Trunk or Treat

The Trunk or Treat is a tradition for our ward!  Dale Widdison makes a HUGE pot of chili and lots of hot chocolate and then he brings it down to our end of the road and sets up.  He serves hundreds and it's always yummy.  I didn't try any this year because Larry didn't want me leaving him and he was giving out candy.  The reason he wanted me to stay by him was because the kids thought he was a clown.  The kids these days have no idea who Raggedy Ann and Andy are.  It was funny.  I love seeing everyone is their costumes and get a kick of so many of them.  Our trunk or treat draws in many people from all over.  There are always so many unfamiliar faces...with out make up even.  I asked one group where they were from and the lady was hesitant to tell me that she was from West Haven.  I reassured her that we didn't care and everyone is welcome.

I love that our kids come down and bring their kids.  This really is a pretty fun tradition.  The line of cars goes clear down the road.  It still only takes the kids about a half hour to go to every car though. I love Halloween and dressing up....Larry not so much but he is a good sport.  He told me that he really just doesn't like not knowing who people are.  I think it's funny and like trying to figure out who everyone is.  I only got a few pictures of some of my favorite costumes and families this year but there were lots of great ones.

I'm glad that a few of the kids were able to make it to the great grandma's for a little visit.  I know it means a lot to them.  Larry and I went alone this year to visit our mom's.  I believe this is the first year we haven't had one of our kids with us.  Kimleighel was with the young adults and Jared was with some friends.  Jared did meet us at Grandma Donna's though since she lives close.  It's a fun night for me!

Wizard of Oz

In 2007 our family dressed up as the Wizard of Oz.  We have enjoyed these costumes over the years.  What fun memories!

Halloween Parade

The elementary school has a little parade for the families of their cute little characters.  I love going and seeing the fun costumes.  There are some clever ones.  The teachers and staff were very creative this year.  Mr. G was fishing and the secretaries were cute fish blowing bubbles.  They started things off.  There was a Harry Potter theme going on among the teachers and a lot of them were dressed like the Hogwarts teachers.  I think they might have all been from one grade and their costumes were great.  There were a few Elsa's and Anna's this year but I had my favorites.  I believe Parker was the only puppy or dog and he was so cute as he walked by with his paws up and begging.  Oh my crud, I couldn't help but smile and laugh out loud.  There were quite a few nerds and big babies.  A few dinosaurs were seen waddling around too....they all waddled. ☺  A bunch of the teachers made a roller coaster which I thought was so clever.  It was funny.  The parade lasted  half an hour and I told Natalie's sister, Lisa that was the amount of time we had for our trunk or treat tonight. No doubt you really don't need much more time than that .... unless you wanted to visit and enjoy your chili. ☺  Eat fast and talk fast.  I don't think I'll eat..I'd rather visit!  What a Fun Time of Year!  So many parties and dinners and dressing up.  I love Halloween!

***I was asked why I didn't dress up and it's because Mya didn't want me to.  I asked her last night if she thought I should and she quickly said "NO".  Larry and I were teasing her and saying we were going to come dressed up and go around to all the rooms and ask for Mya and tell everyone we were her grandparents.  She did not like that idea at all...it was okay to say we were Parkers but she didn't want any part of it.  I really wouldn't have dressed up since the spectators don't but it was fun teasing our little cutie who is very self conscious right now.

Last Halloween Meal

We had our last Halloween Meal tonight.  I cooked the thick noodles that are very Italian and are hard to eat because they don't twirl.  I called them intestines and truly they look like it.  I was going to dye them red but Kimleighel didn't want me to and so I didn't.  We had a brain cheese ball and a bucket of bones. (rolls) There were monster eggs (donuts) and guts.(meatballs and sauce) We washed it all down with some thinned out blood. (kool-aid)  Some of the kids don't mind these names but for some I can't say them or they won't eat.  I didn't tell Parker but from the looks of his plate you might think I did.  He had a doughnut and crackers....that's all. Natalie brought a few treats that were yummy.  We enjoyed visiting with each other and it was a fun night.  Sunday meals are my favorite!  My family is my favorite!

Man and Cocoon

Shirley taught RS today and started with this story.  I really like it.  It along with her lesson has been the topic of some discussion I have had with my friends and kids lately.  So I want to save it!

A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth.  He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon.  On the day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the moth for several hours as the moth struggled to force the body through that little hole.

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go not farther. It just seemed to be stuck.  Then the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.  The moth then emerged easily.

But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.  The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.  Neither happened!  In fact, the little moth spent the rest of it's life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.  If never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was the way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.  Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle.  By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life.  If we were to go through our life without any obstacles, we would be crippled.  We would not be as strong as what we could have been.  Give every opportunity a chance, leave no room for regrets.

The Boys Went Hunting

 Earlier this year Justin had suggested that our whole family go deer hunting together.  Truthfully I wasn't excited but was on board since he asked.  I love doing things with my family but I prefer them to be in good conditions with potties.  I really don't like sleeping in tents either and after having a trailer it's hard to be happy in a sleeping bag with everything cluttered around us.  My daughters started to back out and I kept hoping they all would.  It was a few weeks ago that Natalie said she wasn't going to go and then I was off the hook.  Woo Hoo....I was happy that they guys could have some bonding time without any girls.  I was really glad that all my boys were able to go.  I know they don't all love hunting and actually it was Kevin and Jaydan's first time.  I think it's awesome that they made the time.  I love seeing them do things together.

It was a good hunt.  Friday morning they saw lots of deer.  Larry and Jared each got one.  One of the deer dropped right on the road and so it was super easy to pick up.  Jaydan and Kevin got some shots in but neither were able to drop the deer.  I thought that Julie was probably praying that Kevin wouldn't get one...Natalie thought the same thing.  Justin and Braxton didn't have tags for this hunt but they said they had a good time.  I think there might have been a few times they would have liked to taken the gun and shoot the deer themselves.

Parker had fun and made everyone laugh.  He made up a new language called orcma and Larry said he laughed so hard at Parker that he had tears in his eyes.  Parker is such a silly kid.  He reminds me of Braxton and Justin.  He's busy and adventurous.  He can be stubborn but his cuteness saves him.  He is witty and smart.  Since Parker had made up his own language, Larry decided to also.  He told Parker that his language started with a Z.  So everything you say has to start with a Z.  He asked Parker if he understood and Parker quickly responded with "Zes".  Oh the boy is fun!

I'm so glad this hunt happened.  I'm so thankful that everyone was safe and only had a few bruises after all was said and done.  Jared and Jaydan rolled a four-wheeler and were pretty shook up about it but were okay.  Jared admitted that he cried and he knew Jaydan was very concerned and frazzled.  The four-wheeler actually looked okay...it wasn't but it didn't look too bad. I am thankful for the pictures they took for me.  I love being able to see a little of what they did.  The pictures are nice to look at and they make me really glad I wasn't there.  I love all these cute guys!

Witches at Gardner's Village

Since Kimleighel and I didn't go hunting we decided to go to Gardner's Village.  We invited Carla and a few more friends but Carla was the only one that ended up coming with us.  We left at noon.  It was much busier than I had thought it would be this early.  There were lots of mom's with their kids going around doing the scavenger hunt.  The music wasn't as loud and it was nice being able to go in the shops and to see all the cuteness around them.  It was really wonderful driving home in the light and getting home before dark.  It's diffidently a different experience in the day.  The night time is loud and lots of witches every where.  I like both day and night.

We didn't take as many picture because I don't think Kimleighel enjoyed it much.  My favorite picture is the top one with the two mom's and kids.  The little girl in her mom's arms was so stinkin cute.  She really liked Glinda.  She kept saying how amazing or something similar.  Her expression just seemed too grown up for her and it made me smile.  She had me turn around and was just amazed with me.  I asked them if they had seen wizard of oz and they had.  I told them that I loved being in my glass bubble and floating around and how much fun that was.  The little boy finally said, "that really wasn't you though huh?"  I smiled and told him he was right I was just pretending to be Glinda. ☺  We had a yummy lunch and bought some caramel apples.  Carla got a cute Halloween banner to put on her front door and Kimleighel bought some awesome gold leggins and some striped socks.  We really did have a wonderful time.

On the way home we took Patti a "care" package we had put together.  Patti doesn't say much and just mentioned her family was going through some stuff.  When she had mentioned it she was brief and I could tell she didn't want to talk about it.  I had thought about it for a week and then again yesterday and so Carla and I decided we would just do a little something for her to let her know we cared about her.  I'm sure it made her day....I know it made mine.

I got a text after getting home saying that Jared and Larry both got their deer.  Yippee...somebody is going to be happy. Braxton must be taking the picture.  Larry, all our sons and cute Parker went hunting together.  I like that!