Pumpkins

This pictures downloaded backwards for some reason, so the first ones are the finished pumpkins and the last are of them cleaning them out - weird. Anyway, the kids (this includes Aaron) were very excited about pumpkin carving this year. Aaron's SpongeBob SquarePants turned out amazing. Aleah got a little frustrated with her skull at first, but it was very spooky when she had finished. Cam really wanted a Spider-man, but since that was $5.00 to download, he had to go with a free spider instead - but he worked hard on it still the same - mom had to come to the rescue at the end when he got frustrated with carving and just started poking random holes all over the pumpkin, but he was very proud of it in the end. Charlie was dying to help at the beginning, so we let him stick his hands in the guts a few times and that cured his desire to touch the pumpkins. And when we lit them up and stuck them outside - they scared the pants off him. Now, Char will be quietly playing somewhere in the house when, suddenly, I will hear screaming and his little feet running as quickly as he can toward where I am. Then he will start yelling in a panicked voice, "Scareee Punkin, Mom, Scareee Punkin!"

Witches Everywhere!!!

Pic 1: Charlie not happy about being dressed-up like a withc, Pic 2: Ali after her hair was done, Pic 3: Ali & her friends after their hair & nails were done, Pic 4: On their hayride with the witch; Pic 5: Dancing with the witch after the costume parade


Aleah's birthday party was so much fun. We spent 4 hours at Gardner Village and the girls would have stayed longer if I hadn't promised their parents I'd have them home around 7 p.m. Aleah chose 3 of her friends to have their Witchy make-overs done at the day spa. They then had a hayride with the witch and she told them scary stories. We continued on to the

petting zoo and pink hot chocolate. After that it was time for a picnic, presents, & cake. Finally, there was a costume parade and then the girls danced for over an hour with the witch and lots of other kids that were there. We all had so much fun.

Rexburg

Picture 1: My sister Sharee and I at Gardner Village, Pic 2: Clay & Aaron at Big Jud's with their Head-sized hamburgers, Pic 3: Aaron and I "makin'-out" in front of Harmony 310 where I lived in college.


The last few weeks have been crazy. I flew my sister Sharee to Salt Lake for her Birthday. I wish I had more pictures of her, but her stay got cut short when her children got sick and she had to rush back home. Children=horses in Sharee's world; kids=Bowdie & Patton (her sons), but all are treated = in Sharee's home; well, actually I think the children are treated better, but the rest of the family try to love the kids enough to make-up the difference :). Anyway, we had a great time while she was here and visited a lot of craft places because that is something else Sharee is really into and good at. We also went to Rexburg while she was here. Our brother Ken's oldest daughter, Cora, was getting baptized, so we loaded up the van and headed out. It snowed...at the beginning of October...it snowed...it was freezing...oh, how it brought back the college days memories. Rexburg is where Aaron and I went to Rick's College; where we met; and where we spent the beginning of our marriage. The first year I was there, it snowed in August and it didn't stop until the end of April. The people that live there really love snowmobiling. Aaron and I had to take everyone to Big Jud's where he had his picture on the wall more than once for eating the pound size burger, fries, & shake all by himself more than once. Our children were very impressed. We also took a short tour of the campus and some pictures at the apartments that we lived in. It was also fun to hang out with our family and eat lots of food.

Aleah is 9!!!!!!!!!

(Picture 1: Aleah being the most fabulous Goalie ever, Pic 2: Aleah & her side of the haunted castle, Pic 3: All the kids decorating the castle and Charlie 'supervising')

I can't believe I haven't posted in over 3 weeks - what a slacker! We have been so crazy busy. But it was Aleah's 9th birthday yesterday and I had to tell everyone how wonderful she is. She's such a big help around the house and does most things I ask her without complaint. Her aunt Sharee was here last week and bought her a hamster for her b-day. She loves it & named it Ruby; besides the one time she tried to give it a leash out of yarn, she she is a very good pet parent. She is in Karate & Soccer. She is so good at Karate that she now has to spar with the teacher because she beats up the other students to badly. She is the full-time goalie in soccer. She chose that all herself even though I wish she'd switch it up once in a while. But she is the only one that is not afraid to dive head-first into a bunch of kicking cleats to grab the ball. She's made some amazing saves that Aaron swears is ESPN worthy. And when I went to parent/teacher conferences on Monday, her teacher couldn't say enough wonderful things about her. She's in the advanced class again, and her teacher said, "She just knows so much; we start talking about a new subject and she already knows everything." I guess that comes from reading encyclopedias since she was 4 and everything else she can get her hands on.

Anyway, for her party we are taking her and a few friends to Gardner Village to dress & play with the witches; I can't wait to post pictures of those.