Trick-or-Treat!

Today was Halloween. We went over to our friends house and had dinner with them and then went trick or treating in their neighborhood. We had a blast. Ella decided that her Boo costume was too heavy to walk around in so she chose to be Cinderella instead. Wes was Mike again and was again a huge hit. The best house of the night was a big family of Indians who's house smelled like Curry. They were so happy and friendly and so genuinely seemed to be enjoying the holiday. They loved Wes's costume and just about died from cute when he told them "ta-too" for the candy. We ended up quitting way before our friends and headed home to put the kids to bed. I love Halloween and am so glad that we got to celebrate it 4 times this year!

Trains!

Today was a great day. We started out our morning at a train expo. I read about it on line and I thought it would be something that Wes would love. We drove down and it was small, but there were 8 or so train tables set up with different trains running. There were a bunch of hobby train stuff for sale too, but that didn't interest us. Wes was ENTRHALLED by the trains going around and around. Ella really liked them too. They were so fun to watch and the guys who made them were really nice to talk to. I have never seen my son sit so still in his life. He never once asked to be put down so he could run around. He just wanted to stay and watch forever. Wes even won a train engine from the door prize! After we left we had lunch at Cici's pizza then home for naps. This evening we went to the Mall for the trick or treat there. We brought along our neighbor Brooke and the kids all had fun. Ella got a TON of attention for her costume. I could hear all the people we passed going "Wow! That is so cute!" Lots of Moms asked me how I made the costume and a few people had to come over and ask what she was, but they loved it anyway. It was fun to see how much love the costume I worked so hard on got. People also loved Mike Wazowski of course.

Shots and cupcakes and trunk or treating

Wes hasn't been feeling well the last couple of days so we took him to the Dr. this morning. Turns out he has a sinus infection. While we were at the Dr. they offered to give the kids their flu shots so I said yes. Much better than waiting around during a clinic. I promised Ella that if she was a good girl before and during the shot I would get her a cupcake. We had heard about a new local cupcake shop called Gigi's cupcakes. I had a coupon so after shots (neither kid cried at all!) we each got to pick one out. Ella picked up a chocolate-chocolate-chocolate chip one, I got a banana pudding one, Wes got a peanut butter cup one and we picked out a sweet potato one for Jon. They looked delicious but they are 90% frosting and I don't really like frosting. I don't think we will be going back there but Ella was happy with her cupcake and that is all that matters.
After Jon got home we all got ready for the 1st wards trunk-or-treat. Mom and Dad invited us to go with them. We had a blast their at their carnival and trunk or treating. I got to hand out the candy at the trunk and it was so fun to see all the kids in their costumes. I love Halloween!

Fair is the Su-un-shine

Today was absolutely beautiful. A perfect fall day. Wes has been feeling poorly yesterday and today so we canceled our Visiting Teaching appointment and stayed home this morning. Wes was so pathetic that I put him down for a nap at 10 and he slept till almost 12:30! After he got up he was feeling a bit better so we all went for a walk in this awesome weather. It was sunny but not hot with a nice cool breeze blowing. It was good to get out and stretch our legs. After our walk the kids played outside in the back yard for a long while I worked up in my room for the most part. Now Wes is taking another nap while Ella plays with our neighbor. I am getting ready for the Make up shoot at the martial arts place.

Jack-o-lantern

Today Ella was "dieing" to "make a spooky face" on her pumpkin. While I was in Utah Mom and Dad took the kids to a local pumpkin patch and Ella got to pick out a pumpkin. She has been bugging me ever since to carve it up but I was making her wait till closer to Halloween so it wouldn't rot. Today I was tired of the whining and it is pretty close to Halloween so we went ahead and did it. Ella donned her protective gear and we had at it. I made Ella scoop out the guts and then she told me what she wanted her spooky face to be. She wanted crescent eyes, a circle nose, and a scary mouth with square teeth. I think I did a pretty good job creating her vision. After it was all carved up I put a candle in it and lit it for the kids. Wes was enthralled with the glowing pumpkin and didn't want us to blow it out.

Park and bad weather

Today started out humid hot and blustery. I thought it was going to rain, but it didn't by the time we were ready to leave the house so we headed over to the park around 9am to get a little exercise. The kids had a blast and so did I. We were all over the park trying everything but in the end Wes stuck with his favorite activity of "weee-ing" (sliding) and Ella spent almost 15-20 min spinning on the tire swing. (this ended poorly as she got motion sick and threw up in the car!) After the park we dropped some things off at Mom's house and then headed over to Gymnastics. Wesley's trusty new trains did the trick for the third week in a row and kept him completely occupied so that I could watch Ella to her stuff. She is definitely getting better and seems to be enjoying herself more. After gym we stopped by the grocery store for dinner stuff then home for naps, which neither of them took. I made Wes stay in his room for almost the whole time though. I finally let him out a half hour early. I think he is feeling poorly, which may have caused him to have trouble sleeping. The second half of our day was filled with drenching rain and tornado sirens. The sirens went off again and again. It was nerve racking! No tornadoes hit near us, so that was good.

crafty

Today while we were out and about Ella decided that she wanted to buy a craft and make it at home. We found some thanksgiving sun catchers for 40%off so I let Ella pick one out for each of us to make while Wesley napped. As soon as we put Wes down Ella was so excited to start. I got to do the pumpkin and Ella did the Indian girl. It was lots of fun to paint together. I can't wait to see how they look hanging on the window!

safe and sound

Today after church Kitzel was hairballing so Jon put him outside for a few min so that he could finish where it would be easy to clean up. When Jon went back outside to bring him in Kitz was missing! He was nowhere to be found in the back or front. Jon wandered all over looking for him. Ella was most distressed as a few years ago our bird got out and never came back. We worried and called and looked all afternoon/evening to no avail. Finally right at the kids bedtime we heard a Meow from out back. He had come home safe and sound! Ella was elated that her "kid" was back. We are lucky that he didn't get lost or hurt. I think Kitz will have to stay in for a while.

Hectic weekend

Today I had a full schedule. I started out the day with a photoshoot for a family. Then when I finished with that Jon and the kids met me for lunch at Main street Cafe. They have really good food there and we all enjoyed sitting out in the beautiful weather under the tree on their deck. The kids split a kids meal, I had a fabulous salad and Jon had the "waitress surprise" which turned out to be meatloaf. After dinner we all got some "strawberry pretzel salad" a southern dish that I have only had once before. It is heavenly! After lunch I rushed home to put the kids down then over to church to do a rehearsal for a skit I was part of for the trunk or treat. After that, to the store to get ingredients for the chili I was supposed to bring to the party and then home to cook it. By the time the chili was ready it was time to get everyone into their costumes for the party. The party was great! The skit was well received and it was fun to be a part of it. The kids had a blast trunk or treating. Wes just couldn't believe that everyone was giving him CANDY and he wanted to eat it all right then. After the T or T was over we brought a baby sitter home with us and put the kids to bed. Then we went out to the dollar theater to see "inception" it was a good movie, we will have to watch it again to get all the little details straight. last I had to take the baby sitter home and now I can finally get this entry done so I can go to bed. I will have to be up bright and early tomorrow to finish planning my lesson!

All work and no play makes Jane a dull girl

Since I have been working so hard this week I rewarded myself and the kids with a play date with our friends. We went over and played/chatted for a while then we went to MacDonald's together so the kids could run off some energy. The kids had a blast, and I had a pretty good time too. Once I got home and the kids were sleeping/having quiet time I buckled down to work and knocked out all the martial arts pictures from yesterday. It was so nice to have a break and I think it was just what I needed. Tomorrow I have another family shoot so I am still going to be busy busy busy next week too.

more boring posts

I know that my posts have been boring of late but I have been so very busy that I haven't found much time for non-work related picture taking. Today we had MOPS in the morning, it was a ton of fun, then this afternoon I was scheduled to photograph a martial arts studio. It went very well. I am exhausted though, I was there from 2:30-8pm. Our neighbor Maggie was nice enough to bring Jon and the Kids dinner tonight. I got to try a bit when I got home. It was delicious. Tomorrow I will be editing, editing, editing again. I still haven't finished the wedding. so that will have to be done this weekend! I like being busy, but this is ridiculous!

pictures pictures pictures

My whole life is consumed by wedding pictures. I am about 2/3's done and just have the reception left to do. I have also started on designing the album. I will have to take a break after tomorrow to do the Martial Arts pictures I will be taking tomorrow afternoon. wish me luck!

Karate again and chores chores chores

Today was Gymnastics day, and we had a ton of chores to do so we left the house early and did everything we needed to including purchasing and putting away the groceries quick enough that for once we were on time for our 10:45 gymnastic lesson! After gym we headed home for lunch and naps. During naps I worked furiously on pictures and didn't get nearly enough done. Jon came home early to go with us to Ella's second Karate lesson. She did great again and really seemed to enjoy herself. The lessons were considerably more than we expected and so we are going to think a bit before committing. I think if we do go for it, that Ella will really enjoy it. After her lesson we went over to Chick-fil-a (Kids eat free with an adult) and had dinner then home for bed. I have a bunch to do tomorrow, hopefully it will all get done so that I can be ready for my big shoot on Thursday!

first day back... is it vacation time yet?

Today we had a super busy day. Most of it was photography related, but we also drove over to Kids Market (don't bother, it was HORRIBLE!!!!) and Sams club to get some things. I am worn out and I haven't even started on the Wedding pictures yet! I lost track of time and forgot to make dinner so we went to Waffle King for dinner. The food was decent, and inexpensive.

Sunday-going home

Sunday was going home day. I went to chuch with Laura (my first time in RS since mother's day and my first time in Sunday school for 4 years!) [I was bored, much less fun then primary :)]. After church we had a quick lunch and then headed off to the airport. James and Sinead had brought me down some Melaleuca products I had ordered and we packed them up in a duffel hoping that the airline would let me check them (they did). Then a long flight, layover and flight until I reached Huntsville around 10pm. It felt good to be home. My mom met me at the airport as Jon and the kids were already sleeping and dropped me off at home. A long day but what a wonderful weekend!

Saturday in Utah

Saturday I was up bright and early and had a nice chat with Beckie as she made breakfast. James and Sinead came at around 8:30 to pick me up for a fun-filled catch-up day. We started off the day with family pictures at the "this is the place" monument. Then we headed to Salt lake to the skymall to eat at a Brazilian restaurant. They had a bunch of waiters walking around with meat on skewers and you had a little cylinder with red and green on it . If the green was up the waiters would stop by your table and ask if you wanted some. I tried everything but the chicken hearts. It was amazing! They also had a huge salad bar and other foods, but mostly we had meat. It was an awesome lunch, and It was so fun to chat and get to know their kids. After lunch we wandered around the mall, watched the musical fountain and just generally hung out. Then it was time to think about going home. We drove to Layton and stopped at a Krispy Kreme (sp?) Hung out some more and then it was REALLY time for James and Sinead to think about heading home. They drove me to my M-i-L's house in Ogden, helped me unload the car and then headed off back to ID. I had a great evening with Laura (MIL) and the rest of Jon's family. Jon's Bro and SIL came over around 4:30-5ish and I did pictures for them of their kids. Jon's sister and new BIL came over around 7 and we all had pizza for dinner. I hadn't seen any of the kids in over 4 years so they didn't remember me but they sure were cute! Olivia LOVED my camera and I let her wander around with my spare camera and she took a ton of silly, 9-year-old type pictures. It was fun talking and playing with the kids and grownups. Then the family all left and we headed to bed. It was such a fabulous day spending time with my friends and family.