Trick or Treat!

Halloween arrived!  Caleb told me a couple of days before Halloween, "Mom.  I don't think that Halloween is my favorite holiday anymore."  I replied, "How come?"  He said, "I'm pretty sure that I don't like being scared."  I told him that it was okay if Halloween wasn't his favorite and that we would just have a fun night getting candy and putting on a costume.  He said that Christmas is now his favorite.

 

There were a couple of stores around town that had the front decorated for fall - I tried to take advantage of their hard work.  Luke was NOT having it.  But - they all still look pretty cute!

We had to recycle costumes this year.  I have some cute ideas for next year, but Caleb is already arguing with me about them.  Stink pot.

These two babies...I guess technically toddlers...loved their candy corn from Grandma Babe!  They walked a little and rode in the stroller while Grammy pushed them around & I took movies & pictures.  Casey was at work.  I sure am grateful to live near family that is always willing to help me out!

Jordon & Dylan's costumes are fantastic.  And Eva's & Jackson's couldn't be more perfect.  Ashely wins mother of the year for Ariel. 

I love these pictures.  Innocence.  Happiness.  Fun.  Joy.  Excitement.  So many things captured in a photograph.

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Party!

It was my year to host the pumpkin carving party!  Caleb got to clean out his own pumpkin this year.  From the look on his face - I don't think that he enjoyed it.  I have an obsession with polka dots - so Casey got out his drill for me & I went to work!  Luke was very impressed with the drill.  He would get the cutest surprised look on his face every time I would drill a hole.  AND - he got a hair cut.  I don't want to talk about it.

Everyone was busy, busy, busy with their pumpkins.  Ashley was busy with Jackson and my mom was busy chasing kids, making sure they had on extra layers of jackets and snapping pictures.

My mother is out of control.  She made WORMS!  Taylor wouldn't try it.  Caleb, Eva and Rylee did though.  As Rylee was chewing hers she said, "So, is this worm still alive?"  I didn't get a picture - but my mom also made the kids mummy dogs.  They looked delicious.  The rest of us brought ingredients for taco salad and I made some yummy pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting.

As always, our pumpkins were masterpieces.  I don't know what it is - but Blake's pumpkin gave me pure joy.  His is the cute little smiley face at the bottom right.  Caleb-ghost, Brittni-polka dots, Don-vampire, Ashley-cat, Derrick-witch, Brittni-bat, Casey-scary jack!

Hunting

The 2015 deer hunt!  This comes every year - and every year it seems like we aren't prepared.  No tent. No trailer. No place to sleep. No vehicle to get us all up there.  No 4-wheeler.  No sleeping bags for the kids.  It is very frustrating for me.  I don't like being so dependent on others for things.

 

I had a sitter planned for Luke & Alexa, we borrowed a tent from Kevin, and we found rides for the other 5 of us to get up there - then I checked the weather forecast the day we were supposed to leave & it said, rain, rain and more rain.  (I had even made camouflage cookies with orange frosting!)  We hadn't set up the canvas tent - so we didn't know if we would've stayed dry or not.  I chickened out & just sent the boys.  That way they were able to stay in a trailer with someone and stay dry.  I guess it really didn't rain that much - but the overcast weather made the sky so beautiful for the pictures that Mona took!

 

Fun on the 4-wheelers!

The boys!  They start growing the beards for this hunting week around June.  Such a hairy bunch!

I am so happy that Caleb had the opportunity to go spend a few days with his cousins.  He doesn't get to see them often.  I hope that they bonded and made some fun memories!

Casey had a successful hunt this year.  He had to come home a few days before the hunt was over because of my work schedule - and he shot his buck just a few hours before he had to come home.  LUCKY!  I am so happy that Caleb got to spend time with his dad while he was doing what he loves.



Caleb was so sad because his dad got to stay up on the mountain a couple more days than he did.  I mean S A D.  Alligator tears sad.  I kept trying to teach him to not be sad because it was over - just be happy that he got to go!!