We had a great Halloween week this year that started with Papa and Nana flying in on Monday. They love to come to the warm weather this time of year and we just love to have them anytime. Chase has been telling us for weeks that Papa is coming on the airplane, so he could hardly stand it when the day finally came. My parents brought a surprise for the kids on Monday night for FHE - my kids have no idea what family home evening is and I was a little skeptical about getting the kids to sit and listen to a short lesson. But leave it to Papa and Nana to show us how, they brought 3 adorable little carpets with each of their names printed on them and told them to sit on their carpets. 
I couldn't believe it but we made it through a 15 minute lesson while they sat for most of the time. Thanks for showing us how it is done. :) I am now motivated to try in on my own (but let me say that last night was not as productive).
The next day my mom and I with the twins set off for our yearly trip to visit my great aunt Alicejean in Yucca Valley. We enjoy going there every year and I know that she loves for us to come too. I was just excited to take Paige and Elyse and leave Chase with Wade and papa, Chase is a little challenging right now, and without him around the girls are little angels.
We loved our visit, we made it short, just stayed one night, but it was a lot of fun. One of our favorite parts is always the drive - we go through the middle of the desert and always see the craziest things. This time it was a tarantula, a bra tree, a boxer tree, and a shoe tree. We always laugh when we see it, but this time we stopped in the middle of the highway and took pictures.
Since our anniversary is in a couple of weeks and my parents were here for the week, Wade and I decided to celebrate our anniversary early and actually leave the kids for a night. I can't believe we haven't done it yet, and it's amazing to me to think that I haven't left those kids for their entire lives - a whole 2.5 years but that a long time. Anyway, we got a great deal at the MGM Grand and just enjoyed a nice peaceful night and sleeping in as long as we wanted. That was one of the things I miss most about before I had kids, nobody to dictate my morning. Chase is in the habit of yelling for me in the morning, or screaming might be more accurate, so I'm in a deep sleep and then a hear a "MAMA WHERE ARE YOU". It usually puts me in a bad mood in the morning but I'm getting used to it. There are no pictures to document our night away, since the kids weren't with us I forgot the camera.Oh well.
Cassie and Ben got there the next day and the fun began. We love having everyone here for Halloween, it helps us not to get so overwhelmed with the costumes and taking out kids out of the house. We started the day with a trip to the Bellagio to see the Gardens and fountains.
I love the Atrium and we haven't seen it for years - they just do a fabulous job with all the flowers and for this season they had huge pumpkins, water fountains, talking trees - my kids were in heaven. Until Lysie actually saw the tree talking then it wasn't so fun, she started crying. But they loved all the pumpkins, especially touching them which is definitely against the rules, I'm surprised we weren't thrown out. My mom and sister took some great pictures and that was the goal. 
I love the Atrium and we haven't seen it for years - they just do a fabulous job with all the flowers and for this season they had huge pumpkins, water fountains, talking trees - my kids were in heaven. Until Lysie actually saw the tree talking then it wasn't so fun, she started crying. But they loved all the pumpkins, especially touching them which is definitely against the rules, I'm surprised we weren't thrown out. My mom and sister took some great pictures and that was the goal. Trick or treating was really fun this year, Chase has been practicing for a few weeks. I bought them pumpkins to put their candy in and he would come up to the baby gate blocking the kitchen, knock on the wall and say trick or treat to me if I was in the kitchen. So I would get him a piece of candy he would have to share with the girls. He definitely knew what to do on Halloween night. The girls were a ladybug and a bumblebee and Chase was a frog. When I bought the girls costumes I knew my friend had a frog costume that would fit Chase and I thought it would be so funny if he would wear it. For weeks he would tell me "I not want frog", so we finally decided on a skeleton costume, he wouldn't even try the frog on. So on Halloween night I started to put the skeleton on and he said it was "too scary" and wanted to be the frog. Yeah! They turned out adorable if I must say so myself.
:) They loved getting their candy, but the highlight of the night was after we got home and the kids were coming through the neighborhood. The door would knock and I would have 3 little kids falling all over themselves yelling and laughing to get to the door. It was much more fun to do that. We tried to get it on video but it didn't work. Overall it was a fun week with my family and we hope they can come again next year.
:) They loved getting their candy, but the highlight of the night was after we got home and the kids were coming through the neighborhood. The door would knock and I would have 3 little kids falling all over themselves yelling and laughing to get to the door. It was much more fun to do that. We tried to get it on video but it didn't work. Overall it was a fun week with my family and we hope they can come again next year.
Paige was our little animal lover this year, I could not get her to hold still for 2 seconds. She was trying to feed the animals whatever she could find, especially the chickens. Wade was making her laugh with the horse.
We almost had a repeat horse bite the picture is a little blurry because I rushed to get her fingers out of the fence.
Elyse chased the bunnies all over the ranch, she is trying to get on out from under the table.
Chase was a little wary of the animals this year, and it didn't help with a reminder from Wade earlier in the day about being bit by the horse last year. So he just fed the goats and chickens, and chased the rabbits.
Yeah, my favorite annual excuse to dress up was last week - Halloween Bunco. I used to hate coming up with a costume but now I look forward to finding something new every year. This year it came from Savers - a great goth rope. And don't ask what I'm supposed to be, I couldn't come up with a name, but I love this black wig. I've worn it a few times and always think I should cut my hair and die it black. I'll just have to break out the wig whenever I feel like chopping my hair off. Chase helped me get ready and kept telling me I looked Cute, he's so funny. Thanks Allison for throwing such a great party every year. We all look pretty awesome.
Paige ready to go out the door.
Lysie with a cute little wave goodbye.
