Just a little Halloween Fun

Maddie had fun scaring the crap out of everyone at the Haunted Hallway at School.

Maddie and Christopher cut pumpkins.  (Zach was out of town at NAU)

Apparently Nick decorated a pumpkin as well!  (ENJBI = Elder Nicholas John Berrett the First)

Maddie dressed up as a nerd.

Christopher recycled Nick's old Harry Potter costume that had somehow survived not going to DI for the last 10 years.

Zach's Band trip to NAU

Zach got to go with his marching band to Northern Arizona University.

I instructed him to take lots of pictures, especially lots of selfies (he's not such a fan of the selfie, so this was a real sacrifice for him) so I could have material for my blog and instagram account.

I know he had a lot of fun at NAU because he told me, and is now considering attending there, but I didn't get as many pictures as I had hoped.  (I think they were discouraged from having their phones out at all and/or their uniforms didn't have pockets with which to carry their phones)

Thankfully they went to the Grand Canyon so I got a few.

Grandpa

Grandpa Berrett was in town for just a little bit, so he came to see us.  He was in town just long enough to visit, have dinner, and see our new home.  He offered to take us out to dinner, but as it was a Sunday, I counter offered to cook his favorite meal that I make - chicken enchiladas.  You might say I made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Ü

Grandparents Rock!

My kids are really lucky.  They have the best grandparents that they totally adore.

But unfortunately they don't get to see them all the time as none of them live in our state. That's the one downside.  Quality over quantity I guess?

Anyways, grandparents day at the local elementary school rolled around, and although he would have had several grandparents fighting over who got to go and sit by him, none happened to be in town that week. 

 So I did what any good mama would do, and I picked up In 'n Out, and headed on over to the Christopher's elementary school for lunch.

He thought I was an acceptable substitute.

concerts...

Having kids in the performing arts means lots of concerts.  It's fun though.  I love it. 

I love watching my kids pursue the things that make them happy, even if sometimes I don't bother taking pictures of them performing because they don't practice enough and therefore on the back row and not visible during the performance.

I confess that I've heard my child play and it has brought me to tears.  Not because it is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard, but I am just so flipping proud of them, even if they are perfectly happy to be on the back row.  It's still years of work and dedication, and they are apart of something beautiful and amazing that gives them joy.

After the band concert. He's such a good sport to let me take a picture. 

Before choir concert selfie

Concert choir.  She's in the middle somewhere. 

Captain Flo

Only orchestra picture I took. There's Maddie, doing what she does. Taking charge, making things happen, and bossing the boys around.