Pumpkin Fun

Jake's 1st grade class did some fun math experiments with pumpkins on Friday. They measured different sized pumpkins, cleaned the goop and seeds out of the pumpkins, counting games with the seeds and just had lots of fun.

Fun with pumpkin guts

We also carved our pumpkin this week-end. Jake and Hayley spent a long time drawing sketches of what he should look like. Luke had fun scooping out the insides.

Meet our Pumpkin Pirate!

Blowing out the candle was one of Luke's favorite things to do.

Cookies made and Pumpkins carved - Ready for Halloween!

 


Jake having fun with his cookie and 1st mate



Homemade Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

 

Cystic Fibrosis Walk

 



Saturday we met up with our friends and the rest of Miss Em's team to do the Great Strides walk for Cystic Fibrosis. It was a lot of fun and a lot of walking. Everyone did a great job and loved the bounce house and slide at the end of the race.

Emily and Trevor

Trevor, Hayley and Emily walked together the whole way with Michael and Will trailing after them, occasionally spraying them with water. It was a great morning with wonderful friends, raising money and attention for an important cause. Trevor did an exceptional job raising donations and doubled my fundraising efforts. THANK YOU to everyone who donated and supported us and Emily!





Luke getting a sticker from Emily



Excited Luke




Emily and Hayley



Luke and Jake





Trevor

 


Will and Michael


 

Jake on the slide

Luke having fun on the slide

 


Hayley crossing the finish line



Fun in the bounce house

Hauntings

It's an exciting time of year, filled with Halloween parties and fun.  Last week-end we started the festivities with a fun party at the YMCA, complete with haunted houses, bouncy houses, fortune telling, spooky eyeballs and more. 

Trevor, Hayley, Jake & Ashley getting ready to go into the Haunted House

My pirates with their treasure

Fishing fun

Jake loves his new eyeball!



Hayley loved the haunted house, going twice!



Saturday night Michael went to a fun Halloween dance.  I just got a quick phone picture of him coming home late that night, styling in his orange tie and matching shoes. 

Daddy's Little Helper

Luke was quick to pull out his tools when he woke up to Don fixing the front door one morning.  He is such a little mimic, whether helping me cook in the kitchen, playing pirates with his siblings or fixing things with Don.  Luke always makes us laugh!

Gotta love those power tools!

Dancing in the Rain

We have been in the midst of a horrible drought in Houston, so when it finally rained on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago, it was time to celebrate.  We didn't bring an umbrella (what's that?!) with us to church, so we got good and wet and just had fun splashing and giggling in the puddles and rain after church.  Sometimes the rain is just as beautiful as the rainbows :)

Rachel!

We always love it when Aunt Rachel comes to visit. We got to see her and her great roommate Theresa when they came to visit a week-end before taking off on a fun cruise with Don's parents. We tried to cram as much into the week-end as we could...food, games, plundering for treasure, shopping, book swaps and more.

Trevor and Rachel

Theresa, Hayley and Jake

And of course, conspiring to begin writing the next great novel...stay tuned!

The Authors

Random Phone Pictures

Below are some random pictures found on my phone of some of our coming and goings.  I'm not sure who the photographer is with some of these shots, but they made me laugh when I looked on my phone.



Trevor with his Hunger Game/Tribute Train Literacy Project



Luke chilling.  He always wears his hat this way.



General Conference Treasure Chest



Jake Meditating? 



Jake pushing Luke at the park



Dog walking the neighbors dog



Mike with his custom shoes



Allergic

This boy is so sweet, even the mosquitoes love him.

 





Character Star

Hayley was named Character Star of the Week by her Chinese teacher a couple weeks ago.  She was recognized for being respectful, committed and responsible.  Way to go Hayley!

Great Strides for Miss Em!

Miss Em

We'd like to introduce you to our sweet friend Emily.  She is 11 years old and we have been a part of each other's lives since before she was born.  Her mom Lori and I are dear friends.  Her brother Will and Michael were inseparable the first 5 years of life...literally they were Batman and Superman.  So we were delighted to find out about 12 years ago that Lori and I were both expecting again, just a few months apart from each other.  Trevor was born in April, followed up by Emily in July.  That first year Trev and Emily spent lots of stroller time together, hanging out at the boys soccer games, church functions, and just fun playdates.  It was the start of another beautiful friendship :)

Halloween 2000 - Will, Trevor, Emily, Lori and Michael

When Emily and Trevor were 1, the Andres family moved to Utah. Through the years, we have remained close friends and seen each other several times. Even though they have grown up miles apart, Michael, Will, Emily & Trevor all remain good friends and we love to see each other every chance we can.

2 years old-Emily and Trev

March 2003 - Emily taking care of Hayley
and her baby in Utah

April 2007 - Fun at the Houston Zoo together

Emily and Trevor on the wild animals

Meeting for breakfast is always a favorite activity!

2009 - Luke, Emily and Hayley in Utah

July 2011 - The Whole Gang at 59 Diner in Houston

Emily had some serious health challenges that first year of life, and after several rounds of testing, it was discovered that she has cystic fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. Right now there is no cure for cystic fibrosis, but you can help us make a difference. In just a few weeks, Emily and her family are coming back to Houston to participate in a Great Strides walk where we will all walk together on Ms. Em's team to earn money and take steps to cure cystic fibrosis.

If you would like to help us raise money to blow away Cystic Fibrosis and help our amazing friend Emily, please consider donating to this great cause.  Trevor's account is http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/TrevorMangum or mine is  http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/JeanMangum.  Any donation helps.  Thank You!!


to learn more about cystic fibrosis, please go HERE.