Halloween

Xiana was a witch this year, and Kolton was Lightening McQueen, and Ekco was a cosplay from the Anime she so dearly loves.  She got to go to Comicon with her mom this year so her $100 costume wasn't completely in vain.  I got super lucky and managed to walk out the door at $20 for both the little's costumes!  They were pretty darling!  We went to our ward trunk or treat, Xiana dressed up for school, and we went trick or treating.  Not bad for a few days work.  Kolton, like last year, ate candy as fast as it hit his bucket.  Xiana is a little more delicate than that.  It was bittersweet to trick or treat without my dad.  I know we all felt his absence and commented on it more than once.  Still, it was pleasant and enjoyable.  Mom brought dinner over on Halloween to see the kids and get some real food in their bellies.  Then we finished the night per our usual tradition at Helen and Al's house where they dumped the remainder of their candy bowl into the kid's baskets.  Halloween is fun... exhausting and filling, but fun!

Apple Hill

We went to Apple Hill on Xiana's birthday, so she invited Tad to come with us. Thankfully mom joined us too.  We did the usual: apple donuts, apple fritters, caramel apples, brussel sprouts, pumpkin patch, corn maze, rolling down grassy hills, honey sticks, apple cider, apples, pears, and then came home to make apple pie!

Survival

We are getting it down.  If anything major happens, we are getting to be quite the self sufficient little family!

Xiana

Xiana and Brian went on a western themed daddy daughter date.  They had such a wonderful time!  Later, mom and her sister, Corliss, took Xiana to grandparents breakfast and bought her some books. I'm so grateful mom didn't attend alone.  What a tender mercy.  I'm also grateful that Xiana got to go too!!

Our life in October

This photo montage pretty nicely encapsulates all the goings on at the pumpkin patch. I'm impressed that I managed to get a shot of virtually everything my kids spent the bulk of their time doing.  Meanwhile, I visited with friends old and new.  Xiana's class went on a field trip there too! Hay rides, puppet shows, corn shed, soaked from duck pond, riding horses real and fake, milking cows, feeding animals, dress up, play doh, spider web, pumpkins, scarecrows, hay maze, slide, garden, market, lassos, you name it!!!