HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Tonight our ward had its annual Trunk-or-Treat party so we got the kids all decked out in their matcher-costumes and headed for the good stuff.

I wanted the kids to be themed this year because I think it's really cute when families, er, siblings match (let's face it, I don't dress up! But I did try to talk Jon into dressing up like "Doc."), so when Lucy said she wanted to be Snow White I immediately thought that Zachy should be Dopey.


We recruited Jon's mom to do all the sewing and creating of the costume--which she did totally by hand, without a pattern, and without even measuring Zachy, and it fit perfectly. The kid was a HIT!!! Everybody LOVED him!! So thanks go to Grandma Cardon for the superb costume.


Lucy trying to recreate the movie moment where Snow White kisses Dopey on his bald little head, but Zachy definitely NOT wanting to cooperate.

A glamour shot of the princess who FINALLY was allowed to wear makeup!!:)

The Cub Scouts were in charge of the activity and they started the festivities off with a pretty awesome dinner of cheese puffs and chili-dogs (belch!), excuse me!, and then had carnival games for the kids to play and face painting to boot. That was fun for awhile, but eventually got boring so Lucy and Zach ran like wild Indians through the gym until the Trunk or Treat finally began!

Now on to the good stuff!! Zachy was totally ornery by this time because it was past bed time, but quickly caught on to the fact that he was getting tons of candy (or "coo coo" as he calls it).

Jon eventually had to carry him because no one could keep up with how fast Lucy was knockin' out trunks! She definitely understands the concept of trick or treating this year!

They got TONS of candy and are spoiled rotten and will probably have rotten teeth, but that's what having a dad for a dentist is for, right?? Happy Halloween from Snow White and Dopey!!

VIP and Preschool

Lucy's preschool has come as such an enormous blessing for us this year! I knew she'd love being in something a little more structured than a joy school, but I almost didn't enroll her because she's got a whole other year after this before kindergarten, plus the cost, etc., but I'm so glad I did!

She goes to school with Miss Andrea from 12:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.-- and she is amazing. She does it out of her home with 7 other kids, and she does lots of music, arts and crafts, and teaches letters, shapes, numbers, and colors as well as sign language for everything. They get to do Show and Tell when they arrive, then they sing songs, and have a snack. Then they get a recess break while she sets up the materials for the craft or project they're doing for the day.

This month Lucy got to be the VIP-- so she brought home a poster to make to tell all about herself to her class:
Age: 3 1/2 years
Weight: 43 lbs.
Height: 42 inches
Favorite Color: Pink
Things I Like: Dance, Puppies, Cupcakes, Spaghetti, Books, Halloween
My Friends: Dixon, Paisley, Taylor (a babysitter at the YMCA)
Favorite Place To Go: Both my Grandma's Houses
If I Could Have One Wish: I'd get a pony!

Zachary and I got to visit her at class on Tuesday and bring some of Lucy's favorite things to show the class. She also helped me make sugar cookies in the shape of pumpkins for Halloween, but with pink frosting instead of orange. I loved seeing her in class!!


Miss Andrea told me about a week or two after they'd started that Lucy had made a new best friend named Paisley (dressed as Cleopatra in the picture), and that they were INSEPARABLE. This is true!! We've had Paisley over for a few play dates and vise verse, and all Lucy talks about is Paisley, Paisley, Paisley!! Apparently they hog the swings at recess (there are only 2), so they race outside to beat everyone else to them, and one day Lucy didn't get there quick enough but Paisley and another little boy did, so she slugged the boy in the stomach and said, "This swing is for my friend Lucy!!" Lucy's having a new BF has made my life so much easier!!




On Thursday they got to go to school dressed up for a Halloween party, and then they did a parade for the mommies before we picked them up. It was so fun to see all her friends dressed up and showing off their costumes!! I'm so glad there is a time that exists when school is just pure fun.:) We love our preschooler!!

18 months!!

And that means NURSERY!!! Hooray!! But seriously, I can't believe that my little Zachary is already 18 months. He has been the best little boy a mommy could have, and while his first 12 months of life were marked by angelic behavior, the next 6 months have been marked by his true, wilder personality. But as my Dad would say, "Heaven forbid he came with a personality." Here are some examples:

*He LOVES to play with other kids. When we pull up to the park or a friend's house he is literally SHAKING with excitement. He loves it! But best of all he really adores Lucy. She is his best friend, and they love to play together-- whether it's jumping on the bed, or coloring, or watching a movie together, they really get along well, which I count my blessings about. (Only exception: nursery. Hates it!)

*He is not a very good sleeper, although we're working on it. He started crawling out of his crib at about 15 months, and we could NOT keep him in his room. At about 3 a.m. he'd come crying into our bedroom, or I'd hear him playing with toys, etc. and he wouldn't go back to sleep. If it's wasn't 3 a.m., it was 4 or 5 or 6, and he would be exhausted by 9 a.m. and fall asleep anytime we'd go somewhere in the car. SO frustrating! This past week I changed his crib into a bed (I figured maybe he was telling me he was ready for a big-boy bed), and bought one of those child lock things that go over the door knob. The first night he woke up at 3 a.m. as usual but couldn't get out and SCREAMED bloody murder for about an hour-- I thought he'd kick the door down and his room was a total DISASTER, but he finally fell asleep until 7:15 a.m. (the latest he's EVER slept in). So it's working! He's still woken up every night since then, but cried less and less each time. I'll break him!!:)

*He is totally enamored with his Buzz Lightyear shoes!! He would wear them to bed if we let him. He cries and cries when it's time to take them off, and whenever we say "cool shoes Zachy!" he does a little dance to make the LED lights start flashing. He doesn't really talk yet, but he does know how to ask for his "shoes."


*He LOVES breakfast!! His favorite is pancakes or Nutella on toast with strawberries. He kind of tanks up on breakfast and then won't eat anything the rest of the day besides cookies of course (his favorite), so we've just kind of learned to live with it. If he doesn't like what's on his tray, he makes a HUGE mess and throws it on the ground. Drives me crazy!!


* He is OBSESSED with the vacuum cleaner! No matter what he's doing when I start vacuuming he runs over and immediately tries to pry the handle from my fingers. I usually give up and let him vacuum for awhile, hoping he'll get bored but he never does. This is when I thought I'd outsmart him and vaccum while he was in the tub, but there he is, dripping wet and totally nekkid, vacuuming away.

*He is definitely the class clown of the family. He is always doing silly things (growling is one of his favorites) to make us all laugh. He especially loves when he makes Lucy laugh.
* Despite his wild and rowdy boy exterior, he is still a total cuddle bug!! He loves to be held, and when he wakes up in the morning he holds my hand and pulls me over to the couch, gets his blanket and makes me cuddle with him for a good long time. is He loves hugs and kisses, and when Jon gets home he runs to him for hugs, then feels bad and runs to me, and back and forth and back and forth, until we finally sandwich hug him.
* He is definitely a daddy's boy. Whenever Jon is around he definitely prefers him to me, which is just fine with me because he has to be around us girls all the time, and besides, I have my own little shadow.:)
WE LOVE ZACHARY!!

Cooling Down

There be snow in them thar hills!! It's finally starting to cool off in these parts thanks to monsoon season, and we've even had a little rain here in the valley and snow up in the mountains. It's kind of strange to see snow capped mountains in the distance when it's still around 70 degrees here, but it is such a welcome respite from the 90 degree heat!!

This Saturday we decided to go check out the Mt. Charleston wilderness area that Jon did a few weeks ago, where there are several trails and easier hikes for families. It's only about 45 min. away, so I was shocked when we got out of the car and it was only 50 degrees!! We were FREEZING!!! We all bundled up in fleece and we still froze, so I guess we've picked up that sissy thin-blood thing.



We did the Little Falls trail which was only 1 mile but pretty steep, so we kind of had to prod Lucy along, but she did great. The leaves were fantastic, the air was fresh and cold (Jon made us roll down the windows to smell "the pine needles in the air"), and it really FINALLY felt like fall!!


We stopped at the end of the trail where the little water fall was and had a picnic lunch. I'd rate it about a 9 (on my Mom's picnic scale), since there was water, we did have pretty good sandwiches, but Zachy was cold and cranky, and there was tons of graffiti everywhere.

Lucy was super confused by all the graffitti, "Why did people write on the wall? Why did their mommies let them color there? Why didn't they use paper?" etc. I agree Luce. Good question!

After our picnic we headed back down the mountain and drove around the area a bit before heading home. It was a beautiful fall day!!