It wasn't until too late on Friday the 31st that I realized I hadn't gotten any pictures of the kids alone in their costumes. I really wanted a do over so a week later we did it all again. We did the hair, the make-up and the costumes. Paul even came home early to take the pictures of us before it got too dark. He is such a great guy. He will go to great lengths to make me happy.
The kids were so embarrassed each time a car drove by but they were still troopers and didn't hardly complain. I am so glad that we did this. Now I can let Halloween go for this year. Do you think I obsess way too much?
Once school was over we came home and waited. We had a really yummy dinner of Pumpkin shaped pizza, homemade breadsticks (sooo good) and salad. Once we were done with dinner it was time to get ready.
I don't know if people started early this year of if we were just really late, either way we were rushed. As soon as everyone was ready it started to sprinkle. The pictures were cut short (I am 100% seriousl about dressing all of us again and trying for more shots) and so was the trick or treating. What is weird is that Paul said we got more people at our house than in years past. I can't figure that out. 
I can now start thinking about what we will be next year......
This is Paul and I on our first Halloween as a married couple (1996). I had gotten this faux fur from a neighbor. She bought it to make a giant teddy bear but never got around to it. She would probably die if she knew I made it into a caveman costume. Somehow I convinced him that it would be a good idea to dress up. I don't think that he has worn a costume since.
Emma was right at five weeks for her first Halloween. I made a dalmatian costume out of felt and one of her sleepers. She was so cute in her tail and floppy ears but everyone kept calling her a cow.
The next year I made Emma into an M&M(1999). This was a pretty easy costume to make and she stayed nice and warm. We spent that Halloween in Utah visiting her twin cousins who were just two months old.
The next year we stuck with the Disney theme. Andrew was mobile at this point making it almost impossible to get a photo of both of the kids together. (2002)
This was our first Halloween living in Utah. (2003) Look at all of that wretched white stuff. Barf! It was sooo cold that night that Emma started crying that she was freezing to death and all of her green make-up streaked down her face. Poor little thing. Welcome to Utah. 
This year (2005) I was an Elizabethan Queen, Andrew was Darth Vader and Emma was a butterfly (She isn't a regular fly, I swear!) I loved this costume. It was so much fun dressing up again. We had a great time that year.
In 2006 Emma was a geisha, Andrew was a dinosaur and I was a red and black devil thing. This was the first year that they kids just went and went and went. It take a lot of energy to trick or treat this neighborhood with all the hills but they just kept plugging along. They got so much candy that they had to empty their bags and then they went out for more.
In 2007 and we were all spooky gouls. Emma and I (you can see me in costume in older posts) were Spider Web Ghosts and Andrew was the Guaze Reaper. 
So I decided to leave the others but add some of my favorites full sized (well as full sized as you can get on here)
Daddy and the babies
Andrew and Mommy
Paul and his pumpkin
The kids in the sunset
Not long after the baptism they were able to welcome two new grandsons. I became an aunt to two of the cutest, happiest little boys ever! Their names are John and Calvin.
After BYU won, Paul took off like a bullet to storm the field. I took off after him but he was long gone. I thought that I had lost him forever. Miraculously we found each other in the huge crowd.
After the game we went to dinner with our friends Karen and Cameron
and on the way home got into a small car accident on the freeway. A car was following too close in the traffic and rear ended us. Luckily they drive a huge SUV with a huge tow hitch and we came away without any damage to us or their car. 
Instead this is what we ended up with. 
One day the kids started playing outside and made this way cute snowman. They did it all by themselves and even used a scarf and hat that I had crocheted for Andrew. When they showed it to me I knew it was too cute to pass up. I hurried and started trying to get clothes for us that would coordinate with Mr. Snowman and we got this shot. I still love it!
Andrew had a Christmas concert, 
and we decorated,
and baked to get into the holiday spirit. On Christmas Eve Santa came with our pajamas and once again, left them without being caught by the kids. 
On December 29th the whole Gardner family went to Seattle to meet the two new babies. This was our Christmas gift from David and Nancy and what a great gift it was. We had a very early flight, the first ever for Andrew,
but it was so fun to all be on the same plane. There were ten of us all traveling together from Salt Lake. While we were there we got to spend time together as a family, see the Public Market, ride a ferry, and be part of the baby blessings. It was such a special treat to all go as a family. 
The kids fell in love with both boys instantly. This is John
And this is Calvin
All the Gardner cousins together (John, Megan, Matthew, Amanda, Andrew, Emma and Calvin)
We got home pretty late on New Year’s Eve. My parents picked us up at the airport and took us to their house where we barely had time to welcome in the New Year. The night, and year, was over before we knew it.