Settling In

We moved into our new house on November 3rd.  It took us a few days to get all our stuff out of storage, but it sure is nice to be in our own place again.  Kenny started working as a technical trainer for an attorney's office downtown and though it's not what he ultimately wants to be doing, it's a job and a step in the right direction.  We're enjoying settling in and getting back to a normal life.  It's been so long that it's taking a little getting used to.

The kids have all enjoyed their new rooms and seeing all their old toys again.  Bringing out all their toys was like an early Christmas present.  We're so grateful to Uncle JJ and Aunt April who let us stay with them, but is so nice to be in our own place again.

Adam enjoying the little girls new bedroom complete with toys he probably does remember and a brand new bunk bed to climb on.

Dan's ready for bed.  Too bad he's a little big for the doll playpen.

Gracie's doing something to make Dan laugh.  I love watching my kids playing happily together.

Peek a boo!  Hannah loves her new bunk bed.

Halloween

I'll be honest, Halloween was a total flop this year.  I feel horrible about it, but there's no way around it.  We didn't move into our new house until November 2nd so when Halloween came we were still in April and JJ's unfinished basement.  It didn't provide much opportunity for me to make costumes for the kids, nor did I have very much time to do so.  We had no decorations to put up and no real ability to do any Halloween things before the holiday came.  We had no trick or treaters come to our house, because we had no house.  We had no friends to hangout with and have Halloween party's with.  We had no ward, so no Trunk or Treating.  And the hardest thing for the kids was no Spooktacular, the Halloween party Rimrock Elementary puts on every year.  I felt horrible for the kids.  Halloween is, besides Christmas, my favorite holiday of the year.  It really was sad to see it come and go and not have done really anything.  I guess I'll have to do a much better job next year.

Ben being a bat at the school parade (does the costume look familiar?)

I made Sarah's Vampire costume.  It looked terrible and I felt so bad.  Better job next year, right!

We were able to do a few thing for Halloween, even though we missed out on so many of the things we normally do.  The school had a parade on Friday and the kids walked the halls showing off their costumes.  Kenny's work had a Trick of Treat party that afternoon and the kids got to wear their costumes and go trick or treating to all the offices in his company.  They did really well on their candy stash.  Lawyers sure know how to hand out candy.

I took the kids to Logan on Saturday and went to a Halloween party at my Aunt Cindy's.  We were joined by my cousin Kristin and her boys Braden (7) Will (3) Charlie (1).  The kids had fun playing Halloween games, listening to Halloween stories, and eating brains and things like that.  It was a lot of fun and we were very grateful for the invitation.

Trick or Treating

We came back to Salt Lake on Monday afternoon (the kids had no school on Monday) and we did some trick or treating around Aunt April's neighborhood with our cousins.  The kids liked that and even though they didn't know anyone in the neighborhood, it was still fun to go with cousins.  One of the neighbors even had a hay wagon they hooked up to a 4-wheeler and were pulling kids around the neighborhood on.  It wasn't the greatest Halloween ever, but it wasn't the worst either.

(Note:  I did really poorly on taking pictures of the kids this year.  Sarah was a vampire, Ben was the same bat he was last year, Hannah was Rapunzel/a Queen (whichever she wanted to be a the moment), Gracie was the witch Hannah was 2 years ago, and both Dan and Adam were firemen.)

Sleeping Boy

There's not much cuter in this world than a sleeping baby.

Pumpkin Cake Anyone

Because we were at my parents house I opted not to make a cake for Gracie this year (well, that and because all my cake decorating things were still in storage.)  So, in honor of the Halloween season, we got Gracie a cute little pumpkin cake.  She loved it which made me very happy.

Now that's the face of a kid who likes her cake.

Blowing out all 4 candles.

Ben liked Gracie's new airplanes so much he couldn't put them down to eat his piece of cake.

Gracie's began eating her piece of cake with one of the little tiny spoons that came with the cake.

She must have decide it was too slow so she went for a faster method.

Hannah and Dan both enjoyed the cake.

Sarah liked it too.

Adam really, really liked the cake.  Is he eating that plate!?!

This is what Adam looks like after eating his cake.  (Luckily he left the plate intact.)

Gracie Turns 4

Gracie had a birthday back in October, the 19th to be exact.  I know, it was so long ago, we've all but forgotten it even happened.  That's what happens when Mommy doesn't blog for a few months.  Anyway, Kenny was out of town, with work, for Gracie's birthday so we decided to wait until the weekend to celebrate.  We just happened to be in Logan at my parents house so they and my Aunt Cindy and Uncle Rick were able to get in on the fun.  I asked Gracie what she wanted for her birthday and she told me she wanted her own Rapunzel doll (both Hannah and Sarah have one), a zombie (remember this was Halloween time), and a rocket that goes "vvvvvrrrrrrooooooooommmmm" (with her hand zooming up in the air.)  What a funny girl.  Instead of all that she got the Tangled movie, some airplanes, a Tinkerbell book, and a Cinderella Barbie with a dress.  She also got a Strawberry Shortcake doll from Aunt Cindy and Uncle Rick, and a Play-dough set from Grandma and Grandpa.  It was a good birthday for her.

Dan saw us wrapping "Tangled and he REALLY wanted it.  He didn't understand that we had to wait for Gracie to open it so he cried and cried until it was open and he could hold it.  Gracie was nice to let him help her unwrap it.

A Tinkerbell Tag book.

Opening her Strawberry Shortcake doll.  I love her face in this picture.

Playing with Ben and her new airplane while waiting for cake.