I offered fox ears and a tail, but Laney decided to go with a less literal interpretation.
Gotta love dressing up with a friend!
AJ decided on Beetlejuice....with some decidedly feminine touches.
Her and her buddies headed out with pillowcases to make the most of the neighborhood.
Everly made the cutest little witch! She has a way with eyeliner and lipstick! Her friend groups fell through and she got to go trick or treating with Megan and Mark.
Megan was rocking her best big sister chaperone outfit.
I stayed back to hand out candy. My hip is still in recovery mode and can't handle a long trek around the neighborhood. But I got be here when these cute friends came by to collect Laney.
I love Halloween! We've grown out of the days when I make matching bird wings for everyone, but watching them create their own looks and have fun with friends is just as fun!
I did actually wait until the last possible moment to buy pumpkins. I searched high and low, only to find every vegetable and fruit for sale, except pumpkins. I remembered that I saw a pile of (probably expensive) pumpkins outside Hen House, so I got myself over there post haste.
And look at that! I got the last six acceptable pumpkins in the city. For real.
Winnie likes this tradition!
Looks like the girls love it too!
Mark was working late, but got home just in time to scoop, plan, carve and light his pumpkin in record time.
In order: Anna, Meg, Mom, Everly, Bug, Dad
Ethan and Kassie had their own pumpkin carving night!
I took a trip out to Utah to spend time with Mom. I snagged bonus visits with Ethan and Kassie as well as a fun trip to St. George to see Kaira and her family and her cute puppies!
The first night there, we went out to one of Ethan and Kassie's favorite spots, Chubby's. It didn't disappoint!
Mom had a sick day, and I used the time to sit down and catch up on months of budgeting. But the next day she was feeling better and we took the opportunity to hit the grocery store and avail ourselves of the fine spread of Utah "salads" at Macy's. In all seriousness. I'm impressed.
We got to see Ethan and Kassie's apartment and have a little chat. I love that they are making those newly wed memories!
The next morning, mom and I headed down to St. George. I got to spend lots of time with the three wiggly pups. They were so cute! And their teeth were so sharp.
Cinnamon, Stubbs and Silvie
A few other highlights....spending time with my nieces!
Scootering in Snow Canyon. So gorgeous and strangely meditative, even speeding along. The red rocks and desert just give you a solitary feeling. I'd love to bring Mark and the kids back here to do this again.
We got to sink our toes into the red sand, softer than any beach I've been to, and we spotted lots of lizard tracks
A trip out the the adorable Frei's Fruit Market
And then the Taffy Shop....Kaira know all the best places.
7 bucks to fill a bag. The only rule is it has to be able to close.
Oh. It's on.
The best part was the taffy identification chart. I'm all about the proper organization of my candy.
Dinner with the Tuckers, even Charlie! Mom's treat.
Before you know it, we were driving back up to Spanish Fork, had one last visit with Ethan and Kassie and I was flying back to Utah. I briefly considered getting another almond croissant from my favorite spot in the airport, but even I know that's excessive.
But we were grateful that they seemed to only want our apples and peanut butter, not our blood and tears.
This was one of my favorite camping weekends ever. Not because the campground was special in any way, or because there was lots of fun things to do or because we made amazing pioneer food.
It was because we had such a fun time together laughing and taking pictures and enjoying the fact that we could just sit and make fire and watch the moon and sleep in and slow down together. I love these kids. Even though this year they didn't really feel like kids. They stepped up in monumental ways to do the heavy lifting that comes with camping...planning, packing, setting up, cooking, dishes, watching over each other. I am the luckiest mom.
Setting up the tent with very little help from mom
Rainbow sleeping bag straps make the best holders for the string lights.
Friends coming for a visit and a chat.
Tinfoil dinners will always be the best meal on our first night.
We love the new camping lights!
The first night was in the low 30s. Our tent was also sloping downhill. The combination kept me perpetually sliding off the bottom of my air mattress to start the propane heater so we didn't freeze our buns off.
We stayed cozy in our sleeping bags and listened to John Mayer until the sun came out and warmed us up a bit.
Meg is turning into Ethan. Boots and Carhart and ready to whip up some breakfast burritos for everyone.
Delicious!
We had to kill the fire because the wind forced a burn ban for the day. We found a sunny spot and let the that ball of fire do it's job.
AJ figured out that she could use the concrete barrier to sand the soft seed of the acorns into flat beads. She got right to it. She inhereited my "I need a project" gene. That gene has gotten me through many long vacation days....collection mini seashells, painting rocks, making stick dolls, firing clay pots.....need I go on?
Megan and Laney spent the afternoon drawing in the sun.
Megan rallied us all to go down and check out the lake. I wanted a "picture in front of the water". No more room for the water, but I love these faces!! Listening to them laugh and take silly pictures of each other filled my heart right up.
AJ tried to give us each a rock to throw in the water but when we realized that two of them were an L and a V, we knew these rocks had a destiny.
Our whole group (Flynns, Petersons, Jensens, and Leitheisers) walked down to the lake 15 minutes before sunset and stared at the western sky like a bunch of idiots, waiting for a glimpse of the Atlas comet. We thought we had spotted it at least 5 times, only to realize it was a just a shiny plane, leaving a tail in the clouds. Bored, AJ offered to give me a ride in the wagon and, to her surprise, I accepted!
We finally peeled our eyes away from the comet-watch and we were stunned by the gorgeous moon on the water right behind us.
We all agreed that the fabulous moon put the no-show comet to shame. And I got to enjoy watching my girls from the comfort of a wagon, haha!
Back at camp, Megan made pies for everyone. I wouldn't be sad if she takes over pie-making duties permanently.
Our second and final night wasn't as cold. But we still burrowed into our sleeping bags until almost 9 am. That's got to be a camping record.
We headed home early to spend time with Mark. He's not having happy times at work right now. And we're missing him. So we had our oatmeal breakfast and nacho lunch. The kids honest-to-goodness packed up the entire camp with almost no help or direction from me and we were on the road back to Olathe.
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