Halloween 2014.

My kids start planning their halloween costumes in like April and then it changes a few times and then one finally sticks.  This year, claira was ALL ABOUT being Cruella DeVille.  And thankfully, we have Peggy to help make all her Cruella dreams come true.  I mean, seriously!  Look at this costume!  She was amazing!

And KILLED the poses.  Absolutely killed it. 

She's really channelling the crazy in these!

 Voldemort Vs. Cruella

 Camry had a BIG debate.  Hermione.....or Maleficent.....or Hermione.....or Maleficent.   

Maleficent won!  She's a little more glamorous. 

 Again...NAILED IT! 

I love her angry face.  

 The ultimate....Lord Voldemort.  He who must not be named!  

 All he wanted was to be Voldemort but the costume is pretty lame.  I'm not good enough at makeup and this mask is weird.  But it actually worked out quite well.  

And no Voldemort would be complete without his Harry Potter!

 The Crew!  I dressed as Than for our trunk or treat.  All BYU gear and my hair spiked.  Some people at the Trunk or Treat thought I was just a BYU sports player or like a coach but no....just my one and only. 

Than and the kids.  

 And Halloween 2014 would not be complete without our very own Anna and Elsa!

Let it Go!

 Anna was not in my mood for pictures or for Lord Voldemort to be up in her grill. 

 Oh my gosh.  I love her as Elsa.  She was in heaven and I sort of love that wig even though it was totally crazy.  

 They all just had the best costumes!  I love Halloween now.  I used to be sort of indifferent about it but it's so fun to let them dress up and be so excited.  They're only young once!

Our trick or treating crew!  Lets go get some candy!

Caseys, Jacksons, and Hancocks

 I love this picture.  Those older boys would not stop running.  Ridiculous!  But I get it but it's still annoying when Claira is crying because she can't keep up.  

 We were in the back with these two most of the time.  I'll take it. 

 Daddy love. 

 The leaves on this tree are amazing year after year. 

 Dang, I just realized that Than has the other pictures on his phone.  Lame. 

This was the school parade.  Bea and Gentry Pie. 

 Maren decided that Anna needed glasses and a jessie hat.  

 PARADE ROUTE!

 Me in my Walnut Creek Mom outfit.  You just get to wear your workout clothes anywhere as long as they are cute. :)

Halloween comes right after birthdays and before Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It's right in the crazy times but it is so worth it!  (I say that as I type in January! Ha!)

Mom stuff.

 Maren and gentry have a super sweet relationship.  I'm sad for when Gentry will go to T-K next year and Maren will have all morning by herself.  They just play all the time and I love it.  

 So this is a picture is from our Relief Society activity.  We did a repeat of an activity that we did in Utah which was all about Christmas traditions and how to keep Christ in Chrismas amongst all the hustle and bustle.  And it was amazing!  All the traditions were fabulous and we had a great turn out and I think that everyone had a really great time.  Being over RS activities can be challenging but it feels good when everything works together.  It's a good thing Meredith taught me well. :) 

 This is more of that labor of love that we call watching kids sports games.  It's exhausting, really, but it's also great fun.  And I'm glad that we go as a family but it's not always easy.  

 And poor Maren.  This was after at least one soccer game and the poor girl was just pooped.  

 Maren has hit her "terrible twos" a little early.  She is one of those "busy" children and I hate that term.  But seriously, she has been keeping us on our toes.  

Here she is getting into a bunch of soap.  

 Geez, Maren, what have you gotten into?!!?

 Yep, just a bag of sugar. 

 Oh and the pasta drawer.  Whoops!

She's a monster I tell you!  Cute and fun, but monster nonetheless. 

Thanksgiving and Christmas mean one thing for the Young Men....Pickles!  It's their annual fundraiser.  Lino's famous pickles!  All the boys help make them and they are pretty delicious.  And it's nice to have a fundraiser that they call can actually be a part of. 

 Annoying that many batches spoiled and they had to do double time, but a good learning experience none the less. :)

Daddy time is the best time!

We are so lucky to have a drama program at our school and this time, it was Claira's turn!  She played the cutest elephant that there ever was and learned her line and all of the lines in her songs in one night! And then the night of her play, one of the kids wasn't there and so she had to say her lines too and did amazing!  She's a natural!

 Camry, Madison, and Jessica had main roles and were on the stage almost the whole time!  They had to know all of the songs and so many lines and they really showed their stuff!  I was a super proud mama!

It pretty much doesn't get cuter than that!

 The view out of my kitchen window in the fall with some fog rolling in.  

 I need to document the most had breakfast in our house.  Puff Puff Pancakes.  What would we do without you?

 I love being a mom.  Gentry has been particularly loving on me lately and I just love it!