Things that have been keepin us busy....

So here is a little photo update to let you know what has been keeping us busy the last couple of days.

Okay, last Friday night, my CPS (child protection services) team from work had our annual Halloween get together. It was a lot of fun since we are just a bunch of wacky nut jobs. There was good food and lots of fun with friends. Howie was spending the night in Mesquite with G&G Rushton and Julie, Steve, and Seth in prep for the next morning, so he wasn't able to attend. He did however, have a blast with his cousin Seth. Thanks Julie for letting him come play with Seth, he loved it and talked non-stop for two days afterwards.

CPS Team: Steven, Shirley, Michelle, Tom, Me, front row: Subrina, Brook, Julie

Then Saturday morning, I got up with Livie and we headed down to the Dixie Center to participate in our annual Save a Sister Run (okay, I walk it). Some friends from work try to do this every year in support of breast cancer. We did the 5k and had a lot of fun. This is why I sent Howie to Mesquite the night before, I didn't think I could handle both of them in the race.

(Amy, Kristi and her baby Scarlett, Trina, Martha and her grandson Braxton, Me and Livie, and Suzanne)

Sunday we had Jenn and Jeff over with their darling little girls and had fun visiting with them. I think it will be our last opportunity for a while to have friends over since Tommy shift at the nursing home is picking up and keeping him pretty busy. (sorry no photo. what was I thinking!!)

On Monday, October 27, 2008 Howie, Livie and I went to the ward party. It is actually called the Annual Neighborhood Halloween Party. We block off the street and have a party. It isn't a trunk or treat (thank you for not overloading my child with candy and sugar already, he will get it soon enough on Halloween). It was a party and we had a lot of fun. There was a costume parade (which howie marched in meticulously), a cake walk (Howie was so proud to have won a cake!), a fortune teller (who told howie pets were in his future), donut tree, Tomb of Gloom (touching creepy and slimy things blindfolded), pumpkin bowling as well as a potluck dinner. It was very fun and I am glad that the whole neighborhood is invited, it was nice and non-exclusive. While we were there, we ran into Camden Larsen (who was Bumblebee-a transformer) which was fun. Howie had fun being Iron Man and Livie was a kitty (a sleepy kitty, she slept the entire event). I had a hard time this year with allowing Howie to be Iron Man. I really don't like commercial costumes, things that are just popular this year and then gone again. I try to make them original. However, this year I didn't have enough emotional strength to fight for my ideals and gave in. I succumbed to the marketing world and allowed him to be whatever he wanted, well what his father wanted him to be. However, I must say he looked pretty darn cute in the puffed up muscles built into his suit. The mask wasn't so hot, but because his costume was tight fitting (I even bought a 4T!) with puffy muscles, I found him adorable. Thanks to Michelle for Livie's cute little kitty outfit, that was so sweet.

Iron Man and Kitty

Sweet Sleeping Kitty

Bumblebee (Camden), Army Man (Camden's cousin), and Iron Man (Howie)

Marching in the Costume Parade. Notice how Howie is marching in the circle with the group, but not in line. This boy marches to a different drum; his own!

Howie with his cake he won from the cake walk.

Today, my work had a potluck Halloween lunch and I took the kids to. It was nice. I again, forgot to take a photo. Afterwards, we went and took our annual pumpkin photo for the year (thanks Holiday Inn for your yard display). So after Halloween night on Friday, we will retire the costumes. I think that they actually got a lot of mileage from them this year, well worth it to wear it tons than just once. I will try and post the video of Howie's costume parade later as it is comical.