Halloween Happenings

Do you know how much fun it is being a mom during fun holidays like Halloween?! I love it.  Found a moment to treat myself and do my nails candy corn style.

For a couple of weeks prior to the big day, I like to pack Halloween themed printed paper napkins in their lunches, along with similarly themed stickers and the like.

We have fun making decorations.  All moms, I believe, love the dollar store for such projects.  My kids made faces on cute cutouts with supplied stickers for a buck! Money well spent.

I've been leaving love notes for my dear husband to find.

 And he has brought me flowers.  The afternoon he brought these home, I more than pleasantly surprised.  I had been eying the exact same autumn bouquets at the same grocery store that morning and thinking how much I wanted one.  I moved on because it wasn't on my list (not like it ever is) and Christmas is coming soon.  I thought maybe I should hint to Neal that I was interested in them but never got the chance because when he arrived home, he had the bouquet in hand!  Love that man!

Neal made pumpkin pancakes in advance for quick breakfasts leading up to Halloween.  Just pop those in the toaster, add chocolate chips for a face and they start the day with a jack-o-lantern.

Also, I saw this new this year online and then a friend did it for a recent activity for our church's women's group--deviled eggs with black olive spiders!  So I did it as a side to some sandwiches one night for dinner.

Also, I can't stop myself from buying pumpkins, especially the cute miniature ones.  I even got a warty, bumpy ornamental gourd for this fall.  Anyway, the kids takes showers but I made sure the got a baths with the miniature pumpkins bobbing around one night. Another night we turned the lights out for their baths and threw glow necklaces and bracelets in.

Neal and I managed to get a night when we were both freed up--amazing!  So we gutted the pumpkins and Sophie and Dad carved the face for her pumpkin.  This was the day Rhys came home sick so we let him nap through that evening and in the morning when he was doing much better he was ready to design his pumpkin, who, in his originality, named Jack.

This year is the first time I put their jack-o'-lanterns up high in their rooms and lit them for them to enjoy while nodding off to sleep.

Finally, the trick or treating came to an end! We ran into a few neighbors and friends and got to do a few streets with them.  It's always great to wish everyone a Happy Halloween and go home and explore the loot.

Ta-Dah!!!

 Hope you've had a Happy Halloween too! 

Field Trip Buddies!

Incredibly, as if Halloween itself was not fun enough, Rhys' kindergarten crew had their filed trip to the zoo on the same day!  Neal took the day off so he could chaperone energy packed kids.  Luckily there were so many volunteers that he only had to wrangle 3 boys.

Rhys really wanted to see the giraffe because he did not remember doing so in his younger years.  He seemed most happy about that and the squeezable applesauce pouch in his totally disposable lunch.  Neal loved watching Rhys looking at the animals for long periods.  He said if it was just he and his son, they'd probably still be there into the afternoon just watching.  Neal also really enjoyed seeing the ant eater.  He was glad to only have 3 boys saying, "If I had had something like 5 kids, I'd have probably freaked out."

Red Ribbon Week

"I Mustache You to Not Do Drugs!" was this day's theme for Red Ribbon Week.  The kids have also worn bandanas to "ban" drugs, crazy socks to "kick drugs out" and posed as rock stars because being drug-free rocks! Sadly, Rhys came home with a fever on mustache day so we wiped it off, drugged him up (counterproductive to the principles being taught this week) and let him rest.

Trunk or Treat

Neal and I both made crocks of chili for the cook-off at our church Trunk or Treat party.  This because we had a whole lot of visitors and knew they would need the extra chili and also becasue Neal and I go for to different categories for the prize--bragging rights!  Neal went with spicy with meat, Keri went vegetarian and kid freindly.  After lots of socializing and helping out with serving, the results were announced--we both won nothing! Yep, at least this won't come between our marriage! 

The kids participated in the costume parade in their superman and supergirl get-ups. 

Then we were off to decorate our trunk for the first time ever and pass out the goodies.  We hung eyeballs fashioned from paper plates and posted a sign for free eye exams, even though I don't have a medical license. 

We had lots of visitors and it was good to see neighbors and friends.  Frances, a fellow mom pal from the elementary school joined us this year with three of her kids.  Good times for all!  But apparently Kirk had the best time of all!  Just look at our friends, the Garvins' costumes!

Camping

Neal has just started getting over some illness and has not stopped working.  Keri is fighting a head cold and was busy with a Relief Society activity and training meeting, Nativity Inventory prep, volunteering at the school, and doing her first sub job of the school year--all this week!  She usually is careful about over-scheduling herself but this week it all hit at once. 

Luckily the looming illness was lessening as she got home from her sub job and the family took off for overnight camping at Eisenhower State Park.  We camped with the Hancock family and had a great time.  Neal was pretty amazing setting up camp and getting dinner ready so Keri would only have to set up the bedding and do nothing.  The kids entertained themselves with spiders, fossils, a baby scorpion, rocks, dirt, and soccer.  The Hancocks make good camping buddies.

Neal took the kids to the bathroom during the night at their request but nobody slept through the meltdown the toddler was having one camp over.  I felt bad for the parents, the kid, and for my interrupted sleep. Still, thanks to Neal and good weather, I don't think I have slept that good tent camping in many years.

The next day was much of the same but Anjuli and I took our kids for a walk and went down to the pier and water's edge.  For all the rocks chucked into that lake, I am surprised the water didn't make it over the dam.  They had a blast.

It was getting warm and late in the morning so we all headed home for rest before that evening's Trunk or Treat.  It was a fun getaway and there were plenty of moments of calm and relaxation, even for Neal.

Trick or Treat so Families Can Eat

This year was our first attempt at a small scale food drive.  We were just about to spread the word to all our friends when the bishop of our congregation (ward) announced that our ward was collecting peanut butter and jelly for the local food pantry. We were encouraged to include our neighbors in our efforts.  We thought it best if we joined ranks.

We wanted it to be fun so we asked if we could come trick-or-treat for Allen Community Outreach's (ACO) food pantry.  We dressed up in costume and rung the door bell of all who were able to participate.  We collected 61.2 lbs of food, including 13 jars of peanut butter and 13 jars of jelly.  We are so glad to have such wonderful, fun-loving, generous friends and neighbors. Our kids wore the costumes, but you all were the real-life heroes for hungry families right here in our community. Thank you!

Social Studies

Sophie has to learn the names of our nation's president, our state's governor, and our city's mayor by Friday for a test.  So that got me thinking...how about we go corner the mayor at his place of business and spring an interview on him.  He was very accommodating.

It was video taped so she could share it with her class but she asked him: 1. How long he had been mayor (nearly 18 years), 2. What he liked about being a mayor (working with people), 3. What could a 2nd grader do to make our city a better? (participate in civic duties such as planting tree's at the arbor day celebration, picking up trash and recycling, and when 18--registering to vote) and 4. What was his favorite sport? (Football).

 He was so nice he even went back to his office and got two official City of Allen pins for the kids to wear.  Upon arriving home, Sophie drew a picture of things he liked (people and football) to thank him.

She was able to share the video with her second grade class.  Her cool teacher made this collage and  tweeted about it. Thanks, Mrs. Steele!

We sucked 3 minutes of Steve Terrell's life away and he, in turn, helped my daughter make social studies a little more, well, social.  If she gets his name wrong on the test, I will openly mock her but let her know she is in good company with many other distracted citizens.

Sophie and Rhys Quirks

For months now, Sophie, with her gift of gab, has been rolling her eyes and telling us she "wishes Rhys would just stop talking!" Yep, she's got some competition.  Lucky parents--we get two non-stop talkers!

But honestly, I was just saying to Neal the other day that I remember two years ago being down on my knees, in tears, praying Rhys would be blessed with the ability to communicate his needs and wants when he entered kindergarten! That prayer has been answered by His blessing, Rhys' hard work, and the efforts of his family and therapists. 

Again over the last few months, the kids are trying to determine what is truth and fiction.  They are at that stage where they really want mermaids and superheros to be real but are pretty sure they're not. Every once in a while Rhys will check with me, "Mommy, is Iron Man real or not?"  And he is at that place where he's into his own thing but still feels the influence of his big sister. Thus, he occasionally draws fairy wings on the Hulk.

This should make for some challenging conversation this Christmas regarding Santa Claus.  At this point, I want Sophie to believe but am okay if she does not, EXCEPT she is so horrible about keeping things on the low down I know she is likely to spoil the fun for Rhys, who I am not ready to give up on Santa yet!  We'll see.

Rhys' favorite words lately: naked and underwear.  Uhg!  He has said naked so much that I have to tell the parents of his play date friends that their children may have heard the word but in no way was anyone naked during the play date.  The most loved joke is the kids saying, "Look under there?" and directing their hand in some vague direction, in the hopes that someone will ask...you got this one..."Under Where?" This emits great giggles.

A favorite "word" of mine is hearing him tell me that whatever I have served him is "goodilicious." "Mommy, this is goodilicious!"

Sophie has been asking some really good gospel questions and making some good connections.  Examples could include voicing that animal sacrifice seems cruel so why would Jesus want that done as an example of His sacrifice for us.  Another inquiry was if our cat was living like our spirits in the pre-exsistence (before our birth)?  I love that I have answers to her questions.  I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. On a lighter note, while watching the Smurf Movie, Papa Smurf says, "You are who you choose to be." Sophie elbows me with, "That’s what you tell us mommy. We can make good choices."

Rhys is super concerned for our once planet, Pluto.  He has even asked his Uncle David, who follows astronomy, by text, to clear up some issues.  WHY can't Pluto be a planet anymore?! Could you almost hear the whine? Something about bully scientists saying it's too puny.  More than once Rhys has petitioned his Heavenly Father during prayer to "please make Pluto a bigger planet." And recent news releases say it's still up for discussion so there is hope.

We are working on table manners and the more we do the more I realize I could be a better example.  But once thing is for certain--our kids have been having fart fests at the table quite a bit.  One night at the table I heard my husband offer the kids money if they would make it through one dinner "without having gas" at the table. They now say, "May I be excused?" and leave the room. Money well spent, I say.

Our Wacky Wackadoodles

Today is Wacky Hair Day at school!  This crazy event is to encourage kids to bring shampoo and/or conditioner to school to donate to our local Share and Care closet at Allen Community Outreach.  A win-win situation.  Sophie does not quite have half her bow collection on her head.  And Rhys really stepped out of his comfort zone and let me spike his hair.