All Hallow's Eve

October was all kinds of crazy this year, although it was eased by it being the first year Tyler chose a costume that I couldn't make: Iron Man! Boo-hoo. I love making Tyler and Jamie's Halloween costumes, so it was a little sad. Thank goodness Jamie doesn't really have a say yet, right?

Little Red Riding Hood!

(Everybody dance now...)

 Jamie joining in the posing with Iron Man.

Our ward had a fun Trunk or Treat night, and we recycled all our Angry Birds stuff from Tyler's birthday. 

Bishop Incredible.

 Jamie and her cute friends from nursery, McKenna Kate and Audrey.

 These people are so cool. The husband (can't remember his name!) is in dental school, and so he had vampire teeth specially made for him and his wife for Halloween. They are like real veneer-ish teeth!

 Pumpkin carving sort of fell by the way side this year :( Tyler and I worked during Jamie's nap to hollow them out on Halloween Day, but we never got around to carving them. 

 Before we left to go trick or treating up in Plano, we had creamy pumpkin soup in jack-o-lantern shaped breadbowls for dinner. We didn't take any pictures on Halloween night, but we had so much fun. Jamie was so crazy once she got the hang of trick or treating. As soon as the door opened, she kind of stormed their front door, grabbed a candy right from their hands, and then charmed them into a second once.

Halloween was lots of fun this year, but I am ready for a low key November before diving into the Christmas mayhem!

Angry Birds Birthday!

So last year, after Tyler's Halloween birthday party was over and we were halfway through cleaning up, I made the offhand comment that his next birthday could be an Angry Birds party. That suggestion spawned a full year of Tyler wishing, planning and hoping for an Angry Birds birthday "for when I turn FIVE!" How could I refuse? :)

We started out with a life size angry birds game! McKay and I both attempted to build catapults, but one bent and the other snapped in half. So the game became Throw the Stuffed Angry Bird at the Tower! Which seemed just fine to all the kids. 

 This was Tyler's Angry Bird Face. 

 We call this the Jamie method, which was more of a battering ram action than an actual throw.

 A pinata, of course, which ALMOST made it through one round of smackings with a broom handle.

 Edison had a terrifying solid hit.

 This girl (Samia) absolutely demolished the poor bird.

 And they're off!

 RIP!

 This is always my favorite moment of my kids' birthday parties, everyone gathered around them, singing to them. Seeing a roomful of people who love this boy just like I do warms my heart each year. If I could wish for just one thing for each of my babies, it would be enough loved ones to fill their lives. Cheesy, I know :)

 An impromptu viewing of Bug's Life? Sure, why not?

Tyler got a bunch of really cool Legos and Transformers toys, but this one was too awesome not to mention. Tyler's cousins affectionately call him Tyler Man, and for his birthday, they made him a superhero cape with TM on it. 

Thanks, everyone for making my baby boy's day special!

State Fair with Grandpa!

(I posted a ton more pictures on Facebook last week, but I thought I'd stick some on here too. This is our family journal, after all. You know, when we feel like writing in here.)

My dad occasionally flies out to Texas on business, and last week was one of those weeks! I was happy to play hooky and skip my classes that afternoon so we could all pack into our car and take my dad to the state fair!

We had a blast with Grandpa. We ate way too many fried things (Fried Cinnamon Rolls rolled in bacon bits? Fried Coke?)  Tyler and Jamie cannot get enough of Grandpa Eatough (it had been about two months since we saw him last).

After the fair, we took Grandpa back to our house to show him all of Tyler's things, including his "sculpture" (a pyramid of bricks), his pile of leaves he's been raking lately, and his airplane room. Jamie brought Grandpa her favorite animal book, and he read her her bedtime story before he left.

I love, love, love that my kids have my dad as a grandpa. He is so interested in everything they say and do, and it makes them feel so special. Come back soon, Grandpa! You need to see the sculpture renovations!