WHAT !!!

Okay, so winter is coming, and the weather is starting to get a little cold in the mornings. Stone informed me that he only had shorts to wear. Money is tight, but I knew he needed pants, so I bought him several pairs of new pants. He comes home from school all excited, and can't wait to show me what he did today! "Look!", he says, face beaming. He actually thought that I would be as thrilled as he was at what he did to his pants. He gave a sharpie to all his friends and had them sign his pants. I was a little less than thrilled. Mostly, I just laughed and asked him," Did you really think that I would be happy about this?" After we talked he confirmed that," I was not thrilled with what he did, but I was not angry either, right?" I know where he got the idea. There is a real cool 17 year old kid in his Shakespeare acting class who lets everyone sign his old cut-off jean shorts. Stone just wanted to be cool like Kyle. Oh well, you are only young once.

Our Annual Pumpkin Carving Party

Every year we lay a huge tarp on our garage floor and invite our friends and neighbors to our house. They bring a pumpkin, carving tools, and a treat to share. Here are my kids, the missionaries, and our neighbor Max at the entrance to the fun.


This is our neighbor, and Max's mother, Sherry Lewinger. She is just beginning the long, and laborious process of carving an intricate pumpkin.


We always invite the missionaries to our pumpkin parties. There are lots of non- members present, so that gives them the permission they need to have fun at a party.


Here is Claire working hard. She chose a large pumpkin, and proceeded to carve out her father's trademark "Have a Nice Day" with cross bones on her pumpkin. She loves her daddy!


Lindsey helped Claire draw her design on her pumpkin. Lindsey didn't need to carve a pumpkin, she was one.!


Here is a photo of some of the crowd in the garage.


Aunt Jackie claims that this was the first time she has ever carved a pumpkin. Although Dad informs me that he and Jackie carved pumpkins almost every year while growing up. I guess she just doesn't remember doing it. She was a little grossed out by the pumpkin guts on her hands. But she enjoyed the experience.


This was Aunt Jackie's final product. She wanted to make a girl pumpkin. I think she achieved her objective.


Stone and Claire carving away while Aiden sits by and partakes of the cornucopia of Halloween treats that people brought.