Eliza 4th Birthday

This year Andy was gone to a conference in Denver the week  of Eliza's birthday, so we celebrated a couple times.  Eliza was a little bit sad her dad was gone so far for so long, but since we were scheduled to host playgroup on her actual birthday she thought it would be okay.  I asked her what she wanted to do as far as treats and games.  She picked everything!  It turned out great and everyone in playgroup was surprised to find out it was her birthday.  (Eliza and  I think those kind of surprise parties are the funnest!)

Eliza picked out the cake mix she wanted and the frosting.

A regular cake mix makes 6 dozen mini cupcakes!  Luckily we borrowed a mini muffin pan from a friend so it didn't take us as long to cook them as it could have.  Eliza picked the little pictures she wanted from online and we made our own cupcake decor.

FYI: It takes about 1 1/2 hours to frost 6 dozen mini cupcakes, and  cut out 5 dozen circles and tape them to on a toothpick.  They turn out rather well if I do say so myself.

We got the animal cupcake decor at Michael's.  I didn't notice until I got home that there were only 12 in a pack.  Hence the 5 dozen La-La-Loopsy and Jake and the Never Land Pirates decor. :0)

As you can see the mini cupcakes were a big hit!

Eliza also chose to have ham and cheese and crackers, with juice boxes, apple slices and grapes.

All the kids really liked the treats.  Eliza is a great party planner.

Eliza and Maya

Maya made a couple bracelets for Eliza for her birthday.  They are super cute!

After Andy got back from his conference we did Eliza's actual birthday cake with candles and singing.  When I asked her she said she wanted animals on her cake.  Then she started making a list of all the different animals she wanted on there.  I asked her to narrow it down to two animals.  She picked ponies and horsed.  :0)  

When I found these La-La-Loopsy ponies we just had to get them.

Marek and Margaret, Will, Eve and their mom Amber came to help us eat cake and celebrate.

Eliza was thrilled with her cake.

Lighting the candles.

After singing and just before blowing out the candles.

Ummm...this is delicious!

The blue frosting got everywhere, but that is part of the fun right?!

Nov. 13-16, 2013

Leaves are Falling all Around

Leaves are falling all around!  The kids have really enjoyed playing in all the piles of leaves.  I am ready to be done raking them into piles though.

Daniel, Bradley, Eliza and Aiden

Bradley and Eliza making the leaves fall.

Aiden wisely stayed out of the way.

They had little pieces of leaves every where!

Nathan sitting in the drive way. 

The trees at our house have such bright red leaves.

Nov. 11, 2013

Happy Halloween 2013

This year we borrowed our great costumes from our favorite Smith cousins.  Thanks!!

Bradley as Captain America

Daniel, the fearsome Thor!

Eliza was a beautiful witch.  She picked it out herself. 

Nathan got to be a little clown.  All the kids have worn this costume when they were this age.  He was super cute, but he was pretty sure he needed an accessory.

Notice he had one shoe on and one sock.  That is because he couldn't get his shoe on his left foot without squishing his big toe.

Captain America, Beautiful Witch, and Thor

Nathan thought the kids were funny making faces and posing like that.

The gangs all here!

The kids went to a few houses in our neighbor hood with some of our friends.

Our ward party wasn't until the Nov. 1st since it was a Friday.

Nathan wasn't feeling well that day so Andy met us at the church and kept the older kids for the trunk or treat.  

There was face painting of course.  Who can pass that up?

Bradley with is Captain America Shield on his face.

Eliza picked flowers.  She really likes flowers.

Daniel picked Thor's hammer.

Andy dressed up like a hot dog and I had a mustard bottle costume.  I didn't get to wear mine since Nathan was sick.  Everyone loved his costume!  Another successful Halloween!

Scouts at the Fire Station

On Oct. 30, 2013 the scouts visited a fire station.  We met our Dad there and he stayed with Bradley and Daniel for the tour of the station.  They were just getting started when the firemen got a call.  They were only gone for about 15 min.

Bradley got a picture of them leaving.

Here they are getting ready to watch a fire safety video.

Next the watched as one of their leaders put on all the fireman garb.  It is pretty heavy!

All the scouts and a couple siblings.

Daniel is in white and Bradley is behind him and to the left a little.

All the gang, leaders and all.

Oct. 30, 2013

Pumpkin Carving and Fall Leaves

Oct. 28, 2013

For family night we carved pumpkins.  Last year we invited our neighbors to come and have refreshments and carve pumpkins.  I didn' have to carve a single pumpkin last year!  It was awesome!!

However, this year I didn't plan ahead far enough, so I had to carve this year.  Andy called and said he would pick up a couple more pumpkins and by home by 7:30 to help carve.  The kids and I got started by cleaning out the two we already had.  About 7:20 Andy called to say he really wasn't going to make it, so that left the kids and I on our own.

Bradley and Eliza cleaning out Eliza's pumpkin.  They were so funny.  None of them wanted to the "pumpkin guts" on them!

I love the look on Bradley's face in this picture.  I remember the guts being the fun part of carving pumpkins.  Not so with these kids.

Nathan peeking in to make sure they did a good job.

Daniel trying to decide what kind of face he wanted on Nathan's.

He thought it should be scary!

The finished product...Nathan and Eliza's pumpkins

Bradley and Daniel didn't end up getting to carve their own pumpkins, but don't worry.  Their pumpkins will be showing up in a future post!

From the middle of October to the middle of Feb. we are constantly raking leaves.  

Nathan was a great helper.  He is so anxious to do anything his older siblings are doing.

I got'em!

Ooh, put your back into it!

The weather was really nice so Bradley decided to to some homework outside to help supervise the raking of leaves on the deck.  We have had some really nice fall weather.  The leaves have been really bright and beautiful.  We just love the fall!

Oct. 28-29, 2013