Happy Halloween!

Michael:

is back to the busy life, and I miss his plastics rotation. His longest day this week was 6:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., and he is taking call again now too. He turned 30 this week! He didn't make it home at a good time to celebrate his birthday, but we warmed up his favorite foods and Westin got to stay up late so that he could help daddy blow out candles. Then Saturday we drove to L.A. for my nephew's baptism. It was a quick there-and-back trip, but so fun to see family! Rachel and Spencer came so we loved meeting baby Eli. Michael is tired and we love him.

Maddie:

had fun taking the boys trick-or-treating for the first time. That was Michael's last day on his plastics rotation, so he was able to come home and head out with us. We had fun watching the boys play in all their candy after. I loved going to L.A. this weekend, and I wish we were with family for longer than just that day.

Westin:

is a parrot. He has been for a while, but it's becoming even more consistent. Time to evaluate all my words...  He loved dressing up as a fireman for Halloween, and really loves his big bag of candy. When we got home he would open a sucker, try it, then say "Oh, that's not my favorite." I'd tell him he could throw it away and try a different candy. He burned through a good part of his supply doing this and I was so glad that he was doing the throwing away and not me. I kept telling him that we don't waste food but he can always waste sugar. I think his favorite thing from his stash is probably Smarties, which, is disgusting. Maybe it would have been Reese's if I didn't eat them all.... whoops! Westin loved being around his cousins and treats them differently than any other kids that he hangs out with. I know he just knows they're family. He played more independently than he ever has.

Bennett:

crawls so fast, and has started cruising. He's going to walk in the next couple months and I just can't picture that. It makes me sad. Oh Baby Bennett, don't ever change. Saturday was his first day of no naps in his life, and he was pretty happy all things considered. He still takes two naps every day when we're at home so I was impressed that he handled our busy day so well. He honestly did great with the time change, too. My kids have never really been too affected by an hour difference. He's a happy guys and loves to wave at daddy's blue truck!

Playing football with cousins.

We went for a walk by Shelley's house and stopped for a fire station tour.

He cracks me up.

We put this gate up when we watch dogs to keep them separate from Kitty. Bennett looked so funny to me there since he's a dog hanging out by the gate, just like the ones we watch.

School focus: Sorting