October/Halloween

I was just telling someone the other day that I think we had more Halloween parties than we do Christmas parties.  I think my kids put on their costumes 5 to 6 times before Halloween night to go trick or treating. In October we visited two pumpkin patches, one with Rock's brother's family and one with my sisters and their kids, went to Rock's friends Halloween party, went to our neighbor's the Leishman's Halloween party, I had a young women's Halloween dinner with my girls and leaders, my mom had a Halloween party, our ward Halloween carnival, Mack's preschool party and then of course trick or treating on Halloween!  What a fun month with awesome weather.  

Ellison cousins- 7 boys missing two and one girl!

Pumpkin patch in Lehi.

 HUDSON

 Mack and flag football.

His fan club, included grandma and grandpa Gillman, the loveless family...and

 Nana!

Mack with his best friend Tege.

His medal he earned for the season.

 His team with Coach Kelley

Painting our pumpkins this year instead of carving them.

 My mom's Halloween party with all her grand kids.  Hudson( 2 months), Dykell,(9), Avery (4), Gunnar (3), McCoy (2), Mack (4), Jex (7), Kyson (3).

Game 1: Musical chairs!

 Game 2:  Pin the button on the scarecrow.

 Game 3:  Race a around the trees without your hats falling off.

Donut man himself Hudson!

 Game 4: Donuts on a string.

 Gunnar eating the donuts on a string.

 Mack's preschool Halloween program.  I am amazed at all the poems he had to memorize and sing.

 Mack a fire fighter.

Hudson was a monkey

 Gunnar as a skeleton.

My Gunnar is one stubborn human being.  We are potty training now and it has been a struggle for the past month.  The first couple of days he was doing great.  I give him pennies when he goes on the potty.  Once he earns 100 pennies he gets to go buy a football helmet.  Well the last two weeks he has pooped his pants everyday, sometimes twice a day.  Today he pulled down his pants and went in the storage room.  We go through 5 pair of underwear and pants a day.  I have thrown away his sippy cups because I told him if he pooped his pants I would throw them away, that didn't help, I have taken away his puppy that he sleeps with, that didn't help, I have given him candy when he has gone, that last one time, I have sat him down a number of times and told him that he is a great big boy and that he can do this, that hasn't worked. I ask him every 10 minutes do you have to go the bathroom-no -then five seconds later poops his pants.  I really don't know what to do.  I am so frustrated.  He doesn't want to go to nursery anymore and screams for Rock all nursery long.  I mean you can not bribe this kid for nothing, candy, movie, etc.  Nothing works and this kid can scream-LOUD!
Mack is loving preschool and gymnastics.  He climbed up a 50 foot rope the other day.  I am so proud of him.  He has such a sensitive heart.  He tells me when he hurts someone and feels awful when he lies.  But this kid is not a sleeper at all, and along with Gunnar since he wakes him up, they are up at 5:30 am every morning.  This is if they take a nap or even when they don't take a nap.  When they go to bed at 7:30 pm or 10 pm.  It doesn't matter. 
Hudson doesn't sleep much either, during the day and at night.  He is up at 1:30 am to feed and 5:30 am to feed.  
For a week in October Rock went hunting with my dad.  For the first couple of days I was okay but the last few days when 4:00 pm hit I was so overwhelmed just thinking that I had no help coming home to help with the dinner and the bed time routine.  I called one night sobbing and told him he needed to come home soon.  I was done.  It parenting these three is hard doing this by myself.  I am now back to work on Saturday morning and some Tuesday and couldn't be more happy.  I need that break.  I have missed working.  Rock is a great father to support me and take care of the kids while i work.