Halloween

Our cute BYU football players!

So I am finally getting around to posting our Halloween pictures that I am sure you have all been waiting to see!!! The Monday before Halloween we carved our pumpkins for family home evening. This process took about 10 minutes since the boys were rather impatient and just wanted to get it done! The next day Jake brought home a pumpkin that he decorated at school- it's supposed to look like him. He was pretty excited about it!

Tuesday night was our ward's Trunk or Treat and the boys had a great time! They ran around the cultural hall playing games and then we went out to the parking lot where Jon took them from car to car collecting candy. They thought this was such a great thing- all you have to say is "Trick or Treat" and everyone just gives you candy! On actual Halloween night we took them around our neighborhood and they got a ton more candy. They were old enough this year to go up to the doorsteps on their own. Jon and I had fun standing back and watching this process take place. They would get their candy, say thank you (most of the time!) and then run to the next door.

After Trunk or Treating Jake and Nate sat to survey their candy with their friends Trent and Summer!

When we got home they each dumped their candy out on the table. They couldn't believe how much candy they got! We let them eat some that night and then by the next morning they had already forgotten about it and haven't brought it up since! Sadly, Jon and I didn't forget about it and we have been eating it all week! What great parents we are!

Jon came home from work on Halloween dressed like this and it seriously scared me! Apparently he forgot to dress up so at lunch his assistants went and bought him this shirt to wear for the rest of the day! Needless to say, he put his regular shirt on back over it while seeing his patients, but he thought it would be funny to see my reaction to it when he got home!

Las Vegas and a Halloween Party

I'm sitting here right now listening to Christmas music and it's putting me in the best mood- I love it! I'm sorry to all of you who are anti listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but you really should try it, you'll see what I mean!!!

So Jon was supposed to fly to Vegas last Thursday night for a dental conference and then come back Saturday evening. About an hour before he was going to leave, I got this grand idea that the boys and I should all go with him to get out of the smoke for a little bit. We haven't been able to go outside all week because the smoke has made the air quality so bad and the boys have been going CRAZY having to stay inside all week. I was dreading a weekend without Jon and with 2 boys who are literally bouncing off of the walls. School was cancelled, our Trunk or Treat got rescheduled, so why not go with him? So we threw some stuff in a bag, hopped in the car and were off to Vegas. Thankfully there was no fee for cancelling Jon's flight due to the fires.

We had a great time while we were there! While Jon was in his conference the boys and I went and visiting some of our good friends who live in Vegas. Even though each of our visits were short, it was still so fun to see everyone and catch up with what's going on in their lives. When Jon wasn't in his conference we took the boys to the strip to see the lions, M&M World, and the Bellagio gardens and water show. We took them to the park and just let them run around in the fresh air and we ate at one of our favorite restaurants, Memphis BBQ. We topped the evening off with a Peanut Butter Cup Custard from Sheridan's Frozen Custard- it was so good! We really need a custard store down here.

On our way home yesterday Jake started complaining and I turned around to see that he had blood all over his face and arms! I quickly realized that he just had a bloody nose, but it's always scary to see your child with blood all over them.

So we got home just in time to throw on some clothes and go to our friends Halloween party. Jon and I went as Dwight and Angela from the show The Office and our good friends Robyn and Dave went as Jim and Pam. As it turns out, not that many of the people there actually watch the show, so they all didn't totally get it, but we still thought we were pretty funny! The party was really fun- great food, games, decorations- and it's always fun to spend a night away from the kids!

Pumpkin Patch

So we finally made it to the pumpkin patch last Friday night and the boys absolutely loved it! One of their favorite things to do lately is to drive around and look at all of the pumpkins on everyone's porches. You can imagine their excitement when they got out of the car and saw all of the pumpkins at the pumpkin patch! The excitement continued to grow as they noticed all of the animals and fun rides that were there as well. We met our friends, Cortney, Steven and Roxie there and let the kids play and run around for a while. We then went over to the mall and got Hot Dog on a Stick for dinner and topped the evening off with Golden Spoon frozen yogurt. This is one of my all time favorite places and I haven't had it since I got pregnant so I was so excited that it tasted good and didn't make me sick! We were watching Carli and Justin while my parents were out of town last week so they came with us as well. Carli actually won a stuffed animal playing one of the games- she was so excited! Overall it was a fun evening for everyone!

Fall Fun!

So I have finally started to feel a little better which is so nice. It's been fun to do some fun Fall activities with the kids and actually enjoy them! Here are some pictures from this last weekend:

My friend, Meggan, gave us this 14 foot trampoline that a lady in the ward gave to her, but she decided it wasn't going to work out for them so she gave it to us! Jon put it up about a week ago and the kids have been on it ever since! We had to chop a tree down in the backyard so that we had room to shove it in the corner, but it now fits back there nicely and doesn't feel like it is taking up the whole yard. Thanks so much, Meggan!


I actually made Halloween sugar cookies with the boys (OK, so it was the refrigerated dough, but I still had to roll it out and cut it into fun shapes!). Jake and Nate loved frosting the cookies and putting sprinkles on them and then of course licking all of the sprinkles and frosting off immediately after!

We went to Disneyland with our friends, Robyn, Dave and Trent Miner last Friday night. It was a little crowded, but was still so much fun! All of Main Street is decorated for Halloween and in true Disney fashion, they did not cut corners anywhere- it looks so good! The boys loved the giant pumpkins when you first walked in and then pointing at all of the pumpkins as we walked down Main Street. Personally, I am so excited to go during Christmas time and see what they do with the place!



I just love the Fall and still can't wait to go to the pumpkin patch, go to Trunk or Treat and go Trick or Treating with the boys. There are just so many fun activities to do this time of year!!!

No pink for me

So we finally went up to the place in Costa Mesa and had an ultrasound only to find out that we are having our third boy. That's right, you read that right, it's another boy. No wedding planning for me, no shopping for prom dresses, no shopping- period, no chasing princesses at Disneyland, no adorable girl clothes, no ribbons or bows, no pink.

So after a really good cry (uncontrollable sob is probably more accurate!) I am now going to be excited about this. Don't I sound excited? What other choice do I have? Jon's already told Jake and Nate that the baby's name is going to be Max, and so all night they've been running around saying, "I love the Max!" and "I want to see the Max!" It was pretty cute.

So that's all I really have to say about that. Don't worry, I love this baby and will be so excited for his arrival come April, I just have to be sad for a night. I'm starting to think that I may never have a daughter. Oh well.

It's a...

Oh wait, they couldn't tell! I woke up this morning so excited that we were probably going to find out if we are having a girl or a boy. I actually got all ready and Jon and I headed to the doctor's office. Unfortunately, the baby wouldn't hold still for a second for the doctor to be able to see anything. He tried for a while, but it was a lost cause. All we know is that it's another out of control Draper baby! Great- just what I need- another child with endless energy! Fortunately the baby looks very healthy and is measuring right where it should be, so that is good. My next appointment is scheduled for Oct. 19, but I think I might convince Jon to go to one of those baby imaging places next week and pay $25 and see if they can tell. My lack of patience has always been one of my greatest flaws, and apparently it's not getting any better! Oh well. I'll let you all know as soon as we find anything out. Sorry to disappoint everyone!

Go Carli, Go!

My little sister, Carli decided this year that instead of playing soccer she wanted to do cheerleading! Unfortunately she decided this a little late so she still doesn't have her uniform, but it didn't seem to phase her at all. I went to her game last Saturday and it was so fun to watch her cheer. Every time she got ready to start a cheer, she would yell to me up in the stands to make sure that I was watching!

At halftime I noticed that she wasn't going out with her squad to do the cheer. So I went down to talk to her and realized that she was sad that she was never the one to be lifted up by the squad! So I gave her a little pep talk and explained to her that when Christy was a cheerleader she was always the one on the bottom that would lift up the other girls. Just like Christy, Carli has an important job to do, just as important as the girls that get lifted! She then got a huge smile on her face and ran out to meet her squad. The last picture shows her happily helping to lift one of the other girls. I guess a little pep talk was all she needed!

Ever since Carli was little I have always gotten really emotional watching her school programs or sporting events. I don't know why, there's just something about watching these kids with special needs out there trying their best and having a great time that is so touching to me. Of course the hormones didn't help this time, but I swear I cried the whole time. There was one boy in a wheel chair playing in the football game. They would pass him the ball and his dad would push him down the field while the boy smiled from ear to ear with excitement! How can you not got choked up watching that? Maybe I always knew that I would have a child with special needs and that's why these kids have always had a special place in my heart. Whatever it is, I love Carli and am glad that I got to go watch her cheerleading career take off! She is the best!