Double Digits!

 Erik is now 10! I'm not sure what I feel about that, everything has gone by so fast! It seems like not long ago I just arrived home from the hospital with him on Thanksgiving. Things have changed so much since then!

We celebrated with his friends about 10 days ago. We weren't really sure what we were going to do for his party, but suddenly I decided we should have a Harry Potter-themed party, mostly because my friend has an awesome quidditch set that she had used at a school function, but also because Erik does like Harry Potter and he likes to watch movies. He was even Harry Potter for Halloween! 

He's not much into crafts, so we played quidditch in the backyard and then a round of muggle soccer, just because most of the boys are soccer players and the weather was actually good enough to be outside longer. You never know with the weather around here during this time of year when party planning. I led them on a Harry Potter scavenger hunt afterward, then they ate snacks, he opened presents, and we sang Happy Birthday so we could eat cake. 

The foam noodles were the broomsticks, though a couple of boys used broomsticks. 

It was hard, but they loved it!

Soccer!

I had planned the party from 1-5, in between mealtimes, since Erik doesn't eat typical meals. That way I could get away with serving cheese, various forms of pretzels, chips, grapes, carrots, and butterbeer, without feeling like I should have served a meal. Even still, I felt like these 10-year-old boys may have wanted more of a meal. They did enjoy the snacks and were so gracious and polite. For the scavenger hunt prizes, they got chocolate frogs, "every flavor beans", and gummy slugs in bags. They ate those with popcorn while they watched the first Harry Potter movie. They took a few trampoline breaks during the movie, and I told the parents that they could pick up during the movie if they wanted since it was long. A few came earlier to pick up, but most of the boys stayed to watch till the party ended, but we didn't get to finish watching it because of all the breaks we took and the amount of time we played outside beforehand, for which I'm perfectly fine with!

Long, thick pretzel sticks and waffle pretzels were hits wrapped in the cheese.

Our friend Kennedy has a cake business and she made the cake. She's 13. Her mom is the one who we borrowed the quidditch game and decorations from. 

The crew!

For planning it last minute, it went very well!

On Erik's birthday, he woke up to The Beatles playing Birthday, with Jason and I and Gramms and Abuelo ready to greet him downstairs! Everyone else had already gone to school. He got lemonade in the special birthday cup and some cinnamon sugar donuts, shaped like a 10. When he arrived home, it was straight to open presents and sing Happy Birthday before Austin had to go to his piano lesson, followed by Victoria leaving for dance for many hours. Austin was back before long, but Kai and I went to her marching band/ color guard banquet, while Jason and his parents took the boys for dinner at McDonald's, per Erik's request. He got to watch a movie afterward since there's no school the day before Thanksgiving!

At Miller, they have these Be Kind shirts that they sold this year. Every once in a while they all wear them to school. Erik's birthday was one of those days.

Super cute shirts!

Lucky boy has Gramms and Abuelo visiting!

Bill Nye book!

He had to change places to open all his presents!

Because of Victoria's prank on Erik recently, feeding him a pickle when he thought it was a jolly rancher, my mom had us put jolly ranchers in a pickle jar with her card. He has a very convincingly sad face here.

Jolly rancher side!

He loves games!

And books!

It was so fun celebrating my youngest! 

He's such a responsible child. Always leaves on time for school on his bike, without being told, gets ready for church and soccer, without much reminding of what to do, completes whatever small amount of homework he has without reminding, is a curious student, and a very kind friend. He has compassion for others and gives excellent hugs to Mom and Dad before he leaves for school. He's come a long way in terms of singing at church- going from not wanting anything to do with it, to participating in the Primary program and even singing the hymns in sacrament meeting! He loves soccer (and is a reliable defender), geology, geography, reading informational books and graphic novels, and math. 

We love this guy!

New Hobby?

The kids had the day off of school for Election Day last Tuesday. I still went to work in the morning, but I wanted to do something fun with the kids when I returned. Kai had color guard practice and Victoria had things planned, so I made arrangements with Jason to bring his new truck (yes, he finally got the truck he's been waiting patiently for!) to ride bikes with Austin and Erik at Maybury. 

Jason has been waiting for months for a Ford F150. Due to the microchip shortage, there hasn't been any availability to what he was looking for. Since he currently works at home, it didn't make too much of a difference, but some evenings it would get tricky if he needed to be somewhere for church, and Victoria and I had the cars the places we needed to be at. He ordered it off Vroom and it arrived from Texas. When I realized that we finally had a truck to do something like loading a bunch of bikes in the bed, I was all over the bike ride plan. Austin even brought a friend! In the past, we have done it with our bike carrier, but it's such a pain! I loved just having an open space to put them in.

At Maybury, we stayed on the pavement, like I had told Owen's mom we would because of the last time Austin and I tried to ride on the rocky, rooty, hilly, bumpy trails. It didn't go well! However, all of a sudden I found that we were on just such a trail in order to avoid going back up a big hill we rode down that Austin didn't feel like riding back up. It turned out that we were all fairly successful in completing the trail ride, even though it was Owen's and Erik's first time doing that and only mine and Austin's second. Though I don't think we can really count the first since he was on his behind most of the time due to how many falls occurred. We have since acquired better trail bikes. 

I am still not fond of trail riding, I much prefer road riding, but those boys were sold and I see many more trail rides in the future. With our King Midas, our new truck, I think we can make it happen!

Halloween Hype

 If you didn't know, Halloween is the favorite holiday of most of my kids. Like, crazy favorite for some of them. They would really want to have that house that is super spooky and really decked out for Halloween. Too bad for them, I don't really like all the creepy decor, but I allow them to participate in as many Halloween activities as we can manage.

Here's what happened this year:

On Wednesday after practice, the marching band and color guard got to enjoy a trunk or treat put on by the parents. I got a picture of my trunk and costume, but totally forgot to take a picture of Kai going by! There were so many kids to give candy to, it just slipped my mind!

I had a bean bag toss for my trunk decor. And I've decided that onsies are the way to go for Halloween costumes here. They're so warm and cozy!

Victoria went to a haunted house Wednesday night with some friends. She was supposed to go to YW to help prepare the games for the ward trunk or treat on Friday, but since she has competition dance practice on Fridays now she couldn't go. So she enjoyed a spooky night at the haunted house on Wednesday instead.

Thursday after school was Austin's middle school "dance" and activities. I didn't get to be there, but it sounds like it wasn't as fun as he had hoped. There was no food and just games and music. I don't know what he was expecting, but I feel bad that he didn't have fun.

He wanted some creepy make-up, but no skull like I had planned on doing. With the face mask on, though, you couldn't see most of it. This was for the first day of Halloween fun, so it got better.

Erik's school hosted their Pumpkin Path on Thursday as well. It was basically trick-or-treating outside the school to each grade level along a path of carved pumpkins that the kids provided. Each grade level had a theme and the kids got lots of candy. Erik really enjoyed his activity!

Erik made a fabulous Harry Potter and Kai did such a good job on his scar that Jason actually asked him what had happened!

Friday night was the ward trunk or treat. After picking up Kai from color guard, it turned out she wanted to go with us if she could bring a friend. We met Jason and the boys there, including little Jacob, my friend Becky's son. She had to work and Jacob loves hanging out with Erik. It worked out great! After the party, a bunch of youth met up for an after-party. Kai had to get home to bed for competition the next day, but lucky for Victoria she could go to that after dance. They watched Coraline.

Look who stole my cow onsie idea! It's ok, it was fun to wear my overalls too...

The cutest little construction man!

A little blurry, but this is night 2 of the make-up. A little more realistic.

I had to snap this real quick because I missed her at the marching band activity. Kai was a serial killer. The stick had to stay home because it's a weapon. 

Austin and Owen at the church.

Isa and Kai. Friends make serial killers less scary-looking....

Believe it or not, nothing Halloween-related occurred on Saturday. For Sunday, we had decided to have some friends from church over for an early dinner. We chose friends whose youngest are in their teens so we didn't get in anyone's way for family trick or treating prep. We allowed Kai to go to Olivia's house for dinner and trick or treat. She's been going to Olivia's house for Halloween since 3rd or 4th grade. Her mom called me specifically to ask me if I would allow Kai to go there, even though it was on a Sunday. While we missed Kai here, we had fun with friends. I served pulled pork sandwiches (the best I've ever made!) and baked beans. Friends brought mashed potatoes, a veggie tray, and yummy desserts (including a delicious trifle!) 

 Halloween house made during the football games. 

Kai and Olivia

The teens at Sunday dinner.

The adults- Who knows where Austin and Erik were at this moment?

My cute silverware holders!

We never pictured our carving night, as in years past. They were carved at different times due to everyone's crazy schedules and because Victoria carved hers at YW.

I had planned on going trick or treating with Jason and my boys. I figured we would meet up with the Harris family, Austin's good friend down the street, like we usually do. However, Kaleb stopped by around 6, ready to go! His parents were with his brothers. It was then that I realized that Austin and Kaleb are in 7th grade, they don't need parents to go with them! So, they went off with Erik. Jason and I talked with neighbors outside. It was a very fun evening for me! At almost the final hour of trick or treating, Victoria decided to go trick or treating with some younger friends of hers, then she picked up Kai on her way back. 

Austin and Kaleb

It was definitely different than what I was thinking, but it was a worthwhile time with great friends!