Early Fall Pictures

I took these photos of my kids (mostly Hattie) in late September this year just as the leaves were turning color. I told Hattie she could be Tinker Bell with the wings and I was going to take pictures of her. She did super awesome! Most cooperative she has ever been for pictures, and I love how so many turned out.

Love, Love, Love this photo of them.

(maybe it's because I didn't have to try getting them to all look and smile at the same time:)

Ha ha, this was at the beginning when I told her the wings would make her fly if she was good. So she sat and smiled awesome the whole time. By the end though she was getting mad because she hadn't flown like Tinkerbell yet. I had been planning on 'flying' being riding around on my shoulders and tossing her in the air. That did not please her at all. In fact, she was downright mad when we left and she hadn't flown. ha ha!

Blah, why is it so hard for me to take a picture of my three kids looking nice! Anyway, we did have a fun time taking most of the pictures after I gave up on a cute sibling one.

first Tanner wasn't lookingThen Peter wasn't looking. He found a twig and became obsessed with it. An icecream truck could have driven by and he wouldn't have noticed.Tanner took the twig away and Peter turned to eating grass, and Hattie kept scratching because she said the grass was too pokey on her leg.We got some fun pictures of Tanner throwing leaves. In most of the pictures he has an evil looking face though because he likes to pretend I am the 'bad guy' and he is beating me up (all day), so the leaves were an excuse for him to get aggressive again. Boys will be boys!This was the highlight of the park trip - jumping into our little pile of leaves with super capes on!The park workers were driving around picking up all the leaves, and the poor guy had to sit and wait for me to finish taking my pictures before he could finish. I had brought a shovel to the park since we don't have a rake, and we walked forever to find some leaves to scrape into a pile. It was piddly, but the kids LOVED it.Peter was no exception. Once I put him in this pile, he thought I had placed him in the happiest place on earth. I couldn't get a single cute picture of his face though because he always had a funny expression because his mouth was so full of prickly leaves.
And, with a good amount of candy and gum bribes, both Tanner and Hattie laid in the prickly leaves to let me take a fun leaf picture. What a fun, beautiful fall day. No coats and it's November!

Lest we forget

Last Remembrance Day, Larry and I happened to visit a building in Paris, Les Invalids, that Napoleon had built to house war veterans and those wounded in war. A part of the building had been turned into a huge war museum displaying the military history of France. The first section displayed the first types of leather armor that were used and crude swords and spears. It moved on to rooms and rooms of metal armor that knights wore and how the armor and their weapons evolved. It was crazy to think they actually wore those types of things. The museum continued to display the many types of weapons, armor, machines and so on that were used in all the wars France was involved in. It was amazing and so humbling to see. Suprising to me was their honesty in what they displayed and wrote. For the WWI and WWII displays, the museum displayed the various military clothing, gear, and weapons used by major countries (including Canada). The stuff we read was very frank on why the Germans were winning at first - because their military tactics were better. (I never thought France would admit it so openly, so it was very suprising and informative to read because we weren't taught a lot of it in school even). They also wrote brief stories on major battles and had many short films to watch.

I loved this place, and there was such a peace to the building. Peace in a war museum? I know. We in Canada recognize and appreciate our war veterans, but nothing like they do in France. They are real heros to them. Real people. I loved that we were able to visit it on such a commemorative day.

I love that we are able to have Remembrance Day as a holiday here. I love that we can set a day aside in our lives to remember those who fought in war, no matter who they fought for and what role they played. It is an emotion I could never put down in words, but one I'm sure so many people feel at this time of year as well. Deep gratitude is a very key part. Gratitude for those boys and men who fought and endured so much. They saw, experience, and felt things we can't even imagine. I also can't help but think of all those mothers who sent their sons and husbands off to war. How each day would have been spent in agony, fear, and loneliness. I can't imagine what each person felt that drove them into leaving home and family to fight a war across the ocean.

I could go on and on obviously, but I would just like to say that I am greatful for everyone that served. For the mothers that let their sons go, for the fathers that left their wives and children, and for the boys that served when there was so much to fear in doing so.

Our Halloween

The following is 2010 Halloween in all it's glory!

We went to the cornmaze this year, and it was totally awesome! The weather was perfect, and the kids loved running around and taking turns choosing which way to go. Then we got to check out the petting zoo and ride behind a lawnmower in cow painted barrels. I'm definitely going to make it part of my Halloween tradition. They also had a pumpkin patch, so we told the kids they could each pick out a pumpkin to carve. They both wanted a "baby pumpkin" and couldn't be talked into otherwise. So we took them home, and since we couldn't carve them, we drew pictures all over them and set them outside for display. I'd have to say they probably found it more fun than carving the big one anyway this year.

I made this dress for Hattie last year, and it was way too big. It fit her perfect this year, and I found a darling shirt to match.

Carving the pumpkin. Hattie was so excited to stick her had in and pull out the guts. Tanner wanted nothing to do with it. Larry made him pull out some seeds, and Tanner immediately went to the sink and got a rag to wash his hands and arms off. Ha ha, totally shows their personalities!

This is us at our Saturday night ward Trunk-or-Treat! It was tonnes of fun, and there were tonnes of kids.

Hattie took a while to get going because she couldn't stop starring at all the kids and adult in costume. She just seemed to wander around aimlessly until she realized I wasn't beside her, then she would panic until she found me again.

Tanner loved every minute of it and kept trying to get Hattie to hurry up. He also made sure everyone knew who they were in costume and out.

This was the parade after the trunk-or-treat. They told the kids to line up, and Hattie went immediately to the other Snow White in line. However, once the kids started walking, she had no idea what was going on, so she walked straight over to me and Larry. The leader picked her up again on the way by, but she just had a confused expression on the entire time.

Yet again, Tanner loved it, and waved the entire time to all the adults. He would even strike a pose if someone acknowledged him. Too funny!

Right before Trick-or-Treating on Sunday! This time we got Peter in costume too as Superman. I know, I'm a totally cheepwad with his costume with normal blue clothes, Tanner's socks and underwear, a felt Superman symbol, and Tanner's cape. He didn't care.

Here is Tanner striking a pose before he heads out to get more candy. He totally cracks me up!

And they're off. First house on their door-to-door trick-or-treat round.

Totally done and exhausted!

What a fun night!!

And the LOOT! What a candy cash!

They were so excited and yet so good about having all the candy in front of them. We told them they could each have 2 pieces, and they didn't even ask for more. They know it's in the house, but they never ask for any and totally abide by they one after lunch and one after supper rule. Larry and I and a lot less disciplined though.

My Halloween crafts

I love Halloween, and to me decorating is a huge part of that. Here are just a few of the crafts I did this year.

A witches brew with a sign.
Skeleton gingerbread men. These were yours Naomi - sorry I forgot to send them with Bradyn.

Finally got my pumpkin pots done

A candy count down. I loved it, but totally forgot to keep up with it.

My delicious dessert table for my 'adult' Halloween party.

My invitations for the party. Take off the lid and it fell open with a little invitation inside a witch head.

Fun fun! I love Halloween.