Olympia Thanksgiving

So, I better finish November before December ends. We spent Thanksgiving in Olympia with the entire family + Grandma and Grandpa +Aunt London. What a full house. I loved being home with all my brothers and sisters. As each family gets bigger, gatherings like this get fewer. I feel blessed we were able to spend almost a week together in one big house. Yes it was crazy, but it was well worth it.

Mom did an incredible job feeding us all. She is the perfect hostess. We all love cooking and cleaning up and the cooking some more together.

Latin Farms Outing

Looking at the cows

Dirty, Cold, Duck Races

Animal lover just like her mom

No more yummy fritter. It's in our tummies.

Russell and baby Oliver

Morning Stories with G. Papa

Fighting over the baby

All the cousins on One couch

The "Kids" Thanksgiving Table

The none kid table

PJ's and Play dough

Goofy TJ and Wes

Feasting Party

Working in the Kitchen

G. Papa Time

Carson and Grandma

Sitting with Grandma G.

Pink Princesses

Pomegranate Salad

A little competitions with the Duck Races

Amelia's 2nd Birthday

Amelia turned two in November. We enjoyed a family celebration together. Amelia wanted Macaroni and Cheese for dinner (I didn't complain). After dinner we opened presents and then had pink and purple cupcakes with mint chocolate chip ice cream. She is crazy for princesses and pink, so she got a few new princesses to play with (our girl toy selection is quite scarce).

Amelia with her $6 Princess Balloon (Trevor said it better last at least a week for that price, and it did:)

The boys were just as excited as she was

Had to get a picture of her by the Birthday Blocks

Trevor brushing out Rapunzel's locks

Test tasting

Russell and Mom eating off Princess plates

Amelia in her new fairy backpack from Carol

This video is for Tom and Andrea in Hungary. This is Amelia opening their gift.

Carving Pumpkins

I wanted to post a few pictures of our pumpkins this year. I know it's out of order, but out of order is better than not in at all.

Can you guess who carved the Yoda? I was poked fun of because I did not use a pattern, but I had to gut and carve my pumpkin in time to help the kids with their pumpkins. Actually Trevor helped TJ with his bat and moon pumpkin (some how it didn't quite turn out like the picture, could be because we had the boys do all the tracing). We were heading out to a Family Halloween party so we were all dressed up. Trevor is a Banfield vet if you can't tell. He had scrubs on, a puppy in his pocket and a kid stethoscope around his neck. I dressed in my Hawaiian dress (it's my "go to" costume for a quick and easy dress up).

Olympia Halloween Party

I took the kids to Olympia for Grandma and Grandpa's Halloween party. Their ward does a chilli dog dinner, carnival and trunk or treat. The kids were all very excited to go. I tried to get Amelia to dress up in my favorite lion costume but she wouldn't have it. She wanted to be a ballerina. She won. Grandma dressed up like Tigger Lily and I was Wendy. TJ decided last minute to be Dracula and Russell went as a blue Power Ranger. The kids loved the games and Trunk-or-Treating. I'm glad we got to enjoy some Halloween festivities with Grandma and Grandpa.

In the car after Trunk-or-Treating

Getting a treat from Grandma Tiger Lily

Dracula and the Blue Power Ranger

Playing with Pumpkins and Papa

Halloween Night

I'm going backwards with my pictures tonight because it is too late to try and move them all over. I just want them posted. I loved Halloween this year. Trevor's company goes all out for Halloween so our festivities started early. Really early because I volunteered for TJ's kindergarten class Halloween party (strange being the parent volunteer and not the teacher).

As soon as TJ and I came home from school we all dressed in our costumes and drove to Trevor's work. Boba Fett met us at the entrance (what a cool place to work where your dad gets to dress up as a Star Wars guy all day). We went around to the different decked out rooms for games and pictures. The boys loved the Star Wars room the most (finance department). The boys battled Boba Fett, Darth Maul, and Darth Vader, got Tatooine Tattoos, and glow necklaces. They also really liked the Batman room. We stayed and played until 5:30 then raced home, ate a bowl of oatmeal, and headed out the door trick-or-treating with friends.

When we got home Trevor told me he wanted to let the kids eat candy and watch the old Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie (he had just finished reading the book to the boys that week). My first thought was "no way, you don't have to deal with candy overload and late night backlash tomorrow." I replied "Why not honey, Halloween is just once a year." I must admit it was a magical night all snuggled up on the coach together watching Charlie and the Chocolate factory. I think this might be the beginning of a wonderful Halloween tradition.

Happy Trick-or-Treater (I had to pry that pink bucket from her clenched fist at bedtime).

Eating the loot

TJ walking up to one of the spooky houses in our neighborhood

She wanted to do it all by herself

Trick-or-treating at the missionaries house

Russell in his Star Wars Gear (he decided to wear this costume after seeing Dad in his costume)

Amelia and Alyxie (one of her favorite babysitters)

Russell's prized candy of the night a "fireball" It was like Christmas morning when he got it.

Out on the Pedigo's porch normal then silly

TJ battling Darth Vader at Trevor's Work

Trevor at his Star Wars post

earlier that day at work

In the bat cave

The Star Wars bad guys

Daddy and Amelia going fish

A family photo in front of Trevor's office

We carved pumpkins Saturday night with the kids.