This is Halloween...

We hosted our first annual Halloween Costume party on Friday. Here are some highlights:

(Food included: home-made chili, cornbread, apples and cream cheese caramel dip, ghoul green slime drink, candy, more candy, and donuts.)

(We had a great turnout of family and friends. Everybody dressed up, which was awesome. 

It made me so happy!)

Costume Winners

Custest Costume:

Scariest Costume:
It was a tie between

and

Most Creative/Original Costume:

Best Overall Costume:

We ate good food, played some fun games, and laughed and laughed!
I LOVE Halloween! I especially love Halloween decorations:

(I got this idea from Martha Stewart. The flowers are from my garden.)

(I loved how this wreath turned out. Momma and I picked dead branches, flowers, etc. and spray painted them black/purple. We took a basic branch wreath I already had and created a new wreath with the dead plants. It turned out awesome.)

May you have a lovely, haunting Halloween week!
To close, I wish my father-in-law Carl a Happy Birthday today!

Quote of the Day:

"Once in a young lifetime one should be allowed to have as much sweetness as one can possibly want and hold."
Judith Olney

The Party Goes On.

This afternoon, momma text me that she would like to have a "little" birthday celebration for B for FHE. She would provide the dinner and treats, if we brought the balloons. And so....the party continued. Of course, any opportunity to celebrate someone like B is a no-brainer.
He's pretty much the BEST.

I have to say, these two made the night a success. They spent hours cooking and preparing dinner. It was SO good. They prepared pear salad, rice, and chicken enchiladas with all kinds of yummy veggies. For dessert, they made ice cream cone cakes. W got the idea off pinterest (which seems to be the next big thing.) I was impressed!

Afterwards, B opened presents, each of us highlighted what we loved and appreciated about him, and then finished with the traditional birthday balloon launch. Kind of deja vu from last night...so fun to share traditions among both our families!

B has a Birthday.

Today we celebrate Brandon's 27th year of life. He's getting so old. Just kidding.
Our schedule was packed! There is no rest for those in celebration:

This morning I got up early to cook B a Birthday Breakfast, including puffed french toast. They didn't turn out as pretty as when B makes them, but they were still yummy. B was in heaven with our "grade B" pure maple syrup and Ben Rector playing in the background. I also "carefully" and "delicately" wrapped B's presents in left over newspaper. I know, I know. Lame. He got a new leather wallet and a new shirt. He might also have a received a little "something" for me to wear...but it's none of your beeswax.

Whit and I played a duet in church today. It turned out pretty well. When I got back to my seat, B said he was proud of me. My heart burst with love. We skipped out on church choir AGAIN, so I could run back to the house to give W an invitation to our totally awesome HALLOWEEN party coming up this Friday! W was a little hungry before she left to see her man J:

Later, we headed down to Saratoga Springs for some more AMAZING birthday celebration:

(I ♥ this picture. I ♥ this family.)

(These are our birthday balloon wishes for B.)

(Carl did his "traditional" personalization of the cake.)

Happy Birthday my husband. I love you so very much. This morning I looked at your face and couldn't help but give a quiet prayer of thanks to the Lord for bringing you into my life. You are AMAZING. I really mean that. You are patient, kind, considerate, sensitive, selfless, a great listener, a great foot and back rubber, exceptionally brilliant (and you still married me), practically perfect at whatever you start, try, or work on, a hard worker, great provider, and a loyal partner. You are encouraging, giving, and always desiring to help in anyway you can. You love me. You really love me, and that's the best. My happiness is your happiness, which melts my heart. I can't believe I ended up with a man like you. How did that happen? You are absolutely my best friend and I can't imagine my life without you in it. Happy 27th Birthday Sweetheart!
I love you.

Cold hands...warm soup.

I looked out the window and what did I see? Snowflakes falling just to bug me. 

Summer has ended and Fall begins. But shouldn't snow come towards the very end?

I could be unhappy and yell a lot. Husby says it's worth a shot.

But we really know...to beat the ugly snow...Just cook up some chili and you're insides will glow!

*Sing to the tune of "Popcorn Popping"*

It snowed. Today. I was really unhappy about it. I felt cold. B felt cold. He snuggled in our fleece blanket while he worked from home. I put on a sweater, socks, and sweatpants. (the sweatpants part is nothing new, but...) When I thought about what to make for dinner tonight, chili and cornbread sounded nice. Especially on a day like today...when it snowed and was cold.

P is for Pokemon...I mean, Parker!

P turned 18 today. I can't believe it. I really can't believe it. This kid CANNOT be 18. But he is!

B and I got up at 5:50 am this morning to drive to my parents' house for chocolate waffles and presents. Later tonight we met up for dinner at P's favorite Golden Corral. Don't ask. I don't get it either. As you can see, P is modeling one of his b-day gifts- pokemon shirt. I don't get that either, but he's in love with it.

(T and Laura's awesome gift: 18 things an 18 year old needs "Parker version")

(And I am serious about this stethoscope P got for his bday.

We all took turns listening to our own and each other's hearts and intestines. 

We're a close family.

W looks seriously worried.)

One thing about P- he is not afraid to be himself. As we went around the table to say what we loved most about him, there was no denying that we love him for who he is and the man he is becoming. I got mushy when I thought about him leaving on his mission a year from now. How is it possible he's this big?

(This pictures pulls at my heart. If you look closely, dad is a little teary talking to Parker.

W is obviously more interested in her man J.)

Parkey, one thing's for sure: You. Are. BOSS. Love, love, love you buddy!

Weirdo.

This pic was taken by B. I look like a weirdo. 

I went for a walk with momma this morning. It was crisp and cool. Fall is in the air!

I also didn't check my email in time to see the invite from good friend Kate to meet her for lunch today.

I was very, very sad. Very sad. Kate, can we try it again SOON?

I am listening to B play Halo. And I can hear kids' voices who are playing as well. 

They are using "adult" language.

I'm not impressed. 

Ever have weird days? I do. 

Laura Laura had a Birthday.

(W made the "white" version of "Better than ***" cake. 

We're not racist, dad just can't handle chocolate.)

Tonight we celebrated Laura's 15th birthday. Momma made really yummy food (ham, asparagus, funeral potatoes, fabulous green salad with onions, feta, and poppy seed dressing, rolls, and yams). We brought the balloons for our b-day balloon launch. When we went around the circle to say something we loved about Laura, I kept thinking "She's just my little sister and I love her!"

I think the best part was having everyone together, including this girlie:

She gets baptized this Friday. I am so proud of her and know this is only the beginning of Heavenly Father's plan for her. We love you Hailey!

***
In other news:

*I took a quick trip down to St. George. Just me. No B. I missed him terribly. What did I do the whole time? Sleep. Cafe Rio. Sleep. Watched some of GP's favorite shows. Sleep. Played Hand and Foot Foot. Sleep. Went to the St. George Temple. Sleep. Played more Hand and Foot Foot. Grandma beat me by 500 points. Sleep. Went home.

*About 30 minutes after I entered the front door, B and I headed down to Provo for Cougars VS. Aggies- Me dressed in BYU gear, B dressed in USU gear. To show how petty and dumb I am: Before the game I turned to B and said that if USU won this game, it's possible I would cry big ugly tears and be really upset. He said he wouldn't rub it in too hard. I just rolled my eyes. Then when BYU made the winning touchdown and I was jumping up and down while squeezing my mother-in-law (I might have peed my pants a little), I turned to B, who just smiled and said "Good game!" Wow. I mean, really? Could he be any more...GOOD???? If that were me, I would have been such a pooper. I would have ran to the car, slammed the door, and pouted the whole way home. I might fold my arms and give everyone the silent treatment. I can just see B tenderly touching my hand and me yelling "Don't touch me foo'!" Just kidding. Maybe. Poor, poor loser. That's what I'd be. But....we WON. So, I guess that was good...for both of us.

I don't know why, but this picture cracks me up every time I look at it. W + Ice cream = ?

*P.S. Did you not just love Conference this weekend? Some really good stuff.