Low-Key Halloween

I haven't forgotten about you my dear, dear blog. You were in my thoughts everyday. I'm finally not feeling completely zombieish anymore. Because of many sleepless nights, a vacation, and lots and lots of sickness the blog has taken a back seat. I have missed writing about our silly little lives and keeping updated on everyone else's!

Delia had a super hard October with needle-like protuberances ripping through her gums all day and night ("teething" just doesn't do this EVIL stage of life justice). Our darling, happy-go-lucky baby has turned into a grumpy monster!!!!

I was talking to my friend about our difficulties and she sent me this PERFECT quote:

In the church news today, they quoted Elder Holland about the seasons of life a woman goes through. I thought you might relate at this time in your life. I sure remember feeling this way.

"The work of a mother is hard, too often unheralded work. The young years are often those when either husband or wife--or both--may still be in school or in those earliest and leanest stages of developing the husband's bread-winning capacities. Finances fluctuate daily between low and nonexistent. The apartment is usually decorated in one of two smart designs--Deseret Industries provincial or early Mother Hubbard. The car, if there is one, runs on smooth tires and an empty tank. But with night feedings and night teethings, often the greatest challenge of all for a young mother is simply fatigue. Through these years, mothers go longer on less sleep and give more to others with less personal renewal for themselves than any other group I know at any other time in life. It is not surprising when the shadows under their eyes sometimes vaguely resemble the state of Rhode Island...Even so, young mothers will still find magnificent ways to serve faithfully in the Church, even as others serve and strengthen them and their families in like manner. Do the best you can through these years, but whatever else you do, cherish that role that is so uniquely yours and for which heaven itself sends angels to watch over you and your little ones."

THANK YOU ELDER HOLLAND (and Stephanie)!!!! It's amazing how just sending along a simple quote can give so much comfort!  The most difficult moments I've had as a mom have been during sleep deprivation- BY FAR. I'm grumpy, I don't eat healthy, I don't exercise... I pretty much stop taking care of myself and just survive, it's miserable (I'm not sure why this happens, maybe some sleep expert can tell me).

So... on to the actual topic of this post:  I usually make a big deal about Halloween and have costumes planned and made months in advance, activites and crafts prepared ... not so much this year. It still ended up being a fun holiday and I don't think the kids noticed things weren't planned or prepared!



We had a great time at the Ward Festival.
 (Dee Dee was too sad to party, so Bry stayed home with her)
Here the kids are eating a healthy dinner of rolls and Root Beer.



I always think such a well-rounded meal should end with a cupcake.
(Does anyone else think there's too much junk-food at stuff like this?)

Besides candy, cupcakes, and doughnuts the kids got lots of fun little toys and stickers at the carnival.
The best prize of the evening were super cool balloon shapes
(Hyrum's is a light saber of course!)

Ivy chose a fairy wand which almost survived the whole night. 

Carving Jack-O-Lanterns is always the funnest Halloween activity (not so much the clean up)

On the actual night we tried to have a quick dinner and get homework done, but the kids were too excited to Trick-or-Treat... we figured it wasn't a battle worth fighting. 



Poor Dee Dee couldn't walk in her bumble bee costume, but she sure looked adorable!



She didn't quite get the Trick-or-Treating thing this year (it wasn't expected that she would).  She just wanted to sit and eat the treat the FIRST house gave her.  Why would she put it in a bucket?  Why would she walk up to complete strangers when she already had a piece of candy?  It was so fun to see her confusion and frustration.



Ivy decided to go as a fairy/princess/ballerina. 
We love how she poses for pictures now.




Hyrum chose to wear his Spiderman pjs (could it be any easier?). 
He refused any make-up on his face, but I couldn't complain! 



We have a SUPER fun neighborhood for Trick-or-Treating now.  Everyone goes all out with decorations and music.  The festivites even ended early since it was a school night.  It ended up being a fun weekend of celebration!

The Best Holiday

I don't really know why Halloween is my favorite holiday.  It might be the cool, crisp air, or the crunchy leaves, or the full moon against the black sky casting creepy tree branch shadows everywhere, or the chance to dress up and whole-heartedly join in the mutual embarrassment, but it's probably the free chocolate. 

We had a great time this year.  As the kids get older our options for fun only expound and grow.  Hyrum is starting to pick his own costumes, so relinquishing control is something I'm trying to learn.  It's not about me, it's about the kids (that's what I keep reminding myself).  Ivy was super shy, but she'd follow Hyrum anywhere so we didn't have too many meltdowns.  And Delia was our sweet little baby doll, happy as long as she's in her little carrier.

First Ivy, Delia, and I ventured to the pumpkin patch with Ivy's preschool.  It was a fun day, but I wish the whole family could have been there.  It's becoming a frequent dilemma in our house:  take Hyrum out of school to avoid the crowds or go on the weekend and fight with hoards of people.  So, poor Hyrum and Daddy went to the grocery store pumpkin patch this year (Hyrum wasn't too happy about it).

Actually capturing a picture of Ivy where she is not only smiling, but holding still, AND looking at the camera is a miracle. Here's a collage of a few more pics that didn't turn out quite as "picturesque".

Next, we decorated sugar cookies.  We are quite the icing artists.

After some Halloween Bingo and Twister we carved our pumpkins!

AND finally... the costumes.

I LOVE Trick-or-Treating in our neighborhood.  It doesn't make very much sense because only about 10 people total are actually home and have candy.  But here's my reasoning: NO CROWDS (I know, I must be crowd phobic or something).  Since we are pretty much the only people who bother to Trick-or-Treat in this quiet neighborhood, the people who are at home with a bowl of candy are ecstatic to see us and our ADORABLE munchkins.  We chat and they show us their pets (who of course are in costume), they give our kids a HANDFULL of candy, and we come home feeling like we did a great service to our lonely neighbors.  I honestly couldn't imagine decorating my house (and my cat), buying candy, and waiting at home for little visitors just to be disappointed.  We should be awarded some Halloween badge of honor for our kindness:)

This video is hilarious because it displays one more of Ivy's fears.  We already knew she was scared of monsters, dogs, toilet flushing, vacuums, bathtub drains, bugs, and the dark.  Now we can add one more to the list: knocking on doors.

Halloween Fun

We had a terrific Halloween, starting with carving our pumpkins. Hyrum completely surprised us by doing his all by himself (besides the taking out the guts part). He drew out his plans ahead of time on his Magnidoodle, compared and contrasted each drawing to make sure it had the right amount of spookiness, cut open the beast, and completed the whole thing in no time. He carved Ivy's also (Ivy went to bed early and missed all the fun).

Bry's is the pirate, mine's Frankenstein, and Hyrum's are the cute little faces.

Next was the Ward shindig the night before Halloween.

I made Bry dress as Ace Ventura, his alter ego (yes, seriously).

There were tons of games and yummy chili. Hyrum loved running around with all his superhero friends. Ivy loved giving me a heart-attack by disappearing into the crowd. After dinner and games we went Trunk-or-Treating in the parking lot.

Finally Halloween day came with rain and hot, muggy temperatures! Welcome to Virginia! At least the kids didn't have to wear snow parkas and cover up their costumes.

We went Trick-or-Treating with our friends the Didlake's and had a blast with their darling little girl. Many of our neighbors gave us gallon size bags of goodies for Hyrum and Ivy. They even remembered Ivy's allergies and only included foods that were safe for her. I was so touched that they even remembered her allergies. We have such great neighbors!

We spent the day watching movies, eating spooky shaped pancakes, and telling scary stories (all of Hyrum's ended with the victim karate chopping the monster to victory). We ended the night playing with glow sticks in the pitch black until way after the kid's bedtime. It was a great Halloween weekend with all our Virginia friends.