Happy Halloween 2009!

Hope you all had a fun Halloween this year. Ours was pretty non-eventful. Ellie and Tyler had a good time trick-or-treating with Bryan. Kate and I stayed home and handed out candy. Anna went to a party with some friends from church. We carved our pumpkins on Friday. Tyler spent a lot of time that day drawing out different pumpkin faces. His pumpkin face is the one he picked. I did my best to carve it just like it was drawn.The costumes this year are as follows: Anna was a hippie with a homemade tie dyed shirt (in fact all the kids ended up with one because I had so much dye left over), Ellie was doctor (she's using a costume I made for Anna a few years back; and thank you to my sister Stacy for the cap, mask and booties), Tyler was Harry Potter with a homemade matching scarf, and Kate was a ladybug cause she's as cute as a bug (who didn't want her hood on or picture taken which is why I don't have one of just her)!
Good times over all!

More from Virginia: Part 1

Rollingbrook Court-This lovely yellow house is were I lived from ages 4 to 12. Driving through the neighborhood and walking around brought back so many great childhood memories. I use to climb those trees in our front yard (they weren't that big when we were there, but they were big enough!). There is a path by the house that leads up to a playground.

On the way to the playground you cross over this (now pretty dry) creek, where we use to catch tadpoles.



Once to the playground you find this great twirly slide. We spent so much time playing with friends on this very slide. I was surprised to find it still there.

This was great place to live as a kid. It's looking a little run down now, but it was still fun to visit one last time. Chances are very slim that I will ever go back there again.

Choo-choo Grandpa

Bryan's grandpa, Howard Haymond, passed away last week. The kids called him Choo-choo grandpa because he use to drive trains for Geneva Steel. He was a kind, loving, cool grandpa who will be greatly missed.

Granny's services

There were 3 different funeral services for my Granny. The first was in St. George where she had been staying for the summer. You see, my mom flew out to DC at the beginning of the summer, packed her up, and brought her out to Utah so that she could be with family. We knew she wasn't doing very well, and later we found out that her cancer had returned and was at a stage 4. This service was mostly for her family since she had a lot in Utah. I can't believe I only got 2 picture the whole time we were down there. One of my sister and me, and the other is of Anna with Jordan, my cousins daughter (her 2nd cousin?)- they are only 3 days apart in age- cute girls!Her other 2 services were in Washington DC. I was able to fly out, with Kate, to attend them. The first was a memorial service that was held at her ward house. This happens to be the same building that I attended when we lived back east- it's also the building I was baptized in. All of my cousins but one (Melissa- we missed you!) were able to be there. I think this was the first time in a very long time- if ever- that we were all together. My youngest sister's husband was the only in-law that came, so his filling Melissa's place. So we have: Denny (the in-law), Bailey, Bradley, Tyler, Allene, Aubrey, Rachael, Lauren, Megan, Stacy, Jessy (me) and Tiffany. Here is one of my Mom with Kate chasing leaves outside the church. And one of my Dad holding Kate. She loves her Papa, he was one of the few people she would willingly go to while on our trip. The second service was the interment at Arlington National cemetery. The cemetery was beautiful, but a little loud with the airport so close by. This is a picture of my Grandmother's 4 children: Stuart (my dad), Trudy, Michael and Allen. The services were beautiful in all locations. There were lots of tears and laughs. It was wonderful being around family that I don't get to see very often. More to come from my trip later!

Ellie's Tea Party

This year Ellie got to have a friend birthday party and she picked a tea party. It was a lot of fun and a lot of crazy- with twelve 9 year old girls! They eat treats and punch, played bingo, opened presents, and played outside. I'm so glad we only do parties ever other year because it was tons of work.I made all the girls a flower hair clip and they got to eat on antique "snack sets" (glass party plates with matching cups). Kate just couldn't get enough of the necklaces.
It was the kind of party that I won't mind NOT doing again for a long time. Too much work. But Ellie had a really good time and that's all that matters!
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