Silly Emme, a Sealing and after Thanksgiving fun

 Emme is quite the ham in front of the camera. :)

Justin and Tara were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple! It was really thoughtful of them to do it at this temple, since it made it possible for us to attend. Of course, at the last minute Kattie realized her recommend was expired, so she couldn't come (silly Kattie!), but the rest of us were there. It was a great experience with a great feeling in the room. 

Afterwards, Justin said that the sealer had asked them beforehand who in his group was in a wheelchair. Justin said, "No one, that I know of." 

The sealer said, "Oh, someone said you needed this sealing room because someone in your group was in a wheelchair." 

Justin said, "Doesn't Mommy know she has legs now?!" 

Mommy was definitely there. After the sealing, I didn't want to leave the Temple. It felt like those dreams where you see someone who is dead, and you know that when you wake up they will be gone. I knew that when I left the Temple she wouldn't be so close. It was the most I have felt her since she died. Speaking of which, isn't it odd that I have never written about that? Anyway....

 Taking a Sunday nap with Mavis, my favorite.

 Emme, wearing Mommy's sun hat and chillin' on the counter.

 You're never too old or too big to be held like a baby!

 Irelyn is really into coloring- on everything! We have to clean up a lot of walls that she colors on, but her artwork is getting pretty good. I will have to take pictures of it and put them on here.

 I was hoping that a huge piece of craft paper might keep her from coloring on the table! It worked for a while.

 Alaina and Tristan had their first ballroom performance at the Festival of Trees. It was a great experience and they did really well and didn't get nervous at all. I love the feeling at ballroom and the positive atmosphere and the great energy that is in the air when they perform. It is so fun to get to be a part of that. 

Alaina, looking old while getting her shoes on

 They both have such cute routines, and Tristan loves that in his he gets to carry the girls around!

 Even princesses get tired

 This was at a trip to the ARTitorium here in town. It was a lot of fun with great activities, and Alex spent most of the time in front of the green screen watching himself dance.

Emme made art, that we forgot to take home- whoops!- and Tristan watched A Christmas Story in the big theater upstairs.

 

Magnet Wall

 Afterwards, we met Justin and Tara and kids downtown for a carriage ride and the lighting of the downtown lights. It was a great memory, but at the time I just about lost it a couple of times with Alex. I had to drag him out of a Santa visit and threaten him with losing Christmas, etc. Also, it was quite cold and it took them a long time to light the lights. But, the carriage ride was really fun, the cafe next door brought over free bakery items, they had hot chocolate and singers and the lights were pretty. And, it didn't start raining until after the lights were turned on, which was the perfect time to go. Oh, and Alex was in a picture at it the next day in the newspaper. He thought that was cool.

 

 And then we were all tired and went home and had pizza and put the kids to bed, which just about killed us all. Oh, this was all the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which was why Justin and Tara were there! 

Stuff and Halloween 2014

 Danny and I at a Piano Guys concert! It was really fun, except for feeling guilty thinking about how much the kids would have enjoyed it. We had a dinner beforehand and I might have enjoyed that chocolate cake almost as much as the concert, it was that good.  :)

 Alex being silly at Leo's Place

 Alex discovered that the leaf blower can suck up leaves, too and it made fall clean-up so much better!

 Pumpkin carving- the tradition that threatens to kill us off every year. At least the older kids can do most of their on their own now, thank goodness!

 Emme looks so pioneer-y when she wears this nightgown. So sweet....

 

We went with Emme's preschool to the U-Pick Red Barn, Irelyn and I did anyway. They always have kittens that are sooo cute and we get to snuggle and hold them a bunch and ride the train and pick out a pumpkin. It's always a lot of fun. 

 

 The girls were playing with kitties in the barn, and I was stationed by the doors so they wouldn't escape without my notice. But despite my diligence, Irelyn was suddenly gone! I looked all over and had another Mom looking, too, when I finally saw her- in the display case, eating popcorn. 

Classic.

 Danny helped Irelyn with her pumpkin.  :)

 Halloween! We went to the ward trunk-or-treat, then a few neighbors, and then came home and had pizza and watched pumpkin carving shows. 

 We had a monster, Harry Potter, a witch, Anna and Elsa- and most of the costumes were recycled or re-used from past years, which was a big relief- and a lot cheaper!

Oh, and notice my Halloween mantle, as well! I only spent a couple of dollars and just went shopping in my house for things that were black or white. We thought it turned out pretty cool.

 At the trunk-or-treat. This year was the first time I have bought Halloween candy in years.

 Alaina and Georgia

 The next day an elderly neighbor brought over a bunch of left-over Halloween candy for us. We knew the kids didn't need more, so we split it into 7 bags and put it in the 72-hour kits! A pretty good solution, I thought. 

 This is what you get when you ask for a date with Dad night, and choose to watch a movie at home- a sleeping Dad. I don't think Alaina noticed, or at least she didn't seem to mind!

 And this is just a great picture of Irelyn, crashed after playing with toys for hours.