Let's Have a Party, There's a Full Moon in the Sky...

This post has a lot of photos. That's probably unavoidable for something so cool.

The single most anticipated night of the year.

This may be the photo of the night (well done, Elena).

How about that for a festive sky?

I think the party came off as awesome as we planned. Thanks to the efforts of many, beginning with...

In keeping with Mike's plan to "keep the neighbors just a little on-edge" we erected a massive arch in our front yard. Bendy and Roy just acquired a GIGANTIC inflatable arch for their race timing business and offered to set it up for some added "oomph" in the way of party atmosphere as our guests arrived.

Because we just can't do anything half-way.

It was huge and obnoxious, and I could NOT stop laughing. Mike commented that maybe the neighbors would think we were just showing our support for the University of Utah (who was giving Colorado a good whooping at the moment). 

We took a group photo under the arch once everyone got there. It was so huge the picture had to be taken from a pretty good distance away. 

 Don't you love that you can get away with stunts like this at Halloween?

Some of the crowd.

La Puma and El Rey Leon preparing to rumble. (Let me tell you, more than a few people were coveting those pink pants. And talk about COMFORTABLE... 
Mitch-darling actually wore them to work today. I'm not kidding.)

Here's a quick clip from the fight. What you are about to see was NOT choreographed.
This was a real-live fight. Really.
It might appear to be a little weak. But you should know that El Rey Leon pulled a muscle in his shoulder doing those lifts, and went to church the next day smelling of Bengay.
 
Untitled from Angie Melton on Vimeo.

Mysterious secret-agent Jessie.

Derek made it home from Monterrey in time for the party. It was great to have him back after 7 months away at Army training.

A game of Dia de los Muertos bingo. Those Mexicans know a thing or two about fun with macabre.

<------ Black-lit Hal in the Vampire Room.













The Vampire Room lived up to all it's promise as a perfect setting for Halloween festivities. A few spinning lights, a black light and some loud Halloween-y music...and PRESTO!

I won't show you any of the footage of those glowing pink pants dancing, because, let me tell you, it's pretty intimidating stuff...but here's a clip of some of the party-goers doing a little "Thriller" (be glad I'm not posting all 45 minutes of "Rock Lobster" instead).

Thriller from Angie Melton on Vimeo.

We even spookified the powder-room. Flickery light bulbs, bloody hand prints...

A few more highlights.

Casey showing off a few pull-ups -

Sean dressed to kill with his SO, SO AWESOME Army-issue specs (those are for real)

My cute mom - It's probably this woman's fault that we all love Halloween like we do.

We missed Dad (who had his temple assignment and who would have no-doubt come as a bandito again), Tim and Helen too.

If the Vampire Room survives another year... we might do a repeat next October. Put in your requests for invites now by texting: "Giant Inflatable Arch" to my cell phone.

Happy Halloween!

Life is good.

When you feel grateful. Grateful comes most intensely when you go through the rough patches in life. You have to be grateful to be happy. So......(and this is the funny part) if you correlate that (like a math problem) - life's difficulties can bring us to a place of greatest happiness, appreciation, and peace. Who would have guessed? Well actually, wise people like our parents know stuff like this. Also, President Monson spoke about this at LDS General Conference a few weeks ago. I needed to hear that.

It's kind of counter-intuitive how difficulties can sharpen to almost super-human levels your appreciating for simple joys, comforts, compassion, goodness...

Like, when a toddler climbs up on your head in the morning as you are trying to sleep. And you have to smile drowsily. Or when that toddler lays there softly singing jabbery 2-year-old songs. How cool is it when thoughtful neighbors think of you and share from their gardens - because they know you didn't have a chance to plant one yourself? Or when an old friend calls out of the blue to say hello. Children who put up with you - and forgive you. Or the sun rising in a fall sky. Today I saw a guy on a motorcycle drive by the Air National Guard and salute the flag as he passed - and I thought, "how cool".

Do we notice all the things around us that are right? Sometimes it takes struggling & suffering a little to refocus on what has been given and not on what is lacking. To feel really grateful and happy.

From Pres. Monson:

Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings.

This is a wonderful time to be on earth. While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good. There are marriages that make it, parents who love their children and sacrifice for them, friends who care about us and help us, teachers who teach. Our lives are blessed in countless ways.

We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that "gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others."

:)

We like pumpkins in the patch.

This is an annual post. I know.
But, this tradition of picking our pumpkins is one of my favorite things in the world.

Disclaimer: Don't give me a hard time if the kids look like the Little Rascals in these pictures. I didn't scrutinize their outfits the way many pumpkin patch parents do. (The sweet little Halloween-y babies and toddlers followed closely by camera-toting parents. Yeah.....I'm kind of a slacker like that.) Shirts and pants on backwards here and there. And I know, I know, there are a few boys in dire need of haircuts here.

This year we took the kiddz to a different pumpkin patch. It was cool. But... as I told Mike, I thought it was lacking sincerity (a la Charlie Brown). In reality, I'm sure that it is not that much more contrived than the one we've historically gone to. But there weren't any vines ... and that made me feel like something was just not right. You need the vines to feel pumpkin patch-y. You know what I'm saying?

There was a cool little corn maze for little people.

If you look close you'll see the fall colors on Lone Peak here. It was a beautiful day.

Sully's pumpkin.

Grace in the driver's seat.

This is hands-down, my favorite time of year.

I can't wait for the Halloween par-tay this coming weekend. You will hear more about that (I know you are dying to).

Is it Fall yet?

It is in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Hiking up to one of our favorite spots - Willow Heights trail (we just call it the "Troll Pond" trail.)

Sully & "Brubber"

Grace with our sweet little cousin. 

So pretty. 

Jess and I actually missed out on this hike because of a funeral this morning. It looks like a beautiful time guys.

The Princesses are invited to leave.

One of many transformations at our house is complete. Sully can finally relax in his own room. Me too.

- Before -

Pink carpet: gone. Pink paint: gone. Princesses: gone. Thank goodness.

 

- After -

 Neutral paint and carpet and GEARS. Okay, we have a few things to do still: a new paint job for our vintage dresser (ca. 1940-something from Mike's grandparents), & an actual BED for Sully this year (it's time).

For some reason the walls still seem to have a pinkish tint to me. I keep telling myself that's because I'm so used to seeing pink in there. If you come over and they look pink to you too, don't tell me about it. 

:)

Simple Food: School lunch - homestyle

I told you I would post about this - so here it is. I have to tell you, Goodbyn is the best lunch idea EVER. (Kirsten - credit where credit is due---> thanks!)

I LUUUUV these things!

No more baggies, juice boxes, and packaged stuff. A lot less waste. The compartments make it so much easier to send a variety of food - that would be hard with traditional lunch sacks/boxes because you had to have about a million containers. Now I can send cubes of crusty bread with hummus for dipping, yogurt and granola, salads, etc.  Also, the drink bottle is the perfect size for kids.
On the down side, they are a little bit tricky to close tightly, and obviously soup would not work in these...but in general, these lunch boxes have made school lunch healthier, easier and a lot less cluttered. And I can live with that.

Another bonus feature: the bazillion dishwasher safe stickers included so your kid can personalize their Goodbyn.

I highly recommend.