Trick-or-Treating (Their First Time!)

Tonight was the first time that my kids have actually gone door to door trick-or-treating. No, we're not slacker parents... our last ward had a trunk-or-treat on Halloween every year so we just did that. Now that we're in a new ward (that doesn't do anything on Halloween - yay!) the kids had a chance to go. They loved it and had way more fun going door to door than trunk to trunk. Chad and his dad and brother took the kids around while his mom and I handed out candy. The kids lasted about an hour and probably would have kept going had they not had to walk everywhere.

It only took a few doors for the kids to get the hang of it.

I was told that Laura actually ran into three houses, usually chasing after a dog or cat. Goofy girl.

Trying to keep up with her big brother.

Cutting across lawns and running! Chad said that by the third door Laura had figured out people were giving her candy and started running door to door. Wish I would have seen it. :)

They found puppies!

Here's a video of Laura running door to door. I love that Laura is running from the beginning and Cayden had to be encouraged to run. Also, listen carefully for the giggles. So cute!

Golden

It just so happens that today is my golden birthday. Funny how when you are an adult birthdays aren't quite as much fun. I did plenty of laundry and didn't really see my husband as he was at work and school all day. However, we did plenty of celebrating over the weekend and the kids and I went to dinner with my in-laws to celebrate tonight. All in all, it actually has been one of my favorite birthdays.

Gifts from my sweet husband and kids. I think my favorite is the 60 minute massage! Woo!

Delicious homemade cheesecake! Yes, I did have to make it myself.

These next two pictures aren't part of the actual birthday celebrations, but happened tonight and are too funny not to share. After going to dinner with my in-laws we went back to their house for a bit. The kids ended up trying on a wig from their Halloween costume stash. These pictures seriously make me die laughing!

Laura actually really enjoyed the wig until it came off and Grandma helped her put it back on. This sad little face is too cute!

Cayden loved the wig! Sadly, every time I look at this picture the first thing I think of is Ron Weasley. Cayden may or may not wish this picture existed in 10 years. :)

Pumpkin Patch Munchkins

Chad and I took the kids to the pumpkin patch last night to pick out their pumpkins. It was also a good excuse to dress up in their costumes. I was hoping to get some good pictures of the kids in their costumes, but they clearly didn't feel like cooperating. One or the other was always wiggling, running out of the picture, or looking at something other than the camera... I don't know how people manage to get a decent shot of their kids together. Despite my photo frustration, the kids had a blast which is what really counts.

Best shot we could get of both kids together.

Picking pumpkins...

...and putting them in the wheelbarrow.

Love my little Laura Bug!

Cute kids riding a tractor. I knew Cayden would love it, but didn't expect Laura to. She didn't want to come down!

Proof that I was there. Wow. I seriously need to have that baby.

Bwhaha! Sibling love?

"Helping" daddy push the wheelbarrow. Chad said it was so much harder when the kids were helping.

King and Queen of the hay bales.

Playing in the maze. These two had hay all over. It was literally stuck to everything and got in places I didn't think it could get to. And by the way, hay is a pain in the rear to clean up. But, on a positive note, neither of my kids is allergic to hay. :)

After we got home and cleaned up, the kids decorated their pumpkins. A princess and a pirate.

The extent of our pumpkin "carving" this year. Gutting and carving a pumpkin just wasn't going to happen, so we cheated. Way less mess and the kids were still happy.

Life According to Chad's Phone

Yes, we are alive. We're just super busy and when I finally have a free moment the last thing I want to do is try to think of something witty to put in a blog post. Besides, all people really want are pictures. Right? (I should mention that all of these pictures are courtesy of Chad and his phone. I apparently really stink at taking pictures lately.)

This is what happens when daddy does baths. Though horns do fit her quite well...

Cayden thought these wigs/head pieces were great. Laura wasn't so sure.

Cayden has really been into drawing lately. And he usually draws cranes, trucks, dump trucks, etc. Here is a crane that he was particularly proud of.

Watching General Conference. Each time there was a song Laura would stand right in front of the screen and try to conduct the music. This girl is too dang cute and seriously loves music!

Laura loves sitting in bins, buckets, boxes, and baskets. And she will frequently crawl into something and then not be able to get out. This time we piled all the plastic lids on top of her and she loved it.

Road trippin' with a mouthful of oranges. She ended up sucking all the juice out of the individual pieces and spitting out the skins. Goofy girl.

On the way home from a weekend in Colorado. Both kids were exhausted and I was grateful to have access to a bed for naptime.

This is how we find Cayden lately. He is "fixing" the car. Cute boy loves cars (and TB for that matter) way too much. He is just like his daddy. :)

Once upon a time...

...I was awakened in the middle of the night by a loud thump followed by screaming. After racing into the kid's room I discovered that Laura had successfully "climbed" out of her crib. Chad and I proceeded to spend the entire following weekend figuring out the big girl bed/crib situation. It was very time consuming, there were lots of tears shed, and a few fights. In the end though, we were all happy and alive. :) The only downside to Laura sleeping in a big girl bed is that she can get out at will and now stands at her bedroom door screaming in the middle of the night until she gives up and decides to crawl back in bed. We weren't quite ready to move Laura into a big girl bed (she's 19 months and Cayden was 27 months before we moved him), but she forced us to do it with her new-found climbing and escaping abilities.

The kid's new bed. Cayden loves sleeping on the top bunk. I love the fact I don't have to worry about Laura throwing herself out of her crib. I don't love that she can climb out of bed and does so frequently. When we move after Chad finishes his Master's the plan is to break the bunk beds down into two twin beds for the girls to share in one room.