Halloween Halloween Halloween Halloween!

Another great Halloween!  I finally got some "creepy" decorations for our door and won the hearts of my boys.  There is currently the Grimm Reaper hanging on our door and when it's nice and windy or accidentally turned around with its face to the window on a dark night, it is, INDEED, creepy.  The boys decided to go trick or treating with Jack Doney and Will Moore tonight, leaving life pretty chill at home this evening.  They got a decent haul and were talking a mile a minute when they got home.  Evidence that they had already eaten quite a bit of that haul.  Ha!  And evidence of a good time.  I got to take Ellie and Zoe while Jane stayed at home with Joe.  It was so relaxing, actually.  And the girls were so cute.  Every single decoration they passed, they had to make a comment on or touch or scream, or gasp.  Ha!  We had a good time.  They were major light weights, so I am going to have to depend on the boys for the bulk of my candy-stealing.

The kids carved pumpkins at school this year, which kind of made me want to be a lazy Mom.  I bought five pumpkins and only three were carved.  So, yesterday I finally shook off the laziness and procrastination that were weighing heavily upon me and we carved those last two pumpkins the day before Halloween, darn it.  And in our Sunday best, because that's how we roll.  And also because it was Sunday.  We even picked out some pumpkin seeds with the best of intentions, but they never made it to the oven.

Our Ward did Trunk-or-Treat this year.  The kids kept asking me what I was going to dress up as.  I promise I DO like to be the fun Mom for Halloween, but sometimes I'm too tired to be a fun Mom after getting all of THEM ready!  Ha!  So about twenty minutes before we were about to head out, I dug around in my "Cursed By a Woman" box of costumes and pulled out the easiest and comfiest one.  And then I made Joe join me in the name of participating as a Bishopric member!  It was fun.  I stayed in character about 90% of the time and scared all the kids.  They kept looking at me confused and uncomfortable because I kept staying in character.  Until I stopped because I had to laugh at the look on their faces.  If my kids were teenagers, they would have been embarrassed.  I think Joe looks like Elder Holland in about twenty more years.  Haha!

And here's our clan just before Trick or Treating.  We were lucky to get some decent weather.  It wasn't warm, but it wasn't freezing.  It snowed last week and this morning it was freezing rain.  So, I'd say we lucked out with a "brisk" evening.

I told myself that I wasn't going to buy any costumes this year and that the kids could throw something together with what we've got or what we can borrow!  Well.  I couldn't do that to Jane on her first Halloween.  The second I saw this at Costco I knew it had to be hers.  Even if she only wore it for the five minutes it took to capture these delicious pictures.  We DID do trunk-or-treat in our Ward where I got to show her off a little more, but tonight she got to stay at home with Dad, nice and warm and cozy, and help him hand out candy.

I told the kids to get into character, and Noah gets extra points for taking it to the next level!  He's a mad-scientist.  I am guessing his lab just exploded.  Or something to that effect.  He is looking like Joe more and more every day.

And here's the cutest little cowgirl in the Wild Wild West!  Fun fact: This is one of my favourite shirts from my rock-and-roll days.  I've worn it touring and in various photoshoots.  It was actually a second choice for my music video "Perfect" but I went with another outfit.  When the wardrobe lady said I could take one item home with me, I nabbed this shirt so fast.  I'm hoping one day to be able to fit back into this thing!  For now, it fits great over a winter coat as a Halloween costume.

Jackson took "creepy" to the next level.  He didn't want to just be a mime.  It had to be a creepy mime.  Because only creepy mimes wear their Mom's shirt.  Ha!  (We had to get creative.  Like I said, not spending money on costumes this year!  ...Except for my special child).  Gone are the days of cute Halloween costumes.  Well.  I think they were gone a few years ago.  I have boys!  Ha!

I was a fun Mom and let the girls stay up way past their bed time to watch "The Nightmare Before Christmas" while munching on candy.  I had all the intentions in the world to cuddle up with them and enjoy it.  It is one of my childhood favs.  But alas, I had to put Jane to bed, and then Joe needed to pack and shower so I had to man the door for the other trick-or-treaters, not to mention make lunches for school the next day and sweep up the dinner mess.  And tidy up the livingroom.  And the list goes on.  Before I knew it the movie was over.  I regret it terribly.  At least I got to watch the opening number with them, which is my fav.

Jackson was a bit sad tonight as I was tucking the boys into bed.  "Now Halloween is over and we have nothing to look forward to for a while."  Um.  CHRISTMAS!  They have already written their lists for Santa!  They are my children.

Twinners

 Are these girls twinners?  Heavens no.  They don't even look like sisters.  It's interesting where all the different genes come from.  Jackson was just looking at the pictures I took of Zoe in my last post and couldn't tell if it was an older picture of Ellie or a current one of Zoe!  Ha!  Now that Zoe is getting a little older she is starting to have a few similarities with her big sis I guess.  I think the long, curled hair helps.

I came across this picture of Noah as a baby.  He must be about three months older than Jane is currently.  This was taken on Canada Day when he was just over a year old.  Even though he has a few months on Jane, you can certainly see the similarities.  CRAZY!

 And although these two girlies are looking more and more alike each day, I think I have discovered Zoe's true doppelgänger.  My Mom sent me this picture of her as a child below and oh my goodness.  It's Zoe's twin! I can't believe it!  Lucky girl if she turns out to be half as beautiful as my Mom.

The Squishets at Four

 I have a running joke with a friend of mine that I never do Zoe's hair.  This is especially embarrassing because not only is my friend a hair dresser, but, it's true.  Her kids always look put together.  But Zoe?  Well.  Sorry Zoe.  I feel like I gave up on you.  Even when I brush it out or put it in braids, it only takes a good thirty minutes before she looks homeless again, so what's the point?  I used to do Ellie's hair all the time.  Like everyday.  I guess that's what you do with little girls.  Well, on this particular day I thought it would be fun to actually do Zoe's hair.  We didn't have anything special going on that day, but after doing it I thought, I have to document this to show that every once in a while I actually DO do her hair.  Maybe it isn't every day, but every once in a while she doesn't look homeless.

Zoe, I can't take how grown up you look!  Especially in the picture above.  You are a major ham.  You love to make people laugh.  You always have sticky hands.  You have the most beautiful red lips I have ever seen.  Your scratchy little voice is the best, even if it's not so "little."  You have the best, squishiest, constant hungry bum (Dad has nicknamed you "The Squishets" which I am sure you will enjoy as a teenager).  I love your energy and zest for life.  You will go places my dear.  

Blondie Blue at Eight Months

 This little toot just steals the heck out of my heart.  She is already eight months.  What?  That's almost an entire pregnancy.  Why does pregnancy feel so slow and yet the first year of her life just flies by?  No fair.  She is finally sitting well on her own.  A little slow there (my fault.  I just want to hold her all the time!), but quick to start crawling.  Just this week she started rocking back and forth on all fours, so I'm sure it's any time now and I am NOT ready.  The only word I can get her to say is "Dada."  Each time I try to teach her to say something else (like the one she loves most, "Mama") she just counters with a louder "Dadadada!"  I like to think it's because she holds my name so dear and sacred that she doesn't dare say it.  When I went on my trip to Arizona last week I planned to pump the whole time so that I could keep nursing her.  Well, that didn't happen.  All that needed to happen was for me to be an hour or two late in my pumping schedule and the milk was gone the next day.  I don't know how long I planned to nurse.  I've only ever lasted eight months.  But it's still sad nonetheless and unplanned.  I suppose I can say that it's nice to have the freedom, but the reality is I just want to hold on to her being a baby for as long as I can.  My Mom nursed me till I was two, perhaps a little extreme, but I wonder if she felt the same way I do.  Well.  She went on to have two more kids!  I do not have that in my plans.  Why is the "last" of everything so heartbreakingly hard?  Ugh!  I feel like I have to capture every single moment.  And not just with Jane, but each child.  Let's be real.  Mostly Jane.  She steals the show because she is the baby.  And I don't think the others mind too much.  They love her to pieces.  She can do no wrong.  At least for now.  So here we are, trying to capture a few moments at eight months just before heading into the library.  I love everything about this picture below.  The way she looks like she has no neck, the way she is holding her finger, the way she is looking at me.  What a delicious little lump.

Celeste made this bonnet for her and it finally fits her so she wears it all the time now that it's getting chillier out.  I love it.  I love it so much.

And here she is screaming at me to stop, but it kinda looks like it could pass as a smile/laugh, right?  Haha!  Oh man.  She just gets cuter and cuter.  If that's what happens with time progressing, then I guess I'll take it.  I have no choice in the matter anyway.  

Fall in Arizona

After much painstaking (but worth it) planning, Sarah, Jenny and I met up in Calgary to fly all together to visit my parents in San Tan Valley on their mission ("Gilbert Mission")!  Jenny drove in from Nelson, BC and I was in Edmonton for Grandpa Burnham's funeral.  The road conditions STUNK, but oh the lengths we will go to make these trips happen.  We all slept over at Sarah's the night before (PARTY) and drove out to the airport bright and early.  Actually.  It wasn't bright at all.  It was dark and blustery with fresh snow!  Oh man, were we ever ready for some Arizona sun.  My Mom made sure that every moment was filled with distance run, whether it be shopping, eating out, baking, movies, or lazing about by the pool (which was my personal fav).  This was by far the most relaxing week I think I have ever enjoyed.  Even working out was relaxing!  Okay.  "Relaxing" is a stretch.  But there weren't any kids crying or trying to mimic what Jillian Michaels makes me do.  Sarah lead us in our work outs EACH morning.  She is a great instructor and I started each morning feeling strong, and went to bed feeling sore.  Haha!  By Saturday Jenny and I were determined to take a rest, but Sarah had a different idea.  In the end she won.  I'm still not sure how she got us to agree.  But she was right about feeling better after a good workout.

I almost brought Jane.  Almost.  I was planning on it.  I booked her to sit on my lap during the flight.  Could you imagine an eight month old sitting for that long?  Throughout the trip I kept thinking, if Jane were here, we wouldn't have been able to do this or that.  Although I missed her profusely, I thoroughly enjoyed my kid-free week!!  Thank you Shannon and Joe for making that possible for me!!!!

And now for an insane amount of pictures and inside jokes.  Let's start with our excited-faces on the plane.  Partly because we made it to the airport in one piece in such crummy conditions, and partly because our trip was finally here!

Mom promised us a Canadian Thanksgiving dinner since we were missing it at home, and Thanksgiving dinner did we receive!  Complete with pumpkin pie.  It was one of the reasons we decided to come this weekend.  Haha!  I laugh, but it's 100% true.

Part of my trip was business-related.  This little twelve year old cutie, Evie Clair, is an up and coming singer.  She is just starting to learn how to write music, which is the same age I started, so I couldn't help but come to her home and record a duet with her for her youtube channel.  I sent Evie a couple songs that I thought would suit her voice and she was really stricken with "65 Years" which is a cute love song I wrote over a year ago for Grandma and Grandpa's 65th anniversary.  She has a bunch of followers and plans to audition for "America's Got Talent."  Man, things are done so differently in the music world from when I was starting out.  Sheesh!  What I would have done for the internet!  I wish her all the best and hope we can do some writing together in the future.  How ideal would that be?  I have so many songs just sitting on my computer and in my brain with no one to sing them.

 Shopping.  Too much.  Too much shopping.  Sorry Joe.

Sarah was jealous that Jenny and I got to ride in the back of the car together and kept photo bombing us.  Haha!  It's not our fault you get car sick....

We started out our trip right and true by getting pedicures.  Thanks for treating us Mom!

One of my favourite evenings was going to the pool just before the sun set.  It was so pretty and I finally understood why the heck an outdoor pool in Arizona would ever have a hot tub.  People actually go in it during those hot 95 degree days though!!!  What??  But at night, it's actually quite lovely soaking those feet after a long day of shopping.  What a hard life.

You thought we were cute?  Well.  You thought WRONG!  I think Jenny won this round.

Awkward toes.  I couldn't do it!  Haha!

So maybe we all own the same swimsuit from Anthropologie.  And maybe the pool guy even made a comment when he thought we were out of earshot.  We're cool like that.  I told Mumsie she has to buy one now, too.

I paid the price all week long for playing a joke on Jenny.  She had her bed all nicely made and I thought it would be funny to put her pillow in the middle of the bed.  Crooked.  She has major OCD.  Major.  So I knew even this small prank would torture her.  Haha!  It seemed every time I came into our bedroom, my bed would be... well.... something like this.  I laughed so hard every time.

Here we are in the back of the car fearing for our lives.  Mom.  If you are reading this I am sorry.   Dad is much, much, MUCH worse, but there were a few times you did not shoulder check and I thought we might die.  Haha!  We made our peace multiple times in the back seat of this car.

I thought Sarah wanted a picture with me.  Guess not.

 We walked around the Gilbert temple grounds.  It was so beautiful and the flowers smelled really good.  It was also really HOT!  We sat in the shade and sang a few Hymns.  Until I started to cry.  Jenny has been a real sport with my "leaving the church" jokes.  We would joke about her rebelliousness.  Her new tattoo and short shorts.  As we were walking up to the temple I put my arm around Jenny and started singing, "I Am a Child of God" while looking deep into her eyes and trying not to laugh.  It kind of felt like how Joe's family joke about their dead brother, Scottie.  Haha!  I guess you have to have some dark humour.  Thankfully, Jenny does and she gets me.  Thanks Jenny.  But for reals, come back to church.  Bum.  I love you.

And here's Mom nestling into my bosom.  We were actually trying to get the flowers behind us.  So pretty.  There were LOTS of pretty flowers.

On one of the days, we discovered about twenty food trucks in the parking lot of a mall.  So yes.  Yes, we absolutely stopped.  Food trucks are something of NOT Alberta.  So seeing twenty all sitting there in a row like a dream was more than we could bear.  You can imagine me looking at each and every menu and dying inside because I wanted to try everything.  I went with something that I normally wouldn't get because I was trying to be exciting.  I got a savoury crepe.  I usually make dessert crepes at home and call them "dinner," but I thought I would try something different.  It was kind of nasty.  So I ate everyone's delicious left-overs.  I always do this.  It is so predictable of me.  I'm just hoping one of these days I'll feel rewarded for trying something out of the ordinary.

Cafe Rio.  So good we ate there twice.

Thanks again Mom and Dad for being so thoughtful, generous and spoily.  It was such a relaxing trip.  Now that I am back home in negative degree weather, one comes to wonder why the heck we live here when we could be living somewhere where it's warm all the time.  I feel so sad sending my kids out into the snowy weather each morning for school.  And it's October!!!  But not sad enough to drive them.  Or move, I guess.  I have been home for two days playing catch up and just trying to keep my head above water and already I am dreaming of the time we can get away with doing something like this again.  Until next time ladies!  Love you guys!!!