Trick or Treat!

Last night we took Daci out for her first trick-or-treating experience and she had such a blast! Since we don't live in Utah and they don't do trick or treating on Saturdays for a Sunday Halloween, our ward put on a trunk or treat. This was the perfect way to do trick or treating for a 20 month old. We were done in 20 minutes, she didn't get too much candy and she was in heaven! Rick and I dressed up in our 80's costume again and Daci was her cute little Minnie self.

She insisted on taking the candy and putting it in her bag herself. After each and every trunk we had to stop so she could put her candy in her bag :)

Daci with her friend, Kate

As soon as we got in the car Daci started yelling "Can-y!! Choc-ate!!" So we busted out a few pieces to keep her happy til we got home.

Once we got home we dumped out all of her candy and she sat right in the middle of it. She wanted me to open every piece for her!

We had so much fun taking Daci trunk or treating. Both Rick and I aren't much of Halloween fans but it sure makes it so much fun when you have an excited little girl!

Halloween Fun!

Yesterday we had a little Halloween Party with some of the kids in the ward. Daci was so excited to get dressed up in her Minnie Mouse costume! She LOVES the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and watches it everyday. She yells "Minnie!" every time she sees her on the screen so I've known for a while now that she just had to be Minnie Mouse for Halloween :)

Showing off her new pumpkins :)

I got myself some Minnie Mouse ears and a Minnie Mouse t-shirt to sorta match Daci. She loved that I was wearing Minnie Ears!

When we got to the playgroup we had all of the adorable little kids gather together so we could take pictures of them in their costumes. Daci is going through an extremely clingy stage right now and she freaks out if I leave her side. I set her down on the grass. For a second she didn't realize I left her because she was busy with her candy. Just wait......

All of a sudden she realized I was gone and she totally lost it! It was actually quite hilarious. She was in the middle of all these happy smiling kids just screaming her head off!

I know this should make me sad, but really it just makes me laugh. How funny is that? She is so cute, even when she cries :) (PS. I stole this pic from my friend's blog that was also there snapping pics....so glad you got this shot Jami!)

After pics we brought them in, changed them out of their costumes so they wouldn't get them dirty, and let them decorate sugar cookies and pumpkins. I seriously can't believe my little baby is old enough to be sitting at a kiddie table with all of her friends! So strange!

So excited that she gets to eat a cookie!

Intently frosting her minnie mouse cookie

Love my munchkin!

Pumpkin Pickin'

We wanted to take Daci to go pick her pumpkin out. We had to go to Home Depot anyway so we had her pick it out there. I know, kinda lame on the pumpkin patch, but she is too young to know the difference anyway. She loved seeing all the pumpkins and took a very long time deciding which one was just right for her!

She was very intrigued by the big, warty, crazy-colored ones!

Oh! I think she found the one she likes!

She had to hold it herself. She wouldn't let us help her :)

Perfect size for Daci bug.

This was the best smile we could get of her. She is right in the middle of saying "cheeese!"

Slumber Party!!

I watched my friend's little girl, Lyla, last night while she and her husband went on a date. Lyla is Daci's most favorite person here in Naperville. She LOVES her and is so good with her. She likes to take care of her like she is her very own baby (Lyla is 7 months old). She likes to bring me her diapers and wipes, and wipe her face off after she eats, and bring me her blankie when its time to put her down. They had a lot of fun playing before it was bedtime :)

Lyla has a GREAT smile and it is so easy to get a giggle out of her. I love how happy she is!

Daci had fun running around the living room and getting her energy out before bedtime.

Daci wanted to hold Lyla and this is how it turned out :) I think she expected a little baby like her cousin Eleni but Lyla is older and a little more chubby than Eleni :) I LOVE Lyla's adorable baby rolls and pinchable cheeks!

Daci gave Lyla a million hugs and kisses that night!

We are so thankful to have such great friends here!

Enjoying the Weather!!

Fall is in the air! We got back from Utah to chilly weather. We are really enjoying it! Yesterday we went down to the pond to feed the geese....the ducks have disappeared with the cold weather and the geese have taken over the ponds. We discovered that geese are pretty snooty. The ducks would just come right up to us and eat our bread but the geese wanted nothing to do with us and our bread. Daci was pretty disappointed until I pointed out that there were a bunch of pinecones where we were sitting. She had a blast picking up pinecones, putting them in a straight line, and going back for more :) Is anyone else jealous of how easily children are entertained?

Today was park day with our little ward group. Daci has been pretty difficult in stores lately. She throws big tantrums and tries to climb out of the cart constantly. So far, I haven't found a good bribe yet that will keep her calm the whole time. Today, I told her if she was good in the store we could go to the park after. That did the trick!! She was so good in Target today :) The only problem is, I can't bribe with a park trip everytime, especially with colder weather coming. Anyone else have any tricks they use to keep their children calm in the store? If you have any I would love to know! Here are some pics of Daci at the park today. She was in heaven. I promise she does smile. Its just that when I pull the camera out she instantly looks down and refuses to smile. I must take way to many pictures :)

And here is a little video of my big girl. I can't believe she is 20 months tomorrow! How does the time fly so fast? Where did my little baby go? She has really grown up A LOT this last month. If you listen to what she is saying in the video, you will here her trying to count the rungs on the stairs (she can say 1, 2), she points out that the rungs and the slide are green (she knows all of her colors!), and she says "go!" right before slides down. She also asks me for my hand before she slides down, I'm a mean mom and won't do it. She knows how to do it on her own, she just needs me to tell her she can :) She also knows her shapes. Sorry I know its annoying when moms brag about their kids but I think I am entitled to when its on my own blog. Plus, there are lots of family members that like to keep up on how she is growing and maturing. She is such a big girl and I love her to death!

Company Trip to Dallas, TX

Rick and I went to Dallas, TX from Thursday night to Sunday morning for his Company Trip. We spent the days attending workshops and then they provided fun entertainment at night! Fred, Penny and Sophie had their Fall Break this weekend so it worked out perfectly for them to come out and stay with Daci while we went to Texas. It was so such a fun and relaxing weekend, and one that we really needed! Thanks so much to The Roberts for watching out little stinker so we could have some much needed alone time!

Friday night we had our Company Party and Talent Show at the House of Blues and it was 80's themed! I had so much fun dressing up. I even found my crimper that my mom use to use on my hair in the 80's and went to work!

Rick found this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt (doesn't that bring back memories!?), these 80's glasses and 80's hat. If we had had just one more day we would have been able to find suspenders and Chuck Taylor Shoes to complete the ensemble but it still turned out pretty good. All of his co-workers LOVED his costume and if it hadn't been for his height, they wouldn't have even recognized him!

Thinking we are cool and thuggin' :) It felt really weird going to a party without our little munchkin. I felt like we were dating again or something!

Rick and a few of his fellow Pariveda Consultants

Me with the House of Blues stage behind me

Some more Pariveda Consultants....recognize Marty McFly from Back to the Future?

Probably the best of the night was when the Talent Show started. A girl came out on the stage and sang an 80's rock song and it was absolutely amazing! Then, a guy with a huge mohawk came out on the stage with an electric guitar. They were both so good and we all figured they were performers that worked for the House of Blues. After the song, the Mohawk Man started talking in this accent that was just incredible. After about five minutes people started realizing this one none other than their coworker, Adam! Rick said he is an incredibly soft spoken guy, he has maybe heard two words come out of his mouth in the four months that he has worked there. He grew his hair out and actually shaved it and made it into a mohawk the night of the performance. The girl that sang the awesome song was his wife. They did such a great job and it was VERY entertaining!

Not the best picture, but I snapped this of Adam and his wife while they were getting their photos taken.

Here are our "professional photos" from the night. We had a green screen behind us an then they cut us out and put us on an 80's background....thats why my hair is green on the edges :)

The Chicago Office all jumped in there for a pic. Rick and I are on the back row (go figure) on the left. Rick's shirt was green so it disappeared in the photo and ET's shadow went across his chest :)

In front of a bunch of Famous Blues Guys at the club

Outside the House of Blues

We stayed at the W Hotel in Dallas. They have a club on the 33rd floor and we had breakfast up there Saturday morning. There is a glass balcony that extends out from the building. It was pretty scary walking out onto it! Rick really doesn't like heights so it was a big deal for him to be out there :)

In case you were wondering...I am NOT pregnant. I just look it in this pic :)

We had SOOO much fun just relaxing as a couple. We haven't seen each other much this last month and it was fun to have a lot of one on one time together. Also, as much as I love my Daci Doodle, she is definitely A LOT of work and it was nice to get a little break from being a mommy :) Glad to be back home and with her now though! Sad that Rick didn't get to come back with me :( He is in Dallas for the week. He doesn't have to be there full time anymore though. Now, he is in Chicago two weeks then Dallas a week, Chicago two weeks then Dallas a week. This will go on until at least January. Its hard to complain though because Rick has an AWESOME job and works for an AWESOME company and we feel so blessed. After going to this conference, seeing his company's values and meeting the great people that he works with, I am truly grateful that we are in the situation we are. We are so blessed!