Happy Halloween!

What a busy time of year this is, but we sure do LOVE it!  Fall is such a great time for us because we finally have pleasant weather along with all of the fun activities that come with it.  After all the trips we made to Duncan & Pima between August and October (5 trips in all), it has been good to settle down, get ready for Halloween, and the very soon arrival of baby #5.  It has been a very busy month, especially with weekly doctor visits and being in charge of our ward Trunk or Treat-- which DID NOT put me into labor like everyone thought it would.  I'm glad the baby decided to wait so that I wouldn't miss out on all the fun.

Camping on Mt. Graham

September 9th - 11th, 2011

Fun trip with just our family.  Too bad Rachelle got sick on the way--she stayed at the cabin and napped while the rest of us went to Riggs Lake for some fishing.  Kade was lucky and caught the only fish of the day.  The kids loved exploring, playing games & coloring, and Kade loved building us a nice cozy fire in the fireplace.  Even though Rachelle was sick, we still had a great time!

Kade's Cross Over Ceremony

September 15, 2011

It's hard to believe that our Cub Scout days are over and now Kade is a Boy Scout!  We worked really hard to finish up all the last minute requirements for his Arrow of Light, several activity pins, and his Religious Knot.  We are so proud of Kade!

  

Cousin Jarom's Baptism Day

September 24, 2011

Great Lookin' Family:
Damien, Aaron, Tonya, Royce, Megan (in back)
Jarom, & Curtis (in front)

 

This was most of us that attended--both the Beals and Larson families



                    

Father & Son



Jarom Royce Larson

 


Graham Count Fair & Lunt Bunch Pumpkins

October 8th & 9th, 2011

Don took the kids along with our 12 yr. old niece, Lyrica to the Graham County Fair.  I just couldn't put my body through a day on my feet at the fair (I went to the parade and that was enough for the day).  I stayed at my in-laws sewing on Rachelle's Halloween costume, visiting with my mother-in-law, and had time to make a tasty potato/corn chowder soup for dinner.  We were also able to attend the Gila Valley Temple during our stay in Pima.  I'm grateful for my in-laws for always watching the kids so Don & I can attend together and bond closer as a couple.  The Gila Valley Temple has become "our temple"--we attend there more than the Mesa Temple, which is just a couple of miles away!  The rest of the weekend we stayed in Virden, NM at Great Grandpa's and went to the Lunt Bunch pumpkin stand for our most perfect pumpkins.  This year the there wasn't much of a harvest, so we weren't able to go out into the patch.  The kids still had fun picking out the perfect pumpkins. 

Marlyse, Kristen (not so happy!), Kade, and Rachelle



Give her that favorite blanket and now she's happy!



Mother Nature's Farm

October 14, 2011

During October Break, we stayed in town and did some fun things as a family.  One of which was going to Mother Nature's Farm on Baseline, west of Gilbert Rd.  This has become one of our annual fall traditions.  The kids love to decorate their pumpkins (which were pathetically small this year, uggh!), go through the hay bale maze, play in the jump tents, feed the goats & see the other farm animals, and last, but not least, go on a hayrack ride.  We were all wearing our favorite orange for some great fall pics.  Just after we paid to enter the farm, the kids were looking around the gift shop, which always makes me nervous because there are so many things that are breakable.  Then we finally rounded up the bunch and were entering the farm when some farm worker called out to the cashier, "we've got one trying to steal a $10 pumpkin!"  I was looking around at the kids to see if they had stolen some merchandise, then it occurred to me that he was referring to ME!  I had a sizeable "pumpkin" that was stuffed under my shirt!  We all had a good laugh when we realized the joke! 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

Marlyse & Rachelle
Performed at the Arizona State Fair
With Miss Beverly's Dance
Friday, October 21, 2011

 I wanted so badly to go see my girls dance at the State Fair, but my body just couldn't do it!  I also didn't want to have to hassle with the parking, walking, and entrance fee to the fair, when the kids just went to the Graham Co. Fair a couple of weeks before.  So, they carpooled with Miss Beverly--who truly amazes me because she's just as pregnant as me (and even 1 yr. older than me), but in such great physical shape.  Even at 9 months pregnant she's leaping and bounding around in the Dance Loft each week!  I'm going to be getting a copy of the dance performance video.  I can't wait to see how cute they were!  Rachelle's dance class did just one number, some "cotton candy" routine.  Marlyse's dance class did a few numbers, including some "clown" routine.  I took their picture before sending them on their way.  Aren't they cute? 



Boo at the Zoo

Saturday, October 22, 2011

With Don off to his MBA classes on Saturday, it's so much harder for me to pick up and do things with the kids.  So, I invited Aunt Kymra along to Boo at the Phoenix Zoo.  We had fun, but should've gone a couple of hours earlier.  There were still some games and free hand-outs for the kids.  They had a blast and we ended the day with a trip over to the water features.  I didn't think they had the water on still so we weren't prepared with swimsuits, so I just let the kids get wet in their clothes.  They didn't seem to care--it was a hot day, so getting wet was refreshing.



Me & my "wild" bunch at the zoo




The "wild" bunch



Aunt Kymra & the "wild" bunch

MacArthur School Parade

Friday, October 28, 2011

Don went to work a little late so that we could go to the MacArthur Halloween parade.  This has been a fun tradition.  Kristen had so much fun waving to all the kids, especially her older sisters.  After the parade, Don took Kristen over to Uncle Brian's for a few hours while I took pictures of the kids and all their fun parties.  It was one last time to help out in the kids' classrooms before the baby would be born.

There's my Rachelle as Strawberry Shortcake-- such a fun costume!

There's my Marlyse as a Vampire Diva-- we just couldn't do the horrible teeth!

1st grade party fun

3rd grade party fun

5th grade party fun


Carving Pumpkins &
Trunk or Treat
Saturday, October 29, 2011

At the Larsons, we take this pumpkin carving seriously!  Don carved Strawberry Shortcake for Rachelle, Kade carved a series of pumpkins & titled it "Eating Their Own Kind,"  and Marlyse carved Minnie Mouse.  Even Kristen carved a pumpkin this year, with the help of big brother, Kade.  Kristen's was a cat. 

This year, I just couldn't make costumes for all the kids.  So, Marlyse wore an after Halloween clearance special from Marshalls --something I bought a couple of years ago.  I think she looked great as a vampire diva.  Kristen got to be the witch this year--a great costume I made for Marlyse years ago, which has been handed down to Rachelle and now to Kristen.  She loved being a witch and perfected her nasty, "Ha, ha, ha!"  Kade's was most logistically challenging to make, but with the help of Don, we pulled it off just the night before Trunk or Treat.  We warned Kade that it would be very uncomfortable and that he would have to endure 2+ hours of it being on him.  He was a great sport and made an awesome Lego man.  Rachelle was so adorable as Strawberry Shortcake.  She was so cute and excited to dress up.  I thought of all the little details and put it all together.  I'd have to say I'm proud of how cute it turned out--even down to the red dyed hair & freckles!  So much FUN, FUN, FUN!  I'm glad that the baby didn't come before all of these Halloween festivities.  I just wouldn't want to miss any of the fun!

Halloween Night

Monday, October 31, 2011

Normally Don has one of his MBA classes on Monday night, but class was cancelled for Halloween night.  He took the kids trick-or-treating in our neighborhood while I handed out the candy at home.  We had about 122 trick-or-treaters in all!  I was hopping busy!  I had so many compliments on my costume as a fish bowl--thanks to my friend Marian for the idea & the shirt!  I even put 5 little fishies on my belly to represent all my little ones.  Of course, I was hoping that the littlest one would jump out of the bowl before Halloween, but NOPE!  I had my dr. visit with Dr. Huish earlier that morning, but I wasn't making much progress-- only 2 cm dilated and only 50% effaced.  He wouldn't even strip my membranes because I wasn't far enough progressed.  So, he told me to have fun with the kids on Halloween night.  Sure did!

Me & my huge fish bowl

What did we do with all that extra candy?  Well, on November 1st I sold back 5 lbs. at Robison Orthodontics for $2/lb.  They do this event every year--kids earn money, the kids' schools earn money, and they send the extra candy to the troops serving in the military.  The kids were excited to get those "golden" dollars.  I should've sold back another 3 lbs.  Each family can sell a max of 8 lbs.  Next year...