Kids in Costume

Holy Halloween

It's over. Finally. Seriously, I am on Halloween burnout. Let's discuss.

Last Saturday was the ward Halloween party. Chili cook-off and a little trunk-or-treat action that was moved indoors due to massive downpours. Nice beginning. Would have been perfectly content with Halloween ending, right there.

But that was not to be so. This Friday we began our morning with Ryder's kindergarten Halloween party, assembly, and parade. A plethora of cuteness.

Immediately following Ryder's party, we ran over to the Play Group Halloween Party, wherein my children consumed far too many sugar cookies and Reese's peanut butter cups.

Because it was necessary that they sugar-up prior to the downtown Millburn Trick-or-Treating that immediately followed the Play Group Party.

Came home and napped. Then spent the rest of the day telling children they could not have just one more piece of candy.

Then came today. Actual Halloween day. Good thing we already had already collected over 5 pounds of candy. I would hate for my children to feel deprived.

This afternoon we all loaded up and Trick-or-Treated in downtown Summit. This I have to admit I love, but only because I love discovering my downtown. There are so many fun boutiques and quaint restaurants that I promise myself I will frequent.

Then we came home and napped. Then we went to another party at a friend's house. Then the kids did their last and final Trick-or-Treating for 2009 around our neighborhood, in the rain. And came home drenched with tummy aches. May they please sleep soundly tonight.

A few notes: Yes, Linley is wearing many different costumes. None of which are her actual costume, which is pictured in the above post. Love that girl.

Tessa is not dressed up in a costume. She was in her little cozy warm fleecy thing. That just happens to have ears. So I guess she could be in costume. It doesn't matter.

Halloween Hooplah

It is no secret that I am not Halloween's biggest fan. That being said, I have tried my best to make the most of if for the monkeys. Plus it has been rainy, so at-home projects seemed fitting. And no, I will not complain about the seemingly non-stop rain (ok...no rain today), because rain means it is not cold enough for snow. Rejoice.

Project #1: making our very own candy corn cookies. That there are some candy corns I can sink my teeth into (and yes, Linley is wearing her jammies in the middle of the day. I swear she was dressed. Twice.).

Project #2: Decorating pumpkins. Maybe we will end up carving them before Halloween. Maybe not. Regardless of the outcome, these pumpkins will not go faceless.

Why again must Halloween be a two-week celebration? This is no good for anyone's teeth or tummies!!

And why can't my children smile like normal people???

And finally, I fully realize Ryder needs some gel in his hair.

Ego Trip

Getting Tess up after her naps is one of the highlights of my day. I am greeted by the biggest, gummiest grins every time. She loves me. Or getting out of her crib. Let's go with me.

Tessa's Four Months!!

Miss Tessa is four months old. And she's a beast, weighing in at 16 pounds 4 ounces, and 26.5 inches long. She has reached the devastating point in life where she prefers falling asleep all by herself in her crib as opposed to cuddling up on mommy. Dang, dang, dang!!! She also has begun doing a lot of this:

So what if these pictures suck and seem to provide further evidence in the theory of evolution?? She's bloody sitting.

PS

Hot Dang I wish I was in Provo today. Go Cougs!!!

Grant's Wedding

Last weekend Allen took off work to stay at home with Ryder and Linley so Tess and I could board a plane to head back to Georgia to watch my baby brother get married (hello run-on sentence!!). It was a such a treat to spend time with all my sister's and mom and dad. Those three days were way too full and went by way too fast...but they were three days I will forever treasure!

Me making the cake stand- which by the way, was hugely labor intensive. You cannot even begin to understand, I assure you.

Belting out Tony Braxton. It had to happen.

Amanda helping Grant out with his "First Dance" moves.

Carson abusing Tess.

An Ode to Sisterhood

Our side of the wedding party.

The Happy Couple.

How did these men find wives????

I could not resist putting this gorgeous modelriffic picture of Tracy up.

The First Dance.

Cutting the cake. Obviously. Why am I doing these stupid captions?

Congratulations Grant and Adrianna!! And thanks for getting married so I could steal away from my life to spend some dreamy time with the fam!!!!!

Rub a Dub Dub...

... two girls in the tub.

The Chub-a-Lub

Tess is 3 1/2 months old and such a treat. Like ice cream. Sweet and tasty and creamy smooth and nice and fatty. She currently has three great loves in her life.

First: her fingers. Since that phenomenal discovery, those fuzz-filled slimers can most often be found shoved in her mouth. She has even been known to bat her binkie out of her mouth in an effort to make room for the fingers or the fist- depending on her level of aggression at that moment. As a result, the chubs is one gigantic drool-fest. Good thing mommy is a fan of slobbery smooches.

Second: any person or object that keeps her in a sitting position. This girl does not want to miss a thing. If ever she is found even remotely reclined, she will instantly resort to perma-crunch mode, with head, neck and shoulders lifted. You would think this girl would have abs of steel instead of a smooshy sweet tummy.

Third: me. In fact, she loves me so much she can't go more than two hours at night without seeing my face. What a sweetheart.

Okay, she obviously loves lots of other things as well, like her daddy and playing dress-up and booby milk, but those can go without mentioning for now.

And just because I find this to be fun and fascinating, here is Linley in the same dress at the same age.