This post is dedicated to MY OLDEST, scrabble playing, very creative, OLDEST (did I say that already?)Sister-in-Law!

Micky turned "40" this year! (OK so I am a little late posting this Micky and Mori, no comment needed from either of you, So technically she will be 41 this calendar year...but I am posting for last year, and 40 sounds better doesn't it?) I think that is old... well anything older than me is old so it had to be a party with everything black. We all had the debate if over the hill is 40 or 50 but to me it didn't matter.... black stuff was coming either way! This picture isn't the best because of the glare of the "40" candles. If I remember right the smoke alarm went off after having to use the fire extinguisher for the candles. Oh yeah that didn't happen, but it sounded good.

So here is the AMAZING depends cake. Yes, that is right depends... for the one turning "40". I have to say I love this idea! Michael came up with the idea of the depends instead of the diapers you would see at a baby shower. I graciously decorated it to the theme of the party. I love how it turned out!

Here are the items in the birthday present. I wanted to get everything black but there was a couple qualifications first. 1. Inexpensive 2. Somewhat Practical. This "40" party was all in fun but I did want to get her stuff she could use. Look close, included is the $1.50 off depends coupon I received with the purchase of the depends.

Thanks Micky for having a birthday so I could throw you a Party!

Halloween 2010 was so fun. We first attended an Awesome Halloween party put on by the Allen Family. We all had a great time. The kids loved dressing up all month. I think they tried on ALL the Halloween costumes 20 times....a day. Brody always has a hard time deciding what to dress up as, Brae just wants something fast and easy, and Brekka wants ten costumes and will change that many times just because she can.
Brody the Scarecrow. He didn't want this last minute costume but ended up wearing it 3 or 4 times. Who know a scarecrow could be so cute.

Brae The Yellowstone Park Ranger- yes in shorts... it must be warmer there than here.

Brekka The Beautiful Bumble Bee for this party

The Real Halloween Night: A couple days before Halloween, Nana and Papa mad a surprise visit to the kids with a FABULOUS Halloween bucket with lots of goodies and balloons for the kids. By the time Halloween night came, they were done playing dress up and didn't want to go Trick or Treating. Once I finally got them out the door they were excited to go trick or treating....for the first 3 houses. Then they were done. Which was fine with me. As we were getting in the car Brody said, "We want to go to the houses with the best candy." I said, "that is our house. Nana just brought you better candy than you will get at most houses." Not sure if that helped them be done tricking or treating earlier but they knew they had good candy waiting at home for them. (And for the record...yes it is January and I am finally posting this... and yes I do still have good Halloween candy hiding. We don't get trick or treater so we have to eat it all ourselves. Not good for body shape but DELICIOUS).

Halloween Dinner at Cari's Last but not least... the annual Halloween Dinner and cookie decorating. Cari and I love Halloween.. I think more than the kids. It is such a busy time for all of us that we haven't done any big parties but we managed to get this last one in. We love cousins!

This fall Michael started to drive his Grandma's old car. He was driving our old suburban to work everyday and gas isn't cheap. With many memories from his high school days, he will now have many more memories driving this to work....

....including the first week. He cleaned some of it out at his parents but when he got it home it needed ALOT more. The smell was horrific. So he starting deep cleaning.... he didn't stop and neither did the mouse smell. When it was all said and done...not much was left in the car. Here are a few pictures of the couple days of cleaning and working. Don't ask me how he could remember where everything went.


Here is the picture of the mouse nest that was built in the front end. Disgusting!!! It makes me sick looking at this pictures.

Nothing left inside. Thank heavens for a Shop Vac and Bleach.






Now it's just like new...Kind of.