Halloween

I have determined that Halloween is not nearly as exciting when you have big kids. I worked today. Kent worked today. The children went to school. We did have our annual hot dog party at the Davis's and I provided the fixings for root beer which Mikayla made on our behalf. I dropped that off right after work. 

I went around with Mikayla's children trick-or-treating as she recently had surgery and couldn't walk. They ran and ran and trick-or-treated and had a glorious time. We all enjoyed a hot dog and Guy met up with us partway through the neighborhood. Brick was trick-or-treating with friends, so I just had Cora and Kal and Freya and Thea. We got to a point where Cora and Thea wanted to continue with Guy but Kal and Freya were done. We turned for home and they sifted through and ate lots of candy. It was fun to see the excitement on their face of Halloween. It was fun to visit with our neighbors as well over at the Davis's and to eat a hot dog and have root beer.

Blurry Frozen 2 Elsa running from door to door.

Deflated dinosaur rider.

He didn't let that slow him down.

Frozen Elsa and Princess Peach

DeMartini Halloween Party

A couple of weeks ago, Bryan asked if we were going to have a family Halloween party. We hadn't planned on it, but we're always up for a party, so yes!

Bryan made a huge pot of chili, I rooted around in the basement for Halloween decorations, and we all gathered at Mom's house for fun. I had the kids help me put up some decorations, small things on the mantle and on the table with streamers over the kitchen. Mikayla brought a couple of games, and I did too. I brought the rhymer game and had the kids try to find things that rhymed like "chain on a frame," "hook on a book," "ants on the plants," "bug on the rug." It was trickier than I thought it would be, especially for the little kids. Mikayla brought "pin the spider on the spider web," "Halloween cup pong," and "make a mummy" with big and small people participating. Mikayla brought a jar of candy and had everyone guess how many pieces they thought were in it. Rowan won. We had the chili, veggies with bugs, and witch's brew. We frosted, then rapidly ate, sugar cookies. The kids all came in their costumes, and we had a wonderful time being together.

ENORMOUS pot of chili that could feed 

four times as many people as we were.

ROCKING the House

 

I wish this picture had sound. I wish I could figure out how to get video onto my blog. Brandt could probably help me and maybe I'll have him do that. But in the meantime, just image those six speakers blasting Black Eyed Peas song "I Gotta Feelin'." Although all this sound equipment is in the basement, the house is literally ROCKING as Brandt plays music. He's working on his DJing skills, blending, moving from one song to the next, and the music rumbles and rocks. It's so fun to see and hear his progress.

Last Day Biking 2023

I thought last week was the last day I would bike with Maureen for the season, but then the weather looked like it would be good today. Maybe "good" is a bit of an overstatement, but it would be warm enough anyway to be out for a ride. Maureen and I launched out together and it wasn't too long before we realized we had made a terrible mistake. We flew down 9th East but about part way down, began to feel a little sprinkle of rain. As we turned on to 300 South, it began to actually rain. By the time we were at 200 East, it was pouring rain. We turned north for home at 200 West and slogged home in a downpour with a fiercely blowing wind. There were a couple of times I felt like I was going to be blown off my bike. Maureen and I laughed at ourselves for being so silly, but also congratulated ourselves on a long outdoor biking season. Now I'm going to attach the bike to the trainer and try to be a diligent rider through the winter.

Terror in the Mall

Brandt had a fun gig tonight with Pink Bird. For several years, Pink Bird has sponsored Terror in the Mall, a huge dance in the Provo Town Center Mall. There are two stages, lots of laser lights, loud loud music, live DJs, and general pandemonium. Brandt got to be involved in everything, helping with set up, sound engineering, and strike. It was lots and lots of hard work, late and early morning hours, but a whole lot of party fun. He liked it. He's a hard worker and willing to do whatever he's asked to do. Here are some pictures from set up to clean up.

Brandt drinking a Monster to stay awake.

Backstage supporting the DJ

During the show. Not the best picture.

The next six pictures are pilfered from The Tribe's Instagram.

They give one the sense of how many thousands of people were at the party.

Brandt helped install all those lighted sticks.

Brandt is almost pictured here. 

He was right next to the blue-lit guys.

But ah! Here he is!

He's the black blob hunched over an iPad.

Did I mention the thousands of people who were in attendance?

General mess post party.

A Sewing Project Gift

Isabella has been keen on making a blanket for her friend Alec's birthday. She has had a vision, which she has wanted me to help become reality. We shopped for fabric last week, and she began sewing this week. It has been something of an exercise in frustration for both her and me. While the cutting out went all right, the sewing has been challenging. Isabella wants it all to be perfect, but she hasn't sewn enough for everything to be perfect. The blankets is only done with lots of straight lines, but she hasn't felt that her lines were perfect, and has been unhappy. When the first seam that she did was a bit wonky, she threw an emotional fit, said she was going to unpick the whole thing, then exclaimed she was never sewing ever again. I bundled everything up and put it away downstairs. Sewing is not a strength for me, so never sewing ever again sounded pretty good to me. 

Two days later, Isabella pulled the sewing machine out again and was ready to try again. She has been very diligent about getting things put together, and today we went and got the fabric for the back. She has been patient with herself and finished up today. It looks good! She's so excited to give it to Alec.

Posts edit notes: Alec loved loved loved loved loved loved the blanket that Isabella made. Alec cried when Isabella presented it. Success!

A Trip to Salt Lake with the Johnsens

My niece, Michelle, is opening a new storefront shop at Trolley Square. She has had an online business for many years, but the shop is a new and exciting venture. Her grand opening was today, and I wanted to go up and support her. But having an outing, I couldn't go alone. I invited Brant and Isabella who absolutely wanted to come with me, and then I invited Mikayla and her children to come too. Mikayla wasn't up to it, but I took 80% of her children. 

Trolley Square was having a Fall Festival. Shops were decorated for Halloween, some of them were giving out treats, kids could come dressed in costumes, they had a petting zoo, and people could throw pumpkins off of a tall tower to splat into the parking lot below. It was all super exciting. 

As a group, we wandered around. We did some trick-or-treating, and of course we went to Michelle's shop. My little Belleville is absolutely darling! The shop itself is super cute, the inventory is creative, and Michelle was totally in her element. We bought some fun things and gave her a hug and congratulated her. 

While everybody wanted to throw a pumpkin off of the tall tower, nobody was willing to wait in line to do so. Instead, we watched the pumpkins come flying down to splat on the ground in front of us. That was exciting enough. We also went to the petting zoo. They had little pony rides as well as several animals the children could pet and even hold. Everyone was delighted with the ferret, and Isabella begged me to get one for our very own. 

We had a funny experience with Kal. All of the kids had a pony ride, and as soon as Kal got off, probably not even a minute later, he started looking all panicky and began crying. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "I'm allergic to horses!" I didn't know that! Total news to me. They had a little hand washing station and we all rushed over to wash wash wash wash. I got some water on my hands and wiped off Kal's eyes to try and make sure that all allergens were removed. He seemed okay.

Everyone was hungry by the time we were finished at trolley square, so we went and got some lunch at Wendy's. I totally enjoyed being with all of the little people and with my own big people. It was a good day's activity.

Brandt was so patient as we waited in line for the pony rides.

He kept saying he was going to ride the pony and

I kept telling him he was not.

Poor big boy.