Halloween 2013

This year I spent very little time planning and preparing for Halloween festivities (especially compared to last  year when I started in July/August!) I did get my decorations out early (in September) which was good, because for most of the month of October I was feeling pretty sick and lazy and could barely keep the house in running order due to pregnancy.

By the end of the month, I was starting to feel better! (Besides a nasty cold) So I was able to enjoy the festivities of trick or treating the night of Halloween and 2 trunk or treats (We went to 2 and neither one was either of our wards! lol So, side note, Francisco is officially in a different ward than the boys and I. He was called as a service missionary to be in the Spanish Branch and serves as the branch mission leader. I had the opportunity to go with him and be in the branch, but I felt strongly that I needed to be in the English ward. Mostly for my own sake. I just didn't think I could handle moving wards AGAIN (we just moved in August) and then into a tiny branch that speaks Spanish! So, it is hard not being with Francisco on Sunday, but the Lord has already blessed us and I know the Spanish branch will benefit from Francisco's service there.)

Luke dressed up as a spider. He really wanted to make his own costume and tried to create it using a diaper box and stickers, but I just couldn't visualize it. So I made him this one instead. The night of the trunk or treat, he was still pretty adamant that he wear his diaper box "spider" costume, but at the very last minute, he decided we could leave it at home. Phew.

Sam was a cute little lion. Already had the costume. You will recognize it from 2 years ago when Luke was a lion! He enjoyed roaring. I tried to teach Sam "Trick or treat" all week before Halloween and he wouldn't say it, but FINALLY on Halloween night when we went trick or treating, he figured out how to say it! and he would say it loud! It was so cute! and of course he'd say "Thank you" at the end. He also always wanted to pick out his own candy from the bowl. He'd often grab a handful and everyone let him cuz he was so cute!

On Halloween night, we finally got to carving our pumpkins! I wanted to do it on an earlier night, but it just never happened. Luke was not thrilled about having to clean out the guts. He wanted us to do it but we stuck to our guns and told him if he wanted it carved, he had to clean it out! Eventually after much coaxing, he got his hand (not hands) dirty and helped clean it out. We planned to make a spider on his, but in the end he didn't like the process of transferring a template onto the pumpkin, so we just did a face. My pumpkin is the monster on the left and Francisco did the zombie graveyard. Sam was happy coloring his with marker.

We also picked up these haunted houses to decorate. They were the perfect size and the same price as 1 big gingerbread house! Luke was totally in his element. As soon as I showed him what I bought he wanted to decorate them immediately. He waited patiently to do it as a family and then we finished them up the next day during Sam's nap. House decorating will definitely be a tradition in this family!

We also made a trip to the Dallas Arboretum where they have a whole area covered in pumpkins. It was very beautiful and Luke loved taking pictures of the pumpkins.

Overall it was a fun and simple Halloween! Now on to Thanksgiving!

Love these expressions of my kids

Sam's Makeover

Sam has been "growing his hair out" and it started to get a little out of control. Of course we thought it was adorable and loved his "70s" look, but this week, I finally took his gorgeous locks to the scissors. Because I left the front long and the back short, I ended up not blending it as well as I wanted and so he started out with kind of a "dumb and dumber" type hair cut with a heavy line in the back between the long and short hair. Thankfully I was able to fix it pretty easily. Although it is far from perfect, I do think it's an improvement! AND we didn't lose all his long hair.
Here are his before and afters:

Before:

After:

-Emily

Things are getting better

Sam is a pro at getting on his oxygen!
We have such a good kid. We are truly blessed.
Last night he even put it on, he was being so patient. Later at night before I actually turn on the oxygen and checked on him and he had pulled it off. What a turkey! We love our Sammy and he seems that he's getting better. His legs are chubbing up ;)

-Francisco 

size of a kumquat !

Yeah... I was like... the size of a WHAT!
hahahaha
Of course a kumquat

And yes, we are pregnant and we are super excited! ;0

-Francisco

Things I never want to forget

During family scripture study last night, I was explaining to Luke that if we obey Christ's teachings, we will get to live with Heavenly Father again! He replies, "I didn't know that. I don't want to live with Heavenly Father; I like you better!" 

-Emily

Sometimes at night Luke comes to our room and says: "Francisco, Franciscoooooooooooo, I want to cuddle with you" How can I say no?

-Francisco

Things I want to forget

Now, how in the world do doctors expect us to put little Sam on oxygen every night when he's 2. He hates the tubing (who wouldn't) and cries and cries and it just breaks my heart. We tried different things and nothing works.  I hate to see a rash in his cheeks from the tape, and the sad part is that we haven't been able to get him on oxygen a single night.... I don't think this is going very well. We had Luke pretend it was fun... it didn't work. 
I'm just annoyed that they dropped off the oxygen equipment with little to no instructions. I'm afraid that he can strangle himself with the tubing, or I don't know....  We called the Dr. and asked for help. They haven't even given us the results from the sleep study.... Oh I am just angry.

-Francisco

They are growing TOO fast!

I love how my boys can have fun together. They truly love each other. They are are just so sweet. 

They look so sweet in this picture, but the truth is that they were fighting for the I-pad haha

No I-pad.

-Francisco

The little things in life!

I just love, love Sams little grin. The little toot was an extra bonus :)

-Francisco

It is nice to be recognized!

Now it's on the fridge ;)

I've been thinking lately too much whether or not I want to specialize.... but to be honest I love general dentistry ;)