HERE COMES HALLOWEEN

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We were a busy family this October, but never to busy to stop by the Pumpkin Patch! Unfortunately we picked an evening when a storm rolled in. We got out of their a little quicker than expected because the wind was roaring, we were covered in dirt by the time we left not to mention drenched by the rain.

Reagan's class also made it to the pumpkin patch and as the room mom this month I go to go with them! The weather was much better this time around.

Part of the reason we were so busy during the month of October was due to Jaxson still playing football, Madi was playing softball, I was team mom for football, room mom for Reagan's preschool class and Room Mom for Jaxson's class. (Both of which I had to plan the activities for the party), working part time, Young Women's Night of Excellence preparations and I had the combined YW lesson I needed to prepare for fast Sunday at the beginning of November. This was just in addition to the usual, carpool, dentist appointments, Halloween parties, U of U football games, scouts, dance, tumbling lessons, etc.

I did however manage to sneak in a girls night in the middle of my crazy month and a few of us attended our annual Witches Night Out at Gardner Village. This year the weather was beautiful and we enjoying shopping and eating at Archibald's. The only missing was Jolynn! She started this tradition and it just wasn't the same, not having her there and sporting our witches attire together.

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I always dread carving pumpkins because of the mess it makes - I like the actual carving part, just not the sticky clean up. We even got my dad involved this year on the carving. We also painted pumpkins this year because we had so many small pumpkins come from our pumpkin patch in the backyard. Most of them were too small for carving, so we spent one Sunday afternoon painting away. I think this is my preferred method going forward. The kids were amazing at what they were able to paint. Madi has such an artistic talent and she created several angry birds pumpkins. Dan and I were very impressed, so was Jaxson as he tried to paint an angry bird as well. Dan and Jaxson ended up painting the Scream ghost, it looked amazing on our porch! Reagan and I created a pink princess pig that she ended up taking to preschool.

Halloween wouldn't be Halloween with out the annual party that Grammie throws for the police department families. We love going there for dinner, games and treats.

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On Melissa's birthday this year, we decided to do a progressive dinner. We started out the Galloway's for appetizers, which included: little smokies, bacon wrapped tator-tots, and beer bread and spinach dip. She also made the most darling mummy drinks out of bandages.

Next we headed over to the Scott and Ali's for some salad. They made a delicious spinach and strawberry salad (So I heard - I don't eat salad myself) and then it was off to Richard's for Chicken Tortilla Soup.

By the time we made it our our home for the main course, I was already full! We all gorged ourselves anyway with french dip sandwiches, baked potato chips/fries and Halloween punch. But that's not all, then we cruised over to Grammie and Papa's house for dessert. We had Chocolate Molten Cake and it was divine! I think I gain 5 pounds in one day. It's never good to eat so much you are ready to explode and now cant enjoy the remainder of the evening. (But it was so much fun and I would do it again next year!)

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Reagan had the cutest preschool program for Halloween! They class sand songs, did tricks and told jokes. Reagan's part in the program was to tell the following joke. What is a monsters favorite treat? (I don't know hooky spooky, the class would say) An ice-SCREAM cone! I also got assist with the class party as part of my homeroom mother responsibilities this month. So Reagan and decided to do caramel apples and the cute mummy juice boxes Melissa made at the progressive dinner. I brought my crock pot with warmed caramel and I dipped the apples for the kids and they decorated them. Next we wrapped the juice boxes and glued goggely eyes on them. The kids loved eating their apples and taking home their mummies.

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A few years ago I started a tradition where I make jack-o-lantern pancakes for breakfast. This year was no exception! Although this is the first year I have had to make them on a school day because the past couple of years Halloween has fallen over the weekend, or the kids have been off-track. This was actually the first year Jaxson has been in school on Halloween in several years, so Reagan and I went over to the school to watch the Halloween parade, then we came back to prepare for the Halloween party at school. I also had to prepare the annual dinner in a pumpkin and breadsticks, which has also become a tradition at our home. Grammie was out of town this year for Halloween, so we didn't get spudnuts - what a disappointment that was. I was missing the thought of having doughnuts that I stopped by the grocery store and picked up some Krispie Kreme's to have instead.

This was the first year that Reagan and I met up with friends to go trick-or-treating. She had so much fun with the girls and just hung onto Isabel Bentley. She was super sweet with her as they held hands from house to house. The weather was unbelieveable and we didn't even have to wear jackets. Jaxson went off trick-or treating with Jacob and Madi ended up trick-or-treating with her friend Sierra in her neighborhood.

Madi dressed up as a Justin Bieber stalker and had his birthday as her cell number. I decided to be Dr. Fever and try and cure the girls of the Bieber fever! (So far it hasn't worked)

The only downfall on the night was when Madi and her friend came back to our neighborhood to trick-or-trick, they were both egged. We couldn't believe that someone in our neighborhood would do such a thing. The girls came into the house crying and dripping in eggs. They eggs were thrown pretty hard and hit them straight in the face, neck and ears. They were covered in raw eggs and Madi really had a hard time. She couldn't understand why someone would do such a thing and be so cruel. Jaxson wanted to be her hero and go find them and egg them back. I had to explain that two wrongs don't make a right, but that it was nice of him to want to defend his sister. I had Madi get in the shower to clean up and calm down. In the meantime Dan called the police to notify them of the incident, so that if the teenagers were still out about egging, that hopefully the cops presence in the neighborhood would scare them away and no one else would have to go through the same experience. I believe the biggest lesson my kids learned that night, was never to be the bully. That it doesn't matter what people do to you, don't ever sink to the same level and always be the kind one, even if you have friends that are being mean. Because you have now seen what it is to be on the other side and how awful it hurts to be picked on both physically and mentally. Not the best way to end Halloween, but I good learning experience to say the least.