October--What a Month

Wowsers what a month!  I think October is our family's favorite month.  The kids were so excited for October to arrive and on the first day Mikey came into our room early in the morning and exclaimed, "It's Halloween Time!"  Neil helped get the decorations up and our Halloween lights on the outside.  I think the most anticipated event was the Halloween countdown calendar.  I am so glad I made that last year.  It is so fun and the kids are so excited every morning to see what new treat or surprise awaits them. 

 

We started out the month by going to one of our favorite places, Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point.  This is the first year we didn't lose a kid, not even once.  We were there for 6 hours and it still wasn't long enough.  The weather was beautiful and the crowds were low.  What a perfect day.

Since I didn't have their costumes done they all just wore their capes.  Another thing I am so glad I made.  They've come in handy so many times.



Mikey loves to run around and have his cape fly behind him.



Conner spent quite a bit of time at the mining station sorting through mud to try and find some gold or precious gems.

These full size Lincoln logs were pretty cool and Sam had fun building this house all by himself.  He just needed a little help with the roof.  Lucy sure liked playing inside.



I just thought this was a fun picture of Sam.



After several tries Conner did make it to the top.  The other kids were too scared to give it a go.



It's always fun to get buried in the corn box.

 

The kids always love the dress up cottage.  We forgot the camera and so only Neil's phone so it got to dark to get the other kids but Mikey was a teenage mutant ninga turtle, Conner was a bumble bee, Lucy was a princess and they made Neil put on a Batman costume that was way too small, Now I wish I had a picture of that.  It would have been priceless.  There was a stage nearby and the family put on a play for Sam and I.  I don't remember the storyline but I do remember Conner buzzing around stinging people with his little stinger in a costume for a 3 year old.  Batmas was trying to save Princess Lucy from the evil turtle.  It was pretty funny.

 

Conner has started scouts and loves it and is pretty proud to wear his uniform each week.  At his first pack meeting he received his Bobcat badge and is diligently working on the other requirements to get his beads.  He had to make a meal for the family all by himself, with cleaning up the dishes and setting the table as well.  He decided to make breakfast and made pancakes, he's a pro now.  It took him an hour and half to do everything and he was amazed at how long it took to clean everything up.  I supervised but he did it all and he was adamant that he do everything perfectly, otherwise I should not sign his book.  I think it helped put things in perspective for him and how much I need his and everyone's help to keep the house clean and organized.  I can dream right?

 

Just a random picture of Sam eating a hot turkey leg for a snack. 

 Just some of our Halloween decor.  Brother Chesire said he doesn't think he's seen a more festive house inside and out.  What can I say, we love Halloween!

Neil wasn't sure what to do one night for YM's so I suggested making and decorating some Halloween cookies and going and visiting some of the inactive boys.  I know it sounds like a girly thing to do but the boys really got into it and they made a contest out of it.  Neil made the coolest haunted house cookie with such detail.  Stinks that I didn't get a picture.  When they went to visit one of the boys the young men were at the door trying to talk and the dad answered and said they were not interested in the church right now and shut the door in their face.  Ouch but what a great experience for these future missionaries.

Conner having fun with one of the decorations.

Neil heard that Barnes and Nobles was having a Star Wars Reads Day and a costume contest and since we have the costumes from last year we decided to pay a visit.  The kids had a lot of fun and looked awesome.  I can never get enough of that cute Mikey Darh Maul, if cute is allowed.

I don't who was in heaven more, the boys or Neil.

Darth Vader bowing to his master Darth Sidious (Sam)

Both Sam and Mikey won prizes for their costumes.  The judges said it was unanimous that Mikey was the overall winner.  I have to agree.  Conner was a good sport for not getting a prize although he was the best looking Jedi there, but I'm just a little biased.

The kids spent conference making creations with perler beads while listening to it on the radio.

Of course we had to go to J&J nursery for their free hay ride and pumpkins.

We made it to Kaysville's Monster Mash.  They have lots of fun and free activities for the kids.

Last year there was a dance and the kids really wanted to dance.  This year they were going to do a Just Dance competition with a wii but the wii would not work and so there was an empty stage with music playing.  Well Lucy couldn't help herself and she got u there all by herself and started shaking it.  Pretty soon her brothers followed and were having light saber duels and before you know it the stage was full of kids.

 Like my mom always says, you have to make your own fun and boy did we.  I love watching my kids dance.  They each have their own style.

 

Mikey's preschool class went on a field trip to Black Island farms and so both him and Lucy got to pick out another pumpkin.

Fall wouldn't be complete without a frolic in the leaves.  We have three trees in our front yard and Neil waited until most of the leaves had fallen off before he raked them up to our neighbors dismay.  He wanted to make sure there was a large pile for the kids to jump in and boy did they jump.

I put on a Halloween party for Lucy's little preschool group.  These girls are so cute.  I stressed and fretted over the food and games and do you know what their favorite activity was.  Chase the dinosaur (Mikey) all over the house.

We were able to end out season at Lagoon with a few trips to Frightmares.

Lucy would not ride any rides during the summer but at Frightmares she finally ventured out and rode a couple of the kiddie rides.  I was so happy.  Still don't know if she earned her pass.

Mikey really wanted to ride the sky ride and so he and I went.  He got a little scared and would snuggle up to me and tell me how much he loved me.  What a sweetie.

My friend Lauren and I were in charge of the Halloween party for Mikey's preschool.  Now that was fun.  We played Smashing Pumpkins, Pin the Face on the Jack-o-Lantern and Ghost in the Graveyard.  Lauren showed them how to make a skeleton out of qtips and then we had some spooky treats.  Such a fun age.

 

The boys really wanted to be lego Ninjagoes this year for Halloween and since we usually do a theme Lucy ended up being Nya.  I would have liked to make her a frilly princess costume but nope she had to be part of the boys, but look at her ninja moves.  She's pretty tough.  I've got some video of her and her moves and it's pretty funny.  I bought the fabric in the middle of September thinking I would get a head start but once a procrastinator always a procrastinator.  Of course I didn't start until the week of Halloween.  Several times during the month Mikey would pray that I would finish their costumes before Halloween.  I finished them the morning of Halloween but when Mikey realized he could eat with his mask on he had a major meltdown.  I didn't have a pattern and so I had just used some ideas from the internet but it was back to the drawing board and I was scrambling to remake their masks with a velcro closure up until minutes before the trunk or treat.  I was not happy with the outcome but it was the best I could come up with under such pressure.

We did carve pumpkins, something I never look forward too but it's a tradition that has to happen.  I cleaned out the pumpkins and everyone carved their own.  We like happy pumpkins at our house.

This kid was a little too excited to see all his candy.

 

 Sam sorted through all his candy.  Lucy and Mikey had eaten all of their candy within 4 days but Conner and Sam have been pretty good about rationing theirs out and still have some left.

 

The kids got the stomach flu the week before Halloween which is another reason I could not sew.  I got a call on Monday that Sam had thrown up, then Lucy got it Wednesday and on Friday yet another call that Conner had thrown up.  It came on so fast.  I was so embarrased that they got sick at school but they were fine in the morning and never once complained they felt sick. 

We had to go several fun activities and parties that week because I didn't want to spread the yuckiness and we were all a little bummed but we still had a great November.  I love seeing how much fun the kids have dressing up.  They have so many costumes to choose from and they take full advantage, especially Mikey.  One day he changed his costume 5 times in two hours.  Don't you wish you could still be a kid and have such simple fun! 

It took us about a week to recover from the month of October but the house and is finally in order for the most part and the laundry is done.  That's the only bad thing about sewing, everything else falls apart.  As Neil would say, "He has become a sewing widower." He totally supports me though and how can you not when the kids are so happy.