HALLOWEEN!!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I think it is in part because it falls so close to my birthday, and partly because of the tapes my mom let me listen to as a kid with all the cool halloween songs on them. I still sing "h-a-double l-o-w-double e-n spells Halloween!!!!!!" every time I type the word! I think I've always loved halloween!

Anyway, for our costumes this year I decided we all needed to be pumpkins. I was a pumpkin for my first Halloween, and Jon (Thinks) he was too! So I took that as a sign from the Halloween spirits (hehe) that Kate HAD to be a pumpkin too! And because I'm cheap I decided to make them all! I spent $15 bucks on all 3 costumes! For the ward Trunk or Treat party we stuffed ourselves to look extra round. It was the funniest on Kate! She kinda hated it! But that didnt stop her from getting around the party:

Checking out the row of chairs. I dont know why they were so tempting, but she loved them!

This is how she was crawling. Oh I just laughed the whole time!

Here she is wearing Uncle Scott's hunting hat. She was cracking up, till Brooke came and took the hat! Then she cried. lol. I love the expression on her face here, almost like shes saying "don't even think about it!" to Brooke!

I decided to throw a Halloween party at my house! I loved it so much I think this will be an annual thing! I wish my house was bigger so I could have invited more people. Here is the pinata I made for the kids. It took 2 attempts, but voila!

The next few pics are of the kitchen with the food set up. Jon was worried we wouldn't have enough food, but we had tons of leftovers!

Thanks to everyone who helped with the food! It was good. I even labeled all the items with 'spooky' names.

The kids got to take turns hitting the pinata. It help up for almost all of them! I think we only missed 2 little kids. I was proud of my little pumpkin pinata!

The kids getting the candy.

I really hope everyone else had as much fun as we did, but like I said, I plan to do it again because it was so fun! I even hit a store for their clearance priced Halloween stuff today!

24....

Today I turn 24. Holy smokes I'm getting up there! As one of my dear friends put it, I'm no longer in my early 20's! Wow. BUT on the plus side today has been wonderful! Sunday my family in TX had a dinner party for me, which was awesome. Then yesterday my sweet friend Nikki took me on a movie date and we had a blast! THEH today at my YW presidency meeting I got a sweet card and fall leaves from WV! My YW president brought me back a bunch of leaves from her trip to the Greenbrier and a candle she decorated with leaves. Oh....it smells like fall in the bag! I teared up just opening it! I love love love fall! AND she brought me some chocolates from the Greenbrier too! AND we went to lunch as a presidency. Talk about being spoiled. But its not over yet....the day is semi- young! Tonight at 6 Jon made dinner reservations for us! I know-- RESERVATIONS?!?! We have never gone somewhere you need a reservation! I don't know what to wear! I am one lucky lady! I will post again sometime later and give ya pictures or something from our exciting evening out!

2nd tooth!

I was so excited about the BYU game pictures that I forgot to mention that on Friday the 15th Kate got her 2nd tooth! Here is the best picture I've been able to get of her tooth....she doesn't hold still long enough for me to get anything better! Next I am blogging this picture because it bring me lots of joy(I was debating if I should....it could be considered inappropriate)! Today when I was getting dressed Kate found a new toy! OH it was funny! She grabbed a box of tampons and got one open and was chewing on it! Too funny! She seriously cried when I took it away.

BYU Football

Friday we left Beaumont and headed to Ft Worth to see Jon's sister Melissa, and to attend the BYU /TCU football game. Jon's brother Scott and their family came too (and had the idea to attend the game! thanks!). It was really a fun time! The trip was too short (Fri evening to Sat evening), but we loved seeing Jon's family and sharing the experiences with family. Kate couldn't have been better ALL weekend! In the car she was great, no crying, no problems. At Melissa's house she was in love with the dogs and slept flawlessly. Before the game we went bowling, and Kate was perfect at the bowling alley. At lunch she was great! At the game she didn't cry a single time! The marching band marched right past us playing, and Kate just watched them. During the first quarter she had fun watching all the people and smiling when they cheered. She fell asleep during the 2nd quarter and slept for half time.....but then woke up and was happy the rest of the game! THEN the almost 6 hour drive home she was perfect! Really this kid is spoiling us! The weekend couldn't have gone more smoothly! Thanks again Melissa for letting us stay with you! Now the photo evidence:

Kate's first time bowling. She just cheered-- they don't have baby size balls.

In front of the BYU truck. A first game for all of us!

The cutest BYU fan in the stands!

Happy girl!

Crashed out in the 2nd quarter. The team did really poorly....but we had fun anyway!

10 Months!

How cool is it that today 10/10/10, Kate is 10 months old?! I think it is TOO cool!

Here are a few quick pictures I snapped after church before Kate's nap. She was tired and not too helpful, so I'll work with what I got! Kate hasn't changed too much since I last updated....still just one tooth, getting really good at crawling and standing (still no walking unless you hold her hands), she waves hi (when she wants to), gives high 5's, and thinks she is talking but not speaking english! She is just so cute and sweet! Yesterday she got to spend the ENTIRE day with Daddy....I was more nervous than Jon, and everything went great.

Did I mention I cut my hair for the first time since RIGHT after Kate was born?! I have side bangs again and some body! I really like it!

Photo Shoot

While my parents were here I decided to make them be our photographers. This morning we went around the house and snapped some very non-professional shots. With the exception of me I think a few of them turned out pretty good! I need your help though-- I have 4 picture frames to go above the fire place. What 4 shots should I blow up and use??? Please vote for me! For your convience I will number the pictures!

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Please remember to vote! I need all the help I can get!

Super Saturday!

My Dad called me Friday morning to ask what Jon and I had planned for the weekend. "Just watching conference" I replied. He then asked "Well can we come visit you?" That is how this whole crazy, fun, fast weekend started. The plan was that my parents would come visit....they left their house friday evening....drove all night and got here at around 11 in the afternoon! They had a LONG drive for just a few short hours of time here. They were here all day Saturday and then took off this morning at 9:30. But it was great fun! I really enjoyed it! They brought me my birthday present (have I mentioned how much i LOVE LOVE LOVE October!?) and we had a blast.Kate and Grandpa laughing at Chance running around in the back yard.

Grandma and Kate playing with the bunny that was one of the 'reasons' for the long trip! She loves that funny bunny!

Grandma introduced Kate to her new favorite game....knocking over the blocks. Kate SCREAMS and laughs while you stack them back up and when she gets to knock them over. Easily amused little girl!

Silly Grandpa taking Kate for a walk with only one shoe!

Grandma making Kate make a funny face! Kate kept puckering her lips like that after mom would pinch her cheeks! Too funny!

Awww.... Kate just loves her Grandparents!

The trip was fast but really fun! I'm glad they came.

Splash Park Fun

Today my sweet friend invited Kate and I to come to a splash park and play with her girls. It was so fun! Another friend from the ward came with her cute little girl, and it was an all girls afternoon! I thought Kate would be scared or something, but I was dead wrong. I sat her down next to a sprinkler and she took off! she crawled all around the park! She would laugh when the water would crash down on her. She was crawling so fast I had to put pants on her to protect her knees! Crazy, brave little thing!

Clapping for joy!

I knew it was time to go when she started this..... this pose is her classic way of saying "I'm tired Mom!"

Then here is a quick shot of Kate in a witch's hat. She wouldn't leave it on long...so these are the best pictures I got.

FALL!!!!

My favorite season of the year is fall. This morning when I got online I was met with a greeting from Comcast informing me that it is officially fall. I felt so excited; till I remembered that I now live in TX, and won't get to have a pretty fall! In that perky mood I headed to Best Buy to pick up my camera that was being fixed. After being reunited with my camera, I decided to go browse Target, because I was close! While there I found these super-cute Halloween tins, and stickers. Have you ever had a vision of a craft project develop in your mind while standing in a store? Well for me, today was one of the most successful and budget friendly projects I've thought of all on my own! Normally I see my friend's cool projects and copy, but today was all me! I filled the tins with bouncy balls (fall colors of course), and used some skewers I had in the kitchen (painted with paint I already had). The total cost of my project was $10! That is only $2.50 a piece!!!! I am very excited if you can't tell! I plan to put them on my tables and other fun places in my house!

Yay for fall, and Yay for crafts! I must be getting old, doing crafts makes me more excited than it used to! Oh, and while I was making these, I finished my magnets for my magnet board...pictures will come when I finally get Jon to hang them up!

Random Monday

Today has been a kinda boring day at the Walter house....so while I was laying on the floor playing with the dog and Kate I took a few pictures with my phone. The above picture is Kate's new found way to carry toys while she crawls around. It is pretty funny.

Using the same technique with one of her favortie non-toys...mom's keys. Good thing I'm not to much of a germ aphobe.

She now claps all the time. If she hears noises on the TV of cheering, or if she hears us say 'yay' she claps. Also, clapping means 'more' in Kate sign language.

She likes to always have toys in her mouth and hand at the same time! She is getting too busy! She constantly moves around getting into everything.

Jon just called and won't be home till late....so my boring day just got a little longer. Good thing Kate is cute!

I can't believe I missed 9 months!

So it came to my reaization a few minutes ago that the date today is the 11th, meaing yesterday was the 10th.....Kate's 9 month birthday! How did I miss that?! I like to post on the day and write about what she is doing....and I spaced it! At least the 11th is really close right?!

So at 9 months Kate is EVERYWHERE and into EVERYTHING. As we speak she is standing taking the pots and pans out of the cabinet next to me. (great. I thought I had more time before that started!) She just recently started to clearly say 'ba', so her vocabulary has gone from just mumbling/screaming 'dadada' type stuff to 'dada baba'. I keep trying to get her to say 'mama'but with no success. She still only has one tooth, but I think number 2 will break the surface in a few weeks. She has even started to learn to pet the dog--not just yank his hair. Oh and she thinks she is funny....she will be playing and just randomly start laughing at herself. I just love to watch her think and learn. She crawls like a pro,LOVES to steal dog food any time she can (and puts up a huge fight to keep it in her mouth....such a weird-O!) I think she has also started to say hi....like she will sometimes look up from doing something random and squeal what sounds lots like HI....so I'm counting that! I'm trying to make her next 'trick' waving. For now her 'tricks' include clapping anytime you say yay and giving high fives.

Thanks about it....but here is a picture taken on her actual 9 month day! She has started crawling into the dog cage! This is on her way out after her first trip inside. She took toys in and had a ball....poor chance started at her like she was violating some kind of rule....pretty funny stuff!

Oh My

I am not sure I'm ready for her to be a climber already.....she has tried to climb the couch and TV stand to. I've got to give her props though, this does really help her pull more toys out of the tote!