Costume Parade

costume parade how-to:

1 - Make treats using Grandma Doris’s recipe:

2 - Practice Halloween songs. “Witch’s Brew” and “Ghostbusters” are favorites.

3 - Ask mom to make an appointment at a retirement home or assisted living facility to visit during social hour. Invite friends to join the fun.

4 - Dress up in a costume.  We had Emmett the Lego hero, an astronaut, a fairy and Cleopatra this year.

5 - Greet new friends with a smile and a wave, or even a hug if they ask. Share a treat if they’d like one. Ask interesting questions like, “Are you excited for Halloween?” “What do you like to dress up as?” “Do you think it will be warm on Halloween?”

 6 – Sing a song or two.

We visited our old friends (ha!) at Emeritus Memory Care on October 30, Alta Ridge Memory Care on October 31,  and at Sarah Daft Home on November 6th. We were really confusing to the Sarah Daft people because "Hasn't Halloween already passed?" Yes, but we might dress up any day of the year I guess. 

Watch the movie: http://youtu.be/wa-QFqmi6Fk

The kids always look forward to the costume parade and the residents remember them from previous years. We even joined in a game of Bingo this year. 

We needed to do lots of fooling around outside once we finished our calm and friendly activities inside. 

Vacation in Jamaica

We spent four great days at Secrets Wild Orchid in Montego Bay.

We ate, sat by the pool, swam in the ocean, snorkeled, went to the spa, did some CrossFit workouts, and sent emails home to the kids. 

Moab (the second time this month!)

Delicate Arch at sunset

Good hikers and photo bombers

It was Jovie's half birthday, so she chose all the activities, hiking and jumping from bed to bed. After a sunset hike to Delicate Arch, we checked into a little cabin at Moab Valley RV park. The kids liked the bunkbed, they made lots of friends on the playground, and Ikey helped a mom and daughter play a giant chess game. He gave them pointers like..."A knight on the rim is dim" and he did some trash-talking which was pretty funny to all of us. TB says we've outgrown the community bathroom setup. His shower was slightly chilly. So that's it for you, little cabins...

And what the heck?!? I am sick on every single vacation. The kids and I got a nasal spray flu vaccine on Thursday because it seemed easier, but 12 hours later I had lost my voice. With my super wimpy ENT system, I developed a sinus infection really quickly. The whole trip, I was coughing and choking but not talking or sleeping. It drove TB crazy, because I kept asking him to yell at the kids for me. It drove them crazy because they really did miss my non-stop lectures. Ikey said I was faking. It drove me crazy when I realized that I am really friendly and I couldn't talk to strangers like I wanted to. When I croaked out that I had lost my voice to the guy at a convenience store, he said he thought I was European and I just didn't understand anything. 

TB was a champ and he played with the kids the whole time I was shopping for more tissues or DayQuil or taking a nap or whatever. They played on the big sand hill across the freeway from Arches' entrance for the first time. 

At 6 am on Sunday, I caught a ride from a fellow cabin-stayer to the shuttle pick up for The Other Half Marathon. It's always so chilly 26 miles up Castle Valley, but not too cold this year, so we just stood by the fire barrels for fun.

This is the first time I've run with an iPhone and I'm sure I lost like five minutes fooling around with it. I kept turning running backward to get photos of the beautiful scenery I was running toward. No more iPhones during races. Another four minutes lost waiting for a port-a-potty at mile 8, and I wasn't going to make my goal of 2:10.

Overall Rank 598/1095
Class Rank 61/115
Gender Rank 318/697
FINAL 2:19:17
Pace 10:36
Chip Final 2:18:54 (I lined up with the 2:10 pacer and it took us 23 sec to get to the start line)
Bib # 557

TB was a good nurse to me during the trip and a good dad. Luckily, he got to ride his bike with the guys on the last trip to Moab, because this trip wasn't his usual speed. 

My prize pint of beer at the finish line. I dumped it out pretty fast. Who drinks beer at 11 am? Well, a lot of people, but not me. 

Red Butte Garden After Dark

We LOVE Garden After Dark. I'm pretty sure we've gone every year of Isaac's life, and I volunteered a few years before that. 

Theo, Ikey, Avi, Ellie, Jovie

Painted faces 

It's usually freezing at Garden After Dark, so we rounded up some "backup costumes" that are cozier than our first string costumes. We were pleasantly surprised by a really mild evening. We also usually lose our friends at the event because the little kids go in every direction. We were pleasantly surprised that we kept three families together this year and the kids had a great time together. 

Ogden Dinosaur Park

It was a little spookier than usual, but we loved it!

http://www.dinosaurpark.org/images/2014--Halloween%20poster%202014.pdf

She is appropriately scared of the huge spider web and the menacing dinosaurs. 

VOLCANO!

Pete's Birthday Party in Moab

TB headed to Moab early in the day to go for a ride with the big guys while the kids and I went to a soccer game. We met up on the trail to Delicate Arch, but we were too late to make it before dark, so we walked the birthday boy, Pete, back to the trailhead and said hey to Dan and lots of Pete's family. 

Then we checked into our swanky accomdations at Moab Springs Ranch.

"This place could not get more luxurious."
"We're living like kings."
"I'm lost in the thoughts of wonder and glory."

Kate and I went running on a pretty trail along the Colorado River.

The guys rode a few more mountain bike trails.

The kids and I checked out the burned out Dewey Bridge in Castle Valley.

That evening, Dan surprised Pete (and all of us too) with a fancy dinner on a beautiful patio at Sorrel River Ranch with a private chef and bartender. The food was great, the location was amazing, and the company was totally enjoyable.

These guys have been friends for 15 years. 

We were so comfortable and we had a superlative time with our little family and our wonderful friends. 

The day we were on TV

My super cute (and somewhat famous) friend Christina goes on TV every month to talk about interesting things she does with her son, and she invited me to talk about Halloween this month. Word....it was FUN. 

Here's the video:
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1194&sid=31787707&title=adventures-with-theo-october-activities

You're cool, Christina. I'm glad we're friends.