Things

I hear Lydia starting to wake up, but until she is truly awake I will blog some of what is happening around here.
* We had some gorgeous warm weather at the beginning of the month. It was the perfect "fall". Our trees started dropping their leaves and the kids LOVED jumping in our leaf piles.

*All at once it got freezing and we had a storm that lasted days. One morning we went to Sugar House park to go sledding. I put the babies in rain boots hoping they would be interested in the snow while Danny and Lucy went down the mountain. The snow was so high they couldn't walk! So instead I held the babies while Danny and Lucy went down the mountain a couple times. It was pouring snow so we didn't last long-but the sledding was really fun.

 * For the first time ever procrastination worked for me. Until August regular child immunization were not covered by my insurance and I had a $50 copay for a well child visit. I kept putting off going to the county for immunizations and finally decided I had to get it done. Luckily I checked my insurance, and in August they changed their policy and now completely cover both. Yea! Danny was kind enough to go with me for the babies' appointments. Two crying babies after shots is too much for me.

*We're moving home to CA on December 15th. I am in that difficult position where it is too early to start packing and organizing, but I know it will be time intensive and difficult with the babies so I wish I could get going. I'm not letting myself start until after Thanksgiving when my family goes home.
*That said, I've bought packing supplies and went through all of my baby gear that I may not need for awhile:(  I was happy that we have two good friends with new baby girls so some things I don't need went to good homes. I was super excited to free up three plastic boxes!
* We are super excited to go home, but I am also really sad to leave Salt Lake. I love it here. I love our ward, our house, our neighborhood. I LOVE being so close to Becca and Ruby. I'm so glad we've been here because Ruby really knows her cousins and loves me:) I will miss her so much. I will also miss hanging out with Becca. We have always talked on the phone every day, but living only a hour apart we were able to see each other weekly and do all those things we used to only wish we could do together.

*We found a family to rent our home. We were only here a year, but I'm really happy knowing a nice family of girls will be living here and appreciating this cute house.
*Katy and my mom are leaving after work and driving to UT today. We are so excited. Lucy has included her "grandma coming countdown" in her prayers-which is pretty funny. I am incredibly excited because we will have a super fun week and I will be totally distracted from moving etc.  I can't wait!

Halloween 2012

As usual we have spent most of October in breathless anticipation for Halloween. This year was espesially exciting because Marilyn was coming out on the 30th to send Halloween with us!

The festivities began this weekend with the third annual Page Halloween Party.  Danny and I got our first babysitter so we could attend. We tried to make make our costumes as cheaply as possible.  Danny was Thor and I was Katniss Everdeen.  The Thor costume was easy. We had Thor's hammer from our Avenger-themed Anderson Reunion. I bought the breastplate for $4, spray painted it black and used tin foil to make the six disks that adorn Thor's breastplate.  I got a yard and a half of red fleece from JoAnns with my 50% off coupon. Finally we had a long blonde wig from a  couple Halloweens ago that we cut to Thor's length. My Katniss costume was even easier. I borrowed Becca's combat boots and mockingjay pin and braided my Gabriella wig from years ago.  Do you know how hard it is to braid a wig? Freakishly hard! It didn't look as cute as it did in my head, but it was fine.  We went out to dinner (without our costumes:) and then had a great time at the party.

On Monday night some neighbors organized a Halloween party at the park.  The whole neighborhood was invited and it was packed! There was a bouncy house, face painting, pumpkin painting, donuts, cider and bobbing for apples. Our favorite part was the costume parade around the park.  Merida was super excited to wear her wig for the first time. Our little cow and duck held hands all night and I almost died from the cuteness.

There is nothing like a Utah fall.  All the beautiful trees lining our street have turned beautiful colors and now the leaves are falling.  On Tuesday we waited for Granda Marilyn's plane to arrive by raking the leaves in our front yard into a pile and jumping in them. The girls loved it.

 Marilyn got in that night. The girls were ecstatic and played with her before bed. Then the adults got to chat and snack the night away. On Halloween morning we walked Lucy to school and got to stay and watch the costume parade. We were able to catch her at two places along the route and yell "Merida! Princess of Dunbrock!" and embarrass her. She was one for four Meridas in her class:)

 While Lucy was at school Grandma made chocolate cookies for whoopie pies with the babies. I haven't let them be too involved in my baking and they definitely liked helping:)

 When Lucy got home we went to City Creek, had a fun lunch at Blue Lemon and walked through Deseret Book and the Disney store (so the essentials in life).  Grandma treated Lucy to the authentic Merida crwon. She was thrilled. After a relaxing afternoon at home (and naptime) Uncle Bryce came over and we enjoyed the Leininger tradition of a fondue dinner. i made a artichoke, Spinich and cheese fndue recipe from the Melting Pot. It was really good. We had a really fun dinner. Afetrward we turned off the lights and headed out with our trick-or-treaters. Here is Merida in all her glory. (I bought the bow and arrow set from an archery store online and Gma made Lucy the quiver out of a paper sack.)

Fuzzy but adorable.

 Our first house. The babies got the hang of it really quickly. I didn't thin we'd take them up to many houses but they insisted on it. Lydia would often sign "thank you" when I would remind Lucy to say it. It was adorable. Joyce was a pro at the whole thing. Lydia would lag behind a bit because she liked holding on to all her candy. After a full block of houses I noticed that she only had two candies in her bag-she must have just tossed her candy on the sidewalk!

The Loot all organized. She only wanted to eat one piece that night-I was really surprised! 

(sorry for the creepy flash eyes:)

It was my favorite Halloween on record. It was super fun to spend it with Grandma and be lavished with attention and love.