Halloween

Brock, Dane, and I went to the other kid's Halloween Parade. 

We didn't have a lot of variation with our costumes this year.  Megan was Rapunzel.

While the other three were this weird black ghost.  Madison said she was a damentor (from Harry Potter).  While Brock and Noah were just "a black thing"

This is Madison (I think)

Brock

Noah

They are all "attacking" the princess

And of course way too many pictures of our baby Darth Vader.

Brock and Cameron went Trick or Treating together.  Noah went with the Neighborhood boys.  I went with the girls.  While Jason and Dane passed out candy.  Eventually they all made it back to our hose and I drove about 9 kids around to other neighborhoods to go trick or treating until about 9:30.  We are still eating Halloween Candy.

Our ward had our Trunk or Treat on November 1st (long story).  Anyways Megan won second place.  It made her whole year!

Carving Pumpkins

Every year carving pumpkins just gets easier and better.  All the kids carved their own pumpkins this year (Jason cut out the tops).  They are getting pretty good at it and it was hardly even messy.

My old visiting teacher gives us a giant pumpkin every Halloween and this year Brock asked if he could carve it himself.  He was thrilled!  It took him about 2 hours - but he was glad he did it and wants to do it again next year.

He carved this 100% by himself -check out those ears.  Things like this are often hard for Brock so I was so proud of him.

This is Madison:

Dane's didn't get carved this year - but Jason did his "let the baby decide the shapes and where they go thing".  Maybe next year we will carve his!

Our pumpkin family.

Brock's Football

Brock decided to take a break from soccer this fall and play flag football for his middle school.  His best friend, Cameron Neyenhuis also played - so he had a blast.  It was a different kind of fall for  us then we have had in 7 years.  We had no sports on Saturdays!  All of Brock's parctices and games were on weekdays, Madsion did gymnastics instead of soccer, Noah did a play instead of a sport, and Megan did art classes again.  It was so nice to have Saturday's all to ourselves.  

However, it DID make for crazy marathon weekdays and with Jason doing his MBA during the evenings most of it fell to me (and Dane).  He was a trooper though.

Here area a few pictures during some games.

Brock mostly likes to play defense and usually safety.  He likes to stay back and watch and then be the last resort - just like his dad.  He is pretty good a it too.

Elmo

Dane has started to watch Elmo's world and loves it.  When he first started watching (about end of October) he only liked to watch it with other people - specifically cuddling with someone.  It was really cute.  

He still loves Elmo.  He loves his Elmo book, and the Elmo's World theme song.  I love that my children love Elmo.

Dates (again?)

Jason and I have never really "dated" even when we were teenagers and "dating" we never really went on "dates".  We always felt like it wasn't worth the money.  We would occasionally go out to dinner and maybe a movie once a year.  Every once in a while we would do something for someone's birthday or an anniversary - but that was like every 5 years or something like that.  We never had a weekly or monthly date night.  We just never felt like we needed it - or could afford it.

Well.... I don't know what it is about having Dane but I was needing more out of life.  When I had my first set of kids in my early 20's I was fine and happy to make all the sacrifices.  I didn't need breaks, alone time, vacations, or dates.  I knew that I was putting all that on hold for many years and that THIS was the purpose of life and I had been waiting and preparing for the satge of life with young kids.  The sacrifices and the monotony of life didn't bother me.  And while it isn't really bothering me this second time around - I am more aware that I need a little more out of my relationship with Jason.  I am not really needing a lot from girl friends and I don't need to "get out more" - but I DO need to spend more time with him and have him be my escape and my best friend.  But I also needed a little excitement and adventure with him.  I needed something to look forward to and do somethings we have never done before.

So I instituted date night.  It isn't on a set schedule (we might need to change that though because it isn't as often as we had hoped).  We take turns being "in charge" and we get to do what ever we want - even if the other person would hate it.  It is supposed to be something new that we have never done before and it is a surprise for the other person.  I was in charge of the first one.  It was a BUST - but that's ok - that happens sometimes.  We ate at a new restaurant and we ate out on the patio that was supposed to be beautiful and amazing (right next to a lake).  The food wasn't good and the patio was not that beautiful and the activity that I had planned was closed.  It was nice to start off with a big failure becuase then the bar was set REALLY low (maybe I did it on purpose :)

Because then Jason set the bar WAY TOO HIGH.  For his date he took us indoor sky diving.  You can't take pictures inside when your doing it (lame) - but it was REALLY fun.  

This wasn't one of "our dates" but we got invited on a group date to go karaoke-ing.  It was fun to go out with other couples and do something kind of different. 

We took a break from dates while we anticipated a big 15 year wedding anniversary vacation that I surprised Jason with.  But hopefully we will have some great ones next year! 

Playing at the Park

I started a play group.  It is hard to prioritize taking Dane out to do fun things.  I also need to make some new friends who have kids Dane's age.  I plan to start doing things other than just going to the park - but for now that is all it has been.  Dane loves the park and has learned all about going down slides and climbing up the stairs.

My play group has not been particularly well attended.  Which is fine.  TO be honest I actually like it best when no one shows up.  When people come I feel like I need to talk to them - which is no longer my stage of life.  I cant sit on the bench and chat anymore - I need to be on the playground playing with Dane (and that is where I want to be). 

One Saturday we went as a family so that everyone could see Dane's new tricks!

Megan's celiac

Back in April at Megan's well check I mentioned that she often complains of stomach aches and that my grandpa has celiac.  They did a blood test that came back inconclusive and than another that came back inconclusive and then an endoscopy that confirmed celiac.  It took me 2 to 3 weeks to tell her.  I was devastated for her.  The truth is she doesn't have any symptoms (the stomach aches weren't really a thing).  And selfishly - I was not ready to deal with something like this.  I kept putting off writing this post to wait for things to "settle" so it wouldn't be so emotional.  That might take years.  Neither of us have found our groove.  Both of our emotions are sometimes high.  Because Jason is the "Megan whisperer" she took the news well.

This is the food I bought her and showed her when we told her so she could see how much she still CAN eat.

We have been working hard finding new recipes.

She is a rock star and is handling it so well.  I am still adjusting.  I have stopped enjoying baking or cooking (which used to be a hobby) because it comes at an emotional high cost that I now just avoid it.  I hope that in a few years things will be different but for now I just don't feel like I can make rolls or dessert for the rest of my family and leave Megan out and I don't have the time most days to make 2 - so I just don't make anything.