halloween

i had invited several families over for soups and trick or treating. then i looked around my house and saw how very unready for guests our house was! so after the kids left for seminary i  had planned to exercise and then clean, clean, clean. but when i came upstairs after ellipticaling i could hear delaney crying. i figured she'd go back to sleep and finished stretching but when i came back up she was still crying so i went in and snuggled her. i was thinking, i have so much to do and if she won't go to sleep this time will just be wasted, and then the thought came to me how could cuddling with my precious baby ever be time wasted? and it wasn't. i cherish those precious moments when the spirit softly reminds me of what is important.

i've had to wake poor addie up every day this week. she keeps saying "when i get home i just want to rest," and "one day can i sleep in and flip school?" sweet girl.

when we've had late nights i let her sleep as long as she can, which is until 7:50 (bus comes at 8:05). so i pack her lunch and backpack, pick out her cloths, wake her up, dress and do her hair while she eats breakfast, then she brushes her teeth in the powder room while we watch for the bus. 

crazy? yes.

she runs to her bus stop every morning. good thing she loves school. :)

after she left i finally got to clean. i texted the kids with some chores for when they got home and frankie, laney, and i headed out to halloween playgroup style at the schoeny's.

frankie alice loving on delaney and emma. ;)

since delaney had been up late, (running through the neighborhood with mom and dad) she slept in. i got frankie and all of our gear into the car, including d's breakfast, and then grabbed delaney and put her in the car where she ate her breakfast. she's been very anti-getting dressed lately, that's why she's in just a diaper. i ler her run around joni's house like that for an hour before i finally had to fight her to get dressed. i hope this phase passes quickly, because it's not fun.

cute. :)

i sent lexi to the store for me to get chili supplies and came home to start our chili. i had an hour and a half before i got to go perform my first room mom duties at les. i was in charge of the "fall party" snack. i wanted something easy that the kids could participate in and parents could send things for. so we made a "harvest chex mix." i asked parents to send mix-ins and we put them into bowls with spoons and let the kids scoop what they wanted to make their little mix. they all like it. success!

i asked addie which pumpkin was hers and she told me the one with the loose tooth. can you see it? she is so clever and creative!

the other room mom was in charge of the craft. the kids made cute halloween bags with puffy stickers and markers. addie was in heaven. :) after the party we could have brought our kids home with us, but addie's bus driver had made cupcakes to give the kids for the way home and addie wanted her cupcake. big mama can totally understand that, so i let her stay.

alexis and chris really helped a lot and we had everything ready and beautiful by 4. there was a lot of running, but no stress and no yelling. yay! families started trickling in at 4:30 and we had a nice time visiting. sarah brought this cute mummy hot dog man. laney loved it! she ate the whole missing arm. :)

my goal was to walk out the door at 5:30. we ended up leaving at 6, which i think is pretty good! chris was the candy passer outer again. he made his fire, set up his chairs and passed, passed, passed. good boy. :)

doesn't david look purty?

i have wanted to dress as sunny and cher for a long time. we had so much fun with it. matt got his ensemble at the thrift store and it was perfect. i looked, but i'm not the best thrift store shopper, so i got mine for good ol' kmart. oh well.

i got you babe!

we gathered all the kiddos for pictures. laney and ellie happily sat next to eachother.

"cheese!"

 

cuties!

as i was getting frankie ready she was getting distracted like she does. i wasn't mad at her, but i was getting frustrated. she looked at me and said "mommy, don't be mad." this sweet girl is teaching me, and i know will continue to teach me patience. and i don't mean that in a joking way. she forces me to slow down and not be so driven. i am almost always in a hurry and frankie never is. oh let me be patient and loving with her! she is so sweet.

and so is this crazy, that was running around, rolling and laying on the ground. school has brought out the crazy lady in her. she's good at school, a little bossy, but good. since miss huber and i talked to her she keeps her hands to herself and only bosses people verbally now. ;) 

(she 'helped' a friend sit up after she had put her head down, no big deal, just a bossy 5 year old)

but when she gets home she runs, rolls, and is loud! love her!

we made chris and josh join the group even though they were costume-free.

work it addie!

this picture would be perfect with one more! darn lexi had to work.

the crew! and addie wouldn't stand up. brattie.

our first stop!

we're on our way and addie is excited!

our neighborhood goes all out. these girls loved this cute skeleton set up.

and this awesome haunted house.

trick or treat!

 a stroller built for 4? i love our stroller!

 

 pesky paparazzi!

 

when we got home christian had dressed up in his boy scout uniform for his costume. he's so funny. after all the festivities he made sugar cookies for his spanish class for day of the dead today. i love that he cooks!

we hung out around the fire and visited and cuddled the little misses.

roni stopped by for some candy. they are soooo cute!

frankie and roni.

our neighbor josh dressed in this cool cape and mask with eyes that lit up. he stood very still on his porch and i thought he was just a decoration but then he moved! the little girls loved running up and getting his eyes to light up. and then he came over and teased them and they would run back and forth,

 

he was a good sport and took a picture with them.

another late nap and late night for this chicky.

she loves her daddy!

this is how she gives kisses lately, she'll give you her cheek. silly lady.

t'was a busy and fun halloween!
oh! and with the best weather ever! 70 degrees and gorgeous! the kids were able to wear their costumes without coats, it was just amazing. it started to sprinkle as it got later, but it was really just the perfect weather. love it!!!