Halloween

We started off our halloweens festivities with the Humanitarian Haunt at Aaron's pre-school Kids Village. We look forward to this event every year because the kids always have so much fun! This year did not disappoint. The school raised just over $20,000 to help children in need in Ecuador. As you can see the kids had a blast. Making spiders, halloween twister, treats, games, treats, and games!

All of my family was able to come down for Halloween and help me out since Tim was working. We had fun dressing up Ava and all got a good laugh at the bow that was as big as her head :) My parents gave the kids a fun Halloween basket full of prizes -Ian tons of gum, Aaron mini m&m's. Tim parents also sent a package that sent the kids on a scavenger hunt throughout the house! Needless to say these kids are loved!

Earlier that week we carved pumpkins! This is one of our favorite things to do. Usually we have a theme but this year the kids just wanted to do there own thing. So Ian cut out a Ninjago serpentine, Aaron a ninja turtle, and daddy carved Princess Sofie for Ava.

Ava was not quite sure what to think of the pumpkin goo- but she didn't scream.

 For Halloween the boys could hardly contain their excitement. Ava on the other hand was to busy trying to figure out who was holding her. 

Again no theme this year! I tried so hard to push for a superhero theme but the boys wouldn't have it :( Aaron was of course Michelangelo the Ninja Turtle (he was going to be Ironman but changed his mind a couple days before -we still made it work). Ian was Cole from Ninjago, and Ava was Supergirl!

The boys had a blast Trick-or-treating and while we were gone Ava still tried to figure out who on earth was holding her :) So glad my family was able to come down and help us out we never would have been able to do it on our own. Thanks! The picture of the boys on the right is with our awesome neighbors the Mahaffey's they are our stand-by grandparents ;) The boys absolutely love them!

School

Maybe this is what people feel like when their spouse goes to medical school? I really don't see how our life would change much if Tim did choose to take the path of CRNA. I had to snap this picture because he was on his laptop, iPad, and iPhone all at the same time working on school work. Don't worry he has a few textbooks open around him as well. Let just say we are all looking forward to the semester ending! Tim especially. 

Little miss Ava is still as cute as ever! And possibly the worlds best baby!

Pike is doing a little better but unfortunately still on death row :( Feeling good or not he still loves to jump directly on top of my clean warm laundry.

Aaron has been a pill to say the least. I forget that it is not so much terrible two's as it is terrible 3's! Ian brought him a pen during nap time. As you can see he had a lot of fun coloring all over himself, even his face :/ Rrrrrrr It took weeks to come off.

Ava has been loving having visitors! I think my parents have been down here almost every weekend! It  has been wonderful! The kids are almost lost if they aren't here or annoying me to death asking where they are or when they are coming back. It is definitely nice to have a few extra sets of hands helping around this house. It seems I clean and by the time I have moved to the next room the boys have destroyed the room I just finished cleaning.

Even Ava has become a fan of night time reading.

Ava still loves talking to everyone -her voice is so sweet we don't mind at all.

Sad :(

Lately it is very rare but believe it or not sometimes we are sad :(

New York and Philly

Tim and Ian headed to New York the middle of October for His cousins Ricks wedding. Since I did not go I wasn't about to write all about it. So the remainder of this post will be written by Tim.

Ian and Daddy on their way to New York to meet up with the MacNair Clan to drive to Ricks wedding. Ian was just a little excited to fly on a plan!

Hitting the road for our two to three hour dive to Pennsylvania.  We enjoyed the beautiful fall colors and a little excursion with deer tick, poison ivy and a McDonalds bathroom (full story not appropriate for a family blog). 

While in Pennsylvania we enjoyed a variety of pre-wedding festivities that took place such as: swimming,    

questionable treatment of farm animals,

Papa being Papa, 

and early-mid-morning Ice Cream. 

We even enjoyed some go chart racing in which daddy schooled everyone in how to drive fast and awesome (beating out professional racers Papa and Dave MacNair).

That night we Celebrated Nana being way, way, way over the hill. She got lots of fun surprises for her 60's birthday, including gifts that reminded her of people in her life, some old family friends (Russ and Glenda joined in on the festivities) and even a book filled with pictures and quotes of peoples favorite things about Nana. 

The next day we all got up early, waited around for a while, then finally went to the Please Touch Children Museum. Children and adults alike had lots of fun at this wonderful museum. 

At the museum Ian and Evan playing on a giant piano

and everyone enjoyed the myriad of fun things to do.

Ian, Evan and Uncle Jimmer enjoyed seeing how many clowns can fit into one Scion xB. 

That night the kids stayed at the hotel and the adults went out to play at Rick and Denise's wedding. It was a beautiful event where we all laughed, cried and danced our butts off. 

Daddy even checking up on Ian during the wedding to make sure he and his cousins had not burned down the hotel. 

The next morning (after all four adults slept through their alarms) Jimmer, Ian and Daddy all amazingly caught the same flight out of Pennsylvania. Ian even got some much need shut eye while resting in his luxurious First Class seat, thanks to Papa. 

Ashley: While daddy and Ian were away we had fun and played. Ava also discovered her voice while they were gone!

My parents came down which helped the time go by much faster. While they were here we headed to the Spagetti Factory. On the weekend they always have a balloon guy there that is absolutely amazing. It is no surprise that Aaron wanted a Ninja Turtle! Look the turtle even has a six pack ;)

Other than that we rather enjoyed just hanging out the three of us!

Random Happenings

Aaron is now three years old and thankfully still love his naps. Some days he even takes a two hour nap comes out in the family room to tell me hello and ends up falling back asleep on the floor.

I can't believe how much he is growing up! It seems like yesterday we moved into this house and he was just crawling around. He is a wonderful helper and I couldn't help but laugh at him helping me stir the oreo cookie dough (even if he kept trying to sneak bites her and there).

Sibling love -there mouths look nearly identical in this picture. 

Ava is quite the little wiggler. She likes to play on her bobby so she can hit her toys. This day she was trying to push herself up and over the bobby. 

Yes she is still a big fan of the TV, If I face her the other way she will do everything in her power to try and see the screen. She was really enjoying The Chipmunk Adventure!

Now we are just trying to get Daddy and Ian packed to head to New York!

Bridal Veil Falls

Tim had gone for a bike ride up the Canyon that morning and said that we had to go and see the fall leaves. So we headed up to Bridal Veil Falls in Provo and as you can tell it was absolutely gorgeous! The kids were excited to get outside and play in the leaves even if it was a little cold.

 I am not sure if I have introduced you to our four child? The city select stroller! Can you tell from the picture that it is beyond amazing! Seriously the best stroller ever! I might also inform you that Tim backed into my "forth child" with his car the first week we had it :( Yes, it was sad and horrible and tear may have been shed but thanks to baby jogger for being awesome they were able to send me a new frame and my "child" was as good as new!

The boys had a blast feeding the fish and looking at the waterfall.

Ava was not to fond of the cold but was still a good sport.

We tried to get some pictures of the boys but they had no desire to hold still for the camera.

We had a great time together as a family enjoying the outdoors!

Aaron's Birthday

This little boy turned three! He wanted nothing more than a ninja turtle party! He had a smile that could kill and it stayed that way the entire day :)

Weight 30.6 lbs… 37 percentile

Height 36.75 inches… 31st percentile 

My parents were able to come to and help celebrate! He beyond thrilled at the ninja turtle and superhero gear both grandparents spoiled him with. He even helped make the ninja turtle cupcakes -which I must say tasted delicious.

After a few presents that morning we heading to Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point. If you are in Utah County the month of October this is a must! We had a blast! The boys were absolutely crazy because they could not decided what to do next. We mined for fossils, played on various wooden toys. Played on the slides, and had fun jumping (in video below).

Some how while mommy was talking with a friend daddy ok'd the boys to get their faces completely covered in paint! Whatever happened to just a little design on the cheek? Not only that I could hardly stand to look at Ian -totally freaked me out. Aaron was venom the bad spiderman, and Ian was a transformer. He looked more like the evil Star Wars character to me.

After playing at Cornbelly's all day we headed home to get working on dinner. Aaron chose __________. We then opened some more birthday presents and as usually if you are not taking a picture of Ian he likes to run through or get in the picture. 

Ava enjoyed celebrating Aaron's birthday as well and mostly people watching at Cornbelly's. 

To give you a little taste of how Aaron's birthday was here is a short clip. Clearly we all had a great day! And yes we had a candle for breakfast, lunch, and dinner :)