We're off to see the Wizard...

Happy Halloween!
This year our family costume theme was the Wizard of Oz. I had so much fun putting our costumes together and I loved how it all came together. Each year I fall in love with my husband a little more because he is such a good sport about dressing up for Halloween. This year was no exception.
Chris was the Tin Man, I was Scarecrow, Tanner was the Cowardly Lion and Bailey was our Dorothy.


We went to our ward Halloween party on Saturday night and we had a lot of fun. Nanny and Papa were there and they were kind enough to take some pictures for us.
Dorothy and I

My cowardly lion and little Dorothy

Love my Dorothy


When we got home Chris' parents arrived and we visited with them for a bit.
This morning I dressed the kids in their Halloween outfits that I've been saving just for today.

tonight we took Tanner trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. He had so much fun. He ran most of the way and loved knocking on the doors. He'd run to the door and then instead of actually knocking on the door, he'd say "Knock Knock". So cute! Then he'd say his "please" and "thank-you"-and as we walked away he'd yell "bye bye." I think he actually said "trick-or-treat" only twice.
Mimi and Tanner before we left to trick-or-treat

Running around the neighborhood- he ran almost the whole time. He was so excited

love this shot...

When we got back to our house Tanner immediately dumped his bucket out and started sorting his candy into piles. He moved his piles around the room and then he gave it all to Bailey.
Tanner going through his candy

Giving all his candy to Bailey

Bailey in her Bumbo

Blogger keeps rotating this pic...ugh
but i love this little face

Then as we had more and more kids come to our house to trick or treat he started giving them his candy. He'd open our door and right away put his candy in their buckets- whether they wanted it or not. He was cracking us up.
Here are a few pumpkin carving pics.
Mom and Tanner

"Mom, look whats in here"


Tanner loved it when Chris pulled the top off.

This pic cracks me up. I asked Tanner to say "cheese" and he folded his arms

I think we all had a great halloween and we really loved having Mimi and grandpa here with us.
I put the kids in their halloween pjs and snapped a few more pics.
Bailey's kitty bum

my sweethearts

Now to welcome November in and prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I can't believe October is over!!! Happy Halloween everyone!

Bailey's Blessing

Yesterday Chris blessed Bailey at church. We were lucky enough to have both sets of parents there. Chris' mom and dad flew in on Saturday and we are so happy to have them here. Chris gave a beautiful blessing and Bailey made sure she cried throughout the entire thing. Fortunately, we could still hear Chris and Bailey's crying didn't phase him at all. He just kept on talking and it was really a sweet blessing.
I know that sometimes Bailey is a little punk, but listening to her being blessed helped to remind me of how lucky we are. Heavenly Father sent her to us and we love her so much. Even Tanner loves his baby! We feel blessed to have her in our little Family.
Here are a few pictures from yesterday
Family shots- don't mind Tanner's confused look. He's not use to not being the center of attention.


Semi-Sweet Bailey in her blessing dress


Happy girl


love these little piggy toes

Deveney and Bailey- Don and Chris were MIA at this point, so I only got one with Deveney.

Uncle Joe and Aunt Julieta with Bailey

Nanny and Papa with Bailey

Thank you to all those who participated and came to support us. It was a lovely day which we ended with a big family dinner at our house. So fun to have everyone together.

Family getaway to St. Louis

On Thursday evening after work, Chris and I loaded up the kids and took off for St. Louis. I'm not going to lie- I was a little more than nervous for this trip, since Bailey can't go 5 minutes in the car without screaming. But our ward only goes to the temple once a year- and its the only time we get to go- so we felt like we needed to be there. Luckily Nanny, Papa, Uncle Joe, Aunt Julieta and Clark were going up to St. Louis too. They drove in a separate car and met us at the hotel that night.
We took off, stopped and got some dinner before leaving town and then drove and drove and drove. We already had the kids in their sleepers and they'd had their baths, so they were ready for bed. Tanner ate 1 1/2 chicken nuggets and he was out like a light in his car seat. Bailey cried for the first 10 minutes and she too proceeded to pass out and they both slept the entire 5-hour drive there. Heavenly Father must have helped us out here- because normally Bailey is a terror in the car. SHE DID AWESOME. They both did. Unfortunately, when we got to our hotel they both woke up and were totally wired from their "5-hour naps" It took us about an hour to get settled down again. So we all ended up going to bed around midnight. Crazy long day
wide awake at 11 pm

They next morning we got up and went to the temple (while Uncle Joe watched our kids)
Happy Bailey in the morning

We did an early session and came back to check out and pick up our babies.
Before leaving the Hotel

Then they whole crew went to P.F. Changs for Lunch- DELISH!
My HAPPY travelers!


Then we headed over to the St. Louis Arch. I'd been when I was little and wanted Chris to see it. We rode to the top in the tiny little car- then looked through the tiny windows at the top over the city. The arch is 630 feet tall. You feel so far up when you are looking over the city.

Tanner wasn't sure about the whole experience but all in all we had a good time.
Tanner looking out the windows at the top of the Arch over the city

Us inside the top of the Arch (yes Tanner loves me)

At the northern base of the Arch


Downtown St. Louis was crazy after the second Cards game- everyone was gearing up for the final game of the series. There were Card fans everywhere. But it was fun to be there and see everyone's enthusiasm.

We changed the kids back into their sleepers and loaded them back into the car and drove another 5-hours home.
I know that it sounds like boring, but we had a wonderful trip. The kids slept on the way home and we got back to our house at a decent hour this time. Chris and I spent 10 hours talking in the car without kids interrupting us. Beautiful! And we enjoyed the time with my family while in St. Louis. Now we are looking forward to a getaway without the kids...Someday!

October-fest

Wow- its been a little while. I promise pics of the house are coming. We have been crazy busy trying to paint, unpack and clean- oh and take care of two kids...but we are enjoying a beautiful fall. The leaves have begun to change colors, the weather is perfect and halloween is just around the corner. I can't believe October is halfway over. I love the fall. I really love to decorate for fall too, but since my house is about halfway unpack (the essentials are unpacked-everything else is still in the garage) I haven't been able to bust out the fall/halloween decor.
But today the kids and I went and got some hay bales, mums and a big scarecrow and started decorating outside our house.
Then this afternoon we met Nanny, Papa, Uncle Joe, Aunt Julieta and Clark at the Pumpkin Patch for some fall fun. I think the little boys had a lot of fun. I had fun capturing all these precious moments on camera and Nanny had fun snuggling Bailey.
Here are some shots from our afternoon at the Mountain Home Berry Farm.
The Herbs Fall 2011

The whole crew on the hay ride

little boys climbing mulch mountain

Nanny snugglng Bailey

Papa and Tanner hiding in the mulch mountain

corn maze

Tanner andClark playing in the hay


Tanner riding the horse

Tanner found his pumpkin-he just couldnt lift it

Tanner in the pumpkin cart

Now if I can unpack my sewing machine- I can start on our Halloween costumes. This years theme is "Wizard of Oz". Then it will be time for Thanksgiving and then Christmas before we know it. CRAZY how fast time flies. I love this time of the year though and I'm looking forward to the holidays with family!