Random

I was shopping and thought I should take a picture of my cart.  This was just the first part of the trip (now that I think about it I really should take a picture of my cart at the end). But I was impressed with myself with how many fruits and vegetable I had, especially vegetables.   I remember back in about 2011, we were on WIC and they just started giving you fruit and vegetable vouchers.  I remember wanting to buy a variety of vegetables but I didn't know what to buy except for carrots, lettuce, and cucumbers.  So this felt like a nice little "full circle" moment.  

This is the wallpaper for my phone right now.  I catch myself just looking at it.  Jason and I have had a good marriage and a happy life.  We fell in love young, and with that brought its own unique set of challenges and blessings.  Right now things are really good.  Probably the best they have ever been.  It has taken, and still takes a lot of work; but about 6 months ago we had a big heart to heart.  I had realized a few things about myself and wanted to make some changes in our relationship and he was kind enough to try something new.  It is hard to take on new roles and responsibilities and to let go of old habits and expectations - especially when we have had these expectations of each other since we were 16.  He is great and I am so glad to have him.

Sometimes I made myself something to eat and I am impressed with how delightful it looks.  This is surly not an everyday or every week event (me making myself a yummy breakfast/snack/lunch that is DIFFERENT than what I am feeding Dane and Eve.  But when it happens it feels like I am at a luxury spa!

And a Dane reading to Eve one morning in my room. 

 

Halloween

As I mentioned in my earlier post we had a deep freeze right before Halloween.  Our house is perfectly positioned to not melt until mid May, so the men were outside trying to de-ice our stairs so we didn't kill any trick or treaters.

Brock meticulously planned and shopped for this outfit.  He wanted everything to be just like Miles.  The belt, shoes, pants, everything.  We ended up ordering 3 different costumes to get the sizing right.

I can't remember what Noah and Megan specifically ended up being.  I know they had something in mind.  But they have decided these are their "default" costumes the rest of their teenage years. 

Maddie and her friends dressed up as the toy aliens in the Toy Story .

So Dane is basically spiderman.  So basically Halloween was no different than any other day in our home.  He is dressed up as spiderman every day and shoots webs all over my house.  

Eve was the most adorable butterfly you ever did see.  

Tried to get a good picture of them together.  Didn't happen

My cute crew!  I seriously love them so much.  I mean... just look at them.  They are so cure.

I have literally never dressed up for Halloween, except when I am forced to for a party.  But this year i felt in the mood.  So I went as a witch.  I even put on dark black eye liner and black lipstick.  I felt so... wild!  haha

Jason on year two of being the most awesome guy in the neighborhood.  He puts his whole heart into what kind of candy to get.  

This year Madison went Trick or Treating with her friends.

Megan went with her new friend Kaitlyn and her family.  They visited a home that decorated their house like Willy Wonka and Kaitlyn's mom sent me these pictures.

I took these cuties.  This was my first "real" thing I did after breaking my foot (2 months ago).  I thought I could do it.  It was a bit too much and hurt for days after, but looking back I am glad I did it. 

Dane was more interested in looking at all the decorations than the candy, and every house we walked up to he asked if they had a dog.  

Brock went to a friends house and watched a movie and Noah chose not to do anything.

 

Carving Pumpkins

Boy am I grateful for Jason and he embraced the tradition of pumpkin carving.  It was one of those things I thought was fun in the beginning of motherhood, and then it was something that was "fine" and now it is something that I do not look forward to.  Jason however totally embraced it and he seems to grow with enthusiasm every year.  It is a fun family thing we do, and they know they do it with dad. 

The night before we carved the pumpkins we had a deep freeze and we forgot to take the pumpkins inside and when we went to grab them and carve them they were solid ice.  I built a little sauna with a space heater and a couple of hair dryers, it worked pretty well, except I melted a few baskets and the rug.   

While the older kids waited for their pumpkins to thaw Jason got going on Dane and Eve's

Many of the kids have taken to doing their whole pumpkin by themselves. 

Their pumpkins this year.  

I think they are our best ever