I LOVE halloween...usually

I do. I love everything about it. I like the decorations, the weather, making or coming up with the costumes, doing the make-up early before sending them to school, the candy...ESPECIALLY the candy. I enjoy helping with class parties, with halloween primary activites-on the rare occassion we have them, and I am particularly excited about the town party (which will hopefully become a tradition.) We have looked forward to Dave Craig's haunted porch which has migrated down the street and spread to be the Haunted Annex. The kids talk about it for weeks wondering what he is going to do this year. There is always some trepidation as they worry whether or not he will have to work. (I think he gets into it so much that he actually asks for time off.) As I am getting older, however, I am finding I have less and less time to enjoy it. Maybe it has less to do with my age, but more to do with my children's ages.

Once upon a time I would start making the costumes about the end of September. All month long, the kids would have the costume box out trying on different outfits, creating characters or becoming one from their current favorite Disney movie. I remember many many princess dresses, a fuzzy bear, zorro capes, batman, elephants, mermaid, genies, little red riding hood, pippi longstocking, vampires, zombies, gypsies, witches-wicked and of the royal variety. There was also Cleopatra, a puppy dog, a wizard from the House of Griffindor-of course, a fortune teller, a pirate-back before pirates were cool, and a mad scientist. I am sure I'm missing many others-like the zoombie prom queen Sierra was ever so breifly last year. (She looked AWESOME! But after I finished with her makeup, she saw herself in the mirror and freaked out. Washed it right off. Had nightmares for days. I did get a couple pictures but she made me promise I would not post them.)

So here it is-2 days before Halloween. The fabric for Jens and Walker's Jedi costumes is untouched downstairs...where it will probably remain for the next year. I did start sewing a month ago, but I have spent the entire time working on Gypsy's costume for the school musical. I only finished on Saturday night and have had zero time to even think of sewing since then. The boys will have to dig through the trunk to see what they can come up with. I'm sure it will be ghoulish and creepy. I think I have candy for the trick-or-treaters. I'm still trying to come up with games and activites for Walker's 2nd grade class. Tonight is my only night home and I even leave to head up north early Friday afternoon. Hopefully someone with think of taking pictures. I know that I have loved this holiday in the past. Maybe next year I will have time to enjoy it.

Pinewood Derby, Sadies, and Walker's Random Comments

I love this time of year. I love the cooler mornings with days in the upper 70's to low 80's. I love that it gets dark earlier because it means Odean will be home sooner. It also means the Pinewood Derby is upon us.

In Gunlock, the Pinewood Derby isn't just for the scouts. Everyone can participate. We get cars for all of us, however Talon, Gypsy and I just didn't have time this year. Our cars are still in the boxes sitting on the homework table. Anyway, Odean oversees the cutting and sanding. I supervise the artistic efforts. It is the one of the few times of the year I let the kids into my scrapbook & craft supplies. After the wheels are added, the kids weigh the cars and add whatever extra weight is allowed. (Only the boy scouts have weight limitations.) The final product really shows off each personality.

First is Walker's. He wanted it red and blue with his initials so everyone would know it was his. Next is Odean's. The Lead Sled Deux. Who cares what it looks like...he just wants it to be fast, fast enough to beat any of the Fisher's-which he failed to do. (Had to love it! Jake (13) beat him! Not only was his fast, but it looked great! You could tell he had really spent some time on it. I wish I had a picture. He won an award for the most realistic-it was an army tanker truck.) Odean did get 2nd place, though. Last is Jens. Not one for much detail-he wanted it black. Most important for him was getting the "eyes" right.

The girls, both limited in color options because of my dwindling paint stash, chose to use the same color palette. Where Sabrina sort of added as she went along, finding stickers and buttons that matched the paint, Sierra had a party theme in mind all along-the more the merrier.

Other things going on this week include Talon getting asked to go to Snow Canyon High School's Sadies dance coming up in a few weeks. A cute gal from his Health class (I'm not saying who since he hasn't figured it out yet) found out he was going to be asked by someone in one of his other classes. She was actually told he was "reserved". (Are you kidding me? Is he a library book or something? When did it become ok to call "dibs" on a person?) Rather than backing down, she knew she had to make a move quick. She drove out to Gunlock that afternoon to leave her mark on Talon's room. (I bet he wishes he would have cleaned it up like I had asked. Being the mean mom that I am, I did NOT pick anything up-including his underwear-before she went in his room. It made me laugh that there was more of Talon's things lying around than there were of Jens' or Walker's.

Good thing she didn't fill the tub with real goldfish like she had wanted to. They would have all been dead before he got home. (Yes...the kids tub is really that dirty. Shocker isn't it.)

And on one final note for the evening, I thought I would share a conversation Walker had with me this evening.

W "Mom, I really don't like being the youngest one in the family anymore."

M "Well, I don't think there is anything we can do about that. I'm sorry."

W "Oh yes. Tanner wants a parrot. He told Dad to find one for him and he would trade a parrot for Cooper. And Dad is looking so when he finds one for Tanner then Cooper can be the youngest one in the family and I won't have to be any more."

Hmmmm....I wonder if Tanner Burdick has talked to his parents about this trade.

Tag...I'm it!

Not sure who started this game but my sister tagged me and I am supposed to post the 4th photo in the 4th file, so here it is...

This picture was taken of Jens when he was a little over a year old-so about 8 years ago take away a few months. Time flies so fast! I would have just been pregnant with Walker, probably still sick and not even knowing I was pregnant yet.

So...I now tag Katie, Kelli and Jim-5th folder 3rd photo. Come on, lets see what you've got!

Homecoming

(Left to right: Amber & Derek, JoBob & Kim, Josh & Marie, Leah & Talon, Carly & John, Tyler & Autumn-otherwise known as Bob & Doug, Tyler & Jessalyn.)

It just doesn't seem all that long ago when I would have been going to homecoming...I say would, because I never actually went. (I guess I did get asked my senior year but got the worst case of strep throat I'd ever had in my life. Unfortunately my would-be date didn't believe me and thought I was just bailing on him at the last minute. I should have gone and just got him sick...would have served him right for treating me like crap all year.)

Anyway...just wanted to share some photos of Talon's group. Some of them stopped by the house in the morning for hot chocolate and cookies when their hike to The Bowl was canceled due to the rain. They all seemed like good kids-I admit, I only know a few of them. Afterwards they all went their seperate ways to get ready and then met at the park in Santa Clara to take pictures. I always think the informal photos that are taken at the park are best. It lets you glimpse the personality of each teenager just a little.

And these guys know how to travel in style...no limos for them. They had their very own homecoming bus-which did get a few smirks in the drive-thru lane at Sonic.

Big thanks goes out to Scott Holt for being such an awesome chauffer/driver. The kids couldn't have been in better hands.