Halloween Prep...

Remember me saying I was sad I hadn't taken pictures of my porch. Ya know with the blue bench. My beloved blue bench. Everyone questioned my choice of blue. Told me to go with red or orange. I insisted on the blue. Haven't been sorry. Love that blue bench. Anywho, got it all jazzed up for fall...with pumpkins, orange and my personal favorite white! And my mums. So I ran out there one day, right after I had sweeped it all off and it was looking pretty and snapped some pictures for you all. Cause I know you're dying to see!

Doesn't it just make ya happy!

Makes me happy! Super happy!

Tis the season to bake with pumpkin. Made some yummy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies the other day to take to work. With cream cheese frosting. Forgot to take a picture of those. However I did take a picture of this yummy pumpkin cake. Cake mix, pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, caramel, cool whip and heath bits. With ingredients like that I knew it was going to be heaven. And it was. I have made it twice now. Once for a family party and again just for us.

I visited the pumpkin patch one too many times this fall. My porch was exploding with pumpkins. Went again to gather some bigger ones. Ones worth carving.

Every year we carve with Ash, Souli and kids. One of my favorite traditions. Ash makes her chicken dill soup. I buy parmesan breadsticks from Harmons. Cause they're super good there. And we start with a yummy dinner

And we finish it off with doughnuts and apple cider. Cause doesn't doughnuts and apple cider just scream fall. Why yes, yes it does. (I don't know how I stay thin friends, I know...I love my sweets. Good thing I exersise.)

And then we carved.....

Carson did his very own this year. Came up with the design and carved it. Thiago helped a little with the top of it and the mouth but other than that he did it by himself.

I did Drakey-bugs. He was so cute. Sat right next to me smiling and laughing. Cheering everytime I would carve another chunk out. He completely appreciated my efforts and loved the end result. Kept pulling off the top and saying "its hes hat". Haha. Love that baby.

Lincoln boy was cracking me up. Saw Carson drawing a face on his, ya know like an outline to cut around. Well he thought that meant he should grab a pen and scribble all over the face of his. Then when we told him to stop cause that pen wasn't going to come off, he started bawling cause he was sad he had ruined it. Thiago thought quick and said no, we can just give your pumpkin a huge mouth. So thats just what they did. A giant mouth. Funny, that fits him perfectly. Giant mouthed pumpkin for my giant mouthed boy!

And Carson's finished product...he was pretty dang proud. Love this goofball!

TA-DA!!

Few more little bits...annual watching of "Hocus Pocus". Wouldn't be Halloween without it. Fun little tidbit for ya, was watching the Today show the other morning and they had Bette Midler on. Did you all know "Hocus Pocus" just celebrated its 20 year anniversary. Now that makes me feel old.

Lincoln boy had his preschool party the day before Halloween. They do a quick little costume parade with all the kids and moms. Moms hand out candy, see all the cute costumes. Fun stuff. He came home with a packed bucket. Happy boy.

And a giant sucker, not a happy mom! Hate those things!

And last but not least our ward Halloween party where they did the Pinewood Derby. Carson's first year in scouts so he got to participate. Didn't win. But they had a blast building it. Him and his dad.

Stayed tuned for Halloween night!