Ushering In The Holidays

The week before Halloween is when the holiday season starts to ramp up.  Summer is definitely over, Fall is in full swing, and after Halloween you can blink and it's Christmas.  Looking back, I felt compelled to do so many things as a family.  Honestly, at the time, I couldn't figure out why I was stressing myself out doing all these things before Halloween!  I'm not one of those people who loves the trick-or-treat holiday.  I wondered why I wasn't saving my energy for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Now, with Luke's diagnosis and hospitalization, I see it as a tender mercy.  These were the last family activities we did before our life changed forever.  But I have a whole blog dedicated to my feelings about Luke's cancer!  Only happy feelings here! :)

  We kicked off things off by painting some pumpkins to take to Aunt Rachel's place.  The kids loved that idea, and the pumpkins turned out adorable.

I was particularly a fan of Claire's witch. :)

We had to wait a day for the pumpkins to dry enough to take to the cemetery, but unfortunately once the pumpkins were dry the outdoors were not!  It seemed to rain and snow for a few days after we finished our painted pumpkins.  So placing them had to wait.

In the meantime, we went to Grandma Candy's ward for Trunk or Treat on the Friday evening before Halloween.  The kids were so excited to finally don their costumes!  I think I've come to enjoy buying their costumes so far in advance, and seeing the kids get more and more excited.  I picked out the girls' costumes this year during a childless trip to Costco, so I had to wing it.  I was most worried about Claire's costume, since we hadn't seen the movie "Brave" yet, but it was a sparkly dress with a wig, so Claire was on board.  I have to say, she looked incredible!  If her eyes were green, she'd be the real life version of Princess Merida. Everyone LOVED her costume!  Sophie made a beautiful Cinderella, and was excited to be this princess since she got the movie for her birthday this year.  And Johnny, of course, was a muscled Spiderman, and he lived the part.  Luke isn't pictured, but he wore an adorable fireman costume compliments of Baron and/or Roman. :)

Uncle Devin and Aunt Jessie came too, just weeks after little Emma joined the family!  The kids had been waiting to meet their newest cousin.

It was unanimously decided that she was just too stinkin' cute!

The Trunk or Treat also meant the first of way too much candy!  The kids appreciated getting the chance to practice their trick or treating skills.

On Monday, the 29th, the weather was cooperative, and we took the chance before Family Home Evening to go up to Aunt Rachel's place and put out her pumpkins.  I think they looked really cute on her headstone!

But nothing is cuter than this guy!  Poor thing was still not feeling good, as were were still treating his ear infections.  Yet he was still able to smile.  I didn't realize how prophetic Claire's nick name of "Mr. Smiles" would be...this guy can smile through the worst of it.

"Happy Halloween, Aunt Rachel!"

I love that we have the opportunity to keep my little sister so much a part of our family.  And every time we got to visit her place, it gives Danny and I the opportunity to teach our children the most precious doctrines of the gospel.   Thanks, Rachel, for that opportunity.

After we got back from the cemetery, it was time to do our FHE Activity...carve pumpkins!  The kids had picked out two nice pumpkins earlier that day and were anxious to get started. 

The most fun part, of course, is playing in the guts.

Danny and I had high hopes of each carving one of those cool designs from the carving kit, but after about 20 minutes of painstakingly poking holes for the design, Danny abandoned his effort for a classic jack-o-lantern designed by Claire and Sophie.  I don't know why I didn't do the same thing...but I get focused.

Three of my cute pumpkins with their cute pumpkins. :)

Since Halloween wasn't until Wednesday, we still had one more evening to fit in some fun before the big night.  Two years ago, we had a caramel apple FHE before Halloween, and we had so much fun I wanted it to become a tradition.  But last year we were in Carlsbad, CA with Grandma Candy having fun on the beach, so we skipped that new tradition.  But this year we were sure to fit it in!

Luke just took it all in, from the comfort and fun of the bouncer.

And Johnny was only interested in getting to the part with the sprinkles. :)

Sophie and Claire took the caramel application very seriously...

And were pleased with the outcome!

As was I.  :)

Since living with Grandma and Papa during the Christmas season last year, Claire discovered she loves caramel.  Papa makes homemade caramels every year for their neighbors and friends, and Claire snitched more than her fair share of caramels!  So this treat really was right up her alley, and she knew it.

Sophie was more intrigued with the whole sticky-apple-on-a-stick concept...

...and Johnny was still all about the sprinkles. :)

I thought this picture turned out so cool!  It looks like the white chocolate chips are Danny's teeth!  Complete happenstance, I assure you.  But pretty cool effect!

And with the consumption of way too much sugar before bed, the night before the biggest candy holiday of the year, we tried desperately to get our kids to sleep.  They more or less cooperated, with a litany of threats about cancelling Halloween the next day.  Which they all knew they couldn't stand to miss...