Playing Catch up and Spreading Cheer

So we are moved and loving the new house.  We woke up to snow yesterday and it made us all feel a little more at home.  The kids are getting adjusted to the new school and love all the room to play they have at our new abode (both inside and outside).  *Pictures of the new house to come, I promise!*

Since Geoff is leaving mid-December for UAE we decided to go ahead and put our Christmas tree up yesterday.  We had a Christmas movie marathon and decorated the house.  It was so much fun.  By far Christmas is our favorite time of year.  We also watched Finding Faith in Christ yesterday and my sensitive kiddos cried and cried to see what happened to the Savior.  (For those of you how aren't familiar with it, it's the story of Christ through the perspective of Thomas, the doubter.  It is not graphic, but does depict Christ's Crucifixion.)  Brody said, "Mom, why would you make me watch that, I feel so miserable.  How could anyone treat Jesus like that?"  And so I cried too.  Though it is hard to watch I feel it is important to remind ourselves just exactly what the Savior went through for us.  It was a great opportunity to really talk with the kids about the Atonement and the Crucifixion and what that means for us.

So Happy Holidays!  Remember to Keep Christ in Christmas! And try THIS out, it's so much fun!

This is Halloween...

This is Halloween... Halloween, Halloween, Halloween, Halloween.....

Well, one holiday down.  Only finals, a move, a school change, Thanksgiving, G's deployment and Christmas to go...  oh yeah, and New Year's.  Not to mention Guy Fox day and Boxing Day!  No sweat, right?

I told you about the window decor we put up for Halloween this year and here it is....

*I'm not sure who added the hearts up there.*

This year I broke down and bought the $3 carving kits for the pumpkins.  We had a fun FHE carving pumpkins.  With two kids with severe gag reflexes it was... hilarious.  Brody and Emeryss both started gagging as soon as the first top was off.  The smell alone was enough to get them going, but then to see the gooey, oozy, stringy guts of the pumpkins being torn out...  Well, for those of you who know Brody, you know what I mean and yes, Emeryss is almost as bad.  Oh, so much fun!  And as you can imagine, G and I did most of the work.

      Geoff hard at work.

Daeglan's Spider-Pumpkin          Brody's creation--Red Serpent of Death... I don't know ask him.

Emeryss's Happy Princess Pumpkin     

     Mac's call to Batman!

And my ode to Bella and Edward!      

I know... it's a sad obsession.

And what Halloween would be complete without costumes?  

   The kids in all their glory.  Hulk Mac, Pirate Daeglan, Faerie Princess Emeryss and Dino/Godzilla Brody.

Here are some of the cutest pix of the night.  Wish I had more, but it was crazy hectic doing Trunk or Treat/dinner at the church and house-to-house Trick or Treating around base housing all without daddy.  You'd think I'd have the hang of things by now, but an extra set of hands can go a long way with four little monsters!