Well, this weekend can be summed up in one word: HALLOWEEN! I'll prove it...
FRIDAY
We started things off by going to a kiddy halloween party hosted by one of my friends...
Gracie with her friend, Ryder.
Gracie the pirate and mommy the witch. We had to use old costumes because both of ours were still dirty from our halloween party. Since our costumes need to be handwashed and I was completely useless this past week due to my wisdom teeth being pulled, they remain dirty as I write this.
Gracie decorating her cookie for daddy. Such a sweet little gem. As she was frosting her own cookie she asked if she could frost one for Mark and take it home to him. "Of course!" I said. "How nice". She frosted it, taking extra special care in chosing the sprinkles and I was really impressed and proud of how thoughtful she was. THEN, as were driving home I looked back at her and she was licking the frosting off of daddy's cookie! I said, "Gracie, that was supposed to be for daddy!" She said, "It is. He can have the cookie. I like the frosting! " Okay, so Mark ended up getting a slobbery wet sugar cookie, but it's the thought that counts!
Friday night we ventured down south to a halloween carnival/trunk or treat at my in-law's ward...
Gracie had fun fishing for a prize,
and getting her face painted, but there was one game in particular that she really wanted to play...
bean bag toss!
Unfortunately it was closed due to the fact that the person who had volunteered to run it was a no show. Gracie kept eyeing the game and Pop came to her rescue! He hunted for some prizes and then 'set up shop'. Gracie played the first round and then for the rest of the night she was perfectly content being pop's little helper - she gave the bean bags to the kids and when they were finished playing she handed them their treat. She was very sweet and 'professional' - I'd hire her any day!
After the carnival festivities, we went outside and "trunk-or-treated". Gracie and Grandma became a candy team - Gracie handed candy to the kids while Grandma held the bowl up high and safe guarded it from older kids who might try to steal an extra peice or two. Once again, Gracie's favorite part was helping. When one of the first 'customers' approached our car he said, "Trick or treat" and Gracie replied, "Show me a trick." Pop had whispered in her ear to say that...it was pretty funny coming out of Gracie's mouth. Pop's pretty tricky himself!
SATURDAY
We went to the annual Halloween parade in town...
We met up with our good friends, The Skiles. Gracie is in yet another costume, the unicorn.
Gracie with her best boy buddy Gabe. She sure does love him - him and his sister Camille are in Gracie's prayers EVERY night. (Thank you for my friends Gabe and Camille).
Saturday evening we went to Clear Lake Elementary (Gracie's school) for their annual halloween carnival...
Gracie and Maddy outside the school.
Mark and Grace doing the cake walk. They were up there for nearly 20 minutes before Gracie finally won. Around and around we go!
Gracie with her best girl buddy Camille.
SUNDAY
Halloween!! We went trick or treating...
My family came over to celebrate Halloween as well as my birthday. When they showed up they had put together costumes from items they had at home. As the host and hostess of the party Mark and I couldn't be the only ones not dressed up so we followed their lead and put together some home-made costumes as well. Mark is a Pilot and I'm a Pirate. Apparently Gracie is sick of taking pictures. :)
Gracie the unicorn and Maddy the Mad Hatter.
Mark and Parker. Parker is in 'time out'. He lunged after a teenage boy and scared him so bad that he dropped his bag of candy and screamed. They don't call it "Trick" or treating for nothing! ;)
After trick-or-treating we came home, dimmed the lights and sang 'Happy Birthday'. Mark made me delicious cupcakes and placed atop of them two candles: 3 & 0. Yep, that's right, I'm the big 3-0!
Parker was feeling a little underdressed so Mark took care of that. What a stud - too cool for school.
So there you have it - a Halloween Weekend!
Where's Gracie? Third from the left - the one not looking at the camera. Here's why: I had my Camera ready, the kids were ready and then my camera's automatic battery preserving mechanism kicks in and the bugger shuts off. So while I'm turning the camera back on every parent there is snapping happy shots of their kiddos. Wouldn't you know it, by the time I do get my camera up to speed, little Gracie, the one cutie pie I definitely want a smiling photo of is completely restless - her attention tank has fizzled and I get a nice piture of EVERY kid's face but my own. Oh well, she's got a great profile! :)
