Chicago

I really look forward to, what seems to have turned into a tradition, making the annual trip with Corey to Chicago for his budget reviews in the late fall. Last year, Ty and Carrie were able to make the trip with us, which was a blast! This year it ended up just the two of us and Corey knowing how much I wanted to see "Dirty Dancing", was able to finagle great tickets for us!

Over our 10 years of marriage, food has become our hobby and not just food......GREAT food, which in turn has lent us the nickname, "Food Snobs". This night was no different, we had dinner at a restaurant called 312 Chicago, which happens to be managed by a friend of ours, it was amazing! Then off to the show! Super fun and entertaining (even Corey loved it!), if you have a chance to see it, I would highly recommend it!

Our last night in Chicago we went to Sushi (ever try super white tuna? DELISH!) then to a renowned comedy club called The Second City. We had never heard of it but when we walked in we instantly recognized tons of the alumni pic all over he walls, everyone from Alan Alda to John Candy and Steve Carell to Tina Fay got there comedy start here! I could never explain how seriously funny it was! My cheeks hurt and my belly ached from all the laughing! I really hope to see these Comedians around someday, they were great!

Sushi - Yum Yum!

PS -After all of this I really need to make sure my mom knows how grateful we are to her for being able and will in to come stay with our kids while we went and played. She is a wunderful woman and our children adore her and are so lucky yo have her in their lives!
Thanks again Grandma Marj!

Punkins, Parades, Cousins, Leaves, Trick-or-Treat, and FIRE

Punkins

For family night, we carved our punkins, much to Corey's dismay. Corey wishes every year that the kids would just plan forget about carving pumpkins. The smell and texture of the inerds hits the gag reflex and it's all down hill from there. So, with the fans on and the windows open wide, we attempted to spend a bit of quality time as a family. Dad cut off the tops, then retreated to his happy place while and mom and the kids scooped out the guts. Incidentally, Jorie and Malik love the inerds and have no problem, but Rhys on the other hand may have a bit of the dads weak stomach. He tried so hard but I think he may have turned green.

Parades

Malik's Halloween parade was on Thursday, due to the fact that there wasn't any school on Friday this week. I'm pretty sure I don't have any shy children, including Malik, he walked the whole parade acting like a Transformer and ate up all the attention, he was Bumblebee this year and acted the part to the T.
Malik and his friend Tyrell

Cousins
We are so lucky to have cousins! Jorie especially eats up all the attention that Cedar and Tannen give her. She has so much fun with them and they are so good to her. Jorie and the girls had a blast playing in the leaves all afternoon before we went trick-or-treating. So Cute!
Tannen, Jorie and Cedar
Trick-or-Treat
Traditionally, the kids and I go to dads work and trick-or-treat around the hotel. The kids eat it up, they get so much attention from everyone. Hanging out at dads work is always a highlight for the kids. Then later, that day all our cousins came to play, have dinner and go trick-or-treating. We were such a heard walking up and down the street, not unusual though, we are for sure the Martin heard when we are all together. I wouldn't trade it for he world, I love my family!
Optimus Prime (aka:Rhys) Ladybug (aka:Jorie) Bumblebee (aka:Malik)
Trick-orTreating at Daddy's hotel
CousinsIvy and Jorie
Uncle Papa (or Uncle Kevin) and Jorie
(she started calling him Uncle Papa tonight, so so cute)

FIRE
After we all had our fill of trick-or-treating, we went back to our house to light the fire pit and have hot chocolate in the circle (good thing, it was a chilling 65 degrees out!) All in all it was a great day and a super fun night. Thanks all for helping us make fun memories!
Rhys and Cam
Malik and Christian

So Proud I May Actually Burst!

Last night I received a phone call from Malik's teacher telling me that during the assembly on Friday he would be receiving the "Principal's Award" and if we could attend that would be great. I was so excited for him! Many of you can relate to this feeling, it begins with a little lump in your throat, your heart jumps a bit and finally, when you can't hold it back any longer, you cry tears of joy for your sweet child. As his mother, I have the amazing opportunity to know how smart, creative and funny Malik is, but it is always makes a mom proud to know that others see those same things.

I love you Mal, you make my heart happy!
Sorry, it's a little blurry, Malik is dead center in the stripped shirt.

News

Well, I guess it's time to make it official. My amazing husband has hit one of his top professional goals. Corey has been offered the GM job at the hotel he used to be the controller for. (I don't want to be to specific about where and when on the blog but if you want details, give me a call or email me) So, I guess the point of this post is to let everyone know we are moving! We are excited for this opportunity but at the same time we are very sad to leave everyone/everything we love here and start again. It was a hard decision, but we definitely have been guide and we know this is where we are suppose to be.

Wish us luck and PLEASE come visit soon!

4 and 4 Tag (then maybe 6 and 6?)

Ok, this is fun! Marinda and Carrie did this fun tag where you had to pick your fourth folder and your fourth picture from your photos on your computer, post it and tell about. Fun right? I thought so, so here it goes......

Christian, Malik, Rhys
Such fun memories, I will take any chance I get to remember super important events. This was the day we blessed Rhys, he was 2 1/2 months old and looked so cute in his little newsboy cap. Malik was so excited to have a new baby, he took every chance he could get to hold Rhys, but on the other hand he was so mad at Corey and I for months.
Also, my nephew Christian and Malik were born on the same day one year apart, they are lucky to have a cousin who is one of your best friends.

Now, everyone else, show me your 4 and 4 too........ and while you are at to maybe your 6 and 6!

Here's my 6 and 6, this is kind of addicting!
Carrie and Ty
What a crack up!!!!! For Carrie's 30th birthday I put together a book with some pictures for her about her life, Ty sent me a bunch of pics and....... apparently this is my 6 and 6! I don't even know the story behind this one (maybe Carrie can shed some light) but I do know that this is very typical of them. Ty, mellow and doesn't really like to smile for pics and Carrie, silly, beggin' for more and lovin' the camera!

First Snow........ Now It's Gone

Malik and Rhys woke up this morning with wide eyes and big plans for our first snow of the year. Snowmen, sledding, snowball fights, they couldn't their ideas out fast enough. They were so cute as they ushered Jorie to the back door to show her the snow, or as she calls it, snowman. I know you can't see it very well but the snow is coming down pretty hard, then it stopped and before church at 1:00, it had melted. The boys were so disappointed, I really don't think the snow will come to soon for them. I don't know if I can agree, I really want a few more weeks of fall!

Clone Wars Party

I think I have mentioned it before, but Malik and Rhys are super freaks when it comes to Star Wars. Last Friday night was the premiere of a new show on cartoon network, Clone Wars - The Series. The boys counted down the days, then as the day arrived, the hours until it started. Malik invited two of his friends, Easton and Cannon, and Rhys invited his friends Jacob and Owen to have a Clone Wars premiere party, stalked with treats of every kind to get them through the hour. They were so funny, what a fun late night!