Cute Trick-or-Treaters

This was a fun year for trick-or-treating. First, the weather was great! We got a few drops of rain, but it was so much warmer than years past. Emma is an old pro at trick-or-treating now. We went with a group of friends around the neighborhood and the "older" kids (ages 5 & 6) were way ahead of the younger group. It was fun to look at these kids and remember the past few years when we have trick-or-treated with the same group and they were toddling along like Nathan was this year.
Nathan was an adorable pumpkin. He wanted to eat all the candy as he got it and didn't waste any time by unwrapping the treats. When we got home and sorted through the candy at least 1/4 of Nathan's candy had bites in it. He was a little trouper, climbing lots of stairs and holding out his bag. He got distracted a couple times and wandered off, but that is why we brought the wagon with us. He didn't want the night to end.
Emma decided she wanted to be a scary witch instead of a cute witch so at the last minute she threw on these lovely glow-in-the-dark vampire teeth.

We have a ton of candy between our ward Halloween party last night and tonight's trick-or-treating. The Halloween party last night was great. They had set up a bunch of carnival games. Nathan couldn't get enough of the games with balls - golf & bowling. He kept walking in front of other kids to get to the balls. My favorite game was "Wack-A-Deacon." The Scout Master in our ward worked with the Deacons to create this big ply wood contraption with holes in the top. The Deacons took turns being the "moles". They popped their heads out to get wacked by swim noodles. Towards the end of the night the bishopric members including Dave got to be the "moles" popping out. Nathan thought "Wack-A-Deacon" was the greatest game. Both Emma and Nathan got to wack their daddy. What a good sport! I wish I had taken my camera to the party.

Crunchy, Crunchy, Leaves!

4 Reasons I love the Leaves in our Backyard:

1. They are crunchy

2. I like to jump in them

3. My kids' like to jump in them...and look at those smiles

4. Leaves make great art projects

Tagged

I got tagged twice this week, but this one is easier so I decided to do this one.
Here's the tag: Go into your pictures file, open the fourth folder, and then select the fourth picture.This is a picture of Emma and I from a vacation that we took when Emma was just over one-year old. We went to Illinois to visit Missy and Jeff. While we were there we spent some time at Rockome Gardens. I love Emma's crazy hair. Looks like I didn't comb it that day.

So, I tag Marla, Allison, Jena and Brittany.

Family Pumpkin Carving

My parents bought Emma and Nathan their pumpkins this year.

Emma made sure she got the bigger pumpkin, but really they are about the same size. It's tradition at our house that we carve pumpkins for F.H.E. the week of Halloween. This year my parents bought Dave a pumpkin carver which makes his life a lot easier. I gutted the pumpkins and turned the seeds into a tasty snack. Emma claims that my friend's seeds were better because they were crunchier. Oh well, maybe I'll get the "best pumpkin seed award" next year.

Emma wanted her pumpkin to be a bat snake. Nathan chose the funny man pattern when I handed him a couple patterns and told him to pick one. So, we all went outside and Dave sat on the porch carving away while the kids and I ran around our almost-leafless tree in the front yard.

An old friend stopped by and snapped the family picture for us. How nice, because we really don't get all four us in pictures very often. Our friend had to be quick to catch Nathan sitting.

Who Wants to Go to the Game?

On Friday night as we were putting the kids to bed Dave asked "who wants to go to the game with me tomorrow?" He was, of course, referring to the BYU Football game. Emma quickly raised her hand above her head and said "me!" Without missing a beat, Nathan raised his hand and said "meeee!" Decision made, Dave took both kids to the BYU game.

Emma refused to get her picture taken at the game. Nathan looks like he ate something yummy and red right before this picture was snapped using Dave's cell phone camera. Dave said both kids were really good at the game. Nathan got into the game and squealed a few times. Apparently their neighbors thought Nathan was adorable. It was a close game. BYU won by 7 points.

Where was I during the game? I actually would have liked to be there, but we only have two season tickets this year. Next year we'll get enough tickets for the whole family. While Dave and the kids was gone, I tackled a big project. I finished Nathan's ABC Heritage Makers book. It has pictures and highlights from his first 18 months of life. I think it turned out really cute.

Emma's Helicopter Ride

Every other week Dave and I trade babysitting with some friends so we can all have a chance to go out on dates. There are four families, so we babysit once every two months and get three date nights. Saturday night was date night. Dave and I took my parents out to eat for their 33rd wedding anniversary while the kids went to play at Jill and Chris's house. When we arrived to pick up Emma and Nathan, Chris invited us in and said they needed to explain something. At first his look made me nervous and then he said "Emma went on a helicopter ride." My first instinct was maybe they had gone on a simulated helicopter, but no, it was real.

Currently there is a company close by that is offering helicopter rides for $35 a person. The helicopter company heard through Jill's relative about Jill and Chris's son (3 years old) that is having open heart surgery this Tuesday. They offered to give him a free helicopter ride on Saturday night. What a cool opportunity for their sweet son! We wish them the very best of luck this week. They will definitely be in our prayers.

Jill and Chris loaded up their four kids and Emma and Nathan to go to the helicopter. We were the only family that took advantage of the babysitting service this time around, so they only had two extra kids. Jill explained to the kids that this was something special for Aidan and the rest of them would get to watch. But when they arrived at the helicopter location they were told that all the kids could have a free helicopter ride. Jill and Chris seemed nervous that they hadn't gotten our permission, but we would have given it to them and were glad that Emma had such a fun opportunity.

Emma could not stop talking about the helicopter when we got home. She said that the ground looked small and she liked looking down on the lights. We drove past the helicopters on the way home that night and Emma pointed out "her" red helicopter.

Nathan didn't get to ride, but from the looks of this picture that Jill took Nathan did get in the helicopter. I would have loved to see Emma's and Nathan's faces. Nathan gets really excited when he sees a helicopter or airplane flying in the sky. I bet he loved seeing a helicopter so close. As for Emma, she got to do something that neither Dave or I have ever done. She is the first member of our little family to ride in a helicopter. Lucky her!

First Snow of the Year

Last Sunday, October 12th, we woke up to white - our first snow of the year! We bundled the kids up for church, but by the time we got out of church the snow was melting. The kids and I went on a walk in the afternoon to look for snow. Our yard had the most remaining snow. Nathan loved the cold stuff and Emma is already planning our first "snow party" for this winter. We'll have to wait for more snow for that since this batch is long gone. I think fresh snow is beautiful and the kids' reactions to new snow are priceless.