Halloween

Halloween was a lot of fun this year! 

We carved our pumpkins:

A Clemson tiger paw for daddy

A "W" for mommy

Mickey Mouse for Jack 

Tinkerbell for Sydney

Jack and Sydney dressed up as Peter Pan and Tinkerbell this year.

A few night before, we went to the ward Trunk-or-Treat at the church. 

The kids had a great time playing games and getting candy.

This year we decided to have some friends over for a little party. 

We had dinner and then the kiddos went out Trick-or-Treating around the neighborhood. 

Jack and his friend Dayton

Sydney with our cute friend Reagan

 Some of the kids ready to go out to gather their loot!

Sydney with our pumpkins

We had a great time with everyone and hope we can make it an annual event!

The Pumpkin Patch

We went out to a Pumpkin Patch with some friends. We thought we planned it well because we were just going to get some pumpkins while we were there to carve closer to halloween so they would last. 

Unfortunately, because of the snow we had gotten a few days earlier, they had lost MOST of their pumpkins. We made the most of it and still had a great time.

They had a lot of fun activities for the kids to do like bounce houses, a corn maze (which was also a mess because of the freeze), a barrel train ride, and a few other things.

Riding the train

Jack found a cool vintage bike and tried to take it for a spin, 

but it didn't work out too well for him.

They found an old piano to play, but that too was a bust.

Then we took a hayride out to the patch. We were hoping that if we weren't too picky we could have been able to find at least one pumpkin out there,  but this is all that was left of them. 

And there weren't any that were big enough to do anything with. But the kids had fun running around a little anyways. 

Overall, it was a fun thing to do with the kids and hopefully next year will be better.

The first snow of the year

We got our first snowfall a couple days ago.

These two were so excited to go out and play in it.

So we bundled up and headed out.

They took turns being pulled in the sled and loved every minute of it. 

Well, one of them loved every minute of it.

I think she was still trying to figure it out.

But they weren't complaining when we came into this warm treat!

New Hobbies

We have a few new interests in our house as of lately. 

Since Jack loves anything that has to do with sports, it's only fitting that he take up golfing. So we searched all over and finally found a little left-handed set of clubs. He loves to be outside practicing and Steve even takes him to the range every so often. 

Sydney is into collecting, or just moving, rocks. 

She loves to be outside and is into pretty much anything she can get her hands on.

California

We were able to take a trip back home to California. And we had a great time!

We spent a lot of time in the pool.

We went to A LOT of sporting events, which we loved!!

We spent a ton of time jumping on the trampoline and playing outside.

And had a lot of fun playing with family!!

Sydney and Uncle Finn

Jack and Sydney with Sam, Abby, Kate and Max

Brad and Jack

Jack with Meg and Mariah playing at Grandma Nan and Papa Frank's.

Grandma Nan played the piano "with" Jack.

And although Sydney wanted nothing to do with my sister's dog, Baxter, 

she was all over his dog bed.

 Since my birthday was just around the corner, my mom took my sister and I out for pedicures and we celebrated with dinner and cake that night.  

The main reason we went home was for the wedding of our close friend Kate. 

 I was so glad we were able to be there for her special day!

With the beautiful bride and her twin sister, Courtney

These girls are like my little sisters! Love them!!

 Abby, Kate and I having fun in the photo booth at the wedding.

One of my best friends, Trisha, flew up from LA to visit us. 

It was so fun to see her!

We were so glad we were able to spend some time in California, 

and wish we could go back more often!

Guess what we've been working on...

Potty Training!! 

After trying a few months ago with no luck, I decided I needed to wait until he was good and ready to do it. Finally one Sunday the nursery leader brought him to me and told me he said he needed to go "potty". I looked at him and said, "Really? That's funny, because he's not potty trained and he's wearing a diaper." 

Well, I guess a little peer pressure really does go a long way. Jack is the youngest in his primary class and he was one of 3 that wasn't potty trained. After seeing a few of his other friends ask to go to the bathroom he decided he would try it out. I took him to the bathroom and of course, no luck. But I asked him if he wanted to start wearing big boy underwear and using the potty. He quickly said yes. 

So sure enough, the next day we pulled out his underwear he had picked out months prior and got to work. He was definitely ready this time because he was pretty much potty trained in a day. He only had one or two accidents and he was so good at recognizing when he needed to go. 

Here's to hoping all of our kiddos are this good with it!

I won't hold my breath though.