six

When you get married, everyone gives you all kinds of marriage advice and imparts their years of matrimonial wisdom upon you. I was grateful for all of it. One thing we were told was 'tough times will come'. I feel that this past year we have experienced more of those tough times. When you have to watch the person you love the very most hurt, you hurt. When you watch them suffer, you suffer. Yet, I have never felt closer, more on the same page, and more blessed to have Ryan in my life than I have this year. I know it's only been a short 6 years, but I feel that somehow, we are becoming One. I know there will be more trials. I know there will be more tears. I know their will be more tests of faith. But I think we would both agree that because we have each other, they won't seem so hard. I love you Ry. May the next 6 be as wonderful as the last.

Sleep 1, Dinner 0

November Indian Summer...Zoo calls

When it's nearing 70 degrees the first week of November, when your roses are still in bloom, and when your wearing your flip flops to the grocery store, you know it's your one last chance to get to the zoo. So the first weekend in November, we loaded the kids into the car as early was we could muster them out of bed and headed to the Hogle Zoo! We all had a fantastic time. The weather was perfect, the animals were all out and lively, and the boys had a fantastic time!

Carvers and Trick or Treat

We have some serious carvers in the family. Ryan did his first intricate carving last year and has been waiting for his chance to show everyone up again this year. We even grew our own pumpkins this year. Max initially wanted to carve a bat or Batman but soon Shari had him talked into a funny face with ears. We thank her for that.

Mark, Shari, Ryan & Max with their creations.Ryan's WolfMark's Skull
Trick or Treating at the Uncle's house post Ward Trunk or Treat.
Here we are ready to Save the World one Loveless at a time.Luke enjoying the fruits of his labor.

Halloween Eve Eve.

Safe Superman, Rowdy Robin, Brave Batman & Crazy Catwoman
When Halloween falls on Sunday, the state of Utah finds it necessary to fill both Hallows Eve and Hallows Eve Eve chuck full of stuff, oh and every other day of that week too. Remember when you were little, and Halloween stuff was done on Halloween. And all it included was dressing up for school and then a night full of trick or treating and eating so much sugar that you were awake for an entire week straight.

Batman loves to ride the scooter at Dad's work

Now it's Halloween week. Everyday is Halloween for an entire week. Perhaps I was more annoyed by it this year because we had only been home from our trip less than 24 hours when all the weekend madness started. And by the way, this is coming from me, the woman who loves Halloween, who spray painted dead branches and arranged them in our yard to spook it all up and have a cute Halloween house!

Robin was very content to color until he saw the scooter!

But not wanting to disappoint, I had planned ahead and we had all our Superhero costumes ready for this year. Until Max lost his Batman mask. Then I had to improvise and cut and spray paint a Catwoman mask. He didn't seem to mind. Then it was off to Dad's work for

Trick or Treating.

Robin made sure he got away with a serious stash!

Somehow Luke came home with about double the candy that Max did. And somehow I am not surprised by this at all. He was really good at grabbing all he could as fast as he could. Then there were all those ladies who were giving the cute chubby little Robin much more than they ought to.

Fighting crime...no committing crime is more like it!

I suppose if you have two little boys, chances are you are going to have to do the Superhero thing at some point in time. About a month before Halloween we asked Max what he wanted to be and it was Batman. It never changed. Luke was happy to be his faithful sidekick. I went as Catwoman and Ryan, who will only oblige my insistence that he dress up for his kids by keeping it to a very bare minimum, agreed to throw on a Superman undershirt and be Clark Kent in transition.
Do you feel like your in good hands with this crime fighting family?

Rejuvinated.

one of the best experiences of our lives together. i realize it doesn't matter where you go or what you do, you just need to make time for eachother and get away. we owe JoAnn so much. she was so willing to come spend 5 days with 2 little guys who aren't used to their parents leaving them for long periods of time. we came back feeling tired but rejuvinated. i can't wait to get away with this guy again. he is so much fun and i was reminded of all the reasons we make such a perfect pair. till next time...

Day 4: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

Our last day was spent at Universal Studios.

Good Lucy. Bad Ricky.

Right after meeting the Ricardo's we went to a Hollywood make-up show that was really good. Probably our favorite show we saw the entire trip. Very entertaining.

And a tribute to our Max...his favorite characters...

Ryan took a detour and went to the NYC library. He returned in time to see Shrek, the Mummy, Twister and eat some fish and chips.

Day 3: POOL TIME & DISNEYWORLD

On Thursday, we knew we wanted to do something at DisneyWorld.
Our hotel was very close to DisneyWorld so transportation would be free or cheap, but DisneyWorld tickets were not included in our travel package.
Option 1): Go to Epcot to the Food and Wine Festival and spend more $$ than we wanted; Option 2): lay by the pool all day long than go to Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween from 7pm - Midnight, pay half price admission, & go Trick or Treating at DisneyWorld

After spending 2 days walking around theme parks, Option 2 seemed the obvious choice and so we spent a very enjoyable day at the pool. Ryan got in some good studying and I got some serious sun. It was so relaxing and enjoyable. Then it was time to get ready and go Trick or Treating at DisneyWorld! We felt like little kids! It was so fun!
We both new going to the Magic Kingdom without our kids would no doubt evoke parental guilt.

It did so we bought swords for the boys from the Pirates shop to ease the guilt. Here Ryan gives his best ARRGH MATEY on Pirates of the Caribbean.

Everyone was dressed up in their Halloween costumes that night. This was the best costume I saw that night. The woman inside that fortune ball is real! When I figure out how they did this, Ryan is going to win the $1000 prize at his work contest!

There was a Villains Parade and show that night. All the villains from the Disney tales were out greeting people that night. I had to keep an eye on Cinderella's step sisters. They were flirting with Ryan!

We had to ride the cars in Tomorrowland as a tribute to Max and Luke! They would have loved it and it was just their speed.

The Haunted Mansion on Halloween was a definite 'Have To'.