5K Turkey Trot

In October Alisa challenged me to do a Thanksgiving 5K with her. I was not about to enter a race where I knew I'd be the last to cross the finish line. The sweet sister I have suggested we hold our own where there is no "race" just everyone doing their best walk/jog. So the plans began. We decided to do it for a cause. She decided since our wonderful aunt was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and has undergone a double mastecotomy that we would donate the $5 entry fee to the Hunstman Cancer Foundation. I emailed our friends and family to get ready and join us. We were hoping to have 20-30 people. How surprised I was when I pulled in the to temple parking lot this morning at 8:40 to find so many people! I got a little teary thinking how awesome these friends are to get up in freezing weather on a holiday when they could just sleep in but there were here!

We ended up with at least 92 people - mostly friends and family but several others who had just heard about it and others who stopped when they saw us and decided to join in.

The Smith girls

The Jacobs Clan

We raised over $775 to donate. AWESOME. It felt great and it was beautiful to be there. What a great opportunity.

I'm jumping for joy because I'm so thankful!

We are doing it again next year...maybe you can join us! :)

Mom's 60th

My mom is such a sweetie and so thoughtful that we had to throw her a surprise party! She threw surprise parties for all of us girls on our 30th birthday's and for my dad's 40th, 50th and 60th. So it was about time that she got hers! We planned for several months...the hardest part was simply whittling down a guest list since mom is friends with EVERYONE. McCall surprised her on Saturday the 14th by flying in with Brynlee, so if she was expecting any kind of surprise that surely threw her off. We were super busy but got everything ready for Sunday...the big day! I had Mom, Dad, McCall and Bryn for dinner and then we were "invited" for dessert at Alisa's where everyone was waiting.

We Barratt's always have to document the food!

Mom and some of her HIGH SCHOOL friends. How fun is that!

She was so surprised and it was a fabulous evening. She is definitely loved by all!

On Mom's actual birthday, the 17th, we had a yummy salmon and halibut dinner and of course cake. The grandkids made sure to help grandma blow out her candles!


Mom and the girls!

Dad and the girls!

I'm so grateful for the bestest mom around! She is the most cheeful, selfless person I know. She has taught me so much and has supported me in everything. Happy 60th Birthday! I love you!!!

Halloween Fun!

We celebrated Halloween all week long....

We had a party with our "foster kids", Natalie and Daniel (they're the kids I watch). We played Halloween bingo, made pumpkin and bat rice krispy treats, watched a spooky show...

and painted pumpkins!

Garrett had parties at Talking Time and Preschool so he was in heaven getting to dress up so many times. Little story here - Shellie had bought the darling fairy costume for Rylee and when we tried it on her Garrett started to cry. "Where's my costume?". He was devasted. I starting showing him costumes on the internet. "What does an indian do?" "What does a cowboy do?" "Spiderman is not my favorite!" So when I'd exhausted all my options a brilliant idea popped into my little brain...."Garrett, would you like to be a paleantologist?" "YES!" So there we had it, the perfect costume for my little buddy.

My parents had the grandkids over for a "super fun" (Garrett's words) party...

My kids were mystified by the witches brew!

A little leaf raking to consume a bit of time before trick-or-treating.

FINALLY! They waited until 4:00 and then couldn't stand it any longer. They were so cute knocking at the doors - this is why I love Halloween now.

Rylee as "Tinkerbell" or any fairy for that matter!

My little cuties anxiously awaiting their treats.

We hit our neighborhood then to Jon's Grandparents then to Shellie's for dinner and made it around her neighborhood.

We finished up at my parents house and Garrett was delighted with his ginormous carmel apple. Yummmmmmy!

October Highlights

Other than Halloween there wasn't a great deal of excitement at the Gray house. Here are a few standouts:

• On the 11th we went to my mom and dad's where the kids each got to pick out a pumpkin from their pumpkin patch. Although there were only 4 pumpkins that grew this year, somehow there was enough for all 6 kids plus a couple extras. Hmmm, the pumpkin fairy must have visited! They loved painting their pumpkins and chowing down on pumpkin bars.

• On the 16th I took the kids for an end of season trip to the Thanksgiving Point Gardens. Although there wasn't a ton of flowers blooming everywhere it was still breathtakingly gorgeous! The trees were all in various stages of colors and the sky was couldn't have been more blue. It was one of my favorite visits. My mom was able to come out and have lunch with us and luckily brought her camera. "Oh, beautiful, wish you were here!" (name that movie).
  

• Rylee and I got to join Garrett and his preschool on their fieldtrip to Hee Haws. They got to slide down giant slides, see a huge hog, go for a hayride, wind through a corn maze, and wander through a pumpkin patch to pick out their own pumpkin. It was a lot fun for all of us.

• Our sweet niece and nephew, Madi and Jaden, were visiting from Montana and we got to spend the afternoon with them at Pirate Island (Shellie's pick of course). They are such cute kids and grow up far too fast so it is always fun to hog them for a little while! We had lunch and then let the kids go to down on the games. Rylee hit the jackpot on one of those random games and was little shocked by all the tickets that kept coming. She was kind enough to split the wad with her brother so they could each get more than a tic tac at the prize counter. Ry was thrilled with her big pink bling ring!