Our family has been enjoying the holiday preparations - Bryan bought the girls new Halloween shirts, which they seem to enjoy :)
We have also been "ghosting it forward" by giving treats to our neighbors. You also give them a ghost and a poem that tells them to make more ghosts and poems to leave with the goodies - then you knock and run - or "ding dong ditch." Notice Dad and Tori in their black hats? They were the runners and Laeni and I were in the getaway car. Tori had TONS of fun (until the 2nd night she lost her hat and started screaming to go back and Bry was trying to cover her mouth so the family, who was now on their front porch, couldn't figure out who they were :) We had to do a drive-by later to pick up the evidence.
Bry really wanted to help decorate, so reluctantly, I gave him charge over the eyeball cookies. He did a very good job....I might make a pastry chef assistant out of him yet! Tori was also helping on the eyeball cookies.
We made Frankenstein, eyeballs, Jack-O-Lanterns, and a skeleton face. SOOOOO FUN!
After our work, this is how we play - eat some of our wares! Tori chose the Frankenstein so she could eat his Pez candy :)
Laeni did so well in the getaway car that she was also rewarded with some loot - her very first cookie...not sure how much she actually ate since she was COVERED with crumbs - even stuffed into her belly button. hehehehehe - gross. Getting ready for Halloween is so fun.
Today we are actually staying inside, or at least close to home all day as I try to get Tori potty trained. Training began at 8am with "baby" learning how to potty on the toilet, then it was Tori's turn. Until about 1:30 pm we had 1 accident and 1 kind of good shot. I think #2 was suck on her bottom cheeks and fell into the toilet, so we counted that as going potty in the toilet (her frog toilet). We had a big celebration. Now she's taking a nap with a pull up...we'll see if she can go again...I am finding it difficult to pump the liquids through her so she'll have to go. She refuses to drink...hmmm.
Over General Conference weekend, we went to the cabin in Island Park to close it up. Bryan's parents were already there, so we spent some time with them and then they left for home. We went into Yellowstone for a day and then did a little hike one of the days.
Driving through the park, I kept hoping to see a bear or a moose, preferably both...but taking a back road, we caught a GREAT look at a bear. This is my shot before I edited my photo. We were this close-ish.
The Mighty Shirleys taking a break mid-hike. Gotta love these days!
My trick-or-treaters: 
Little Bo Peep
& her Little Lost Sheep
Pumpkin picking
...and a hayride.
Carving our pumpkins 
The finished product. 
Our family has been enjoying the holiday preparations - Bryan bought the girls new Halloween shirts, which they seem to enjoy :)
We have also been "ghosting it forward" by giving treats to our neighbors. You also give them a ghost and a poem that tells them to make more ghosts and poems to leave with the goodies - then you knock and run - or "ding dong ditch." Notice Dad and Tori in their black hats? They were the runners and Laeni and I were in the getaway car. Tori had TONS of fun (until the 2nd night she lost her hat and started screaming to go back and Bry was trying to cover her mouth so the family, who was now on their front porch, couldn't figure out who they were :) We had to do a drive-by later to pick up the evidence.
Bry really wanted to help decorate, so reluctantly, I gave him charge over the eyeball cookies. He did a very good job....I might make a pastry chef assistant out of him yet! Tori was also helping on the eyeball cookies. 
We made Frankenstein, eyeballs, Jack-O-Lanterns, and a skeleton face. SOOOOO FUN!
After our work, this is how we play - eat some of our wares! Tori chose the Frankenstein so she could eat his Pez candy :)
Laeni did so well in the getaway car that she was also rewarded with some loot - her very first cookie...not sure how much she actually ate since she was COVERED with crumbs - even stuffed into her belly button. hehehehehe - gross. Getting ready for Halloween is so fun. 
Driving through the park, I kept hoping to see a bear or a moose, preferably both...but taking a back road, we caught a GREAT look at a bear. This is my shot before I edited my photo. We were this close-ish.
The Mighty Shirleys taking a break mid-hike. Gotta love these days! 
