Haunting Halloween

Halloween stirs up nostalgic memories of my childhood that has me feeling wistful to the last trick or treater. I love to sit on my porch to watch and hear the children parade up and down the streets. The sight is a Norman Rockwell painting that I hold dear to my heart.

Our Halloween got underway as the neighborhood met at the church in the early evening for games, pizza, donuts and a costume parade. We all then loaded up and went home to see each other again on our doorsteps. I love our neighborhood - it is as close to an old fashioned romantic town as it is going to get in this day.

Our quaint neighborhood consists of almost 100 houses that only has two outlets. Everyone knows everyone and is friendly and caring. Sunday evenings are the best as several families and couples take strolls to greet and chat with friends. It is a place where 'it takes a town to raise children' comes true and everyone plays their part well.

The Halloween moon, two days shy of being a full moon, came right over the ridge of my favorite mountains as trick or treaters began their night of fun.

This panorama greeted me daily as I grew up, it is the same view that sold us our home now.

The weather was perfect (50+ degrees) and the wind did not visit us once (very uncommon for our area).

The great Matt Hasselbeck from Seattle Seahawks.

After much begging and pleading (on mom's part), Makayla was chosen to go the the Halloween Utes game and miss trick or treating. She still had fun with her friend Brynn.

Winter Fairy Rebekah

Count Trev

Cute Witch Kerri

Happy Halloween!

The Night Before Halloween

Twas the night before Halloween and time for tradition, all creatures were stirring to make ghoulish creations......

We started by carving pumpkins in the garage. Why I never thought about making the mess in the garage instead of the kitchen counter and floor after all these 13 years just boggles my brain! It was the easiest mess I have ever had to clean up - thank you Cameron.

Trevor, Rebekah and Kerri blueprinted their designs on paper

and handed them to their engineering daddy to carve out - lucky dad.

Makayla's pumpkin represents designs from the Mistborn book series that has apparently taken the neighborhood teens by storm. A must read I've heard.

Jarin took an hour looking at different designs on the Internet and finally found a scary looking phantom to carve.

It was then that our printer decided to take a holiday.

After moping around for a bit he took out his frustration by making his pumpkin eat a small innocent pumpkin.

Rebekah and her ghost howling....

BOO!

Kerri's kitty kat

While the kids were busy in the garage I managed to whip up this year's most asked for Halloween dinner menu. Dinner in a pumpkin and cute spider rolls.

You can't have five babies spiders without their big mama spider (that would be me).

Finished Jack o' Lanterns

Trevor and his hilarious fascination with cows and bellowing out, "Moo!" at inappropriate times has made him a trademark at home, at school and even at church.

His primary teacher told me that Trevor requested to be called Moo.

Hence, a cow is featured on his pumpkin.

Acting as siblings ought to act.

First Snowfall

It's official.... it's winter. I don't think so and I certainly hope it isn't, however, the kids have pulled down their hot cocoa mugs and declared it 'Winter'.

The Rubbermaid containers full of coats, snow pants and boots are all strewn in my mud room.

Now I am stuck brewing hot chocolate, wiping up wet floors, and putting on loose mittens for the tenth time. (I really do enjoy it.)

Trevor was the first one home yanking winter gear out of the dark corners of their homes. He went straight out and started building his fort before anyone could claim their portion of the snow.

Jarin came home and made a secretive stash of snowballs - icy hard snowballs. Not five minutes later, Trevor came in hollering that Jarin decked him hard on the thigh.

Naughty boys!

That is when I declared public announcement #1, "No throwing snowballs!"

I know, mean old mom always takes the fun out of everything!

My snow angles made snow angles and created their own fort - until the boys sweet-talked them into combining their snow into 'The Fort'.

Building 'The Fort'.

I wish I had an after picture - it is impressive. I even caught Jarin gazing out of the window a few times to make sure it was still there.

Trevor scooped up nearly all of the snow on the lawn (and a few of Oreo's droppings) all in the name of 'The Fort'.

After three kids dragged their wet boots through my halls and into the bathroom, I made public announcement #2 by yelling out of the door, "If you are a boy, pee outside! In a discreet corner please. If you are a girl, use the bathroom before putting on all of your gear!"

I hope the neighbors didn't hear.

The kids played for almost two hours. It's fun to see how a little bit of white stuff can be so entertaining.

They are excited to play in the snow tomorrow.

I hope it melts by then - brr.

I'll cry if I want too.....

It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want too. You would cry too if it happened to you.

These Halloween lanterns are so stinkin' cute.

I love autumn time!

******

In first grade, I invited friends from my neighborhood to join in celebrating my birthday. My mom made cake with purple icing and hung balloons on the ceiling. I planned the games and awaited my friends eagerly.

There was no school the day of my party since the school district was observing the deer hunt. Everyone hunted deer in those days. I have clear memories of dead deer hanging from neighboring trees with their tongues lolling out of their months. My brother and his friends would trip from house to house out fitted with long twigs for the sole purpose of poking the eyes out of the deer. It was gross. The holiday was seriously called ‘Deer Hunt Break’, now it is called ‘Fall Break’.

Anyhow, the time approached and two of my friends (who happened to be sisters) arrived on time; the rest never showed up. Where was everyone? Deer hunting with their dads of course!

I remember my mom smiling and serving us generous portions of cake and ice cream. She presented me with a pencil box that I had my eye on since school had started. I loved that pencil box. Instead of games, we played school. Seeing that it was my birthday, I got to be teacher the whole time. I still remember the desire to be a teacher even then.

I recall how sad I was that no one came to my party. Now I am thankful for my mom and my two friends who made my birthday memorable.

Never cared for deer hunt season since then.

******

In fifth grade I went to school the day of my birthday with a backpack full of treats to hand out to my class. After all, everyone brought treats to share with their classmates on their birthday.

I waited behind my desk anticipating my teacher to announce my special day ALL day. The bell rang to go home, out the door I went with my backpack full of treats. I was too embarrassed to tell my mom that my teacher forgot my birthday, so I didn't say anything.

I took my treats to school for a couple of more days hoping my teacher would remember – nope. Instead I ate the treats all by myself. They were only Smarties, but two to three Smarties per person nonetheless. I think I made myself sick.

******

This year I shooed three boys out of the door with a kiss and waved goodbye as I watched them pull the camping trailer out of the neighborhood for the annual deer hunt. Three boys gone for three days – yahoo!

Then three sweet girls and I played, played and played. We left our beds unmade and didn’t do the dishes at all on Saturday – we ate out. We made Halloween lantern jars, went to Wizard Night at the local museum and enjoyed a show at the sticky feet theater.

Sunday, I woke up to many birthday wishes from dear family and friends who enjoy the advantages of technology (Facebook). At church I received more wishes, it doesn’t hurt that my birthday (along with other October fellows) was printed in the church announcements. Primary children sang to me, two cute teenage boys came up and wished me ‘Happy Birthday’ and a dear friend handed off a big pumpkin sugar cookie to me as we passed in the hallway. Oblivious to my 4 year class, I ate it all. After church the surprises kept coming to my door and phone. What a wonderful day!

Cameron called to wish me a Happy Birthday and said the boys were on their way home….this is where the glorious music comes to screeching halt and the tears start to flow.

Hang on! It’s only been two days.

I suppose they miss me. Okay, come home – I want my birthday kisses.

The Apples of My Eye

It was early out Monday (kids get out of school an hour early each Monday) and a lovely day to make applesauce. Armed with two boxes full of gala apples and a bushel of neighbor apples - it was time to can our yearly sauce.

The girls helped me prep by pulling the stickers off the gala apples. I then took the girls to school, did my Monday volunteer duty, came home and waited for the kids to arrive.

As soon as they stepped through the door, I threw up my hands and yelled, "Surprise! You are the apples of my eye!"

I sustained lots of murmuring and complaining, nevertheless, I stood strong with a smile and eventually they got into the spirit of applesauce making.

Makayla still griping about having to make applesauce on an early out day.

Jarin used every trick in the book to bail from his duties. He even vowed not to eat any applesauce this winter if he could go out and play football.

No such luck!

Rebekah

Turning the apple strainer is the BEST job.

Taking turns was not fast enough for the little ones.

Trevor on the other hand, walked through the door,

tossed his backpack aside and rolled up his sleeves.

He loves to make applesauce.

Kerri

It really is this much fun to make applesauce.

So yummy when it's fresh out of the strainer.

30 quarts of apple sauce

Last week I canned 63 quarts of grape juice. I went shopping for bottles and it was then that I realized that I lived in Utah County since I had to go to four different stores to find bottles. I was surrounded by canning ladies who fought their way to the last box of bottles on sale. Fortunately, no one got hurt.

I thank the neighbor who gave me the grapes and taught me how to can it.

The canner is now tucked away downstairs and retired until next year - whew!

Fish Lake

For Labor Day weekend, we hopped into the car and tripped over to Grandma Jensen's house for some family time. We played with the dog, rode the new 4 wheelers (spoiled grandparents), picked pumpkins from Grandpa's garden, and wondered what we were going to do the next day on Labor Day.

Uncle Jared piped up and suggested we go boating to Fish Lake. That was when my momma instincts waved red flags and I scrutinized Cameron trying my darn est to send him a subliminal, 'No Way!' message.

The thought of 5 kids out in the middle of a volcanic crater full of freezing cold water gave me the shivers.

I was overruled even after my attempts to convey to my family of my fear of water.

Uncle Jared as giddy as a school boy in his boat.

Don't these two brothers look alike?

Trevor braving the cold breeze as we speed across Fish Lake.

Trevor the turtle retreating to warmer places.

It was a perfect day and I loved it.

Makayla with Aunt Kim.

Makayla climbed onto the boat and informed me that since she was 13 years old, she would forgo a life jacket. One look from me (Are you kidding me!) and her effort died on her lips.

Can't have enough Jensens around.

Lunch time - don't you love that the men sit around waiting for us ladies to set up lunch?

Aunt Alley patting our next arrival - Anna Louise - any day now.

Fun memories, beautiful weather and no one fell in.

Just below us - the kids are climbing back in for another ride.

"This is the best day of my life!" yelled Kerri.

Score for Uncle Jared.

Snooze!

We love to visit Grandma and Grandpa.

Thanks Jared and Kim for a great day!