Trick-or-Treating

I had spent hours planning and making the kids costumes.  I even found an anchor shirt to go along with the theme that I knew Bret wouldn't mind wearing, but last minute I realized I hadn't gotten a costume for my self.  So the Saturday before the trip I started looking.  The costumes that were at the store were expensive and really not that great.  I ended up buying this weird jacket second hand for $4.  I never got around to cutting it up before the trip, but luckily my fashion designer (literally) almost sister-in-law was there to help.  So I am a sea monster/witch/weed/thing.

Yay for family pictures!

Only picture of my mom.  She was great and took lots of pictures for us.

My niece was the only one with a costume outside my little family, but I influenced them to dress up.  I am like the Halloween fairy or something. ;)

Not sure why Wes and Alex have duck face in the back, but makes me giggle a little.

Who doesn't just adore a goofy group picture?  I do.  I also like the way my hair is blowing when no one else's is.  It makes me look powerful.

How awesome is this door we had to go through to leave for trick-or-treating?  A picture and Halloween maniac's dream.

There was lots of walking but not many houses with people home.

The two grandmas who were handing out candy were so excited to actually have some trick-or-treaters.

Not a great picture of me, but a picture a cute of my crazy little mermaid with a good  view of her costume.

Ha ha random wedding sign the night before their wedding.

Ky being a bride, too.

Love-a this-a girl-a!

Love-a these-a boys-a!

Last picture before my battery died.  So glad it didn't die earlier or the next day during the wedding.

We only ended up having a couple of people answer the door.  Alex took some candy to the restaurant by the cottage to give back to us.  They had him take it to the bartender.  It is a little humorous in Mormon babies going trick-or-treating at the bar I suppose.

I wasn't to worried about my kids not going to many houses because they are so little.  I was concerned about Kylie age 9.  We talked to the bartender who told us about a good neighborhood to go to, but Ky ended up being very happy with just finding hidden candy around the cabin with Wes.  My brother had bought a bunch just in case so the kids had plenty.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Begins

The morning began with making pumpkin pancakes.  They are so so yummy and good, but I am always nervous to cook for others.  To make matters worse we had not measuring spoons.  I totally had to guess.  Luckily, they turned out to be pretty yummy.  Phew.  I laughed at these to because they came out just happening to look like pumpkins.

Brynn was very hungry and entertained everyone by spending the morning eating large amounts of food.

My mom found it entertaining the amount of effort it took to get Wesley's shoes on and took a picture.

Swinging with Naunnie.

The cabin we stayed at was was old and beautiful.  Wes enjoyed climbing and exploring the yard around.  It was perfect autumn weather.

Of course we had some pumpkins.

And beautiful backdrops.

Carving Jack-O-Lanterns.  Have a mentioned yet what a total doll Rachel, my brother's now wife, is?  That's her in the purple cardigan.

Uncle Alex had Wes draw the face he wanted and then cut it out for him.  What a sweet uncle.

Pumpkin love!

I never ended up finishing my chevron pumpkin.  Still we had so much fun spending time together.

Take Off

My little baby brother decided to get married a few months back, and since he is stationed in Georgia a trip was planned.  Wesley was having a hard time understanding when we were going to go so I made a paper chain and put it on his self.  Wes had fun ripping a piece of paper off every day, and I was shocked at how fast it disappeared.

October 30th, and the big day had finally arrived.  The airport is a couple of hours away and our flight was early so we spent the previous night at grandma and grandpa's.

Wes enjoyed watching the plan.  We didn't have to wait too long, but the time of morning was just right to watch it grow from dark to light out the big window.

Brynn slept in the front pack.

So grateful families with children get to board first, but whoa watch out for some of the business men in first class.  They will run over your children.

Here's my cute sister and niece.

Wes was so cute and excited.  He had been asking well before the trip was planned to get on a plane and visit Uncle Alex.

Love this view.  I LOVE flying.  I love being up high.  It makes me feel free.  I also love to imagine what the clouds taste like.  I bet they are cold, crisp, and completely refreshing.

Brynn also enjoyed the plane ride.  She really liked the touch screens that were attached to the back of the chairs.

The touch screens were pretty fun.  You could watch TV, listen to radio, or check to see where you were.

The kids were so so good on the flight.  What a relief.  Naunnie helped a lot with that.  It was really nice to have my mom there.  She told me that when we landed Wes looked out the window and said, "Oh no!  We are back where we started!"

First on the plane.  Last off.  We had fun waiting while everyone else passed.

Such a pretty baby.

We road on a couple of sky trains (Wes was so happy about that), and went to get the rental car.

Then we waited and waited because there was some problem that worked out, and there was an escalator that helped to entertain the kiddos.

Aunt Lissy provided entertainment for the youngest in our group.

Then it was time to get lunch and begin our 3 hour drive to my brothers.  There was a closer airport, but it laid over in Atlanta anyway.  Plus we saved $300 a person by driving.  Just for our family that was $900 savings.

We wanted to eat at Popeye's, but the GPS took us here.

 Not quite the lunch we were hoping for.

 We ended up eating at a fast food place called Krastal's Burgers.  It was super deep fried, but tasty enough in a if-I-eat-here-more-than-once-a-year-my-heart-will-die kind of way.

A sign with my son's name on it.  Of course I had to take a picture.

We finally made to to the cottage we were all staying at.  It was so good to see my brother again.  I have only seen him 3 times in the last 2 years.  It was also fun to meet his fiance.  She is even cuter in real live then over the phone.

Uncle Alex made a special hut for Wesley's bed.

 To check the pack-and-play would have been $25 each way.  So we just bought a $50 one that we left with my brother and avoided the hassle of transportation.  Now any baby going to visit my brother and his wife will have a somewhere to sleep.

It was a long but very pleasant day of travel.