~HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!~

Trick-Or-Treat, smell my feet! Today was such a great day. Mom took the day off, Audrey got off early and the kids were out of school! Mom, the kids and I met Adri and her girls for lunch. After lunch Adri took the girls out to her house and I took the boys home for a short nap because I knew we would be up a little later than usual tonight. Mom usually makes homemade chili but she did that on the night of the Treasure Hunt this year. Aaron, Dad and Jesse all were not home tonight so we decided to celebrate Halloween at Adri & Brett's this year. We had pizza and Adri made her famous milk chocolate, white chocolate and caramel rice krispies. Then we got the kids dressed in their costumes and headed out. My neighborhood does not have a lot of young families, so it was different to see how many kids were in Adri's neighborhood. It seriously reminded me of the trick-or-treating scene in E.T. when the streets are crowded with kids in costumes. It was really fun. Thanks Adri and Brett for inviting us over. I was sorry that Aaron, Dad and Jesse couldn't be there and Zach & Kelly's kids trick-or-treated with their friends in Murray. Zeke loved trick-or-treating and Kingston just rode around in the stroller with his blanket on just happy as a clam! Both Ayana and Zeke will have candy for months to come. I probably will end up throwing the majority of it away after several months of it not being eaten!

Halloween Parade!

Ayana doesn't have school tomorrow so the Halloween Parade was today instead. So we ventured over to the mass chaos and watched the parade. Emmy, Mikayla and Ayana all go to the same school so that makes the parade enjoyable. Evelyn and Lydie didn't have school today so they were able to come to the parade and Evelyn even got to walk around with Mikayla. Jesse had to work and was unable to come to the parade.

After school we went to Nana's and played outside. Zeke had always loved Nana's powerwheels Jeep and had wanted to drive it for awhile but was unable to steer. Today he taught himself to steer and I couldn't get him off the Jeep after that. He literally wore down the newly charged battery! Adri had the cute idea to load the back of the jeep with Nana's pumpkins, so Farmer Zeke loaded his pumpkins and hit the road. He was funny to watch though because he was more worried about his load than steering and ran into trees several times.

~Top 10 Reasons I LOVE Where I Live~

10.My floor plan!
9. My ward!
8. My cinder block privacy fence!
7. My front & Back yard!
6. My walk out basement, mother-in-law apartment!
5. My Pergo floors & no gross carpet!
4. My trustworthy, friendly, awesome & extremely fun neighbors behind us,
Jay, Ellen, Sydney, Bella & Baby Stephensen.

3. My home is in wonderful Murray and Ayana is in the Murray School District!

"Only Spartan women give birth to real men" In what movie is that line stated?
2. Audrey & Mikayla live downstairs in our mother-in-law apartment! We love you Audie & Kaykie!

1. My Mom & Dad live two houses down. My kids are in Nana & Papa heaven with my parent's living two doors down. Nana & Papa's is the central place for a lot of gatherings and all things cool. When we have dinners, it makes it easy to use my oven when mom's is full. When we run out of a necessity, it's much easier to borrow something from each other than run to the store. My siblings, nieces and nephews are there all the time and therefore, I see them all the time too. When I need to have one of my many and oh so needed talks with my mom, I can run down to her house and cry on her shoulder instead of cry all over the phone receiver. I get to see my Dad for the short time he is home because I have easy access to their house. Even the neighbor kids have started calling my mom Nana. I pray everyday that something will work out and I will be able to stay in my home. A huge knot ties my stomach up when I think of moving and leaving some many things I hold dear. I LOVE WHERE I LIVE for many reasons. The attachment I feel to this house, the area, my neighbors and my parent's living very nearby, is something I would be extremely upset to see go. I love my family and the blessings that have been giving to me and continue to be given to me.

Halloween Season!

As everyone else in my family, I too love Halloween and all that comes with fall. To start the season off I thought I would try a themed dinner. Most of you who know me, know that I do not cook let alone be creative with it. So needless to say this was a real stretch for me. But I felt "not worthy" as a mom after reading Julia Earle's blog and seeing all the wonderful things she makes for her kids and all of Audrey's yummy treats she makes! So I attempted the following meal. My family said it was good but I don't know if it really was or if they just said that because they were afraid I was trying to poison them!
Witch's Brew Juice

Jack-O-Latern Sloppy Joes

Baby Cabbage Patch Kids

White Chocolate Mummy Cookies