Happy Thanksgiving

Although I am beyond excited to get out the Christmas decor, I also LOVE fall (my favorite season of the year).  And because we live in California it is not as vibrant as elsewhere, I have to make do with some of my favorite fall home decor.

I of course started the holiday with my chalkboard art.  My kids even said I was very creative and did a great job.  Coming from my kids I felt very proud because they usually mock my art skills (no I am NOT good, so they are totally justified in doing so).

I also let the kids create a little TURKEY craft this year to remember their little hands and feet.  I also saved a little space for baby #4 (yes he is still nameless).

So with preparing to take down my silly decor I am feeling VERY GRATEFUL for my HOME, for this time of year to celebrate FAMILY, FRIENDS, and this wonderful LIFE I have been given.  It really is a marvelous gift from GOD.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

EXCITED for another sweet little BOY!

Yep (back on Constitution Day) I was reminded of why I AM excited to have another sweet boy in our home come February...

South Carolina with the Fab 5 Girls (Joy's Wedding)

You have probably heard me talk about the Fab 5 before, but long story short, these girls and I have been BFF's (best friends) since 6th grade.  Amazing I know!  

You probably remember back HERE when it was Kati's wedding, well this time it was Joy's turn.  She moved to North Carolina after Junior High and we still would all go out in the summers to visit and she would come out to Cali to visit, so we have all stayed in contact.  And SO the FAB 5 were reunited....

Heather, Missy, Joy, me, and Kati (blurry iPhone pic, but all 5 of us were here)

So Kati, Heather and myself departed from LAX on a RED EYE midnight flight (I do NOT recommend this being prego, it was miserable, really!  But the flight delays back home were even worse)! I got pretty sick from the altitude and just exhaustion, I think.  So this was not my favorite part.

But at least I got bonding time with these 2!  And I must say Heather was the super "hubbie" on the trip, taking care of everything (including our rented mini-van, and I must say I will convert them ALL)!

The first night was so nice because we got to catch up with Joy.  

We went out to dinner and laughed a LOT.  

We then went and checked out the wedding site which was beyond GORGEOUS!  We stayed here at the The Cottages on Charleston Harbor one night, we were all in heaven.

The next day we went to get our nails done, and did other wedding necessities, before heading to the airport to get Missy and her sweet baby who were flying in from SLC.

So we finally were all together and had a great time at the rehearsal dinner downtown Charleston.  Everything was so quaint...I loved downtown Charleston, and my only regret was not having more time to sight see and hang out longer. And I didn't get any pictures, besides the lousy one below...

The reception and wedding went SO fast and we didn't have time to capture photos, we left that to the professional photographers. But it was so fun and so beautiful and Joy was a beyond stunning bride.

Here we are with Wes (the groom) at the top!  And then below with the beautiful bride Joy!

It was just fun to meet all the fun bridesmaids and catch up with Joy's family whom we hadn't seen in years  Here we are with Joy's brother Eric and his best friend Pablo and the 5!

And then of course I can NOT go without mentioning my AWESOME HUSBAND.  

He was originally planning to come with me, but things didn't work out, and it ended up just being all of us girls, which was SUPER fun.  But still he of course had to sacrifice a TON in order to make this awesome trip happen for me.  He of course waited up (even though I begged him not to) until 2am when I came home, and I even had this sweet welcome home note from Ella on the front door when I came up. It was nice break from the kids, but it is ALWAYS nice to get back home to them. I missed them a ton and was ready to see my little ones again!

Crafts, costumes and dead fish

So we did NOT carve pumpkins this year.

Am I the worst mom ever?

They never asked and I didn't care to remind them. Being super sick this week and pregnant is a good excuse right?  I don't think I would have reminded them even if I hadn't been sick or pregnant (but don't tell them that).

Now just because we didn't carve pumpkins didn't mean they did have fun FALL festive days. Because they did.


Just about EVERY day for the month they came home from school (did homework) then went to work on their "crafts" they LOVE coloring, drawing, creating (anything messy).

My favorite is probably Asher's creation on the yellow page. (Notice the arrow through his heart under the grave stone). Ha ha ha

They put out all the decorations this year and I let them choose where and everything. I added the new pumpkin craft as well. You can go HERE for the super easy tutorial. 

They of course dressed up for Trunk or Treat at the church, Halloween at Uncle Danny & Aunt Sarah's, and also attended the school Harvest Festival.

My mother in-law so kindly got their costumes this year at either Ross or TJ Maxx, which was nice because they were a different from the everyday costumes but I didn't have to make them...loved the no stress! 

Ella LOVED wearing makeup with her gypsy costume.

 

Asher was the best magician  (loved pulling his rabbit out of his hat).  

Tate was the cutest little sock monkey and made accompanying sounds.

Ned also took them to Bass Pro Shops (while I was gone at Joy's wedding, more on that later).  What a husband, he pulled out all the stops, I was so proud of him!

Asher decided he wanted to wear his cousins hand me down shark costume.

And pose in front of the fish.

They also did the pumpkin patch with Grammy! And you can tell from their faces how well they liked that.

Then my dad's birthday was celebrated up at Oak Glen.  

They did the SLEEPY HOLLOW DINNER at Riley's Farm.  Which was a huge hit. The kids loved it and it was such a fun Halloween/fall event. We would do it again.

It helps that I had just re-read the book: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in preparation and showed the kids the Disney video.

So we were well prepared.

We also went up a few hours early to walk around the Oak Tree Village to explore nature. 

Ned taught the kids how to crack open acorns and how to get the meat out (& told them they would still need to cook it). You know basic survival skills all kids need. 

 And we got our huge jug of apple cider.

No FALL is complete without APPLE CIDER. 

And then thought I'd leave you with a truly demented Halloween craft.

I don't know how this happened, honestly, but it did.

The kids were making bloody Halloween candles.

And we found Asher's fish had perished, "witch" ironically enough. And they begged and begged me to let them put it on the candle.

I finally let in and it took a lot of effort to get it out of the bowl, on the candle without anyone touching it.

I let them keep it on long enough to get a picture and then that was enough, they were laughing and I was gagging.
Poor witch.
RIP.

 Hope you all had a wonderful fall.