pumpkin carving

Pumpkin carving this year was just not as fun as years before.  For the last four years we've carved pumpkins with my sisters and their kids and before that we did it with my sister-in-law and her kids. This year it was just us and not only was it just us but just me. Todd had to work late so it ended up being me and the kids.


Earlier that day we headed to Walmart to pick out our pumpkins. (I don't know Vegas well enough to know if there is a pumpkin patch here at all)

Got the tops off and now the kids get to do the fun part of gutting them. Not sure what Ellie's doing????

 I have to say it's a different experience carving pumpkins in shorts when you're used to having it snow on you when you put them out.

 I swear my hand was going to fall off after I carved all four pumpkins but we got it done.(needed aunt Court to help me out as always) The kids drew the faces they wanted carved on the pumpkins for me so I knew just what to do. Each is their own creation.

I also learned that you really shouldn't carve your pumpkin until like the day before Halloween if you want to have them make it until then. It's still so hot here they shriveled up after two days. Now they look like old people pumpkins on our porch which kinda adds to the scary factor of it all. 

We really missed doing this with cousins and want to see pictures of their pumpkins as well.

Ellie's Ladybug party

I think I had more fun doing this party than Ellie had at the party. I haven't thrown a party in so long that even on a small scale like this it was so much fun. Last year I wanted to do a ladybug theme party for her but with Todd gone and all else that was going on it just didn't happen. I did however collect a few things before I realized it wasn't going to happen. I'm proud to say that I did this party for under $20 (which was used mostly on food) by using what I already had.

Ellie invited 5 of her friends to her party plus Holland. I didn't have a huge crowd to plan for which was nice. I made party hats for each girl and they each had a coloring page and crayons waiting for them when they arrived. I'm going back to my serving in the nursery days here with the have a gathering activity for when they arrive.

I kept the food/treats simple which was really nice not having to worry about making things the day of. 

I dipped Oreos (note: when doing this use double stuff next time)

covered mini water bottles

Used my Cricket for cutting out ladybugs

 mini chocolate and powdered doughnuts

 cupcakes

I found these ladybug take out boxes at Porters a year ago when I was still living in Rexburg

 I had made some ladybug hair clips for each girl to take home. They filled their boxes with a cupcake and any other treat they wanted to take home as well.

 We have been so lucky to have made such good friends here.

 

 Ellie really enjoyed herself and through the whole process of getting things ready she could hardly contain herself and was always coming in to see what I was making and to see if she could help. It made doing the party all the more fun because she really appreciated all the fun things I like to do.

She is such a sweetheart and I am so thankful to have her as a daughter. I see a lot of me in her which is both fun and a little scary to see yourself looking back at you. Hopefully she gets my good attributes and not my weaknesses.

A little about Ellie now at age 6 (well she will be by Thursday anyway)
She LOVES to do anything creative, color, paint, beads, cut and paste, you name it.
She is a great big sister to Holland and gives the best hugs.
She is loving Kindergarten and is doing really well.

Happy Birthday Ellie!!

Unexpected hair cut

 This past weekend was moving weekend and General Conference weekend at our "new" house. AND we were lucky enough to have a visit from my brother Dan and his wife Jenni while they were in town. 

While we were all watching the second session on Sunday the kids were off playing and I of course was enjoying being able to sit and actually hear what was being said. Well as it was ending Holland came down stairs and my brother noticed chunks missing out of her pony tails. I didn't believe it when he said some thing then I looked for myself. HOLY COW there are CHUNKS missing from her ponytail!!!!!!

There were actually chunks missing from the other one as well but not as dramatic as the one side. What was I going to do? This wasn't a fix I could handle on my own, so I put the word out to my friends here in Vegas to see if they knew of anyone who cuts hair and lucky for me they came through. 

Here's the worst of it.

 

 Makes me sad, she had such long pretty hair, BUT it will grow back.

 Good thing she's so cute it makes it hard to be too mad at her. She did great all through her hair cut and sat perfectly still.

 Four kids and the fourth one is the one to take the scissors to their own hair. (Weiland cut the neighbor boys hair a few years ago, still sorry about that one Rachel)

She looks so grown up now with short hair. I'm just grateful she didn't cut too close to the scalp that it would be impossible to fix.