Pumpkin Carving

On Sunday we went over to Cameron's parent's house for our annual Halloween pumpkin carving. Chris made her dinner in a pumpkin which is very yummy and then we all carved our pumpkins. I went with an easy face this year after tyring to do something harder last year and a big piece fell off. This year I also brought paint for the kids to paint their pumpkins. The kids seem to always try to help with the carving and it just turns out bad so this year I decide that while we carved they could paint, it turned out well. Grace did two faces on hers and Blake just painted purple lines on his, why purple you ask who knows! Anyway we had lots of fun!

Happy Birthday Mom!

This is my mom Patty and today is her birthday so I just wanted to let her know we are thinking about her. Happy birthday, we hope you have a great day and we love you!

Barnyard Boo and Fall Festival

On Friday 11 kids and four crazy moms went to Thanksgiving Point to their annual barnyard boo. This is kind of like a little carnival on the farm country at Thanksgiving Point and I am sorry to say that I was a little disappointed. Not only does it cost more than to just go to the farm but they also wouldn't let me get everyone in for half price with my membership. They did have a few little activities for the kids to do that is extra but you can only do 5 with your purchase price. All Grace wanted to do was have her face painted, we have been there several times to ride the pony so she really didn't care about that, and the face painters where already gone when we got there at 4 when it was open til 8 or 9. The pony ride was a 45 minute wait and my kids didn't really care about the other little activities. They did get balloons, Grace got a pink pig and Blake got an orange hat that he picked all by himself. We also rode the wagon and decorated cookies. It was also fall break for all the schools so it was completely crowded hence the 45 minute wait. All in all think that it is safe to say I will not be doing this next year. The kids had fun but not anymore fun than if we want on a normal day for free.

This year instead of a trunk or treat our ward did a fall festival on the 18th. They did lots of fun games for the kids, face painting, coloring, dinner and cotton candy(my very favorite treat and quickly becoming my kids favorite too). They also took family pictures which is to the left and I am posting it even though I think that it is an awful picture of me. Cameron is not in it because he is in Vegas trying to clean up our house for new renters but that is a whole other story. The kids had so much fun. The dinner was soup and Blake is not crazy about soup so he eat candy for dinner and let me just say he was bouncing off the walls even more than he already does. After we got home he just laid in his bed yelling at me, it was kind of funny. Anyway the kids did dress up so here is a sneak peak for Halloween, a monkey and Jasmin. The picture below I really like of Blake because he is multitasking. He wanted to throw the sponge but he also didn't want to give up the frog he just won, he wasn't using his mouth for anything so perfect holding place, such a smart kid. They also threw a football at milk jugs and both knocked over a few. Grace was also very happy about the face painting since we had missed it yesterday and hey this face painting was free!

Pumpkin Patch

Monday night for FHE we went to the pumpkin patch. At first Blake was a little concerned about running through all that dirt in the semi darkness but after he realized that I really was ok with it he took off. After we all picked out our pumpkins we let the kids run through the hay maze they had set up for children. Blake didn't really run through it as much as climb on it but hey what are little boys for if not doing things they shouldn't and making their mothers nervous. It was really cold but the kids loved it so in my book that is called a success.

Colors of Fall

Fall is my very favorite season of the year. Especially since I have moved somewhere there is actually a fall. I love the cool crispness of the mornings and evenings and all the beautiful changing leaves. It makes me think of football games and the fair. Where I grow up we always had the fair in the fall and I loved it. The fun rides that are also scary because who knows how safe they really are and cotton candy(my absolute favorite treat). Anyway Saturday I finally got Cameron to take us on a drive around the Alpine Loop so we could see the leaves. It was however like 40 degrees and snowing. We drove over to Cascade Springs where we took all the pictures except the one on the left which is of the back side of Timp. We walked around and I got a few pictures but the kids were uncooperative and wouldn't smile. Also the leaves over there had not really changed which is weird. I did get to see some changed leaves and the kids had fun running around on the bridges at the springs singing the Grumpy Old Troll song from Dora with Cameron. Grace however didn't like having to "drive for hours". On the way home Blake striped off his socks and shoes(what's new) and put his socks on his hands because they were cold, he is a genius. We had a fun relaxing family day and it was great!

So after reading my sister's comment I decided to add to the story of our Saturday outing. On the way home I decided that even though it was cold ice cream sounded good. BYU was in the middle of a football game and I love their hot fudge sundays so I thought it was a great time to go there. I was right no one was there so we got our ice cream and sat down to enjoy. While we were eating my wonderful husband says "You know if we lived anywhere near here you would weigh like three hundred pounds." I replied "That is sweet honey." "Well it is true. If we lived across the street you would find any excuse to drive over and have a sunday." My reply was "I would at least walk." Anyway he is kind and I love him so much!

Spooky Gingerbread Houses

While I was in Jo Ann's on Saturday I came across a gingerbread haunted house kit. I thought that it would be a fun thing to do for Family Home Evening so I bought two. We decided to invite Ryan, Chalan, Blythe and Creed over to decorate with us. It was lots of fun but since I am an overachiever in the following decorations department I don't know how much fun my kids because I made them follow the picture as closely as possible. Of course we were no good at the cute windows and door but I think it turned out ok. Grace is very proud of her house and Blake keeps trying to eat the candy off. If it makes it until Halloween with out being destroyed I will be very surprised. The pictures below are a close up of our house, Ryan, Creed, Chalan and Blythe with their house and a close up of their house.

Happy 30th Leah!

My friend Leah celebrated her 30th bday on Sunday. She is one of my sister's oldest and best friends, she just did not realize that in that deal she was getting two for the price of one. She is not only my friend but she is my hair dresser and my adult sitter. Anyway on her birthday she had dinner with of her other friends so I decided to take her to lunch yesterday. We went to the Olive Garden where I eat too much and then we went to Nothing Bunt Cakes to get her a bday cake where I ate even more. We ate our cake in the park so the kids could play and little. It was fun and Grace loves Leah so she was really excited to see her and even sang her Happy Birthday. She really liked my Birdie Bag so I made her one of her very own for her big bday. Happy birthday Leah, we love you lots!

Wedding Dresses and Glass Slippers

My little girl Grace is obsessed with anything to do with princesses, fairies, barbies, etc. If it's girly she loves it. I always said I really wanted a girly girl and I most definitely got one. I wanted to tell about a conversation we had a couple of months ago. It was so cute and has really stood out in my mind so I wanted to write it down so that I do not forget. So here it goes. I was in the kitchen making lunch and Grace and Blake were playing in the family room. I have a wedding picture hanging on the wall of Cameron and I and I guess she was looking at it. She comes in and says "Mom I want to see your glass slippers." I was distracted making lunch and had no idea what she was talking about so I said "I don't have any." "Yes you do. I am talking about your glass slippers from your wedding." "Oh, well I don't know what I did with them." "But why I want to see them." "That was a long time ago and I really don't know what I did with them." "Ok" A few minutes later I remembered that my photographer took a picture of them so I said "I do have a picture of them so if you eat your lunch good we can look at it after Blake is in bed." So I got Blake down and she immediately comes over asks about the picture. So I pull out my wedding pictures and we start to look. We finally got to the shoes and she was so excited. "But I want to wear them mom." "Grace if I knew where they were you could have them." "Well what about your dress?" "It is packed up in a box, in the back of a closet." "I want to see it." "Another day." "Ok. Mom did you know dad when you were little like me?" "No we didn't met until we were older." "Who told who their name first?" "Well Grace I really don't remember." "Oh. Well what is the name of the boy I am going to marry?" "Grace I don't know. His name could be anything." "Oh. What is daddy doing in that picture?" "dancing" "really." "Yes really I think. Ok time for quiet time." "Can I see your dress?" "Another time." She goes to her room for like an hour and then comes out and we sit down to color. "Mom you know your wedding dress?" "Yes" "Well when I get big do you think that I can wear it at my wedding?" " Yes of course you can if that is what you want." A few minutes go by. "Mom when I have a little girl and she gets married do you think that maybe she can wear it too?" "Well yea she can if she wants and it will be your dress then so you can decide." "Oh good. Do you think I can see it now?" "Grace I really don't want to pull it out. But I tell you what I have out my necklace and my head piece so you can wear that." "Yeah, right now?" "Sure." So we went to my room and found it. She was so cute in it I took her picture. She is so funny the things she thinks of. I wonder if who tells who their name first is some kind of sign to her. Anyway I did finally pull out my dress and the veil was laying on top of the box so she got to play with that. I didn"t take her picture though but oh well. Anyway the picture to the left is her of course. Below I threw in the picture of my shoes and then a picture of Cameron and me. We look very young. Last is Blake. He can not be left out so he put on my headpiece too and needed a picture. I really wish I had those shoes for her because it would be fun to see her play in them oh well at least I have the story.