Halloween!

Halloween was perfect this year.  Mike was on call, so he could get the kids in their costumes.  Specifically Jorja, they have been working on her costume for the past few days now.  She was Bowser and loved it!

Mike turning Jorja into Bowser

 Jorja as Bowser

 Maysen as a wizard

 Stockton drew a pumpkin with his left hand and taped it to his shirt.

 Jorja as Bowser

 Preston as Emolga

Preston loved his costume too!  Mike cut out the wings for him and I sewed them together and on his shirt.  Preston thanked me over and over for doing that.  Maysen gave him the Emolga hat as a souvenir from Japan.  Preston came home from school and said that someone in his class thought he was Pikachu.  He said, "You have the right cartoon but the wrong character!"  I love him!

I went to the school to watch the parade.  Then I rushed to walmart to buy supplies for my Halloween activity.

The principal and his wife

 Preston's teacher - they were the first class!

Preston is carrying an orange paper he was working on.  He said he didn't have time to put it down.  It said, "Love Mom, Love Dad, Love Jorja"  Although the love was actually hearts and the J's on Jorja's name were written backwards.

Preston

 Jorja

I helped with the Halloween party in Jorja's classroom.  We made witches hats out of cookies and hershey kisses, Oreo spiders, pumpkin mandarin oranges, and ghost suckers.  It was pretty easy and the kids seemed to enjoy my station.  I am glad it is over with and I am glad Mike helped me get everything ready!

The weather was perfect tonight for trick-or-treating!  I told the kids that dinner would be at the neighbors house.  Two doors down, our neighbor always makes scones and cider.  On top of that they give the kids full size candy bars.  I'm guessing our house is the lame house. The kids collected a ton of candy...we only went on two streets.  There were scones, balloon animals, egg rolls, pizza, cotton candy and lots and lots of candy.  I went trick-or-treating with Maysen, Jorja, Oliva and Preston.  Stockton went with a lot of neighborhood friends.  I don't think this Halloween could have been any better.

Olivia as a mad scientist

Train

Scoop and Cori were at our house when Maysen and I got home after YW.  They had brought the dolls Grandma Honey made.  They gave one to Maysen and one to Jorja.  Although I am absentminded lately and forgot to take a picture! Scoop also gave Maysen the train she asked for.  They had framed it for her.  She loved it.  We have a picture of that because Maysen is more on the ball than me!  I thought that was very sweet of them to make Maysen feel so special.  

As Scoop and Cori were leaving, Cori said, "This was fun."  After they left, Mike looked at me and said, "Of course it was fun, our kids are awesome."  It is really too bad that they haven't wanted to spend any time with us.  It is sad that they didn't invite us to their house once after we moved here.  We live four minutes away.  I try to stay positive, but the truth is - it has hurt us incredibly.  The one nice thing about Scoop selling his home is that hurt won't be there anymore.  

Berry Important Person

Preston was the 'Berry' Important Person this week in Kindergarten. He was quite excited about it.  We worked on his poster last night.  He loved it!

Preston

Funeral Pictures

John was gone by the time I woke up this morning.  I'm glad it is just a few months until we get to see him again!  Stockton sang in the youth choir at Stake Conference.  He did a great job!  I also found pictures from the funeral yesterday.  For some reason I could not find them when I was working on the blog post.  I knew I had taken more pictures then just pictures of Amelia!  Although she is adorable.

Bubs, Billy, Chris Cremer, Matt

Mark, Todd (or Todd, Mark) Jae, John

 Same picture, but this time you can see Bubs

 My dad and Gayle

 My dad and Gayle

 Preston wanted to wear a flower

 Maysen and Millie

 Jorja and her grandpa

 Amelia, Maysen, Jorja, Ella

 Millie, Maysen, Jorja, Ella, Abby

 Jorja and Amelia

Grandma Millburn's Funeral

Today was my Grandma's funeral.  We were able to make it to the viewing before the funeral, which was nice since I was the only one who could go to the viewing last night.  Her funeral was good.  A lot of really nice things were said about her.  The cousins from California all came, along with many of the Jex family.

My kids were excited to be able to hold Amelia!  Besides Stockton, this was their first time they were able to hold her.  Maysen was able to see her at the hospital, but she was already in her carseat, so she didn't get to hold her.  That was probably their favorite part of the day!

Stockton and Amelia

 Maysen and Amelia

 Preston, Maysen and 'Millie'

 Amelia and Jorja

After the funeral and a few games of Dominion, Mike and I went up to his house one last time.  Now it is officially someone else's house.  We tried to get the plaster handprints out of the bridge, but the only one that didn't break was the one of the cat.  Boo!  As we were leaving, I had Mike take a picture of the front of his house.  I couldn't remember if we had one of those.  This place was sure a wonderful place for him to be raised!

Mike and I also had to pick up a few things from Walmart.  Most importantly, pictures for Preston.  When we got home, we started playing Dominion with John and Matt.  We played until two in the morning.  I love it!

Jorja is 10

Jorja turned 10 today!  Also, John came from Ohio.  What a nice uncle.

Jorja's cake - she wanted it just like Maysen's

At least she let me make the frosting.  Matt LOVED it!

 Happy birthday Jorja Porge!

John came from Ohio for my Grandma Millburn's funeral.  It was fun to see him though.  John and Matt came over this afternoon.  They helped Mike move his old desk that we rescued from DI downstairs.  I wish I could have played racquetball with them, but I was busy getting ready for Jorja's party.  I did manage to go to Chick-Fil-A for lunch and pick up something for Jorja.  Preston and I went and ate lunch with her. They both really liked that.

After school, Jorja's friend Olivia came over.  She helped us get ready for the party and was there when we opened family presents.  Jorja was cute blowing up balloons.  She even taped some to the mailbox with the words HAPPY BIRTHDAY JORJA on them.  Mike said, "Your daughter is doing all the decorating herself."  True.  At least she likes to do that and had a lot of fun.

Jorja opening Olivia - her arctic fox

 Pokemon DS game

 Big present...

 It's a scooter!

 Chinese animal picture book

 Love her!

 She's excited about this one!

 Preston is too!

Preston gave Jorja a webkinz for her birthday.  I wouldn't tell Preston what he was giving her, just that he would like it.  He gave her a webkinz Samoyed.  That is the same webkinz as Shiver.  Wow.  I can't even remember Shiver looking like that!

Jorja & Frosty, Preston & Shiver

 Before and after Preston love

 Frosty, Preston, Shiver

Jorja had a 'late over' birthday party.  It was supposed to be a sleep-over, but then my grandma died . . .  so that changed everything.  Most of the girls parents didn't want them to sleep over anyway, so they were already planning on picking them up late.  Jorja wanted crepes for dinner.  Who can blame her?

Crepes

After dinner we moved to the piano room to open presents.  Jorja was having a blast.  She said, "See mom, they're just like me!"

Jorja's heaven - Maysen's nightmare 

 Jazzie and Jorja

When Jorja was opening Olivia's presents,  (Not the tall Olivia, but the Olivia who was wearing red polka-dots) she pulled car keys out of the bag!  Wow!  She got a car for her birthday!  Oh man, that was so funny! What a place to lose your car keys!

Jorja finding keys!

 Jorja and Olivia

 Leah and Jorja

 Olivia and Jorja

 Mike

 Ava and Jorja

  Jorja's cousin Miah and Jorja

So nice of her to come!

 Oh boy!  Crickets!

Ashley gave Jorja a fire bellied toad!  Her mom did call and okay it with me.  I think Jorja's going to name it Bowser . . . but I'm not sure.  I hope so.

Ashley and Jorja

Jorja wanted a pinata.  Mike rigged it to the ceiling fan.  I'm not sure about that!  Although, Mike would love an excuse to replace the fan!

 Stockton

Jorja had a fantastic time.  She told me that it was her favorite birthday. I am glad she was so happy.  She sure is such a sweet girl.  I'm grateful she is mine!

During the party I made a quick dash to my grandma's viewing.  Luckily it was held about one mile from my house.  I was able to get there for the last fifteen minutes.  John and Matt came over and played games with us after.  John's friend, Pace, also came over.  We played until about two in the morning.  Both John and Matt slept over.  It was awesome!!!