Halloween

We kicked off Halloween a little early this year with Ethan's Entrepreneur Fair at school. He worked hard with his friend to promote his booth and earn business. It was a fun family activity to attend and a great learning experience for the 5th graders. It has, however, fueled his dream of starting a business. He has been passing out flyers down the street for his new leaf raking business. (I hope someone hires him. It would make his year.)

Ethan trick-or-treated with a friend. It felt strange not having him around that evening. But boy did he clean up without us slow-pokes dragging him down--loads of candy, full-size candy bars, and even cold, hard cash. He was in heaven. And I am in h-e-double-hockey-sticks because now it is all here staring me in the face, and I want to eat it. 

Trick-or-treating was actually postponed by the city until the following day because of bad weather. it felt weird because I've always considered trick-or-treating a spontaneous activity and not one that is "organized". But it was great because the weather on November 1 was beautiful. Addie was thrilled she didn't even have to wear a coat over her Jesse costume.

And here are a couple more pictures. One of the kids playing "poker" in a made-up candy exchange game:

And one of our Chunky Monkey:

Now that Halloween is over we can now enjoy the pleasure of listening to Christmas music wherever we go. Let the games begin!

What? Thanksgiving?

Never heard of it.

Be Not Moved

In YW we recently tried to recreate the poster of the 2013 youth theme: Stand Ye in Holy Places. 

After the girls posed for individual pictures, they had fun making other silhouettes. Here are a few of my favorites:

It turned out to be a very successful activity. 

One Wonderful Year

Owen turned one yesterday! One whole year. One. It flew by. 

I couldn't get really great pictures. The sun was glaring through our blind-less windows. (I really need to make a decision and do something about that. Our neighbors are probably getting tired of the peep show.) Not to mention this kid DOES NOT COOPERATE for the camera. All four of us are practically standing on our heads to get this mild expression. He really is quite a smiley boy normally. 

The kids chose what his cake would be. They helped in the decorating too. He loves the book A Very Hungry Caterpillar so they thought it fitting.

Ethan and Addie made cards. This is Addie reading her card to him. It was so sweet.  

Her card said: Dear Owen, Happy first birthday to you! I know it's exciting to have your first birthday today on the eighth of October. I just want to tell you something that I love you very much and that everyday I love you more and more. I just want you to grow up...I want to see how cute you'll be...Love, Adelaide

Ethan's was a poem: 

To my favorite bubby

who is also kinda chubby

His birthday is October 8

So that means it will be GREAT

Can you guess who's grandpa's name is Ken?

Why of course, it's OWEN!

And then there was cake. The bib he is wearing is also a birthday gift. Addie spent her own money on it. She skipped by the toys and chose it because he would not be able to pull it off like he does his others. (Smile)

One year. I wanted to cry the entire day. I didn't. But if I had, they would have been happy tears, not sad. We just love him so much and are so glad he is a part of our family. 

September

September came and went. I keep vowing to post more frequently, then break my promise. So to my very few, yet very important viewers, I apologize. 

Our baby was eleven months in September. He became more and more of a lovable little pill with every single day. 

Owen and I took an impromptu trip to New York to join Randal on a business trip. We met up with a number of good friends, drove by our old house, shopped at our favorite grocery store (Wegmans) and embarrassed Randal by bringing a case of spaghetti sauce home on the company plane, in front of his boss. We had a great time. 

We picked apples and pears. Tons actually.

I'm not exaggerating. The kids are picking machines. We did pick tons. I had to bottle them all week last week as a result. We're set for a while. Trust me. 

And how this kids managed to be covered in glitter at an apple orchard I'll never know. The nut.

The Lake and BBQ

Labor Day weekend we did some camping. In a tent. Of which was off limits while Owen napped. So Ethan improvised:

It was blasted hot. And humid. So the lake was a welcome relief. 

And we proved once again we have a baby prodigy...one who can swim.

Just kidding.

No one around us started fires. It was that hot. But we would have starved without one. (We are not as equipped as the RV-ing crowd.) The smores more than made up for the extra degrees. 

Look at what the humidity does to Owen's hair. So cute. He did awesome camping. He ate more sticks and grass than I cared for him to eat, but after a while I gave up. If it was organic material I stopped fighting it. 

This weekend we decided to brave the heat again and hit up the BBQ festival.

Delicious.

And we met a bona fide Pitmaster champion: Melissa Cookston. 

After plunking down a significant bit of change on BBQ, we let the kids empty our pockets on an activity of their choice. Addie chose some crafting. 

Ethan chose some jumping.

And then he tried to talk me into bringing a puppy home from the Humane Society booth. Randal even did a little nudging... 

...I mean look at them...

...how cold does one have to be to deny a boy of a dog?... 

...But I resisted...

Bet you thought for a second there the two of them talked me into it.

Nope. I'm a jerk. 

August End

School Started.

A couple of weeks ago, actually.

The kids are off to a great start. Ethan is a fifth grader. Addie is in second. Even still, Addie carefully sets out her school clothes the night before, right down to the underwear. Ethan, I keep reminding that the pants with the holes in the knee are no longer for school. Boys and girls are so different that way.

And Owen is 10 months. I'm late posting because I'm too busy chasing this little guy around. He is crawling now. And he's already into a ton of trouble. (I think Randal and I are in for it.)

Coaxing him to "pose" is next to impossible. Trying to get a decent picture mostly looked like this:

And a little like this:

So this was the best I could do:

 

It's just Owen and I most of the day now. He misses the kids. But he busies himself opening drawers and putting anything in his mouth he can manage. He claps a lot, and waves occasionally. Baths are still his favorite time of day. And, of course, the kid can eat. He eats just about everything we put in front of him which is so unlike our other two. We're so amazed we keep sticking strange things on his plate just to see what he'll do. And mostly he eats it all up.   

I sure love these kids!

UT/ID

We've been in Utah and Idaho the past month, something we look forward to all year long. Although there are a lot of pictures, there is still a shocking lack of representation. I'm a bit sad about that, so if you have any pictures to share--of girl's day, the Rimington reunion, anything with Mom and Tammy in it, etc...send them my way.  

That said, this post has plenty of pictures. So get comfortable.

Here is Owen carbo-loading the night before the plane flight. 

By the way, he did great. 

He even earned a set of wings. 

Which he put in his mouth. 

So I took them away.

And it made him cry.
Making everyone on the plane give us the stink-eye.

Owen turned 9 months. I know some remarkable things happened, it's just hard to remember a month later. The 10-month milestone he's just hit really has us hopping though. I'll post it tomorrow. Or the next day. I cannot fully commit to being productive 2 days in a row.

Ethan turned 10. We celebrated in increments throughout the trip. Cake and ice cream were in Idaho with tons of family around, which was the real treat. More on Ethan coming soon. He's quite a kid and deserves a post of his own.

Abby really delivered as the excited cousin. 

Owen was doted on by cousins too.

I mean really, there isn't anything cuter than these boys with Owen is there?

Although let's not forget Cinnamon. Her patience with all the "love an attention" deserves a cuteness honorable mention. I couldn't get a better picture since this was her preferred distance from Owen, unless she was busy licking up his spilled breakfast, tickling his thunder thighs with her tongue.

We floated the river. Here we are at the beginning--before we got stuck on sand bars and before we floated 3 hours to a quartet of, "Are we there yet?" 

Super cute of Addie with Grandma and Grandpa.

Beautiful. 

And yes, I was there. Rarely documented in pictures, but always there.

We had a great time at Grandma and Grandpa's. We always do. Thank you for all the fun! 

But before we leave Idaho, I must throw in this picture of Randal and his parents. It truly looks like Randal has a beautiful, long, flowing, curly...mullet. Shame on the photographer.

Next, we braved the blazing heat and goat-head weeds (which, by the way, is the worst weed on the planet) to shoot off rockets with Grandpa Rimington.

Uncle Mike and Addie loading the first to go.

Ethan at the launch pad.

And the big finale X 10. 

Bekah was so sweet. She was afraid Owen's legs were getting too much sun so she used her top to cover them. Cute, little momma!

Thanks, Grandpa! We had a great day.

Adelaide tried roller skating for the first time.

My first time too--in ages. What a pair!

We look forward to seeing the Haights every year too.

And we were lucky enough to see our friends from New York who are now living in Taiwan. Small world. 

Grandma and Tammy are trying some alternative measures for treating allergies. For 24 hours they were not to even touch a raw vegetable. 

So we made it impossible for them to enter their rooms. Te-he-he-he. 

And then there was Bear Lake. Aka, the best place on earth.

Thanks to everyone for making our visit such a wonderful one! We loved spending time with you. Hopefully the memories will tide us over another year. Love you all!