Halloween Events

This was our first year going door to door and Grant had so much fun running from house to house for candy. Once they grasp the concept of Trick-O-Treat they won't even let a scary costume get in the way of candy. Every year I've created Grants costumes with items found around the house. Mainly because we are on a budget but I also like individuality. 

This years costume was less than $13 dollars. 

• 3 rolls of duct tape, yellow, silver and Red
• 1 can of spray paint
• Diaper box donated by my friend
• Bumper was a cereal box
• The ladder and wheels, poster board that was used for a game at Grants birthday party. 
• The fire engine lights and hub caps, red solo cups and the blue cup I found in Dave's car. 
• Construction paper and printables from the internet for emblem and windows.  
• Grants outfit was a pair of pants and t-shirt he owned, added duct tape to pants
• Dalmatian puppy, owned
• Fire hat, Target $1 bin  

Lieutenant Coen (his dad is in the coast guard), Ninja Turtle Dylan, Skylander Mario, Fireman Grant

Below is our Halloween costume party a week prior to Halloween.  There were several handmade games, pumpkin decorating and even trick-o-treating. Again, all items we mostly owned.  We really try to recycle and up-cycle.  There are 4 doors that lead to the back yard so we had the kids line up and practice trick-o-treating at each candy station.

Up-cycled the wrecking ball from Grants birthday party.  My friend Crystal drew silly monsters  on all the boxes and we called it Monster Mash.  

Grants best buddy Dylan.  Dylan calls him "Buddy Grant"  Never just Grant, always buddy Grant 

Ring toss. Crystal made the witch hats and the rings were glow necklaces from the $1 store.

Trick-O-Treating in the back yard

Destroyed by the end of the party along with the Monster Mash.  Safe to say the kids had an excellent time.

Its in the DNA

DNA testing kit

Facebook is an interesting place to reconnect with old friends, keep up with current friends and in this case be found.   You know those great stories you hear about star crossed lovers finding each other after years or adopted siblings reconnecting after years; this is one of those stories.   I logged onto Facebook recently and had a message from a person named Christie telling me that we may be related.  Everyone who knows me knows I’m an only child so this message peaked my interest and would eventually rock my world.  I was skeptical at first and had lots of questions but by the time we had written endless emails back and forth I was 90% certain that Christie was telling the truth.  We most likely were related and she had a striking resemblance to my Aunt and her eyes were as if I was staring at my dad.  Christie had told me she was adopted when she was a baby because her parents were too young at the time and didn’t have the means to give her the life they thought she deserved.  Luckily, Christie had an amazing life full of blessings.  Her biological mother recently found her after 50 plus years and this started her search.  This led her to wondering more about her family tree and finding me, out of all places through Facebook.  Have you ever searched for someone and a gazillion people come up and the profile picture is so small you can’t tell if it’s them?  Or there are so many people with the same name it’s impossible to find the person you are looking for? That’s what happens every time I try to locate someone. So for Christie to have found me it must be fate.  You are probably still wondering who she is in relation to me.  We had our DNA tested and the results came back that we are half-sisters.  So, at the age of 44, through social media I found out that I have a sister. She was born 10 years before me and prior to my parents meeting.  I'm happy to have her in my life.  She is a very sweet and caring person. I found it interesting that she was born on the same date as our dad but different month.  She wore an opal ring which is our dads birthstone but she didn't know that and had been wearing it for 25 years. 

Dads sister on the left and my sister on the right

My sister and our dad at a younger age

First time meeting Christie

The boys hanging out while we catch up

Perry and Christie brought a birthday cake for Grant and tons of presents for all. I received a beautiful bracelet that is engraved "Embrace the Journey" and a bangle bracelet that says "Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts and we are never the same" I struggled with the knowledge about how I felt after 44 years about having a sister so these words capture it all for me.

Construction Birthday Party

We had been planning for weeks to get everything just right, the venue, vendors, logistics, props, set up etc.  2 days before the party the Army called and said you have a mission,report in "the day of the party."  Needless to say things became a little hectic. I packed the car with Daves help at 6am and then he left for work. Drove to the park with Grant to set up and thankfully my friend and her little boy came to help me set up and entertain Grant. My car was full and I wasn't able to get the food, balloons, or cake so I had to make a second trip to find out the balloons were not ready even though I was 2 hours late and the food wasn't prepared correctly.  When I made my 2nd trip back to the park I was running on empty and dripping from the hot sun.  Another one of my good friends so I was stretched thin and asked if she could help. She was kind enough to leave and pick up the cake and cupcakes for me, I just didn't have it in me to make a 3rd trip somewhere.  So thankful to have great friends that I met through my mommy meet-up group. Everyone said they had a good time but of course in my head I'm thinking of things I would of done differently. It was a stressful day for me, what I thought was going to be smooth and fun ended up being a little chaotic. Lesson here is always hire an all inclusive venue or do it in your backyard. Click on the first picture to expand and see it in its entirety. 

Dave helping me with the wrecking ball crane. Kids stacked and knocked over the boxes. Made out of boxes we reshaped, wrapping paper, duct tape, bungee cord and an old beach ball 

Party favors with a construction coloring book, play-doh, chocolate coins and a construction vehicle all inside of a Home Depot work smock.

Loaded up and on our way to the park to celebrate!

Setting up the food table. Construction party was orange, yellow and black with pops of blue. We served gravel, nuts and bolts, "sand"whiches, wrecking balls, and more.

Wrecking ball station. Stacking and destroying.

Grant and Dylan helped set up too. They filled the cookie sheets with sand for our mini construction truck play area

Work station where the kids hammered away driving golf tee's into Styrofoam covered in wood paper.  Daddy made an appearance for lunch and then had to leave. 

Game - Pin the hook on the crane blindfolded except Grant didn't want to put it on.

Best buddies! Elise who's mom went to get the cake, Dylan who's mom helped me set up, and Grant

Daddy's Deployment

Daddy is away at a special school for the Army but luckily he is in Utah, and not Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo or any other place where wives and children are not allowed. Its been 3 years since Dave and I have been separated by Hawaii or Iraq and of course the first time married with child.  He will be gone approximately 3 months give or take a few days.  To prepare Grant we ordered a Daddy Doll that is popular with military children.  Grant loves stuffed animals and sleeps with them so having daddy to hug and make him feel safe was a perfect gift.  We also filled a jar with Hershey Kisses for every night that dad will be gone. When the jar is empty, he will be home. Although....the jar is already empty and we are only 1/2 way through this deployment. I may have sneaked a few and Grant may have wanted more than 1 a day. Since I already know what will happen by bringing more chocolate into the house I think we will forgo this idea again. Maybe we need a jar of toy soldiers instead.  Grant took his first plane ride the other day and he did so well. He was so helpful and wanted to wheel the carry on all the way through the aiport to the terminal. I think he enjoyed the airport more than the plane ride but did like being served his own little can of cranberry juice and snacks. He was so excited to see daddy and he's doing really well understanding that daddy is away but will be home soon.  Sweetest moment ever was when I was tucking Grant in for bed and Dave was in the next bed already relaxing.  I asked Grant what his favorite part of the trip was knowing he had just been to the zoo, swimming, museums, etc and he didn't hesitate as he shouted out DADDY!!!! Best thing I'm sure Dave heard too!

The jar is empty and we still have 2 months to go

When Grant saw the fabric on the back he found his toys and matched them with his daddy doll

Watching TV with Daddy

text message to daddy

Backpack with toys and kitty, and wheeled this suitcase through the airport, TSA, all the way to the terminal

In Utah, notice the register and the grill close together.  This lady took our order, cooked and we payed our bill. Such a cute place.  There is a drink bar set up with condiments near by, it was perfect.

The middle shot is when he saw our plane taxing in, amazement. 

On the way home Grant sat on the suitcase and I wheeled him through the airport.  Everyone was making comments and smiling

Feeding a goat at Thanksgiving Pointe farm

Museum of Natural Curiosity

Utah's version of Benihana's. YUM! Grant did really well and ate everything. 

Thumbs up daddy. He went running for this police car cart.

Shooting guns with daddy at Scheels Sporting goods. This place had a ferris wheel inside. It was like an amusement park/sporting goods store, 2 stories.