Happy Halloween!

My mom hosted a Halloween dinner followed by caramel apple fondue and a Rigby Halloween classic: Frankenweenie! 

There are really only a few Halloween movies I tolerate and they are all PG. And there wasn’t a boy worth impressing in high school or college who could have changed my mind. Still the same. 

Happy Halloween!

 

Welcome to Nostalgia Land

We went to Hogwarts for Hallows Eve! Ralph and Jackie’s neighbor does a really cool themed walkthrough his backyard every year for Halloween. This year we walked through Diagon Alley, went shopping for wands at Ollivander’s, made a pit stop at the quidditch arena, and stopped for butter beer and j-dogs in front of Hagrid’s hut on the way out. 

My family are pretty hardcore Harry Potter fans ever since my dad created mini hyper-realistic models of several different Harry Potter scenes. He even went so far as to start 3D printing the entire Hogwarts castle. It’s pretty magical and nostalgic. 

Unfortunately, I am the least well-versed in all things Harry Potter and it really showed after this event. Motivated by his disappointment in me, Noah decided that he was going to take my education into his own hands and we started the Harry Potter movies that night. I can’t get through 2 minutes without asking  25 questions but I’m totally into them! 

I’m thinking we just started a new Halloween tradition, especially because scary horror movies are not a thing in this house.

Throwback to Star Wars land with Bowie last Halloween Eve

And to Noahs long hair ); 

I’m sorry, but tell me Bowie doesn’t look identical to “Jojo” from Jojo Rabbit in this picture. 

I Mowed the Lawn

I drove a 1997 Honda Civic for all of high school and college. The interior was falling apart when I got the car, but it was the most reliable car of all time. In all of the years I drove it, I never once had to take it into a shop. In fact, the only issue I ever had was when a huge deer ran into my car and smashed the front headlight, power steering fluid reservoir, and the hood and bumper. I replaced the headlight and psfr with my cowboy neighbor at Snow, and then drove it for the next several years with a dented hood and black zip ties holding my white bumper together. 

Well last year the civic finally killed over on the freeway and I replaced it with a manual 2004 Toyota Rav 4. Manual. Stick shift. I had to learn stick shift.

It was scarier than learning to drive a car for the first time at 15. Even rolling up to a stop sign felt like trauma waiting to happen. Long story short, it took me a few months and a few meltdowns but I did eventually become the confident driver of a manual and commuted with it between Provo, Bluffdale, and Kaysville every day. One of my proudest moments as an adult.

In close second would be that I mowed the lawn for the first time on Saturday while Noah was golfing with friends. I got gas, started it, emptied the bag, and mowed my entire front and backyard, weed whacking included. And I honestly think I did a pretty good job. Maybe a 14 year old boy can also mow the lawn start to finish by himself, but his dad probably taught him and no one taught me.

 

Sunday Dinner & Pumpkin Carving

 

For Sunday dinner this week we had rice, grilled chicken, salad, and garlic bread followed by pumpkin carving! We also roasted some of the seeds and Jackie cut up some caramel apples. There’s nothing better than seeing everyone’s pumpkins lit up on the porch. 

Yes I am melting.

Noah carved the Boogeyman this year:

I carved a skeleton Stitch which was frankly out of my league:

I will be carving something simple next year hahaha.

Spooky Time

On Saturday we went to this neighborhood food drive in Bountiful. You bring cans of food in exchange for the most epic mini haunted house experience of all time. It’s a short walk through but it is so cool and well done! We go with the Chadderdon family and get concretes (like a thick milkshake you have to eat with a spoon) from Nielsen’s Frozen Custard. I honestly look forward to it so much!

We decided we hadn’t had enough so me, Noah, London, Kaydence, Alexis, and Kiegan all went to the Haunted Forest. We waited in line for 2 hours to get in. That is dedication right there. 

whyamisounphotogenicilovelifehappyhalloween <3 (: !! <3

 

Marie Antoinette

The Yarro’s host a big Halloween costume party every year in the party barn in Wallsburg. They go all out with music, themed desserts, a chili bar, and trick-or-treating for the little kids. Noah and I ran to Jackie’s costume room in their basement to find something to wear. He picked Buzz Lightyear which seemed appropriate considering Buzz was his favorite of all time as a kid. And I went as Marie Antoinette which seemed appropriate because the wig was incredible. Duh.

Huntley went as “baby dumbo” and told us about a hundred times. It was so cute. I might be baby hungry. 

And Summer went as Velma and had these ginormous glasses on. It was so funny but she was not interested in a pic so this is what you get.

Jackie and Liz

Our friends, Noah and Elise, came as Men in Black. And then we went and saw the new Venom movie with them after the party. 

 

It was Time!

 

People say that hair holds memories or energy. So when you start feeling weighed down by the past, it’s time to let it go. Needless to say, it was time for a trim! Alexis has been doing hair for basically her entire life, but she has been professionally doing my hair since she was 17! She’s got a gift and I feel lucky when she gets to put it to use on me! 

Before…

 

After!

Thanks Alexis!  @lexphunghair

Gathered

So our talks went great and we are thrilled to have checked that box. My family came over afterwards for some tortellini and tomato soup, sourdough bread, and cast iron skillet apple crisp using freshly picked honey crisp apples from my ministering sister! While my mom and I cooked, everyone got cozy on the couch in front of the fire and watched UP and Monster House. Two classics. A Sunday Disney movie is me and Noah’s thing and I have a Fall movie list I’m trying to get through so all around a successful day!

 

4:45am

We went to Gardner Village as a family and somehow I ended up with no pictures.

And then we stayed up until 4:45am writing our talks for church the next day. Quality time.

 

A Full Cup

I went and got açaí bowls with one of my best friends from high school, Cierra, and this picture was all I have to show for it. I don’t know why we didn’t take a picture together. She is really the best and it was so good to see her. 

Then Alexis came over and we laminated her eyebrows and went house shopping together! We ended up getting some new artwork and pillows for her couches and spent the night decorating her living room after getting dinner with Noah and Kiegan.

It was a cup half full day!

Also, I saw these pictures after from our shopping day and died a little bit. Not to be self critical but I look like a cartoon character. Like this is the film poster for live action Charlie Brown. Some people can pull off the socks and flats. I thought I was one of them and reality said “think again.” The dress has since become a jacket. And my hair reminded me of this meme:

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown  aka me.

 

I married a chef!

 

 

While I’ve been working on this, Noah has taken on the role of chef for the past week. And he is pretty dang good at it! Except the warm watery cucumber egg salad recipe that he found on Facebook reels. We ate cereal for dinner that night.