Trick-or-Treating with the fam

Happy Halloween!!!  We're all here...A cowgirl and her chicken, Indiana Jones and his dad and one cute little blue eyed angel in the background!

Ya...we're posers!!

Indiana Jones...don't you LOVE the scruff!

I love this little chicken!

  

One last family picture in front of the house

And then they were OFF...

In the words of Jaden:  "Kikoo Teat."

Jaden definitely GOT the concept of getting as much candy as possible.  Only, he had a slight problem with getting a little distracted at the door.  He'd just LINGER at the door after he was given candy.  Poor Corb, was anxious to get a wiggle on so he could get even MORE candy this year than last! But he was a trooper and such a GOOD big brother.  He never complained...just patiently waited.  I, on the other hand, would usually have to pick Jades up so we could hit the next house!

Every year there is one house in the neighborhood that goes ALL OUT...and I mean ALL out for Halloween.  We call it the "scaaaaarrrry" house.  Corb has LOVED it for years.  When he was 3 years old, he used to make me drive by it just so he could look at it.  His face would instantly get this look of sheer terror.  His eyes would be as big as saucers.  As soon as we passed it, he shout, "AGAIN!!"  Jaden is NO exception.  Like his brother, he loves it too!

 

Jaden wasn't phased in the slightest as we approached the house...not even when the CREEPY, bloody skeleton handed him candy.  Jaden just kept looking at it like he could tell that the skeleton didn't look quite right.  I tell ya, this kid is FEARLESS!

It was fun to go out this Halloween.  The weather was crisp, but not cold.  It's nice to be able to trick-or-treat in such a good neighborhood.  But even in the midst of all the fun and excitement, I couldn't help but be reminded that I didn't have a 4 year old little dragon collecting candy with his brothers.  I try to not let myself think about what's NOT there, but sometimes I can't help it.  I miss him.  There is NOTHING I wouldn't give to see that sweet little boy alive and well and growing up with his brothers.  It breaks my heart that they will never know him on this Earth.  Corbin is forgetting.  Jaden never even had the opportunity.  I look at other families at the same stage of life as ours, with all of their children and my heart sometimes skips a beat.  Sometimes it occurs to me that most people have all of their children.  Then I'm brought back to the reality that those families are the norm, and ours is not.  It's hard.  Sometimes, it's just plain awkward.  But, it is what it is.  There is nothing I can do to change the fact that Jack's gone.  We will just have to keep moving forward.  We will just have to treasure every second we do have with Corbin and Jaden.  We'll remember Jack.  He'll always be part of this family, even if the only visible proof now is behind the glass of a picture frame.  We'll long for the day when all of our family will be together again.  It will happen.  And in the words of Elder Scott, "He's securing your place in Heaven." So, I'll put my faith in Him and remember that someday all of this will have been worth it.