Halloween

 We started the day eating breakfast in the dark to the light of carved pumpkins (thanks to Paul we had 5 to carve this year!  We've done one a day the past few days).  Then we spent a good part of the day reading (what's new).  I got those kindergarten type of books for anna and she loves them.  She feels so happy she can read them herself!  We went to a halloween story time, which was over the top awesome.  Then we went to grandma elaines and raked leaves.  Grandpa Glen even came out to help us.  miracles happen every day (;

Our landlord came down and read halloween books to anna.  He knows her well (;  She couldn't think of a better treat I'm sure.  Then he gave them their second halloween treats of the day (grandma elaine gave the first).   After a dinner of pumpkin enchiladas and skeleton glow-in-the-dark ballet - we went trick or treating.  We first went to Nona Searle's house next door.  The girls love nona and they waltzed right into her home.

 You can see how excited anna was.

 Look how cute they are going up together.  At the second house anna was very very talkative and wouldn't let the lady go.  She went on and on about how cute her halloween decorations were and how she (anna) had seen some similar decorations at grandma elaines.  What a little dolly she is.  After about 5 houses anna said "I'm done, lets go home!"  Too bad it won't be that easy forever!

We wanted to get some homemade donuts, so we kept on going despite anna being done. This is Careen's house.  I visit teach her.  The girls love that witch.  Anna was really concerned that she was standing in the doorway and not inside the house like she is when we visit teach.

 This is Bart from our ward.  Really a friendly guy.  His wife is a RD and she makes homemade doughnuts for the trick or treaters!!  WHAT?  They are really good and homemade!

 One pumpkin doesn't show here.  They are in order of carving, you can see we got better with each try.

You can see the one that didn't glow in this picture.  I let anna draw the face on the one that doesn't glow.  She was so proud of herself.  Thanks for all the pumpkins Paul!

 Oh Julia.  You are the cutest trick or treater ever.  She would put whatever candy she was given straight into her mouth with out unwrapping it first.  She was trying to suck the butterfinger out of its wrapper.  Anything bite size is a choking hazard with the wrapper on!  Julia!  She wanted to walk the whole way.  One family gave us some crackers.  No way was she going to eat those!  She threw them at me and said NO.  wHAT A hoot!!!  I think she could have eaten all her candy, seriously.  This girl loves her treats!

So here's the best part!  Richard is going hunting the morning.  He decided to take the girls with him!  So after teeth brushing he packed them in the car and drove away.  I'm feeling a little sad and lonely....aren't I crazy!?!  But I I cleaned all day so I don't have to spend any alone time cleaning.  wahoo.  I've got the best husband (and in-laws) ever.  Thank you Paul and Joyce!  I'm spending all day with my girlfriend rachel tomorrow and I'm going to Thriller with my grandma elaine on saturday.  it will be a fun weekend.

a line from anna's playtime

direct quote from anna:

"OH NO where is apple jack?"  says rainbow dash "Appple Jack is a boy and is NO WHERE TO BE FOUND!"

snow witch

Yesterday Anna was telling our neighbor that when she woke up she would play in the snow with him.  She was a prophetess!  It snowed this morning.  Except our neighbor slept in........but that didn't stop us from playing in the snow.  It is going to be a fun winter.  anna made a snow-witch!  She rolled the balls and actually helped.  Julia was just cold and wanted to go inside.  she put the buttons on the witch but other than that just sort of moped around.

 We made a snowcat for the snow witch (the pumpkin is a cat)

 Jack the snow pumpkin king.

 I pulled them around the yard on this makeshift sled (the cover to the jogging stroller).  Julia liked that.  Then anna pulled her - it required a lot of supervision so no picutre.

 When we got back inside we had warm coco.

 Our snow witch and snow cat.

 we also made pumpkin seed this morning.  anna likes them but they are a choking hazard for julia.

 we also made pumpkin spice playdough.

 julia likes to eat it.  yucko.

one cool cow with a sombrero.

It's a good snowy day!  Tomorrow is Halloween!

A thing in a box

If you like home star runner you'll get that reference.

We emptied another box of diapers.  It's sure nice to not be using cloth anymore.

After Julia had to be removed for a poopy change, Anna swiped her box.  No worries, we found another.

anna's first basketball pictures - and a funny surprise!

 Anna had her first day of basketball.  She was a little nervous at first, hanging onto her daddy's leg.  You can see the rest of the kids hanging around the coach in the back.

 So she finally went over and I zoomed in.  I didn't realize until I put these pictures on the computer that there was a surprise!  We had a good laugh over that.  Poor little kid.  Sorry if that is offensive to anyone.  Anna is the only thing in a skirt.

 Julia sat by me for a good while and watched.  What a little doll.

I'm not sure how a 3 year old could throw that ball into a hoop that high, especially a ball as big as their entire upper body.  Richard agreed and helped Ann out.    Julia escaped and is heading towards them.  I think she likes basketball the best out of anything we've done yet.  probably because so far it doesn't involve any running (;

sick kids and Richards 33rd Birthday

well the kids are sick.  So instead of our usual trip to Aunt Amys this tuesday - we are staying home.  Right now the girls are having a dance party, wiping their snot all over the house.  Its great.

yesterday we the long awaited DADDY'S BIRTHDAY.  We made him a picture frame present and Anna has been so excited about him opening it that she asks several times a day when Daddy's birthday is and when he gets to open his present.  It was like Christmas to her!

So we let him open his present first thing after he and I finished our insanity workout (we started these videos a month ago).  Then we had his favorite bfast: waffles.  I've got this really good recipe that is yeasted waffles, you let them rise overnight.  They are crisp and good!

After breakfast anna was sad that her daddy had to go to work.  But we let him go - then we got a bunch of errands done (julia's hair cut, trip to goodwill, sprouts for vegetables, winco for canned food, library return).  When we got home we started in on richards cake - tres leches (same as last year and the year before that).  It is heavy on the saturated fats so it's a once a year thing...

Since anna is sick it was sort of a miserable day - but we had a good time picking up leaves and eating cake.

 anna put all the candles on by herself.

 Grandma and Grandpa joined the festivities via skype.

 yummo!  tres leches cake (included is 1/2 cup oil, 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup cream, 1 can sw. cond milk, 1 can evaporated milk)!!

 still puttn on candles.  Daddy is OLD!

 julia's hair cut

 Joyce says "looks like a fire hazard!"  I love this picture of anna and her daddy.  She wanted him to have a zombie cake since he loves to play the zombie game, but she settled for a zombie card.

 Julia (of course) couldn't get enough of the cake.  She kept getting close enough to lick it.

This is the morning.  Julia likes to do table yoga.  yup.  She's got several good moves but this is her favorite.

ballet favorites

Anna has a real interest in ballet.  So we get a lot of books and movies from the library about ballet.  One of her favorite movies is "ballet favorites."  It is a compilation of live recordings from several famous ballets (sleeping beauty, swan lake, nutcracker, giselle).  It is seriously boring if you don't like to watch dance, but I think it is completely amazing the way ballerinas can move their bodies.  And I love that Anna enjoys watching it, she even has a favorite - I think it's called the clog dance - and I'm not sure what the story line is, but she loves it.

Here is a movie of julia watching.  Romeo and Juliet is in the background.

My kids eat canned beets.

Julia is a picky eater.  But we still try.  Again and again and again.  

We had a breakthrough yesterday.  She ate canned beets.

Anna seriously loves them.

And on Thursday they ate an entire can between the two of them.  Along with their tofu cubes, peas and canned pumpkin.  Yup I'm a wacky mom.

Halloween is coming, Halloween is near......

It's a mean witch stirring her cauldron of poison apples.  We made some more applesauce.  Then decided we needed apple butter and made some of that.

Anna wants to be a skeleton.  She came up with it all on her own.

So we made her a costume out of some hand me downs from amber.

I'm much better at paint than I am at sewing.

We watched zach for a day.  It was exhausting and terrible but good for Cherie.  They moved out two weeks ago.

More of the apple witch.

  

Here is Thursday after the the apples.  Anna is doing a ballet movie in the background.  Julia is playing with ponies, she's really into ponies and princesses lately.  She calls them both pitteee.