Reid and Stefani Adopt

Thanksgiving this year was a success.  Reid successfully smoked a delicious turkey, and it is all gone already.  For the first time in 5 years, Reid's family didn't come to celebrate Thanksgiving with us.  We missed them, but the day was still good.  We had a quiet Thanksgiving dinner at a friend's house.  We went to the park afterwards. Esther played on the playground equipment, and I got to hold a baby. Isaac and Reid played baseball.  Somehow, the baseball ended up in a fenced tennis court that was locked.  So then I felt double lucky when I got to hand our friend's baby to Reid and climb the fence to get the ball.  Then the mosquitos came calling, so we went back and had pie.  The kids fell asleep in the car on the way home.  I think the kids had fun with their friends and we definitely ate well. The day after Thanksgiving was Esther's 3rd Birthday.  It's crazy to think that 3 years have already passed since this little sassy pants entered our lives.

So far this month, Isaac finished his last soccer game with his favorite coach (Reid), and our children continue to entertain us with the funny things they say and do, and we went to see Santa at the Mall in Orlando.  Isaac loved having his dad as a soccer coach this year.  He has really improved as a soccer player.  He made more goals the last half of the season and had a blast the whole season.  I remember one day when we went to soccer just to turn around and go home because it had been cancelled due to rain, and Isaac cried pretty hard over that.  Last Saturday he had a get together with his friends from soccer and had one last hurrah with them.  They played and had cupcakes and popcorn.  It was fun to watch them play together.  Needless to say, he will miss soccer. Our children are always doing things that both make us laugh and frustrate us.  I had taken out the carseats to clean them, and Isaac's carseat was sitting in the living room waiting for me to put it back

This Halloween we did a family costume theme, which we have never done before.  We would never have pulled it off except our good friends the Terrys already had a Gru and Lucy costume from a few years prior.  So if you can't tell yet, I am Lucy Wilde from Despicable Me 2, and Reid is Gru, and our children are minions.   I also did the traditional Monster Mash, Monster Lips, Bug Juice, and Pumpkin Roll-ups I've done in previous years--only to discover no one but me really likes the Monster Mash.  (Insert frowny emoji here.)  Anyway, it may be time for a new Halloween themed meal.  One that I don't have to force my kids to eat before they get any Halloween candy would be good.   The ward Trunk-or-Treat Friday night. Isaac got Vampire teeth at church.  Esther and her monster mash and pumpkin rolls-ups. Isaac loving on his monster themed dinner.  Isaac's witch pumpkin, carved by Mom (right).  Isaac's painted pumpkin from Preschool (middle)