Happy Halloween 2013

Happy Halloween! 

our lil pumpkin due May 2014

We sent out this picture to family and friends to announce our "lil pumpkin" due May 21, 2014 (which just so happens to be Ella's birthday. haha.  No we did not plan it that way, but I guess if I can't have twins i'll settle for 2 lil May babes. :) 

This was Ella's first year carving pumpkins.  She didn't do any of the actual carving (safety first), but she did enjoy helping us scoop out all the slimy pumpkin guts and seeds.  To say she enjoyed herself would be an understatement... She LOVED it!  For the first 10 minutes she did a great job of scooping out that guts and putting them in a bowl.  After that she decided it was way more fun to fling pumpkin everywhere.  It was all over the table, floor and walls.  After failing to listen to our warnings, she got put in timeout (which was actually the bathtub because she was covered in slime). That little stinker!

Ella was a strawberry for Halloween.  So adorable! The night before Halloween we went to the convention center in Elko, and Ella got to go trick or treating around to the different businesses.  Two nights of trick or treating. Awesome.  She was a little timid, and hid behind my legs for most of it.

Heather and Jordan (my sister and brother in law) had a little Halloween party the weekend before.  We made mini pizza's, had homemade rootbeer and strawberry rhubarb pie.  Yum!  It was a really fun time.  Here is a picture of Ella snuggling her cousin Beckham.  She sure loves her cousin! 

On the afternoon of Halloween we went to the Family Resource Center for a Halloween party for one year olds.  Every Thursday at the Family Resource Center they have a "wonderful ones" group, which is a play group for one year olds.  Since we live in a small town with not a lot to do this play group has saved my life!  Ella and I have made so many close friends from this play group, and we look forward to it every week.  The kiddos got to dress up for the Halloween party.  They all looked so cute!!!

Ready to go trick or treating

Halloween night we had white chicken chili and rolls for dinner, then we headed out trick or treating.  Brandon and Jordan stayed at the house to pass out candy and Heather, Beckham, Ella, and I went trick or treating around the neighborhood.  Beckham is almost 4 years old, so he had the whole trick or treating thing down to a fine art.  Ella would toddle after him and hold out her bag as Beckham rang the doorbell and said "trick or treat."  Ella insisted on walking pretty much the whole way, and didn't want any help from her mama.  Little miss independent. Oh, and did I mention that the best part of trick or treating with a one year old was that Brandon and I got to eat all her Halloween candy?!? Not sure we will be able to get away with that again in the future.    

We had such a fun night.  Our neighborhood was filled with trick or treaters, and it reminded me of my childhood.  I hope that trick or treating still exists in the next 5-10 years.  It seems like each year it shifts more towards trunk or treats because of safety concerns.  This makes me sad, because trick or treating door to door is such an awesome childhood memory for me.  Let's hope it sticks around! 

It's fall ya'll!

Fall is my favorite season of all. I love watching the leaves change and seeing all the beautiful vibrant colors, the crisp air, warm sweaters, apple cider, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, chili (white chicken chili is my favorite), caramel apples, pumpkin pie, carving pumpkins, trick or treating, and being surrounded by family on Thanksgiving.  I love to go up into the mountains, and soak in all the beauty that autumn brings. Here are some pictures of us enjoying the fall this year in Elko.  

Ella's room

I thought I would post some pictures of Ella's room.  I was so excited to move into our own home, so that I could paint and decorate exactly how I wanted.  Ella's room was the only one we ended up painting.  For the most part we like the rest of the paint in the house, but who knows maybe down the road we will change it up.  The previous owners had this room as their little boys room, and it was a very bright blue.  It took us three coats of primer, and three coats of paint to cover it up!  I picked out the paint and Brandon did all the hard work, which I am grateful for.

Before

After 

I did all the decorating and wall stencils.  It was my first attempt at stenciling so I was a little nervous, but I love the way it turned out.

Soon we will be decorating another nursery.  :)  More to come on that later!