HALLOWEEEEEN!

 Posted by Kaitlyn and Brynn

Halloween was on Sunday so we handed out candy and did not go Trick- or- Treating.  But we still went to the carnival at our church that is held every year.

Kaitlyn was an angel. She’s so cute with her angel costume that mom got at a garage sale.  She really didn't need to dress up in the costume, because she is an angel everyday.

Brynn was a black cat. Look at the awesome makeup! Our dad did it.  Mom made the tail and the sequins ears.  And since we're talking about it, Brynn made the rest of the costume from things in her drawers.

Jared was a Lego. He won a prize for the best “building block” at the carnival.  Mom made his costume. She used glue gun to write Lego on all the popping out circles.



Look at the AWESOME family!



Ellie was a clown. Unfortunately we didn’t get a good picture of her makeup, because she kept rubbing it off.

Nathan was a pumpkin. Unfortunately his costume got wet and he became a frog. Have you ever seen someone as cute as that?!

Mom was a witch. She had an awesome costume, and some pretty awesome hair, but you can't really tell from the picture.

Dad was just dad. I think?

We also carved pumpkins.  We had four, but for some reason we only have pictures of these two.  Go Cougars!

A Wise Boy

 The kids each have a night they are assigned to help me clean the kitchen after dinner.  Tonight Jared asked whose turn it was.  I told him I didn't have a helper tonight so I'd do it myself.  He sweetly replied that he would help me tonight.  As we did dishes together he asked me if he could get money for helping me.  Before I could respond he quickly said, "Actually, some people only care about money.  I don't want to be one of those people so I don't need any money mom."  He is a very wise, very tender-hearted five year old.

From Jared's journal entry on Sunday:  My friend's wanted to spy on their neighbors.  I wasn't sure it was ok so I told them I wouldn't.  They said I wouldn't be in the club if I didn't.  I said that was alright I just wanted to do what was right.

I am proud of Jared for his strong desire to choose the right.  I'm pretty sure his friends were not doing anything wrong, but I'm glad he had the courage to stand up to his friends anyway.

After a couple hard months, this little boy has conquered his Kindergarten fears.  He is thriving at school and now says his worst thing of the day is leaving school.  He likes to come home from school and write words and sentences for me.  His major accomplishment has been that he's let Scott drop him off at the drop-off in the morning and walk into the Kindergarten area himself.  He told me he'd do that more often, but that sometimes Dad would walk him to his classroom just for fun.  "Maybe we'll do a pattern mom.  Like, drop-off, drop-off, drop-off, Dad, drop-off, drop-off, drop-off, Dad."  I smiled at my cute little boy and all that he is learning.

Jared loves to be read to.  His attention span is amazing as he sits mesmerized listening to stories without pictures.  Recently Scott read "Where the Red Fern Grows" to the kids.  Jared loved listening about Old Dan and Little Ann.  His imagination painted a vivid picture of each scene, and he often related to us the details of how he pictured the boy and his dogs.  He also listened to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and loved it too. 

Jared is always up for snuggles and loves...if only we could figure out how to keep him in his own bed at night!  He invariably ends up in bed with us or we find ourselves in bed with him (usually Scott takes Jared duty, since I am still up with Nathan at night) every night.  Jared told me one night after I challenged him to stay in his own bed, "I just can't help it mom.  You guys are just so snuggly and warm!"

Then and Now

 OCTOBER 8, 1999

Bountiful, Utah

  

 Exactly 11 Years later

OCTOBER 8, 2010

Albuquerque, New Mexico

T-shirt Designer

Brynn's teacher named their class the "Owls."  They wanted to have a shirt to wear on their fieldtrips, so each student got to draw a design.  The class then voted for their favorite one to be printed on the t-shirt.  Brynn's cute design won! 
 

Isn't it cute?  Way to go Brynn!

Ellie-isms

Ellie's school picture proofs came back the other day.  Surprise, surprise...she was not smiling.  She asked me if the words said, "Ellie not smile."  I told her they didn't say that, but since we were talking about it, I asked her why she didn't smile.  She replied, "My smile batteries runned out."  Oh!  That explains so much--I'll have to figure out how to recharge them! 

Later that night she didn't want to say her prayers.  I commented that saying her prayers was a way to show Heavenly Father that she loved Him, and for her to thank Him for all the things He has given her.  She said, "No, Mom!  He not give me things--I give Him my prayers!"

This Little Muff of Mine

We had family pictures a couple of weeks ago.  We had them taken at Elena Gallegos, a park nearby us and by the Sandia Mountains.  Little Muffy did NOT like the idea of pictures.  Whether she was nervous of the photographer (who is a friend of mine, but Ellie doesn't know), or she was just being a stinker--I don't know.  Probably a little of both.  Here are a few individual shots of her.

Even with me next to her, she refused to smile!

She couldn't help herself on this one!

Once the photographer left, Ellie became her normal self and Scott got the next two shots with our camera! 

Silly Ellie!  Now why didn't she do that earlier? 

Brothers

Nathan and Jared already have a special "brothers" bond.  Nathan gets excited everytime he sees Jared.  He likes to hit on Jared and crawl all over him--his wrestling version I'm sure.  Jared, of course, adores Nate too.

 Someone to play ball with.

I love these little boys!