Halloween

So this year was kind of hectic and we actually didn't carve our pumpkin till after Halloween was over but I put it here in hopes that I will get the order right next year. Harrison had fun getting out the seeds and choosing very unscary shapes for his friendly little pumpkin.

Mckinley didn't quite know what to think of it.

He enjoyed making funny faces though even if the pumpkin didn't. (well, it kind of looks like both did :)!)

Harrison was a knight in shinning armor this year! He told me months ago that is what he wanted to be and i kept waiting for him to change his mind but every time I asked it was the same answer. This has happened every year since he was two, so I guess he's a boy that makes up his mind and that is the way its going to be...I wish I was so decisive! Here he is at preschool at their Halloween party...he was singing Halloween songs for weeks!

So of course since he was going to be a knight...Daddy had to be one too!! I bought Harrison's costume but after looking on line at the cheap looking expensive costumes for Ryan I decided (finally 3 day before Halloween) to make our costumes! So here our both my knights in shinning armor...I think they make a great team!

The reason why I was so late decided what to make was due to Mckinely. Harrison really wanted her to be a princess. Well, I was afraid that she would want to be that every year, so I decided that she would make a very cute (and devious) dragon!! So I got the dragon costume and it was adorable, though she wouldn't keep on the hat of course. But then I got out the other costumes and saw the costume that I made for Kennedy before we found the tumor. I had amazingly finished it early (it must have been fate...). We found the tumor on October 26, 2004 so she was still in the hospital recovering from surgery on Halloween day...( I will find those pics...)

So I decided that since they are pretty close to the same age and almost the same size, I wanted Mckinley to wear it. So that means if Mckinley was going to be a butterfly, I would need to be the caterpillar!

I look ridiculous I know, but luckily I'm okay with that.

Mckinely stole Daddy's sword and would NOT give it up the whole night! So she ended up being a butterfly with an attitude, which isn't far from the mark!


This is the ward Trunk or Treat and the kids had a great time!

They where both sword fighting the whole time...you know maybe she won't ever want to be a princess...and that would be sad too...

Catching up...Pumpkin Patch

The Monday before Halloween we went to a pumpkin patch to pick some pumpkins, play at the play place and enjoy the season. Harrison had a great time, but Mckinley...didn't. This first picture is the calmest she was the whole morning. I think the problem was my picture taking...she was NOT going for it!

First stop were huge buckets filled with Lima beans...who would have thought they would have such a wonderful use!

There was a labyrinth made from hay the the older kids had a blast running in an out and all around in.

Some "hay"ball going on.

My first attempt at a cute family shot...strike 1!

They had some cute cutouts for the kids, luckily Harrison didn't mind the pics.

Feeding the goats with Jack

Milking the cardboard cow...moo...

Next attempt at a cute picture of Mckinley...strike 2!

Last attempts at a picture with Mckinley by the pumpkins...strike 3!

So I took one of him, while she continued to scream and...

...finally left. Oh, well, maybe next year right? At least 2 out of 3 had a good time right?!

catching up... Preschool

After debating and searching and thinking and praying and checking out preschools vs. no preschool I got a letter in the mail from a kindergarden teacher in the stake who was "pink slipped" (told she might not/might have a job but to just wait around and they would call if they need her) because of all the crazy budget cuts around here. So she decided to do a pre-k out of her home. I called and met her and she was just wonderful! She taught preschool, has had 6 kids of her own, homeschooled two of them for a year or two, a member, would only have 6 kids in each of her classes, I could do tues./thurs. and was the best price to top it all off! My only worry was the distance, and really after driving it the 15 minutes doesn't bother me at all! It really has been absolutely perfect for him and he LOVES it! AND to top it off 4 out of the 6 kids in his class are in our ward so he is with his friends which also means that there is only 2 kids extra that he sees to bring home germs for Mckinley. AND if that wasn't enough his teacher is Absolutely perfect! He has come home with the cutest things, always has so much fun, and she has been able to tell me what he needs to work on (handwriting which was my nemisis too!). It was definitely an answer to prayers!!

Here he is his first day (this is his favorite outfit...with the super fast cars....)

Every time they come they find their name and pop their picture in their pocket

Sadly this cute picture was ruined due to my lack of photo skills, but he has such a happy smile I still love it

The first day they met the bunnies (now Harrison wants a bunny named "poopsey" and never tires of laughing at the name)

His expression after his first day says it all! This is a keeper!!!

Mckinley actually cried the whole way home, so I don't know if it was the sun in her eyes or the empty seat next to her. She joined in the fun when we went to pick him up.

Too bad I can't hire her next year...

catching up...camping

On Labor Day weekend Susan invited us to go camping with their family down in Big Sur! Big Sur is down Hwy 1, down the coast of Cali near all the Redwood trees...aka Gorgeous!!! We have a tent that we had used only once (before kids...) so we thought it sounded wonderful! They have a HUGE camper and offered to let us sleep upstairs but we decided to try the tent thing and had a blast! It was warm enough we didn't freeze and it was fun to all snuggle together at night.

The camp site was right near this stream (aka FREEZING) but super fun for the kids. Ry even had to brave the cold to go down the "rapids" with bud.


Mckinley had fun playing in the water and trying to stay up while walking along the bumpy rocks.

Beautiful area...

It was Susan's bday so we found a really cool resturant that we went and had dessert at over looking the ocean. It was so nice, we had a fire behind us and watched the fog roll in at night, while sipping hot chocolate and eating dessert...yum!

gorgeous views...

Of course, the best part...fire and smores!

(I was trying out my night setting on the camera...kind of fun I thought!)

trying to dodge smoke and cook at the same time

Daddy giving everyone rides (I think he wants one now...)

And Harrison I KNOW wants one of these now! He had such a great time driving around in these! They have two of them and drove around every where! What was so cute was he wanted to drive Mckinley around and she was so content to sit right by him wherever he went, holding onto the phone for dear life!

Such a wonderful family!! Susan is actually the person that kind of got Ryan and I together in Jerusalem, she was my roommate over there and now lives about an hour away, and we actually live in her ward that she grew up in! Small world...
'

On Sunday we tried to have a little spiritual time, I taught the kids a lesson, Susan taught us and we shared some thoughts...

We went on a little hike as well and looked at the beauty around us

we found a family reunion of lady bugs it looks like

On Monday before we left we stopped at a beach (we had tried to go on Saturday but after spending forever trying to get all the gear, hiking almost there, when everyone kept telling us its too windy for the kids, so we turned around and finally made it back.) in Carmel on the way home. It was pretty but super windy still and the water was so cold!!! I miss you OBX!!

Charity has downs and she the sweetest little girl. It is so fun to see her grow and learn and how amazing her family is with her...what an angel!

But we still had a great time! We ate ice cream, made more smores (someone left a little fire going). and tried to play in the water for a couple minutes before we froze or started to blow away!

All in all it was extremely successful! We also played games, watched movies (in their camper), had fondue, a ton of food, a lot of playing in the dirt and some good conversations! We definitely want to start to do it more often!