Let the festivities begin...

I don't mind crazy, but paired with sickness, lack of sleep, important birthdays and messy kitchens, I am known to be a tad grumpy. These four days have been and will be a whirlwind of fun. I am hoping we all survive and have positive vibes of well-being because there is NO SCHOOL on Monday and Tuesday to help us all recover. (Yes, I am dreading the decoration take down.... ugh!!)

Anyway, Thursday was Coleman's birthday! Finn was still not feeling very good, but I piled them all into the car after school and we finally went to pick out our pumpkins. It is a good thing we live by several farms that provide plentiful pumpkins because I hear in the Midwest there are NO pumpkins to be found. That would make for a hard Halloween unless you have a Michael's close by and have the dough to invest in a few fakie makie ones. Not for me though... I like the real thing.

We usually get our pumpkins early in the season, but this year has been busy. There were still quite a few to choose from, but the big, bigger, biggest ones have pretty much already found a home or two. We didn't do the "pumpkin patch hay ride" and such. We just picked them out from a gigantic tarp and called it a day. It is still so beautiful out there and makes you happy to be alive. Of course we left with gourds, honey, cherry tomatoes and broccoli chosen by Gabe (we ate it that night and it was divine!!). All in all, everyone was happy and my "to do" list was officially getting smaller.

I made a Tres Leches cake for Coleman's birthday. It was my first time and I did make a biggish mistake, but it was good and I think he was 50% happy. It was much better the second day, making him (I think) 85% happy. He wanted monster cupcakes and I just couldn't face it. I am a bad mom. Not!! A tres leches cake is hard btw! (o;

Friday was windy. Too windy for Halloween parades and for the first time in many many years, I stayed home. With Finn sick for most of the week, I just didn't want him in that fierce wind. I am sad I missed it, but will make up for it next year. Later that night we worked the Enchanted Forest and Haunted Forest. I have NO pics of any of this for the most part. Eric came last night with Finn and was supposed to be head photographer, but we both forgot the camera so..... a few phone pics will have to do. We had a lot of fun and are so glad to be part of something that makes us all laugh, enjoy Halloween more and makes for fun memories. Eric and Coleman have been working the HF after the EF and Coleman loves it. We love the Markoff's for their amazing vision of scariness and fun. This is part of our Halloween life and wouldn't be the same without it. Brother Nick is always so great to find Coleman the perfect spot. We really appreciate his attention to Coleman's needs in the midst of such chaos and business.

Tonight we are going to the ward's Trunk or Treat party. That should be really nice and for most it is a wonderful substitute for not going again on Sunday. We are breaking that "rule", but I figure my kids are only young once and it only comes one time a year. We do a darn good job of not breaking the Sabbath during regular times of the year.... this is our exception.

Tomorrow we have our annual Halloween party with lots and lots of friends. I am looking forward to it, but dread all the work. My house looks like a dish, shoe, costume and of course, paper bomb hit it all at once and I am not sure where to begin. I guess it all starts when I get my buns off this computer. Do I really need to post or am I avoiding chores.....? I think the latter. The party should be great and I always love seeing all our kiddies in cute costumes and being around friends and family.

With that, Happy Halloween to you and yours.

I saved the best for last.... Yes, I have no words as well.... It is both sick and wrong. I guess it is pretty fun growing up creepie! Love you ESM, you maniac you!

BOO!!!