It seems like I blinked and October was over! Here are a few things we've been up to. Sam, Mattie and Lauren all decided to run cross country for Obsidian Middle School. This was a new experience for the girls and I was proud of them for pushing themselves every day at practice and working to improve their times at meets. This was Sam's third year running and he and his friends had fun together. We'll see if he decides to continue cross country in high school.



Sam earned his Life rank in the Scouting program.


Jonas helped me make Halloween cookies -


Tasty looking aren't they?


I'm not a huge fan of several traditional Halloween activities, carving pumpkins being one of them. I had this great idea this year. While the kids were at school and Jonas was distracted by some highly educational activity (okay, it was the TV, I admit it. I'm not proud of it but it worked), I cleaned out the inside of the pumpkins. The pumpkins sat in the sink and the guts went directly into the garbage. It was fast and not too messy. Then that evening I presented empty pumpkins to the kids to carve. It was brilliant! Some of them are old enough to carve them by themselves - we didn't even have to help!


The finished products - a BOO carved out and


...Sasquatch.


I got to go to Jonas' preschool party this year, so I dressed up with him. (Thank you, Charlie, for loaning Jonas your Luigi costume - he loves it!)

The ward Trunk-or-Treat was our next event. I graciously let Chris use the Mario costume for this party. I don't think Jonas took the Luigi costume off the whole day. Quinn came home from school and turned into a vampire princess.




Mattie and Lauren had two parties over the weekend. We snapped a quick picture before they headed off. Mattie is an artist and Lauren is dressed up in the sophisticated fashion of 1984!


Bring on November - let the birthdays and holidays begin!