Halloween and Other Fun

Hope you had a Happy Halloween!

Don't have a heart attack or anything like that, but the guilt of not posting finally got to me. That, and the fact that I couldn't leave Halloween photos unposted, just on principal, you know...it being our favorite holiday and all. Although I have to admit that we let things slide a bit this year. Alan and I both had last-minute thrown together costumes, our house went (nearly) unadorned, and we *gasp* failed to carve jack o' lanterns, although we put in some serious hours on decorated pumpkins for the school festival. So, on with the photos and commentary.

October was a busy month for us...here is some of what took place:

Hadley hosted a tea party for Rubes and I. Side benefit: Ruby got lessons on how to officially be a girl and she's definitely learned a lot.

Ruby LOVES to stir. She will do this for 10-30 minutes at a stretch. Just stirring a little cup with a plastic spoon. :)

Ruby also learned how to ham it up for the camera.

Alan busted out some awesome storage shelves for the basement. He also ripped out the hedge in front of our front porch, so you can officially see our house from the street. Weird. (Anybody wanna buy this sweet bike or exersaucer?)

Ruby became obsessed with "bookies" but will rarely let you read her one. This snuggle situation is extremely rare.

This, my friends, is the extent of our festive decor this Halloween.

Here's what I managed to dig out and stick in the trunk for trunk or treat. I like the vase of skulls and am thinking of displaying it year-round on my dining room table...opinions?

Ruby was not a fan of wearing her costume, but did ham it up majorly every time I pointed the camera in her direction. We have about 6 shots just like this snapped throughout the night.


Here is the family, minus one in front of our new car! We left Ruby in the car...how rude! Yes, we joined the throngs of mini-van owners and couldn't be happier. We admit it's the best solution for families with young kids.

Hadley was a Candy-Corn Witch...this also happens to be her favorite candy of all time. Weird, right? And check out this posing! (MYQ -- if you happen by some off chance to read this, think "I just threw up on Mike!")
Alexander, still obsessing about all things of the briny deep. We found the helmet online and made the belt from black duct tape. Add some sweats, and voila!

My lil Halloweenies, ready for the costume parade.

First Day of School & Other Stuff

Both my big kids this morning, ready for the first day of school. They will both be gone all day long. I'm not sure whether to cry or rejoice!

Hadley, ready for Kindergarten!

I can't believe Xander is in Third Grade -- the boy is huge!

Cute moment I caught last week -- banana picnic on the kitchen floor. Xander was feeding Ruby cut-up bananas from the bowl.

The Kindergarten rest mat I sewed for Hadley. I think I felt like I needed to sew it myself to send a little love with her each day. It's two layers of fleece with a light batting in between. I'm LOVING the owls.

Ruby seemed to know the mat was for resting and kept crawling over and laying on it with this cute look on her face. "Look mom, aren't I adorable?"

Potato salad face. The girl likes to eat and will pretty much devour and thoroughly enjoy whatever you put in front of her.

preview: summer in utah

the grotto in payson canyon.

sunset over grandpa's farm.

i'll get to the rest in due time.

Farm Fresh Eggs

The best part is, they are from my own backyard chicken coop. Aren't they lovely?

Happy Birthday Ruby!

we celebrated ruby's first birthday on saturday. a bold personality calls for a bold cake! we were so happy to be able to have mindi and her family join us to celebrate...it was so nice to have family around for ruby's special day! (of course there are NO photos though! how lame is that?)

ruby's favorite gift -- a toy camera from the simons. looks like shetakes after her daddy. do NOT try to take this away from her. she WILL use it as a weapon.

she wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but she knew it was something exciting.

"is that for me?"

aha! mindi's hand. proof she was here.

ruby wasn't so sure about the texture of the frosting on her hands, but a bite or two from a fork convinced her to dive right in.

there was plate-licking.

and searching for every last possible crumb. (i think i only wiped up about 3 or 4 from the tray)

cake: ruby is definitely a fan

iconic April fool's joke?

conversation this morning between the kiddos and i:

me: you know, today is april fool's day.
hadley: (indignantly) and i don't even have a shake hands buzzer!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETIE

post to follow with all the fun details and pictures from the party this weekend. here's the invite:

Happy Birthday Addi

this morning, xander said: mom, if Addi were alive today, i would wish her a happy birthay.

so would i.

we love you and miss you addison! happy birthday! our thoughts are with all of you today.

xoxox

your sis and her fam

Easter Dresses

at an outing to a local fabric shop with some friends, i was talked into purchasing fabric to make matching easter dresses for my daughters. i have NEVER sewed much of anything before, let alone dresses! however, the pattern seemed simple and i had plenty of support from seamstress friends (thanks cyd and marisa!), so i decided to give it a go.

i'm so pleased with the finished products and had so much fun making them! i think i might make a couple more for summer play dresses and may try lengthening the bodice pattern and making some cute summer tops.

the pattern is "claire" by portabellopixie (with slight alterations) and fabrics are from Sandi Henderson's "farmer's market" collection.

now, where's that free skirt pattern cyd mailed me?

in the past 6 weeks...

we've been busy! here is a rundown of some of the highlights in no particular order (because i'm lazy) and in list form (because it's quick and easy).
in the past six weeks:

1. we witnessed snow in new jersey! better late than never, i always say and it's put me in a white christmas mood today-- hence the blupdate (i just invented that word. it means "blog update" in case you couldn't readily tell.) this is the current view out my window:

2. i celebrated my thirty-somethingth birthday. :)

3. i made the best cake ever for the 100th time (not really sure on the number, but it seems that way.) behold the toasty-coconutty goodness. (thanks jones family!)

4. i ate a LOT of said cake (another piece as a reward for blogging soon, i think) and a lot of chicken tikka masala (with loads of veggies tossed in) YUM!

5. i showed alan what this cake involves. pretended he was going to learn to make it so he can do the job next year.

6. hadley started preschool! look at the little cutie!

7. we took her first "official" first day of school photo -- she proudly tells everyone she goes "to a REAL school" (as opposed to the co-op we did with ward members last year)

8. i did a lot of grateful praying...SOMEONE pulled some strings to make this preschool thing happen.

9. i laid to rest my fears about her going from being home all day to full-day kindergarten in the fall...she'll be ready, since pirate preschool (yes, real name) is everyday.

10. i have turned into a full-time resident of my car, thanks to aforementioned daily trips to and from preschool.

11. i set a world's car-trip record a couple weeks back. it went a little something like this:

load up kids (hence referred to as LUK) drive alan to trainstation (woke up too late to bike it)

drive home

LUK drive X to school

drive home to get H's drawing she forgot that she HAS to give to miss susie

drive to H's ballet class

LUK drive home to change into yoga clothes
drive H to cricket's house so she can catch a ride to preschool with her
drive back to teach a yoga class

LUK (okay, just ruby)

drive home

LUK (again, just ruby)
go pick up H

drive home

LUK go pick up X

drive home

LUK go pick up alan

12. ruby has gotten even fatter and cuter than before (who knew it was possible)

13. ruby has gotten pretty good at playing in here: (santa brought it)

14. we took a mini and much-needed vacay to bethany beach (thanks gardeners! we needed it!)

15. alan turned into a shopping fiend at the outlets, leaving me to entertain the troops.

16. we found out that 75 cents makes a lot of fun and that the little merry-go-round packs a whallop of happy good times. :) check out the faces.

17. we ate yummy fish tacos at el dorado.

18. we promised the kids they could play mini-golf, but we all got sick on the warmest day and 6 of the 11 people at the beach house puked before we all made it home a day late.

19. alan and the kids played the coldest game of mini-golf ever after we all recovered. rubes and i stayed in the car.

20. pre-sickness, i snapped one of the only pics i've ever taken at the beach house. i get into total lazy relaxation mode and forget to take any. but here's benny, the peaceful shark...

21. we did a lot of laundry at the beach. more than should be allowed on "vacation".

22. we hosted a christmas-eve dinner and filled our little house to the brim. i think it's safe to say a good time was had by all.

23. we waited anxiously for santa....and for the official okay to come downstairs.

24. we decorated our new home for the holidays and hung our stockings by the chimney with care

25. i managed to snap a pre-christmas-morning-chaos shot...H had a new dollhouse under that huge red blanket you see at lower right...it took her a good 10 minutes to even notice it, and then only because her brother pointed it out.

26. ruby staged a full-scale revolt while we went out to eat...she made it clear she wanted solid foods and she wanted them NOW! check out the video clip HERE

27. i purchased fabric to begin making H and R THIS CUTE DRESS (sans apron) for easter.

28. hadley started reading "Bob Books". pretty easy, but still, pretty exciting.

29. we found out that xander grew 3 inches in 9 months. (and gained 10 pounds)

30. i accidentally deleted 2 pics i wanted to include in this post.