Happy Halloween!

Here's wishing you all a safe and spooky Halloween!

Tricks & Treats

This week, our little family has been busy with all kinds of Halloween fun.  We've also experienced a few tricks.  Here's the run down.

Karsyn's Ballet Class

The girls got to wear their costumes to dance this week.  They were so excited!  Although this was a little tricky for me.  I had about 15 minutes after school to help the girls get ready, help Evan get his soccer bag ready for practice, pack sandwiches, and freshen up my make-up.  Addi ended up getting to tap right as it started and my lipstick looked like I put it on without looking. ha!  But, we made it!  I loved seeing all of the little dancers in their costumes.  We saw 12 Elsas!  My little witches looked way too cute.  I mean spooky!

On Wednesday, I had my first class party as a preschool teacher and Karsyn had her first party as a preschooler.  It was wild, crazy, and a whole lot of fun.  I didn't get to take any pictures.  Three year-olds, balloons, candy...I'm sure you can understand why. ha!  I was so tired, but my day was far from being over.  After school, Karsyn had gymnastics.  Then, we had a busy, busy evening which included a trip to our local pumpkin patch, the dollar store, Wal-Mart, Little Caesar's, and running Evan to Nana and Papa's house to work on a  report.  Payton had to turn in a pumpkin that was decorated as a story book character.  She made her pumpkin look like Rapunzel.  It was really cute, but I didn't get a picture of it. (I'll explain why in a bit.) I also made Dark Chocolate Dipped Marshmallow Pops for Evan's A/P English project.  They turned out really cute.

My original intention was to make Marshmallow Frankenstein Pops for Evan's class, but they took way too long.  I made a few and decided to send them to Karsyn's class party.  She gets to party twice since she goes to all four days of the three year-old program.  They turned out really cute, but the icing on his face smeared in the packaging by the time Karsyn got them to the party.

Addi and Karsyn call him "Blinkenstein" for some reason. ha!

That leads us to this morning.  I could tell from across a dark living room that Addi had pink eye.  Jason and  I scrambled to make a plan.  Trying to figure something out made me forget to take a picture of Pay's pumpkin.  Boo!  Jason's manager was awesome and said he could come in after I got off of work.  Jason got Addi into the doctor where it was confirmed that she had pink eye.  I'm pretty sure that if this teaching gig goes away, I totally am qualified for a job at the zoo.  I could put eye drops in a raccoon's eyes just as easily as Addi's.  There may even be less screaming and hissing.  Boy howdy, that's rough!!!  We get to have that fun every four hours for the next nine days!  Ugh! I'm hoping that her eye clears up by the morning, so that she can go to her Halloween school party.  Karsyn and I did  get to go to our next set of class parties.  They were as equally fun and crazy as the first set.  =) After Evan and Payton got out of school, we decided to skip soccer practice.  We all got in our p.j.'s and watched It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.  I'm really hoping Addi feels better by tomorrow!!

Crock Pot Tortellini Soup

Today, I'm linking up with Mel from The Larson Lingo for her annual Crock-tober.  Click here to check out other great recipes or to add one of your favorites.  Earlier this year while sitting in the bleachers at basketball practice, my sister-in-law Kary told me that she was making Crock Pot Tortellini Soup. Over the years, I've exchanged many good recipes with moms while waiting at sports practices or dance classes.  Don't you? I'm not sure why, but I was a little slow to try it.  We recently did and Jason has declared that it's his favorite recipe of all time!  Kary has told me that this is my brother's favorite soup too!  As far as the kiddos go, Evan and Karsyn loved it!  Payton not so much.  Addi wouldn't even try it, but that's the norm for her. =)

So, here's what you need:

1 package of frozen cheese tortellini

1 bag of fresh spinach

2 cans of chicken broth

1 pound browned sausage (I used turkey.  You can use whatever kind that you like the best.)

2 cans of Italian diced tomatoes (Do not drain.)

 1 packaged of cream cheese - cube it up.

 Add all of the ingredients to crock pot.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  You may need to stir it occasionally.  It's that easy!  I made this for dinner on a Friday night and we were able to enjoy left overs all weekend.  I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try!

Of Halloweens Past {2014} Edition

I always love doing this post each year.  It just brings back such great Halloween memories.  It also makes me realize just how quickly time goes by.  I am missing a few photos.  I'm afraid I may never be able to find those.  =( But, I do have a few that you've never seen before.  Are you ready to take a spooky stroll with me? Okay, here goes.

Halloween 2004

It was our first and only Halloween as a family of three.  We had just found out that we were expecting again!  We dressed Evan up as a red chili pepper.  He was way too cute!  We stayed at our house and passed out candy to neighborhood kids.  Grandma Beverly and Papa Floyd came over too.

Halloween 2005

Payton was almost 4 months-old.  She was the cutest little jack-o-lantern ever.  Evan was 18 months-old.  He was a giraffe.  I got told that I had a pretty little giraffe a lot.  So umm...a giraffe is a girl costume maybe?  I just don't know.  As a little family of four, we went and visited a few friends and family.  Then, I took Evan to a trick-or-treat walk in our downtown.  Daddy stayed at home with a sleepy Payton girl.

Halloween 2006

This is one that I don't have pictures for - boo!  Payton was a cute little black cat.  Evan was an adorable scarecrow.  Again, we visited family and friends.  It was this Halloween that Jason and I decided that as much as we loved showing our kiddos off in their costumes, we needed to start a new tradition.  We felt like we spent most of our time driving, instead of the kids having fun.  We knew we needed to change things up.  I think that's one of the good things about social media these days.  We can post pictures of the kiddos in their costumes for everyone to see and still let the kids have fun.  It's a win!

Halloween 2007

We were a jack-o-lantern family of four.  We went to eat with our friends BriAnna and Zoe.   Bri made Zoe the cutest homemade pirate costume.  She had also just found out that they were expecting again.  That made us all extra giddy.  After dinner, we headed to the downtown Halloween walk.  Jason had to go to work shortly after we finished up there.  Then, I took Evan and Payton to a church carnival.  It was so much fun!

Halloween 2008

Evan and Payton were both cops, just like their pop. =)  Jason had to work. =(  The kiddos and I met up with BriAnna, Zoe (who was super girl) and Baby Hallie (who was a little lamb.)  Again, we went to our downtown for the Halloween walk.  Jason and I had just found out that we were expecting again. =)  That was our last Halloween to spend with Bri and the girls.  They moved after that.

Halloween 2009

This Halloween gave us a trick and a treat.  Our treat was that it was our Addi girl's first Halloween.  The trick was that Evan came down with H1N1.  Payton and I weren't so lucky either, but we both felt good that night.  Payton was in Pre-K and she was a cute little cat.  Evan was a knight one day at school.  The next day on Halloween night, he was a very sick vampire.  The girls and I met with The Wiggles and went to the downtown Halloween walk.  Then, we went trick-or-treating with Papa Gene in his neighborhood.  Payton brought an extra bucket to get candy for Evan.  She's always been such a sweet girl. 

Halloween 2010

My most favorite picture ever from being a mama of 3 came this Halloween.  I just love the picture of the kiddos in their costume.  Evan was Buzz Lightyear.  Payton was Snow White.  Addi was a lady bug.  The downtown walk got cancelled permanently that year. Jason also had to work, so it was a double bummer.  We ended up going out to pizza with friends.  Then, we went trick-or-treating in Nana and Papa's neighborhood with our friends and Uncle Billy, Aunt Kary, Natalie, Emily, and Stephen. Two and a half weeks later, we found out it would be our last Halloween as a family of 5.

Halloween 2011

It was Karsyn's first Halloween.  We were so excited that Jason was off that night too!  Evan was a cop, once again.  Payton was Dorothy.  It was kind of funny that her best friend showed up to school in the exact same costume.  Addi was a little witchy.  (Karsyn will be wearing the witch costume this year.)  Karsyn was a little skeleton.  We went to a carnival at one of our local churches.  It was such a fun night.

Halloween 2012

A new tradition started this year.  We take pictures in Uncle Billy's front yard and then go trick-or-treating with them in Nana and Papa's neighborhood.  Evan was Spiderman.  Payton was Batgirl.  By the way, Payton worked her costume.  She was all kind of sassy and cute!  Addi was so proud to be a pirate.  Karsyn was a sailor girl. The kiddos really wanted Jason to dress up.  He happily obliged.  I love my clown!

Halloween 2013

Going along with our new tradition, we took a family picture in Uncle Billy's yard again.  I don't know why, but he gets the best pictures of our family. Yay!  Daddy was a vampire.  Karsyn was a pirate.  Evan was Harry Potter.  He had been sick again. Ugh!  Payton was a bumble bee.  Addi was a genie.  She LOVED her costume!

This year, we plan to spend our Halloween with Uncle Billy and fam!  We can't wait.  Karsyn has asked me every night for the last week if it's time to go trick-or-treating.   After, we are going to go to I-Hop so the kids can get free scary face pancakes.  They saw the commercial and it's a must now! I can't wait for all of the fun!

Jesse Wiggles Turns 9!

After church this afternoon, the kiddos and I headed to our best friend family's house.  (Jason had to work today and was really bummed that he couldn't come with us.)  It's hard to believe but, earlier this week Jesse turned 9 years-old!  We walked into the back yard and the kids gasped as they saw this inflatable obstacle course.

 
Here's the birthday boy Jesse!

 Shoes flew off little medium and big feet both.  (Just in case you are wondering, Karsyn is not little.  She is medium.  She'll correct you very quickly if you say the wrong thing.)  For the next half hour, I only saw blurry flashes that resembled my children.

After all of the guests arrived and the kids played for a little bit, it was cake time.  Kim made this amazing cake.  The kids got a kick out of the candy rocks.

Happy Birthday to Jesse!

Karsyn and Addi couldn't wait for some cake!

Lots and lots of kids enjoying their cake!

Emily and Karsyn LOVED playing together.

 After cake, it was time for more obstacle course fun!

 Then, the birthday boy opened his birthday presents.

Evan loved watching his bud.

After presents, the kids played for a little longer and then we headed home.  It was a great party!  

Happy Birthday Jesse!  We love you!

Hocus Pocus

This afternoon, the kids and I had our first spooky of Halloween.  I had a mini photo session set up for the kiddos.  We drove and drove and drove and could not find where we were supposed to be.  We spent our entire session time being lost.  Since I had a mini van filled with witches and a wizard, I decided to do a little mini session of our own...just in our little town.  So I knew where we were. =)

My magical crew

I started with Addi first.  She's the hardest to get a good picture of.  I get lots of shots like this.

Here's a smile...a very fake smile, but a smile.

My Wizard Evan

He's a handsome wizard.

Karsyn

I LOVE this picture of my littlest witch.  I mean, my medium size witch. ha!

Payton 

Pretty little witch

She wanted it to look like she was stirring her brew, but she said it looks like she's doing the cabbage patch. ha!

Too cute!

Just doing some magic!

These two are too cute!  They did this all on their own.

Even though our plans didn't work out, I'm very happy that I got these pictures of the kiddos.  They sure are a treat.

Cheering On Payton & Addi

Before the kiddos got out for Fall Break, the high school dance team, color guard, and cheerleaders visited Addi and Payton's elementary school.  Every year, they put on a mini clinic where the girls learn a cheer and a dance routine to perform during a high school football pregame show.  Payton participated in the clinic when she was in Kindergarten.  You can read all about that here (it's the second half of the linked post.)  She couldn't wait to do it again.  Addi was really excited that they came to her school, but she said that she didn't want to do it.  I knew that she wanted to, but was just scared. =( So, I signed up both of the girls.  Practice was Wednesday evening.  Addi was nervous again, but once we got her there, she had the time of her life.  Payton totally blew me away.  I think she needs to take Hip Hop at dance.  She really did awesome.  Both girls had so much fun and couldn't wait for the big game! The game tonight was extra special, because it was the pink out game.  Everyone wore pink to support breast cancer awareness.  I let the girls wear a little dance make up for their big performance.  They were so excited as we walked to the school.  Here's Miss Addi after she got her shirt.

And here's the biggest sister.

Karsyn also wore a little dance makeup too.  She was so proud of it!  I was impressed with how well she sit still to let me do it.  At the game, I couldn't get her to look at the camera.  She couldn't keep hers eyes off of the giant Russian dolls.  They were the opposing team's band props.

Evan was just excited to be at the game.  He loves football.  He was also getting pretty excited about being in the high school marching band.

One of my students was at the game too!  He shared popcorn with Karsyn while they both waited for their big sisters to dance.  They were so excited to see someone from school.

The opposing team's band performed.  They were great!

Then, the girls were on.  They all did a cheer together.  Then, the girls performed a dance and flag routine according to their age group.  Addi's group when first.  They performed to the Lego Movie's theme song, Everything is Awesome.  Payton's group performed last.  They danced to an Arriana Grande song.  My pictures didn't turn out too great, but here's a couple.  Addi is on the 45 yard line.  Payton is all of the way in the back towards the 50 yard line.

The girls ran to the sidelines and there was a sea of pink.  

All of the parents had to wait to get their girls until after the game ball was delivered.  It was kind of delivered in the most awesome of ways.

The girls and I watched the first few plays of the game.  Then, we headed home.  At that point, Karsyn had already been in the stands for over and hour and was more than ready.

Daddy and Evan stayed for a little while. Our high school football team was down by 3 TD's real quick.  Evan had a little fun with the Chick-Fil-A cow and then they too headed home.

Jason got a couple of videos of the girls' performing on his cell phone. He wasn't able to get Payton's dance.  Karsyn got too far away and he had to nab her up. I was really bummed, but I can tell you that she did great! (In the second video, you can hear Jason and Karsyn singing. lol.)

I am so, so proud of Payton and Addi.  They really did amazing tonight.  There is no way that I could ever dance in front of an entire football stadium, so it impresses me to no end that they did.  I loved being able to cheer on our little cheerleaders tonight!