Halloween 2011...

Our Halloween weekend began with our 2nd time competing in the Halloween Road Race. (an Amazing Race type competition) This years theme was Clue. I was Miss. Peacock and Travis was the butler. I think I got pretty close to the movie actress in look. It was a super fun night. We came in 6th with is better than last year...I think next year just might be our year to win the whole thing!

For Noah's October book report he was supposed to decorate a pumpkin like the main character in a fantasy book that he read. He chose to read Harry Potter. I think the pumpkin looks great!

Zach was a vampire, Max a dragon, Bailey was Cleopatra, Noah a skeleton, and Owen was a monkey!

We even dressed Travis up to match Zach. Travis took Noah and Zach out trick or treating...they practically race from house to house, and my Dad took Bailey, Max and Owen on a much slower, shorter route around a few streets. I stayed home to man the door!

We spent the evening with my parents and Jen and Bis watching Garfield's Halloween movie and Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin. We roasted pumpkin seeds, ate pizza and had fun watching the kids sort their candy!

who knew...

Did you know that BYU has a FREE dinosaur museum? Well we sure didn't. So when the kids had fall break Travis took a day off and we decided to check it out with my parents and my sister Jen and uncle Bis!

It isn't nearly the size of the one at Thanksgiving Point, but hey...it's free.

What I loved is that most of the things were available for the kids to touch...always a bonus when you have little ones that love to investigate!

While we were there we were able to watch one of the students uncovering a real fossil. He saw us and came out. He asked us if we wanted to come and check out the back room. What a treat! He even brought out a real dinosaur bone for the kids to hold. It was so heavy and the kids just loved it! There were many shelves just covered in real fossils and bones. The kids thought it was SO cool!

This is a giant sloth!

I love how Zach is trying to copy the face! He got pretty close I think! We finished off the afternoon with a picnic lunch and ice cream at the BYU creamery!

Max is 3...

What a cutie pie Max is! When I ask Max to smile he makes this silly face. I LOVE it!

Max really wanted a pillow pet like his brothers and sister. My parents found this BYU Cosmo pillow pet and he was in love!

This was the first birthday where he really understood what was happening. For about a week prior to his big day he would say many Many MANY times a day..."Mom!...It is my birthday!"

Max is such a fun kid! He loves to be silly and will probably be our family jester! He loves to make others smile and laugh. He is very loving and enjoys following his older brothers and sister around. He is also a pretty good buddy to Owen. He has a funny dance that makes just about anyone laugh and a giggle that has us all in stitches quite often. We love our sweet Max!

Noah is 10...

I still can't believe that I have a child that is 10! Double digits! Noah could have chosen to have a friend party...every time I asked him what he wanted to do he didn't seem so sure he wanted a friend party. So we went as a family to Texas Roadhouse for dinner instead.

Noah is really into basket ball stuff right now. In fact out of a bunch of stuff on his birthday list most of them were sports clothing related. He wanted a bunch of jerseys and flat caps....and that is just what he got!

I love the look of delight on his face!

I don't quite get the allure of the flat cap, but then again ...I don't have to wear it do I!

Noah is such a joy! He is pretty responsible for his age and I can usually count on him to make good decisions! He is also very thoughtful, helpful, and sensitive to the feelings of others. He is a great big brother and a wonderful example. We love him SO much! (this picture of him makes me smile because it is his version of a cheesy smile for a mother that loves to take pictures!)

another reason...

So after many years of kids in school I have come to dread* the star student posters that happen for each child each year...(at least in the lower grades)...last year I created this poster sized "picture poster" in Photoshop Elements**. When Bailey brought home a note last week saying she was the star student instead of thinking: "Oh boy, so now I need to remember to buy a poster and find some cute pictures and make the whole thing look cute..." I thought: "Yes, I have it pretty much already done!"

All I had to do is swap a few pictures to update them, ask Bailey if her "favorites" are still her favorites and then send it into Costco (a 20x30') to print....The. End.

Seriously I am quietly giggling to myself with how easy it was.

*don't get me wrong...I think the star student idea is great. I love how excited the kids get when it is their turn...it is just a lot when it is x3!

**I used the GG Digital Designs -Summer Lovin-girl kit (she even has a boy version of the kit, but I think both are not available any more...sorry!)

finding time...

Pirates Cove by: GG Digital Designs

Mermaid Lagoon by: GG Digital Designs

Aren't these two new kits just adorable?!! I know I say this about every new kit, but I just love it all I guess! ; )
I am still trying to figure out our new fall routine. With our LP trip and Travis being out of the country for 10 days I still feel like I am not settled into this season yet. Along with not feeling quite settled I have discovered that I haven't been scrapping a whole lot. It felt really good to make a few pages. Hopefully life will slow and settle down and I will find more time. The weather here went from being in the 90s to being in the 50s over night. The nip in the air just makes me want to sit and scrap all day long! I just might...