Halloween

**I'm not feeling witty, or Whitty, so I will let the pictures do most of the talking in this post (keep your sighs of relief to yourselves!)


We started our Halloween celebrations a bit early this year. With Kit being out of town (he's been gone for 3 weeks for training in VA) I thought to give us a head start and enjoy the season...(okay, so the real reason was mostly to have things spaced out so we have something to look forward to and to save me stress)

We started by carving jack-o-lanterns for FHE last week. A bit early, I know-my boys go outside every day to check and see if they are "decaying" but, I couldn't wait! I LOVE carving pumpkins. It is one of my favorite Halloween traditions. The tension relieved by ripping out something's innards, maybe. Whatever the reason, I {HEART} pumpkin carving. I don't actually carve things myself. I leave that up to whoever the best carver is. I have too many memories of ruined creations...eyelashes falling out, ears coming off, teeth getting knocked out...(not me, my favored pumpkin) just ask my family, it was ruinous to the occasion. So to save myself the heartache, I have retired my personal knife and I am now self-proclaimed Queen Innards Remover. Since Kit was gone, the carver was my brother, Mack. The boys drew out their ideas and Uncle Mack made them happen.

You will notice how Josiah and Gunnison look a little "special" in the next couple of photos...

Mack, the carver, relishing in the use of his big knife

I love how cute my boys look with their pleased expressions {{hugs}}

We had our annual ward Chili cook-off and Trunk-or-Treat this year. I love ANY event where they will feed me chili! Yummo!! So, I was inspired to put together costumes sooner than the day before the big H. Despite the distance between us, Kit made a major contribution to Halloween this year in the form of figuring out what Gunner and I should be. We knew Gavin was going to be a leprechaun for Halloween back in the summer (his decision) and when we were in OK helping Steph pack for her move we came across this little linen suit of Grey's and knew it was perfect. Add his mischievous grin and red hair (which is hiding under the hat) it was a perfect fit. I didn't have to do much with his costume other than stencil "GOLD" on his pot and put it together. Josiah's was another matter. He has been quite excited about what he wanted to be for a LONG time, but-what to be?? That has been the question plaguing us for awhile. From Darth Vader to a porcupine to a door (yes, a door...per Jos-"They can be quite dangerous you know. One minute you'll be walking along minding your own business and Boom! you walk right into one! It happens to me all the time." ) We finally agreed on the eyeball and without too much difficulty got it put together. Gunnison was "God's gift to Women". He wore his bow and a gift tag. His smile was infectious and I thought he pulled it off well. ;) I was a Pumpkin Thief. A couple of "huh?"s, but most people got my husband's sense of humor. It made me smile, so it was worth the funny looks!

**I apologize for the next pictures. Mack's camera was struggling, too. I'd better get mine fixed before the upcoming holidays!**

The boys and their "Prince Charming" Uncle Mack

Me...and my stolen pumpkin

You can't see the belly too well 'cause I'm wearing oh-so-slimming black and the camouflage of a child, so this next one embarrasses me plenty...all because I love you!!!


( I totally pull off the Fertility Goddess look here, especially if you could see my nicely rounded thighs!)

"4" means you can climb trees...

Gavin was quite excited for his birthday. He knew that once he hit the fab age of "4" he'd be able to climb to the very top of the magnolia tree in our front-yard. He's still working at it, but that's just 'cause he's a "new 4 year old."

We love birthdays in our house. I'm sure I've said this before, but birthdays have always been so special in both my family and Kit's growing up. It doesn't have to be big, but it is still a fabulous day to celebrate only you! We started the day with the birthday banner and streamers hanging and Kit woke Gavin up to go to Krispy Kreme's for a pick-out-whatever-you-want breakfast. Gavin chose an ooey-gooey chocolate sprinkled covered donut and managed to eat half of it. I think most of the fun came from picking out and less from the eating. :) From there he came home and his birthday fun started (actually, I let him lay around in his jammies and watch T.V. while I took care of the chores).

We don't open gifts until everyone can be there, and it is SO hard to wait when you're little and Daddy coming home is such a long time away! My grandma (Grandma B. to my beasties) send a card with a dollar for Gavin to spend all on his own and we needed to complete the task of cake and icecream picking-out, so we decided a birthday trip to Wal-mart was in order. DON'T go to Wal-mart with only a dollar. When the sight of your very own Power Wheels army jeep stares you in the face, a dollar dinosaur, plane shooter, ball, or box of candy just doesn't look quite as good. After convincing Gav his dollar just wouldn't stretch that far, we took a break from the toy section and headed to the bakery. Those ginormous cakes sure look appealing! Gavin was pretty sure he needed one all covered in butterflies and bright colors...it was only $20!! Knowing my children do not really eat birthday cake, we decided on a bright, cute, round, yellow one with large sprinkles, a happy birthday sign and "Gavin" written in green. From there we moved on to the icecream choices. I even thought we'd splurge and get the non-Wal-mart brand. Despite all of the appealing choices, he still chose Neopolitan and called it a great birthday trip. ( A couple days later we went to Dollar Tree and was able to find many more choices to spend his dollar on!)

After picking up Josiah from school and Daddy and Uncle Mack got home, we opened the gifts. It is always such an event in this household. We have to field little hands from opening gifts before the birthday boy (Gunner opened the one gift sack 3 different times during the day, thankfully without Gavin seeing, until I was able to put it up and out of the way). He loved everything he was given. THANK YOU EVERYONE!!! He even got a brand new big-boy bike he had asked for, but by far the hit of the day was the bow and arrow Josiah gave him. Funny how the one of the cheapest things can be the best (although only one of the arrows isn't broken now, boo). Second to that was the cowboy costume his Mimi chose for him. Crazy boy has been wearing it non-stop. But what else should I expect from the boy with the never-ending imagination!

From there we headed to the Boiling Pot for what else-crawfish and shrimp! Gavin's all-time fav food! After devoring a huge plate of fried shrimp po-boys, crawfish tails and fries we headed home (with an enormous to-go box) to attempt to eat cake and icecream. Gavin went to bed one happy "new" 4 year old.


Today he used his Aunt Sydnee's gift- a Build-a-Bear gift card and got the cutest turkey, named Figwort (so named with the aid of Josiah) and a pet Jack Russel terrier for Figwort, named Figger (hmmm, I wonder how he came up with that one?). It was a fun way to spend Josiah's day off of school and a good time to spend with Daddy before he left (to a training school for a few weeks). Thanks Aunt Sydnee, Uncle Dale, Parker and Ellee!!

**Our camera went on the fritz...not many pictures...the rest are on Kit's phone, but it wasn't downloading right...sorry**

Pandemonium begins
The prized bow and arrow


Our Rough 'n' Tough cowboy
(his hair was done, he just messed it up tons putting on and taking off the cowboy hat that came with it)

This one is only to show inquiring minds the baby belly resting on my thighs

Brothers...

I love how my boys all love each other. Josiah will try to bring Gavin something home from school each day, whether it is a rock, a leftover piece of his afternoon snack or simply a picture from school. Both Gavin and Josiah watch out for Gunner, their eagle-eye watching usually taking the form of yanking some object deemed "unsuitable" from his hands amid shouts, squeals and cries. Gunner is sad when his big brothers aren't with him and so excited when they come home. They truly love one another. Don't get me wrong, my boys are rough and tough and do not hesitate to throw balls at the others' head and tackle each other on a whim. Yet despite all that, they are best friends. I love their camaraderie. I hope this love will extend to their little sister. I want them to be her friend as well as her protector. Well...maybe not too protective...Kit is already feeling sorry of the guy who thinks he'll be worthy to date her. Three big brothers and one big Daddy is an awful lot of testosterone to contend with. ;)

You did read correctly...kinda hard to believe, but it is true...


It's a GIRL!!!

The Great Red Ruby

A couple of weeks ago Kit opened one of our kitchen drawers to see this:

What is it? Play-doh squished and squashed around a juicer.


According to Gavin, it is the Great Red Ruby, hidden by pirates...buried treasure...

Becoming a Son of Thunder...

Written by Kit

My father-in-law uses this term for someone who has the fire of righteousness in them. He gets the reference from the New Testament which references the Apostles James and John who in the gospel of Mark 2:17 refers to them as “Sons of Thunder”. Also in Luke 9:52-54 there is a story about James and John, 52. And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53. And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? I know that if the Lord had let them, they would have had faith the carry out the desire. My father-in-law, when working with others as a member of the Stake Presidency, asked that we have the “thunder” and I, as a missionary, I used the term “fire”, to please the Lord, to be a “son (or Daughter) of thunder”.

Over the last 6 months or so I have had the great privilege to witness the development of a “Son of Thunder”. As many of you might know, my brother-in-law, Mack, has been living with us. When he came to live with us he is what most would have call a typical 19 year old. Caught is his own world, where scuba diving, cars and the “where is the next fun thing for me” attitude centered his life. Don’t get me wrong, Mack has always been a good kid and I have always loved him. But over the last few months I have seen a visual and spiritual change. I have seen a boy become a man, and the words that I heard my father-in-law speak of solidified in my mind.

I was called as Elder Quorum President and one of the brothers in the ward had become blind among dealing with other health issues. I was asked by the bishop to find some one to help up keep his lawn. I asked Mack to do this. He smiled at me and said, “Yes Pres. Applegate, I’d love to,” and he did. Every week he would take his time and go to the brother’s home and mow his lawn. Every week when I ask who will help the Elders in our ward by going on splits he always raises his hand and helps out the servants of the Lord in doing His work. Just this last week another brother in the ward had his sewer pipe running by his house collapse. It was a last minute thing and late on Friday night I asked Mack if he could help the following Saturday morning bright and early. He said, ”No problem.” As we worked on the 20 ft of sewer, he was joking and laughing and working very hard. I heard comments from others on the work crew like “Mack the human Earth mover” and even the Bishop gave him the nickname Bobcat because he worked like one. At the end of the day when we were driving home, Mack and I were talking and he told me, “I felt that the Lord was with me, He (the Lord) had to have given me strength because I wasn’t tired and am not tired.” Most 19 year old boys would have said, “I’m the man” or “ yeah I’m a stud”, but this Son of Thunder laid his success at the feet of the Lord. My boys look up to Mack, they love him. He always takes time to play with them. He has told Lib and me to go on dates and he watches them. As I see their eyes light up when he talks to them and he wrestles them I can’t think of anybody else I would rather have them admire.
Over the last months I have seen his countenance change. I see light when I look at him. When he teaches in Elders Quorum I see light, when he plays with my boys I see light. To those who think that they know Mack and the phrase “Son of thunder” doesn’t come to mind, then they truly do not know him. Is he perfect? No, but this is why he and we are, becoming Sons of Thunder.

Addendum-Pitcher Plants

Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap....foraging, flying or crawling insects such as flies are attracted to the cavity formed by the cupped leaf, often by visual lures such as anthocyanin pigments, and nectar bribes. The sides of the pitcher are slippery and may be grooved in such a way so as to ensure that the insects cannot climb out. The small bodies of liquid contained within the pitcher traps are called phytotelmata. They drown the insect, and the body of it is gradually dissolved. This may occur by bacterial action (the bacteria being washed into the pitcher by rainfall) or by enzymes secreted by the plant itself. --Wikipedia

Belated Labor Day

I have been meaning to post this...but, you know how the time to post can get away from you like laundry duty, check-book balancing and child rearing.

We had a fun Labor Day despite canceled plans and inclement weather. Our plan was to go across the Bay to Foley and check out their old soda shop. We got the boys all excited just to be disappointed with darkened windows and a "Sorry we're closed" sign on the door. Bummer! Whatever shall we do?

Pizza to the rescue! We had passed a billboard sign advertising for Mellow Mushroom pizza on our way into town and Josiah has wanted to go there since, well, FOREVER. The decision soon turned sighs and moans into grins. Thank heavens-having 3 little boys mutinying is not a pretty sight! We were entertained by spying on the kitchen preparing the pizzas by stretching and tossing the dough into the air. We then devoured hot, stringy-cheesed, yummy pizza (not quite on par with Hideaway pizza despite its fabulousness).

Yes, my husband often looks like this

Josiah and Gunnison cheesing it

My brother Mack and the elusive Gavin

Captured, Gavin allowed us to get a picture of him

Noticing the blackening sky and almost drinkable, humidified air outside we decided to take a chance and see if we could squeeze in a couple of easy geo-caches. After a quick find, we headed to destination #2, a pitcher plant bog. It was a board-walked area above soggy ground filled with striking pitcher plants. Here and there we were able to spot beautiful swallowtail butterflies and delicate orchids. The threat of seeing a possible cotton-mouth kept my children securely on the board-walk, but encouraged much leaning over the edge and exclaims of imagined sightings. We made it back to the car as the first large drops began to fall (we have ginormous raindrops here). Perfect timing! We drove a more scenic route back to the Bay and then on towards home.

Family Pic

*Please excuse my bad hair-incredibly, ugly humid and my fat arm-I hope it really doesn't look so fat when I stand normal...here is an infamous belly-shot

It was one of those days where things don't go as planned, but is full of fun and relaxation. Simply getting away is out of the norm, so it was exactly what was needed by all of us.