Halloween/birthday

No cake for this girl!I got spoiled!
This year, Halloween was on a Monday. It was perfect!! Nathan went to one of the elementary schools for Halloween Happenings with a friend on Friday night. It was fun to see him try and be nonchalant about having some independence of going without mom. He had a lot of fun. The other mom let the boys go on their own and report back to her. I think he was in heaven. They both won a 2-liter bottle of pop and had drank most of it by the time they got home. Yes, he was a little hyper! Saturday night was the ward carnival and Trunk or Treat. The primary was in charge of the cupcake walk again. My teachers made some very yummy cupcakes to give out! We had a huge turnout and it was a lot of fun. I didn't get to see the Trunk or Treat as I was cleaning up the cupcake mess off the gym floor but from the amount of candy each kid had and the smile on their faces, I could tell it was a huge success! Having the kids party's and ward party out of the way meant that on the actual Halloween day, it was all about ME!! we had pizza and then I opened presents. It was probably my favorite birthday yet. Hannah and Nathan had already worn their costumes (Nathan twice) and didn't want to go trick or treating so Justin took Isaac around to a couple houses. It was just enough for him to be happy. They all had enough candy already! I think we had two trick or treaters at our house. We do have a really lame street when it comes to that. I can't believe I did not get pictures of all the kids in their costumes. They looked really good this year. I did get one of Isaac before he went out Monday night but that is all. This is Hannah and Nathan picked out this year. Just picture their cute faces. Wish I had photo shop:)
Hannah looked beautiful as a blonde Cleopatra!
Since you can't wear masks, Nathan wore a bandanna on his head (his did not come with the hat) and we made his face pale white and made black circles around his eyes and blacked out his lips. He looked cool.

80s day at volleyball!

I have been blessed to live in the most physically active ward and stake when it comes to the women then I have ever seen. I remember my very first week in Tucson at our new ward. Justin had moved here already and told somebody that I played volleyball. A cute girl named Kris Merriman came bouncing down the hall and said "Hey, your husband said you play volleyball". She then told me when they played. I was a little nervous the first time because it had been a while and I was carrying my two-year-old baby weight still but I am so glad I went. I have now been going for over six years. I have met some pretty amazing women over that time. Some have moved on but many have been there since day one and many new ones are here now! These ladies help to keep me young (although I feel quite old A LOT out on the court and the day after). They also help remind me that I need to not take everything so serious and just let go and have fun. That leads us to 80's day at v-ball. Kellie Farrell organized this as pre-Halloween fun for the moms. It was a lot of fun. I wouldn't say it was the best volleyball around but we definitely had the brightest players and best after-game food....yummy cinnamon rolls (Kellie's famous), green-chili casserole(yum Laura) and green-sludge smoothy (it has Spinach in it which makes it green - thanks Cami McFarland for helping me to eat something healthy). Love these ladies.

Crazy Hair Day

For Drug-Free week at school, the kids get to do something every day to help celebrate it. One day is always Crazy Hair Day. The kids all wanted to buy hair color spray this year. I think they looked crazy cute!Hannah just had to be the funny little sister. This is the Hannah we know at home.

Baby cubs

Reid Park Zoo had baby cubs that we just had to go see. My friend Tracy Baird and I took our kids to spend the morning at the zoo and then out to lunch at Chick Fillet. I loved watching the cubs play around. So cute!! Apparently, they had a good effect on me because Tracy later told me she had never seen me so relaxed than that day. I guess I forget how uptight I usually am....even though my good husband reminded me that I was a big oozing ball of stress the other day;) I missed seeing Borus the polar bear. He was my favorite. He died a while ago. We had a zoo pass the first year in Tucson and the kids and I use to go and sit and watch Borus swim in his little circle over and over again. Anyway, it was a good morning. We need to spend more like that. That afternoon, I put Hannah and Isaac to work as we helped our friend move into a new apartment. Nathan had gone home with Tracy and her son Tate. It made me pretty proud to see how hard of workers Isaac and Hannah can be!Right before I took this picture, a guy hopped over the guard rail to take a close picture. The daddy lion did NOT like this he growled and charged that wire fencing. Can you say dumb. The funny thing was the little boy maybe all of 5 that told the guy, "that is why you are suppose to stay behind the bar". It was a little scary.

Pictures!

Ashlie Hilton (Ash Photography) took these awesome pictures of my kids. It was the fastest photo shoot yet. So nice when the kids are old enough to just say stop there, smile..etc. Of course, mine were a little crazy! Here are some of my favorites. Love them! Thanks Ashlie!

Kata Tournement

Isaac was very nervous and did not want to participate in the Kata tournament held in October. When we got to the dojo, he actually was in tears. Thankfully, Sempai Ashlie calmed him down and gave helped give him the confidence he needed. He has to go in front of judges and his peers and do his Kata. They then score him on accuracy and sharpness. They compete against kids with their same belt color. After he was done and got second place, he was happy he participated. I really think he would have gotten 1st place if he had not been so nervous. He knew the Kata better than the kid that won but was not as sharp as he hurried through it. I was very proud of him for participating and hope he is not so nervous next time!Sensei Jeff watching on.