Halloween Fun

The next few posts will be full of all the Holiday stuff we do around here but I just ran across these pictures from Halloween.  My mom and Dad came for a couple of days and so Melissa and I called Alena and begged her to drag her family to Arizona for the weekend.  Halloween is seriously so great here in AZ.  While you all are freezing to death in your parka covered tinkerbell or superman costume, we are flitting about the neighborhood collecting big candybars and waiting in line for the neighborhood haunted house.  My parents were here in time for the trunk or treat/chili cook off (theirs got cancelled because of the weather) and they brought all of their candy with them.  Good thing because the kids in the ward made the rounds three or four times. 

I just found these pictures on my phone.  This is Elijah with his friend Jensen.

 

My sweet little pirate.  He actually kept the eye patch on most of the night!  I was so impressed!

Alexia was a black cat for Halloween.  She is getting to the age/size where costumes are headed off in a different direction then my sweet 5'3" 10 year old beauty should be headed, so I was glad we could find something fun for her to be this year.

Parker couldn't decide what he wanted to be this year and at the last minute decided on a mad scientist.

My sweet friend Renae had a fun afternoon planned in her back yard with games for the kids.

The kids all won and brought home goldfish which died three days later.  It was a sad lesson on the cycle of life we had one afternoon after school that week.

My sisters and mom and I snuck away to snag a quick lunch at Paradise Bakery, pick up a gun, and get our nails done.  Just a regular afternoon with the girls. :)

Music Concerts

Parker and his classmates during his 3rd grade music concert. 

Parker really wanted to wear his suit to his concert that night.  Gah!  I love this kid!

Alexia joined band this year.  That was the flute I played in 5th grade too.  There are only 11 kids in her beginning band class.  She has to get up at 5 am three days a week in order to go to her early morning chorus and band classes at the school.  Here she is with her friend Alexandra.  

Alexia participated in a piano recital where she played Ave Maria.  I love that song and she worked hard to learn it.  We love her piano teacher Mrs. Cox!  She is such a neat lady and a wonderful teacher for Alexia.

Thanksgiving with Darren's family

Darren's family came to Arizona and spent Thanksgiving with us this year.  His brother, wife and two little girls went  to  Disneyland a few days before and came back through for the big day.  Alexia and Livvy are good buddies.  Darren's parents and sister came and stayed with us as well.  I looked up how to brine a turkey and we gave it a go.  You learn something new everyday.  It was yum!  The food was delicious, the company was so fun, and we had a wonderful time.  The girls and I got out for a little Black Friday mayhem.  We actually started at 8pm on Thanksgiving at Michaels, headed to Walmart after that where we scored everything on our lists, and ended the night at Kohls.  Whoa! Kohls on Black Friday is insane!  The lines are atrocious but they got us through faster then I thought and we made it home (after dropping off Megan at the hotel across town) at 3am.  I think I still trying to catch up on my sleep!

Clara loved the puppy.  Actually everyone did, she was definitely loving the attention from everyone.  Our first night together she cuddled up on Grandma's lap and watched the talent show the kids were putting on for us out on the back patio.  After Alexia and Parker's original song (with Liv on the drums) they got Uncle Nolan up there to dance.  Megan took her turn, I did the running man and Aunt Rachelle did the Roger Rabbit.  I can't remember how it happened, but I finally insisted enough and Darren got up and boogied too.  Grandma showed us the twist and Grandpa closed the evening with a few jokes.  It was so much fun! 

Kinda what I was thinking it would be like...

Sending these two outside in order to get something done...I do that a lot.  But I find myself standing at the window watching them to see what fun they are up to.  If the dog survives him, these two will be good friends.

He really just wanted her to drive his little car!

Sweet faces!  Don't choke the puppy Spencer!  It's my new favorite phrase.

He worked so hard only to have her jump out a second later.  "oh puppy!"

But this is my favorite, playing fetch.  This could go on and on and on. Nobody tires of it.

Pretty soon though Spencer was racing Daisy to the toy.  Such a silly boy.  I do love that this is what my days are full of right now.  Spencer has just decided recently that he's pretty big stuff.  It definitely keeps each day interesting around here.

Exhibit A: (from today) He thinks that battery is going to fit into that train.

Exhibit B: Maybe a bigger tool will help. 

Parker is in cubscouts

and anyone who knows me at all knows how I feel about that.  But I do have some cute pictures of him at the Raingutter Ragatta with some fun friends.  He even took second place! 

Here he and Elijah are taking the boat for a test run.  I don't bring Alexia to the pack meetings.  Is that bad?  I just don't want her to notice the difference between what the boys get to do at scouts (every week) and what the girls get to do at activity days (only twice a month).  And I'm sure she'd notice the difference.  She is her mother's daughter.  It's better she doesn't know. 

This boy has been asking for years...

and he's finally getting his wish.  I've done some research for a while for a dog that would be hypoallergenic, low shedding, and good with kids.  This little thing is coming to our house November 1st.  Her name is Daisy (picked by Alexia) and we're excited!

Our New Room

I'm too tired to be creative and crafty with this post.  This week went by so fast and most of my days were spent in one room.  Many of you have been asking to see pictures and I did remember to take them so here are a few from the week. 

This is what the back porch looked like on Monday. 

Day 1 - we took out the back door and framed in the two side walls, installed the window Darren and I had taken out of our room and the back door in the new walls.

Day 2 - Insulation, 2x4's secured to what used to be the outer wall of the house, archway created, some drywall installed.

Day 3 - Electrical work done, rest of drywall installed, seams taped.

Day 4 - Mud and texture put on walls.

Day 5 - Sanded down walls, finish texture after mud dried all night, primed walls and ceiling and painted walls. Bought cabinet for window seat.  Day 6 - Flooring installed, window seat made, window fixed.

The new view from my kitchen sink.

The view from my entryway.

My window seat.  Jerry is building me two cabinets that will sit on either side of it.  We found the door fronts at the same place we got the white cabinet.  We also moved the tall cabinet from the dining room into the new room.  We still need to do floorboards and paint all of the cabinets white, install a built in desk and touch up paint and it's done.  I love this new room!  Putting the flooring in made me want to junk my carpet sooner.  :)  I think we need a break though.  Jerry and Teressa, thank you so much for all of your help!  We love and appreciate you!