October's end.

An appropriate title...however many weeks late.  But, alas...I feel like time is really getting away from me.  It has seemed lately that I can't remember jack...or focus on anything but the upcoming holidays, and my love for snuggling with Syd, and being in pajamas, and having my house smell like pumpkin bread and vanilla.  And baking, and enjoying the warmth of the fire, and so many other things have been occupying my mind and time that the day to day seems to be forgotten.  However, Amy made me one of her personalized planners, and I got it at the end of last week...so now I have no excuses.  But I'll still come up with a few doozies to hide my laziness.  At least I'm still trying to hide it, right?  Doesn't that say a little something?  No?
I will answer some questions and respond to some statements real quick, though...because I didn't get around to doing it in the comments section of my last post.  Keri--Riley's school has "mismatched" day for spirit day that week.  However, she liked it so much that she continued to wear them the entire day.  I think it was less about fashion, and more about me letting her wear shorts.  But, I thought it was pretty cute, too.  She is getting too old, too fast.  And Cole said the exact same thing about my pumpkin looking like the bat symbol.  I didn't see it until he said that.  Must be a guy thing.  Kass--Sydney DID try the pumpkin goo.  And unsurprisingly, she wasn't a fan.  And Lora?  Just looked like Syd was taking a dump.  She was having that much fun. ;)
 As you probably noticed the last week of October went by very quickly.  And was a bit surreal.  It turned out that the second grade at Canyon Elementary had been practicing for a Halloween play/concert for the parents and fellow schoolmates...but they didn't really tell anyone until the last minute.  However, I HAD been hearing Cole singing songs that he doesn't normally have access to, and busting some moves that were new.  If he would have been my nephew Erik, I would have just assumed the dancing was business as usual, but it's Cole, so I figured something was up. 

Someone is pretty excellent when they can get a ton of kids and do synchronized dance.  Much respect. I almost had to shoot that girl pirate, though.  I did NOT appreciate her blocking of my son.  And his moves. 
Jeff got to come to this event, even though it was on a Thursday.  This was nice, but lately, it seems like his schedule has been fluctuating and that's been annoying me.   Anyhoo, Riley and Cole both came up to Jeff and Syd and me after the show, and we took pictures to document Jeff's being able to attend a midday event.  It was big news.  ;)

Riley decided to be an angel, rather than the devil she was for the Anderson Halloween party.  There was a little drama with the wings, but we pulled everything else together at the last minute.  She's wearing my shoes.  They're a little big...but she can wear them.  And Cole was the Pokemon trainer again.  He was pretty proud of himself.  But, that's because he did the most awesome out of everyone else, and typically rocked the entire program.  That's just how he is.  Syd was in her stroller while all these pictures are being taken.  I feel like I need to explain that because she was being such a huge brat, that I couldn't even pretend to want to document her.  No...that's not true.  Not completely.  I just didn't want to get her out, because I knew putting her back in would be a fight for which I hadn't the strength.  She was there, though.  So don't worry.  Even though it was really tempting, I did NOT leave her in the car during Cole's production.  
So, Friday, the day after, the kids didn't have school.  And the weather was gorgeous.  We just kind of chilled all day, and put our Jack-O-Lanterns on the front porch.  We were all excited for Saturday night, when we would trick-or-treat.  Cause we're in Utah.  And apparently, that's what they do when Halloween falls on a Sunday.  I'm used to it, now...but the first couple of times it happened, it threw me.  

Saturday we woke up and the weather was terrible.  It was cloudy all day, and windy, and just cold.  And normally, I love that weather.  But not when you're supposed to go outside all eventing.  And, Syd had had diarrhea the entire day and night before...and it just got worse.  She was grouchy, and tired, and whiny...and she was pretty miserable.  I ended up having to cancel all our family visits.  
Riley and Cole were excited to go for the first time trick-o-treating here in this neighborhood.  But during the time these pictures were taken, our home was literally being shaken by wind, and there was hail pouring everywhere, and whitening all the bushes and trees.  Eventually it just began to rain, and the kids were willing to brave the weather for candy.  Hopefully, the good kind. 
Syd helped me with our Trick-O-Treaters while Cole and Riley went on their way.  Well, helped me with the candy, anyway.  She tasted pretty much everything in the bowl...and the Skittles were here favorites. 

The rest of the night I basically sat around and stressed that Riley and Cole would call and be lost, or scared, while I greeted kids in costume, and gave them vast amounts of sugar.  When the kids got home, they were happy, though.  They had caught up with neighborhood friends, and gotten a lof of candy, and were already excited for next year,  and plans that they had made.  It turned out to be a lot of fun for both of them, and I was glad.  I'd worried that Syd being sick and lack of our normal Halloween routine would bum them out.  But it seems like they are mostly interested in the candy part of this holiday.  Weird. 

They brought in some good stuff.  We are still munching on it from time to time.  I hope you all had a Happy Halloween, and that you all gained at least 5 pounds from the vast amounts of candy you've consumed.  Because if you haven't, then that's not fair to me.  
Okay, at the end of this week, I'm putting up our Christmas decorations.  For reals.  I'll post pics when they're up.  Try to contain your excitement.