Thankful~

 I probably won't have time for blogging this week, so I'd thought I'd post my favorite Thanksgiving picture of all time.  Landen was 5 months old here.  He's about the same size as the turkey!  

Happy Thanksgiving!

3 years ago~

Well it was actually 3 years ago on Sunday, but I think about this day every year!  The day we moved from Indiana back to California--November 10th, 2010.

Waiting in the airport and getting the call that our house sold. We were relieved, but sad was well.  We loved that house!

 6 hours later and we were in Cali!  Land of palm trees, pollution, and traffic!

 Those were all the pictures from my very old phone and these are from my camera.

I can see the moving van reflection in the window.  Bye-bye wonderful big house and yard!

 We made it!

 And a few days later, we finally made it to the beach!

Pumpkin Carving~

It looks like Landen is cleaning out the guts of this pumpkin, but really he's is saying, "It's disgusting!!"  He wanted nothing to do with the guts.

 I ended up carving Landen's.  He chose Lightning Mcqueen.

 Once all the guts were out, he was fine to clean out the little bits.

 I had a bunch of different things for Landen to decorate with.  These stick on googly eyes were a hit!

 My favorite one turned out to be this Yoda kit I got on clearance last year.  I had chosen a beautiful blue/green pumpkin and it turned out to be the perfect color for Yoda.

 Zach painstakingly carved out what he says was a skull he saw on one of the Food Network carving competition shows.  We all thought it looked kind of like those little ghosts from Pac-man.

 The motley crew!

 Mikayla picked this pumpkin and it was like a buttery, creamy color.  I just loved it.  She started to just do a "skin" carving, but ended up carving the design into the top.  This pumpkin actually smelled just like a watermelon when she carved into it!

We all had so much fun carving this year.  A great memory for sure!

Halloween 2013~

Sometimes after Church we go to Togo's for sandwiches.  Sounds exciting, no? 

Anywho, there is a Farmer's Market across the street, so I have Jeff drop me off first and then he picks me up after he gets lunch.  Landen always asks to come with me.  He's my farmer's market good luck charm.  Every time we get free stuff because he is such a cutie pie.  Yesterday he got an apple, a head of broccoli, 3 potatoes, and some basil all for free!  We call that the "nice face discount."  I can never go without him!

Landen found Zach's old Bob the Builder costume from 2003!  He insisted it was the PERFECT costume.  It was a little short, but he was so happy and looked adorable.

Wouldn't you give this sweetie a rutabaga?

Very serious Captain America.

 It's starting to look more and more like Landen is posing with a character at a theme park rather than his big brother.  

 I don't know what's going on with these next few pictures, but I love it!

 Zach went to a friend's house for a party and trick or treating around their neighborhood and we took Landen around our cul-de-sac.  Everyone had a great night, but we were all doing our own thing.  I think the days of trick-or-treating as a family is over, but I am just happy everyone had so much fun.

 And here is Princess Leia.  I refused to buy new costumes this year, because we have plenty hanging around the house.  Mikayla didn't care to wear anything "old" but at the last minute Jeff had the brilliant plan for her to reuse her toga from "Greek days" and do some buns and be Princess Leia.  Miraculously she loved that idea.  She went to a friends house to carve pumpkins and then to a nearby trunk or treat.  It took about 30 minutes and 10 years off my life to get those buns to look the way she wanted.  It was a real mother/daughter bonding moment.

Why does she suddenly look 25?

Mikayla's beautiful carved creation.  Pumpkin carving post coming soon!