Halloween Festivities

We totally get into pumpkin carving at our house at Halloween, and since we can't ever seem to get our garden ones to turn orange before the snow comes, we head to Albertsons to find our perfect canvases.  The kids helped me to literally dig these beauties out from a snow bank in front of the store but they did a great job picking them out.  The big one was hand-picked for Daddy to carve and he did so well with his carving, we won the pumpkin carving contest at my work.  We also carved a couple from Grandma and Grandpa's garden for our family Halloween party (notice the huge one they are sitting next to in one of the pictures).  Like I said, we really get into it.  The kids were Harry Potter (Dillon) and Batman (Halle) this year.  Please do not ask Halle if she was Batwoman or Batgirl because she was Batman - to be clear. 

The Kids Love Playing Music Together

Should your carrots be as big as your zucchini?

Our garden usually doesn't get much attention after school starts, so I usually expect everything to be dying off except the zucchini when I finally get a chance to check on it. Last night, I stepped out to get some carrots for the kids lunches this week and it was dark so I wasn't sure exactly what I was pulling up. Much to my confusion, when I pulled these two monsters out I thought I had missed a row and pulled up a a potato (which we did not plant) or a beet. I wasn't exactly sure what it was until I got inside and confirmed that they were indeed carrots.

The purple one had another carrot wrapping it's "arms" around it like a momma and a baby (as Halle said), desperate for some space.

A Day at the Fair

We had our annual trip to the state fair a couple of weeks ago, and I am not lying when I say that Halle had zero input from us on the outfit she chose for the outing. However, we felt it was incredibly appropriate. Our favorite things at the fair are the animals and the food as you can tell by the pictures.

Ready or not, school has started.

A Few New Friends

We have had some foster kids staying with us for the past few weeks which has been both exhausting and rewarding.  Keygan is the same age as Dillon and they have become best buds in the past week.  Brodee is only about 18 months and loves to snuggle.  We love that.  And I don't have pictures of Taylor, but she is 13 and knows so much about how to take care of her brother's medical needs, it's amazing.  They will be leaving soon and I know our kids are going to miss them.  Dillon had been hoping to have Keygan in his school class this fall so I know he will be sad to lose his friend.

Odd Sunday Visitors

Our Sunday afternoon was a little more exciting than usual yesterday.  A few moose decided to wander through the neighborhood.  They usually don't make it so far into town but we got a close up view.  The police had to keep them coralled by our fence until it was cool enough for Fish and Game to come tranquilize them.  They were also nice enough to leave fertilizer in our back yard and I haven't checked yet to see if they helped themselves to anything in the garden.  Anyway, it was good entertainment for the kids for a few hours.

A Visit with Tyler and Sarah

Hello Dolly

Two months ago, I took Halle to our local community theater auditions for "Hello Dolly."  Since they said they don't accept any kids younger than eight, I was just planning on showing her what an audition looks like.  But once we got there, she begged me to let her get up and try the dance with one of the audition groups, and they agreed to let her on.  She didn't even get an audition number or anything, but the next week she was on the cast list. 

 

Now here we are at dress rehearsals, and Neal has spent just about every evening and Saturday building the sets with one other dad and I am working behind the scenes moving set pieces on and off stage.  Neither of us had planned to get this involved, but it's been a lot of fun.  We are, however, relieved that it's almost over.  Since we won't actually get a chance to watch the play, someone took some pictures for us.  If you look close, you can see Halle in a few of them.  (Oh, and you aren't supposed to see Dolly at the top of the stairs at "Harmonia Gardens."  We just didn't have the curtain up yet)

Buzztimus Prime Ballerina Army Super-Girl Unicorn Rider

New Glasses

Dillon has glasses now and he looks so different- so much older. They seem to fit him, though, don't they?

A Few More Laughs

Alas, the home computer bit the dust for good a few months back.  So much for catching up.  But I wanted to share a few more comical kid-isms we've had in the past week.

 

Halleisms (if she doesn't know the exact pronunciation, she picks the next closest thing) - ie- the Rifle Tower or Naturella Cheese

 

Katiesm (courtesy of cousin Katie) - "Are we going to the Home Hippo (Depot)?"

 

Dillon - "Mom, can we go on vacation to Jamba Juice someday?"  (I call that excellent advertising)

 

Halle - "Mom, I think my heart attack came back again" spoken with her hand on her forehead.

 

 

And last, but not least . . .

 

Halle - "Mom, is Daddy coming to church with us today?"

Me - "No, he's sick today."

Halle - "Is it because he ate too much candy?"

Me - "No, he has a bug."

Halle - "What's a bug?"

Me - "You know when we tell you to wash your hands really good because there are germs on them?  Well sometimes the germs are still there and they can make us sick."

Halle - "Oh."

 

10 minutes later at church, our neighbor came over to say hi and Dillon says to her, "My daddy swallowed a bug."