other so much. 

Reason to celebrate

Happy birthday to Corey. We really are happy he is "ours" to celebrate. We hope this day is a good one.

We love you!!

Around Here

Life just keeps going on around here. I haven't been very good at documenting it all because it all seems so routine. But here are some of the random things I have captured over the last little while. 

 1. Almost everyday, Carter's friends come home with him and hang out. I usually end up with a houseful of sweaty boys. I love that he can do it though, he loves going to school with so many of his friends this year.

2. I love Emery's drawings right now. This one was of a family that recently moved away. I know you can't tell, but it's a perfect likeness of them.

3. I bribed Brendan and Emery to get in the pool one September afternoon. They both did jump in, but didn't last long. The water was pretty darn cold. The entertainment was well worth the dollar I gave them.

 4. It's not much of a secret that I love to have things organized. I've been slowly working my way through closets and other areas of the house. But when a friend of mine pinned the utensil holders for toothbrushes on Pinterest, I thought it was genius. I was so sick of the dirty cups on the counter. This works perfect, especially since Carter has a spot at the top of his own away from anyone else. He is a bit of a germ freak and doesn't even like to share toothpaste.  I did the kids drawers and then moved onto mine. They make me happy every-time I open them.

 5. Just a cute one of Emery and Brendan. She pretty much mauls the kids when they come home.

6. I forced her to nap one afternoon. Some days it's just necessary for both of us to survive make it through the rest of the day.

7.Emery's favorite job is to vacuum. She always insists on having a turn before I do.

8. The kid's school has a lacrosse team and Brendan has been going to practices. We had to order his equipment and it makes for some interesting shaped packages.

9.The bubble wrap from all the packages makes for great fun though. Especially jumping on the great big pieces.

10. We were given tickets to a truck race at the Speedway last weekend. I wasn't expecting to really like it, but it was a lot of noisy fun. Brendan and Emery were especially digging it. I totally want to go again.

 

11. Just making cookies one afternoon. She had been asking to put the dough on the pan. I had one batch in the oven and told her she could help me with the next batch. I went upstairs to switch laundry and came back and she had done the whole pan by herself. They were perfectly sized and spaced little balls. Perfect. Better than I do it. She will have to do all the cookies from now on. 

12. This pillow has a story. They had these beauties at Target during the summer. I knew they would go on clearance. I waited and waited all summer. All the other pillows went on clearance except the turquoise ones. I checked all the time (my Target trips are a little too frequent) and then all of the sudden they had gone on clearance and were all gone in all of two days. I was truly sad. On our anniversary date, we went into a different Target and there was one waiting just for me. Corey bought it for me. Come to find out, he had checked other Targets looking for it too without any luck. That's a pretty good man that will look for throw pillows to make his wife happy. I love it even more now.

13. Emery really does love to help cook. However, her cooking skills are a little better than her hairdressing skills right now.

Cousin visit

Last week, my brother came into town to pick up supplies for his business. He brought two of his kids with him. Emery was so excited to have someone to play with other than me. They kept each other entertained all day, but while Rex played with Emery really well, he was really just passing time for Hailey to come home. Those two have such a good time together.

I couldn't resist snapping these pictures of them during snack time. I can't even remember what they were talking about, but it was obviously hilarious to Hailey.

Nothing better than a little comic relief with your cousins.