Happy Halloween!!

Hard to believe that Kaeden was only 2 weeks old this time last year! He slept through the trunk or treat then, he walked around and around and around it this year! Last year he was a pumpkin, this year he was the Incredible Hulk! He didn't mind the costume, but DID NOT like the little hat that went with it. He also liked to carry his little candy basket around, thanks Grandma Great!




We went to our church trunk or treat tonight. There was a chili dinner, games for the kids and then we decorated our trunks and passed out tons of candy. Kaeden actually had a great time...playing with all the rocks :-) He wasn't much interested in the costumes or games, he just wanted to throw rocks all night. He also like to run around the light generator and yell at it, cuz it was making so much noise.



I was super excited to decorate the truck - my brother Tieg left his while he flew to Montana to go hunting, so we had the big black monster truck to use! My good friend Liz and I both put together our pumpkins and some cobwebs, and grabbed some of the old boots Tieg had left in the back to use as decorations and called it good. Actually, I think it turned out pretty good...



Kevin, being the oh-so-festive-loving-one of us was the candy passer-outer while Kaeden and I took our little basket around and trunk or treated. He actually walked most of it, then got a little whiny so I carried him. He was awfully content after that, and I was so into getting candy I didn't notice why for a bit...then I noticed he was slobbering everywhere, and found he had snagged a tootsie pop from the basket and was sucking on it to his hearts content. (Yes, I let my 1 year old eat candy, I'm a bad mom :-) )



By the time all the candy was handed out, we were all ready to go home. We posed for family Halloween pics...



then it was off to give Kaeden a bath to get the sucker out of his hair and off to bed. Hope everyone else had a Happy Halloween, too!

Nevada Day

On October 31st, 1849 Nevada officially became a state. It occurred during the Civil War, and President Lincoln offered it to us because he needed more Union states to fight the Confederates. Anyhow, because of this, the Friday before Halloween is considered a state holiday and we get off from school - wahoo!

This Nevada Day, we carved our Halloween pumpkins. They rot really fast down here due to the heat, so I usually wait until a day or two out from the holiday before we carve. We bought 3 pumpkins, and as Kaeden supervised from his new fort, we carved out some pretty good faces this year...




There weren't a lot of seeds for the pumpkins, which was a bummer, but what I did get got roasted and I'm snacking on now :-)

Today, we're gearing up for trick or treating tonight. Got our costumes all set, and we'll get the pics up as soon as possible...

Kaeden's 1st Birthday

What a week! Kaeden's first birthday was this last Wednesday. He went to the doctor for his shots and measurements - he weighs 23+ pounds and is 30 1/2 inches long. He's healthy as a horse and very happy. We celebrated his birthday today at the park. I invited all his little buddies and families from church and my school to come and eat pizza and cake at the park. It was beautiful weather - 78 degrees - and the park was nearly empty, so we had a great time! Kaeden particularily liked going down the slide, and there were plenty of little buddies to slide with him. Below are a bunch of movies that I took while we were there...



Because Wednesday was his offical birthday, and because I just couldn't wait, we opened one present early. Kaeden loves to pound on things, so when I found that wooden tool bench with the dowels and hammer, I couldn't resist. He loved it! In fact, if either Kevin or I tried to play with it, he got very mad - he didn't want to share for the first time ever! The video below shows his tool bench, plus him opening the presents at the park today. He loved tearing the paper off! I think it's funny how all the other kids wanted to help him, and were so mad that Kevin got to help and they couldn't.



This last video is of everyone singing to Kaeden and him trying his cake. He loved the cookies I had given him earlier, and I didn't doubt that he'd like the cake. What I didn't figure on was how tentative he would be at first. Plus, all the other kids wanted him to just dive in, so he got distracted. I think it's hilarious how he pokes at it with his finger. But the cake he did get on his hands he played with for the next ten minutes...



All in all it was a great 1st birthday party. We sent all the kiddies home with great sugar-highs and brought our own goodies home. Kaeden immediately went around playing with each of his toys til he passed out. Kevin followed shortly after, blissfully snoring on the couch. Now, off to nap-time for me!!

Gearing up?

Got a box of kitchen stuff from Kevin's brother, who is moving and downsized, so I was going through it and Kaeden loves to play with the packing paper inside. After a little bit, I came to see what he was up to with it, and this is what I found...gearing up for his birthday perhaps? :-)