Halloween 2019!

Halloween is about a 6 week celebration in our house.  We start setting up mid-September.  I saw this great idea on Facebook about "Doll in the Hall" instead of the "Elf of the Shelf" and could NOT wait to start this tradition in our home as we are SOO over the Elf thing:)

So we found our doll at our local Deseret Industry and we named him "Gage."  (Just like the Gage from Pet Sematary).  And we had the BEST time moving him around from day to day.  

Gage started off in Max's room.  Max got home late that night and apparently wouldn't sleep with Gage in the room.  So Max moved him to the kitchen--RUDE!--he really shouldn't have touched the doll.  He was lucky that he didn't die 7 days later:)

Gage also rode to school with the kids:  (Ethan has this pop-out cup holder middle section in the back seat of his car.  It was as if this seat was made just for Gage!  He fit perfectly!)

Here were a few of his other favorite places:

These we "mysteriously" left out on our countertop...

AND THEN...just when we thought that "Doll in the Hall" couldn't get any better...BAM!  This little girl showed up on my husband's desk at work.  OH MY HECK!  How I wish I could take credit for this idea too!  I actually wanted to keep this doll because I thought she was so beautifully painted but NO WAY!  We do NOT disrespect Halloween traditions.  We promptly passed her on to another house (and parked across the street to watch--we laughed until we cried:) .

It was SOO MUCH FUN that we decided to get a few more of these dolls out there in circulation to deserving families (that didn't have young kids that would be freaked out:) . Many people don't know that my husband is an AMAZING artist.  He created these beauties:

We actually kinda hoped that one of these dolls would end up back to our house but they didn't.  But that's okay.  We'll paint more for next year:)

We once again went to the 13th Floor Haunted House in Phoenix.  On any given day I would take a bullet for any one of my kids but here...they are my human shields:) . Max actually held my hand through most of the house.

Halloween Day/Night:  The students are allowed to dress up for Halloween at Heritage so they take full advantage of this:

Max-Rocky
Tatum-Crayon
Ethan-Burger King Employee

Max and Ethan had big plans for the night.  It took weeks to plan out their costumes.  It's NOT about the candy AT ALL for them.  They are seriously just out for the reactions.  (Ethan even carried around candy inside his costume to hand out to little kids who weren't too afraid to come up to him:) . Tatum still wants the candy and went out with a friend just for this reason--she was a "Plague Doctor."

Max and Friends

Then the Branch Missionaries asked Max to come for a "special visit" where all the missionaries in our area (including sisters) would be.  Max of course was on board.  Ethan drove him over there and even though I was not there, I was told that he "nailed it."  There was cussing, screaming, crying, a possible broken toe from trying to run away (turned out to be just a bad sprain thank goodness:) It was a PERFECT way for Max to wrap up his favorite night of the year:)

BOYS BOYS EVERYWHERE!

Poor Tatum is really missing her sister.  A couple days ago, I asked my kids to go to the Temple.  My boys were up before Tatum and this is how they decided to wake her up.  Poor girl.  She's a bit out-numbered and her brothers have the CRAZIEST ideas:)

Tatum's 12th Birthday!

Tatum just wanted her room re-done this year for her birthday.  She's finally decided that she likes the color pink:) . Since she picked out everything, her birthday wasn't going to be much of a surprise--or so she thought:) . Her bedding actually came in a day earlier than it was supposed to so I hid it from her, bought the needed paint, and while she was at school, I re-painted the stripes on her wall and got her tapestry/lights up, and her bedding all washed and put on her bed.  I was having a hard time keeping a straight face as she came home from school and asked me if her bedding had come in.  I told her, "No.  Sorry Tate.  Maybe tomorrow."  She then went upstairs to get changed for softball and then she ran back down stairs to give me a big hug.  She couldn't believe that I did all the work myself that day.  So it was fun having a little bit of a surprise for her.

She choose Si Senor for her birthday dinner and then an Oreo Ice cream cake.  

Her softball team is AMAZING this year and is currently the only undefeated team.  In her game the day before her birthday, SHE HIT A LEGIT HOME RUN!!!!  I'm talking over the 3rd baseman's head and clear into the outfield.  No bad over-throws or mistakes by the other team.  Just an amazing solid HIT into the outfield.  It was her first legit home run in her softball career.  What a great birthday present to herself.  I'm hoping we'll get to see more amazing softball playing from her for many years to come.  Happy 12th Birthday to my Tatum Jane.

Ethan's First Job!!!

Ethan spent the entire summer job hunting and FINALLY GOT ONE!!!  We are super excited that he now works at Burger King.  Way to go E!!!  LOVE to see you growing up!

LA Reel Camp

I'm the first to admit that I have NO idea what I'm doing in this whole acting world.  I can't tell you how many hours I've spent reading/researching/talking to professionals on this.  I'm doing the best I know how and hope to help my son realize his dream.

I would honestly chose anything else for my boy--and if I find that it is IMpossible to raise a normal/healthy/happy kid in Hollywood, then I will quickly walk away from it all.  But this kid HAS talent.  It's undeniable and I've been told it over and over again so I gotta chase this dream with him.

We've been in contact with a Casting Director--Bill H.--in New York since his IMTA event in January.  We came home from that event thinking all our hard work was done.  Nope. It was just beginning.  We learned that Max needed more "real" screen time--more TV acting and less music theatre since TV acting is his ultimate goal.  So we needed a better Demo Reel to send to agents.  Coming to this camp in LA would give him "real" on-screen time AND a professionally made Demo Reel--which is impossible to do with our music theatre tapes.  So off we went.

Chris and I decided to split up this week between the two of us so that I could see Ethan and Tatum off to their first day of school and then neither of us would miss an entire week of work.  We also decided that if Max had to miss an entire week of school, the very first week is the best one.  So Chris and Max headed out Saturday night to check into the camp Sunday afternoon.  I was then going to fly out to LA Wednesday night while Chris flew back home to Phoenix.  I drove to the airport, took plenty of clear pictures of where I parked my car, and then jumped on the plane.  I found Max at the Burbank Airport no problem.  He was then "supposed" to take me to where Chris had parked the truck.  So when I found him, I asked, "Where's the truck?"  He looked at me shocked and asked, "Didn't Dad send you pics???  I can't remember!" I was seriously ready to loose it--"Seriously Max!!!  YOU HAD ONE JOB!!!"  Well, joke was on me.  Chris decided to stay the whole week with us--and boy was I SOOO glad he did.  I probably would have killed us driving in LA!!!

Chris and Max hiked to the Hollywood sign:

Here's our boy hard at work:  (Oh!  And we got to be "extras" in the restaurant scenes which was a BLAST!)

Workshop with Paul Weber

Max & Paul Weber

The parents had fun too:) . This is my new BFF from Kentucky--Debbie W.  She had the heaviest southern accent and was just so darn fun to be around:) . The studio we filmed at had several different room set up--we had fun in the jail part.

There was a "classroom" scene set up and LOOK who's name was on the board for detention!!!  (We honestly didn't write it!  It was already there:)

LONGEST DAY:  14 hours of shooting:

Last Day:  We had a free morning so we headed over to Santa Monica Pier and even rented those cool Lime Scooters.

We also had a couple meetings with LA Agents--both extremely interested in Max.  We met with one of the agents--Robin Nasiff AT HER HOUSE!!!  It was a HUGE mansion up in the hills.  We assumed that we were headed for a business building and were quite shocked when we pulled up to this seriously fancy neighborhood.  Robin really liked him--we still have one more audition to go with the Abrams Agency before we make any final decisions--BOTH agencies CRAZY good so we are REALLY excited to move forward with either of them.  We should know in the next couple of months.  Right now, I'm doing all the "mom-ager" stuff of getting child work permits in California, New York, and Massachusetts, and setting up his Coogan account--the not fun stuff but very necessary to move forward.  My to do list right now:

1-Work Permits

2-Coogan Account

3-Getting him prepared with a local acting coach here in Phoenix for his audition for a pilot this fall in Boston, MA.

So, moving forward with this acting stuff.  Still taking it day by day and seeing where it leads us.  Max is crazy talented and we have received confirmation after confirmation on this so forward we go!  Let's do this:)

Last Day Luncheon

Max & Kaz:  Look out for these 2 this fall--fingers crossed the Pilot gets picked up by a network!

He'll play piano for all his actor friends
but NOT his mom:)

First Day of School 2019

BIG year of BIG changes for Meekers!  Carlie is off on her mission to Vancouver, Canada.  Ethan started his Senior year.  Max started high school, and Tatum started jr. high!!!  We were ALL doing HARD things this week!

Max was in LA for acting stuff--next post--so just these two started school on time this year.  Ethan learned how to drive stick-shift this summer (after his blue car bit the dust).  So this is Ethan with his "new-to-him" 2006 Kia Optima car--with a fresh new paint job!  Looking good E!

The car was gold--everything in great shape
except the paint...

Ethan chose "Firebolt Red"

See Ya Mom!  We got this!