Halloween Time!!

We had a fun Halloween/fall season this year. We started off with the Apple Fair at my brother's housing community, whilst Paul's parents were still out visiting.

Alec loved the games and cookie decorating-keep in mind he took two bites and was done, he's not quite the sugar-a-holic his mom is. James & Kayden got matching fake ladybug tattoos & he wasn't a huge fan-probably a good sign.

We went from the Apple Fair to the Pumpkin Patch, which Alec LOVED!! Our little daredevil tried out all the rides and especially loved the harness/trampoline jump. I was totally expecting him to pee his pants, but he had a blast!

I was trying to pose the boys and get a cute pumpkin shot with both of them...several screams later...this was the best we got:

One family night we carved small pumpkins and I made some baked apples. Alec really enjoyed playing with the pumpkin innards and randomly carving scratches into the side of the pumpkin.

My little beaver & Buzz Lightyear:

We took the boys to my brother's ward's trunk-or-treat so they got to spend time with monkey Kayden & then to our ward's with their other cousin, Ben the Lion. :)

Alec did really good with the candy. Chocolate triggers his reflux, so we don't allow him to eat it, so he refused to eat any chocolate, even when unknowing people tried to give him some. His daddy happily took all the chocolate bars he'd gotten and we handed back out the majority of the candy he'd earned.

Here's Alec enjoying the trunk-or-treat, then going around on Halloween to trick-or-treat. Since Halloween was on a Sunday we let him go to our friend's house & my aunt's only.

Halloween night we also carved our HUGE pumpkin and put James in it:

"Pudgy, Pudgy"

Alec was poking his auntie's belly and calling her 'pudgy' (at the insistent prompting of my mother) one day. It's funny because Kari is anything but pudgy.

Reception Pictures

Sabrena and I had a good time all week preparing fondant and baking! My cousin Nikki was out from Utah, so we enlisted her aid in making the flowers, running errands and putting it all together on Saturday.

Kari was very happy with the cake, so it was all worth it:

Here's a photo with my siblings and some cousins:

Temple Pictures

Kari and Ben were sealed in the LA Temple on August 15, 2008 for time and all eternity.

Afterwards, we had to wander around and do loads of photos, before heading to the luncheon at the restaurant down the street. Kari decided on a Chinese theme, since Ben's father is Chinese. So, she asked me to dress Alec in his pajamas from Paul's Chinese cousins-she originally mentioned him being a 'Buddha' because of his belly...so I casually mentioned a sheet cake from the local grocery store being a lot easier than a 10 layer cake and the matter was dropped. He did look awfully cute:

Here he is learning to make a 'pop!' sound with a rose petal and my cousin Chad:

On the steps of the LA Temple:

Grandma's Birthday

Grandma's birthday was on Sunday, June 1st, but she flew into Vegas last night, so we planned a little birthday lunch surprise to the Olive Garden. Christopher, Joleen, Kari, Ben, Sarah, Paul, Alec & I were able to go, so it was really fun.

Alec enjoying some mangoes while we waited for a table

Sharing a laugh with Paul

Weddings, weddings, weddings, weddings!

Well, it's wedding season in our family. Several of my cousins live here in Vegas, so we see each other regularly and there are now 4 engagements in the family.

First was my cousin Colin getting engaged to Sarah. Colin has seemed so relaxed since he and Sarah have become official-they're like an old married couple already. They're having a long engagement-the wedding's not until March of next year! My friend Sabrena & I are making the cake & Alec will be the ring-bearer! Here's Sarah trying on the Hunter family veil:

After that it was my cousin, Ross. He proposed to Jordan outside the Bellagio hotel with roses and both sets of parents watching and he hasn't stopped smiling since. Jordan makes Ross so much more happy and outgoing than I can ever remember seeing him. They'll be married on the 31st...little over a week now!

Then came my sister Kari. Ben proposed to her in a hotel courtyard in California. She thought he'd dropped something and was on the floor trying to help him find it. They live out of each other's pockets-Ben's over before most people wake up and he's still here when we go to bed. He's always willing to help with anything, I think they'll be very happy!

I'm very involved in Kari's wedding. Sabrena's still trying to figure out how we'll manage Kari's 10-layer cake, but it will happen, I've begun bridal shower preparations, and on Monday; grandma, mom, Alec & I went with her to Saint George, Utah to find a modest wedding dress. I think she chose the fifth dress she tried on. She looked fabulous in all of them-little cutie's a size 0 now!! Now, if the dress were the only thing a bride needs it would have been a very quick shopping trip, but we still needed shoes and other girly things...

Alec really enjoyed crawling on the carpeted platforms meant for the brides to stand on. He did so great getting in and out of the car all day in the 100 degree weather (I was prepared with enough juice, string cheese and grapes), but he got tired at the end:

The most recent proposal was my cousin Derek to Kristen. He invited all of us along and proposed on her birthday with a kite. It was really fun to watch, they just kept hugging each other! The story behind the 'ROCK' on the kite is that on Valentine's Day he made her a turtle tank and had written that phrase on her card. She thought it was a hint and he was proposing, so she tore the tank apart looking for a ring (the turtles survived). Needless to say, she was ready for the proposal!

I'm really enjoying having all these wedding plans going on and remembering what it was like when it was my own! I love being married and I think with the companions they've chosen, my cousins and siblings will enjoy it also. I'm getting so sentimental as I get older.

Alec's First Birthday Party!

After it's week-long postponement, we were able to celebrate Alec's birthday at the park. It turned out to be a beautiful day and everyone gave Alec loads of attention so he was happy as could be. Since 'Finding Nemo' is the only movie he can watch for about 15 minutes before deciding to get into something, we themed his party around it. I was so excited to make his cake (which is funny, since I don't really enjoy eating cake). Friday afternoon I baked, shaped and frosted while Alec happily ate the cut-off bits:











Saturday, it was party time! My cousin Ross and his fiancee Jordan were the first to give Alec some cuddles, they were good sports and wore party hats with Alec and even blew bubbles for him:













Paul did a wonderful job barbecuing burgers for everyone while they all took turns lavishing attention on the birthday boy. Aunt Linda held him and allowed him to eat...whatever he could grab. Then he got some cuddles from his Auntie Kari and her fiance Ben:















We tried to light his birthday candle, but the wind blew the match out before we could even light it...not like he would have known to blow it out, but he enjoyed pulling it off the cake and sucking the icing off. Everyone sang to him and he cheered by clapping for them:














Since we were at the park, his Uncle Derek took him sliding and it made Alec so happy! After they were finished and I was taking some pictures Alec began to bang on Derek's leg to remind him they needed to go down the slide again! Afterwards he opened his presents-he loved the wrapping paper and the noisy toys his Uncle Ross, Aunt Jordan, Great-Aunt Linda & Great-Uncle Daniel specially picked out for him:

















My cousin Colin's fiancee Sarah held him and I liked this picture, the way he's checking her face (possibly trying to pick her nose-he doesn't pick his own, but enjoys others'). Then his Auntie Kelsey took him sliding, on some bouncy toys and walking.

















Alec's friend Caleb is two months younger, but is about the same size and they had a good time poking each other, once they were done examining Alec's new toys. All in all a fun and successful first birthday party!