The week before Halloween we went to the pumpkin party (that's what my kids call it) at Central Utah Gardens. They have some free activities for kids and it's just a cute, fun place to be.
We got there just in time to see the puking pumpkins.
Then we checked out the entries to the pumpkin carving contest.
Sarah got her fortune told "I see water conservation in your future."
Henry wouldn't sit for his fortune but got a candy anyway.
I liked this dragon pumpkin.
And here's some other stuff.
I sneaked Erica's wings on. I hope that works again on Halloween.
"Bobbing" for apples. Fake apples. With tongs. Sarah's asking the worker some question about the rules. She's always making sure she knows exactly what to do.
Erica liked these ghosts. I do too.
We stopped to eat the apples and dip they got for "bobbing."
Yay for candy!
On Sunday, their great-aunt Diane (she really is a great aunt, by the way) gave them each a pumpkin bucket filled with candy. That night, I hid them in the oven so that they didn't start eating them the second they woke up. "I better not forget they're in there." Foreshadowing.
The next afternoon, I went to put Sarah's birthday cake in the oven and what did I see? 3 melty plastic pumpkins.
I felt so bad. Fortunately (unfortunately?) I was able so save most of their candy as it was mostly Skittles and Laffy Taffy and the like. I had a monster headache for awhile from the toxic fumes and cleaning plastic off the oven racks was unfun. All kids frankly forgave me because they're nice like that.
Thursday night we carved pumpkins. My kids are babies about scraping out the insides. Them scraping out their own pumpkins may be a condition for next year.
Sarah, ever the traditionalist.
Henry's showing us the face his pumpkin is making.
And I made a polka-dot pumpkin for Erica.
Nice and spooky. I love how they turned out.
Sarah told me she wanted to be Elsa all summer long so I bought her this dress for her birthday. But by then she had changed her mind and wanted to be a witch again. So she wore her Elsa dress to school on Friday for the costume parade. I did not attend. Please don't judge.
Halloween! After Sarah's friend birthday party, I took a picture of Henry taking a picture of his finger.
I made these creepy breadsticks for dinner. My dad wouldn't eat them.
We started off the evening by trick-or-treating at Nana's.
She's always this excited to see them.
This is the best group shot I could get.
It was while we were inside that Sarah lost her tooth.
Then we headed to my aunt Melanie's house. I love trick or treating in her neighborhood because that's where I went as a kid when her house was my grandma's house.
Rachel made all the grown ups these plumbobs to wear so that we could be Sims which is extra funny because my maiden name is Syme.
My dad arrived just as the kids were heading out.
Is there anything cuter than toddler trick or treaters?
She would have been perfectly satisfied going home after her first sucker.
These three were the quickest trick or treaters. They ran ahead and we caught up to them as they came down the other side of the street.
Hey look, the rest of the Sims. We had to duck under a lot of trees.
I think this is the last house Henry knocked at. He gave Justin his bucket because it was too heavy and then sat in the middle of the sidewalk because he was so tired.
Erica, on the other hand, could have gone for a dozen more houses. She would knock all on her own and then silently hold out her bucket.
Afterwards we went back to Melanie's house and ate dinner. I don't loooove Halloween but I love taking my kids trick or treating.
Sarah's birthday lasted a full week! The Sunday before her birthday we celebrated with Justin's family since Corey was flying out of town the next day. We made a tower of pink frosted sugar cookies and she got some great gifts from Nadine including some rainboots she's wanted for months. I didn't take my camera so you'll have to use your imagination.
I don't know of anyone who loves birthdays more than Sarah. She even loves your birthday. So you can imagine that her own birthday is the biggest.deal.ever.
We started the morning off with some homemade waffles as requested and a few gifts. I let her open things that she could wear to school, if she so chose. Some new clothes....
A watch....
New boots...and a scarf.
While she was at school I made her cake. I filled the middle with strawberry jam.
I think it turned out pretty good. If I did it again, I'd make it taller and do the flowers in a contrasting color to make them stand out more.
When Sarah got home she finished decorating the cake.
Then when Justin got home, she opened the rest of her presents. Full House season 3...
Her third umbrella. She also got a new brush, some hair stuff, an Elsa dress, and a bulletin board for her room.
Who does she look more like? Her dad?
Or me? (I say dad)
After a spaghetti and meatball dinner, we had family over for cake.
Saturday morning (Halloween) was her friend party. This was her first friend party! (She could have had one at 5 or 6 but she chose to go out to dinner or a play instead. I'm not mean.)
Her party was cupcake theme so the girls decorated aprons, played musical cupcakes, played a sprinkle toss game, pin the sprinkle on the cupcake and then decorated cupcakes.
That's my totally awesome niece Jaana back there controlling the music. She is Sarah's favorite person in the whole world and a very busy student at USU but surprised Sarah by coming to her party that morning.
Surprisingly, it never got too crazy with this many little girls. (Lexi, Jaida, Kate, Katie, Sarah, cousin Allison, cousin Bella, Hope, Violet, Hazel, Malea)
That afternoon right before trick or treating she lost a tooth. It was a full day!
Here are her 7-year pictures that we took today. I chose my favorite 7 and my 7 favorite things about Sarah to go with them. Enjoy!
1. She is a great student. I don't know if she's the smartest in her class but she's probably the best behaved and is just good at the whole school thing. She is very much in her element. I wouldn't be surprised if she became a teacher.
2. She is very considerate and sensitive. She is full of empathy. She has a hard time watching movies where people are in peril because she gets so scared for them. I really want to watch The Princess Bride with her but I don't think she could handle the fire swamp scene (I barely can).
3. She's a good friend and sister. She always wants everyone to have fun.
4. She never says bad words. Ever.
5. She's good at cleaning up which is nice because she's super good at making messes.
6. She has the best laugh and giggle. She gets the giggles a lot.
7. She's very spiritually minded and loves the scriptures and church and everything that goes with it. I don't worry about her at all always being strong in the gospel. She's already better than me in so many ways.
Okay, one extra one because she's so dang great. Happy Birthday Sarah Bear.
