Pumpkin Carving Time!

  Last night we got around to carving our pumpkins.  This year I purchased an attachment for our drill that looked like a big beater that would gut the pumpkin and thin its walls.  We were pleased to find that it helped tremendously with the gutting process; although Avery and Harper were disappointed that they didn't get to scoop out the guts with their little spoons.  They also insisted on saving seeds and guts in sandwich baggies, so they could plant the seeds later.  When I found them careless left on the floor I happily chucked them into the garbage.  They didn't even remember them in the morning.  There is still time for them to remember though and be incredibly upset with me.

Starting from the left: Harper's sad pumpkin, Avery's happy pumpkin, and Daryl's cyclops pumpkin. I did the carving on Avery and Harper's pumpkins under the direction.

Here's Daryl using the drill attachment and Avery is cleaning out a pumpkin with a spoon.

Luke hung out on the floor and sometimes clung to Daryl's leg to see what all the commotion was about when he was using the drill.

Harper was mad because the pumpkin was wet and her Sharpie wouldn't work on the pumpkin.  Also Emery had touched it with her Sharpie and ruined it.  It was a tough time for Harper.

School Pictures

 Here this years crop of school pictures.  I think we are good with these and don't need retakes this year.  Avery was really worried that her hair wasn't going to look good because I made her take out the two Seahawks bows that she had jammed into her hair.  She was incredibly mad at me that morning.  She was pleased that she looked good even without the bows.  Harper's picture just cracks me up.  There's something about that smile that is quintessential Harper even though it looks stiff and fake.   

The Past Couple of Weeks

   Two weekends ago I took a small break from the family and flew down to Utah to attend my friend Nicole's wedding.  Unfortunately it was just an overnight stay, but I was still able to see my brother Phil and his family.  I came home and we all got sick.  

   We are now just getting back to normal, but we sucked it up Saturday to go to the pumpkin patch.  Luke didn't seem that impressed with his first Halloween related outing, but the girls had a blast playing on the bouncy slides they had there.  Avery could hardly contain her incredulity that back when Daryl and I were kids there were just pumpkins at the pumpkin patch.  Sunday Christie and Ben came over with baby Zander.  Avery was all over Zander like an octopus.  She left a hickey on his forehead from all of her kisses.  

Nicole and her new husband Darren coming out of the Draper temple.

Harper fell asleep on the couch one day while recovering from being sick.

A random cat picture.  You might think Sisko wants you to pet his beautiful, soft cat belly.  It was really a trap for a human hand that really did know better than that.

Emery lounging around.

Luke and Daryl at the pumpkin patch.

Emery didn't want to be in the picture, but I sure showed her.

This is the best picture of Zander and Luke laying side by side.  Zander is seven months younger than Luke, but not that much shorter.

Zander's super cute smile while Luke is busy escaping.

Luke is Eleventh Months Old

   Luke turned eleven months on Tuesday.  My baby is growing up fast as they always do.  He is such a happy guy, and just a delight.  The girls love him so much.  Avery especially likes to play with him.  The other night I put him in the tub with Emery and she kept washing his back repeatedly.  It was super cute, and of course she wouldn't do it when I tried to take a picture.  Luke loves eating still.  He had his first peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and fell hard for that wonder of a sandwich.  He says ma ma ma a lot.  Sometimes he indulges Daryl and says da da da.  He can stand up by himself for very short periods of time, and will walker with his walker for a couple steps.  Like I said, we love this guy, and I can't wait to see how he eats his birthday cake in a short month.

I had a really hard time getting him to hold still for the monkey shot, so this what I ended up getting.

He found a plate with some ketchup on it, and was in heaven.

My original attempt to get a monkey picture.

Luke likes to use the walker backwards.

He loves to open and shut the princess palace doors because music plays when you do.

I about died from the cuteness of him doing downward dog.