Happy Halloween 2014

Happy Halloween! The kids are home from school today. We have been relaxing, playing with pumpkins, and mentally preparing for the festivities tonight. (The kids are super excited!) I like Halloween, but what I really love are the holidays to come... bring on the spirit of gratitude, and light, with Thanksgiving and Christmas! Woo!

It has been a pretty fun day, except I tweaked my back out yesterday, and I can barely bend over properly. Ugh. I was just reaching for the toilet brush, and WHAM! I have been sick for the past few weeks, so I think everything is just kind of "off" with my body, and my back decided to remind me what pain feels like. I have been applying hot/cold, and trying to stretch it out and keep moving. I don't really have the lying down and doing nothing option, so I just gotta keep on keeping on. It hurts, but that is life sometimes. Pain will not keep me from the festivities. Though it may keep me in the car rather than walking around... not sure yet!

This too shall pass, right? Right.

Last night we carved our pumpkins. The kids did it all on their own this year, without help from me, or daddy. Charles always loved carving pumpkins and he would take his time and be very elaborate. I missed his excitement this year. We all did. But we managed to still have some fun. My fun was mingled with intense physical pain, but I tried to be in the moment with the kids. I did complain quite a bit though... as the kids will testify. I required a lot of help with everything, especially keeping after Henry, and changing his diaper. I am so grateful I have kids who can help when I need it. And I am grateful they are so understanding.

We have a tradition of lighting the pumpkins, turning out the lights, and reading Halloween stories. We read from an old Primary book I found at my grandma's house, after she passed away. The book is called, "Tell me a Story." The stories are just sweet and fun, and the kids love them. We read the stories by flashlight. It was when we were gathered around as family reading when William said, "Now it feels like Halloween!" And he was right, it did! There is just something about gathering and reading together as family... it is special.

We also have a tradition of watching a video of the Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland. We have a movie that has a behind the scenes of the ride, and it is so fun to watch it, and feel the magic. We love Disneyland, and we love the Haunted Mansion ride. It is perfect for getting in the Halloween mood.

It was super exciting for us to watch the video this year, because we will be riding the Haunted Mansion ride in just a few weeks!

That's right... we are going to Disneyland! YaHOO! I can't wait!

Don't worry, I will take tons of pictures!

Here are some pre-Halloween pictures... more to come after the festivities tonight!

Happy Halloween to all!