Ethan's 1st Halloween Dance

Ethan decided to go to the Stake Dance and stewed about what to be for days. It finally came down between "Shaggy" or "Frankenstein's Monster". Obviously he chose the latter. We sprayed his hair black and colored his face, neck, wrists, and hands. We put the bolts on and as I write he is at the dance. I so hope he has fun and that a few of his friends go. When I dropped him off I didn't see many who were dressed up so I hope he has a good time! I was surprised at how excited he seemed for this dance!

Hee Haws Farms

Hee Haws Farms has been a tradition for our family ever since Ethan was in kindergarten. To us, it's the best Fall fun in all of Utah. The kids were excited to go to the petting zoo because 9 baby piglets were born this year. Reagan and Ava enjoyed a ride on the animal train (the others thought they were a little too big). They all then went down the huge slide over and over again. This is a favorite attraction for our group! Their absolute favorite activity was the corn box though. They stayed and played in that for at least an hour total. They loved burying each other and diving and swimming in this huge box of corn kernals. We also went on a hay wagon ride out to a pumpkin patch. It really was a fun evening with cousins!!

Donut Eating Contest

This was so much fun to have the kids try. Brad was definitely "king" of the contest. He was able to put the whole donut into his mouth without using his hands and bite it off the string. The rest of the kids would take bites and parts of the donut would fall to the ground. Ava and Reagan used their hands of course and little Whitney wanted no part of this competition!

Fall Fun!

Again, I have these pictures backward! I decided it would be fun to have some fun fall activities and then go to Hee Haws Farm with the cousins this year. Rachel and the kids were going to come but she wasn't feeling up to it after her operation the day before. But Jill and her kiddos came. We had dinner together and then did a "pumpkin rolling" contest and a "donut eating" contest before heading out to the farm. The pumpkin rolling contest was so funny. Brad and Nick started it off and then if was supposed to be Ava and Reagan. Well, Reagan decided it was taking too long to roll so she picked her pumpkin up and ran it to the finish line. I think Ava only rolled hers half way and then Jake took over. They loved this!

Family Dinner at Merrill Household

We had a family dinner last Sunday at Mom and Dad's. They made a delicious taco soup and Alisa made some amazing pumpkin bars. Everyone had a good visit and the kids had so much fun playing together. (except little Autumn got sick and didn't get to enjoy it as much as usual). Baby Meg looks so much like Kate did at this age. She is a sweetie and is getting used to us a little bit more.

Ava and Finn

Up until a few days ago, this was the boy that Ava has insisted will be her future husband! She and Finn have been best buds for the last couple of years. Here they are getting ready to go to a Halloween party. (Ava gets invited to more parties than the rest of us put together!)

Family Photo-2011

This is probably not the best shot of us since the kids are doing silly faces and I'm wearing the exact same sweater as last year's family photo but it will have to do since I will just be getting fatter as time goes by. At least there's some greenery and rock with the beautiful orange brick;) Maybe next year we'll get a good one with our new precious baby in tow!

More Photos of Autumn on her Special Day

As usual, I should have put these first and the photo of Autumn and her family here but I always seem to do it backwards! Here she is with Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Dave.

Autumn's Baptism

I used "picnik" to frame this photo I took of Autumn and her family on her special day. She was so happy and Grandpa Merrill got to baptize her and confirm her as well. She was going to ask Uncle Dean to speak but he was out of town so she asked me;) I was able to speak about the Holy Ghost. I thought it was going to be just our family and Shane's but it turned out to be in the chapel with lots of people. Anyway, it was a beautiful day for a beautiful girl! We all went to the Shaw home for chili soup and brownies afterward. Such a fun day!!

Midway with Grandma!

Every fall we go to Midway with Grandma Merrill. We love to go to a little boutique named, "Racehorse Lane". It's just full of little treasures and fun things but we mostly just love the atmosphere of Midway and love to look at all the old Swiss style buildings. This time we stopped at a little place called "Scrappy's Timp Freeze" for hamburgers and ice cream. We then had to hurry home so Jake and Brad could go to a BYU football game with Dennis and Ethan.