Trunk -or- Treat

Gotta love the Ward organized Trunk -or- Treat. So many bowls of candy in such a small area! However, my 'flock' was a little slow and didn't even make it through 1/4 of the trunks before people started packing up and heading home. I think they violated most of the key factors of a successful Halloween outing. Check out this awesome article. That falls in the "things I wish I would have known in Kindergarten" list.


Here is a slideshow of the kids in their outfits:


Alisha just got home from Austin... more to come on her amazing victory, but here are the before and after shots.

(Friday morning... 6:30 AM)


Saturday night... 11:30 PM)

Another update

Just thought I would fill everyone in on what is going on in our lives. Yes I have been extremely emotional, overwhelmed and stressed lately. First of all life is almost back to normal from Ike. I still have a large stack of paperwork to finish, but I keep putting it off to do other things. My first big race is coming up - the Ragnar Relay! It is on Oct. 24-25. I'm on a team of twelve girls and together we are running about 185 miles from San Antonio to Austin. It's going to be so fun! Last of all - Hailey. We took her in for her normal dermatology appointment about two weeks ago. She has been having regular appointments since she was born. Long story short - Hailey will be having surgery to have the birthmark on her head removed. It will take two or three surgeries to completely remove it. They will send a part of the first bioptsy off to check for cancer. At this time they do not think it is cancerous. However, the risk of it becoming cancerous over the next few years is increasing, and because of the location of it - monitoring it is becoming more difficult as her hair grows in. We know the best option is to take care of it now. The option we chose is to remove it in sections, and "stretch" her skin so when she is done all she will have is a scar. We did not want to do a skin graft because she would be in surgery for a long time, and no hair would grow from the skin graft. Her first surgery is Thursday, November 13th. She will be in surgery for one hour. They will have to shave her head (oh no...it took these 16 long months to actually get that little bit of hair she has!) and she will have a "mummy wrap" for two days after. (Wish us good luck with trying to get her to leave that on!) They would like to do the second surgery 8 weeks after the first surgery, but they need to see how the first surgery goes, and evaluate how Hailey does with the anesthesia and recovery. I, of course, am a total wreck, but both Bridger and I know that this is the best solution at this time. Finally - for the Grandparents - here are a few pictures!

Carson and Hailey love WiiFit.


Keeping Carson and Hailey happy with no power. THANK GOODNESS for the laptop and Disney!
Our friends let us borrow their generator once their power came on...THANKS!
This is what our countertops looked like forever!
Munching on some goodies during show time! Hooray mommy's break time!

Just smile and nod

Okay, question for all you runners out there. Or all you who don't run but want to answer! What is the deal? Why do I feel so compelled to smile or say hello or good evening to everyone I pass while I'm running. Let's be honest here...inside we are all thinking, I'm going to die, why am I running right now, how much farther, I need a drink, it's so hot, ugh I have a wedgie, etc. Yet when we pass someone (usually another fellow runner) we put a smile on our face, and say hello, as if we were saying I love that I am out here running right now and I'm not tired at all. We all know it's a fake smile, so why do we do this? (This does not apply to you Nicole B. I truly believe you are happy when you are running!) :)