Gratitude Attitude

Today (yesterday) we are (were) grateful for:

Mom: Trees! I love trees and I'm really into these Live Texas Oaks. So cool!

Dad: Discounts- I have some major dental work to be done including a root canal and we don't have dental insurance. I'm so wishing one of our brothers were done with dental school and living nearby. But our dentist is in the bishopric with Jamie and is being very generous. We also have a mechanic in the ward that has his own family shop which I know we will be so grateful for soon. Cars I know nothing about so an honest mechanic is so important.

Emma: Fruit- "Because it's healthy and makes you strong"

Weston: Water- "It makes you stay to life."

Andrew- Primary

Halloween

Last week we had a Halloween potluck for playgroup. I was thinking it was probably too hot for Andrew to wear his padded fleece frog costume and was deciding what we wanted to do about the costume. Meanwhile Andrew comes down telling me he needs a flag. Then he pulled Weston's Jack-o-lantern paper off the window and went outside. He came back with a stick and told me to put the paper on it and headed back upstairs. He comes back down in his Superman cape and declares "I'm Captain Moroni." Then he shows me the rip on his cape and says "Captain Moroni ripped his cape" (the cape was ripped already). I helped him make a Trio sword (less dangerous and more authentic than the light saber) and we headed off to the potluck. Okay, so despite his squirms and squeals during FHE, maybe something's getting through. Or maybe it's just primary. Or actually I think it's his new obsession with the Hero books grandma got him last year.

Weston jumped on the creative costume ship and came down with this hula skirt on his head. He woulda made a cute girl.

Saturday we had a carnival and trunk-or-treat at the church. See the black pants and red shorts to the left? Jamie actually dressed up. We had a Goofy hat from one of Mama Steeds Disney adventures so I got him to dress up as Goofy. I was a witch, but that's nothing new (but not the witch here with the candy basket).

Cutest costumes of the night were the quintuplet family that have seven kids so they were Snow White, Prince Charming and the seven dwarfs. So cute!

Some people really go all out for these trunk-or-treats. This family had a projector with monster eyes in their car and he was dressed as a mad scientist passing out glow stick necklaces. First time I had to wait in line to get to a trunk.

After all the candy Sat., I was ready to boycott trick-or-treating Mon. so I told the kids we were going to have a Halloween party instead. Emma's big on decorations so she drew and posted pictures. I attempted candy corn pizza (inner circle of cheddar outer circle mozz) but it overcooked and looked very un-candy-cornish. And I made a Jello brain but forgot to mix in the pineapple before it solidified so it was really weird tasting and even the kids didn't like eating it.

The apple monsters turned out cute thanks to Emma.

I had advertised we would make candy apples and carve pumpkins for our "party" but I couldn't get everything together fast enough and it was a school night so they did a little trick-or-treating while I set up the apple stuff, drank spiced cider, played pin the parts on the jack-o-lantern and off to bed. I told them we'd eat the caramel apples the next night because seriously do you think you didn't get enough sugar. And I ended up just making them myself while Jamie put the kids to bed.

I overheard Emma's conversation with Nana last week, "My problem with Halloween is the violence. It's fun, but it's inappropriate." Jamie grinned and told me she was definitely my daughter. He's always teasing us Cannon girls and our appropriateness.

Live in Thanksgving Daily- Day 2

Looks Grandma Ginger took over that last post and bumped all these pictures off so here they are again.

Live in Thanksgiving daily- Day 2

Today we are grateful for:

Mom: Mr. Billy- the kids ride the bus to school which has worked out wonderfully. Our street is the last stop before school so the kids don't have to get up earlier, there's not a lot of stops so they get home quickly, the bus stop is just across from our house so it's convenient, the kids on the bus are nice kids, and best of all Mr Billy. They have an awesome bus driver that cares about them, always greets them with a smile and a high five, gives them treats on holidays, lets them speak on his loudspeaker when they're getting off the bus, made a special trip to the bus repair shop to get Weston's backpack he left on the bus, and never yells at the kids. Best bus driver ever! I am so grateful my kids are in good hands.

Dad: Temple recommends- just got his renewed tonight and is all set to go with the youth on Saturday.

Emma: Grandma Ginger- Emma listens to her every night. Here's a link to listen to and download her stories. All my kids love her.

Weston: Dinner- I guess he was digging the mini quiches and yogurt parfaits tonight. Nothing like breakfast for dinner when you're throwing something together at last minute.

Andrew: Goo- Made some goo for Halloween and Andrew and his buddy I'm babysitting had a fun time experimenting with it.

Days of Thanksgiving- Day 1

It's November, and that means it's time to think about what we're grateful for.

Dad: Raymond Barone

Mom: Amidst the drought and yellow grass I found these lovely flowers on our fence. It made me smile.

Emma: Friends

Weston: Toys

Andrew: Trio blocks- He doesn't want to leave the house anymore because he's too busy building train tracks and trio creations.