Happy Halloween! Me and the little pumpkin handed out treats until we ran out at about 7:30. By then I was only getting teenagers (and adults!), anyway. Madelyn will be happy to know there seems to be no age limit to trick or treating anymore.
My absentee trick-or-treaters went to the mall to get their goodies tonight. The lines were long, but they said they had fun!
We have recently started ordering a little food from Schwans. They had a promotion a couple months ago, where you could get an order for free, when we tried out their pre-cooked sausages. Jon loves them, so we have continued ordering them every few weeks. I just found another good deal - $5 off a $25 order (coupon code N5), so I am trying a couple new things - which all involve sausage. The Schawn's man might start wondering about us and some kind of a sausage fetish. Anyway - I'm sending a few emails out to refer people to Schwans - if you go for it we will get more free food, which is something I enjoy. And I do recommend the sausage. ;)
By my request, Jon has been sending me photo updates all morning, showing me what's happening in Illinois. Hope found a walking stick to help her follow her sisters and cousin while walking little doggy.
Madelyn and Cailin and Mollie walking little doggie.
Emma and Emma Kate playing "spies".
Hope sniffing around grandma's garden.
In the meantime, I've been puttering around the house, amazed at how a room can stay clean for so long without any children in it; and saddened at the same time by said lack of children.
I've also dragged out some Christmas things - looking for just the right nativity to bring to church to introduce "The Nativity Song". I've also been researching ASL websites all morning, to get some sign language knowledge for when we sing this song.
I have my visual aids all ready, now I just want to make some paper leaves for song picking.
This morning I braved the rain and did some shopping. I used Oprah's 50% coupon at Payless and got new winter boots for the girls. I got so drenched running baby, then toddler, then stroller to the car, that I had to come home and change clothes. Hope thought it was hilarious.
Today is Jon's birthday! Fortunately for all of us, Amelia took a morning nap just long enough to put together Jon's favorite Mud Cake. My kitchen is now a chocolate wreck, so I'll just cross my fingers (but not hold my breath) for an afternoon nap, as well. We were hoping to go out to eat, but I have a new sick kid at home, so we'll have to celebrate out another time.
Meet Mr. Sock Lovey. He is our new best friend, helping comfort troubled tummies. It's Jon's sock, filled with rice. Heat for 1 minute in the microwave and place on sad child, who will stop whining about tummy and start complaining about funny smell. Not from the sock (I'm sure) but from the heated rice.
Our spooky tootsie roll pop ghosts stuffed in a bowl and sitting on the bookshelf. I could not figure out how to hang them without having their top-heavy heads flip them upside down or sideways with their skirts showing their nether stick regions. So in the bowl they go.
Fall is going way too quickly. We love seeing all the bright leaves, and are already mourning their loss since the rain we had last week brought lots of the beauty down to the ground. Madelyn says the yellow of these trees are her favorite of all the autumn colors.
The Ward Halloween party was lots of fun. We love seeing what everyone comes as. Here I am doing the fairy godmother thing. I didn't get pictures of everyone, but you can imagine Jon as a "bike messenger" - with bike helmet and riding glasses, bag and rolled up pant leg. Cailin was Princess Peach (from Mario and Luigi fame). Madelyn was one of 5 Hermiones, (although I think one was actually Ginny Weasley).
Hope the cute little bug.
Emma the spooky witch - who is feeling under the weather today. After all my smugness thinking the worst of the flu was behind us - poor Emma came down with something nasty yesterday. She stayed home from church today along with Hope who awoke with a fever. I'm praying it won't get us all. Jon and I split church - he went to Sacrament Meeting so he could count heads as part of his clerk calling, then came home to relieve me so I could attend primary and serve in my new calling as... wait for it... Primary Chorister! I'm back in the primary (happily so), and enjoyed singing with the kids today. Amelia stayed home with Jon, too. It was the first time I'd left her during a feeding time, so she got her first taste of formula in a bottle. She sucked it down!
I tried a new "recipe" the other day for Candy Corn Bark. It's just pretzels, Oreos and candy corn...
covered with Almond Bark, more candy corn and sprinkles. It was tasty - but if I try something like this in the future I think I'll just dip big pretzel rods in the bark, then stick on a few candy corns and sprinkles. Because the best part is the salty crunchy pretzels with the sweet and smooth Almond Bark. The candy corn are a fun bonus.
The girls got their flu shots yesterday. Emma was asked to do a journal entry about what she did over the flu-holiday. This is her completed assignment. The guy in black is Jon, who is holding and comforting Emma, while the nurse happily waves a needle around. Thank goodness Jon was able to race over to the doctor's office after work. We didn't think he was going to make it, and it would have been a much more traumatic experience without him there. I was more freaked out than the girls when we arrived, when I saw the crowds of sick people in masks waiting to see a doctor. The waiting room was full, and several families sat out in the hallways. We all hand sanitized several times.
As a treat we went to Wendy's afterwards for dinner and frostys. I got a couple of their Halloween coupon books and we love getting all those jr. frostys practically for free. I love how Hope says "I cree" for ice crream.
Tonight is our ward Halloween party which includes the annual chili and cornbread cook-off. I actually thought ahead last night and got the dried beans soaked. The girls all sniffed the air this morning wondering what smelled good. They were surprised when I told them it was boiling pinto beans. I also had to get out my mill to grind some popcorn into cornmeal for the cornbread. I had run out, and was excited to try and make my own. There was a tense moment when I realized I had the fine flour piece snapped on, and the popcorn was getting jammed. I was sweating it when I couldn't figure out how to get it off. I finally called Vitamill's customer service and asked for help. Their solution? "Jam a dull butter knife between the piece and the side of the mill and pry it off". It worked, but it was pretty clumsy and I'm curious if everyone has to call for the dull butter knife solution when they want to make regular flour.
Another solution I'm happy about: using an olive oil bottle to dispense dish soap. So much prettier on my countertop, and my girls are much more frugal with their soap usage. No more out of control bubbles roiling out of the sink during kid dish wash time.
Madelyn and Cailin started a strings class a couple weeks ago. They excitedly reported that after several "plucking" lessons, they may be allowed to use their bows on their violins next week. The highlight of the last lesson was learning how to use the rosin by scratching with a penny.
The mother board has landed. It was put in my machine this morning and I have successfully completed one load of laundry! I have six or seven to go, but it is a good feeling to have started. Thank you, mother board.
cute.
In the meantime, Hope has been busy as usual. Here she is coloring. Then tearing. Then chomping. It's a three course meal. Four - if you include dessert - which is when she eats the crayon.
Madelyn and Cailin are busy organizing their closet. It's like their little clubhouse.
I found this book at the thrift store yesterday. I love it and remember it well from when I was in elementary school. I love sharing it with my girls now. 
Finally - a bit of fall decor inspiration. I love this pumpkin arrangement. It inspired me to find something around the house to make my own little spot.
I like our little Ikea chair and gourds, but you can be sure I'll be on the lookout for teal stools, so I can imitate the former setup for next year!
I am always trying new things to get baby to sleep. This last week double swaddling and cuddling at night with mom is doing the trick. Next week - who knows?
We are loving our Ergo carrier (with infant insert borrowed from Shawn and Marti - thanks!). Amelia is in immediate cozy blissdom as soon as she's snuggled inside.
Of Halloween Outfits
Of Malfunctioning Washing Machines
Amelia went to her one month appointment today. She is weighing in at 7 lbs 7 oz, and is healthy and well.
She will follow an object with her eyes.
And of course, she will hold hands.
The chore charts have made their appearance on our breakfast table once again. Kids are clamoring for allowances, mom is longing for a more peaceful send-off in the mornings. Hopefully this will help all parties involved. Cailin woke up "feeling horrible" this morning and added that to her checklist. She's staying home today, nursing a sore throat and reading the 20 Katie Kazoo books she brought home from the library on Saturday.
I can hardly believe Amelia is nearly one month old. I guess time flies when you're sleep deprived. And we are having fun - most of the time. Hope has shown nothing but sweet cuddly love for her little sister. Of course the big girls are the same; it's just that I was more worried about how "the toddler" would react. Hope has also adjusted extremely well to sleeping in a room with her sisters. It has been a bit of a challenge for the big girls when she starts babbling in the middle of the night: "babdadana Nadalie dadarabada Kaykay mnmagabada Emma haganadada Gogoli madatababa Hophop badarasabanama Meowmeow*", etc. She can go on and on. And does. It's cute, just a little hard to take in the wee hours of the morning.
It's also a little hard to contain the path of destruction. Hope is right in front of you one minute, and the next she is rubbing someone's lib balm all over her face. She is a little mastermind, breaking and entering then wreaking havoc. We finally put knob-turning "deterrents" on the major problematic doors.
This one means business. It has a knob cover and a gate.
The kitchen requires two gates. And see the knob cover on the floor? Hope got that one off a bathroom door on day 1 and threw it past the gates and into the kitchen. At least we are all keeping limber, hopping over gates and running up and down stairs removing Hope from trouble areas. 
