Happy Halloween!

This Halloween was a very busy and fun day. The kids woke up to our traditional spooky Halloween breakfast. This year we had orange eggs and orange muffins with bluberries. YUMMY. I stuck with my usual, cottage cheese and yogurt. I then got the kids all ready and sent Maya off to school. Then at 11am I headed over to the school with Kai to start getting ready for the Kindergarten Halloween Party. It was so much fun. The kids played pumpkin bean bag toss and decorated pumpkin cookies and made a skeleton out of Qtips. They also had a blast going on a parade around the school.

Maya was so cute, during the parade she held on so tight to Kai and helped him walk around the school with her. Normally this would not fly but for some reason Kai was just fine with the smothering instinct in Maya this time.

Maya was a witch at the church Halloween Party...But, when she saw her BFF Rachel show up to the church as a bride, she insited on borrowing Nana's dress up bride outfit for her school Halloween party. She, of course, looked DARLING!!!

Kai was thrilled to be able to put on his super Kai costume again. Especially since it is associated with getting candy now.

Anthony brought Addison over later, after he aced his final midterm, so he could hang out for a while at the party!


Maya with some of the class all dressed up for Halloween.


Maya with her teacher, Mrs. Phillips.



After school we headed over to Papa's retirement party. After 32 years at LDS social services....my Dad is finally retiring. CONGRATS DAD!!!!
It was a fun party where lots of friends and family came to honor Dad.

It was also Chris's birthday...He went out with Erin, though after the party and so we celebrated his birtday Sunday night.

As if Kai needs a mask.....he already looks so much like his Papa.

Wow, Dad looks so pretty with a veil.

Mom and Aunt Cheryl. Such a pretty couple!
Dad's sister, Maryln and her husband flew in for the party. It was so nice to see them and visit with them. They just got back from a mission to Croatia!

After the party we went to a portrait studio that Aunt Cheryl works at and had the kids pictures taken in their costumes. And, yes, they were cute and I will be posting them as soon as we get them back.

Then we headed over to Nana and Papa's for dinner and then Saralyn and I took the kids up and down Nana and Papa's street. Kai and Emma were so cute and remembered to YELL, "THANK YOU!!!!" after every door.
Maya had a blast setting up shop and handing out candy back at Nana and Papa's house. She organized all the candy in piles of two's so that she could grab a pile and hand it out each time.

WHAT A DAY!!!!......OH yeah....and Addison did manage to slip a nap in there somewhere.....

Happy Birthday Jen!

Today is my sister Jen's birthday.
Jen you truely are such and incredible sister and friend. I am so lucky to have you as a friend in my life and even luckier to have you as a sister. You are amazing. I hope you have the greatest birtday ever...you absolutley deserve nothing but the best today. I just wish I could be there with you to help you live it up and celebrate. I will see you in a couple of weeks, though. I am counting down the days. I love you so much, Nennie

Carving Pumpkins!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLAIRE BEAR!!!!!

Today is my niece, Claire Bears birthday!
Happy Birthday sweet, sweet Claire. Just remember your aunt Carrie has been there since the first day you brightened up all of our lives and I will always be here for you. I love you so much Claire, you make life so fun and happy. Our family wouldn't be the same with out your glorious personality in it. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLAIRE BEAR!!!!!

Halloween at Da Pabst's

Okay, so it is no secret that I love me some Halloween. Here is one of the main reasons why.....DECORATING!!!!!!

This is actually a real spider! I just thought her web was amazing so I took her picture and thanked her for adding to my Halloween Decor. Kinda creepy, right?!

The Pumpkin Patch!!!!!

WARNING: TONS OF PHOTOS!!!!

I am 31 years old and I swear I still love going to the pumpkin patch every year as much as I did when I was 5. In fact, I think I might love it even more because I get to experience all of that fun and excitement that I remember through my children's eyes.
So last night, for family home evening, we went to the pumpkin patch at a place called Lee's farm that is just up the road from our house. It was such a fun place. It was much like the pumpkin patch that I always remembered going to growing up. I love the local, home town feeling here in Tualatin.





Wouldn't you know, they have the same pumpkin growth chart thing that the pumpkin patches in Utah have. This is way cool because I have a picture of the kids standing by this jolly ol' pumpkin every year!
And of course we had to get the photos with the big wooden character thing-a-ma-jiggers.


Maya had so much fun just climbing over the endless sea of orange, looking for the perfect pumpkin.



The perfect pumpkin has been spotted!!!
SUCCESS!!!!!!
Kai just loved being able to climb over all of the pumpkins. He was being a boy and not being preoccupied with his letters so we let him climb and play all he wanted!



Wouldn't you know, he picked one of the only pumpkins small enough for him to pick up.