Halloween Happenings

The ghosts and goblins stayed away for this year's Halloween bash, but the costumes were ever clever and cool! Girls gobbling goodies.

Boys being boys.

Tate and Luke with matching fauxhawks.

We played one wicked game after another. The Wizard, Winking Ghost, Monster Attack, Pumpkin Toss, and the infamous Ghosts in the Graveyard to name a few. It was so fun I forgot to take pictures! The time flew by.

The only downside to the party was that Jake woke up with a fever the day after, which meant we were able to give the flu to about half of the party-goers. Still feeling really bad about that and hope everyone is feeling better.

This was taken right before the kids arrived. Heidi came over to lend her expertise in cupcake decorating (that is after landing a new job on her way through a drive through - she's quite the gal!). She brought party decor as well and it all turned out fab. Heidi is so amazing and just plain AWESOME!!!

This little wizard spent the night wondering who's birthday it was. I forgot how much fun Halloween is with a 2 year old in the house. He kept putting on this hat, running through the house saying, "I itch! I itch!" That's Lukenese for "I'm a witch! I'm a witch!"

So fun to see Halloween through his eyes.

Fall Break III

Fall Break Part II - The Great Hike

We took the most amazing hike!! It was probably 70 degrees and simply beautiful. The kids were freezing (me too)!

We crouched down to be on the same level as Luke. So he crouched down too!

We're standing in front of a fireplace in ruins.

You can tell from Jake's face that it was a little nippy!

We found a small cave.

Luke discovered the dirt beneath his feet and that was the end of hiking for him. This was not normal dirt either. It was finer than sand and softer than Luke's baby bum. When we finally got to the end of the trail, Luke had a handful of it clenched tightly in his hand that he had carried the entire way.

Do you like the walking stick he found? Just his size.

Not going anywhere. We kept saying, "Come on Luke, let's go", and he would say, "Okay in a minute". Wonder where he's heard that before...

This trail was sooo cool!! It had switch backs across the river the entire way.

That was the kids' favorite part!

Jake stops to watch a bug fight for his life in the river.

After this picture, the battery in my camera died. I was quite sad because this was by far the most beautiful hike I have been on since we've lived here. Changing leaves, red rock, evergreens, blue skies, rocky streams ahh it was a little piece of heaven!

We are adding this to our October traditions!

Fall Break 09 - Part I

fort building
candy snitching

deviled egg making

play dough playing

top of table sitting

science center playing

home designing

lego building

air ball catching

pulley lifting

chair riding

studly manly husband on sharp nails laying

true braverism

super fearlessness

speedy spinning

lunch picnicking

new school loving - hooray for fall break!

If You Give A Luke A Racket...

Friday night was tennis night.

Nice form, Bree!

Luke was feeling down, so we gave him a racket.

Now, if you give a Luke a racket...

He's going to ask for a ball. And chances are if he asks for a ball...

He'll want to climb over the net to get another one.

And after all that climbing, he'll ask for a water bottle.

And chances are if you give him a water bottle, he'll dump it out on the court.

And then he'll need to cool off by laying down in it.

Which will result in a very wet diaper.

And chances are if he has a wet diaper....

So never give a Luke a racket!

Hello Independent

We were reading scriptures before bed when Luke disappeared. He returned with this.

Health food nut!

The next day, I came across this.

Luke was on the floor with a dry washcloth, swirling the oatmeal flakes everywhere saying, "It's ok. I got it. I clean it."

Oops. Missed a spot.

Then the phone rang, so while I was talking, I heard this "thud" "thud". I looked up to see Luke bringing Breanna's vacuum down (one stair at a time) to get those last few stubborn flakes.

I love watching him and seeing how his mind easily works out life's little mishaps.

This growing independence means a definite and rapid decline in this babyhood I'm clinging to.

It's okay though.

He makes me SMILE!