Cabin Thanksgiving

Manwill-Porter girls: (Clockwise from top right corner) Grandma Teri Porter, Aunt Niki Porter, Miss V, me (Nicole), and Great-Grandma Glenna Manwill

Grandma and Grandpa Porter finished their cabin home, and invited us for the home's first Thanksgiving. We loved staying with them, eating lots of delicious food, and awing at Great-Grandma Manwill's family history trivia knowledge (both her own family and her in-laws).

 Before getting "regular" furniture, Grandma and Grandpa let us use the porch swing inside, and I and the kids couldn't be happier about it. Zak is glad he didn't have to scale the house like at their Utah County house to put up Christmas lights. The kids helped Niki do an initial Christmas tree decoration, and then Niki perfected it. Uncle Cohen and Aunt Niki helped so much with the kids, so I got a break, too. My in-laws are so above and beyond hospitable, they stay in the camper trailer and let us take over their master bedroom. 

Grandma helped me add photos to some 

of the pages on familysearch.org

Drawing by a relative of the family property where Great-Grandma Manwill's house 

now stands (previously owned by her grandparents)

Niki and Grandma signing a song as they walk from 

Great-Grandma's house back to the cabin

Visiting with Brytan, Darin, and their doggie

Aunt Tiff and Uncle Ryan

Love this!

Mr C playing with Daddy. Daddy always makes us laugh.

Ghostly Halloween

For a few months Miss V has insisted on being a ghost for Halloween. I figured we wouldn't be able to do the put-a-sheet-over-your-head look since at most schools and parties you can't wear a mask. One of the other kindergarten moms suggested buying a thrift store shirt or sweater, and going from there. My friend, Carrie, produced a ghost dress that fit Miss V perfectly, so I used the thermal shirt I found to make Mr C's costume. The kids loved the look with some white face paint and my dark eyeshadow (which spilled years ago, so I just keep it in a ziplock bag now). I tried finding white gloves and beanies, but I guess those looks are not in at Walmart and Dollar Tree right now. Miss V spent all of October "ooohing" adults and kids alike in preparation for her ghostly persona.

Zak has suggested the Uncle Fester Addams costume for a few years, so I figured now would be a good time to make the most versatile Halloween costume I could: Uncle Fester, the Grim Reaper, wizard dress robes, und so weiter. It does pull a bit in the front, but I was pretty pleased with myself upon completing the costume from scratch. I even added pockets!

With both ghosts and the Addams family in mind, I shopped at Deseret Industries for my costume. I found a white dress that was long-sleeved, big, and loose on me for a ghost costume, but I couldn't do it. I could tell it had been someone's religious ceremonial dress, and I didn't want to be disrespectful. I bought a black sweater and white collared shirt for my Wednesday Addams look, because I'm not quite confident in pulling off the Morticia Addams look. Since my Wednesday costume looks like me in a dress without Zak in costume, we went as the Addams to a trunk-or-treat on Friday night, and I just wore my NASA jumpsuit from a couple of years ago when I went to the school's parade and trick-or-treated on Halloween.

Waiting before school starts on Halloween

Glowstick necklaces from Uncle Aaron!

Nicole A H Porter and Zak as Wednesday and Uncle Fester Addams

Ghosts at trunk-or-treat

Playing with leaves during our walk home

Nicole A H Porter sewing Uncle Fester's outfit

Playing around with the costume before trimming the sleeves.