November came and went. We are that much closer to Christmas. I can hardly believe it. One minute we are sitting out at soccer games with sunblock smothered all over, sweating our tails off--the next we are bundled up in jackets and beanies.
The kids finished out their AYSO soccer seasons this month. Bubba's team (The Men in Black) won one game, tied one game and lost the others. His teammates called him the "Big Kahuna" because of his size. Wiggy's age bracket is five-on-five and they don't officially keep score, but they easily blew every other team out of the water. It was fun to watch! She scored many goals and was pretty unstoppable when she headed down the field with the ball.
Tubbs' team (The Rattlers) affectionately nicknamed him "The Hammer." They only lost three games during the regular season and were able to compete in the tournament.
His face after losing their elimination game of the tournament. He's thrilled to have his mother capture these moments....can you tell? :)
Sitting out one quarter and getting kisses from daddy
Watching Tubbs' team play soccer.
Bubba's quorum and YW on a trip to the LA temple.
With the cooler weather we have made a few Starbucks runs for hot cocoa and cake pops.
Ready for school on a Friday morning.
An angry little girl looking at her progress report.
Apparently she had all A's and one B.
#OverAchiever
I surprised this gal when I showed up for her Thanksgiving feast in her classroom.
Passed out early on a Friday night.
This fella says he was trying to wean himself off the diet soda.
#CaughtRedHanded
It's funny how as you get older (and busier) birthdays take on different rituals. I always like to make a big deal out of Luke's birthday, but he normally wants no part of that. Days in advance I ask him what he wants for birthday dinner and he responds with..."I think I'll make myself a steak." He knows I can't make him a steak, but I don't think someone should have to cook for themselves on their birthday....and he doesn't care. So my response was something to the effect of..."Ohhh. Ok. Whatever." I did leave him some Magic bars (from Sugar Twist), a card and a half frozen Coke Zero on the front seat of the car---for him to find when leaving for work. He went to open the soda and it exploded all over the place. Well played Katie. Well played. Haha. Actually Luke thought it was very funny. I just wish he had it on video. Anyways, the soda ended up not being drank after that and one of his teachers brought him Magic Bars too...so they weren't all that special I suppose.
Anyways...let me recap his big day....
For breakfast he requested Krusteaz Cinnamon Cake. It's a fave for him and the kids, so everyone was more than thrilled. I cooked up some scrambled eggs to go with it, then I dashed out the door for work.
The old guy worked all day. He decided he wanted to head over to Outback for his birthday dinner, so no one had to cook at the house. I was all in for that! :)
We aren't normally fans of Outback, unless we have a gift card, but it was an obvious place he could go for a steak.
After dinner we came back to the house for dessert. I picked up pieces of chocolate pie from J's Place earlier in the day. We love their pie so that was the big guy's choice over birthday cake. It has a really unusual crust and has several layers of stuff we can't identify. We stare at it with every bite, trying to figure it out, but still don't know what makes it so tasty.
After pie, he opened gifts. I think the back-scratchers from CVS were his fave. We made sure to give him two so he has a back-up.
Happy birthday big guy. We love you!
Halloween Eve Wiggy and I had our Halloween make-up done for the party at church. I went to Essentiels Spa and she went to Ulta a few doors down. I was a butterfly and Wiggy a wicked witch....who smiles a lot. :) She had originally wanted to be Evie from the Disney Descendents movie, but after we bought the wig, the costume sold out. Somehow she settled on being a witch.
It took about an hour for each of us to get made up. I had some false lashes put on that I bought at Party City and by the end of the evening my eyelids were exhausted.
At the church they had different activities all throughout the building. Bubba helped out with an activity put on by the Deacons' Quorum.
Saturday the kids had soccer games until late afternoon. After we got home the kids got cleaned up and changed into their costumes. Bubba decided he wasn't going to dress up or go trick or treating. We thought that meant he'd like to stay home and pass out candy, but he didn't want to stay home alone....so he walked around with us for a bit.
Tubbs didn't know what he wanted to be for Halloween. We went to the party stpre to look at costumes a few days before Halloween and there wasn't much he was intersted in. He saw the Mickey Mouse hands and I reminded him that he had some Mickey Mouse house slippers he could wear. All we had to do was buy some Mickey ears and the hands. I spray painted his hair black and he wore my black running tights under his shorts.
Tubbs went trick-or-treating with his buddy Tanner and his family/cousins. He went trick or treating in Seven Oaks and came home with toothbrushes and full size candy bars. He was pretty stoked with his stash.
After Luke dropped off Tubbs with his buddy at 5pm, we headed out with our little green witch. Luke and Bubba walked with us to the Montana's and then headed back to pass out candy. Wiggy and I walked around another 45 minutes. We got back to the house around 7:30.
I was kind of disappointed Bubba had officially grew out of Halloween but who knows. Maybe if his brother is home next year, he might venture out again in costume. I don't think kids can be too big for trick or treating. I think it's good teenagers want to do child-like traditions. I think it's much better than partying and doing stuff they shouldn't be when they're this age.
Another month is over and I cannot believe how close we are to the end of the year. October was another busy month for our family.
Taking a little nap on a Sunday afternoon after reading some stories. Who can keep their eyes open when you're so comfy and you have nowhere to be?!
The Boy Scouts did the flag raising for an event down at the Riverwalk.
This little girl was daddy's date to one of his teacher's wedding. I had to take Tubbs to his soccer game, so she went in my place. She loved getting dressed and going with him.
Homework time!
I met Wiggy's class over at the pumpkin patch one morning. The class went through a corn maze, learned about pumpkins and got to pick out a pumpkin to take home.
Report cards came home for first quarter. We had parent teacher conferences with Wiggy and Tubbs' teachers. It's always so nice to hear them say nice things about the kids. We really like their teachers this year and the kids do too.
Tubbs' soccer team went to the CSUB vs Air Force game and got to scrimmage at half time.
Mismatch Day at School for Red Ribbon week.
The kids had pumpkin seeds to count in class, so I came in to help.
Tubbs and his friends at the USC football game. This was their second game this season and they love it. His friend Colby's dad gets tickets from his former boss.
Goodbye October....we are ready for Thanksgiving!
The countdown begins....
That Stop Wasn't On My Itinerary....
So the Hogue's made it to Florida for our first official family vacation. It was Sawyer's first plane ride....and Simon's first plane ride that he can remember. We were excited....the boys were stoked. We had everything we needed! But it seems that Sawyer packed something with him that wasn't on our checklist: a big case of pneumonia. Yes, the little fella made it almost one whole day in Florida before he started heading downhill fast. Our 2nd day in Orlando we were in the Urgent Care south of Cocoa Beach. (By the way, to see a doctor more quickly, it helps if you vomit all over the waiting room in front of the receptionist. Little tip for ya) After chest x-rays they advised us to head to the ER in Melbourne, where they eventually admitted him to the hospital. So, we had 3 night deluxe accommadations at the Holmes Regional Medical Center. The little whipper snapper was a trooper though! The nurses loved him, thankfully, and made us all feel right at home. We were going to send postcards out with pictures of the hospital since we spent 40% of our trip there...but they didn't have any. Imagine that!Hmmm.....maybe its something they should consider.
