tuckered out...

After constant Halloween celebrations since Wednesday, we're officially tuckered out.  As I've said before, we really get into Halloween, but I think it was almost too much this year.  Or maybe it was just too much going on and running from one thing to the next.  Jerad was extremely busy running sound on campus all day Saturday and Sunday then coming immediately home both nights to get dressed up and galavant around.  All of our tempers were a bit on edge from one thing or another.  Too much partying?  Too much sugar?  Perhaps.  We normally don't take the kids door to door to trick or treat.  Instead, we hit very particular houses.  Most of them want us to come by so they can see our costumes.  Others, the boys really want to go to.  By the end of the night, we were all ready to get home and get out of costumes.  We are, of course, already talking about what we're going to do next year.  Thank goodness we have a rest until then!


Here's a few pictures:

My little werewolf decided he didn't want to wear a mask because no one knew who we was.  

He preferred the werewolf makeup instead. (So why did I buy the mask? Oh, well!)

I thought Frankenstein looked really creepy here.  :)

And a family picture on Halloween night.  Brickman wore the hat because we ran out of the spray paint for his hair and didn't get the top of his head finished.  I thought the hat went great with it anyway.

And now to rest.  It's just too bad that we have to get up early so the boys can go to school.  I could see myself sleeping in!

my favorite time of year...

Actually, I love all of the seasons.  I love spring because everything is so fresh and new.  I love the relaxing days of summer where we can sleep in and stay up late and hang out by the pool in the afternoon.  But the fall is so beautiful.  The leaves on the trees are changing color.  The weather is simply beautiful.  And to add to all of that, it has all of the great holidays.  Halloween is a great kick-off into the season, although we start planning for it a year in advance.  Seriously...as we're driving home on Halloween night, someone always asks, "So what are we going to be next year?"  Last night was our first Halloween celebration with Trunk or Treat at the church, and I spent the entire day sewing.  Yes, we start planning for Halloween a year in advance, but I tend to wait until the last minute for costumes...at least the ones that I have to make.  And every year, we have a family theme.  This year, we're classic horror film monsters, thanks to our youngest little monster telling us that he didn't want to dress as a family this year.  It about broke my heart to hear it.  He told us that he wanted to be a werewolf, so we decided that we could work with that.  So, we have a werewolf, a mummy, Frankenstein's monster, and the bride of Frankenstein.  Trunk or Treat is always a great way for us to get a trial run with our costumes and work out any kinks that we may have before the big day of Halloween.  With Halloween being on a Sunday this year, we have lots of days to celebrate and wear the costumes.  School parties and trick or treating downtown are on Friday, costume party on Saturday, and Halloween on Sunday.  Love it!  Jerad and I both have theatre degrees, so I think this is a way that we express our inner desire to play another character.  At least for a night, we get to perform again.

Here we are for our first go-round.  

I'm sure the costumes will evolve as we get closer to Halloween night.

four months...

That's how long it's been since I've written anything on here.  I figured I'd write a few things...because writing is therapeutic...not that I feel like I have anything that I need to talk to a therapist about...not right now anyway.

So much has happened in the last four months.  Here's a few pictures (starting from where I left off):

I went to the Miss Oklahoma pageant in June with my best friend Amanda.  We had a blast!

 My main purpose in going was so see my beautiful niece perform in the Outstanding Teen pageant.  Even though she didn't win, she did amazing!

We attended the Music Theatre Wichita throughout the summer with the extended family.

We went to the midnight showing of eclipse.  

Brickman made his shirt just for the occasion.

We celebrated the fourth of July with lots of family and fireworks.

We went to Jerad's best friend's wedding in Texas where he and Nick were groomsmen.

My niece won the Miss Alva pageant which qualified her to compete in the Miss Cinderella pageant during homecoming, where she received 2nd runner up.

And the kids had fun at the homecoming game. (Or at least Brickman did.  Braylon was in a mood most of the day and didn't participate in much.)

So, those are a few of the events from the past few months.  Despite all of this that looks so happy and jovial, we've had extreme sadness that we will, without doubt, continue to fight for a long time.  In July, we lost Jerad's dad in an unexpected accident.  I guess all accidents are unexpected.  This has been something that has not only jarred us, but also affected the entire town.  Myron was an incredible man who would drop anything to help you.  Few could call him a stranger.  Many called him a friend, which was proved by the amazing service celebrating his life.  Knowing the months that lie ahead, normally the most exciting time of the year, I'm sure that we'll face some emotional times being void of his presence.  I rejoice in the memories that we had with him, although we'll always yearn for more.  And I praise God that we'll see him again, though not in this world that we know now.  It's still so hard to wrap my mind around what happened, and it seems like we've been without him for so long yet it seems like we just lost him.  It's crazy.  We continue in our daily lives knowing that there's definitely a piece missing but realizing that this is the new normal.  I praise God for his love and grace and for friends and family that have helped make this transition...not easier (as that can't be done)...more bearable.  What an amazing group of friends and family we have!

Now that I'm up to date, maybe I'll stay that way.  Or maybe not...we'll see.