Halloween 2011

Jared says I should get a new camera, but I say you can handle my fuzzy low on battery photos. So here goes...
Two awesome wizards at Uncle Ron's party--

Jared's brothers let him join in last minute on their Homestar runner costume gig. "Lawyer Greg" This one is for posterity!

This was the first time I made it to Uncle Ron's! Everyone's costumes were amazing. Jafar, Mary Poppins, pirates, super heros, etc. I wore Jared's old Star Trek uniform.
The kids got to find a prize in the giant pile of leaves. :)


Then Monday, we walked to the neighborhood Trunk or Treat with Grandma and cousins.
Jared was a judge this time.


Then we went to visit Grandmother Harston. Linda went with us to knock on some of her neighbor's doors --sweet ladies that ooh and ah over the kids. That was fun trick or treating!


P.S. Here is Renee and Grandmother with Baby Ruth. I think Ruth is the first Harston Grandbaby that looks like a Harston (not a Hatch or an in-law...). It is sweet to see the gene in a new generation.

Birthdays

Here are some of Michael's and Jordan's fun birthday moments.
The first gift was from Cam and Haylee in between wedding celebrations.
--handmade wizard wands!
Hopefully you can see some of the "craftmanship" in the photo.

We got to use a free Groupon at Chuck E Cheese's. It turned out to be a pretty fun night!


I made cakes! kind of. A little planning and forethought with some helpers yielded...

In between Halloween get-togethers with both sides of the family, the boys got to have two parties. Lots of celebrating!

Target shooting with Grandpa!

Since Michael picked out his Lego set from Grandma and Grandpa, Grandma created something unexpected by wrapping it in 10 different packages. It was a hit with all the kids to keep unwrapping and unwrapping...!

Wedding

Cam and Haylee are married!! It was such a beautiful day, and fun to be with lots of family!
Here are a few photos:






The reception was really lovely and dancing afterward!
Jordan really enjoyed partnering with cousin Beckah. :)

Yea for growing families!

Savoring the Season

We were really anticipating the fall season this year. For the most part we missed the changes in seasons for the last two years in Florida.
So here are some moments over the last weeks "embracing autumn":
--the beautiful red tree that casts a glow into our window


Jared really wanted to take the kids to a corn maze, and it worked out to join a homeschool field trip to Thanksgiving Point. Cornbelly's turned out to be a huge fall festival of fun. We spent a few hours at the attractions and only the last 20 minutes in the maze.

Michael really loved this spot, mining for gems.


Jared's mom makes wonderful holiday traditions.
Here is the family decorating gingerbread "owl" cookies. So tasty!!


Chris is such a hoot! (no pun intended) Pumpkin carving with him is a major operation. really. He hooked up a power tool/drill/blender thing to top and de-gut the eight or nine huge pumpkins.


Then the kids (and Susie) painted the little ones from the garden.


We got to meet up with Safra, our old Virginia/Israeli friend. We wandered around the witch scavenger hunt at Gardner Village. Safra has been friends in our family since she and my sisters and I were in high school. We met her darling son Orion. It was sweet to see her as a cute mom. Amy should be in this picture too!


The first week of October we had a preliminary snow storm. It lasted a few hours and then warmed up again. The garden finally had to come out a week or two later.


Tessa was a little puzzled by the whole affair, but learned the word "snow" very quickly.

boys

Jordan turned five in October, and Michael, seven. They seem to have grown into the new shoes, literally and figuratively.

Michael has been reading lots of good books and building lots of Lego creations. He learned how to whistle a few months ago and now hardly ever stops. Grandma Clark says whistling must mean he is happy. Michael set a goal to read the Book of Mormon with mom and dad in the next year to prepare for his baptism. He continues to be a great big brother, helper for mom as well an all around fun boy.


Jordan keeps up with his older brother pretty well by making friends with everyone. He always has lots of fun ideas and big smiles. Jordan loves to draw and play outside. When he grows up he wants to be an animal rescuer.

Take me out to the ballgame!

Michael, second on the left, got really excited last month (after watching Sandlot and some other baseball movies) to join the local coach-pitch baseball league. He had such a cute team and a wonderful coach.
It was good to get us out of our norm and try out some new skills and experiences with Michael.

Another day I'm going to post his team video on here, but this photo will have to do for now.

Tessa's Two

Tessa turned two a few weeks ago! She was celebrated over and over again! It was fun to sing the song and blow the candles out with her each time.



Tessa seems to have gotten bigger all of a sudden since her birthday. She is staying in nursery by herself. (That is an accomplishment after being in so many wards lately.) She also has given up naps.... (not an accomplishment, but a milestone) She is expressing herself with more words every day. She is into the "do it myself/my turn" kind of stuff. As one of those independent kids, I am counting on her being a great helper very soon.

It's fun to see her personality emerging. I sense more picture-taking coming on in the future to keep record of her escapades.
At home she is becoming a little dancer. We have a pink fairy tutu from Halloween last year. She brings it to me whenever there is "dancing music" on. It is the only costume she has really latched onto. :)
Here are some photos of her at the children's exhibit at the Church History Museum in Salt Lake City.


The year ahead promises to be lots of fun with this little girl!