Week ending 11-6-16

Last Sunday night: Thomas made a special treat to surprise his siblings. 

I had a lot of fun planning it with him for many nights while tucking him in, and then making it with him for a Sunday night treat. 

All finished and ready to present to his unsuspecting siblings. 

He led each to the table one-by-one with their eyes closed. 

Kylie and Madalyn reading it upside down and figuring it out. 

Makenna and Kaitlyn figuring it out.

The 5th train car said M.E. I'm not sure what that really means,but Thomas put it as number 5 for him ("me" he said). 

Samuel enjoying a gooey choco-mallow brownie, my grandmother's recipe.

Monday: carving out tiny pumpkins to put "dinner in a pumpkin" in. We have this every year and have always cooked it in one big pumpkin, but this year Kylie saw these adorable personal-sized pumpkins and had to have them for our own dinner in a pumpkin. 

Madalyn carving hers. She's very busy these days practicing with the pit orhestra and cast for the play Mary Poppins. She's only 1 of 2 flutes chosen to be in it. They practice from 2:30-7pm every day and from 8-5 on Saturdays. This week it's supposed to go till 9pm. Yikes! I miss her so much, but am so grateful for this opportunity for her. She loves it. 

Eating our little dinners. 

With eating the dinner in the pumpkin, no need for plates. :) I love any excuse not to have dishes. 

After trick-or-treating we came home at 8 and Nathan followed soon afterwards, around 8:20. Andy was so happy to see him. He's a daddy's boy. 

The kids and I in our costumes. We repeated the doctors, nurses, and patient theme we did 6 years ago because we had all the costumes and wouldn't have to buy anything. 

I had to look twice to find me in this picture. I can't believe I'm standing in front of my kids! 

When did they get so tall? 

Me and my girls this year.

Me and my girls 2010 

The 1..2..3 dump! I love how the kids still have to dump out their candy at the same time. I hope some traditions never change. I'm glad the older kids still love trick-or-treating and want to do a family theme. Next year the kids are going to be the 10 little Indians. They've been planning it since we had 5 kids, but planned to have 10. We've been waiting a long time. I can't wait for next year.

The exclamations begin. "I got an Airhead!" "I got a Fundip!" 

Then the trading begins. 

After an hour of sorting and trading and eating, they pick up their piles and put their candy bags on the counter. For some reason I just loved seeing all 9 bags in a row on the counter. It made me want to treasure this time in my life forever. So I took a picture to remember it by. 

The look from the bar. I usually don't like things on my counters, but this sight is so tender to me. This year I might not mind if they stay there till Christmas, even if that's the baking corner. 

A picture of the mantel before I take the decorations down. 

It was fun decorating a new house this year, after 8 Halloweens in our last house.

Thursday: The 4 little kids playing "Ring Around the Rosie." 

Friday: Alexis, Kaitlyn, and Makenna made trick-or-treat bags for their dolls and then dressed them up as fairies and took them trick-or-treating. They absolutely love these dolls.