Halloween Part 2: Trick or Treating

 

Cause that's what it's really all about - the bags full of candy. 

 

Our house was a flurry of activity leading up to the designated hour.  Nolan had city playoff for volleyball which they won (the next night they played in the semifinal and lost - so sad) and mom and I were trying to get the chocolate fondant made for our big chocolate dipping day on Saturday. It was a tad crazy as we stuffed kids into customs and tried to pin them down for a picture or two.

 

 

 

Jarom was a Ghost buster - he kept the neighbour safe from getting slimmed.

 

Their friends came over and I quickly got a group shot before they were off and running.

(Spencer Northcott, Matthew Nesom, Nolan, Barrett, Greg Northcott and Jarom)

 

They stuck with Barrett for a couple of house and then they were off - not to be seen again until their pillow cases were full of enough chips, chocolate bars, suckers, gum, gummy candy and Tootsie rolls to provide weeks of sugar crazed tummy aches and sleepless nights.

 

It took Barrett one house to figure out the game plan.  He knocked on the door, yelled trick or treat - or his two year old version of it, said "thank-you", then "you're welcome" and ran to the next house. 

Halloween Part 1: The Carving

 

Pumpkin carving is beloved by everyone in our family.  There is plotting and planning and imaginations coming up with all sorts of spooky expressions.  This year they chose to forgo the store bought template and use their own designs.

 

Spencer's was a work of art - taking twice as long and still carving awhile the rest of us enjoyed our FHE treat.

 

Nolan was precise in his cutting.

 

Barrett though the bucket of "guts" was amazing and spend the night digging and flipping seeds all over the house.  He was a tad upset when Nolan got home from volleyball and he had to give up cleaning out his pumpkin to Nolan.

 

Four scary little pumpkins.

Teenager!

Thanks-Giving Day this boy turned into a teenager.

 

 

Sleepy eyed and eager to open his presents. 

I wonder when they out grow the prebirthday sleepless nights and early morning parent invasion for their gifts. Hopefully not anytime soon, I love the excitement and anticipation they have of what is hidden beneath the pretty colored paper.

 

A sports years for Nolan - basketball shorts, socks and bag.  A shiny new volleyball and AE sweater.

 

Nolan celebrated by getting his dad all to himself - they went rock climbing and exchanged his gifts for the right colors.

 

After a Thanks-Giving meal with his Grandparents he blow out his candles and celebrated a no girls candle victory.  Lets hope it stays that way.

Glimpses

Yesterday I had a glimpse into our future. We were sitting around with friends and Nolan laughing and having such a good time. It projected me 15+ years into our future picturing us sitting around with our adult kids and their young family laughing and having a good time together. 

I remember hearing Sister Beck talk about raising her kids, she realized she had to raise kids that she would want to be friends with when they were adults.

The experience was a sweet little reminder of the long term goals in raising our kids.

Boys

Sometimes I feel like I'm going to go crazy with this house filled with boys.  There is always balls being kicked at my head as I go about doing chores.  There are guitars and drum beats filling the longed for silence as I try to find some sort of quite place to regain a bit of sanity.  There are cars, Lego's, cows, soccer shoes, gym bags, soccer balls, basketballs, rubber balls and volleyballs at every turn being hit, kicked or volleyed.  Our house is filled with everything boy, blue is the main color in the washing and wrestling is the family sport.

There will never be pink in my future or tutus or barbie dolls.  Yesterday as I decorated the table for Thank-giving, I knew that no one would appreciate my efforts to make things look nice, nor would I receive a confirmation of the beauty of the dishes or the decor.  In my need for someone else to join in my appreciation of beautiful things, I went seeking it from one of the boys in the house and received a bit of mocking.  After having myself a little pity party, I decided that even though I have boys I can still teach them to appreciate nice things.  I can teach them to compliment me, as some day their wife will appreciate the compliments. So much to teach these wonderful boys of mine as I continually learn important lessons from them.

A little bit of everything

1. We had our ward camp out at the Magrath Stake Camp ground, so much fun for the kids.  There was a bouncy house, water slide and all the corn and little boy could nibble.

 

2. We are in the process of weaning Barrett off his soother during the day.  Man alive he loves that thing; I love that thing.  It's not gone well; lots of crying and wandering the house calling for his sue sue.  If I had it my way he would get to suck that thing until he left home.  Soothers have magic powers that fix every problem. 

 

3. Nolan made the volleyball team.  I keep trying to get some shots of him serving, returning a serve or spiking the ball, but wrangling a wild 2 year old in the stand seems to take all my time.  Anyhow, this is Nolan's first time playing volleyball.  His coach is awesome and already his skills have improved a ton.  The "Gators" had their first tournament and when Nolan was receiving a killer serve he bumped it and the ball went so high and came down swishing through the basketball net.  Nothing but net baby.  It was awesome.

 

4. I was dreading the start of school, because I knew that with the start of school come a crazy busy schedule.  It happened, we just sort of run from one activity to the next, Spencer and I pass or texting each other as to our where abouts and who has who and who has to be where.  I know it's the life of all families, but it crazy. 

 

5.  Yesterday we got a bit of reprieve from the craziness and I forced everyone into the van to do some geocaching.  I do really like geocaching, but I also find that it's the beginning of family adventures.  We hit a couple caches and then I had to check the price of something at a store that was by Thriftway Village and Nolan wanted to go check it out to see what we could find.  Man alive that place is crazy busy, Who knew.  We all got some bargains.  Barrett found a toy lawn mower, Nolan got a pair of ski pants and Nike sport shirt and Jarom got a rain resistant coat.  Everyone was happy with their finds. 

 

6. Nolan and Barrett are going as Curious George and The Man with the Yellow Hat for Halloween. Now to think of something good for Jarom. 

Week-end Wanderings

 

Our sweet little niece Kathryn turned 10 and invited us all out for a party at Writing-on-Stone.  Who could resist?

 

 

It was the most perfect of all fall days.  Gloriously hot, not a breath of wind, lots of sand to be dug in and buried in and water to cool off in.

 

Ya, I made all the kids do a jumping picture.  Love these.

 

Nolan was a sport and let all the kids bury him in the giant hole he dug.  He was trapped and had no way out as Barrett repeatedly hit him on the head with a shovel.

 

 

 The boys found a mud pit, it made them real men. 

 

 

The whole gang. 

An Ordinary Day

Barrett made 421 messes before 9 am and I arranged my day to drive Nolan and his classmates to the corn maze only to find out that I wasn't needed. Then Spencer forgot to take out the trash, I had to chase down the garbage truck with arms full of trash while wearing my pink house coat and curlers in my hair.

I called it a day and headed to the park where other ladies were waiting, who without me having to speak a word knew the ups and downs of mothering.

I think little boys riding bikes into the sunset makes life look perfect.

P.S. it's a commonly known fact that I like to exaggerate. It was only 123 messes and I don't own a pink house coat.

A break

I still have more picture to share from our summer but I thought I would take a break and add happenings in our lives.

1. I have seriously been loving this glorious fall. We've been out exploring all the time. Taking the boy on walks and bike rides. Letting him work off all that energy on something other then destroying anything and everything within arms reach or anything that can be reached with the aid of a chair, stool or toy.  Basically nothing is off limits.  So we walk, ride or stroll; I'd rather follow the boy around enjoying the beautiful day, then clean up his messes.

2.  I wish I had beautiful flowers like my mom.  Hers are these masses pots of overflowing leaves and color and beauty.  Mine are shrivel specs of something with potential if only someone would lovely water them, feed them nutrients and whispers words of encouragement. Some day.

3. I went for about 18 months without ever getting my hair cut.  I have lots of reasons why, not any good ones.  About a year ago I stumbled on a hairdresser who cuts my hair like a dream.  Still every 6 weeks I have to force myself not to cancel the appt.

4. Jarom is starting indoor soccer and drum lessons  I'm excited to watch him play. This is his first year of indoor.  He comes home daily and gives me a run down of all the recess happens on the soccer field and the awesome goals and assists he made.  When he talks he does it with such pride in his voice, echoing the word of his grade 3 teacher who help him realize he's an athlete.

5. Spencer is designing a house in the little spare time he has.  It's busy.  He's busy.  Last week he trotted off to Winnipeg for a conference and got to visit his old work pals.  He also got a private tour of the Human Right Museum.  Seemed like a good trip.  I think he would move back there given the chance, we've never discussed it, I think he knows I wouldn't. 

Last one on the list

22. Writing - on- Stone - almost every summer the Court's gather at Writing-on-Stone for a family reunion, to my kids big disappointment it didn't happen this year, but we still wanted to visit this place.

 We barely squeaked it in, going labor day - the day before school started, but it was a beautiful day and the kids had fun jumping from Hoodoo to Hoodoo. Barrett even did a great job keeping up to the big boys and our friends the Nesoms.

 

The day was the perfect end to a much enjoyed summer!

Almost Done

20. "The Fort" @ Fort Macleod - Interesting how we have lived by The Fort and passed it countless times, but never stopped to explore.  Our Winnipeg friends came and this was on their list of thing to do so we tagged along.

Nolan was chosen to inspect the horses and the Officers.  

 

I particularly loved the maple leaf they somehow stencil into the horses rump.  I asked how they did it, but they wouldn't reveal their secrets.

 

 

The NWMP musical ride was fascinating. The horses and Officers did some fancy tricks. 

 

 

 

Shot of the crew.

 

Barrett loved these Billy Goats - wonder if we can talk grandpa into getting some?

 

21. Sleep in the tree house - Check!

 

22. Going to the sun road - Took care of this goal on our way home from Whitefish.  We weren't really in a hurry to get home and back to real life, so we explored a couple of stops along the way.  Barrett loved the waterfalls and yelled "wadder" every time we passed one.

 

 

Rachel and Paul spotted us from the road and joined in the fun.  Nikki (or Cookie, as Barrett loves to call him) posed for some pictures. 

 

16 - 19

16. Learn to Wake board - another no go.  The boys tried hard, but one board was too big while another too small.  Next Year.  We did however have tons of other water fun.



Barrett loved the tube, we were all worried he'd be scared, but he thought it was wonderful.

 



Grandpa got a kayak this year that we all took a turn paddling around the Talley Lake.

 

Jake and Nolan gearing up for one of many dumps in the lake.

Knee boarding for Jarom and Nolan.

 



17. Slurpees - many many many were consumed

18. Glow stick Swim - Seriously cool to watch.  The kids swam and jumped and dove while adorn with glow sticks.  Making this one a yearly tradition.

 

19. 3 on 3 basketball - check out this post for details.

the list continues

13 & 15 - BMX Track/Bike track - I got confused and wrote it twice.  Check out this post for details

 14 - Bonfires - We had a lot of bonfires this year, down at the tree house.  It's the perfect place, sheltered from real life.  We discovered a new thing this year in regards to our smores - different kinds of chocolate, we tried a lot of different bars and decided that Reese peanut butter cups were one of our favs and mint aero was a no go. Nothing is as tasty as a wiener roasted on a perfect summer night.