I love this time of year! The weather cools off. You get to break out the jeans and sweatshirts. The holidays approach, in triplicate. Everyone is excited and happy. It's just a fun time...especially when seen through the eyes of your children.

I was blessed this year to have lots of visitors for Halloween. My parents moved here from California in June - now they are only 5 minutes from my house. My sister, Heidi, lives with them. My sister, Jamie, and her friend Q (that's what his friends call him) were here. And my sister, Brittany, and her boyfriend, Jeremiah, came. It was a full house...just the way I like it!

Around Phoenix, you can't carve your pumpkin too early or it molds...within about two days! This being the day before Halloween, it was time. I was so excited to have siblings around who were excited to help my kids carve. That has usually fallen to me in previous years. I was glad to take a break this year. Instead, I got to document the festivities with my camera!

Cutting the tops off...

Ewwwy, gooey, insides...

I think Kyle might fit inside this pumpkin...he looks like he's trying to crawl inside!

Those seeds will make for a great snack once we roast them!

All the kids cut their pumpkins completely by themselves. I was very impressed with the results!

Kyle and his pumpkin have the same face!

Everyone was so hard at work!

When Jeremiah saw our pool he asked if he could go swimming. I reminded him it was the end of October and the pool was cold (in the 50's). He said that wasn't too cold and asked if the kids could go, too. We asked if the kids wanted to and they jumped at the chance. Morgan sat on a raft and tried to keep from getting all they way in - she didn't succeed.

This is Jeremiah and Kyle getting ready to take their first plunge into the pool...

Colton diving off the diving board...

Morgan was still trying to keep from getting her head wet. It was so funny to watch Jeremiah tease her as she was stuck in the deep end, on a raft, at Jeremiah's mercy...and he wasn't about to be merciful!