Happy Halloween--Ward Halloween Carnival

It's that spooky time of year when goblins and ghouls run a muck and the Carlton children join in the fun and get more candy in a week than they do all the rest of the year.  Our ward celebrates Halloween with a carnival, dinner, and trick or treating.  The kids were very excited to go and didn't want to wait for Eddy and I and so they decided to walk to the neighborhood park where the party was held.  We drove and beat them but I guess they got to work off some of the future candy they would be eating.  I used to have a matching themed costume for the kids back when I only had a couple of kids but now that there is five of them they can be whatever they want no theme whatsoever.  What do you think they chose to be for Halloween?  Below is a pictorial hint.

What are they?

From Left to Right

Declan- the Jedi Erza from Star Wars Rebels (new show so good!)

Zany-Sheriff Callie from Disney show Sheriff Callie Wild West (also an excellent show)

Archer-Batman

McCoy- 17th century pirate

Quinton-Teenager to old to trick or treat but hoping for candy anyway

Are you ready for Pirate McCoy!

I usually don't buy costumes they just have to pick one from the costume bins but Declan really wanted to be Erza so I found the orange shirt and shorts on clearance at Walmart for two bucks each and a little blue hair spray and walla, Erza costume.

Declan using the force for good I am sure

 The teenagers of our ward planned and hosted the carnival games for the younger kids. They did a great job and the kids had a blast!

Zany hoping for big numbers

Archy goes fishing

What has Coy caught? A skittle fish

Zany whips her pole back and has caught the elusive twizzler fish

McCoy tries to get toilet paper rolls in the toilet-he gets all three in

 The most beloved carnival game of all--the cupcake walk. McCoy and Archer beelined it straight to the cupcake walk when we arrived and spent a good twenty minutes trying to win cupcakes. You walk untill the music stops and then they call out the chosen picture and if you are standing on it you get a cupcake. I think Archer eventually won three cupcakes over the course of the night and he didn't even eat any of them.  I'll bet Quint was happy to help him out with that.

Cupcake Walk (McCoy and Archer Center)

Winners picking their cupcakes

Declan and McCoy trick or treating from lawn chair to lawn chair.

This is a warm up to our Halloween night traditions, a wee practice to make sure the kids are ready to trick and treat!  Halloween must be one of the best holiday's for kids, by simply asking adults will give you more candy than you can carry!  

To bad mom won't let you eat it all.

Happy Halloween to You and Yours!  

May you to get more candy than you can carry!

The Shirtless Syrup: how to make pomegranate syrup

In our arid location of Southeastern Arizona, there are a few things that grow really well with hardly any effort by the gardener:  pecans, roses, and pomegranates.  In Duncan, there is a pomegranate tree/bush that is pretty much neglected and yet every year lovely, magenta globes are produced. The tricky bit for me is getting a hold of them before they get too ripe or old.  Things conspired in my favor this year and I received the pomegranates right after they were picked and I immediately juiced them with my citrus juicer (just a cheap one).  It is much easier to juice them when the white pith part is tender and soft the older they get the harder the white part becomes.  Due to the extra rainfall we enjoyed this summer it made for a sweeter, plumper pomegranate.

It was my first time making pomegranate syrup but it is really easy.  I find commercial syrup too sweet and I like a little tartness to my fruit syrups so making my own syrups is perfect.  I make it in my zojirushi bread machine so it couldn't be easier.

Recipe

4 cups of pomegranate

4 cups of sugar (if you want it to be sweeter add one more cup of sugar)

1/4 c. lemon juice

1 regular sized package of pectin

Place all ingredients in your bread pan and select jam course. When done place in jars and cool.

Eat over pancakes or waffles or mix with lemonade mix to make pomegranate lemonade.

Lovely tart pomegranates

Back when I only had a couple of kids, we ate cereal every day for breakfast.  Several years ago daily cereal for breakfast was getting too expensive so I began making a proper hot breakfast.  Every day is something different but one day a week is usually steel cut oatmeal (read about how Quinton just loves oatmeal-Ha!) and another day is usually pancakes made with  Wonder flour(equal parts of Pearl Barley, Spelt, and Brown Rice).  To liven up the pancakes, we ate them with pomegranate syrup and it was so good.  Due the deep red of the syrup and the staining ability of pomegranates the boys enjoy this syrup shirtless.  It probably taste better that way.

McCoy dangerously has his football cards spread out around his plate

 (you may wonder why is he holding his fork in one hand yet eating his pancake with the other forkless hand it must be the lack of a shirt that brings out the caveman)

Declan pours on some tasty syrup,

 not sure how safe it is to take off the shirt and 

then put it in your lap in the drip path

Can't you almost taste that first bite

Eddy got around the shirtless bit by wearing a shirt

 that was the same color as the syrup, clever fellow.

If you can get a hold of some pomegranates, I would recommend making some syrup and then enjoy a shirtless breakfast!

McCoyovich (best said with a Russian accent)

As I am sitting on the couch folding the never ending laundry, I sense someone come into the room and after placing the neatly folded shirt in the basket I look over to see McCoy sitting on the couch wearing thermal underwear, black spiderman mask and a christmas ASU hat.  I asks him what kind of guy he is dressed up as and he silently shrugs and then a couple minutes later asks what the score is on the football game. That's McCoy for you in a nutshell:  creative, independent, quiet, and very interested in sports.  Children are so wonderful; you just never know what they will come up with and McCoy is the best at coming up with hilarious one-liners that are so logical. I really get a kick out of that kid. 

McCoy-boy wonder

 This expression (see below) is one he sometimes makes when he is thinking about something. Note a grumpy Archer in the background having a pout and probably saying nasty things to the ceiling.  McCoy sports an awesome Mohawk, his hairstyle of choice.

McCoy with big guns

McCoy really loves playing and watching sports.  I am amazed at how much he knows about football; he can even read and correctly interpret the signs the refs make during a game. This was his second year playing flag football and his team (coached by Eddy) made it to the semi-finals where they lost by a touchdown and so were out of the playoffs.  McCoy took the loss pretty hard but silently. He didn't cry or anything he was just glum. Poor guy he really loved playing and it is such a long time until baseball season.  You can find McCoy in the backyard playing seasonal sports endlessly and often by himself. He will play catch by himself if he can't find a brother to play with him.  

McCoy far left neon socks

Ashlee and Pa came to town to watch McCoy and Archers' playoff game.

McCoy's fans

 McCoy even has his own cheerleader-Go McCoy!

Ashlee and Zany

McCoy is a very zen kind of guy and a soothing person to be around. He loves to draw although he doesn't do it as much as he used to when he was younger.  He still says he wants to be an artist when he grows up.  I be interested to see if he does indeed, grow up to be an artist if not I am sure it will something creative like a thermal wearing, masked and hatted superhero!

My Birding in Duncan attempts

I'm still on a slight kick of birds . Whenever the Carltons are in town, I like to drag a few willing and not so willing souls on one of our soon to be trails. This last time I took McCoy, Dec, Rhi and myself. It was a fun walk, I think it was close to 2 mi round trip maybe, from the Old Virden Road and down along the Gila. Of course we forgot our Camera, but Rhi tried to take some photos with her cellphone. We were too early for the Buzzard tree, but we did see some Canadian Geese flying over and heard lots. Coy and Dec also enjoyed swimming in the river. Here are some photos that I got at a different time, in the vicinity of where we were.

The elusive pigeon.

The Buzzard/ Turkey Vulture  tree, full of its tenants

A Hawk not sure of the type

And the Silent Owl. We were lucky that he made an appearence when the Carltons were over and everybody got to see him, except Eddy, who was too busy watching football. Zany was quite taken with him.

What They Wore-Primary Program

 Once a year in October, all the children of our church group, called primary, do a singing/speaking program for the enjoyment of the rest of the church members. Typically various children have speaking parts that they usually memorize and then recite for the audience's delight even little tiny three years olds have memorized parts. It is a special sunday program that Nona, Pa, and Ashlee made the drive in to see it.  

Before church McCoy and Declan each played a hymn a couple times as prelude, McCoy played "Love One Another" and Declan played "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam."  They both did a great job.  Our primary program theme was "Families Can Be Together Forever."  Somedays the thought of your immediate family being together forever might make you pull your hair out especially after a long car ride say, but really it is a great comfort that if we do our part remaining faithful and follow the plan laid out by the Savior we can be married for time and all eternity and our children can be sealed (promised) to us so that even death won't separate us.  I just love that my darling children can be mine forever. It was a very touching program and the boys did a great job reciting their parts. Zany was very upset that she was to young to be in it and when Eddy was taking her out she juked him and made a beeline for the stand where all the kids were sitting; he just caught her as her foot lifted to take the first step to the podium. 

Eddy holding Zany, Ashlee, Coy, Quinton, Nona with Archer, Declan and Pa

(left to right)

Some say Ashlee and I look just like sisters what do you think?

Ashlee and I both have a fondness for fun high heels, in fact we both ordered these cherry heels from amazon (Naughty Monkey) so she had to call me and say she was wearing them and so I couldn't. Instead I wore my blue suede shoes. 

Zany and Archer

"What, I am not going to Nursery and instead have to go to a family gathering?"  

Yes, we all gathered for a luncheon of Green Chile Cheese Sandwiches or Egg Salad (add a bit of horseradish it makes it so tasty) on croissant or italian bread, chips. salad, carrots, yogurt pretzels, and chocolates.  Sometimes it is hard to think of a meal that will please the vegetarian (Ashlee) and the carnivoran (Pa) but I think I managed it. It was a lovely day!

Haircuts at Last!

When Eddy and I were first engaged Eddy wanted me to learn how to cut hair so I could cut his hair and save him some money. I was game and Eddy figured if he had a few haircuts that weren't the best it would be worth it in the long run.  He did have a quite a few haircuts that looked like he escaped from a marine base, very high and tight.  Over the years, I have gotten a lot better at cutting hair and I have had a lot of practice. 

 I cut everyone's hair at one sitting about every six weeks or sooner if needed. I like to cut hair outside year round and I have them typically wear just underwear or swim trunks. It takes me about an hour and half to do five haircuts depending on the styles they want. I let them pick whatever haircut they want and try to do them all a bit different. I mainly use clippers with and without the guide and also scissors when needed.  We are finally at a stage where there is no crying but there is sometimes complaining which I tell the complainers if they can find a barber cheaper than me they are welcome to take their money there.  Oh that's right, I am free and thank goodness it would cost so much to pay for all those haircuts.  Eddy knew what he was doing when he had me learn to cut hair.  We have never paid to get Eddy's or the boys haircut; that much more money to buy food to feed those bottomless pits known as growing boys.  

After each guy gets his haircut, he has to shower to get all the hair off,  but in the summer we rinse off with the hose and go for a swim. We have been so busy that we couldn't find time when everyone was home and it was daylight to do haircuts (haircuts by night even with light don't turn out so well) so the guys were looking a bit shaggy.

  

Quint starts his haircut; he wanted it short, chicken hair we call it around here because when it is really short it is soft and fuzzy like a baby chicken

Doesn't Declan look thrilled to be getting a haircut

A hairy chested Archy

Surprisingly McCoy (quiet, reserved, somewhat shy) picks a Mohawk as his haircut of choice. This time I tried my hand and cutting some designs into his hair using the naked blade of the clippers. Eddy requested a lightening bolt for McCoy and the other side I did some stripes. 

Coy hawk with lightning bolt

Stripes

Despite the fact it is the end of October, we are still enjoying warm weather in the low 90's and upper 80's so might as well run through the sprinkles after the haircut. 

McCoy enjoying a late October sprinkling

Zany got a faux haircut as she likes to join in on the haircut party 

so I just pretend to cut her hair, she likes to go shirtless to like the boys too.

That six weeks will be up before I know it and I will be once again getting more practice cutting hair!  

Store and Duncan Update

We have been enjoying the recent cool weather and working hard, I thought for today's post I will update  our store and share some other pics I took recently.

When we went to the Hal Empie dedication, I was shocked to see a new mural. It was painted by our dear family friend Wally Foote. This is the left side..

Right side. It really adds to the atmosphere for lunch.

Here is an update on our new area, we still have some work to do but it is coming along nicely, if I do say so myself.

The back half of the room. It was hard to get a good pic due to the light.

What I am most excited for is our working stack-o-matic! It has been a long dream of mine to have old records playing. It is surprisingly loud and can be heard  all over the store.  It probably hurts my production, as I love to try out new records and sit and enjoy them.

Is this a creek or our Road? We had quite the gully-washer,  It was like a summer monsoon rain not a fallish rain. 

it even came with hail!

I

Zany's Dinosaur Day

Once a year in October, our local community college hosts a dinosaur day for the preschool crowd.  They have been doing it for years, in fact I even took Quinton when he was a little tyke. At breakfast when the boys heard that I was taking Zany to dinosaur day they requested that they get taken out of school so they could go too. Sadly, their request was denied and just Zany attended.  The had stations set up with various activities for the children to enjoy.  Zany hasn't been to too many of these kinds of event so I wasn't sure how her behavior would be as she can be kinda wild and loud but you would have never guessed that because she was a sweet angel that enthusiastically did every activity. Here is her special dino day in photos:

Zany doing dinosaur puzzles

Zany playing with dinosaurs

Making dinosaur tracks in the sand

Zany and her mama finding dinosaurs

Always my favorite event, excavating (beating a clay egg to with a dowel)

 the little dinosaur egg to find . . .

a little dinosaur

Zany discovers that it's really hard to walk with dino feet

"Mom hardly ever lets me paint at home"

Dino puppet show anyone? (Zany on right)

After the toddlers run the gamut of activities, they are rewarded with some dinosaur sugar cookies that they get to frost with the most lurid purple frosting that stains anything it touches. Really anything it touches it was some powerful frosting! 

Zany and her cookie

Teddy (boy in picture) is about to eat that whole blob of frosting in one bit; it was impressive the amount of sugar in that nasty frosting was tremendous. 

See I told you he ate it, as Zany looked on, she didn't even eat her frosting as she must be like her mama not liking that nasty bakery frosting that is way too sweet. Smart girl. While Zaynzley's brothers didn't get to go this dinosaur day at least they can relive their special dino days by looking at her pictures. They don't have pictures of their dino days, I didn't blog then and I was terrible at taking pictures, see what good can come of a blog--dinosaur day documented!