Can life get any busier?

Don't answer that! I don't want to know.

We finished October and haven't stopped to take a breath and we're almost halfway through November! End of October means Halloween and the beginning of birthday season. 

I really dislike everything gory and scary about Halloween (which, in fact, one of my kids friends informed me was the whole purpose of Halloween?) I disagree! It's for chocolate and candy and playing dress up no matter your age! 

So anyways, we got to planning. My girls love books, so theirs came from book characters. Carolyn wanted to be this character from this book (Valkyrie).

My little planner...

Seth wanted to be a character from a video game (of course) so he decided on this one called Temmie.

Alee is still in the princess stage of life - so Jasmine it is this year (but a more modest version). The trickiest part of Alee's was the curly toe shoe covers!

And Kaitlyn's involved a little math to get her quiver sewn to size. I could have used publisher on the computer but it was more fun to practice my geometry skills (gotta keep them fresh so I can help Seth get through geometry this year!)

Seth, Carolyn, and Natalie helped with their costumes. Carolyn mostly planned and helped with details, Natalie did some painting. Here is Seth is stuffing his tail. (Temmie is some cat-like thing?)

I think it has 2 sets of ears?

Working on Kaitlyn's Laurel wrath... She chose a character from the Percy Jackson series called Zoe Nightshade (who is only in book 3).

Natalie wanted to be Annabeth also from the Percy Jackson series she loves. She painted one side of her shirt using freezer paper stencils I had made. (If you don't know this technique, ask me or look it up - so easy and works great!)

Percy Jackson is a modern day story using ancient greek mythology as it's base (all fiction of course - and a much more fun way to learn mythology than Edith Hamilton's greek mythology I suffered through in 7th grade!)

Needed a quiver for Kaitlyn's arrows (made from a cylindrical mailing tube I had from shutterfly, some stretchy fabric leftover from dance shorts I once made, strap leftovers from some other project?, and buckles from old backpacks. My favorite kind of project - fast, easy, and free!

I like how the Laurel wreath turned out. (Made from an old hanger, leaves from the dollar tree floral section, ribbon, hot glue, and spray paint.)

The shoes turned out after too many attempts and much frustration. And they barely survived the first wear thanks to Alee being tough on shoes! She mentioned so many times that she needed shoes to go with her costume! She's all about the details and accessories with her costumes.

These were before shoes... Just not as awesome. :)

This is after, but you probably can't see them here.

She had a headband, necklace, and earrings made of fabric, but she was done with those for the night! Jasmine:

For Natalie's, I painted her hat and her shirt and I think they look awesome! (She painted the back, I painted the front. It says "Camp Half-Blood" - a camp in the book series for demi-gods or "heroes" - half mortal, half greek god/goddess.) Her character had a NY Yankees cap that was magical - when Annabeth wore it, she became invisible. I painted the $4 cap from dollar general, but I couldn't figure out how to give it those magical properties?

Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson:

Kaitlyn has a jacket that was perfect for her costume, but in SC Halloween is rarely cool enough for a jacket. Zoe Nightshade of the hunters of Artemis!

This is one person's interpretation of her (since book 3 hasn't been made into a movie):

Carolyn's Valkyrie costume needed a chiton and armor and wings and a sword...her costumes get more complicated every year! But they are really fun to work through.

The wings were amazing and Rob made them from some hardware and yardsticks he had (and an idea from instructables). They retract and expand.

 Search "articulated wings" - you'll be surprised how much this is out there. We wanted simple and cheap, so we modified. This was simple for Rob and we had everything except the black bed sheet I bought from walmart for $5 to cover it.

However, I took on extra responsibilities the few days before fall festival/Halloween, and I didn't get to finish the cover. You can't tell in the picture, but it isn't sewn shut at the bottom and I'm not sure if it would retract happily with the cover on?  She got sick the day of the fall festival, so I suggested she do this again next year and I'll edit the cover.

(Armor is made from 2 rugs from the dollar tree, leftover straps, and old bookbag hardwear. Chiton is made from whatever white fabric I had lying around in my stash. We need to find a better way to attach the wings next year when she wears this to fall festival - we just tied them on with rope, but that was bunched up under the armor.)
Just to remind/compare - here is her book image:

Fall Festival - I was so busy keeping up with kids and such that I took exactly 1 picture - this one! Seth was off with his friends and so he isn't in the picture.

Halloween night - just our kids:

But the costumes (Halloween), fall festival I was responsible for, Seth's birthday - none of that was what has been keeping me busy - it was the busy that I already knew I had. The real busy is the extra I added to my plate. I'll tell you about that later...for now, let's look at my 14 year old!

His favorite shirt - note the pocket.

All of this came out. Why is he carrying all this junk around??

We also had 2 different bugs hit us the weekend of fall festival, Seth's birthday, and Halloween. One was like a 12 hour bug. The other lasted much longer - and both sent me into laundry overload. The laundry train awaiting the machines...

Shout out to the best school supply we bought this year!

Happy Birthday - he has a phone!

(And the previous shared "kids phone" is being cancelled tomorrow. The number  you probably all have and have had for years will still be active and will forward to our phones.) If you don't have Seth's number, just text, email, or call one of us to get it.

He wanted a cookie cake - a cookie but in the shape of a cake - so it's a chocolate chip cookie mix (2 bags) mixed according to directions and baked in a 9x13.

One picture with Rob in it and one picture with me in it - everyone who stopped by on his birthday. :)

And 5 days later, he got to go to his first dance - he and another first-dance youth were excitedly dragged in by friends.

The YW that planned it did a really good job with the decorations! I questioned the hat, but I think it turned out to be a good choice. (We won't mention how many times he had to change to be approved for "casual dance attire" by parents)

Awards day for elementary school. (all 3 got some awards for grades or behavior or both)

And a week late, but not to be skipped, we did pumpkin carving! I had bought 5 so they each could do their own. Because we have a friend around these days, Kaitlyn shared hers with the friend and they had a different design on the 2 sides.

They all wanted to do it, but some enjoyed the experience more than others!

Seth's (another video game character!)

 Carolyn's - a bat

 Kaitlyn's - a rainbow

 Their friend - a fox

 Natalie's - an owl

 Alee's - traditional

We went and got some candles to light them up:

 The backside of Kaitlyn's that her friend did:

 Seth's

 Natalie and Carolyn's, which I loved.

 Kaitlyn (which she really stressed over and Rob finally got her to finish)

 Alee's - she did the drawing and I did the cutting.

 And I think this bat was my favorite - Rob had to do a lot to help them. I know he worked much longer with them than I had expected after I left. Carolyn was able to finish hers once Rob got her started.

And Rob's continued working all week on projects. He made this from scraps for the Spanish congregation that doesn't meet in the chapel, so they can have a stand for their hymn numbers.

 And he has a few other projects under his belt. I'll leave these until next post (and hopefully paint them after the big reveal) - shhh...they're a birthday present for someone this month!

I love how even my inside-loving kids get out in the fall. Can it just be fall for 75% of the year and just have 6 weeks of winter and 6 weeks of summer?

For election day, I voted in the morning and then we went for a quick zoo trip before Seth's orthodontist re-check. I was busy counting kids (with Seth and Carolyn's help), but Seth actually took a lot of pictures on his camera. I'll get them later.

As it's November, the month of Thanksgiving, indulge me a minute while I spill out some thoughts that have been in my head recently about these little munchkins I'm trying to keep up with!

I am grateful for the older two and how responsible they are (I know! I know! Some of you probably hear my gripe about their irresponsible moments, but they really are pretty responsible in so many ways recently.) The younger 3 too, but on a different level.
I love watching Seth and Carolyn walk away from the van toward the middle school each morning. They look so grown up and (hopefully) like they are friends with each other.
I hope my kids grow up to be friends as a adults like I feel I am with my brothers.
I'm grateful for how independent my children are, how they love learning and think it's fun, how they take care of their "have to" list each day without complaint (and some of them without even being reminded).
I'm grateful for how they love each other (and fights are quickly forgotten).
I'm grateful for my challenges in parenting recently that have answered some questions I've had. Funny that a challenge would answer a question, right?
I'm grateful for how respectful they are and for how they think of others' feelings.
I'm grateful for some of them having little stubborn (but steadfast) personalities that keeps them on the right path, and I'm grateful for the gentle soft personalities of others that makes them the good friends they are to others.
I know someone will do something crazy tomorrow or drive me up the wall (a few days ago I felt like I was barely hanging on until bedtime...if only 8 would come sooner!) - but overall, they are such a blessing and I'm so glad Rob and I have them to love and teach and to be loved and taught by.

We went up to the elementary school for the Veteran's day assembly today. I went because the first graders were singing and Alee wanted me to be there, but while I was there, I felt overwhelming gratitude for the sacrifice others make for all of us that live in this country. I'm grateful to have grandfathers and others in our families that have served.

Amidst the crazy schedule and the extra work that was added to my afternoon routine this past week or so that I had not anticipated, I feel so much gratitude for the Savior and His strengthening hand, for my friends in the gospel that are His hands to strengthen and lift me when I need it, and for all of our families and the holiday plans to see many of them.

Happy Veteran's Day and Happy November.