Happy Halloween!

All the Smith cousins together!

2 pink princesses

My little sis and her cute family

the princesses were concerned when Max got distressed

Bentley's candy stash

2 trick-or-treaters
They've had a night of fun
They're off to bed for happy dreams
since Halloween is done.

adapted lines from the kids' favorite Halloween book Ten Trick-or-Treaters

LeBaron Halloweenies

Princess Aurora and Fireman Bentley welcome you to this post!

On Monday night we celebrated Halloween at Nanny and Grandpa's house. The kids loved having an extra event to get all dressed up for (and I have to admit, I did too--both the getting my kiddos all done up and wearing my own costume--something I haven't done in years).

Joseph and I were Anthony and Cleopatra--in their happier days together, you know, before all the tragedy...

I am completely in love with this girl!

All the little costumed cousins. Bentley was trying his best to be Kai's "seatbelt."

Apparently it was a pretty fun task :)

And Cares couldn't help but dote on baby Porter. Such a sweet princess!

This year's ladyfingers-- warts were a new update. Too bad they didn't taste all that great...

The dressed-up adults. Bob is the Hamburglar--he looks awesome but where did he even get that idea in the first place? Classic...

Matching striped legs

Joseph's work of art for the night

After yet another busy day yesterday full of errands, playing with cousins, a dr's appointment, and a fun date night to La Caille (the kids got to play with Grandma Bobbi, Grandpa Sherm and Marshall and get totally spoiled) we needed a "nothing" day today. Bean stayed home from preschool, we stayed in PJ's until 10:30, worked on many loads of laundry, and cleaned and picked up our much neglected house. I am loving today :)

Football and Pumpkins

Yesterday we had a perfect Saturday--cheering for the cougars down in Provo (even during the very last minutes of the game--they were killing me with suspense!) and then coming home to our darling kids and carving pumpkins together.

Yay for Fall-- I love everything about it!

Love this little bonding moment between Caroline and Grandpa

The finished jack-o-lanterns:
Bentley's monster and Caroline's kitty

Gathering

I met up with some old, and very dear, friends yesterday. We brought all our crazy kids and had a lovely time wandering around Gardner Village (of course--where else?!) and catching up while the kids entertained each other. I have known these girls for what feels like forever (at least 17 years) and we only manage to get together like this about once a year (if we're lucky). I love the fact that no matter how long it's been, we can easily laugh, talk for hours on end and have so much fun together--even as we trade potty training secrets and discuss the ways our families are growing and changing. I have said it before, but I feel truly blessed to have made such great friends during my jr. high and high school years. We did so many silly things together and always made up outlandish plans. But we also supported each other and really loved each other. It was just 4 of us together yesterday and it made me miss our bigger circle of friends, but time and marriages and jobs and schooling have spread us apart. I felt lucky to have found time with a few of them yesterday :)

All our little ones

The 4 year olds

The 2 year olds

Pumpkin Patch

I know, I know. I have been blogging and blogging and blah blah blah...just one of those weeks. And I'm trying to stay on top of it all--it's hard work folks (both the playing and the blogging :)

Bentley's preschool class had a fieldtrip to the Vineyard in Orem yesterday. After rushing down there we found the place totally jam-packed and had to park down the street and around the corner. Not fun. We did find Bentley's teacher and some friends from class waiting at the entrance so we headed in together. We trudged through a pumpkin patch and into an easy little corn-maze. Bentley was having a ball running ahead with his friend Sage which really upset Caroline who couldn't quite keep up.

On the other side of the maze we found a big playground and petting zoo area. Again, Bentley was off with his school friends having a ball. It was fun to meet some kids that I have only heard about through Bentley's tales from school. However, Cares was not happy to have her brother off with other friends--it kind of broke her heart which was sweet on the one hand, but tough to manage on the other with all the tears and hurt feelings. As much as I love whining, sad toddlers, we decided to head out early--but not before Bentley chose out his very own pumpkin to take home.

Preschool pals playing around

Cares found some little ducks to cheer her up (you'll notice the tears just below her eyes if you zoom in--poor babe)

The chosen pumpkin--I think at this point both of my kids were done for the day,
what do you think?
Bentley didn't even want to hold his own pumpkin and dropped it on the ground just after this picture because he claimed it was just too heavy. We left just in time...

A fun sign in the patch.

Gardner Village Again

Yesterday we took a short little outing to Gardner with the Horsleys and Grandma:

The kids played "I Spy a Witch" and this was their first find.

The upside-down witch totally cracked these 3 up.
Plus, they just happen to be awesome fake laughers :)

At the petting zoo, this goat really liked my mom!

And Cares thought the cuddling pigs were very cute.

My kids invaded the Horsley family picture--they just love them so much they can't stay away!

We snuggled together to keep warm on a very chilly (and therefore perfect) fall day.

Barnyard Boo

Now that it's nearing the end of the month, we have a whole slew of activities planned (this week alone we are booked every day). Crazy. I know. But in about 5 months, I will be a boring mama with a newborn's schedule dictating much of life. So, for now, I want our little family to have lots of fun (can you store up memories when you're a little kid and pull them out when it's a rainy spring day and you're stuck at home? hmmm...)

Last night=Barnyard Boo at Thanksgiving Point. It was a lovely night for playing outside and even though I think Cornbelly's or even the Scarecrow Festival looked much more adventurous and filled with lots more to do, the little set-up at the petting zoo was about as much as we needed with our small kids. Plus, it wasn't very busy which made it ten times cooler in my book!

Activity #1 Balloon Creations (a purple kitty and red airplane)

Activity #2 Pony Rides

Activity #3 Frosting Cookies

Activity #4 Playing around in the farmland Dance Hall--the kids went crazy!

Activity #5 Boo Bowling and posing for tons of pics :)

We also went on a horse-drawn carriage ride (the carriage was really big and held about 20 people at a time) where we heard the story of Sleepy Hollow and then drove past a real headless horseman who followed the carriage for a bit and then came up really close to each side. It was actually kind of scary--hello!--this venue is for little toddlers and not supposed to be scary. Good thing Cares was clueless but my Bentley was sure listening to every word and very nervous about the whole thing. We rushed off that ride and distracted the kids with silly, happy Halloween tattoos and tasty kettle corn. I think it worked...