halloween 2010

Happy Halloween

The kids have been on a sugar high all day today as we celebrated Halloween last night. A very wet, cold night I might add.

Davis went to school on Friday as a soccer player and ended up a hobo for trick or treating.

I think the sign worked in his favor by the looks of his candy bag! Better put him to work....

Then we have our construction worker (NOT Bob the Builder), our cowgirl and our karate girl.

Darn it. I didn't even manage to get a shot of Maren - doctor in scrubs by day (school) and a cowgirl by night. But she looked cute!

Mmmm... we're just glad that after an entire day of nonstop sugar (I did feed them real food at mealtimes) that the candy novelty is beginning to wear off!

Hoping you all had a Happy Halloween!

first day of school and more

School is now in full swing. Everyone is enjoying it and doing well. And mom enjoys a little structure that it brings.

Maren began 9th grade and is back in public schools (so no more uniforms for her - although I think she really misses it!).

Davis is in 6th grade and is in middle school now - lockers, 7 periods and loves being on student council.

Natalie is in 2nd grade. She is still an excellent math student and is really beginning to love reading (yay!).

And Millie started Kindergarten this year. She is very good at coming right home and getting her math homework done - good habits!

Now for some random self-photography of Maren...

We have hundreds of these kinds of pictures of her on our computer. But isn't she cute?

And this is our cute BYU Cheerleader niece at her first game. Wow! We haven't seen her in person at a game yet, but man, is she ever getting some tv time! And no wonder - she's darling.

And while the kids are all at school, it's just me and my buddy. It's good to have someone still at home to run errands and help with shopping!

Life is good.

laguna beach 2010

Okay - it's time to finish up our summer happenings because it is almost Halloween!

We were so happy to be invited to the beach house with Uncle Michael and Aunt Becky's family. It was SO beautiful and relaxing - could have stayed another week! Unfortunately, now I don't think that I can ever spend time on another public beach after enjoying a clean, private beach like this one. Unless I'm in the Carribean or Hawaii!

On our drive over to California from Phoenix (where we vacationed a few days before and after our beach trip). I just had to document the temperature in Arizona's west deseret. H-H-O-T!

I didn't mind so much the bajillion stairs that was between us and the beach

when it looked like this!

fellow beach-goers -

the view for an entire week - just gorgeous! And the sunsets...

Eli LOVED the sand. Everything about it.

Rylan, Davis and Natalie beat us down the stairs and are ready to hit the waves.

Sculpting Hogwarts -

Davis really got the hang of skimboarding.

More digging -

Sisters playing in the waves.

We were lucky enough to meet up with some friends who were visiting from Northern California. We sure wish we were closer the Gordon family. It was so fun to see them!

All the girls took an afternoon field trip to the American Girl store/cafe. And then braved the LA fashion district and scored a REALLY cute purse!

Do you remember Bob's Big Boy? It brought back memories of my childhood. Although they got the wrong sauce on my hamburger, it just wasn't the same. But the company was fabulous!

Thank you Uncle Michael and Aunt Becky! We had a SUPER time beaching it with you!