Happy Halloween

Emily was a fairy this year. She told me that this wasn't a costume because anyone that knows her knows she is in fact a real fairy. In fact, she is the "Queen of the Fairies" and all things mystical. It really is amazing living with such an important daughter. For those of you that don't know her, she really does believe these things.
I was the room mother again this year. Doesn't anyone else ever want to do it? I am it every year for every child. Only one class this year, Yeah! Emily wanted me to make my witch's brew for her class. They were all pretty impressed with my brew.

Joseph had a hard time finding a costume this year. Jr. High is a whole new ballgame I guess. He was quite adorable as a little gangster.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture. His friend Spencer and him looked like they could be in a hilarious cop show.

Joseph with a couple of his other friends. He just had to try out the giant woopie cushion.

Then we have Christopher. I thought that he wasn't dressing up, but he went to a college party as Clark Kent. He used fake muscles under his shirt to make him look buff. Ha. He even had a briefcase.

His friends saved him from our ward party and he was gone.

I love watching all of the kids in their costumes. It was a great night!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Pumpkin Carving

I just love holidays with my kids. Some people hate Halloween, but our family loves it. We love to all carve pumpkins together. Holiday traditions just bring a lot of joy and closeness for us. Josh started the serious pumpkin carving tradition and got Christopher into making very advanced designs. Before Josh, I just had him doing a very simple, uneven, jack-o-lantern. Now Chris has passed this passion down to Joseph and Emily is coming along.

I LOVE Christopher's this year. I think I might have him enter it this Saturday at our ward party. Josh is proud, I just know it.

Joseph is getting better and did pretty darn good this year. He is very serious about it. We were all impressed with his outcome!

Pumpkin carving is quite a frustrating feat for Emily. Usually, she just paints them because she doesn't want to stab her pumpkin friend. This year she wanted to be like the boys. It took a lot of whining and a couple fits, but she did an excellent job. I am so proud of how patient she was to finish this and it looks great!

Going to the pumpkin patch is something we have done for many years. The kids loved it, but the pumpkins were so darn expensive. We decided this year to get bigger pumpkins at Macey's. All of the pumpkins weighed over 30 pounds each. Their scales only go up to 30 pounds so they never charge you for more than 30. The pumpkins were 9 cents a pound last week. That is $8.10 for over a hundred pounds worth of pumpkin. I think we have officially outgrown the pumpkin patch and are in love with HUGE cheap pumpkins.

The Never Ending Birthday Bash

Emily started her birthday celebrating with her friend "party" on Friday. She dressed in her Halloween costume and we were off.

We went to Pirate Island for dinner. It is like a high class Chuck E. Cheese.
The girls danced on the stage.
Emily enjoyed her free dessert.
Next stop was the movie theatre. We saw Secretariat. We were the first ones there and the girls put on a dancing show. We then came home and the girls played until midnight. Emily said that it was her best birthday ever. Maybe I should have stopped there.
Sunday, we had a family party. I got Emily her very own little cake.
Eleven candles on her little cake.
You know that tradition when you let your one year old smash their face in their cake and eat with their fingers? Well, Emily wants to do it every year. Her big step-sister, Christine helped her out. She loved it! She is a funny girl.

I got my little girl a sewing machine. She is my little domestic girl. She loves to sew and cook. She must have gotten it from my mom. I can't wait to get her started on it.
Today is her real birthday and she was spoiled rotten. Chris and I woke up at six and took her to breakfast at Denny's for her free Grand Slam.
Chris and I picked her up from school at lunch time with some balloons and a birthday crown. We then took her to Chili's for lunch.

After school, I picked her up and we had some girl time at the nail salon. We both got pedicures. Emily is hooked and wants to do this again next year. It was very relaxing.

When we got home her brothers gave her their present. A new guitar. Chris really wanted to get this for her. I hope she actually learns how to play. It is a nice Fender folk guitar. She was excited.
Dennis had to work all day until ten so he missed all the fun. He did send her a very special item. These pink carnations. Emily's daddy gave her pink carnations every year for her birthday. Dennis has carried on this tradition and it means a lot to her. She never lets us forget to get them for her.
When my mom got home we took Emily to the mall. My mom let her pick out a Build-a-Bear. She got a puppy with a couple outfits and fun accessories. She had so much fun at the store. The boys met us at the food court after football practice and we ate dinner and hung out. As you can see, she was treated as a queen. My little birthday girl turned eleven today. She makes life so much fun. I am grateful to have her. As I reflect on her little life, I am reminded how precious her life is and how we almost lost her. Her brain tumor caused some damage, but it didn't take her life. I know things are hard for her and my heart hurts for her struggles, but I think she is pretty amazing just the way she is. Happy birthday baby girl. Mommy loves you!!

Elder Christopher Joshua Moore

Chris got his mission call this Wednesday. I hadn't slept well for days in anticipation for this momentous event. I got a map and had many people take a guess where he might go. I think we had at least a hundred guesses. I woke up very early on Wednesday morning and called the post office a bunch of times so they could pull his letter out. My mom spent the night out of excitement and at 9:00 a.m. we both drove to the post office and picked up the most beautiful white envelope I had ever seen. My mom and I were DYING to open it!! Christopher wouldn't let us, so we waited, and waited, and waited. It truly was a LONG day.
Chris and his friend Derrick, who will be at the MTC for a week with Chris. Derrick is going to San Jose, Ca.

Christopher and my mom!


We had many friends and neighbors come and join us for the opening of the letter.

So, about 30 minutes before he was going to open it Chris let my mom and I open the letter as long as we didn't tell anyone, including him. I wish he would have let us do it earlier, but I was glad to have the chance to soak it in for a bit before he opened it. Here he is opening the letter. He was called to the Texas Houston East Mission.

I was told that it is dubbed "THE" mission. That is super cool that he got THE mission. He loves cowboy hats and has been looking for a new one. I bet he could find a pretty cool one in Houston. It looks like from the map that he might be in Louisiana a bit too. I cannot express enough how proud I am of Christopher. He has had such a rough road and he is still dealing with a lot at this time, but he has a testimony that is strong and beautiful. He has become a righteous young man that will be a great missionary. I know he will change lives and I know his life will change as well. I cannot wait to watch him grow through this experience. I am so grateful for the gospel and the miracles it works in our lives. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church of God. I know that Christopher will be doing a mighty work. He leaves on December 15, 2010 for the MTC. That gives me a little less than 10 weeks to get him ready to go. I have already cried. I have had my sweet boy with me since I was 17 and I do not know how to be without him. It is a hard experience to let go of my children. I know they need to move forward, but I just want to hold on a little bit longer. I guess I have a few more weeks to hold on and then I need to cut the apron strings. It will be bitter sweet. I couldn't have asked for a better son and in spite of my crazy mothering he has grown in to an amazing person that I get the great privilege to call son. I love you Christopher and am so proud of you!! Congratulations!! You will be a wonderful missionary!