Last Leaves

We had some things we wanted to do today, but with it not even being over freezing today...I opted to stay home and write this up.
It's hard to know when exactly fall will end.  So I've been taking each sunny warm day and making the most of it with the kids.

He is starting to love storytime.

Mid-jump shot

Ellie goes up the stairs and down the slides all by herself

Fall fashion is my favorite.  And when you have a cute day, you need to document it.

Playing peekabo

They were taking turns on the swirl slide

Time to run in the backyard

Some last batting for the season

And last of the dandelions too

One day it was windy which made it cold outside, but not cold enough.  We still took a walk and crunched through some of the last fallen leaves.

The leaf was as large as his face

She loved holding it

Wind sweeping her hair back, and eventually stole the leaf

Veteran's Day weekend was really busy, mostly Saturday actually.
Aunt Audrey and Uncle Kunkel were up to visit their friend (Sharon) who was getting sealed.  They had also asked me to take some photos of the family, friends, and couple.
We arrived really early to try and see the different areas for pictures.  Strangely for being mid-November there were a lot of other weddings.

Just a little bright outside

Ellie learned from another kid how to go around, and around, and around the pole to have fun.

Beautiful temple on a beautiful day!

Being models for some test shots

Group pictures went fine.  The couple shots didn't go as I imagined.  Somehow I was really nervous messing up my thinking, but then then Sharon did not feel good at all.  She had been in the ER the night before for passing kidney stones, and was still having lots of pain.  So I didn't try to explore too much or make it last long.

Sharon and Mitchell Harris

Sealed for eternity

To spend more time with the Kunkel's we went to lunch afterwards with everyone at Tucano's!

Dexter and Uncle Matt became best friends

Ellie had her friend Savannah to keep her company

At the lunch, the couple had a gender reveal party.

Ducky cake...it's......

...a girl!

The kids did so great (especially it being no food they liked and during naptime) They still did great when there was a large hiccup and it took 45 minutes to just get our check.  The kids were exhausted though and as soon as they hit their carseats, fell asleep.

Just like 2 minutes in to the ride

 Then later that night my parents drove into town.  They came to church with us where it happened to be the Primary Program.  None of my kids are in it, but Kyle was one of the teachers on the stand.  So it was nice to still have the help.  Especially because Ellie was having the roughest time at church ever.

Cheetah outfit

I made us match by wearing brown, and some cheetah shoes

Not a flattering, but a funny picture

Playing with Papa

Monday we went to Smith and Edward's.  This is like a really large hardware, kitchen, cowboy, military surplus, and so much other random stuff store.  We also stumbled upon a toy sale, $30 toys going for $10!  We scouted and grabbed stuff that would be great.  Almost all our kid shopping is now done!

During the afternoon I did some more shopping with my parents (without kids).  While here my mom also helped me practice sewing, showed me how to work my new-to-me serger, and helped (aka doing most of it) sew my parlor curtains.

Had that fabric for...4 years.  Finally doing something with it.

They also played lots of games with Dexter, and Ellie.

Waiting in the car.

Practicing his Memory skills

Playing the bunny game (the panorama makes Dex look like he has half an arm)

We also have put on our Christmas lights.  Last year we learned that if you don't put them up before mid-November there are very few chances to put them up after.

Sunny but cold day to put up the lights.

Now for the random section.

This was her just waking up face.  Happier than it normally is.

Silly girl.

She woke up but snuggled me on the couch for like 45 minutes.  Had to document that rarity.

Dexter was showing off his drawing skills.  Just the wrong way.  He got to help clean it up.

 And sometimes they just play quietly near each other and you love it.

And other times Ellie is bouncing off the ceiling!

Halloween Week

We had a successful Halloween week.  It started Tuesday night with some pumpkin carving.  This was actually supposed to be our Monday night FHE activity, but I was too dang tired to do it then.  Good thing the kids are little and don't know better.
I gutted and carved Dexter's and mine.  I think Kyle was making sure Ellie wasn't getting into things. He carved his after the kids' went to bed.

He enjoyed telling me what shapes to carve, and how it was done

I get the dirty job of scoopin' the guts

I forgot to get an after of them all lit up.  We used them as decoration (with some dry ice fog) for our Trunk or Treat set up.
The Trunk or Treat was great.  Lots of cars and lots of kids.

Our family ensemble:
Dad - Train engineer
Mom - Train Robber
Dexter - Deputy Sherriff
Ellie - Train Passenger

I managed to flip out her hair.  Wasn't easy curling a toddler's hair.

A look at her whole outfit since the train hid it.

I like our costumes this year.  It was amazingly easy.  We only had to buy the overalls and bandannas.  Oh, and I guess the paint for the train.  That was fun to make, and Ellie sat in it the whole time, making it easy to go around. We already joke of what next year is.  Although Dexter will be old enough to decide his own.  So we'll just work around that.

Then there was Halloween, and Dexter stayed awake! Dexter was excited to go, and Ellie was jealous he got dressed up.  So she got dressed up, to help me pass out our goodies.

Here's the other random pictures and thoughts from the week.

I have a huge list of projects that I'd like to get done.  I realized the other day, that the reason I don't work on them is because I feel my inadequacy in it.  That it won't be perfect, which is how I want it to be.  So with the mindset that it's okay if it's not perfect, I'm going to tackle the projects.  This was my first one on the list...

Before: Ikea chair, fabric, batting

After: Upholstered chair

Now this camera angle makes it look...awesome!  However it's not, and I'm not just saying that.  Kyle even said...it's "nice" when he got home.  But I finished it, and it doesn't look bad so it's still a great job for me.

The kids have a costume box of just stuff Kyle and I have put in there.  One of the items is from my time as a construction intern, my hard hat.  The kids love to play with it, but especially love for me to wear it.  Then they put on their play one and think it's so fun to match with mom.

Mom and Ellie matching time

Dexter is quite a creative little guy.  Here he laid down some blankets for us and said lets have a picnic...eating pears! I think he actually asked for candy, but I convinced him pears are cooler picnic foods.

Tackle mom

 Sometimes you get the need to organize your pantry.  After all day, here's the outcome...

Ahhh...feels so nice.

 Yesterday a cold front blew in.  The forecast even states...snow!  I don't think it'll happen, but I don't like that as even an option.

Snuggles and slippers

 People at church tell me she is so cute (which I don't deny) and then they usually comment on how cute this or that is.  Eighty plus percent of those items are from Nub Nub.  Here Ellie is rocking her new boots from grandma.  They fit her just in time for fall.

She is always so stinkin' cute!

Ellie and Dexter have many moments of fighting/screaming, but then they have amazing cute moments.  I managed to capture the last little bit of one of them: