Halloween 2013

Happy Halloween! We all know this is one of my favorite times of year. I absolutely LOVE Fall. All its vibrant colors, the chilly air, smell of chimneys, pumpkin patches, and Fall foods and treats. Its such a festive and fun time of year!

Every October I try to have fun and make Halloween themed treats and foods. This year was a little harder for me, but I think I did a good job. We made things like Mummy Mini Pizzas, Jack O Lantern Grilled cheese, "Bone" breadsticks, Halloween cupcakes and sugar cookies. The kids had fun eating and decorating and I enjoyed watching them have the fun.

We also carved pumpkins. Owen made us laugh. We cut into the pumpkins and started to pull the tops off and clean them out, and he ran way saying, "EW!" and wouldn't come near us. Eventually he warmed up and came to see, but it was pretty funny. Emma wanted to do it all  herself, but once she had her hand covered in goo, she wasn't so sure! Ha! In the end they had fun and the pumpkins turned out fun. 

Every other year we do a group costume, but this was the inbetween year and the kids got to chose their own. Emma chose to be a witch and Owen Buzz Lightyear. They were pretty darn cute!

Trick or treating was so easy this year. We knew it was going to be pretty cold and that makes for a miserable Trick or treat door to door. Instead we went to our old ward's Trunk R treat with friends and had chili and hot chocolate and the kids ran from trunk to trunk collecting an absurd amount of candy in a short period of time. Then we had everyone come back to our house to inspect candy and watch the traditional Charlie Brown special. The kids had a blast and didn't freeze and that made for a successful year!

 

A Fall visit with Aunt Rachel!

Aunt Rachel came to visit for her birthday and we decided to make it a fun festive Fall weekend. Did you like that alliteration? hehe. She was here for 4 days and we went out to dinner a couple of times and on Saturday we did a fun corn maze. This was the first year we actually did one and it was pretty darn fun! Emma had a blast finding her way through. On Sunday Grandma drove over and we went to Greenbluff to the pumpkin patch at Knapps Farm. We watched the "punkin chunkin" which Grandma thought was hilarious and walked through all the pumpkins. We grabbed a box and picked a ton of raspberries and blackberries. The kids saw all the farm animals and played in the hay bale maze. The weather was gorgeous and golden! Perfect for a Fall visit. :)  We had a great time and hopefully Rachel enjoyed her trip! We miss you Rachel! :)  Here's to whatever we come up with for next year! ha!

Phil's Birthday!

Happy Birthday Phil! #34!

I asked Phil way in advance what he would like to do for his birthday since it was on a Saturday and we could do whatever he wanted. His response? "I wanna sit on the couch and do nothing." At first I didn't think he was serious, but no, that is EXACTLY what he wanted and EXACTLY what we let him do. No work, no chores, no running around. A day off  from EVERYTHING. He sat on the couch and watched college football and invited over our friends the Norman's. We let the kids play and we munched on buffalo chicken dip, bbq chicken wings, fries, veggies, and rootbeer floats. For dessert? He didn't want a birthday cake, he wanted brownies and ice cream. And so that's what we did. He had his day his way. And my final gift to him? I basket full of "hotness!" hehe. I bought every hot sauce I knew Phil liked, a Seahawks t-shirt, and his favorite Fall treat,pumpkin candies. He was very excited about the hot sauces. lol!

Unfortunately, just after brownies and ice cream, Owen was doing terrible and having a hard time breathing. In a matter of hours he went from normal to very sick. Literally hours! So while Phil played his playstation with his friend, I ran Owen to the ER. It turned out he had Croup. Man it was nasty! The sound is just terrible and scary! They put him on a breathing treatment and an oral steroid. We were only there maybe an hour or so and we were back home, but if Owen could tell you what he thought of the ER, he would shake his fist I am sure! He threw up all over the first set of nurses because he was all worked up and screaming, then they had to hold the breathing treatment mask to his face, and the worst thing of all? The little monitor they put on your finger to watch heartbeat and oxygen levels. He HATED it. One of the nurses finally got one that would go on his foot so he wouldn't have to look at it. We managed to have him lay in the bed and watch Cars 2. When they said we could go, Owen moved at the speed of light out of that bed. Ha! By the next morning he was back to himself. Modern technology is amazing!

And so, Phil's birthday was a day for him to relax and do as he pleased even with our minor detour to the ER. He has been enjoying his "hotness" with as many meals as possible. Ha! Happy Birthday Phil! 

Spokane County Fair

For the 2nd year, we got out and went to the Spokane Country Fair and had a blast! We walked through all the live stalk and the kids loved seeing all the animals. We had fair food, yum! And of course Emma rode some rides and even managed to drag Phil on a few. Ha! I couldn't go with her since I was round and prego. Owen was NOT interested in the rides like we thought he might be. He wouldn't even get on the little cars that just went in circles. He must have inherited Daddy's love of fair rides. Ha! Emma on the other hand had a blast and went on all sorts of stuff. She Loved it all! It was totally worth leaving with empty wallets to see her have such a good time. :) Here's to next year! And next year, to no waddling! Ha!

Mommy and Owen time.

With Emma back in school,  its just me and the little man around here. I am totally soaking up this time I get with him!  The days are counting down until another baby boy will enter the picture, and so I have enjoyed this special Mommy and Owen one on one time.  As you can see from the above pictures, he has figured out his silly camera face. He is such a fun little boy! He has so much energy and spunk! When he was a baby he was so serious, but to know him now you'd never guess. He's got such a personality and is so dang funny! The stuff this kid says! At 2 and a half, he keeps us on our toes, that is for sure. We love him and I am trying so hard to slow down these moments and cherish them. Love you Owen!

First Day of 2nd Grade!

Off to 2nd grade we go!!! How can this be? Didn't we just start Kindergarten? How has it already been 2 full school years? I demand answers!!!  :)

Emma was so excited to go back to school she could barely fall asleep! When Phil's alarm went off she thought it was hers and came running in. We had to send her back to bed for a few more hours. lol! But when the time came, she put on her new outfit, I did her hair, she had breakfast, and happily zoomed out the door! Owen and I walked her down to the bus stop and waited with the other kids and parents for the bus. It was late of course! All the kids so excited to go and standing there pacing. :) It of course showed up and they all hopped on. Owen and I waved goodbye as she pulled away, her little face in the window waving back with a HUGE smile! I knew she'd have a fantastic day and come home to tell me all about it. When the time came, Owen and I walked back down to wait for the bus again. When the bus pulled up she bounced off and started telling us all about her first day, and as I knew she would, she had a great first day in Miss Parker's class! Here's to enjoying the rest of the school year Miss Emma! We love you and miss you while you are gone!

Last day of summer!

This is a little poem Emma brought home:

Twas the night before school started,
when all through the town,
The parents were cheering.
It was a riotous sound!
By eight, kids were washed
And tucked into bed...
When memories of homework
Filled them with dread.

New Pencils, new folders, new notebooks, too!
New teachers, new friends...
Their anxiety grew!
The parents just giggled when
They learned of this fright
And shouted upstairs-
"Go to bed! It's a school night!"
-Author unknown

I loved it! Says so much about the day before school starts. It marks that last day of summer and leisure and the transition to back to school schedules. For us, it was a midweek day and I tried to entertain the kids with one last hoorah! We played in the warm sun and drew with sidewalk chalk. Emma did a huge rainbow fresco! We baked homemade peanut butter cupcakes with Nutella buttercream frosting. Emma is just loving this cupcake thing! Then when Dad got home we had dinner and headed out for Emma's Back to School night to see her classroom and meet her teacher. Emma just loved that! She got to see her desk and take in her school supplies. She wasn't one of the kids sad to see Summer end. She could barely fall asleep she was so excited to go to school!

For me, its bittersweet. The end of summer brings a boredom that kids have a hard time shaking. Emma was ready to go back and be busy. But its also sad to see them go and have them gone most of the day when you have grown accustomed to seeing their sweet little faces!  As Emma stepped onto the bus, I felt sad to see her go, but I knew she would have a blast and come home to tell me all about it!

For Owen, I thought this would be the year that he wouldn't do as well. He loved having Emma home to play with and pester. :)  BUT for the 2nd year now, he surprised me and didn't miss a beat. He asked once or twice where Emma was, but played with his toys, watched his favorite shows, and followed me around as usual. He wasn't phased at all! :)  Owen and I have from now to December to have one on one time and we are going to make the most of it!

So back to school we go. The anticipation of the first day. New outfits out, new backpacks and lunch boxes on display. Emma is ready to go!