Kenzie's Farewell & Open House

Yesterday was our cousin Kenzie's missionary farewell! She leaves Wednesday for the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo mission. After attending her ward and hearing her speak (and sing with Abbie) we came to the Coe's for her open house farewell party.  Sue and Carrie and Abbie had done a wonderful job of decorating and designing - everything was perfect!

We enjoyed hanging out with Kenzie and her many well-wishers, and definitely enjoyed the bevy

of delicious eats, including a chocolate fountain bar with just about everything you could imagine!

Here are my pics from last night. 

The table at the open house, straight out of a magazine: 

 Cake and banner by Abbie! 

chocolate fountain bar 

where in the world is the DR? 

the list of our guesses the night Kenzie opened her call was on display 

Harriet and Jake 

My boys were first in line for the chocolate fountain 

including Pete...

our family wishes Kenzie be well! 

see you in 18 months cuz! 

Halloween 2012

Halloween prep - costume shopping 

The morph suit Jed wanted the second he saw it at the costume store -

it's a tuxedo but from the first time he put it on all the kids thought he

was a computer game villain known as Slender Man, so, he just went with it.

Friday night - Ward Trunk or Treat 

Jack and his friends eat dinner - he wore an orange morph suit 

and Henry as Bane, villain in The Dark Knight Rises 

Harriet helped run the carnival games at the Trunk or Treat 

as did Pumpkin Jack (can you spot him?)

Harriet helping cute little Pirate Henry in our ward 

Jed and another great mind in our ward - they think alike

Saturday night - Harriet hosts a pumpkin carving party for her BFFs 

fun Halloween treats 

and pumpkin carving of course!

Harriet carved the Phineas in the middle 

Sunday night Family Home Evening pumpkin carving 

Jed's Minecraft stencil 

Angry Bird, evil grin, skull, Minecraft 

Halloween Day 

For the first time since my twins attended,

 La Madera has a Halloween costume parade 

Classes taking their chairs out to the field 

Jed and friends getting ready to parade! 

Jed worked the crowd and had a blast 

Halloween day after school snack - we finished off the last of three beautiful

caramel apples that our home teacher's awesome wife made for us 

All costumed up and ready to go! 

(Jack left earlier to hang out with friends)

Harriet went out with friends - inspired by her

pumpkin and dressed up as Phineas Flynn with

her pet platypus Perry 

 The boys, Pete and me join all the other neighborhood kids

in some lucrative trick or treating 

Henry's haul

Jed sorts his sweet stuff 

Happy Halloween!! 

Last summer on The RFF

Before the new fall episodes begin, let's catch up on this summer in The OC: 

We spent a lot of great cousin time, both in Utah and in California

Jed (and the rest of us) could not get enough of Clara

Jack paid the piper at Temple Square 

While we walked around the new Salt Lake City Creek downtown
with Grandma Carol and Grandpa Bob

Harriet spent much of the summer in a wheelchair

due to an inflamed knee - a reaction to a never quite

diagnosed virus that struck her knee 

Saturday morning hike with CD in the Rocky mountains 

Found some ways to cool off in toasty warm St. George 

and wrapped up our Utah road trip with a good car cleaning 

Took a day trip with grandma, grandpa and the Coes out 

to beautiful Redlands to check out Pete's old stomping grounds 

Stopped by Pete's Redlands childhood home

and old elementary school 

(the boys got really good at the wheelchair)

visited Grant's grave 

ate a Cafe Rio and ChickFilA picnic on the lawn of the Redlands historic library

and amphitheater - we then enjoyed a lovely patriotic free concert 

Harriet & Abbie (her last summer before college!)

Jack has been in summer practice prep mode for the fall Marching

Band season - here he shows off his band blister/callouses

Jack's friend found a couple of orphaned baby possums 

in his back yard - super cute but they had fleas 

and eventually died without their mother despite best efforts to nourish them 

water fights in the front yard while workers worked in our backyard -

we had Andy Gump in our driveway for a week or so 

more cousin time in California 

(covered in the Balboa Island post) 

Harriet took on a summer room project - 

she bought some Whiteboard paint at Home Depot

and painted her giant closet doors all by herself,

turning them into two giant whiteboards 

beach time - a "good" pic of Harriet's swollen left knee 

Jed participated in the UK coaches soccer camp 

and earned the "inspire award" one day 

we fed a pelican on the pier 

And as summer started to come to a close, 

the twins head over to register for high school! 

oh I'm sure there is more than one Fresh Man at El Toro 

El Toro High School here they come!! 

Another fun end of summer activity was a beach 

bonfire hosted by the church youth 

Last beach day of the summer was Labor Day in Laguna 

we had a birthday celebration for the twins 

with Grammy Ann's traditional chocolate cake 

The kids received their traditional father's blessing from Pete

the night before the first day of school 

and the twins received a hug from dad while enjoying their

birthday donuts the next morning before heading off to HIGH SCHOOL! 

it's been a great summer! 

Back to school we go...