Pumpkin Carving Party

It was my year to host the Anderson pumpkin carving party this year. It was a success! I made cheeseburger soup, Angela brought a veggie tray, my parents brought rolls, & Ashley made a pumpkin cake. 

 

I think that we have been watching way to much Dexter. (sounds impossible - I know) I love Dexter.  I think I even have a mini crush on him.  What does that say about me??!!  I should probably see a therapist.

I had a couple of tables out & lined them with garbage bags & my dad said that it looked like I was setting up a kill room.  Angela also said that she had a foul mouthed sister just like Dexter does....I just told her that I didn't know what the f*** she was talking about. :)  My bad.

 Angela & her girls.  She loves them all so much!

 Angela & her boys.  I'm pretty sure she loves these guys also.

 I hate watching my parents get blinder by the second.  This photo of my dad is so freaking sad, but so freaking funny at the same time.  I only wish he had packed my mom's faux diamond studded glasses.  Those are my favorite on him.

 Casey was so nice & let Caleb pick out his jack-o-lantern pattern this year.  Caleb chose a vampire.  They seem to be one of his favorite things this Halloween.

 Carving it up!

 The whole family (minus my mom - she was feeling a bit under the weather)!  Even Dylan made it to the party - can you see him?

Brittni - Monster .....Dad - Witch.....Derrick (aka Derrika) - the spewing pumpkin.....Casey - vampire.....Blake/Angela - skeleton.....Jordon - Scar (from The Lion King).....Griffen  - Flaming jack

Up close & personal with mine & Casey's works of art.

The Kids

Caleb bo Baleb.  He is almost 5 years old!  I can't believe it.  I wanted to get a couple of things in writing before I forgot them.

He has a hard time listening.  SEVERAL times a day I will say something to him & his immediate reply is "what'd you say?"  The way he says it is quite cute.  He will say it very fast & look at me like, ."Hey lady, are you talkin' to me?"

Every time he goes #2 he will scream at me from the bathroom (I mean SCREAM), "MOM??!!! Do I have to wash my hands?" Yes Caleb - Every. Single. Time.

I dont' know why - but I always say "Jiminy Christmas!"  I know it's lame.  I don't even know why I started saying it.  Probaby to refrain from swearing in front of the kids :)  Casey always says "Judas Priest!"  Again - probably to refrain from swearing.  Well - Caleb has his own made up version....if he is frustrated or needs to vent he will say, "Judas Christmas!!!"  CUTE!

When he trips or wants to wrestle he calls it 'tripping over' instead of tipping over.  He will say to me, "Hey mom.  I am going to run into you and you are going to trip over okay?"  It's adorable.

He is so particular about animals that it is insane.  He recently saw a picture of some opossums.  So - whenever we come across this picture he'll say, "What is that"  I reply "It's a possum"  He says, "He is a member of the rat family"  I reply, "Okay Caleb."  I said something the other day that daddy deer had antlers & mommy deer don't.  He said, "They are called bucks mom." 

Every night he will tell me "Sweet Dreams".  For some reason he thinks he has to make his voice register as high as possible when he says this.  It's actually quite sweet.

He is loving Halloween. HOORAY! He asks me daily if he can hold the yellow skeleton that I have hanging outside & every day I tell him no. You would think he'd get it by now. He has asked me for 29 days straight now. I won another big skeleton at bunco this week & he is obsessed with getting his hands on him, so I caved. 

Here he is the other night with the brown one & he LOVED the yellow one when I first got him in 2009.  The picture of the old scary couple is funny.  Caleb was studying it earlier this month & said, that scary guy is going to roast 3 hot dogs!  LOL

Taylor has mastered the stairs!  I know that most kids have this skill mastered before 18 months or so - but it is hard to practice going up & down them when 2 of them are needing assistance!  There was a lot of foot to face action on their part.  They survived though.

 Rylee followed in Taylor's footsteps about a week later.

 A couple of weeks ago Caleb asked if they could eat lunch outside.  It was one of the last nice days that we had before this past series of cold weather.  They were adorable.  I think Caleb even had a worm friend eat with them (it's near his plate).  I am glad no one accidentally ate it..

Caleb LOVES helping his dad.  Here they are putting some fabulous new tires on the stroller.

 Caleb had so many questions about Casey's deer!  It was almost overwhelming. :)

 HOW CUTE IS THIS NEXT PICTURE??!!!  I took about 10 pictures before I managed to get this one.  One of them would turn their head or try to stand up or shut their eyes.  It was quite the process, but I am glad that I didn't give up!  (Rylee has the boat, Taylor has the blue toy)

Gardner's Village

I know I mentioned it in an earlier post - but I love traditions!  I love the old ones & I love the newer ones as well.  Our Gardner's Village trip is a newer tradition that I love.  We had a couple of newbies this year too!!  This year we added little Eva & Chantel was able to enjoy the festivities this year also.  I hope we didn't scare her off.  We started our afternoon/evening at Sandra's with some fabulous soup, Maddox rolls, PEPSI & Halloween bark for dessert.  Y U M

 

Here are my lovely little ghosts.  Taylor has her hands up.

 Isn't this the cutest little witch you have ever seen?!?!?

 Angela was the only one that dressed up.  She hangs with a bunch of fun haters!  I need to get my act together & create a costume.  I have a hat & a cape & funky socks...but I don't know what shirt I would wear & I don't think anyone would appreciate me going topless. 

 The whole group!  My mom was helping my dad in King Creek - next year she will be coming with us!  We went on Witch's Night Out this year & I don't know if I want to do that again.  It was fun to see all of the witches...but there was plenty when we went last year on just a normal weekend.

 Angela & Amber have had their faces painted the last couple of years.  They always look stunning!

I think that Rylee was exhausted.  She would just stand with her face smashed into Amber forever!  She was NOT moving!

 Sandra & her girls.

 I adore this picture of Ashley & Eva.  Ashley purchased the fabulous jacket she has on.  It fit her perfectly!  A meant to be purchase.  Those are the best!

Pumpkin Walk

In North Logan there is a pumpkin walk.  Biggest bonus - it is FREE.  There are several displays where creative people put their talent to work.  There was a Madagascar 3 display & I thought the way that they made Melman the giraffe was awesome!  I also loved the killer bunnies & the cute tree where someone had the genius idea to paint little pumpkins red so that they looked like apples.  It reminded me of the scene from the Wizard of Oz - but alas - the display was just an apple orchard.  Caleb loves to chill on the front of the stroller.  Notice - the girls aren't in it.  I'm glad we brought it for Caleb!

 I'm pretty sure I make a fabulous Harry Potter..... & we already knew that Casey was incredible.

 I love Caleb's little hands in these pictures.  You can see one through Jessie's face & then right under in chin in the Genie picture.  Taylor looks like she is singing to the bird in the Snow White picture & Rylee is our Ariel.

 Casey managed to get a fabulous deer this year!  It was only about an hour into opening morning & this beauty happened to be about 50 yards off of the road they were traveling.  I can't believe how freaking skinny Casey is in this picture!

Annual Anderson Family Picnic

This year we went CrAzY and met at Tony Grove for our annual fall picnic.  It sucks that you can't take a stroller all the way around the lake - but I guess all my kids will be able to walk it themselves before I know it.  One year we took Caleb & the stroller when he was little, and I ended up packing the stroller all the way & Casey packed Caleb.  Thank goodness for my super strength!

This digital picture era is amazing & exhausting at the same time.  We have SO many pictures of every event & we are all so freaking fabulous it is so hard to choose which pictures to use!  Between my camera, Ashley's, my mom's & Angela's - we ended up with 141 pictures.  Holy Hannah.

 

Little Eva earned a nickname on this trip.  Whenever some would say, "Where's Eva?"  I would say, "Who?  Eva Jensen?"  Angela adores her (as does everyone else...Angela is just a Eva hog!!  j/k)  Angela held her most of the time...fed her candy...& took her for a little walk.  Boys are strange...the main event of the picnic was catching chipmunks.  Griffen is holding one in MY Rubbermaid container in the picture below.  I think Milky Way was the chipmunks favorite food.  Can't boys just sit & enjoy the scenery?  Take a little walk?  I guess I will never understand.   

 My Grandma & Grandpa Hunsaker were able to drive up & enjoy the day with us.  I like to see them sit & relax....but it sucks when they are sitting there enjoying themselves & my Grandma's chair decides to collapse.  Whoopsie!  Derrick was the first one to the scene to help her up & my Grandpa was in his chair still & said, "I'm glad it was you & not me!"  It freaking cracked me up.  He didn't ask if she was OK...if she needed help...what happened...he was just glad it wasn't him that fell.  I'm glad she didn't break a hip!  She's one tough cookie.  My Grandpa brought his harmonica & that is always fun to listen to.  Elder Anderson also came on the picnic.  Shades & everything!

 My Grandma brought a bowl full of candy & Caleb was in HEAVEN.  He LOVED the witch hand coming out of the middle of the bowl & LOVED eating the skittles.  He also did a bit of fishing with a stick - he was unsuccessful this trip though.  He entertained everyone with a bit of singing.  It was pretty cute.  Little Deuce Coupe was his song of choice.

 Little Miss Taylor & Rylee spent the majority of the time at the waters edge....& eventually in the water (that happened on Casey's watch, not mine!)  I'm glad I brought an extra set of clothes!  Every time Taylor would throw a rock in she would turn around to see if someone was close by to give a high five to.  She really gets into it!  Swings her arm all the way back & smacks your hand.  She loses her balance almost every time.

 The fall picnic is one of my favorite traditions.  I love all of the traditions that we keep going & I am excited to have my children grow up with the same ones.

18 Months!

I cannot believe that I have 18 month old twins!  I can't imagine not having either one of them.  They are into EVERYTHING!  They are both such a joy to have.  Their 18 month Dr Appointment was a joke - so I don't have their growth stats, but we'll get all caught up with that at their 2 year appointment.

Taylor:  She is such a sweet & sensitive little girl.  She loves to give great big hugs & even grunts when she squeezes ya.  She loves her baby dolls that she has in her crib.  She loves to eat fruit, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, pizza,  waffles, lasagna, garlic bread, and macaroni & cheese.  She thinks it is fantastic to empty the drawers & the cupboards in the kitchen.  She doesn't say a whole lot yet but she can understand things (get your shoes....put your drink away....let's eat....let's go bye-bye)  Taylor also LOVES to play dress up.  She is always trying to put on Caleb's or Casey's or my shoes & she is almost always wearing a necklace.  It's darling.

Both girls LOVE bath time.  They have started blowing bubbles in the water even.  Too cute!  They love to play outside & they love the Baby Einstein movies just as much as their brother did when he was little.  They also like to watch the movies Tangled & Despicable Me.  They both love books & have just started to color.  They love to run around with Caleb.  They can both bang on their chest & make a gorilla sound.  I love it.

 Rylee:  She is a swee, funny & feisty little girl.  She loves blankets!  She likes to drape them over her shoulders & lay them out on the floor.  She loves to comb her hair & mine.  She loves to eat garlic bread, macaroni & cheese, cheese sticks, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pizza, applesauce, & toast with peanut butter.  She isn't saying a whole lot either, but her very favorite word is "NO" and she always uses it correctly.  She can also follow directions really well like her sister.  She can also howl like a wolf & it is one of the cutest things I've ever seen.  Rylee can jibber jabber all day long!  While she jabbers she acts like it is the most important thing in the world & maintains eye contact the entire time.  It's adorable.

The last 18 months have been exhausting, but I wouldn't have had it any other way.  Watching these girls grow is a joy.

My fabulous cousin Amber captured some beautiful pictures yet again!  We went to Daybreak for these ones.  THANKS AMBER!

Freeze Fall Picnic

I was totally bummed that I didn't get the opportunity to celebrate National Toasted Marshmallow Day this year.  It happened to fall on a night when Casey was working & I wasn't about to tackle loading up my children with roasting sticks & then head off to start a fire.  That would've been a diaster just waiting to happen!

On a whim one Sunday in September I called Casey's family (except for Shelby...he lives in Price & I don't think he would've made the drive for a hot dog & mallow) and we headed off to Second Dam for a little dinner.  It happened to be the 20 year aniversary of Mona's dad's death.  It wasn't a celebration...but a little get together for fall & for his memory.  Mona has said that her dad loved watching the leaves fall in to the river this time of year.  I can't imagine losing a parent at this stage in life.  It would be very difficult.  I have a lump in my throat just typing this!  (I'm a pansy)

Caleb LOVES his cousins Logan & Nathanael.  I think he might even drive them a bit crazy because he follows them everywhere and talks & talks & talks their ears off.  It was a beautiful fall evening.  The kids were all well behaved & my mallow was fabulous.

Say Cheese!

We had Anderson family pictures taken this summer.  They turned out really nice! 

 

 

 

Ev'ry day I'm Chuffilin'

My family has discovered someone fabulous.  Juanito Bandito.  He is awesome.  We saw Who shot Juanito Bandio last summer at the Pickleville Playhouse in Bear Lake & we just HAD to get tickets to another show that they did this summer.  The Hanging of El Bandito.  Dylan missed out last year because he was in St. George for school - but he got to enjoy it this summer before he left for his mission.  I got to sit next to him & he didn't stop laughing.  Casey also missed it last year and he thought it was pretty funny.  He even said that he'd go again!  I also had to keep checking on Blake & Griffen throughout the play- they were cracking up through most of the show.

We went & ate at Cooper's after the show & it was delicious.  Ashley was so excited for her hamburger.  They were huge.  All of the food that was ordered looked really good.

Jordon has managed to miss the show both summers in a row.  Hopefully next year they do another show & he can jump on the fun bus & join us.  Mona babysat Caleb, Taylor & Rylee so that Casey & I could get away.  She is such a trooper!  It was funny - when we got home she said, "I'm really sorry...but I drank 2 Pepsi's out of your fridge."  It cracked me up.  The caffeine is surely needed most days for me!  Another funny thing is on our way into Logan canyon Casey & I stopped at Smith's in Logan for a drink.  When he parked he said, "What do you want me to get you....oh wait!!!  You get to come in with me!"  We are so use to one of us sitting in the car with the kids.  It was fabulous to get away for a day.  We also discovered pralines & cream fudge at La Beaus Too - I can't wait until next summer to go and get some more!