One Week of Halloween=Sugar Overload.

Halloween was a week-long for us. We started off with our ward's Fall Festival/Trunk or Treat, which was a week before Halloween. It was a blast.

Brielle and Braden had such a fun time with the donut bobbing.

...especially Mr. Braden. I swear, this little mister has such a sweet tooth. If it were up to him, he would eat candy and anything sweet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He's definitely inherited that trait from the Wood's (Scott's mom's side of the family). :) (Karen, it seems like you and Braden have the same weakness!) ha ha!:)

There was so much for the kids to do, there was pumpking painting, face painting, we even had a fortune-teller! It was great!

There was no convincing otherwise for these two children. Brielle wanted to be the Little Mermaid and Braden wanted to be a Transformer.

The kiddos showing off their cute costumes.

The trunk or treat was a great success. The kids got sooooo much candy!!! Their baskets were so full, they decided to stop (on their own)...and they started to give candy out.

During the week, the kids' preschool had a Halloween Parade. That morning, Braden woke up telling me that he wasn't feeling well. I kept thinking that he just needed to eat some breakfast. But, he was indeed sick, about 10 minutes before heading out, he threw up! Poor little boy!

I had to take Brielle to school, I would have felt so bad just leaving and not staying to watch her. So we decided to go watch her and Braden's teacher let him stand on stage for their little presentation.

They both did such a great job with their classes. They have such great teachers and it was so fun to watch them. I'm just sad, Scott couldn't make it this year.

Braden and I headed home right after, Brielle's presentation. He was fine the rest of the day, so I think it must have been something he ate the night before.

On Saturday, we had a few friends over to carve pumpkins.



They were all so diligent with their pumpkins. The adults that is. The kids helped for a little bit and then decided they were done.

Brielle and Braden wanted to paint their pumpkins.

Brielle picked out the design for the big pumpkin. It was tedious work...which I gladly let Scott do.

I just basically, ate lots of treats and watched everyone work very hard!!!:) Someone has to record these things right? I was working very hard taking pictures of everyone! ha!:)

Aren't they adorable? Mr. Braden, of course, HAD to show off his muscles.

Everyone's final product.

Since, Halloween was on a Sunday this year, a friend coordinated for quite a few families in the ward to do trick or treating on Saturday. She separted us into two groups, so one group went trick or treating while the other group was giving out the candy.

It worked out perfectly.

Some of the kiddos eating candy.

On Halloween, my cousin Coco (who was visiting from Florida) and his girfriend came over for dinner. My brother made yummy ceviche and we had such a fun time visiting.

Coco is such a fun guy and we really enjoyed seeing him.

My kids have been asking me for candy, EVERY single day since they got all this candy!!! It's a good thing, this kind of sugar overload only happes ONCE a year!

I'm ready for some real food...I'm ready for Thanksgiving!:)

My Super-Duper Average Life.

I've decided I have a pretty average life.  I do average mom things every day.  I feel so busy.  Just like everyone else.  I have been having super long days, which interestingly enough means short weeks...I haven't felt this busy in a long time...I got a planner the other day, because I simply need it.  I was good at blogging once a week, now the end of the day comes around and all I want to do is lay in bed next to my Scottie and watch an episode of Modern Family or House, or Grey's...last episode of Modern Family, I was laughing uncontrollably...because of "drop out" and "drop off"...ummm...yeah...that's me...YOU TRY SPEAKING IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE!!!! ha ha!!!:) You MUST watch Modern Family if you don't.  One word. 

HILARIOUS!

Among all of the busyness, I have been feeling grateful for everything I have...turning 30 and all...has made me realize that I am an adult now.  I sometimes, just can't believe it.  Once upon a time, I used to look at the sky and the stars and I would make a wish upon a star (it sounds cliche and you may laugh and I laugh at my self and my cheesiness...but it's true.)...as a little girl, I wished to have the life I have now and I am living the life I always wanted.  Scott, reminded me of everything I have, the other day, when I was shamefully throwing some sort of tantrum...sometimes wive's throw tantrums...(or may be I am the only one.)

The kids and I finally made it out to the Butterfly Pavillion on their free day at the Museum of Natural History.  It was fun and so entertaining watching the butterflies.  They are such beautiful insects.

My brother was able to come with us, which made it even more fun.  The butterflies are very friendly.

The kids got a magnifing glass and were inspecting the butterflies.

We also saw some bees, among other bugs.  Seeing all those bees gave me the heebie-jeebies!

We got done at the exhibit right around lunch time, so we headed to the hospital to surprise Scott.  He had no idea we were coming and it was such a fun surprise for him.  He just got done with his surgery rotation...thank heavens!!! Although, he really liked it and enjoyed all the surgeries, the hours were insane.  He was pulling 15 hour days. Not fun.  He started his internal medicine rotation this week and the hours are much, much better. 

After our nice little lunch at the GWU Hospital Cafeteria, it was time to say goodbye.

I had some sad kiddos.

...and I was just glad that I got to see my husband during the day...when we are both happy and not exhausted!:)

Our little friend Lilly and I have the same birthday.  Her mommy, Jenny is amazing and threw her the cutest party!

Lilly "winking" for the picture. :)

Lilly is such a hoot.  We love hanging out with her and her mommy...and isn't this the cutest little party? I LOVE the decorations!

My kids had such a fun time at Lilly's party.  In the picture above, Braden took it upon himself to make sure that he opened Lilly's present that we got for her, Lilly was just patiently waiting... She and Brielle are taking a ballet class together, after the class we take the kids swimming and the 3 of them have such a fun time! and I have a grand time talking with Jenny.  Brielle and Lilly are good little "mommies" to Braden.  It's cute to watch them. 

A couple of Sundays ago, I dragged everyone to go on a walk on one of the cutest trails, I have found here in Virginia.

My kids were tired of me taking pictures of them.

Braden got a little tired from all the walking...

Brielle, forcefully, tried to make him feel better...a very forceful smile wouldn't you say?

and then...my dear husband (who is a child at heart) saw this little creature hopping...

...and of course he had to catch it, just for a little while...

They were mesmerized...

...and froggy definitely wanted his freedom back...and so we gave him his freedom and went home...and I made sure they washed their hands very, very well...

I am a room mom for Braden's class this year (one of the reasons I feel so busy!) His class had a Fall Festival and I was in charge of making sure all went smoothly. 

It was a delight to see Braden, just being Braden.  He and the rest of his class had a blast!

Here, we are with his class and the other moms who volunteered.

My brother spoiled me and got me THE coolest lens for my birthday! a 50mm.

I'm in LOVE...

with my lens...and with this man...and

...with this little boy...and

...this beautiful little girl...who had her very first Primary presentation this last Sunday.  She memorized her part and knew it so well...when she went to say it she said it backwards...it was supposed to be...

"I can follow the prophet by reading the scriptures every day."

and she said "I can read the scriptures every day by following the prophet."

It was perfect...it was her first time...we were all so proud of her.

 Braden even memorized it too...he wanted to be part of it so bad...next year.

This picture makes me grateful for my super-duper average life.

{My kids LOVE saying super-duper.}

Cox Farms

Scott finished his surgery rotation last Friday and we headed to Cox Farms to celebrate! (Surgery is supposed to be one of the hardest rotations.)

Last year, Scott was so busy with school, he didn't make it to Cox Farms.  I've been talking and talking about it this whole time and we were all finally able to go with him. 

We had the BEST day. 

These big feet were so funny...

We honestly had non-stop fun from the moment we got there until the moment we left.  The weather was perfect, the kids were so happy to be with their daddy and I was beyond thrilled to have this fun day as a family.

There is so much to do in this place, so many cute little things for the kids to be entertained with.  Scott and I decided that one of the things we love most about this life is seeing our children have a fun and be happy.  

Braden made a few new friends and he had the time of his life playing with them in the hay.  Those big kids were so cute with him and he thought it was the coolest to be playing with the "big" kids.  

Brielle, as always, is completely unafraid of animals.  She will just go right in without any fear.  There was an area with goats and you could feed them...Brielle was doing her thing and all of a sudden one of the goats started chewing on her hair! She was so appalled that a goat would even think of doing something like that!!! We were all laughing and she could stop talking about it for the rest of the afternoon!

The kids rode on the tractors...

...even I did.

...and Scott thought this looked like fun.

Then came time to milk the cow! 

They all got into it.  

...and pump some water.

...and of course taking pictures by the pumpkins...what is it about those big orange pumpkins that make for such awesome pictures?

and then came some cheesy smiles...

Being silly.

I always hope that my kids will remember the fun times that we have together as a family.  

I can't wait for next year!