Happy Halloween!

We dressed up as salt and pepper this year.

 John installed the light fixture and doorbell right in time for the trick-or-treaters.

 Kids and parents alike complimented the milk jug ghosts (another Pinterest idea). California loves recyclers.

It was a low key night. John made chicken risotto and Alan came over to eat and pass out candy with us. The best part? No more painting! The front of the house is done.

A Pinterest Halloween

After a busy week, we carved out Saturday as a prepare-for-Halloween day. 

 John working on his pumpkin from work for their carving contest.

 It's a mummy pumpkin!

He had a plethora of delicious seeds.

We also made several dozen candy corn sugar cookies.

 They were pretty easy, cute, and scrumptious. 

Of course no Saturday would be complete without a little painting.

Alan made the mistake of showing up at our house in the morning wearing work clothes.

He was recruited and we finished the job in time for Trunk or Treating and a Halloween party.

Way To Go, Cards

This is the sign of a productive morning

 which leads to a good-smelling house, tasty dinner

 and some happy guys.

 The 6th game was a nail biter for Cardinals fans,

but they pulled through

and the next night became World Series Champions!

22 Weeks

I wanted to get the matching dresser for the crib, but the finishes were different on the wooden one. So, we traded the crib for the white one.

 Now it looks like a baby's room. We just need the baby.

 The last two weeks I've been needing a nap every afternoon to function. I think he's having a growth spurt.

This is at 22 weeks and my clothes are definitely snug.

Food Storage and Fondue

Our stake has some connection with Guittard and once a year we can order chocolate through them at cost for our food storage.

Naturally, we ordered the 10 pound bar of milk dipping chocolate.

 We tried it out tonight with fondue. We brought over some dippers and Alan made the cheese sauce (from Neil and Ashley's blog)

 Then John and Alan watched the Cardinals destroy the Rangers while I finished homework and prepped the chocolate fondue. (The recipe was 8 ounces heavy whipping cream, 16 ounces chocolate and 1 tsp. vanilla. It was runny but sooo creamy and tasty.)

 Both fondues were highly edible and John's transformation into a chocolate-holic is complete.

The proof was found when he somehow fell asleep snuggling a (sealed) 48 ounce bottle of Hershey's syrup. I woke him up to ask why on earth he had it tucked in bed with him, but he couldn't remember how it got there. I think I over trained him.

Painting, Painting and More Painting

Painting a house is just like painting a room, except it goes on forever. Back at the end of September we primed one of the sided walls after work until it was too dark and we had to pull the headlamps out to finish.

I primed the second wall during that week so it would be protected from moisture.

The next Saturday was conference.

The next Saturday we painted the first coat of paint on the walls. Afterward my back hurt when I moved for about a day and a half.

So the next Saturday when we painted the second coat, we asked Alan to help. They also prepped the front wall (cleaning, filling cracks, scraping off goop from the old trim, etc.) I started getting sore again and put myself on lunch duty.

Alan removed one of the bushes with his truck so we could paint behind it. Then it was time for a temple and Krispy Kreme break.

Then today, John and I primed the front wall, including the little alcove/doorway area.

Proof that I helped. It just looks like John because we're wearing the same shirts and my hair is in a chipmunk tail.

We also picked a new mailbox and spray painted it white and bought a new light for the doorway. (Also, more paint rollers and tray liners. Sorry, environment, those are not worth reusing).

So after many Saturdays of work, we feel closer. We still have two coats on the front wall to paint and a doorbell and house numbers to pick out. (Not to mention the sides and back of the house) But progress has been made!

Another Year Older

We celebrated my sister's birthday on Monday by going out to eat.

We had carrot cup cakes and ice cream afterward. She liked the Lion King theme.

Then she opened presents.

 Her favorites were the pens from my dad. Haha. And new glasses. We went to pick them out at Costco later and they're super cute on her.

(The pens are kind of a joke because her customers at Red Lobster always take hers and she gets tired of replacing them)

Happy 20th birthday Amanda!

Octobertime

 We bought some groupons last month for apple picking, so we took Karen, Alan and Lizzie in between conference sessions.

They braved the jungle to find some delicious Galas.

 There were rows and rows of Fuji trees.

 I let John do the dirty work.

 It was perfect weather and we had a fun time collecting apples and planning some tasty treats to turn them into.

Also this fine October weekend we made some Halloween decorations. 

John's faces were very creative. Apples, conference, ghosts. Fall is in full swing!