Happy Halloween 2008!

We love Halloween in our house...and this year it didn't disappoint. Of course it is SUPER, SUPER busy-but always worth it. This year we had a "scary pixie", "Leonardo the Ninja Turtle", "Woody" and the sweetest little ladybug EVER! Oh yeah, and Joe Dirt also joined our family! We had a party for a few friends the week before and then of course all of the celebrations today...carnival, haunted house and trunk-or-treat...WE LOVED IT ALL!!







These are pictures of the kids and a few of their friends at the Halloween party we had last weekend. We decorated treat bags, ate "spooky" food (mummy pizza faces, Dracula teeth dipped in blood, jello brain, spider crackers and more), played games, made picture frames, ate donuts from a string, we didn't even get to the popcorn hands or bobbing for apples because we ran out of time. And we didn't get too many pictures because we were so busy running from one activity to the next. It was so much fun and a great reason to get dressed up a little before Halloween!

"Your smile is broken"

When Ally lost her first tooth Isaac kept saying, "Ally, your smile is broken". We all thought it was so cute! Well, now it's going to be Isaac's turn to have a "broken" smile. When we first took Isaac to the dentist when he turned three years old, we found out that he had an extra "mid-line" tooth. At the time there was nothing we could do about it except wait for it to descend enough have it removed by an oral surgeon. The dentist said it would most likely have to take place sometime around his 5th birthday. I have DREADED it since that very day!! This summer we noticed that his 2 front teeth started to gap a little..then it was a lot and we knew it was the tooth pushing down and causing a gap. We made an appointment with the oral surgeon and he said we still needed to wait since he was so young. Well, the mid-line tooth is now visible and the time is here to get it removed. Isaac had another appointment, which also happened to be on the same day that he had to get his shots, and the surgeon said "it's time". I really HATE the thought of it and dread it beyond belief, but I'm also anxious to get it over and done with. Next Tuesday is the day. At his last appointment the surgeon was so impressed that Isaac would just sit there so bravely (and believe me, he was BRAVE), he was so impressed that he thinks he can do the whole surgery with out putting him completely under. It makes me cringe to think of it, but then I think I cringe even more thinking about him "going under" anesthesia. If there is any kid that can do it, I KNOW it's Isaac!! This is a picture of him holding his new special dinosaur the day of his last appointment and shots...I can't wait to get him the other one he just couldn't decide between! And I can't wait to hold him ALL day long after his surgery and dote on his every need and want!! What a SPECIAL, SPECIAL boy he is!!

Is she for real??

If you are not in the mood for a mother bragging about one of her children...you probably shouldn't read this post-I might just go on and on and on!

This is Allyson's 1st grade picture-is it not precious! I find myself staring at it a lot in complete awe that she is really in the first grade!! And I have to say that she is one incredible child-as I'm sure all parents think theirs are! I can't begin to explain how blessed we ALL feel that she is in our family...for SO many reasons! Sometimes I feel like she is the glue that holds us all together so tightly. She completely adores her parents and is so sweet in that she always wants to do what is right and wants us to be happy more than anything. She hangs on every word that comes out of our mouths and so willingly follows our direction (boy oh boy I hope we lead her in the right direction!). I love watching how much her 2 little brothers completely adore her and are following right in her sweet, sensitive footsteps. She organizes the BEST games for them and is constantly teaching them the ways that only a big "first grader" can. They LOVE her and always want to be right with her. Sometimes when Austin is sad and I can't help him for whatever reason, he is perfectly happy with his sister holding him tight. Isaac can't make, draw or do anything without sharing it with Ally first. Before he even wants to show his dad or me, it's Ally he calls. The look on his face when Ally laughs at one of his jokes or praises something he's done is just...well, beyond! She is perfectly happy to pack Isabel around wherever she goes and loves to just have her right next to her while she's playing. Isabel kicks her legs and flaps her arms whenever Ally looks at her or talks to her-it's perfect!
We just had her first parent-teacher conference this year. To no surprise her teacher was full of praise. The comment that made me the happiest was, "Ally is just so kind..to EVERYONE! Everyone always wants to be around her and wants to work with her. All the kids fight over who gets to be Ally's partner and I have to remind them that everyone will get a turn!". I'm not sure I could be MORE proud! We were so nervous sending her to a new school knowing that she is a little more quiet and soft spoken and might not make friends easily. I am happy that I don't worry anymore. I think that if I could hand pick one quality for her to posses it would be kindness-and I can honestly say, I think she's mastered it!

4 Months...Heelarious!

My Aunt Janelle sent Isabel these "Heelarious" high heels so we just had to get her 4month pictures taken in them. The lady taking the pictures was laughing so hard and said that in all her 20 years of taking pictures she had never seen such a thing.

Isabel is still the nicest baby we've ever known-even still at 4 months. She makes life so much fun and I sometimes forget that I really do have 4 kids because she is so EASY! She smiles all the time, sleeps through the night and can roll from one end of the room to the other. We completely ADORE her!! As you can see she is chubbing right up-just the way we like it!

Height: 24 3/4 inches-75%
Weight: 14 lbs.-75%