Halloween 2014

This was our easiest Halloween yet, I loved it!  Of course I was excited for the festivities, I love Halloween, but the kids all three chose super simple costumes and it just made it that much easier to enjoy and not have so stress or spend much time or money putting things together for them, awesome! Pierson chose Percy Jackson, a character from a favorite books series he has enjoyed reading.  We needed shredded jeans and an orange t -shirt and some black hair spray paint.  Madi chose to be a Rainbow Fairy character (also a book series character) and was "Brooke, the Photographer Fairy", her own idea, just a cute outfit and a camera and some fairy wings!  Wahoo.  I picked up some fairy wings and wand and made her a fairy dust pouch with some glitter and sprayed sparkles in her hair, loved it.  And Jens, thankfully, and after much deliberation and too many ideas for me to remember, chose to be a puppy, a costume we had from Pierce, which Jens ended up wearing last year after he decided he didn't like wearing the Rocket costume.

The funniest thing about Jens choosing  costume was that he was actually talking about what he wanted to be for about 3 months, on his own, without any encouragement from me.  During the summer he randomly said to me, "Mom, you could be Mel for Halloween and I could be Jerzi!"  He was so excited about his idea and the kids thought it was great idea, Madi suggested I just borrow an outfit from Mel and wear a long wig.  After that, several times a week, all through summer and up until we were close to Halloween and had to make a decision, he would come up with a new idea, it really kept us laughing! At random times he'd just shout out, "Mom I could be a ---------- for Halloween"! Some of them that I remember are firetruck, garbage truck, Spider Man, Green Lantern, Iron Man, Jake, Roam (so funny, this is my friend Ashley's baby) Ferno and Bowen.  Even though it wasn't a real "Jerzi" costume and I didn't come through and dress as Mel, he was excited to be a puppy.  Here are our picture highlights...

 Madi & Annie, Annie's Grandma made her this beautiful Elsa dress and Heidi an Ana one, they were amazing!

 Heidi & Jens

Madi & made these darling Halloween banners at Activity Days, (thanks to Kathryn!), I loved how it looked with our Halloween decor, I just love my mantel decorated for fall and Halloween!

 Madi also looking festive in her jack o lantern shirt, her little side kick was too busy to pause for the photo

Pumpkin Carving! 

Jensen's favorite story this Halloween season was "The Littlest Pumpkin",  I read it to him over and over.  He was so excited to go to the store and pick out his own "littlest pumpkin".  '

 Love his excitement!

 Pumpkin guts!

 Help from Sissy

 Percy Pierce working on his jack o lantern

The big night! 

Pierce looked pretty good as Percy Jackson!  Ryan did a little computer work and we were able to make an iron on to make him a "Camp Half Blood" t shirt. I drew on his tattoo with a sharpie, I thought I did a pretty good job!

 Rip Tide!  Mom's artwork and Dad and Pierce's pumpkin carving work.  

 Brooke the Photographer Fairy

 My adorable puppy with this littlest pumpkin

 These are my favorite pictures, Jens was only concerned about his pumpkin and nothing else.

 The real Jerzi with Puppy Jens!

The Loot 

 I loved sorting out my candy when I was  kid and counting how many I got of each kind, makes me happy to see them doing this. So fun.

It was a very Happy Halloween!

Funny Jensen

This boy, he has me wrapped around his little finger, he melts my heart constantly.  I adore him so thoroughly, I wish every day that I could keep him at this age for a long long time.  He makes me laugh everyday, many times a day.  I thought I better document some of his funniest moments that I've been able to catch on camera lately... you are in for a treat!

This was Grandma's birthday and I was baking her a special chocolate cake, being the great little helper that he is Jens sat up on the counter to assist.  He often gets to lick the beaters (or paddles) so I am not sure what it was about this day, but oh boy! (August 7th, 2014)

Life is good.  Honestly who else could look this adorable in their underwear with frosting smeared all over their body?  

Enjoying the summer rain! (August 19th, 2014)

 I so wish I could be this happy to be in the rain!

 If all the raindrops were lemon drops and gum drops oh what a rain that would be, standing outside with my mouth open wide...

 Love this boy and the joy he finds in such simple pleasures.  Really wish I wasn't always worried about makeup and hair and could do the same thing.

Jens really loved the raspberry jam I made this summer!  I used to be able to make it in the summer and have it last all year, not any more!  It was gone after a few months.  Her is Jens licking his plate clean after enjoying a pancake with Mom's jam... (August 24th, 2014)

 I can't really blame  him, it's really good jam!

My cute pirate boy!  Have I mentioned that he likes to be in his underwear?  In case it wasn't obvious, this boy loves to be in his underwear!  He still loves his pajamas but can usually be found in his undies when were at home.  He knows he has to get dressed when we go places but as soon as we get home the clothes usually come right off!  Sometimes he strips down right on the run in the entry way.
(August 25th)

He discovered mom's bras and thought he was pretty darn funny! (August 26th) 

 Had to get a good look at the summer lighting storm!

Jens brings us so much joy, we all love him so much.  He is such a blessing to our family, making everyone laugh and smile, you can't be grumpy too long with this cute boy around.  

My absolute favorite thing right now is how he frequently tells me "you're my sweet momma."  He started doing this awhile ago and I figured it was just because I often tell him he is my sweet boy.  But he has taken it a step further than just copying what I say.  Anytime he can tell by the tone of my voice that I am getting frustrated with Pierce of Madi he will pipe up and say, "Momma, you're still my sweet momma."  I love this so much, it brings me back and helps me take a breath and keep calm.  Then if/when I do lose it with the kids and yell he will come to me and say, "Momma, are you still my sweet momma?"  Love it, love him.  

1st Day of School

And just like that the summer was over, again!  My little boy was off to Intermediate school (6th-7th grade) and my little girl was starting 3rd grade!

 1st Day of 6th grade! Looking good in his new BYU shirt.  Side note: his math teacher this year was a huge U of U fan and had her room decorated as such.  She started giving Pierce a hard time about his frequent BYU attire and for the first few weeks of school he would come home and tell me how she teased him and how he dished it right back!  Sometimes I was so surprised at how funny he was coming up with stuff!

 I could not believe  I was watching my little boy walk into this great big school! Sunrise Ridge Here we go!

 Our tradition - pictures on the Todd bench

 My pretty girl.  It was amazing she even let me talk her into wearing this dress, she was so cute it!  I don't think I convinced her to wear it to school again all year.  Maybe once.  She is a shorts and t shirt, put my hair in a ponytail girl these days!

 Madi 3rd grade (same age as Todd when he had his first and last day of school, 2010), Jens age 3, Matthew 5th grade, Harrison 1st grade

I again worried that Jens would have a hard time adjusting to the kids being back in school all day, but he loves being home with mom and he always finds plenty to do.

Love this boy.  I really, truly love my time at home with just him.  He is so fun and so content, he loves to just be close by me and I love that so much.  Please stop growing so fast, stay Momma's sweet boy!

Pierson's 11th Birthday!

11 years old!  What?!  Getting way too big for mom's liking.  Pierce had a great birthday, it was a packed day with the 24th festivities and birthday celebrating.  Like always!  We started the morning with his fav kind of muffin and a little happy birthday singing.  

My BYU crew at the parade

This boy loved some saltwater taffy! 

Sadly the parade was awful this year.  We were so disappointed.  The Washington Stake was no longer putting on the Pioneer Day parade and so rather than lots of darling primary kids and missionaries and cute floats, it was now a "Days of '47 Parade", which turned out to be a whole lot of businesses trying to advertise, it was ridiculously slow and so long.  Everyone was miserable by the end.  Sad.  

The kids were still excited to do the races though....

Jensen's big 3 year old race!

Madi's 8 year old race!

Pierce's big race... he is always torn over rather to race with the age he's been or the age he's turning that day.  Obviously if he goes with the age he's turning he is the very youngest and it's a harder competition.  I always tell him he can choose, since he really wasn't 11 yet, since he was born at 1:29 in the afternoon.  He ran with the 10 year olds and was excited to place in the top 3.

Winning medal!  The only good thing about the Days of '47 taking over was they now had these fun medals for the kids.

We had such a full day planned that we opted to pick up Pizza Factory for Pierson's dinner out and his big #11 pizza.  Ryan called in take out and we had it at home for lunch.

I was busy making a delicious cake that afternoon and of course had my best little helper around to to make sure the frosting tasted ok.

He was here just a second ago...

What would we do with out this cute face?  Our lives would be awfully dull.

We didn't do a friend party this year, instead Pierce chose more $$ for his birthday gift and we had our cousin party at the Hall's.  This was our 3rd year doing a water game party with them so I guess it's officially a tradition.  All the kids had so much fun and we were glad the Eves were not out of town and could join us this year!  Here are a few highlights...

 Awesome water relay put on by Aunt Crystal!

Go Madi!  Go Dallin! Go Harrison! 

 A HUGE highlight for the kids was getting to play with Uncle Jeff's new addition to his St. George Fun business, Beat the Bucket, it was a riot!

 Thatcher and Bridger getting dumped on!

 Logan, Harrison and Kelton getting dumped on!

 Brooke & Ellie

 Matthew and Harrison

The birthday boy got a little surprise from Dad and Ellie!

 Kelton & Madi

 The birthday boy!

Another now favorite game thanks of Aunt Crystal, the frozen t shirt race!  Each family had a t shirt and had to work together, Robison, Halls and Eves!

 Cake Time! 

Jens loves birthday candles and Pierce is so good to let him in on the candle action and let him help him.  Such a sweet big brother.

We enjoyed the delicious cake and then ended the night with our now tradition of watching the fireworks at the cemetery with Todd and Grandpa.  I brought glow sticks for all the kids and attempted a picture, some day I'll get good at night time shots.  I hope.

What a great fun filled day with cousins.  Pierce had a great day!