Happy Halloween!

An angel and a Wolverine, you would've thought they were dressing according to personality! :) Here they are in all their glory.

It takes a STRONG dude to be an X-men and that is exactly what Tucker is, can't you tell? He salivated over this costume at the store and could not rest until it was his. He means business in his costume and will gladly beat you up!

Tatum had known for months she would be an angel, simple as that. She decided she would dress up as Jersey, not just any old angel but HER angel. My fabulous and crafty friend Alys was a major help with her costume. It turned out really sweet and sparkly, fit for an angel!

Her shoes.

We had an unexpected visitor and we were thrilled. Nonnie surprised us all decked out as a clown. The blondies LOVED it! Her and Papa even went trick-or-treating with us!

Here Chris and I are with Wolverine and the angel...I mean Jersey.

Trick-or-treating was fun but the blondies tired much sooner than I expected. Tuck wanted to be held and we ended carrying their candy bags half way through. When I was young I remember walking ALL night, running sometimes, to get more candy than last year. I decided that next year we'll go to a few houses and then I'm taking them home so I can go trick-or-treating!

A Mini Breakthrough

I had a breakthrough today, a small one, but progress none-the-less!

I was able to go to the temple today. I love the peace, quiet, calm feeling the temple affords. It's a place where I walk into and leave the world behind. Quiet voices, big smiles, and the assurance a good experience is soon to follow.

The last 11 months I've felt those same things about the temple but left feeling SO let down, disappointed, and irritated. I've expected to feel my Jersey there or catch a quick glimpse. I know it's without question the one for sure place she can be. An atmosphere that permits such a heavenly experience. I would sit in the celestial room anticipating SOMETHING! I felt, and still do, I DESERVE it. I would spend my time looking around for her, not wanting anybody to sit next to me for fear Jersey would have to move should she be there. But every time I got nothing. No visit. No vision. No voice. NOTHING! I felt disappointment, anxiety, let-down, and angry!

Like I said, I went today and for the first time since she died I didn't have her on my agenda. I didn't expect anything, just the peace the temple has to offer. And no she didn't show up or whisper in my ear but being rid of the demanding, expecting attitude felt SO good. I'm not sure why today was so different but it was and it felt nice.

Pumpkin Carving

I thought surely this would be the year that the blondies FINALLY embraced the pumpkin guts. The slim, the sticky guts, ALL that comes with pumpkin carving. I was wrong. Tuck would have nothing to do with the gutting, he was all about the knife. I was up to my elbows in pumpkin guts while he busied himself stabbing and poking the lid with the knife.

Tatum, on the other hand, stuck her princess hands in her pumpkin and ripped out the guts. It was a proud moment. She couldn't help but make faces which we laughed at.

Ta-Dah! Don't they look SO different? Tatum's is on the left and Tucker's is on the right. They picked what they wanted and insisted they looked very different.

Why oh Why Tucker?

I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a fashion victim but I feel like I know the basic do's and dont's. So WHY does this little man absolutely insist on wearing his jeans like this? Everyday.

Where ever he goes. No matter what.

Tatum's 6th Birthday

This was the first year ever Tatum got a birthday party. More on that to come. Her actual Birthday is today, October 26th and I'm sad to say she is SO sick! Her fever yesterday hovered at 102.5 and was a couple times as high as 103.2. She didn't get to go to school and hasn't played with any of her birthday presents. Poor thing. She could either be sick on the couch watching TV or she could be sick in the movie theater watching a good movie and she chose the movies. We saw Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and she loved it. I felt really bad she couldn't enjoy her birthday, thankfully her teacher said she could bring her treats to class another day. We had to cancel her family party of cake and ice cream this evening and instead our little family sang to her. We love this girly and are SO grateful she's in our family!

Now the fun part of her birthday...

Seriously, could she be any cuter? Nope! The theme she chose was: Angels. Not surprising. So angel she got. She's dressed, halo on, wings on, her hair is fancy, and she's ready for her guests.

Nonnie and Auntie Nina came for back up. I would have pulled my hair out without them!

A quick family photo shoot.

The angel and I.

She requested that Nonnie come early to do her hair fancy. Nonnie does the best french braids and did not disappoint! Tater LOVED her hair do!

Tucker was in charge of helping with the balloons. After he did his balloons, Chris did the moving of tables, and a few family shots the boys were kicked out for the duration of the fiesta. GIRLS ONLY!

The cake. I stressed about what to do for weeks and stayed up way to late the night before working on it but if I do say so myself it turned out pretty cute. She liked it, I liked that she liked it!

This poster was for the game, Pin the Halo on the Angel.

We thought these were pretty funny!

All the little angels making angel dust, alo vera gel and glitter mixed. ALL angels twinkle!

Not pictured is the game, Musical Clouds which was fun but the girls didn't quite get it. They wouldn't move unless they had a cloud to land on which made for a large angel jam. There were 21 little angels in attendance; I've learned that for the next party 21 is too big a number. Ten sounds more like it! She had a fabulous time and was full of smiles. She enjoyed herself and all her cute little friends.

October Break Overview

We didn't do anything exciting or go anywhere fabulous but we did have a lot of fun over October break, all two and a half weeks of it.

For a day or two the weather actually cooled down engough to sell lemonade. They drank most of it and the only customers were us parents. They loved it which is what matters!

Ice cream at our favorite spot, Yogurt Jungle, with some cute friends.

Tatum got a pedicure with Miss Hansen, her Kindersteps teacher whom she still loves and adores. She LOVES getting her toes done but even more than that she LOVED seeing Miss Hansen!

We went to the Scottsdale Train Park with several friends. The kids loved the train, merry go round, playing at the park and in the dirt, and spending time with friends.

We went to a cabin conference weekend. The weather was chilly and the kids ran wild outside. It was nice and relaxing. A cabin + conference = messy hair...for Tatum that is.

We went on our ward campout. It was a quick 15 hour get away, tonz of work and freezing temperatures!

We had a sleep over with little peanut, Leah, their cousin. Tatum was such a helper, a great big sister. Neither would leave her side. They both sat for quite a while just watching her in the swing. It tugged at my heart.

We spent a day at the Children's Museum, one of our favorite places, thanks Molly!! They never tire of all the fun things this place has to offer!












Nonnie and Pops took them to see Where the Wild Things Are and then finished with lunch at McDonald's, a favorite of theirs. It was a fun date, they didn't want me to go to the movies but were okay with me meeting them for lunch. Nice.

They got to spend an entire day with Nonnie. She took them to the park for a picnic and of course, they had a marvelous time with her!

Student of the Week

Tatum was student of the week and that meant fun! She was given this poster to color and fill out so her class mates could learn more about her. She was SO excited!

This is Freedom Bear. She got her for the week and was thrilled. She is a very coveted bear and who ever has her is queen or king. She went every where with Tatum including a spend the night at Nonnie's house.

At the end of the week Tatum brought in her poster and shared it with her class. She also brought Freedom Bear back and shared what they did all week.

She even brought in Gisele, her turtle. Gisele was a hit and Tatum loved bringing her!

To finish her week we all ate lunch with her in the cafeteria. She wanted pizza and soda so that's what she got. It was fun watching her feel important and special because Heaven knows she certainly is!