Where has October gone???

Halloween is right around the corner and I realize whether I like it or not...Fall is here and Winter is knocking on my door.
There are MANY things that I LOVE about Fall but also many that I don't!
I LOVE the BEAUTIFUL leaves ALL over the mountains that change into vibrant red, orange, yellow, and pink. Growing up in AZ we didn't get to experience this beautiful scenery.

I love the holidays, and busting out the decorations to give the house a fresh new look to look at for awhile.

My spooky ghosts I made at girls craft night out...yes this exists! ;)

A little kid came over and drew the stuff on the right..J/K...it was really me but it looks like a kid did it...that's the best of my art abilities! ;)

Should have taken pics before it was all eaten...at least it was a decoration put to good use! ;)

 

It says "Happy Haunting" totally free printable I found off Pinterest. LOVE!!

My fun book pumpkin I copied from my awesome neighbor Alyssa!

Love this cute little pumpkin! (Just covered it with some tights)

This is my MOST favorite decoration of all! Makes me smile EVERY day! He made the CUTEST sheriff I have EVER seen!!!

Busted out old Halloween pics...so fun!!!

 

My ride!

LOVE LOVE my fun pumpkins from the local fruit stand!

 

I love the family and friend time spent with parties and fun. I LOVE the fun fall and winter clothes...that is also something I have didn't get to experience living in AZ. I never even owned a pair of boots (besides cowboy boots) before I moved to South Dakota. Now boots and scarfs are probably some of my most favorite accessories! ;)

I DON'T love that I have to start bundling up to go for a run and busting out the headlamp again. I don't love that the sun doesn't shine quit as much as it used to and give you the warm fuzzy feeling when you walk into it's light. I hate all the germs and sickness that goes around. I hate having to bundle Dakota up to just go for a walk.

He doesn't mind ;)

The hardest of all...is the reminder that THIS is the time of year where my life was changed forever.

Right before Dakota's accident Zach's mom wanted to take Dakota for the evening to get some pictures of him in their Fall leaves before they cleaned them all up. Besides our family pictures they were some of the last taken of him that showed his sweet, sweet face and personality for who he really was. It wasn't til a few months ago that she first showed and gave them to me. She told me to look at them on a day that I was already crying. The first time I looked at them they didn't make me cry...they made me smile. Inside I LOVE to remember him that way even though it hurts. To me...it's as if he is stuck right at that age and that time of life because that is what I remember. It's hard to think that he is really 4 now and that he has grown so much because to me he is still that little boy. Time stopped on November 26, 2010 for me, and even though life is still moving forward and he is still growing up right before my eyes, in a way I can't go on until I see that little boy just like this again.

Oh the many faces!!!!!

 

So grateful Vicki captured this boy so well!!

 

SO back to October cuz that is what I meant this blog post to be about (lucky for me it is MY journal so it can go wherever I want it too! ;) )
Most important happening is that Zach FINALLY caught up to his old lady and turned 28 on the 19th!! As I always say...birthdays should be celebrated ALL week, so we partied it up. The Sunday before his birthday we had a family party with his family.

Our sweet nephew Houston joined our family for the pic...love that kid!

Helped Uncle Zach with the candles

Each day up til his birthday I gave him a little treat. We went out to Chilis a couple days before and got our favorite Molten cake. The night before I made him OUR favorite...chocolate cake with rainbow chip frosting...very fancy I know! ;)

He didn't want to be in the pic...so here is the fancy cake! ;)

The day of his birthday I had to fly out to AZ for my BIG 10 year high school reunion (I know I am a horrible wife) BUT I had a secret spy leave him a piece of Maddox's famous banana cream pie with a letter from me so he would know I was thinking of him. BUT because I have THE SWEETEST husband in the world...he didn't even eat it and saved it for me because he knew how much I love it...he is MOST DEFINITELY a keeper! ;)

Don't worry while I was gone he still got pampered cuz his sweet grandparents took him and Dakota to lunch, his sweet brother and wife took him to dinner that night, AND his sister Jenny took him for a massage the next so REALLY...I'm pretty sure he was just fine without me! :)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZACHARY JAY!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

I was spoiled this month too because my sister Annie and her husband came into town for a quick trip and we got to spend a night with them. Then right after they left my sister Katie came into town for a few days to do some permanent makeup on some people up here and to hang out with her favorite sister! ;) Then not long after that, is when I got to go down to AZ for the weekend to go to my 10 year reunion. SO I have LOVED October! ;)

I got to AZ on Friday and went straight to work helping get ready my family's annual Halloween party. I was SO excited that it fell on the same weekend I was coming. My sister Annie and I set up a rockin haunted house in her garage and there were 5 adults in their scaring the kids at different spots. Let's just say...we did a GREAT job...kids were crying and freaking out...even the 10 year olds! ;)

Nana hiding in her position as a scary witch! ;)

WATCH OUT!!!

 

 Annie planned some fun games for the kids too...she is so creative!

Decorating cookies with Nana

Trying to get the doughnut

Punch the bowl game to get a prize and answer a fun question about yourself

We had some pretty rad costumes if I say so myself! ;)

Yes...that is me! Bob Marley if you didn't know! ;) I LOVED seeing the kids reaction "Tessie...is that you?!" "How did you get your skin like that?"

Dawn was my hippy date that night! Peace and Love!!

Some pirates showed up...too bad Dakota wasn't there with them...he is a pirate this year too!

Masquerade Lady struttin her stuff!

80's workout chic yelling at Areal for eating a cookie! ;)

Batman with his teeth he won!

Captain Andrew...I mean America!

Wonder Woman juicing up!

Some really buff green guys!

That night I had a girl sleepover with all the older girl nieces and my sister Dawn. It was great to have some good ole Dawn time! ;) And niece time!!! :)

The next day I got to watch one niece play soccer and another play softball.

GO SHEA!!!

GO PAIGE!! She got a awesome hit right here...learned from the best! ;)

Then spent all afternoon with my bestie Abbey...getting our nails done, eating some lunch, and a little shopping too! Before we knew it the time had flown by and we were gonna miss the reunion.

She was my hot date since my party pooper husband didn't want to come with me. ;) I didn't blame him since he would know hardly anyone...so I let him off the hook which was probably best for the both of us because then I didn't have to worry all night about him having fun and wanting to leave, instead of enjoying the time talking with old friends.

All ready to go!

It was SO much more fun then I expected. It was pretty laid back and dinner was served from a Taco truck. Everyone just walked around and chit chatted away...took a few pictures and before I knew it it was time to go. It was so good to see so many great people.

Me and some of the clan. I was lame and didn't bust out my camera til the end so hopefully you other ladies out there will pass them around! ;)

 

Back under the Tiger again! ;)

 I have to admit...I can still remember senior year talking to all my friends and totally talking about going to our 10 year reunion. I remember thinking about what I pictured my life being like. Let's just say, it is NOTHING like I EVER imagined it being. I did marry Prince Charming and gave birth to an angel boy but everything else...let's just say I could have done without! :)

Right after I got back from AZ, the next morning at 4:30 A.M. we headed up for a couple days to go deer hunting. To sum up this years hunt...let's just say it made me want to retire my deer hunting career without EVER getting a deer. It was FREEZING, RAINING, WINDY, and to top it off we didn't see even ONE buck. Not even a chance to get excited and make sitting out in the rain and wind thinking I was going to die worth it. And I'm not just being a wimpy girl...Zach and my hunting partner Jake were freezing too and hated it. The one night we slept in the tent we woke up in the night thinking the top was gonna blow over it was blowing so hard. We did have some good laughs, roasted some good ole hot dogs, and enjoyed it the best we could. Let's hope that one of these years I will actually get to shoot something besides a water bottle! ;)

Zach getting ready to roast

Jake my guide

That is my sexy self if you can't tell! ;) 3 layers on my head, 5 layers on top, 3 on my legs, and 2 on my feet, and I still thought I was gonna die!

Our amazing fire that I NEVER wanted to die out.

Me and my husband on our romantic getaway!

 

After pretty much 5 days of being away from Dakota...I was definitely missing him. I know he had a blast with daddy, grammy, Aunt Jenny, and nurse Annette but it was sure nice to snuggle that little bug again! I know I am partial but he has the sweetest and cutest face in the world!! Since I have been back I have seen more smiles and laughs on that boy then I have in a LONG time!! Maybe he just needed a break from his mom!

 

He did have his last day of horse therapy before I left...at least until April. We will miss it!

His last ride he was fussin quite a bit until...he spit up all over the therapists arm and himself...then he was all smiles.

I missed the smiles but at least it's not a sad face!

 

Phew...THE END!