Thanksgiving

We had a fun filled Thanksgiving this year.   On Thanksgiving day we went to Josh's parents house and spent the day watching movies, eating, roasting marshmallows be the fire and playing at the park after dark.   We had a really fun time but I only had my little camera which doesn't do too well in low light so I don't have pics:( We had a family photo shoot last month though so here are a couple of my favorites:)

This year Rachel's family came out from Oklahoma to spend Thanksgiving and to stay for Rachel's baby shower this weekend.  So even though we were missing some family from Tucson, we gained a few more people:)

 

The kitchen help.

The adult table.

First year having a kids table.

 Claire was not feeling too great on Thanksgiving and when we got together with my family (2 days after) she was REALLY sick and pretty much laid on the couch and cried most of the time.

After eating we all went outside and Claire felt better for a little while and played.

 

Johnsons and Coots (Rachel got a bad deal on the name change)

 My pregnant sisters-in-law. Rachel is due mid-January and Michelle in mid-February.

 The kids love Emily

The engaged couple!  

We are SO happy to have Jason join the family.

 It was a good Thanksgiving!  We were sad for Claire though that she was so sick most of the time.

 Next year we will be adding 2 new little ones to the group!

A Frozen Halloween

At last, I am finished with this year's Halloween costumes!

  They have been hanging over my head for the past 2 months.  

 

We decided to go ahead and join the 97% of little girls that will dress up like Anna and Elsa this year.  I usually like to do something unique but when we decided that Paige could be Olaf, I knew it would be fun.

Right away I set out to find the needed materials at thrift stores.  I was extremely lucky and found the perfect items.  Each costume was less than $20.

 Claire's Elsa dress is made from a strapless cocktail dress.

  

A sheer women's jacket with some beautiful bead details already on it. -  Resizing this thing turned into the biggest sewing puzzle I have ever encountered. Ugh, no more long sleeved tops for me!

 And the sparkly cape came from an evening gown I had in my sewing stash.  

Joy's costume was the most fun and the easiest.  We found the aqua blue shirt at Goodwill, along with a black velvet dress which I made into the vest.  

 

 The skirt and cape are made out of felt and the floral designs I made on my silhouette, and cut out on vinyl to make stencils.  

Olaf.  Wow, what a transformation.  I started out with this.  Which I was extremely fortunate to find at Goodwill for $8 

I must say I was worried that he would just not look very good.  After hours of scouring pinterest boards for ideas and coming up empty handed.  I went to my creative consultant (my mom) and she pretty much came up with the whole costume.  Using a ping pong ball for the eyes, garland vine for the twig hair and the construction of the head were all her.

 After studying Olaf pictures and some trial and error, we pulled it all together to make this.

The most surprising part of this costume to me is that Paige actually wears it happily and is able to walk.  (but watching her fall and try to get up is hilarious)

So here we have it.  Halloween 2014.

Do you want to build a snowman?

Happy Halloween!

Annual Autumn Apples

It is finally fall!

 It's that time again for our annual caramel apple picture.  

This year Paige was able to be a part of it. 

 She approves of the tradition.

Later, the girls wanted to ride bikes

 so we loaded up on our mosquito repellant and headed outside.

 Claire is such a good big sister now days.

Happy Fall!