Metal Mouth

Emma got braces last week. We went in for a routine check-up as she has had an expander for a few months. Dr. Hughes looked at me and said, "Well, she is ready for braces, let's get them on." Emma and I both gaped at him.... right now? They run a really smooth operation over there at Hughes Orthodontics...We especially like Dr. Hughes magic tricks. They had her outfitted in 15 minutes flat. Emma was sooo excited to get them on and to see everyone's reactions. She chose Mediterranean blue for her bands. She enjoys using all the little tools and gadgets they have given her to make sure her teeth stay sparkling and clean. She has made this whole process very fun. I am glad she is not feeling self conscious or embarrassed about it.. in fact she has made braces downright COOL.

I'M BAAACCKK!

After Xander's birth I took a nice extended break from most computer related stuff except for email and an occasional peek at facebook. Life is busy with 5! Xander is a high needs baby very much like Samantha and Emma were so I am rarely able to sit down for more than a few minutes while he is awake. Between him and little Lizzie I am lucky to even get to the bathroom or get a bite in these days hee hee. I am gonna try and get back to blogging as I enjoy it so much and have missed my time doing it, plus it should motivate me to get back into taking pictures! I have been terrible about picking up the camera lately.

I am gonna start with our recent Halloween festivities. Halloween was a crazy crazy day for us! Sam had tennis, Emma had her soccer game, we had a branch activity and then stayed after to help clean the church. We had some friends over for Halloween dinner and then met up with the neighborhood families to go trick or treating. I had to chauffer Sam down to a neighborhood closer to her school so she could go trick or treating with her friends. It was very busy but very fun day!
Carving fun. The girls all created their own designs, I thought they did a great job!

Helping Mandi with a tricky spot.

Mandi's poor jack o' lantern ate something disagreeable with his tummy, he threw up all over our table. UGH!

Dad and Emma hard at work.

Lizzie was more interested in coloring and eating candy than playing with pumpkin guts.

Finished products. Sam's pumpkin is a house with ghosts peeking out the windows and around the doors... the picture doesn't do it justice. There are so many little details right down to little eyes. I don't think I could create such a good design on my own.. way to go Sam! Emma's has a ghost, a bat, a sliver of a moon and a BOO (picture also doesnt do hers much justice.) Mandi's is a spooky face saying BOO!


The dessert I entered in the branch dessert contest... it won first place. Fortunately it tasted much better than it looked!

Playing games at the church....

Our delicious halloween feast consisted of ground up goblin guts in toadstool caps, fried ogre skins, bloody brains, witches fingernails and dragon scales with vampire brew to wash it all down.

I didn't make it outside to get a group shot of everyone taking off to go trick or treating. They had a really good time this year going with all their neighborhood friends.

Lizzie was a wee witch. Originally she wanted to be a lion but it was 72 degrees outside on Halloween and much too hot so this was a nice back up costume that I made for Mandi when she was 3.

Mandi was a ghost. I made a hood to go with this costume but she lost it during her school parade.


Sam and Emma were both Vampires. Emma wanted to dye her hair black. Wow did she look different! She really liked it until it was time to wash it out... it took us almost a half hour to get it out of her fine blonde hair and off her body. While drying off she looked up and me and said "Mom, that was really fun.... I NEVER want to do it again!"

Sam looked beautiful and glamorous when she headed out with her perfect hair, pale skin, lovely long lashes and stylish boots. She was a "twilight" vampire thus the lack of fangs and black hair. I wasn't able to get a shot of her before we ran her down to her friends house. It rained and drizzled and was quite windy during trick or treating so she doesn't look quite as polished in this "after" pic.

I never got a group shot of everyone but I know a friend did so I will have to poke her about it and see if I can get a copy. It was a delightful and spooky night. We LOVE Halloween... BOO!