Pumpkins!

 Tonight for FHE we carved our pumpkins!  It was a lot of fun!  Here are some pictures -
Here is one of mom and Cort

 This is a lovely picture of me - taking my frustrations of my economics class out on my pumpkin!

 Cort did a really good job of helping us get the seeds out!

 Wouldn't be Chris if he didn't get one funny face in a group of pictures!

 This one is better!

 After taking a couple pictures of Chris, Cortney made me take some pictures of her.

 This was by far the hardest pumpkin of carve because it was so small.  The hole in the top was so small my hand didn't even fit inside - and I have small hands!  We had to use long spoons to scoop everything out!

Cortney's pumpkin!

 Moms pumpkin - Went for the more traditional happy route :)

 Dad's pumpkin, hehe this is a tribute to Ndamukong Suh a football player on his favorite team the Lions!

 Our Pumpkin family!

So we got them all together and realized we had no candles...oh well we will have to pick some up at the store with in the next couple of days, and I will take some more pictures then!

By far, the sweetest moment of the night is when Cortney asked Chris if he wanted to wear a red hat instead of the blue one he was wearing.  He said yes so Cort ran into our room and came back with a red hat.  We figured it would be a U of U hat, since he wears that one a lot but instead she came out with a Tampa Bay hat - the favorite team of our friend who passed away this morning.  Chris actually bought the hat for his friend Jon and has never had it on before, so it was a little surprising she picked that one.  It was Jon's wife Denise who passed away after a battle with cancer.  We were good friends in Rexburg, we dated the same time, got married around the same time, and had our first children within months of each other.  She was blessed to have two daughters before she found out she had cancer.  It was a very rare form of cancer and very aggressive, they tried to treat it but just couldn't beat it.  She was sweet, loving, smart and talented!  Our thoughts and prayers are with her family today.  Our memories of her will not be forgotten.

In Loving Memory

We received news today that one of our good friends from when we were living in Rexburg passed away of cancer today.  Her name was Denise Lahusky.  Her husband Jon and her dated the same time Chris and I did.  We got married around the same time, and had our first child within months of each other.  They were blessed to have 2 beautiful daughters together, before she found out she had cancer.  Times like these really make you sit back and think of life and what is really important.

From what I have heard it is a very rare form of cancer that was very aggressive and they could not really find the source, or figure out how to cure it, as much as they tried to.  The time we spent with Jon and Denise were always good times, Denise was such a sweet and loving person in general especially with her family.  She was also very smart and talented.  Her example of strength through this trial has blessed my life.

Always thought this was a cute picture of Denise and her oldest daughter London

Right after her second daughter was born

Most recent family picture I found of their family.

Our love for Denise and her family is great and deep, we wont forget her sweet spirit and amazing strength.  Our prayers thoughts and with her family during this difficult time.

The Serect to the Best Banana Bread Ever!

Cortney is not a morning person, so to help her get a better start to her day we let her play in her room for 15-20 minutes before going in and getting her up.  This morning when I went to get her up for the day she told me that she made banana bread in her room!  (We just made banana bread yesterday together so I am guessing this is where she got the idea)

She ran over to her bed and showed me what "banana bread" was.  Here is what she showed me :)

So just if you have ever wondered what the secret to the best banana bread ever is, according to Cortney it is chicken and strawberries!

This is a little thing Cortney has been doing lately that I would like to remember because it is cute, since this is basically our family journal I wanted to put it in here.  Cort will take her animals and put them in the shopping cart, she will go all around the "store" her room and buy them food or toys, almost everyday the animals end up in the shopping cart without fail - I just think it is cute!

Cortney also wanted to play the guitar for me this morning!  We found the guitar at DI for a couple bucks and she loves playing it!  PS - the blue band around her wrist is because we went to trafalga last night for family night, thought we would mix it up and have a little fun, plus it was free because we have that awesome pass!

I love the one below with her awesome rock star pose!