Halloween

(Truly, these are the only good pictures I have from Halloween...I'm hoping our parents have better ones!)

What else would the kids have been for Halloween besides dinosaurs?! Clayton went as a Utahraptor, Levi was a stegosaurus and Clarey was a baby dinosaur hatching out of an egg. As you can see, she wasn't exactly thrilled about it, either. We visited with Grandma and Grandpa G at Great Grandma Grossheider's where we ate popcorn balls. Then went to Nonna's for a spooky Halloween feast and trick or treating. We finished our evening at Mark and Geri Beussink's (Clarey's godfather's) where the sugar and excitement caught up with us. It was a great Halloween that took us three days to recover from!

Clarey

While we've been so close, we've been trying to visit my Grandma Grossheider as much as possible. She turned 90 this past June. Clarey was happy to be at her house a few weeks ago.

Uncle Neal visits for Ali's Wedding

On October 16, my cousin Ali got married. Isn't she beautiful?! The wedding was so nice. We all had such a great time!
Neal came in for her wedding and we were all so excited to see him. It had been over a year since I had last hugged him!
My Aunt Sherri and Ali...Aunt Sherri is Clayton's teacher at school. He absolutely adores her. Speaking of Clayton, when he walked into the hall and saw all the lights and flowers and flowing fabric with the soft music playing in the background, he looked up at my mom and said in the most sincere voice, "Nonna, is this what heaven looks like?" Ahhh, it still brings tears to my eyes.
Neal and Ali. So Neal and Ali have always been close. Ever since they were very young. As young children they did many things that have been remembered by many. We call these "Neal and Ali stories" and my children ask for a "Neal and Ali story" every night before bed. They all end with, "And you should never, ever do that."
Uncle Neal was in for a very short time. The boys played with him as much as they could. And loved every second! We can't wait to see Uncle Neal again!

Clarey's Baptism

On October 2, Clarey Gelane was baptized. Deacon Walt Biri performed the ceremony and did a great job. The boys got to participate and were engaged throughout. Clarey's godparents are Emily Reynolds and Mark Beussink - she's getting spoiled by them already! I've got more pictures to come!

At Grandma and Grandpa Hucks

Farewell, Virginia...

On September 4th, we loaded the last box into the trucks and started our move to Missouri. Cyle's parents, brother and my mom came and helped us finish packing and joined us on our caravan. Actually, there would have been no caravan without them...
This is what happened:
In February, our landlords notified us that they wanted to put the house on the market in the spring. Cyle and I start making plans to move back to Missouri. April, Cyle starts seriously looking for jobs and our house goes on the market. Due to red tape at work, in June, Cyle actually starts applying for jobs. All summer, he interviews and we pray the house doesn't sell. August 4, Clarey is born. Two weeks later, just before Cyle's mom visits, a family wants to look at the house AGAIN! While Kathy is there, a contract is put on the house. We start packing. Kathy leaves. A few days later, Cyle gets word he's gotten a job with NGA in Arnold (just outside of St. Louis.) Labor Day weekend, we pack-up and move out.
So the kids and I spent September and most of October living in Jackson with Cyle's parents. October 22 was Cyle's last day at work in Virginia. Cyle starts with NGA on Monday, November 8. Last week we found a house and have put a contract on it. We should close on November 30.
I have said a great many prayers throughout this entire process and this is what I have to say - God is so good. I've definitely learned that God will answer my prayers, but on His time and in His way; I've just got to keep praying and trusting.
All is well in the Huck household.

The GIANT Spider

This giant spider (he's much bigger when not dead and his legs aren't all curled in) moved in to our screened in porch sometime yesterday. I first discovered him when I opened the door to out onto the porch and he came running to hide under the step I was going to go down.
I decided to just close the door and stay off of the porch. When Cyle called to say he was on his way home, I told him he needed to kill a seriously big spider. I got the whole, "Yes, dear. You're such a wimp, dear. I'll take care of it because you can't, dear." speech. He didn't really say that, but he might as well have.
So after supper, Cyle went out to find and kill the spider I was too scared to acknowledge. And when he did find it, hiding under Levi's tackle box, HE JUMPED and said a few choice words.
I felt so much better. He agreed that it was a seriously giant spider and didn't even want my shoe to kill it. He went for the spray. Which made me feel that much better.
I'm not touching anything on that porch. I'm keeping the kids off of that porch. Just until I'm sure there are no more spiders like this one lurking around.

Levi the T-Rex

Yes, I know it is unbelievable. This sweet little boy is a T-Rex. At least that's what he told me yesterday afternoon...

after he bit this little boy. He told me he had "sharp teeth and sharp claws. Roar!"

For those of you that don't know, our lives revolve around dinosaurs.

All toys relate back to dinosaurs.

Their bedding is dinosaurs.

All cartoons are dinosaurs. So it shouldn't surprise me that my children have become dinosaurs as well. I just wish they wouldn't bite each other.

Clayton the Catfish

Last weekend, Clayton had been playing outside. I was working in the kitchen. He came in carrying the blue cup and asked for some tape. I asked him, "Why do you need the tape?" He replied, "I'm going to tape this to my mouth so I can breathe under water like a fish." Okay... So we taped the cup to his mouth. Then he wanted the coffee straws taped to his cheeks so he would look like a "catfish."

So, actually, it didn't really work that well. But he sure did give it a good try!

Pure Preciousness

Happy 2nd Birthday, Levi!

Levi turned 2 on August 13. He was so excited. All day long he kept saying, "I be 2!" His day started with chocolate chip pancakes and a dinosaur candle.

We moved on to present opening chaos...

then escaped to the basement! Levi got to choose the games and what we played all day long.

For his birthday supper, Levi requested peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Cyle and I decided we needed something with a little more substance so we made brats and corn on the cob. These actually are some of Levi's favorite foods. He ate the entire bratwurst and all of the corn off the cob. No, he didn't miss the pb&j.

Especially because I made him peanut butter and jelly bars!

He loved blowing out the candles. In fact, once he had his cookie, we had to put a dinosaur candle on it and light it. Once it was in front of him, Levi told us, "Sing!"

He wasn't quite sure about the dessert.

But did really enjoy it! Happy birthday, my little two-year-old!

Clarey Asleep

Cyle's been playing around with our camera, using more of the features and different settings. He took these one evening as Clarey slept.

Happy 4th Birthday, Clayton!

Clayton turned 4 years old yesterday. He had a great day. It started with chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. Continued with a gift opening frenzy. Then he got to spend the day choosing exactly what games were played. He was really lucky this year because Dad and Nonna were also home all day to celebrate. For his special birthday supper, he requested crab legs. (Actually he asked for lobster, crab legs and crawfish for dessert...)

He changed his mind and asked for apple pie.
Then he decided he wanted to have a pie eating contest. We weren't allowed to use utensils...




Clayton thoroughly enjoyed the contest and was easily the winner. The rest of us just weren't willing to lick our pie off of the table.


It was a great ending to a great birthday!