Happy Halloween

After over 300 trick or treaters, we still thought it was great having halloween in a home. Bryson said it was funner trick or treating at actual houses rather than people's backyard patios like we did at Stanford. People had warned us how many people come to this neighborhood trick or treating so we had lots of candy on hand but that is still a lot of doorbell rings between 6pm and 8:30. Alyssa did try to steal the show with thinking this was a party even though she didn't know why. She would grin and kick her legs like crazy when helping to answer the door. The kids got quite a bit of candy themselves but thank goodness the witch fairy will be visiting tonight!




Bryson's school had a costume carnival on Friday. Instead of doing all the crazy Halloween stuff and costumes at school, they did nothing today but had the big carnival with lots of little kid games and little prizes - not candy :) The kids were excited when they learned what a cake walk was. It was one of the first things we tried and then we tried it once more as we were leaving and Bryson won a cake. Kaitlyn was pretty disappointed when Bryson picked cinnamon rolls instead of a cake but I was impressed with him because he doesn't even like cake so cinnamon rolls was definetely the best choice. He was quite proud of himself. I do worry what their expectations will be at the next carnival!!!

Family

We love family and since we are the only ones in the midwest, we do feel a bit lonely. While in California we had lots of visitors who were coming through San Francisco or in California for other reasons. Unfortunetly it won't happen as much in Indiana but we were excited when Thayne called on Saturday morning and said he was just 2 hours away for work and that we would get to see him for a bit. He came late Saturday night and stayed the night and then we got to play with him a bit Sunday morning before he had to catch his plane. The kids were ECSTATIC to have him here. Thanks for visiting Thayne!

While we are on the topic of family, we just got the CD of photos we took this summer with Kevin's family. I had to share!


Grandma and Grandpa Mumford with their grandkids!

This is Alyssa with her cousins, Josh and Jackson. They were all born within a month of each other.

Man of his word

We had recently bought a bunch of bulbs to plant in our yard. Last week at dinner Kevin asked us if for family night we wanted to plant bulbs. We thought it sounded fun. Well when he got home, it was raining. It was just sprinkling at the time and he asked the kids if they still wanted to do it. YES! was their reply. He thoughtfully said I could stay inside and "take care of Alyssa". Kevin and the kids headed outside, by that time it was raining quite hard. It is hard to tell in the photos but in all of them, the rain is pouring down. I don't think Kevin thought it was the funnest experience he has ever had but the kids were singing and dancing in the rain and thought it was a party! Thanks Kevin for being a great dad!

Nauvoo

We made a quick trip to Nauvoo this past weekend to see G&G Middleton before they head home from their mission. It was so good to see them but it did make us a bit more homesick for California and family. The kids had so much fun playing with G&G that I could have stayed longer just to watch them all be together. Thanks for the fun memories Grandma and Grandpa!

Halloween is almost here. Halloween is fun!

I love Halloween with little ones. I am not big into the scariness and creepies of Halloween but I love the pumpkins and other traditions with little ones. Bryson went on a field trip with his kindergarten to a pumpkin patch. He was quite proud when he came home and said he got "the second biggest pumpkin and that it has a huge stem."


The kids love when I get out the various holiday tubs. They have been dressing up in old costumes and practicing trick or treating for weeks. (for some reason they also are into rocks and trick or treating??? We have bags of little rocks in our garage and they claim that if someone comes trick or treating and wants a rock that they will give them one??? I have no idea where this came??? Maybe they are already thinking Christmas and coal???)



My mom made all of these costumes when I was little, I bet she didn't realize truly how many kids would use them, maybe it was worth all that work. I am impressed!

Tornado

Last night we had our first real experience being in the midwest. We knew some storms were passing through but about 9:30ish we heard the tornado siren go off. We woke up the kids and took them to the basement for about an hour. At the beginning Alyssa was the only one smiling and thinking it was a party, we told you she is always happy even when you wake her up after sleeping for just 2 hours. Bryson and Kaitlyn were pretty groggy for a bit but once they woke up they thought it was fun to have a party in the basement "in the middle of the night". They each picked out a "treat" from the basement food closet.

Kaitlyn picked cranberries.



Bryson picked Chex cereal.

We are so grateful to have a finished basement so that we were able to enjoy this late night experience and be comfortable. Luckily everything was fine. It sounds like this happens every once in a while so I guess I better keep the basement food closet stocked with more yummy "treats."

North Carolina

Alyssa and I spend a few days in North Carolina. Thanks for Kevin and some great friends who made it possible. Kevin "worked" from home while watching the kids. They had a great time but he was ready to get back to his "official" job. It was funny cause he said that the first day that the kids kept calling him mom... "mom I want a drink" or "mom will you get me.." When I got home, the first day I had lots of laughs and loved that they kept calling me dad. I tried to let them know that it was okay but they still switched the habit to asking mom to help with everything.

We went to see my amazing friend Catie and her precious 2 lb. 4 oz. baby. I treasured the little bit of time with them. And loved the time I got to spend with Mini Catie and Mini Steve, I mean Mary and David. There were really several moments that I felt like I was back in time seeing Catie and Steve as toddlers, we won't comment on which was cuter as a toddler than an adult! Bryson and Kaitlyn were so envious of me and Alyssa and can't wait 'til Thanksgiving when they will get to see David and Mary themselves.

Kaitlyn would have been proud to see David reading each of her grandma's chocolate cookbooks. He seriously looked at each one a page at a time and had to show me almost each picture.



Both David and Mary would have made Kevin and Bryson pleased with the popcorn eating and not even letting the tiniest piece go to waste.


Alyssa was entertained the entire time. They were so cute with her and will be great with Sarah.



David and Mary did love when Riley would come home from school. He rose to the occasion and was a great help.






Thanks to mom and dad for all they did! Catie and Steve we love you. Thanks for sharing your precious little ones with me!!!