Doing It Different This Year- Halloween 2018

We are getting older and embracing it!

Some kiddos wanted to dress up while other's didn't,

so we let them choose!

Here are the nine that still wanted to wear costumes!

We went to "Boo Blast" (a small community Halloween gathering) 

but mainly just to see Mia!

She works at the store that hosts the celebration!

Our bigs, that chose not to wear costumes!

We(our children) will almost all be between 5'3' and 4'11"!

AND THAT IS JUST FINE!
Thinking Anna, Abby, and Ben may be taller than that???

Yes, we are recycling and reusing our costumes from other years!

After trick or treating in this small area we went home
and the kids ate some of their candy.
The next day the kids ate some more of their candy
and the following day was their
LAST CHANCE!

I told them the rest of the candy would be donated to the family pile...
Hmmm....
Much to my amazement the children had eaten everything
and their was nothing left for the family bag...

Hmmmmmmm... again

 (Today, on Halloween day, we went bowling in costumes with friends!)

And then it dawned on me...
WHY?
Why, there is no candy left for the family bag?
Why, we are not doing the big
free for all trick n treating event in the evening.

Our kids are absolutely amazing!
I really could go on and on about them!
They have blossomed so beautifully, each in their own way!
Many friends, family members, acquaintances and bystanders
comment on our children and their behavior!

BUT, this holiday brings out the worst in them...
Every. single. one. of. them...

They unfairly bargain to get what they want.
They take advantage of those that are younger
(less knowledgeable and cognitively disabled).
They lie.
They sneak.
They take (steal) from each other.
They hide their winnings.

So, we called an immediate family meeting
and I talked calmly about how this holiday
brings out characteristic
that we do not want to
highlight, encourage, or magnify...

We talked about past Halloweens...

We talk about trust and honesty
and how well we have done for
12 months of the year,
EXCEPT Halloween.

We reassured everyone that we (the parents) would not be mad

IF... IF... IF...
they had misunderstood
and thought they were supposed to
take the rest of their candy up to their room
and hide it...

AND,
that right now would be a wonderful time for them to go
get THAT candy and put it in the family bag...

And what do you think happened?

11 out of 12 kids scurried upstairs and got their
HIDDEN candy
and put it in the family candy bag.
(the other one didn't hide any... as far as we know :-)

WAY TO GO GUYS AND GALS!
This is progress!

It might not be your kind of progress
BUT
it is our kind of progress!

 (Our bowling bride)

(A bowling Cinderella)

The Halloween party goers!
(Missing Mia bc she's working.)

BTW-
 The Moms (Selinda and I), chat while the kids bowl!
It's our own little support group and has been such a blessing!

Today is an absolutely beautiful fall day!
Some of the kids are at their writing class, now.
 And the rest of the kiddos are enjoying fresh air
and playing outside!

Tonight, we will have a wonderful pasta dinner together!
No one come to our house to trick or treat
bc we are not in a neighborhood.

Happy Halloween
Happy All Souls Day
Happy All Saints Day

Hope you are having a FUN family time!

Married in Moab!

Yes!

We had a wedding this summer!

Billy and Kelly were married in Moab, Utah on June 16th!

You've been asking -

How can there be another "daughter in love"

and 2 more grandchildren!

So I'll fill you in!

I came up with a brilliant idea and decided 

it would just be the grown ups!

I'm sure you would prefer kids pics

but sorry!

The logistics of driving across country with all the kiddos, packing for 18,

having a grooms dinner that focused on the soon to be newlyweds, 

keeping track of 16 kiddos while they were
hiking and running around the cliffs of Dead Horse State Park,
Canyonlands National park and Arches National Park

was more than I/we could handle!

I started to have nightmares of everyone safety...

Sooooo,

just the hubby and I went and enjoyed 

the grown up kids and all the festivities!

It was a good choice!

We flew into Denver and spent the afternoon with our granddaughter!

Then spent the night in Idaho Springs,

where Johnny and Abby met us!

Unfortunately, Our DIL, Caitlin could not come to the wedding
bc her delivery date was only 2-3 weeks away.

It was a beautiful drive between Denver and Moab!

The grooms dinner was delightful and 

a wonderful time for the two families to spend time together!

I did not get pics from the evening

but we do have professional pics from Katie!
I just can't quite figure out how to get them
from one place to another!

This was the view from the evening!

Drinks, appetizers and dinner were on the deck overlooking the sunset!

The wedding was the next morning at Dead Horse State Park!

The views were spectacular!

My little iphone did not do it justice!

The couples first look!

(Katie is on the far right photographing the moment!)

So sweet!

The setting was surreal!

Dad and daughter walking down the aisle!

Grandma Jane officiated!

Big brother Matt and younger sister, Jenna

were the best man and maid of honor!

The overcast cooler weather made it so comfortable!

Usually, June in Moab is in the 90's with blaring sun!

We welcomed this weather!

The hand off!

The nuptials!

The reading!

First kiss as husband and wife!

The happy couple!

Welcome to the family, Kelly!
She's actually been part of the family for 10 years
but now it's official!

Aren't the a good looking couple!

More professional pics were taken after the ceremony.

While the rest of us enjoyed coffee and pastries!

Next, we all changed into hiking clothes, 

per the newlyweds request and enjoyed 

the beautiful scenery of Canyonlands National Park!

Absolutely incredible views!

Yikes!

Yes, I was thankful that we didn't have 16 kiddos running around!

I would have had a heart attack!

They are the cutest couple and so much fun!

The old folks!

These two are adorable, too!

This freaked me out...

I prayed for her as she did a not so smart back bend

on a 2 ft ledge.

(We didn't know this person.
I wouldn't have let her done this IF she was with us!)

Across the canyon is were the wedding took place.

The wedding was very small.

Just immediate family over the age of 21. 

Thank you to both of our sisters-
Barb and Mimi, who stayed home with our kiddos and held the fort down!

Ahhh, Yay...

This would be us...

again!

This pic makes me dizzy!

We loved hiking as a family!

Our boy band!

If only we could sing and play musical instruments!

After the hike we met back at the camp site for a cookout!

Most people stayed "under canvas".

Matthew McConaughey had just left that morning... darn!

Hubby and I stayed in a hotel!

I know... what a party pooper!

I'm sorry, like running water, toilets,
showers and air conditioning!

The following day was Arches National Park!

Hey kids... turn around so Mom can take a picture!

Okay... well, maybe not!

(Thank you Katie!)

Since they weren't cooperating I ran ahead of them and took a pic!

Or two!

Or three!

I just love these troublemakers!

Katie and Andrew on a ledge!

Be careful!

The arch!

Abby and Johnny under the arch!

Katie in front of the arch!

We took a great hike!
Billy and I got a pic under the arch!
Ahhh, no... not Hubby... He was too chicken,
I mean cautious!

In the evening we took a boat cruise on the Colorado River!

The hubster and I were trying to 

get a good picture of the two of us...

But we started to laugh...

and couldn't stop...

The belly laugh felt sooo good...

and of course our wise guy photographer 

just kept snapping away...

We were trying to help hubby...

1. look at the camera honey,

2. chin down a little,

3. eyes open,

Whatever!

This guy is the LOVE of my Life!

If I can figure out how to get the good pics on the blog,
I will add them in!
OR
check my facebook page for more pics!

More info on our two new grand babies in another post!