Halloween Parade

Today was the Halloween Parade. The parade was outside, which I thought was great and much less crazy and crowded than other years of parents and children cramped in the cafeteria or school halls (like 2015 or 2017). I rode my bike over with Daniel and Peter in the trailer, and will remember to get a blanket for them if we go on a bike ride again this fall. They were cold after that and it was pretty chilly until the sun came out, but after it did it was perfect. D&P went to play on the slide, but then Daniel's hands were cold. Peter took off his jacket cause he had to show his Spiderman outfit, so I used his fleece jacket as a neck warmer for Daniel for a bit. Finally the parade started. The younger grades started first and they ended with the older kids. So Owen and his first grade class was one of the first groups to go around the school. He's the Lego guy.

Natalie came along with her class - she put together this Cruella ensemble. 

Sophi was a strawberry Jolly Rancher candy.

After the parade, Daniel and Peter wanted to play, so we did. 

It was good to be outside. Peter coming down the slide!

In his "cowboy" hat. 

Weee!

I love my little boys.

Abi and Lily dressed up for school yesterday. They didn't have a parade, but they just got to wear their costumes. Lily found this Mario outfit last night (and last minute!)

And Abi and her friends had been planning for weeks to be the Care Bears. 

Abi was "Share Bear" and brought some dumdum suckers to share with people, cute. After the kids got home today, they all wanted to play G-switch. They've all been pretty obsessed about this game recently, and I've let them play it too much (cause I'm not feeling that great). Natalie introduced it to them this week. Last week they were all about Fire boy and Water girl. I thought this picture of the kids after school was kinda funny. You've got Sophi there in her Jolly Rancher outfit, next is a part of Natalie's head (her body is wearing black on Sophi's left) next Lily, holding Peter in his cowboy hat, then Daniel, Owen, and a neighbor friend Lani May. 

Corey and I went on a date tonight at Bandits. People will be trick or treating in our neighborhood tomorrow night instead of on Sunday, so we'll be taking a break from video games this weekend and will trade it for an overdose of candy I guess. Happy Halloween tomorrow!

Halloween Chaos

Wes in the school Halloween Parade, he's a pirate skeleton (such a cute smile) and Ethan below as an evil old Hag with a poison apple

So what's going on here... Joe had a Halloween Concert and Jazz Band concert last night.

Seemingly embarrassed as I snap a picture too close to the stage

 

Then we got home late, then had dinner late.  Then we went to bed late, so I got up late, so was late getting to the temple, late getting back, late making lunches, luckily the kids had helped each other get dressed up in their costumes.  Although they did put me in tears for a brief moment.  I vented "If our life is so busy that I can't spent 2 little hours at the temple out of the 168 hours in a week, then our life is too busy and something's gotta go.  But it's not going to be the temple. Halloween parades, school - those are on the table in my book, but the temple isn't, so if you guys want to go to school and attend your costume parades I need to have atleast these 2 hours without feeling guilty about it."

(I'm feeling a bit stretched if you can't tell)

Then since I was running around in a panic I was early to the Halloween Parade.  Too early.  Sophia was impatient waiting for the show to begin.  She didn't want to be there and made sure I was aware for the next 45 minutes that she wanted to go back home.  Then we came home, changed diapers, ate breakfast, then were late as we went back to the school for Wesley's 2nd grade Halloween Program.

Abi still in pjs and without shoes.  Lily without shoes...

Hmm, can anyone besides me tell that I do not have my act together?  But we're alive.  Now we're gonna eat lunch then run to the store and buy Halloween candy to pass out tonight.  And food.  We've been out of cereal for a few days.  Except for "All Bran" and "Grape Nuts" which my children don't recognize as edible food, so they've been looking a little confused in the mornings when I offer them eggs and apple slices for breakfast like "What is this??".  If we survive the day then it will have been a success.

Have fun Trick Or Treating  Happy Halloween!

Halloween Parade

Today we went over to the elementary school for the parade and Halloween program. I was glad that the jr. high kids didn't have school today, cause I was able to leave Owen in their capable hands. Well, Mel's capable hands. (Joseph and Ethan were still in bed when we left).

So, here's the pictures from this year's school parade and this year's 2nd grade program (Abi's turn) ~ It's the parade is marching by quickly - thus the fuzzy focus. We got there just in time to catch the parade coming out the doors at the end of the gym, which lucky for me is where we stood. There's Lily's teacher and class, and there's Lily!

 Lily saying "Hi Owen!!!"

 Here comes the second graders - there's Abi!

And finally, the big kids in school: the fifth graders. We moved into the gym as we waited for Wesley's grade, and soon I saw his teacher winding her class through the seated parents. It was fun watching Wesley walk through - he was probably the only kid that made people do a double take, and then I'd see them laugh. He was singing "Lollipop, lollipop, oh lolly-lolly-lolly- Lollipop!" over and over again.

He is such a fun kid, love that self confidence! Then the parade was over, so we moved over to the west side of the gym for the second grader program. Abi and the witches had a good spot to sit, up high on the right side of the stage.

Their big number was "Witches Brew"

So two cute things that happened on our way over - 1) I told Sophi to get in the car cause we were going to go to the school, and she sweetly looked up at Corey and I and sincerely asked "I am six now?" No sweetie, not to attend school, we're just going over for a minute. You're still 4... gotta wait two years for kindergarten! Hang in there! And then 2) as we got of the car, Natalie and Sophi ran toward the school and I kept up with them with a brisk walk. As we moved across the parking lot, they came across a crack in the asphalt, and as Natalie saw it, and realized she was running right toward it, she totally veered herself to the right, like a car swerving to miss hitting a child that suddenly jumped in front of them. It made me laugh. I helped her make it safely over the crack. As we continued to the school and came across more cracks, Natalie would give a brief pause in her toddle and I held her hand and helped her jump high up and over to clear the deep chasm below. Made me laugh.

Ready for Halloween

It was a usual busy morning with exercise and running carprool, with the added fun this morning of helping kids get ready for the Halloween parade. Wesley was the only older kid that got dressed up. He found my old SBO sweater from Wasatch Jr. High, which just so happens to be Churchill's rival. So he was a Wasatch Student Body Officer. There can't be anything much scarier than that for Chruchill kids to see wandering their hallways! Back at home, here's the elementary kids heading out to the bus (with a few neighbor kids. I do not have 7 kids in elementary school...) -

My little girls are all so responsible... they woke up on their own and were already mostly ready by the time I got back from carpool. I helped with the finishing touches - Natalie's Elsa wig -

And makeup for the Sophi witch -

And Jack Sparrow eye liner for Pirate Lily -

Two weeks ago I forgot about the parade and scheduled an OB appointment for this morning at 9:30, so I told them I wouldn't be able to make it to the school. When I first started to tell Abi she gasped with worry, but turns out it was just cause she thought I wouldn't be here to help with her hair. But no, I said I had to leave after they will have left, so I'll be here to help, I just can't come see you. Oh, good. As long as you can help us get ready. I thought they'd be sad about me not coming but they didn't care. Sweet! (Maybe I can get out of the parade next year? j/k, kinda, haha.... years and years of halloween parades and I'm still a halloween scrooge) So for this year, I'll just watch the parade video from 2017 and imagine Sophi in the witch costume and Lily in the pirate one Abi wore last year... And Abi's been wearing the blue dress around the house enough the past three days that I've got a clear picture of her in my mind's eye too. This is a dress my sister in law made, she's an amazing seamstress. Abi loved having a poofy dress like this. She said George Washington's wife

 And they're off to school -

Corey was going to work from home and watch the kids for me but then said he needed to go in, so I hurried and woke up Daniel, Owen was already up, got them dressed, and we hurried out to the dr - I had to be there on time to get my blood drawn "exactly one hour" from finishing my glucose drink for the pregnancy diabetes test thing. All these tests. Oh, and we just got the bill this week for the panorama test thing... $3900 dollars! Luckily insurance took it down to just $750, still made me shake my head. I thought it was $300 for us to pay, $400 tops, just ridiculous. I told Corey to help me remember how much it costs so we don't do it "next time" I said with a wink (...just if there is a next time, sweetie, haha...)

Will post tomorrow or maybe update here later with the trick or treating fun tonight. 

Happy Halloween

On Saturday Corey took the kids to pumpkin patch to buy pumpkins. Then they went to the community Halloween festival for hot chocolate, donuts, and a costume contest. He's a good dad. I was glad to say home with Katharine. Owen checking out the mud on his shoes, Peter dressed as a black Ninja.

While Corey took NOP, Wayne had asked some of the kids to go to his house for a raking party this past weekend. Corey was gone with kids and the toddler I had was no good, but thankfully Mel came up on Saturday to visit, and she and Wes went to rake leaves. They had a fun time goofing off together, trying to rake fast and furious. Wes got a blister he was working so hard. There's a lot to do around here, and some things the kids want to do, I don't care about. They wanted me to put up more Halloween decorations, I told them I got rid of all of them a few years ago, which is true, so Daniel put up stuff he brought home from school. Cute. Kinda sad too, but cute.

I'm glad they owned it. I told them to wait for Mel to be able to carve the pumpkins with them on Saturday, but they went ahead without her, and without me cause I didn't want to do it. So they all look like they were done by little kids, and they were, and that's just fine. 

Lily did the barfing one. 

So, today is Halloween. That means the Halloween parade, yay...

It was crazy cold. Corey and Wes were still at home, so I left Katharine and Peter with them and I walked down. I went on a walk this morning and was amazed by these white and green leaves. Like the white was so white, I honestly thought they had been painted. 

The toddlers don't want to be standing outside anyway. Neither do I, but it's more bearable without little kids fussing that they want to leave. All of these dutiful parents and caregivers. 

I thought this sign was sad. Back in the 80s, we were allowed to bounce balls on the school's brick walls. Times have changed.

Ok, finally time for the parade. Captain America!

Owen is Red from Rainbow Friends, which I know nothing about. But he was ok with this Elmo costume that I got from the thrift store and adjusted, so I was happy.

Natalie was Cleopatra. Holding out her hands asking "Where's KATHARINE?!?!" Sorry, I left her. 

Once Natalie walked past, I was outta there. Then I prepped myself mentally for when the kids got home and would need help getting ready to trick or treat. BUT, then, Corey and I decided we should go on our annual pre-Halloween bike ride instead! So I put Abi in change of costume and make up, which she was happy to do, and Corey and I took off, yay! We left at 3:30. It was great to be in the canyon, but it was suuuper cold!!! I got 4 achievements. 

We were able to make it to the ruins despite the snow. 

It was fall weather again back at home. We got a black permanent marker and drew jack o lantern faces on brown paper bags and called it good for their trick or treating sacks. 

The kids enjoyed pizza with neighbors and then they scattered - Natalie with Lani May, Daniel with Austin, Owen was with Isaac I think... Corey and I were texting each other about where we were and who we saw last and hoped that we still had all the kids. I came with Katharine, then Corey took her home and I finished with Peter. 

He's cute. It was fun to take him around. 

Some of the houses he wasn't too sure about!

Natalie accidentally left her Cleopatra costume on the bus, so she had to come up with a quick costume after we got home, cause I told her I was not going to call or bother anyone from the school district bus system.

She did the costume that Mel and Wesley did - Wes went down to Provo for a college dance party with JM&E. I'll try to get pics of that later. Wes and Mel were bigger versions of Natalie, so they looked like this - 

Only taller, and in a darker room with a lot of other people dancing. Now it's time to see what spoils the kids came home with...

They shared with Katharine, she got all sticky, then we gave her a bath, and went to pickup Sophi from a friend's house out at Churchill. Joseph came up with a date and we were able to meet her, Deborah, she was nice! They followed Owen and Daniel around for a bit and got hot dogs and scones from our neighbors. Some of them really go all out, it's fun. We all eventually made it home and now we're going to turn off Harry Potter and go to bed. You got that, Katharine? BEDTIME!

Oh, right, we need to read scriptures first...

Holding her little Book of Mormon, such a good girl. 

Hope it was a good Happy Halloween for everyone. Goodnight.