HALLOWEEN 2009

Whew....where to catch up!? Work has been kicking my trash (physically draining and emotionally right now), so I guess the far and few posts are justified. Well, there are other things I could post about, but I will skip to my FAVORITE subject: (drum roll please).....HALLOWEEN! Yep, the 'most wonderful time of the year'. Here is a few of the fun things we have been doing this month:

My work (Child Protective Services team) party on the Saturday before Halloween. Our family theme was The Wizard of Oz this year for Halloween. Yes, Howie's costume is hand made. I am not sure I will ever do that again.

Howie-tin man, Olivia-lion, me-scarecrow, and tommy-yellow brick road.

Howie enjoying some festive witch brew. I made some yummy treats for the party, witches hats, bone cookies, and witch brooms (which I got tired of making so there is only a few).

However, I have to say that my coolest creation yet was worms. They were the hit of the party. Freaked most people out mentally and they wouldn't eat them even though they were made of jello. Thanks Rich for being a great sport, hope you don't mind I used your photo. Good times.
Carved pumpkins and this is Tommy's creation, the puking pumpkin. (He then took it to the nursing home where their decorated station won!)
Halloween party at the office on Wednesday. Only a few brave ones dressed up. I used Tommy's yellow brick road outfit so it would be easier to take on and off at work.
Won a prize for most original costume. Wednesday night went to Tuacahn's Thriller. I would LOVE for my mom and Julie B to come to this one year. It is the most awesome performace of Halloween song and dance ever. Oops, missed the disclaimer: "Not recommended for the faint of heart or for children 12 and under."

Howie LOVE it. I loved sharing this special event with him. The only draw back was that it was fetching cold!! It had snowed in SLC and a cold front had come down to St. George. Six layers of clothes, stadium seat pads, hotties in out pockets, blankets around us and hot chocolate did nothing against the wind chill! It was fabuless, but it took a good while to unthaw afterwards.

No one told me the whole night I had my headband on upside down. Thanks.

Howie's favorite dance was the one with the three Jason's. He laughed his head off and a lady behind me tapped me on my arm and told me he had an infectious laugh and to put him on YouTube. I was just glad other people thought it was cute too. Hence, Jason was nice enough to take this photo with Howie.

Then Howie had a Halloween party at his preschool on Friday.

Some festivities this month. I love the pumpkin push ins better than carving. We used them last year and will use them each year. Like Mr. Potato Head, different creations each time.

A Halloween pizza from Papa Murphy's one night for dinner, quick and easy.
Halloween lanterns. Got this idea from Bobbi originally, thanks. Instead of tissue paper strips glued on with mod podge, we just painted the various sized canning jars with acrylic paint. I was very proud that this control freak of a mother didn't redo or touch up Howie's pumpkin, black cat or vampire paint job. Then we painted faces on. Super easy and fun to do. We lined our walk way with them.

Trunk or treat. Tommy and I switched costumes.

Some random person at the trunk or treat. Faced painted butler in a old car, looked almost like a hirsch. Creepy. LOVE it. (as you can see, didn't design the tin man costume very well. Howie couldn't hold the bag and get a piece of candy. Once he got a piece of candy, he couldn't put it in his bag. Poor engineering job by mom. Sorry Howie.)

Found this witch on someone's porch while trick or treating. Thanks for letting us take a photo with her.

Livy was very cute and got the whole trick or treat thing down, walking from door to door, holding candy in her hand, but all this without her lion hood on.
At the end of the night, met up with Jim and Cynthia and the cousin's, knocked a few doors together in our old neighborhood ward and then went to the Haunted Mansion of St. George. There is this emaculate...what is the word for it...plantation....no....I don't know. This old couple have a home with acres and acres of land, right smack in the middle of St. George. But it is gated and hidden, you wouldn't know it was there. At Halloween, they decorate their grounds and open it up to the public. They give away king sized candy bars and free train rides around their grounds. It is a lot of fun to walk around and feel of the ambience. What a perfect ending to a FABULESS month. Hope you had a goulish time too.

wow

You might have to turn up your volume since this video is just wispers.

Wispering....ahhhh.....my favorite sound!

Baby's First Birthday

We really can't say how much we LOVE having Livy in our family. She is such a joy and makes us all smile. We had a really fun day with lots of cake and swimming too. Thanks to everyone that supported Olivia and made this a special day for her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLIVIA

WE LOVE YOU

11 Months

Last week Olivia was 11 months old. Next month she will be one year old! Where did this year go? She is a lot of fun, good natured, walking, chewing with her four teeth, completely into making messes (pulling anything and everything out of its place is so much fun!), and trying to keep up with her brother.

busy with life

Things we have been busy doing....

hanging out with cousins! What a fun suprise to be able to hang out with Brandon and Ashley. They are some pretty cool cats and we are glad they called us to say hi. What a plesant surprise.

Howie started preschool at Cherry Tree Preschool with Mrs. Diane as his teacher and he LOVES it. He asks me each day, is it a school day today? He couldn't be happier.

and Livie couldn't be more happier either (with howie's new school schedule)! some chill time watching a baby einstein video, but the best part for her, a break from pestering big brother.

Olivia likes to play in her basket of toys. She sat in it, laughed and threw out all the toys. Of course, she doesn't play with the toys in her room, so it is just easier to have a basket of toys in the living room.

I have finally found a hobby. Tommy tells me all the time that I need to figure out something that I like doing and schedule some time doing it. Well i finally figured out that I like doing crafty things. I am not a pro at them, but I still enjoy doing them. I must credit this first project (and then the epiphany that I love to do crafts) to my cousin bobbi. She posted recently on her blog what she had been up do, making such cute little key chains and asked what everyone else was doing that was fun. Annie was making cute hair bows and I started to feel left out. So, I came up with this from an idea I found. I love how it turned out for Olivia's room and maybe after I get her room looking cute, will take some photos to share with you. My next project: HALLOWEEN countdown block. Time to get in the mood for my all time favorite holiday. Howie told me he already knows he wants to be a scarecrow. I have brain washed the kid to LOVE halloween and think about it way in advance. Curse from my mom.