Happy Halloween 2016

You've got a friend in me!

Cousins came over for dinner before trick or treating

Baby Zia's 1st cousin party

Grandma Sue came over to help James go door to door for the 1st time!

The big kids joined our yearly neighborhood trick or treating wagon

We really have the best group of neighbors!

James went home to check out his goods

Then we caught up with the kids to watch them have some fun

Then we stopped by a local church to check out their harvest party 

Then we went home to check out what they got :)

Jenna turns 10

 We kicked off her day in style with a Birthday Breakfast, and story of all the reasons we love her

Then Dad brought doughnuts to her class and had lunch with his girl

After school we went on a family walk, and Kade pulled his sister ;)

 Then we had family over to celebrate

Then this weekend we celebrated with Michael's mom and sister who worked the day of her party

We went pumpkin picking

 opened gifts

 then pained our pumpkins

 celebrated with pie

 Then the kids broke in Jenna's new oven!

Jenna's 10th Birthday

 Jenna has developed an infinity for both cooking/baking and cooking/baking shows, so when planning her birthday we knew her theme needed to follow suit.

And that is when we learned the fun of cupcake wars! We started playing it at home to practice for her big day! 

Here is her invites

To have a competition you need judges and judging sheets!

 Jenna picked her dad, because well he is her favorite person. Her grandpa Scott, because she says he is the most honest no matter peoples feeling. And her Aunt Eva, because she likes snacks more than anyone she knows. 

We gathered ingredients for our pantry

And decorations for the kids to decorate their cupcake tray before presenting to the judges

I got small Tupperware from the dollar store so each child could take one of the cupcakes they made home 

And we put thank you notes on candy sticks for favors

 There was a winner for best taste, most creative, and best over all, so we got some prizes for the kids to choose from.

As the kids were cooking we had them put dirty tools in to a bucket of soapy water to help with the clean up after the party.

We wanted the kids to be able to freely get a drink while baking and consuming their weight in snacks. 

We ended up having enough kids RSVP that we made 4 teams, Blue, Red, Pink, and Turquoise.

They all got a apron, and a name tag.

 My mom and friend Jill who are both great bakers were their to help the kids with their cupcakes if needed... and it was needed ;)

When the trimmer went off between round 1 (get cupcakes in pan), round 2 (decorate cooled cupcakes), and 3 (get cupcakes ready to present) they all had to put their hands in the air!

 Between rounds they played in the back yard (thank you Jesus for a warm fall)

James as always was spoiled, and got a nice sugar high ;)

While the cupcakes cooled, our birthday girl got to open her gifts!

Once they cupcakes were ready our football watching judges were ready

Each team presented, and the judges tasted. 

While the judges deliberated Jenna got to blow our her candles, and everyone got to try the cupcakes.

After Prizes were handed out the kids played until their parents picked them up! 

It was probably the most work and the most fun I have ever seen at a birthday party, and I throw a lot of birthday parties for my kids :)