Halloween Spooktacular

Having kids is so fun because you get to be a kid again through them. We have had a fabulous Halloween this year complete with trunk-or-treating, a Halloween party, carving pumpkins, making Halloween shaped sugar cookies, and good old-fashioned trick-or-treating. Plus we got to play dress up and eat sweets. What a fabulous holiday! Aside from the icky goory stuff I love Halloween. We even had a witches brew apple juice along with our chili dinner. Good times.

Fun at our Burbank playgroup's Halloween party. Natalie has made some nice friends.

Natalie informed me she wanted a "scary" face

Dry ice + apple juice = witches brew

Ready to TRICK-OR-TREAT!

Natalie already had cowgirl boots so she decided she wanted to be a cowgirl at the ward trunk-or-treat. My mom had cowboy boots so decided I would be a cowgirl for the evening as well.

28 candles

Yesterday we celebrated John's birthday. He was 28 on the 28th, so it was his golden birthday. Apart from [cheese]cake (I made a pumpkin pie too... yum!), candles, and presents, we celebrated the day by going to the LA Zoo. Natalie loves animals, so she had an excellent time. John and I enjoyed ourselves but decided we won't return to the zoo if it's 100 degrees outside. We are hoping November will bring an end to the summer heat....

Special thanks to mom and Dad for talking us to Cask and Cleaver for dinner and to Tommy for introducing us to "Trash Can Racing" which is a whole new way to get recreational use out of your trash can. I am sure many of you have heard of the wildly popular sledding on trash can lids - but trash can racing can be enjoyed at any season and in any climate (we Californians don't see much snow...). You simply lay your large, wheeled, trash can on its side, straddle yourself in the back over the wheels (but not too far, or you will flip it back right side up and and you will land on your keester) and race down a slanted surface. In our case - my parents' driveway. So the fabulous day concluded with trash can races with my very fun brother Tommy.

Interesting Times in California

Craft Time

What a fun Nana! I left my children with my mom for a day and this is one of the fun favors they came home with. I feel so blessed that my children have such wonderful grandmas!

Elmo

I took Natalie to see Elmo and Abby Caddaby last week at the Barnes and Noble at the amazing Americana mall in Glendale. The Americana is a real upscale outdoor mall. It is beautiful but I felt a little out of place when a suited doorman opened the door for me to let me into the store. I have never seen a doorman at any other Barnes and Noble....

It was crazy busy and I was running late so we consequently missed the puppet show but Natalie insisted we wait in the horrendously long ling to "meet" Elmo and get a picture with him.

The crowd and feeling a little out of my comfort zone was making me grouchy but we prevailed as evidenced by the picture, but only barely as Natalie decided she was scared of Elmo and Abby when they started talking to her....

At least Henry was happy to be there right?

The next celebrity coming to The Americana Barnes and Noble....Martha Stewart =)

I don't think Natalie will be as interested in seeing her.

Happy Fall

I love the fall. The food, the clothes, the holidays, the pumpkins, the weather and changing leaves ....oh wait- it has been almost 100 degrees for the past few weeks and I haven't noted any trees changing color in Burbank. Let me rephrase that-I love the weather in states with a real fall and I will love the weather once it does cool down. I guess I forgot what fall was like in California, but it hasn't stopped me from enjoying the other elements that make this season so great.

If any of you are also suffering from a warm fall enjoy this delectable pumpkin recipe:

Frozen Pumpkin Parfait

2 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream – softened

Ingredients for graham cracker crust
2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter

Combine ingredients for graham cracker crust (crumbs, sugar, butter) and press into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Combine remaining ingredients except ice cream. Fold into softened ice cream. Pour into crumb lined pan. Cover and freeze until firm. Cut into squares. Optional: top with whipped cream and chopped pecans.

Natalie at the pumpkin patch with her twin cousins Blake and Tyler