Halloween 2014

It's December.  Our Christmas tree is up and decorated, but I haven't written about Halloween yet.  So I'll do that now, before it's  too late. 

We are done with rotations and half of our stuff being in storage.  Yay!  So I have my sewing machine again.  It's been a couple of years since I made the kids Halloween costumes.  For those reasons, and the fact that Taylor wanted to be Elsa from the movie Frozen, I decided to make their costumes this year.

We went to Jo-Ann's and looked for patterns.  There's not a lot of choices for boys.  There are animals costumes for toddlers and Star Wars/robe costumes for adults.  So we only found two costumes that interested Logan.  Harry Potter and the Grim Reaper.  

He chose the Grim Reaper.

Next year he says he'll be Harry Potter... or Hiccup, the Viking from How to Train Your Dragon.  We'll see what next year brings.

Taylor was easy.  She wanted to be Elsa.  Elsa! Elsa! Elsa!  Nothing else would do. 

We got the pattern and picked out some beautiful fabric and started sewing.  

We even got fabric with glitter on it, so it would sparkle like Elsa's dress.  

Never!  Never again will I buy fabric with glitter on it!  What a mess!  I had glitter all over the dining room table and chairs and floor.  Even into the kitchen and hallway.  And all over me!

 But the final product turned out pretty well. 

And most importantly, Taylor loved it.  She loved being Elsa.  

My kids have grown since I sewed for them last.  Both the costumes turned out a wee bit too small, but we made them work.  Let's just say, Taylor wore a tee-shirt under her costume to keep her modest and if she wanted to be the Grim Reaper next year, she'd be set. 


For Halloween we went to our friends' house in Corvallis.  We had so much fun visiting and playing with them.  Their little girl is a couple of years younger than Taylor.  She's a red-head and loves the movie Frozen too.

So, the girls decided to be Elsa & Anna for Halloween.  Don't they look super cute!  They had such a great Halloween.  They even got to watch the movie, Frozen, after Trick or Treating.  

A very belated Happy Halloween!  ;)

Taylor's Baptism

Taylor was baptized a few weeks ago.  She turned 8, the age of accountability.  She chose to be baptized.  It was her decision, though we've talked to her about it for years.  

She's wanted to get baptized ever since she saw Logan get baptized, 2 years ago.

She has a testimony of her own, that the Church is true and the Book of Mormon is of God and that being baptized is what Heavenly Father wants her to do.  

She wants to obey God's commandments and follow Jesus' example.  She's been reading the Book of Mormon on her own too. 

So, we decided on a baptismal date.  We chose to wait about 3 weeks after her 8th birthday, so her Nana & Papa could be there.  It was hard for her to wait though, she was so excited!

Nana & Papa did make it, as well as Grandma & Grandpa and Aunts and Uncle and lots of cousins. 

I'm so grateful for all the family that came to share this special day with Taylor.  It made the day even more wonderful.

We had family coming in at all times of the morning and James & Logan went early to the church to meet them and make sure everything was set up.  

Taylor and I were able to have some quiet time at home before the baptism.  I gave her a special, soft, white towel that her Aunt Elizabeth had sent for her special day.  

We read a book called, "White Dresses," which Nana & Aunt Elizabeth picked out for her.  It made me cry.  I could hardly make it through the book.  

I'm so glad I had a few quiet minutes with Taylor on her baptismal day, to feel the Holy Ghost and cry and hug and love.  

Then, quick, hurry!  Time to get in the car!  People are already showing up!  James is texting me to find out where we are.  

We made it and there's Daddy, dressed in white, ready to baptize his little girl.  

It was a very nice day.   A spiritual baptism.  A joyous reunion with family.  An all-around great time!

 We went to the beach with the cousins.  The kids climbed rocks and ran and played in the sand. 

Every single one of the parents said, "Don't get wet!"  Naturally, all the kids got soaking wet.  

In the end though, it's a day we'll look back on fondly.  Taylor was baptized and she was supported by so much family, even by those who couldn't attend in person.  

So, on behalf of Taylor, "Thank You!"  We appreciate you all and love you.

Taylor's Second White Dress

White is a symbol of purity.  And traditionally, in the Church, girls wear white dresses on three special occasions.  The Three White Dresses.  

The first white dress is at her blessing.  This is Taylor on her blessing day, when she was seven weeks old. 

The second white dress is worn at her baptism, after she turns 8-years-old.  Taylor recently turned 8 and she received her second white dress.  

One sunny day, I took her out to get pictures in her new, white dress.

Here are some of my favorites. 

 I love this one!

 And this one!

 I love this one too!  I love them all because that's my little girl. 

  

 And a couple of pictures in Sepia.  

I just love this amazing girl.  She's beautiful, inside and out.  She couldn't wait to get baptized.  She wanted to follow the Savior's example.  She wanted the gift of the Holy Ghost, with her all the time.  

She has such a love and zest for life.  She's already looking ahead to when she'll wear her third white dress.  We've talked about it several times.  It will be after her mission, when she gets married in the temple.  

But we're just going to enjoy her second white dress for now. 

Taylor's 8th Birthday

Taylor celebrated a special birthday a few weeks ago.  She turned 8-years-old.  She was so excited.  Of course.  

Her big present was a new bike, which we gave her in August, so she'd have a chance to enjoy it before the rains came.  

In fact, James took Taylor on a birthday bike ride, the day before her birthday.  

It was a beautiful, sunny day.  

It was a good thing they went out when they did, the next day (Taylor's actual birthday) was the first heavy rain of Autumn.

Taylor got her very own set of scriptures from Grandma & Grandpa, an 8th birthday tradition for their grandchildren.  Taylor was thrilled to have her own scriptures.  They have her name on them and everything!  

She's been borrowing an old set of scriptures, but was more than happy to return them to me as soon as she had her own.

She also had flowers delivered to her, from Nana & Papa.  

We spent the day doing indoor activities, like building with Legos,

 hanging out at the library, 

doing a puzzle,

and watching it rain cats and dogs outside. 

After pizza for dinner, we came home for birthday cake.

I surprised her with a dress "cake."  

So our sweet girl is 8-years-old now.  She the greatest blessing to her family.  We love her with all our hearts.  We don't know what we'd do without her.  

She's energetic, fun-loving, creative, smart, vibrant and brave, in a word, Amazing!  She's an angel, with a little bit of feisty in her, but she's ours and we are so grateful for her!