Happy Halloween-Have a Booorrito!

$3 Chipotle meals for dressed up folks!

Finally a Brig sized meal!

Friends

Wild West at Chipotle. (Matt and I are a little out of theme.)

First stop, The Duntons. Best candy and best people! Not a bad group shot for my uncooperative group-Miss A excepting!

Next stop parking the park.

After "winging" at the park a bit we convinced her to let us trick-or-treat. She was a fan, although she'd have preferred some of these nice people just handed out their dogs instead of so much candy. At least let her come in and play with them!

After all that rain, it was an absolutely GORGEOUS night. I wish the color had come through on this picture. Brilliant.
 

Happy Halloween to you all!

Pumpkin Carving FHE

Soooo, I got a little overwhelmed during most of October. Sad. But, I didn't miss anything. Technically, it's all done. We even carved a pumpkin. It's not a truly great pumpkin that we usually turn out. I didn't help a single bit but my Luca loves to carve too and Samuel enjoys getting it started so the two of them carved a pretty darn good pumpkin.

It was Sennia's first time cleaning out a pumpkin. She had no issues with the slime. Samuel has also outgrown his as you see. Yippee! If he's going to be a neurosurgeon getting over the gookphobia is essential.

This is where I feel a little guilty.

Alena really wanted to carve her own pumpkin. We wanted to eat these so I didn't want to carve them Monday when she'd want them lit for Halloween 4 days later. SOoooo, I offered glitter glue. She took the bait. I'll do better next year.

I sure love his work ethic. He poked all Luke's holes for him. Sadly, that's where the story ends. Maybe tomorrow I'll get a picture of the finished lit jack-o-lantern. But since Matt and the boys are leaving camping and I'm left with the littles, all their candy, and all the vacation prep-probably not.

Teen Halloween in Stecherville

We had a rockin' Halloween Party here. Oh my goodness but there are stories to tell. Hopefully I'll get some good pictures somebody else took soon to post but until then you have to see the fabulous costumes and fun. Also take note of Eli's mural. It turned out so well.

We had a spy theme. Everyone had false identities. They ordered from a coded menu and got clues throughout dinner to figure out who the mole was.

They're super fun kids and I think they had a good time. We played lots of games and make silluettes of each person. They probably could've stayed all night but the adults-who also had fun-were getting worn out. Poor Matt was in his worst pain ever, a few hours later he blew out both of his ear drums.

Trunk or Treat!

It's the wild west folks!  Luke was setting up for Trunk or Treat so he wasn't able to be in our picture. Thank goodness we still have Halloween.

Don't know why these pictures have lines.

Our trunk got first place for the 2nd year in a row. Matt went a little all out on his toxic waste site and costume.

Sennia thought it was a pretty fun gig. She hit 4 trunks, got 2 Lollies and a taffy(and a chocolate that disappeared since she can't eat them) and settled down to watch dad hand out candy and eat her lollies. I'm not one of those parents who gathers candy she has no intention of giving to her baby. Bizarre adults.

Matt's overly elaborate trunk left me unable to get to Brig and take him but thankfully he had a loving big brother who took him around.

He was quite proud of his mustache.

Our neighbors came with us to Trunk or Treat. This was Anderson's first time to Trick or Treat. He enjoyed himself.

Tea-time Treats

My sweet Visiting Teachers brought us these fun treats which we used for tea time. Aren't they the best! Thoughtfully, Sandy even made sure Alena could eat the Choc. Chips. Wasn't she excited.

Sennie Sunshine Got a Haircut

Actually, "hair cut" might be a little much. I snipped her widow's peak Mohawk a half-inch to be short bangs. They've since grown out nicely:)

Kleb Woods Classes

Enticing Ant-lions

With a Heavy Heart I Cling to Hope

This weekend left me with a heavy heart.  A friend lost her baby just weeks before he could’ve had a chance, for the second time.  Another friend marked off one year since losing her precious girl who would be 4 yrs old.  As we were finished leaving flowers on Charlotte’s grave, the kids were wondering which would be harder, losing a child you hadn’t had the opportunity to know, or losing a child who had become integrated into your life.  I recognize that it is human nature to try and understand another’s pain by comparing but I believe and told them we could never know unless we were that person, what their pain is.

 

 I also told them that I thought really any mother would give anything she could for just one more day or even moment with her child so they were all somewhat the same.  I’ve thought about it a lot this weekend and I feel like that is the fundamental truth of the matter.  What mother of a stillborn baby wouldn’t give all just to see those little eyes open and those lips turn pink and move?  What mother who has lost an infant wouldn’t trade all her riches for little fingers to close around hers or for that look adoration that only an infant’s eyes can shine. A mother of a toddler would value one more embrace from chubby arms or those adorable words of affection that toddlers give so freely more than any worldly accolade.  And then to hear the entrance of a busy youth not just in your head but to actually have them come plop down and ask for more food and tell you about their big accomplishments and disappointments.  No mom who has lost that could groan and feel overwhelmed to have him back in her kitchen forever or even for 5 min.  And what wouldn’t she give to pick up the phone and hear that voice on the other end.  “Mom, you’ll never believe what happened in class today” or “Guess what your granddaughter  just did!” . 

In this way, all losses of a child are just the same; infinite pain that can only be quenched by an infinite Atonement. I’m so grateful to know that the way of Christ is an open door to be a family forever.  It may not help shake all the pain of mortality, but I believe it offers a hope to hang on to and to live a good life for which is the beginning of healing.