Boston's Baptism Photo's

Wow! I can't believe that Boston is going to be eight on Friday. He has grown up so much in just the past year. His testimony and understanding of the Gospel is flourishing, and his prayers never cease to amaze me. He is SO excited to get baptized. Here is Boston's baptism announcement and some other photos that I loved! What a handsome boy!

I asked Boston to pick his favorite for the announcement. This is the photo he picked. I obviously overrode it, but love how he isn't self conscious about his gaping smile, or anything else for that matter!

little entrepreneur's

After soccer games, on Halloween day, we did some kid swapping with the Lorenzana's; Boston for Maya. Ethan was the odd man out, since he really wasn't going to be hanging out with Sophia, who slept most of the time anyway. The girls decided they wanted to do a lemonade stand, but didn't want Ethan to tag along. The next thing I know, Ethan is filling a pitcher with water, and is making a sign. Of course, I can't read it since he is just learning to spell, so I ask him what he is doing and he says, "Mom, I'm going to sell water!" How nice of him to not sell lemonade and give the girls some competition. I'm then thinking, "Good luck with that!". Then I see Ethan coming downstairs with random things like a whistle, marbles, etc. Basically things he pulled out of his junk drawer. My first inclination was to stop him from a train wreck (or at least I perceived would be one). Then I decided not to squash the innovative entrepreneur in him and let him go for it. (It definitely is a step up from copying money like last week!) I had something that took my attention away from him for a minute, and when I went to check on him, I found him outside at the opposite corner of the girls, just sitting on the ground with his pitcher of water, cups, and a bag full of his random collection of things. I quickly grabbed Ben and told him to bring him a chair. He patiently sat there waiting for customers for over an hour! He never moved, and just waited for someone to pick him over the girls.

This is what the girls lemonade stand looked like.

I LOVED that it didn't intimidate him from doing his own thing. He was a bit sad when he was comparing all the people that stopped at their stand, to the people that came to him. It was hard to tell him that he should be grateful that people took pity on him enough to actually pay him for water! He ended up with 6 dollars! (Ethan has been asking if he could do a lemonade stand every day since!)

My heart was so full of gratitude for all those people who saw a little boy who was trying hard and bought his water. I saw a quote once (in one of those feel good coffee table books) that said, "Always stop at a kids lemonade stand". I have always stuck by that, and now I see why it is so important, more than ever! On a side note, Maya and Aubrie raked in 21 dollars. One customer gave them a 10! Again, what generosity in such hard economic times!!!

HAPPY Halloween

This year, we got to celebrate Halloween twice, because we finally had a year that Trunk or Treat and Halloween weren't on the same day. Hallelujah! Like I said earlier, I told the kids I wasn't buying them anything for their costumes this year. Boston was lucky enough to borrow a skeleton costume, Aubrie used her owned clothes to be a 80's chick, and Sophia wore the same costume as she did last year (since all she did was sit in the stroller the whole time). Ben and I had actually decided that we would buy Ethan a costume since Kindergarten does a costume parade around the school, but we couldn't find him the costume he wanted. He wanted to be a mummy, and Ben looked EVERYWHERE, and couldn't find one. Ethan switched his costume for everything he went to. He wore his Karate costume to school, his Darth Vader costume to a friends Halloween/Birthday party and the Trunk-or-Treat, and for Halloween, he just wore all brown and a cape and said he was Ob 1 Kenobi!

Here are some pics from Ethan's Fall Festival!

The kids had fun at their school Halloween, excuse me..."Fall" parties . (I hate that they just cant say Halloween, Christmas, etc! Lame!) After school, Ethan went to a classmates party, where they had a jumper, and a little train that drove them around the neighborhood. While he was there I ran to Party City to get a few props for Ben and I! I always wear the same thing, cat ears (yeah, big surprise), and decided I needed a tail and a collar once and for all. While there, the kids picked this out for Ben. He was a good sport and wore it. It was fun to see him with hair.

The Trunk-or -Treat was amazing this year. They had it outside a the Pavilion/green area. They had such fun games for the little ones, and did a Fear Factor thing for the teens. They also had plenty of food, and a Haunted House. The kids had a great time. Besides Sophia, I didn't' see any of them for most of it, as they were running around with all their friends.

Halloween started off with a morning of soccer games. Then we spent the rest of the day relaxing, while the kids played with friends. Later that evening we had dinner and carved pumpkins. The boys were quickly grossed out, especially Boston. Sophia thought it was funny for awhile, and Aubrie ended up doing all the carving!

We just went trick or treating around our section of the neighborhood, which is PLENTY! Sophia had a GREAT time, and everyone thought she was the cutest thing. I think the boots totally sold the costume! Sophia was funny though. She had to get in and out of the wagon between each house. That kind of slowed us down a bit. By the last 4 or 5 houses, she was DONE and didn't want to go to any more doors.

When we got home she fell asleep on Ben within minutes. Once we got her down and the kids in their PJ's, it was time for the scary movie we had promised the kids. I decided that SIGNS would be the least harmful because it could NEVER happen, there were only a few scary parts, and it had a good message about faith. The kids loved the movie, and Boston got the award for being scared the most. He screamed like a girl and flew to my side during the kids birthday party part. After the movie, we offered up hide and go seek in the dark, but oddly enough we didn't have any takers!:) Ben and I had already prepared for a long night of probable nightmares, but the kids did really well. Aubrie was the only one who woke up and she went right back to sleep. They keep asking to watch it again, and talk about their favorite parts over and over!

Overall I would have to say that this was the best Halloween we have had with the kids. It is weird to think they are getting old enough to be in control of their own candy rationing, watch scary movies, and leave our sides at Halloween parties to run off with friends! What age do you let them go trick or treating by themselves these days? (I know I went at 6....isn't that CRAZY?) I'm not sure I'll be ready for that...EVER!