New Hair-do

A friend offered to play with my hair this week and here is my new "Do." [Thanks Sayra!]

Opposum--Awesome!

Last night James stepped outside to throw out an empty pizza box in the trash. He heard some rustling in the bushes, so he froze to see if he could see what was making the noise. It paid off, soon he saw a posum that headed for the nearest tree--one right outside our front window. THen he came back inside and got us so we could see too. Kind of fun to see this "rare" night wildlife. I'm sure he wasn't happy with me snaping all these pictures of him with the bright flash.

Kind of hard to see up there with all those branches he's huddled around.
Gripping the branches with his feet. (We wanted to see him hang upside down.)
Finally a better shot.

So CUTE looking down at our noisy bunch staring back up at him.

Our attempt at Trick or Treating

Halloween fell on Sunday this year and we didn't feel right about trick or treating on the Sabbath, but since we don't live in Utah, our community went trick or treating on Sunday. The kids got dressed up on Saturday evening and we attempted to Trick or Treat. Our neighbors weren't home, weren't prepared or don't celebrate Halloween, so it didn't go so well. We loaded the kids in the car and drove to some members homes and got some candy that way. Let's just say they are looking forward to next year when they can really go all out.
The back of Sidnie.
Sidnie as a gymnast--one trying to avoid the camera.
The Marshall kiddos all decked out at ready to go.

Carving Pumpkins

Before we began... (The tall one on the right is the one from Spencer's field trip to the pumpkin patch that we had to pay extra for.)
Finished...
In the dark with candles...
The roasted pumpkin seeds (we used Garlic Salt this year)...

Ooooops!

Our cucumber plant went crazy and climbed all over some prickly hedges we have nearby. James found this cucumber, who's size rivals a big Zucchinni, growing in the center of the hedge the other day. He also found one that is a bit big, but willbe better than this one that got away.

Skeleton

I came home on Thursday to find Zacky putting up this skeleton he made at school. What a great addition for our front door near Halloween.

Fall leaves

We have a big tree out front that the kids love to climb and that has it's leaves changing and falling off. Spencer and Sidnie got in some fun while their Dad was raking the leaves.

The Red Delicious Apple tree in front of our big tree from this angle.
The sun shining down on the changing leaves.
James busy at work.
Sidnie and Spencer in the garden cart full of leaves.
Having lots of fun.

After the Trunk or Treat

Wednesday the 24th, our Ward had their annual Trunk or Treat and Chili cook off Halloween Bash. We had a great time. They kids were excited about their face paint, even though it had faded by the end of the night.

Zacky's face paint pumpkin.
A close up view of his messy face with faded mustache and all.
Zack changed from being Thing 6 to the Tigger costume he's worn for the last several years.
Spencer's face paint spider.
Kammie's spider.

Marshall Things

My sister bought James and I these Thing 1 and Thing 2 shirts at Universal Studios this past July. We decided to make all the the kiddos shirts as well. My friend helped me print out the different Thing images onto the transfer paper [Thanks Kellie] and I ironed them onto shirts. Then I got a blue tinsel Christmas garland and made hair for most of the girls and sprayed the boys hair blue.

Jordan, Kammie and Sidnie-Things 4, 5 and 8.
Spencer, Sidnie, Kate and Jordan.
All the kids with a grumpy Sidnie.
Our THING family!

Red Ribbon Week

As part of Red Ribbon week and pledging to say NO to drugs, the kids could dress up different days. I only snapped this picture of Jordan on Cowboy up and boot drugs day. I had taken so many pictures the night before, that I never got around to the others. Spencer had a red day, a boot day as well and a team spirit day where he wore a BYU shirt. Lots of fun.

Girl Scout Halloween Party

Right after the Night of the Notables, we hurried to Kammie's girl scout Halloween Party. We had to do some quick changes...Kammie from Queen Victoria to Bianca from the Percy Jackson Books. Zack was Niko, Bianca's twin. Jordan was Lady Morgana from Merlin, a TV series. Spencer and Sidnie are a bit more obvious...

Kammie's BFF Ana Grace as a cool looking witch.
Bianca, Niko and Lady Morgana.
The cutest Snow White ever!
Indiana Jones and Snow White.
A strange couple, but aren't they cute?

Night of the Notables

Kammie is in Alpha at school (the gifted and talented program). Each child chose a notable person to research and do a report on. Kammie also created a Power Point presentation for fun. [Going the extra mile.] Then they dressed up as their person and made a Tombstone with info about the person and people had to guess who they were. Kammie was Queen Victoria.

Cool Hair

I tried this idea from my friend on Kammie's hair. I didn't do the tuck under part, but it turned out o.k. anyway. Kind of fun.

Reach for the sky

My neighbor gave me these plants that are in the bamboo family, but I can't remember what they're called. It was early on in the Spring and I hastily planted them in the back yard in an open spot. They've grown well and were very tall until most of them blew over. Here is a picture of one of them reaching straight and tall for the sky.

Adventures with Sidnie and Halle

Sidnie's BFF is Halle Gardner. They love to get together to play and have a great time while together. A week or so ago, they were out playing in the sandbox. They also ventured into the garden (not much is left there) and bushes. Good times...

This is where I found them in the garden.
Peeking over the fence that's there to keep critters out. Not only did they get in, but they got the fence closed behind them. Tricky girls!
Sneeking through the bushes to get away from me.
Playing in the sandbox. I couldn't get them to look at the camera at the same time. I took lots of pictures tryiny too, but had to settle for these...one at a time.

Sleepy Sid

Sidnie is home alone with Mom all day while her siblings are in school. She occasionally finds funny places to sleep...

While Mom was in the bath, Sidnie covered herself with her blanket on this chair and feel asleep.
On the rug in front of the fridge.
Close up.

Spencer's field trip to the Pumpkin Patch

On Thursday the 14th, Spencer had his first field trip with his Pre-K class to a local Pumpking Patch. Sidnie and I tagged along for the ride.

Spencer's first school bus ride.
Coming off the bus.
Small group.
Spencer's class with Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Beasley.
Looking at the baby cows.
Spencer coming out of the Hay tunnel.
The other hay tunnel with Sid.
Petting the lambs.
On the tractor headed out for a ride to the pumpkin patch with Mrs. Thompson in front.
Boy is this pumpkin heavy!
Checking out the pumpkins.
And another.
Sidnie with the bag for our pumpkin.
Spencer and his friend Jonathan.
Sidnie with Jonathan's twin Natalie.
Slide.
Spencer swinging on the rings like Indiana Jones.
More Indy...
Sid on the big farm slide...


Spencer helping to pull the wagon with Jonathan and Natalie.
All the pumpkins the kids picked are in the wagon.
Spencer pulling the cooler.

It was a fun and beautiful day! (Not like when Zack went 3 years ago with his pre-k class. It was cold and muddy that day.) Spencer ended up picking a pumpkin from an area of the patch that wasn't allowed apparently, so his was bigger than the rest and when we got back from the hay tractor ride, the owner lady came over and immediately started telling me I had to give it back and exchange it for a smaller one. I calmly asked if we could just pay the difference and keep that pumpkin. She wasn't real keen on this idea, but in the end we paid and extra $4 for our large pumpking.