Carving pumpkins

This is the first year in about 3 years that we have carved pumpkins, mostly because I hate doing it. I had decided to carve them for Family Home Evening before Halloween, that night proved to be very eventful with the kids and their homework so we didn't get around to carving the pumpkins until almost 8 pm. I somehow got elected to be the official top cutter and the one to clean out the pumpkins, which again, I hate!!
Here I am making a cut into one of the pumpkins. We only did 4 because I thought 6 or even 8 was just way too many! Jace pretending to help me clean one of them out. He wanted to help but didn't like how the insides of the pumpkins felt so he wouldn't touch it.

Pulling the guts out!

Baylie lifting the lid off....

Makenna and Emily choosing their design. I do think it's great that someone has come up with designs for the pumpkins, it sure makes things easier. Baylie and Ali, smiling away!

Ali and Kenna worked together on one of the pumpkins, here Ali is pulling the top off

Jace watching Chris carve into the pumpkin

Baylie getting to take a 'stab' at it!

Lindsay was the first one finished with hers

Our final four.....

It ended up being a pretty fun evening. Although I ended up cleaning them all out, it was a faster process then having everyone do their own. They all like me to rinse the seeds and bake them for eating, this year I decided against it, and it didn't take them too long to get over.

Girls Choice

Another dance is just around the corner, this time it's a girls choice. When we returned from our trip, we found that girls had already started asking boys to the dance. Lindsay comes home for lunch every other day and Monday was one of the days, we quickly found an idea that she could get ready and take back to school with her. We wrapped a box to look like a present and put Colters name on top. Lindsay went back to school and found a friend that had 4th hour with him and had her give it to him in class. This is what he found as he unwrapped the box, with the whole class looking on, we heard he was a bit confused. He opted to wait until he got home to go through the butter to see who as asking him.

Then, right before cross country Lindsay had one of Makenna's friends give him the other part to the invitation. It was a bag of popcorn kernels with a note buried inside them, this is what it said;

Even though he didn't go through the butter, it still worked out fine!

Last Saturday evening, the door bell rang and this is what Colter did in reply.

I thought the pumpkin carved "YES," was super cute, it goes right along with this time of year.
The whole time the boys were in the yard staking the sign in the grass and lighting the pumpkin, Bella was barking like crazy. I almost went outside to see what her barking was about but didn't, she was totally leery of the pumpkin and now that it sits on our porch, she still goes right to it and smells it every time she goes outside! Now, to find matching shirts for Lindsay and Colter with a "Mario party" theme!

My baby turns 4

Today is my baby's birthday!! I can't believe how quickly these 4 years have gone, Jace is such a joy to have in our home! When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday dinner, he said, "I want to go out to Red Robin yum." I think he thinks that is the name of the restaurant. It was super cute and since his birthday is on a Sunday, we took him to eat on Saturday evening. Here he is being sung to by the waiters. He really just likes to go there for the balloons, although he inhaled the ice cream sundae they gave him too! He was excited to come home to open presents and have cake and ice cream. When we got home, we had to inform him that his birthday is tomorrow so we'll save that for then. He asked Lindsay if he could change his birthday to that day.
Finally time to open gifts.

Playing with the buzz lightyear gun we got him. We picked it up in Disneyland when we were there and I was glad I could keep it a secret until his birthday!

For his cake, he wanted buzz lightyear and woody, of course. Off he and I went to Albertson's to order it, knowing I couldn't make a buzz and woody cake. It turned out super cute and he was so excited for it. He kept wanting to lift the lid to look at it.

Singing "happy birthday" to him!

He is such a fun boy to have in the house. We love him dearly and are so grateful to have him in our family. After all the presents were open and we had eaten cake, he asked how many more days until his next birthday! I think it's going to be a long year : )

Disneyland~California Adventure

Last week, Oct. 3-10 we had the opportunity to go to Southern California and visit Disneyland, California Adventure and Sea World. We left well before the sun was up on Sunday morning in order to make the trip in one day. We did get rained on Monday and Tuesday and even had to break down and purchase the Disneyland ponchos. The rest of the week the weather was fantastic! We did and saw a lot while we were there and had a great time, here are a few (okay, a ton) of the pictures.
The kids at Disneyland's main gate Cute Halloween decorations at the entrance

Lindsay and Baylie, I took this while on 'the golden zepher' in California Adventure. Lindsay had taken Baylie on a different ride so they missed this one.

The Buzz Lightyear ride in Disneyland. This was Jace's favorite!! This big Buzz talks to you while you wait in line, telling you what you need to do to conquer the bad guys while on the ride. Jace LOVED it!!

Outside 'Mr. Toad's Wild Ride'

Baylie and Jace waiting for everyone that went on 'Indiana Jones' ride. (they weren't tall enough)

We saw some parades.....

Baylie got asked to bang on this drum during one of the parades, and she did a great job!

Didn't quite have my camera ready but Tigger came up to Emily and gave her a high five, during this parade.

We went the show "it's tough to be a bug at Disney's California Adventure" I love that show, it's so funny, we've seen it many times and I laughed just as hard as I did the first time! Here we are sporting our 3D bug eyes!

We saw tons of the characters this trip. I think more than we ever have before. Here is princess Belle with my princesses...

Chip and Dale

I have a little story about this photo. We were in line to see Woody and the guy working around him came and said that it was time for Woody to go but that Jessie would be out in just a minute. I told him "he better not leave before Jace gets up to see him!" Anyway, as the line moved along, we were 2nd in line and they took Woody away. The man I had spoke with earlier came back with Woody to find me so I could let Jace get a picture with him. I thought that was so nice, and Jace was beyond THRILLED!

Jessie

Sully (notice Jace isn't in this pic, he was too scared to go up to him)

Mater and Lightening McQueen

Minnie

Pluto

Mickey!

We went on a ton of rides....................
Jace waiting for 'Heimlich's Chew Chew Train' We often found him climbing on the railings, walls or whatever while we waited. He's so cute!

Waiting in line

Thunder Mountain Railroad

Dumbo (notice the ponchos)

The favorite roller coaster, 'California screamin' We even got Emily on it the last day!! I think Ali is sitting next to Chris, she barely made the height but is fearful of nothing and loved this ride as much as the big girls!

Autopia, watch out - Ali's driving!

Finding Nemo's submarine's

We found it!

Grizzly River Run ~ another favorite

Matterhorn

Lindsay and Kenna on the 'bobsleds'

In line for the Matterhorn

It's a small world..... such a cute ride!

This is one of the postcards at the end of small world and sums up our trip!

We had such a fun trip! The last time we were there, Jace was just a baby. It's always fun to go and it's definitely the 'happiest place on earth.' I know this won't be our last trip there but I'm grateful we had the chance to go, it's always fun to spend time with each other outside from the daily routines of life. I love my family and love that we are lucky enough to be able to do such fun things together!