Halloween 2009

Wait, wrong holiday - didn't we just celebrate Thanksgiving? Didn't I go Christmas shopping last week? I thought I should play a little catchup with Halloween first on this here blog, before I move onto the next holidays...
I have to admit, my standards were pretty low this year... I didn't want to go through the time and money and manipulation it would have taken to convince the girls to be a part of our family costume... so I didn't! A wanted to be Hannah Montana, and though her thrift-store makings didn't pan out to be the greatest costume, I didn't care at all... M was a witch, J was Buzz Lightyear, N was Woody, and I was Jessie. We didn't even get a pumpkin carved this year - shock! Our festivities consisted of going to our ward party the night before Halloween, and then trick-or-treating around our neighborhood on Halloween night (which is a downer, really, because 80% of the residents we visited weren't home!) Here are just a few photos of friends and such...Here's Woody - what you can't see is his cool boots or the pullstring on his back! I still intend to put my Jessie costume back on and take a picture, for scrapbooking sake...!Buzz actually had his whole costume on at one point!His costume quickly degenerated, though, losing the purple headpiece, the shoe covers, and the wings...Here's J playing the "skeleton squeeze" game. He was great at it, and got the clothespins in the jar every time! Yes, this particular skeleton went in too! I love his gansta one-leg-pushed-up look.We even had my Dad dress up as Stinky Pete, the prospector - sans the pick axe... *** Robinsons, do you have any pictures of my girls? ***
Jonas rocked the mummy costume, but Trent was a little too happy as Dracula...Jackie had the best.hair.ever. as the Bride of Frankenstein...creepy eyes and lipstick too...The Bride and her offspring...I don't know why sucking in your cheeks is "witchy", but whatever...Like Mother, like daughter... this one's a cutie as a "pretty witch!"

Here's Wade in the pie-eating contest - better him than me. Just the thought of cramming pumpkin pie in my mouth so fast makes me sick.

I am Thankful...

for my little man. He is SUCH a joy to be around, and communicates pretty well lately. He's my sidekick and is willing to be shlepped just about anywhere, even when Mommy's errands take precedence over his nap. He is sad to leave balls and toys at the store, but we just say "bye bye tar" or "bye bye ball" and then he's okay to put things back.
He is in love with his blanket, his Papa, anything sweet to eat, glow necklaces, "maeee" (money), Finny, Senny, Perper (Cooper), and running away from Mommy when it's time to brush his teeth. He also likes eating all the leftover snacks from his sisters' school lunches every day, playing with A, and growling like a tiger, monster, dinosaur - you choose, they all sound the same. He gets his feelings hurt and does a great pitiful cry when you tell him no. He wants to be a big kid so badly, and gets sad when his sisters leave him for one of their adventures. He loves to snuggle and often asks for a "HU!" (hug) when he wants you to pick him up. I love to hear his cackle and little padding feet as he runs throughout the house. When we ask, "Who wants ___ (fill in the blank, pizza, lunch, pancakes)??" he is quick to raise his hand and say "ME!!!" (Does he eat it though? That's a different story.) He is oh-so-coordinated too, and hops on and off of everything with both feet. He is so sweet with babies and younger kids, and always tries to pat them, rock them, and put his arm around them. Sigh... Did I mention that I LOVE this kid?

Would it be weird...

to get my two-year-old son a nutcracker? I swear he's obsessed with these things! He has found them in EVERY store we've been in the last couple of weeks...he seems drawn to them, when I don't even notice they're there! In Michael's he had them all set out in an aisle, lined up perfectly... he spotted them on TOP of the freezers at the grocery store, and knows just where they are up in front at Fry's and disappears every time I'm in the checkout line to go say hello to his tiny wooden friends... he settles down on his knees and carefully plays with each... what a cutie! I guess I need to add at least one to my lineup of Christmas decorations...

Happy Thanksgiving...

Enjoy those pumpkin pies!

I'm so irritated...

that my 8-yr-old knows how to add songs to my blog playlist. Now, instead of being pleasantly greeted by Bono, I've got Hannah Montana singing at me when I open up. Grrr...

Pride of the Desert.

Sun Devils through and through, us Carters LOATHE cats — all kinds — especially those nasty Wildcats from Tucson! As graduates of the great Arizona State University, we both come from entire families of Sun Devil fans, and grew up watching and attending games. We know that the rest of the season doesn't matter, just as long as we beat those CATS! This is THE game of the year! We are grooming our children to be Sun Devils as well - note picture at right! We would absolutely love to drive our car, aptly named "Sparky", over to our alma mater next weekend, with S sporting her Sparky jewelry, of course, enjoy the fireworks, see Sparky step on that BUS, and watch the Devils polish off the Cats to finish off their Thanksgiving meals! As payment for our "free" tickets, we offer any and all of the following services to the cutest and most generous couple we know - the Malones. • S will help Jackie assemble all of her handmade Christmas cards, or watch F/J while she makes them, as many hours as needed. • S promises to help process the 40 pounds of chicken next time so the Malones don't die of Salmonella poisoning. • S will come up with and create something crafty and fabulous for our visiting teachees' Christmas gifts, so all Jackie has to do is show up. • S will create an amazing custom header for the Malone Monkeys blog. • S will watch F/J so Jackie can go observe at all the local schools in January, so she can get J on a list SOMEwhere. • N will conduct in Sacrament meeting while Trent is enjoying time off on the 29th. • N will also act as the LONE member of the bishopric that Sunday, and teach the 5th Sunday lesson for Trent... • We will take all the excess produce off your hands from the Malone garden next summer... • We will happily show up and enjoy any and all FHEs or desserts the Malones feel like sharing... • Josh will gladly wear all of Finny's hand-me-down clothes that he wants to pass on... • And, last but not least, we will tell at least 50 people in the next month how cute and generous the Malones were, for giving the Carters a chance to attend the ASU/U of A game this year!


If it's a tossup between us and the Gregorys, please consider these points as tie-breakers. #1 - Our word count is higher than Scot's post. #2 - N will give Trent a ride up to bishopric training meeting tonight... and #3 - by the way, we didn't ABANDON you and the Vineyard ward like the GREGORYS did!!!!!

I am grateful for:

My self-cleaning oven, which is taking care of QUITE a gooey disaster right now.

My dishwasher, ditto for the reason listed above.

Lessons learned, that when you forget to add eggs to a recipe, loaves of pumpkin bread tend to seriously overflow their containers, yet never actually cook.

Kleenex. What did the pioneers do when they got a cold? Not like they could throw all of their handkerchiefs in the washing machine each night...

Sales on asparagus. I think I could eat it every day.