OCTOBER HAPPENINGS

My oldest, Mia, turned 8 at the beginning of the month.  Mia is at a really great age where she loves to read, go to school and church, is helpful at home and loves playing with her friends.

Mia requested a purple cake .....again......and she loved it.

Mia was especially excited about her Rapunzel doll

Later in the week Mia had a party with some of her girly friends

We ate, played, and did this fun craft

All the party girls with their frames

Then, the next day Mia got baptized.  It was a lovely day and I am so grateful so many family and friends were able to come and support her.  Now I wish I would have gotten a picture with everyone that came  

Ben did a great job with Mia's baptism and confirmation

We were all so happy for Mia

Mia's baptism dress was made by one of my friends.  All I had to do was make her dinner.....what a great trade!  It turned out so pretty!

Mia with her Grandpas.....who were the witnesses

Mia with her Grandmas.....Grandma M. played the piano and Grandma E. lead the music

Cousin Emma gave the talk on the Holy Ghost and Aunt Ruth gave the talk on Baptism

Sweetest bunch of siblings ever! Here you can see her after baptism "fancy" dress

The middle of the month was pretty boring in comparison but by the end, things were lookin' up again.  Halloween can do that, ya know?  Dallin as a night warrior

Mia as a purple witch

Cami as a butterfly

All 3 really enjoyed trick-or-treating.....good news, they didn't get any tricks.....bad news, they got way too much candy

Then..........does anyone notice anything different about Mia?

Here's a clue

STACHE PARTY!

During the summer, Dallin, Cami and I saw Cars 2 with some of the cousins.  Dallin quickly became fascinated with Professor Z.  If you have seen the movie you will recall that Professor Z has a mustache and a monocle.  Since the movie Dallin found a suitable toy (I think a little toy dog collar) for his monocle but he has  frequently asked me to make him a mustache.  So usually I will go get my brown felt and cut something that resembles a mustache.  He's not too hard to please.  So wouldn't you know that while I was standing in a mile-long line at Old Navy a few weeks ago, I spotted a package of 5 mustaches for 2 bucks in one of their bins by the registers.  Usually it's all just crap in those bins but occasionally you hit the jackpot.

My kids had a great time trying them on and when they were done we made sure to put the paper back on the sticky part so we could enjoy the mustaches for weeks to come.

Yep, I have some CRAZIES!

My absolute FAVORITE!  Cracks me up.

Dallin decided he needed to dress up to match his mustache??????

No clue what's going on in this one but it looks like they are having fun.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!!

My sweet kiddos started school last Wednesday.....like, the 3rd of August.  Can you believe that?  I think we are headed toward year round school.  Anyway, it was a happy day.  Well, except for the part where we all have to get up early when we would rather be sleeping.

Dallin so excited before his first day of KINDERGARTEN!  Dallin asked me earlier that morning, "mom, will you do my hair spikey?"

Mia looking happy before her first day of SECOND GRADE!

Don't they look sweet together?  I told Mia to keep an eye on her brother for the first few days.  She just looked at me and rolled her eyes.  HA!

I don't know what Ben told them to say but it made a cute picture.

Of course Cami had to get in a few.  She missed them so much that first day.  She still does.

Dallin in front of the school.

Mia too.

Dallin in his cowboy themed classroom.

Mia wanted me to leave without taking a picture but I couldn't do that.

Cami in the doorway as we waited for the bus to come.

Just getting off the bus.

Excited to be home.

This picture warms my heart for so many reasons.  The girls are so excited to see each other and Dallin is so excited to see ME!

So precious

!

This is not precious.  Look at all that sweat!  It is hot on the bus.  It is cruel to start school so early in the south.  I should pick them up but Dallin and Mia will have none of that.  I am much more bothered by it than they are.  Mia was pretty sweaty too.

First Furniture Makeover Project

This is an old dresser that used to be in Ben's grandparents' house and we eneded up with it a couple of years ago.  It was just too plain and needed a little help.  I didn't get a good before picture.  This will have to do.  You get the idea.

Here is one drawer after priming, painting and glazing.

Here is a drawer pre-glaze.

Another pic of the dresser pre re-do.

Glaze on a painted drawer.

The finished product.

The drawers were fun to do because they had a little dimension to them but the flat sides and top were a pain. We painted the handles with an oil rubbed bronze paint.  They used to be an ugly gold color.  

I was pleased with the final product.  Now, my next projest awaits.