Back Bay

On Stake Conference Sunday, we went for a walk. We tried one along San Joaquin, but it didn't go far.

So, we ended up at the Back Bay. It was perfect for lazy kids and pregnant mama that needed something fairly flat. We saw lots of wildlife.

Kids got to feel cattails.

Family fun for all! 

Minions and Evil Minion Halloween Costumes

John, Dalton and Sienna are being Minions for Halloween. The boys' costumes were very inexpensive. I paid $3 for the yellow yarn and $12 for their shirts. I made the G logo using electrical tape.

free basic crochet hat pattern in various sizes, used for all the hats.

Dalton got a fart gun for his birthday, which was perfect for his costume.

Inspiration for Evil Minion costume

crazy hair

crochet evil minion eyes

I just invented this myself as a I went along. I bought the thickest purple yarn I could find and brushed it out with my hair brush to make it poufy. Cost of the costume was $3 for the poufy yarn (I already had the regular purple yarn) and $11 for a shirt she will wear again.

Shaving Cream Paint

Tonight, in an attempt to turn things around with everyone's attitude (and also get Sienna to take a bath, because every time I try to make her do something she doesn't want I hear "I want DADDY!" and Daddy isn't around right now), I made some shaving cream paint for the bath tub.

This is my favorite kind of activity. It was fast, easy, cheap, the kids LOVED it, and it left the bathtub cleaner than before. I squirted a blob of cheap, white, shaving cream onto an old Cool Whip container lid.  Stirred in some food coloring. Gave the kids paintbrushes and let them have at it.

When the paint was gone, I gave them each a rag and had them help wipe the walls.  I had to change fresh bathwater, but I think it was worth it.

Dalton School Pictures (Kindergarten)

Dalton practiced his school picture smile for me. His fake smile with teeth looks a lot like grandma's. Apparently he decided a real teeth smile was too hard so we ended up with this. He's still pretty darn cute, though.

Maggie School Pictures(3rd Grade)

Oh hi, third grade. I drove Maggie and our neighbor to school on picture day, so that she wouldn't have helmet hair. I'm not sure it helped. She was wearing a nice skirt, but paired with a t-shirt, it didn't look particularly nice in a portrait. And the mardi gras beads. Well, that's Maggie for ya!

New Car, Blue Car

Excessive hassle later, we got a shiny new-to-us blue Honda Odyssey.

It seems like there was a time I didn't want to drive a van because it was uncool, but I can't remember that time. I feel pretty cool in my van.

Pumpkin Patch/Zoomars

We had no school on Monday, so I took the kids to Zoomars petting zoo/pumpkin patch. 

We did pony/horse rides.

Played in the hay maze and corn box.

Rode the train (met some friends there, too).

Decorated pumpkins with foam stickers,

But mostly pet and fed the guinea pigs.  The kids had a blast with this.

(34 weeks)