Halloween

Halloween costumes this year were a bit interesting. Lincoln was pretty set on being a ninja and then changed his mind at the costume store to wanting to be the Creeper from Mine Craft. It is a game that he plays often and really likes. The problem is the costume is essentially a giant square box head. He got a lot of compliments and everyone seemed to know who he was...when he kept the head on....which he didn't do except at the costume parade at school and for the first 20 minutes of trick-or-treating.  This is a great example of one of those time where I was able to foresee that this would happen when we went to buy his costume and I tried to explain that he wouldn't want to wear it for long because it's bulky and hard to see through but I gave in and decided it was something he would need to experience it himself in order to learn from it.  Good news is that he was more interested in passing out candy to trick-or-treaters than he was in collecting it so we weren't out for long.

 Outside of school 

 During the school costume parade.

 Getting ready for trick or treating on Halloween night. 

Logan was dead set on being Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony.  He was asking for months prior to Halloween. I thought certainly once he saw all of the other costumes at the store he would pick something else or even be a train conductor again but his little heart was set on it.  He took me right to the Rainbow Dash costumes and picked it out. We skipped the tutu and made it a bit more masculine but going with jeans and the white shirt but he loved his jacket and wings. He was so excited for his costume he could hardly contain himself. Again, not quite what I thought we'd end up with for a costume this year but if there's ever a time to live the dream of dressing like a pony, this was it!  Happy Halloween!!

 During the school costume parade.

 Before school 

Ready to trick or treat!

Fall School Pictures

It's amazing to see how much the boys have changed in just the last year in looking back at their school pictures. Even though dad is a photographer, I think it's fun to have them with the same set up of formal school pictures twice a year. It really gives you a great mark of comparison year over year. 

Every Day Life Recently

Since we've had our home listed to sell, over the last two months we periodically get displaced from our house when we have potential buyers coming to look at it. We've had to find creative things to do while we can't be at home...and it hasn't always been at the most convenient times.

 Dad's idea one afternoon was to go to the ice cream shop for a treat...the boys especially loved that one. 

 Several nights it's been around dinner time so we just find a yummy local restaurant to eat at. A regular for us is Paradise Bakery.  

One day we had several realtors coming by so we just decided to go watch Box Trolls. The boys really liked it although I thought it was a pretty dark show. 

 Lincoln came home that night and used his latest inspiration for the main characters of his piece....Box Trolls!

 Another night we went on a walk and the boys picked me flowers and put them in the bench for me. 

 As we've been packing up the house, their available toys continue to dwindle. I purposely didn't pack the dress up items or the large weapons...that always keeps them busy and entrained. 

Since Logan tends to get up in the mornings much earlier than the rest of us, recently he's been in the habit of getting his iPad and watching a show either in Lincoln's closet or on the bed. 

 He usually has the closet door closed and makes it his little hide out. 

Logan is becoming quite the little Lego master. This is one of his spaceship creations.

 While we were moving out our entertainment center, Logan decided to hide inside of it. I mostly wanted to take this picture so that one day when he doesn't fit in there anymore, I will be able to show him how cute and clever he is.

Ricky and I got to have a fun date night out with friends to celebrate Kareth's birthday.  It's a wonderful thing to have great friends!

I think this letter to Ricky and me is self explanatory. 

I found this picture on Lincoln's iPad. He apparently takes pretty good selfies.

Phoenix Temple

The Phoenix temple is set to be dedicated November 16th so the church is inviting anyone who would like to see and tour it, the opportunity to do so. The boys and I took my friend Bam Bam and her sweet mother. They also went with me to see the Chandler temple previously. It was really nice to take the boys through and I was amazed at how well behaved they were. Lincoln really tried to take it all in and asked great questions. It was a very warm day but we got in quickly and had a nice tour. I'm very thankful for the opportunity to teach my boys and friends that families are forever.

Lincoln's October School Work

Either the boys are bringing home more school work or I am choosing to capture more of it but either way, there's so much that I had to break it up into two different posts.  They are at such a cute age. Lincoln is doing much more creative writing and he has turned out to be quite the little artist as well.  Given that both Nana (Rick's grandmother) and my Grandpa were both amazing painters, it doesn't surprise me that Lincoln may have gotten that gene.

Logan's October School Work

Logan seems to really love painting and gluing but hasn't been very excited about writing letters. He is doing much better than he was last year at this time. His personality really caters using the tools like scissors, glue and painting tools. He used to not like any of it (anything that required him to sit still at a desk) but now he seems to really have taken a liking to art.