Family Pictures

So we had family pictures taken...oh, in August (pre-baby bump)...and just yesterday I had them printed and put on our walls AND decided today I'd put them on the ol' blog.  Our friend, Eric, offered to do these free-of-charge because he's super nice and he wanted to play with his new camera.  Free pictures?  Cheap-O Fosters are there!  We went to this little waterfront park a few minutes away and it was an awesome place for pictures.  And Tyler, I'm sure, would like the world to know that HE is the one that picked out the place.  He says all the time, "That sure was a great place to take pictures...I wonder who had that idea?" :)  He loves when his good ideas rock.  And thank you to Eric and my talented sister Bethany for the edits!

 

Halloween 2011

Ward carnival, preschool/school parties, making treats for Kindergarten, pumpkin carving, jack-o-lantern pancakes, Trunk or Treat and neighborhood Trick or Treating, hot chocolate to warm up after hitting the neighborhood...it was a great year for this holiday-that-I-haven't-loved-for-years-but-now-that-I'm-a-mom-I-think-it-rocks!

Some things I want to remember:

• Ev didn't want to put his costume on and was all annoyed at Trunk or Treat after I put him in it, but then I handed him his bucket, we hit the first trunk, and brother was hooked!  He could hardly see above eye level because of the crazy horse head and so any time he came to an adult's legs he would hold his bucket up for some candy, even when we were just stopping to chat. :)  And he was a champ at saying "fank-oo" (thank you) after every piece of candy.  I was so in love with his cuteness.  And he is so independent right now.  No hand-holding or helping from door-to-door when we were trick or treating...get out of my way and let me get to the candy, people. 
• Maxwell wasn't saying thank you to anyone when we started at Trunk or Treat, he was being super silent.  I talked to him about needing to say thank you because these people are giving him free candy.  He said, "Mom, ninjas don't talk...they are really quiet and sneaky."  Okay, bud, but ninjas still have to be polite on Halloween.  He was compliant the rest of the evening. Brother was in character!
• Max and I spent almost an hour wrapping a bunch of chocolate bars to look like mummies and gluing on googly eyes...and he forgot to give them out. :)  We gave them out to trick-or-treaters instead.
• Ty got our trunk all set up at Trunk or Treat and then realized we left the candy at home. Ha.
• Kelly LOVED her costume and walked very princess-like in it.  It was worth every minute I spent making it.  I had never done anything like it before, but gained confidence when I found an online tutorial.  Half of the time I was praying that when I turned it right-side out it wouldn't look too wonky.  But the end product was awesome; I'd let her wear it to a wedding or something.
• At the end of the night the kids were (for some reason) doing an exercise class in the family room when suddenly Kelly was WAILING.  I went in to find the front of her dress totally ripped (luckily on the seam).  I asked what had happened and when she could (between sobs) she said, "Max and Reyes wanted me to do a somersault and I didn't want to do a somersault because I didn't want to rip my dress, but they made me do a somersault!!!  I really loved this dress!"  I had to laugh a little at the devastation of it all.  I still need to fix it.
• I loved that Ev wanted to pose backward for every picture because he saw that I had Kelly turn around for one of her pictures. :)
• We need to buy a stinking camera!  The iPhone camera just isn't cutting it.

 We did actually carve some pumpkins, but those pictures are on Ty's phone...

 I meant to do a scary face, but we all agreed he turned out looking grumpy

 This is Everett D's "nice smile" for the camera :)

 No masks at school and a ninja without his mask is just a guy in black shirt and pants...so we brought back the costume he wore when he was 2 (it was big then...a4T) and added the little cloth that made him look like a bona fide quarterback

 Behold!  Max the Ninja

 Princess Kelly

 Everett the boy who didn't want to put on his costume but wanted to pose for pictures

 Neighbors and friends - Ian, Adam, Emma, Reyes, Kelly, Max, Camila Everett

Cross-eyed :)