Halloween Festivities

Warning: Lots of pictures

Well, Halloween is no longer a one day event for us now...it is a week long thing. I couldn't believe how many activities were going on. Maddi was a little hesitant about the whole thing this year. She definitely did NOT like scary costumes or anything where she couldn't see peoples faces. She wouldn't even let me do her makeup. We had fun though, and have lots of candy now.

Us before we headed out trick-or-treating

Maddi with some make-up on. This was right before she looked in the mirror and freaked out. I had to wipe it all off after that.

This was at our ward's Halloween Carnival. The young men and women are in charge of it, so I actually made this backdrop with the help of some other leaders. As you can see Maddi was not in a good mood. The little stink!

Maddi and one of her favorite friends, Ayden.

Trying to eat a doughnut...she cheated. :)

She loves these pink teeth and wears them almost every day now.

We haven't carved pumpkins since the first year we were married, so we decided it was time. We gave Maddi some paint and we carved. She had a blast.

The final products:

"Yoda" by Ryan.

(I will add that he free handed this, by looking at a picture)

"Minnie Mouse" by Myranda

On Friday we went trick-or-treating at Melaleuca in Idaho Falls. The different offices decorate in different themes. It was actually really cool, but Maddi was pretty much scared the whole time. She wouldn't even take candy from Santa. They had different themes: space, christmas, Dr. Seuss, Mario, Pirates, Bugs Life...it was cool.

Coleman, Maddi, Ayden

My thought for the day

Thanks dad for the link that had this comic in it. :)

Religious Freedom

My friend sent me an email with this talk by Elder Dallin H. Oaks. It's really good so check it out.

Change is good

It is a wonderful day in the Evans' household. This specific child item is offically gone! Woohoo! I have been dreading getting rid of the binky as the last attempt was awful. I decided she wasn't ready and now about 6 months later it happened by accident. I had given myself a deadline to have it gone by the end of the year, but then one day her last binky came up missing. I looked EVERYWHERE as she sat there crying and whining for it. But, the binky was nowhere to be found. Three days later we still haven't found it and now she is only asking for it about once a day and its a very feeble attempt at that. She falls asleep without it, she makes it through her sad times without it...what a great thing! It was much easier than I could have ever hoped for! Now I'm just nervous she'll find that missing binky before we do. :) Needless to say, I think this was the final thing keeping my little girl as my baby. She is getting so big. She is talking so much and getting quite the imagination which is so much fun to watch. She now has a pet horse which I am asked to hold onto many times a day. The horse stays by her time out mat when she is not playing with him or when he needs to eat and drink. She's a character, thats for sure, and we love her sweet, loving personality.

Our event filled weekend

This weekend Maddi and I hung out by ourselves for two days while Ryan was gone. While I was busy making this... (Thanks for coming over Kayci!)

and these...
and Maddi was busy doing this...

Ryan was doing this.

It is officially our first deer. Ryan just bought his rifle this year and has been so excited to get out hunting. I was glad he got the deer although I'm not sure how excited I am about the dead deer now hanging in our garage. :) I look forward to the jerky though..Yum!

Being a mom

I've just been thinking a lot today about being a mom. I found a cool website asamom.org and we had an activity tonight for Young Womens on motherhood and all it entails. :) Both have just made me stop and think about the things I want for my children such as freedom, as well as the things I want to teach them such as being good examples, having faith in their Savior, and rooting themselves deeply in the basic gospel principles. However, to do these things I must be doing them myself and so today I have found a renewed sense of determination to be better. To be better at serving my community. To be better about my daily prayer and scripture study. To be better at setting the example within my family of how I want my children to live their lives. I have so many wonderful examples around me and certainly understand the importance of mothers that no longer can I attempt to "just get by". I must work harder to have faith in all that I do and know that in so doing the blessings will come. Anways, just my thoughts...

Power of Iconography

I saw this video and all I can is....wow. It makes me sick when he talks about the part with the traditional icons of the United States, and how the eagle is ready to fly away, and the flag is falling, but Obama's icon is focused and in the center. What is this country coming to?