Parties, Pianos, Pumpkins, Ponies, Parents and Pedicures

Definitely a "P" month for us!  And a super fun one at that.  Fall is such a great time of year!

Maggie is celebrating her 9th birthday!  OH NO!  I only have one more year until she hits double digits.  Yikes.  Well, seeing as how she already acts like she is 8 going on 16 it probably won't be much different....   She mulled over her options and decided to have a spa party at a local salon, Aria.  The girls got their hair done, nails and makeup.  It was so awesome!  They have a whole upstairs room for parties--while the girls were waiting their turn for the different pampering stations, they had a movie playing.  Then afterward had a dance party!  I highly recommend it to anyone wanting an easy birthday--no mess, no fuss, and it was actually super affordable.  And boy did my little diva love every minute!

 I suppose I did put a bit of an effort into it, I made her rainbow cloud cupcakes.  They came out super cute and totally delicious.  I made the frosting look like fluffy white clouds on top.  And of course rainbow sprinkles.

All the girls (minus one who left early) dolled up and ready to party (dance party)!

 It was definitely a hit.

I really like living out here in the "country"--even though I am blocks away from a neighborhood.  I wasn't sure how I'd fare out here, seeing as how I've always lived in a suburb type neighborhood with neighbors right close by.  But I actually have really enjoyed it, and one of my favorite things it when I pull down the driveway and all the horses are out front.  Sometimes they are eating, sometimes they are all lined up at the fence, and sometime (rarely) they are all basking in the afternoon fall sun.  The other day I drove by and they were all lazing about....

 Although fall is my favorite season, it is also a time of crazy schedules for our family.  All my kids do fall activities--Tyler did football, Jake does soccer, Maggie does hip hop and tumbling (which is all year), and Joey did soccer for the first time this year.  Pile that on top of piano and guitar lessons, scouts, young men, my calling in young women, Eric's calling in young mens, activity days...well it makes for a hectic few months.  We are finally through with football and soccer so I am happily taking a respite from the driving.  Luckily my kids like to ski more than basketball so they opt out of playing basketball so they can spend Saturdays at the slopes.  Fine by me!  But it was fun to see my kids enjoy their sports, especially Joey.  He LOVED playing soccer and can't wait until spring to start again!  And watching his age is my favorite sport to watch.  I get too invested in Jake's team and competitive, but Joey is playing with first graders so it is still mostly what I like to call Bumble-Ball.  And it is hilarious.  But Joey did great and actually tried to play his position pretty well, probably learned it from watching his brother.  He even score a goal!  Go Joey!

 The highlight of the season was definitely Eric's parents coming home from their mission.  It seemed like it flew by to me, but I know they were happy to be home and back on American soil!  We got to hear about it and see some pretty cool pictures--boy are they well traveled!  We are so glad they got home safely and can't wait to start having them at family stuff now!

 Of course the ladies had to spend an afternoon relaxing.  Hillary was in town, so we took some girl time.  And what better way to celebrate than an assembly line of pedicures!  Can you tell which one of these things is not like the others????  (Me, the blondie)

 This picture is weird but it is the only one I got of Jacob's piano festival.  He and Maggie both had songs to perform and were pretty nervous but they did great!  They both got superiors and were happy to be done with it!   (and so am I--I couldn't stand listening to those same songs any more!)  But I had to post this picture because did you notice his feet?  We had to come straight from a soccer game and I asked Jake 10 times if he had everything he needed to change into--shirt, tie, pants, shoes.  He kept saying yes and finally said "YES!" and told me to stop asking.  Well, lo and behold, we are half way to the piano festival and Jake tells me he forgot his shoes.  So his choices were fluorescent yellow cleats (I'm sure the people would love it if he played their piano in cleats) or his red soccer socks.  He opted for the socks and did the whole performance sans shoes, with bright red socks....   Well, he did get a superior so maybe the judges liked it!  (note taken for next year....)

 My good friend decided to do a pumpkin patch at her place.  Yup, she's a real go-getter.  I'll just let everyone else plan the big stuff and I'll attend as a happy patron.  It was so fun--she had all the essentials and probably the best cotton candy I've ever had (gourmet flavors--we got Lime Ricky and Tiger's Blood).  The boys had a blast racing on the trikes.  Although Joey was the only one who could actually fit on it the right way.

 There was also a big corn kernel pit.  That was probably the highlight.  The stayed in there for probably an hour!  I loved this candid shot of them playing together...without fighting....for this moment...I think it lasted 2 minutes.....

 Tyler fell in love with this little goat and wanted me to buy it so we could take it home.  No thanks.  I've got enough animals--6 horses, 5 fish, one dog and 3 boys....

 To top off the night we took a horse drawn wagon ride.  Since my friend was the driver she let me kids sit up front with her.  They thought they were pretty cool....and who can blame them!

 So after the pumpkin patch we were definitely getting into the Halloween Spirit.  So it was just a great addition to that to go to Maggie's "reader's theater" at school.  Her teacher is amazing and got a grant to buy violins for each student in her class.  As part of class she teaches them to play songs.  (Jacob had the same teacher)  Maggie did so good at her songs, and had her cute little smile the whole time.

 Then she got to act a part in a 3 witches play.  She loved every minute.  And it was so cute to watch her!

 Maggie also loves the horses but doesn't get too much of a chance to ride them.  So when she had a friend over the other day Eric generously took them on a little ride.  They each took their own horse--but he did get a shot of them both on Cinco.  Yee haw.

 As I said before, I don't need any more animals--and part of the reason is this...

 We had the Swenson's homecoming at our house last Sunday, and so we had a ton of garbage.  Well, no matter how many times I tell the kids to make sure the garbage lid closes or tie the bag, they never do.  And when that happens this is what I wake up to in the morning.  Now it's easy to say to make the kids clean it up, but I never notice it until after they have left for school....   I wish I could make Ziggy clean it up since she is culprit. Argh!

Halloween was a success this year.  I like to see the kids get dressed up because I remember how much I loved it when I was a kid.  Maggie (after MUCH contemplation and mind-changing) decided to be a deer.  It was so easy and cheap--my two favorite costume adjectives!  I just bought a brown shirt and used brown leggings.  I literally glued on some craft fur, felt and voila.  The makeup looks a lot harder than it was.  Easier than last year's!  Plus it was cute because Maggie loved it so much.

Tyler pondered how to still dress up but not look like a nerd.....

 Success!  Ha. I know you are thinking he looks like a nerd, but he is Dwight Schrute from "The Office."  Complete with name tag "Assistant to the Regional Manager" and calculator watch....

 Jacob's was the trickiest to pull off.  When I asked him what he wanted to be he said a "taco truck."  ????  How he came up with that I'll never know.  Actually, I do know.  Sometimes we play 20 questions in the car and only once have we been completely stumped.  Jake was the chooser and he picked "taco truck."  No one could guess it--so now it is our little family inside joke.  But lo and behold we worked together and pulled it off!  And it actually came out amazing.  We made the truck out of a box and had a ton of fun decorating it together.  No detail overlooked.  Arrrreba!!

 Last but not least, Joey's costume was actually my favorite.  First of all because it took no effort except to put him in it, but mostly because it looked hilarious as he walked.  The dinosaur waddled back and forth and it seriously made me giggle all night.  Usually I get sick of taking the kids trick or treating but I could've done that forever because it just made me happy!

 So October was full of fun and we are excited to get ready for Thanksgiving!  (Best meal of the year!!!!!!)  Happy haunting!