Halloween 2023

Our neighborhood had a trunk or treat the Saturday before Halloween. This is the first year we've gone because this is the first year it wasn't held on Halloween. It's a good test run for costumes. James got his costume on all by himself.

I fixed his hat but took a picture first.

We carved pumpkins Monday night for family home evening. I never carve my own pumpkin because I'm too busy helping with everyone else's.

It took a lot of convincing to get James to stick his hand inside his pumpkin.

Here's how they turned out!

Erica's pumpkin house

Sarah's polka dots

Henry's reference to some internet thing.

And James's ghost.

Justin sliced his in half and propped it on toothpicks all the way around. 

Halloween morning. Sarah borrowed a friend's Wendy costume.

Erica as Princess Buttercup

James decided he couldn't walk well in the blow up dinosaur so he opted for a football player.

In helped in Erica's class party. These kids were so sugared out by the end of the party. They ate doughnuts on a string at his rotation and the previous station was frosting sugar cookies.

She cheated and used her hands. A lot.

School was nearly over by the time Erica's party wrapped up so we walked to James's class and waited for him to be done. They were watching a Little Bear episode. First grade is the cutest.

All ready for trick or treating! Henry left with his friends this year and Sarah went to a friend's house

Luckily we had some cousins come over to make it more fun.

And we met up with Erica's friend. This was our first time staying in our neighborhood. We found the houses that gave out cotton candy, full sized candy bars, and even a house that was frying homemade doughnuts out of their garage.

We walked a lot but most people were home and the candy was high quality so it was all worth it.

Sarah Turns 15

Sarah turned 15 on Friday even though she didn't bother to ask me if she could. I see how these teen years are going.

We woke up in the dark so she could open presents and eat breakfast before school. She got some clothes that she picked out, some treats that she asked for and a cinnamon roll pillow as a surprise.

She chose biscuit cinnamon rolls for breakfast and chocolate milk and then Justin took her to school.

After school I took her to the DMV to take the driving test for her learner's permit. She passed! That makes for a great birthday but imagine if she had failed!

Then we went out to dinner with my parents and Justin's dad (Nadine is on vacation with her sisters). She got money from my parents and earbuds from Justin's parents. Now she can stop borrowing mine!

Her friend Lily joined us for the cake and presents portion of the evening as well. Then they watched Enola Holmes 2 together and were all giggly.

Earlier this month she was chosen as student of the month! Well she and like 7 other kids.

She was nominated by her honors math teacher.

Here are some lesser known facts about Sarah by her mother.

She has gorgeous hair. Okay that's not lesser known. She must get it from Justin because my hair was never this thick and healthy and blond. "How do you have so much hair?!" I say every time she asks me to cut it or straighten it.

She is a picky yet adventurous eater. She does not like a lot of stuff but I think the adventurousness stems from wanting to be a good sport about things. She'll try just about anything we ask her to and will eat her vegetables because she knows she should. But she doesn't like them. She'd eat only steak and fettucine alfredo every day if we'd let her.

She doesn't like frosting that much. I think Henry is my only kid who likes frosting like I do. She doesn't like chocolate cake or chocolate ice cream either. She loves Oreos, brownies, Rollos, and Milky Way so don't believe her when she says she doesn't like chocolate. She does like chocolate. Just not chocolate cake and ice cream.

Shhhh but school is starting to challenge her. She's still a straight A student but she's starting to actually study for stuff.

It's really hard to find a song on the radio she doesn't sing along to. Sometimes, without her knowing, I switch songs just to challenge her.

She does not like to play many games. Only Hand and Foot and Ticket to Ride sometimes. We're teaching her cribbage and she likes it. She loves puzzles.

She loves movies. She has a few friends that love watching movies together and they are open to suggestions from their moms which makes it pretty fun. She watched Return to Me which is my favorite and I'm hoping they get into Alfred Hitchcock soon.

We are so proud of our Sarah Bear and are excited to see her grow up. Go Sarah, go!

Here's her birthday questionnaire:

She didn't answer her favorite thing about herself because she's so modest. I would guess she would put something about how she's good at school and good at making friends and just really good with people in general. Oh and she's 5'1".