Birthday's and Halloween

We celebrated Edyn's Birthday on Friday the 22nd with a Fancy Nancy Explorer Extraordinare party. It was very fun. We are all in love with the Fancy Nancy Books, but needed a party that boys would enjoy too, since some of her best friends are boys. We had a clubhouse with lots of fancy decorations we borrowed from my mom, and we made binoculars out of toilet paper rolls and read the story to the kids before leaving to go "exploring". I made the kids all a fancy pencil and book that had everything they needed to know to "join the club" with a page on what to look for. We went to the hollow and went exploring. The kids had a ball. I just wish I would have planned more time, they could have stayed there forever. We got back to the house when the parents were supposed to be picking up the kids. Luckily no one cared that they stayed longer for presents and ice cream. Edyn openened her presents with Pizzazz (a fancy word for ripping into them one after another in a crazy fashion). We were going to play a bingo game to settle in for presents but ran out of time. (should have done it anyway). Then we sang Happy Birthday and had cupcakes (made by my friend Becky and were absolutely beautiful) and ice cream where they could sprinkle all sorts of treats on top with whip cream and cherries for a nice effect. We had a ball!
Grandma Astle was able to visit and see our new baby as well as enjoying the birthday festivities. It was fun to play with her for a couple of days and she got to halloween it up with us too. We watched scary movies, carved pumpkins, made lots of treats, watched Zach perform thriller with the sixth grade and sang Halloween songs with the school. We helped out in Ali's class for a party, and trick or treated at Dad's work. We have been canning grape juice, grape jelly, and Applesauce (still more applesauce to do, which I love because it smells so good) We also had breakfast with a witch at my sisters house (I was too busy this year to do it).
Friday we trunk or treated with our ward, and then went trick or treating in the rain for a minute on Saturday. Then we had yummy soups and of course carmel apples dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar that Kristie makes and we all love. The kids went out trick or treating later by themselves after the rain stopped and got way too much candy, and they each got a small flashlight at one house. They were thrilled. They love them to read at night in their beds. Great Halloween and everyone looked so cute, even if we had to explain to a lot of people who Phineas and Ferb were!
I have been doing sharing time this month and did my last one yesterday. We have also been trying to watch the Harry Potter movies, gearing up for the new one, and cause they are fun to watch at Halloween. Needles to say the kids have watched 1 and 2 while Mom and Dad slept. Dallin has started his first year in Basketball. Dallin's coach probably thinks I am a brainless twit. The first practice I got the time and location wrong and by the time we got there, he practiced for 5 minutes. Then I left my purse there and the coach had to call and meet us somewhere to pick it up. The next week (saturday) I forgot the treats and had to go and get some at the store. I also had a very fat lip and jaw from the hives, and by the time I got back my eye had nearly swollen shut and my ear was swollen. He probably thinks someone is beating me up too. What can I say? I make good first impressions for sure. Zach has started indoor soccer. The Weather is really being so nice that they are still practicing twice a week outside as well. Ali got the Dance Solo for their "Showstoppers" performance and is excited about that. Kamden chuckled really cute for me and Grandma Astle last week, but we haven't been able to get him to do it since. He is now 3 months old. I can't believe it! We are ready for him to sleep through the night but still no luck and my neck is killing me from holding him all night, but at least we get a little sleep. He just refuses to stay asleep in his bed (he lasts at most 5 minutes). He "talks" a lot now which is fun. The kids in Ali's class at school just loved seeing him there and Edyn embarrassed Ali when her friends asked her who her boyfriend was and Edyn told them McKay. Kamden has taken to sucking on everything (fist, blankets, burp rags), and between that and the spit up and drool he is "wet" most of the time.
I was suppossed to go get allergy tested this tuesday and next to see what is causing the hives, but you have to stay off the medicine for a week in order to do it, and after the WORST breakout Saturday morning it is determined that I will have to have blood drawn instead of the scratch test. I had to take my pill, but am now doing much better. (tired, but at least they don't have to committ me to the insane asylum).
We have been partying for two weeks and gained back any weight I may have lost but hopefully we can get back on track now. We are looking forward to blessing the baby on Sunday, and then maybe we can take a break for a bit from the craziness. ;) At least until the Christmas Craze begins.