Thanksgiving Prep

This year I am preparing the whole feast, for the first time ever. It's exciting and overwhelming all at once. We usually are with family but this year things just didn't work out that way, so we get to do our own thing which will have its advantages. So Monday Ella and I started our preparations - we made cranberry vinaigrette for the salad, and here are pics of making the orange-cranberry relish for the turkey. Yum! She enjoyed "together time" with Mom, but afterward she said "Next time I want to have little-girl together time, not Mommy together time." I guess helping in the kitchen just doesn't compare to playing Barbies!

Pinewood Derby

Josh had his first Pinewood Derby last week! He and Mark had lots of fun making their car and taking it to race...Josh won an award for "Most Futuristic" & took 5th place overall. Great job Josh!

My kids can't keep a secret

I have been getting a lof of questions lately from friends hearing "stories" from my kids - but who can blame them when it's such fun news!!!! I guess I might as well make it official since the word is spreading like wildfire anyway! That's right, baby #5 is on the way! We are really excited. I figure people would have started guessing sooner than later anyway because I'm sure since this is #5 my belly will be popping soon - I can tell already my body is like, "Here we go again!"

We feel really blessed. Since we have two boys & two girls, this baby will be the tie breaker - the kids are already putting in their bets. It's hard to believe but Ammon will be 2 1/2 when this baby is born - they sure grow up fast! Anway, the good news is - I don't have to feel as guilty as the rest of you when I enjoy those holiday buffets!

Celebrating October

It's been a busy and fun month - and true to nature I did not have my camera along for some of it - but here are a few fun shots of some things we've been doing:

OK this was probably September - Josh went on a class fieldtrip to Timp Cave

He's lucky to have one of his best friends in his class

Painting pumpkins for FHE Monday before Halloween:

Mark and Ella teamed up to do this scary witch

Josh did a pirate

Holly did a little girl

Ella and friends on Halloween

Ammon - couldn't get him to smile, even though he really does like Eeyore - too bad you can't see his tail!

Pre trick-or-treating (Ammon was too busy running around to hold still for a photo!)

On Friday before school - Holly was Cinderella this time - I think she's got the pose down!

Girls at Gardner Village

It's a tradition for us to go see the witches every year at Gardner Village - this is always one of our favorites. We went twice this year as I took Mark to "Witchapalooza" last Thursday for his birthday - it's a really fun dinner theater - good times!

The fam at Gardner Village

Earlier in October I organized a Fall Festival for my "Horton" family - we had a super fun bounce house (I won the rental at a fair this summer!)

we had bobbing for apples - all the boys really got into this!

Ammon warming up a bit to Paul

We played a hilarious game called Funny Bones - here are my sisters just getting started - yes it gets better!

We also had pumpkin bowling, pass the pumpkin, ghost bingo, guess the candycorns, a popcorn machine (thanks Andy!) and of course what's a party without a fabulous meal! It was a really fun afternoon. I have a few videos to post - check for a next post cuz blogger is giving me fits!