Happy Halloween

We had one of the best Halloween's ever.

I made pumpkin colored pancakes for breakfast.

The kids all dressed up in costumes for school.

 

At school I helped out for a 1/2 hour in James' class doing "baggie books".

I joined Noah's whole grade when they watched the movie "Watcher in the Woods".

That is a great movie for 5th graders.  Some of those girls were scared enough to scream.

One girl, even started bawling at one point.  Another girl asked if she could sit close to me.

But, of course, Noah didn't get scared. ;)

 

I also helped out in Jaden's classroom with their party.

They played a couple of games: wrap the Mummy and Pixie Stix with Tootsie Rolls.

For the Mummy one, they had to take toilet paper and wrap it around the person to make a mummy.

The other game involved having 2 Pixie Stix to move the tootsie rolls from one bowl to the other.

Whoever got their tootsie rolls to the other bowl first, won.

 

I love living closer to family.

We spent the evening with cousins, eating and going trick-or-treating.

I can't believe my 3 littlest ones made it trick-or-treating for 3 HOURS !!!

 

After that long haul with so little candy (a half bag), I think I really like the idea of trunk-or-treating SO much BETTER!

We had a good time, though, and now my kids are all sound asleep.

Joyanne was pretty creative with her costume this year.

She had me rat her hair and spray paint it black.

She did her own face make-up.

May you have SPOOKY dreams in your slumber! ;) 

Winding Down

We enjoyed going to the Elementary for the Pumpkin Walk.

There were some very creative, decorative pumpkins.

The kids trick-or-treated from classroom to classroom.

With popcorn and a movie, the kids had a fun night.

 

We almost always end our evenings with reading time.

It's a great way for the kids and even myself to wind down for the night, unless the book is intense or you're almost finished with the book like Noah is here.

 

The day has come and gone and been good.

I have enjoyed and learned a lot from my daily scripture studying.

Alma Chapter 29 in the Book of Mormon has really helped me appreciate and be "content with the things that are allotted to me."

 

Carving Pumpkins

The bad thing about us carving pumpkins 2 weeks ago is that they got left outside only 1 night, but they got moldy inside and started caving in.

So after receiving 2 free pumpkins and getting 2 more from the store, we carved again.

The kids are excited for their pumpkin walk tomorrow at the elementary school.

Now they have pumpkins ready for it.

James" is on the left with a nose yet to be carved.

Jaden's is the space sky in the center.

Noah's is on the right. He had a spooky face at first and tried to improve it, but ended up with a happy face instead.

 

The good part about carving again is the chance to bake more delicious pumpkin seeds.

Gotta love the yummy pumpkin seeds that come from these lovely pumpkins. 

 

I don't know if it's the fact that we moved or that I have 5 kids in school or if it's the busy holiday time of year, but life is overwhelming a lot of the time.

Trying to balance my priorities and do what is best for my family and me is challenging.

I'm trying to figure out what is most important to accomplish and do out of all the good, better and best things to do.

Gotta love this life no matter what it brings!

Crazy Hair Day

The boys love this "Red Ribbon Week" where they get to do fun things each day.

Daddy just cut their hair this last weekend, so for "Crazy Hair Day" the boys just spray painted all sorts of crazy colors.

Even Grant wanted to join in the fun.

 

When Daddy went off to work this evening, I felt overwhelmed with helping kids with homework, making dinner, doing laundry and cleaning the kitchen; as well as needing to bathe the kids.

Thankfully Joyanne helped bathe James and Grant.

Noah helped me clean up the kitchen.

So grateful for good kids who help out so much.

Silly Day

Sometimes Daddy can be so silly.

So I joined him in his silliness and here we are with our beautiful big lips.

The kids, of course, had to try it too.

It was a great way to get them to eat their apples. ;)

 

We had our primary program.

All the kids did their parts so well.

Joyanne, Daddy and Grant were great spectators.

Comfy, Cozy Bed

My sore, tired body just wants to curl up in bed and go to sleep for a very long time.

Yesterday I did a really good ball exercise workout that worked my legs, bum and abs.

I know it was good because I am definitely feeling it today.

I hobble around in pain like someone twice my age.

Just hope I can loose some of that wonderful baby belly fat.

My sister said to just accept it, but I want to have a fit, healthy body to run around with my kids even when I'm older and not to tire too quickly.

 

We visited lots of cousins in West Jordan and had a good 'ole time.

Dinner with Grandpa and Grandma was fun too.

Being gone from home all day made my kids long for their comfy, cozy beds too.

 

Good Night! Sleep tight.

Don't let the bed bugs bite.

Doing Well

Noah was the babysitter tonight with nearby neighbors checking in on him.

He did a fabulous job being kind, caring and patient, even when Jaden hit him.

 

Joyanne played her piano duet with her cousin, Ambree, at Federation Festival Competition.

We will get the results in a week or so from her teacher, but I think she did well.

She played competently and didn't really mess up.

She loves music!

Buddies

I love these 2 kiddos.

So glad they are buddies and that age doesn't separate them having fun together.

Joyanne plays so well with all her brothers.

Daddy and I feel so blessed to have such wonderful kids.

They sure do bring a smile to our faces. 

Next Door Neighbors

We have next door neighbors to the left of us who are absolutely wonderful.

They bring our garbage can up to our house, they offer to help us kill the weeds in our grass or trim our trees.

They are always kind and polite with many kind words to say to us.

They've offered their basketball court for the boys to go play on and even have a toy room in their basement that my 2 youngest like to play in.

Such sweet neighbors.

 

But the neighbors to the right of us our a different story.

They go to church with us, but they must be learning something a little different than we are there.

When we first moved in, she brought over fresh vegetables to share, but said she didn't like kids playing in her yard AT ALL.

She said that no rocks from her yard should be played with or moved.

(She has mountains of rocks in her yard that little boys just love to get their hands on and play with.)

 

After we set our trampoline up, next to her side of the fence where it was convenient and plenty of room, she came over and asked if maybe we could move it to the other side of the yard so it wouldn't bother her husband or her when they were trying to go to bed at 8p.m. at night.

(This was after she cussed at my nephews when they happily came jumping out at 8:30p.m. one summer evening.)

 

My adventurous boys love to take a ball out on the cement pad and bounce it against the brick wall against the house.

A few times they have bounced the ball over the fence and into her yard.

Yeah, that surely brings trouble.

She tells my kids to stop throwing the ball over the fence because she's not giving them back anymore.

She says she will just mow over them and throw the little pieces back in a pile in our yard.

 

Well, last week Daddy was pretty ticked with them when they came over.

They complained about Noah throwing a rock at their 84 year old friend.

Noah was playing with his friend in a neighboring yard and they were throwing rocks on the grass.

One rock bounced off something and hit the 84 year old in the leg.

They threatened to call the police and have Noah arrested for assault.

Well, them was fightin' words for Daddy-O.

Thankfully, he wasn't home when they came to the door to discuss it with me.

I told them Noah wouldn't do it again and I would talk about this with Noah.

 

It truly is hard to love your neighbor as yourself when the neighbor is downright cantankerous.

But nevertheless, we will try to forgive, while still trying to let our kids be kids.

Enough said! :)

Pumpkin Carving

The kids had so much fun carving their pumpkins.

They liked dipping their hands to pull out all the membranes and sludge from the inside of the pumpkins.

 

They created their own designs and Daddy helped some of them carve the pumpkins. 

 

We spent Family Night at Crystal Hot Springs.

The warm water felt so nice.

Grant and James absolutely loved going on the water slides over and over and over again.

The best part was having our Uncle Joseph and Aunt Carol's family join us.

The cousins sure love playing together.

Halloween Party with Daddy's Side

Here are more pictures from the Halloween Party.

We had so much fun visiting with family.

 

Grandpa

Grandma

Cousin Danny

Cousin Kristin

Cousin Rachel

Cousin Sarah

Cousin Elise

Frosting Gingerbread men . . . and, no, they didn't run away from us.

Cousin Jason

Aunt Jamie

Aunt Wanita

 

Aunt Jamie

 

We had fun activities and great opportunities to bond together.

 Have you ever played the game "Psychiatrist"?

Fairytale Party with Daddy's Family

Here's our family, dressed and ready for our Fairytale party with Daddy's side of the family.

 

Joyanne as Red Riding Hood

Noah as Peter Pan

Hiram as Robin Hood

Jaden as the Devil

James as the lion

Grant as Michael Wazawski from Monster's Inc.

Daddy as the Big Bad Wolf

 

Mommy as Queen of the Castle

Open Book

If anyone knows anything about me, it's that I am an open book.

If you ask me any question about myself, I'm prone to answers.

I don't hold anything about myself a secret.

I hold other's secrets and keep that which is sacred, but as for me, I am completely open.

I guess I have nothing to hide or feel ashamed of.

I don't know, but if you want to hear my opinion on something or know anything about my past or thoughts on the future, feel free to ask because I like to share.

 

My sister-in-law, Jeni, came and visited.

She was so fun to open up to and talk with.

She happily and willingly did my dishes, cleaned my kitchen, the bathroom, swept my porch and swept and cleaned the entire kitchen, dining room and hallway floors on her hands and knees.

She amazed and wore me out just watching her.

I did help, a little, but she was definitely Wonder Woman zooming through my home and making it look beautiful.

 

 

Did I ever tell you about our next door neighbors?

Hmmmm . . . that is a story for another post.

 

Apples on a Hike

We spent our first day of fall break hiking with cousins.

 

At the beginning of a trail, the kids found an apple tree.

They were pretty yummy apples. 

 

Noah was only too anxious to climb the tree to fetch the best apples. 

 

 

James' Kindergarten Fieldtrip

James' class went on a fieldtrip to the Hospital.

They learned about Physical Therapy, the ER, and all kinds of fun stuff.

 

The pumpkin patch was the next stop.

James picked out a pumpkin with lots of character.

 

We went all the way to Logan and enjoyed their mini zoo there.

The foxes were fun to see.

 

James liked petting the fluffy reindeer as they chowed down on food.

 

After lunchtime and playtime at the park, we gathered at the nature center and learned all about different animals and their coverings like fur, scales, skin and shells.

I felt lucky to be able to go on this fieldtrip with James.

Fun times!

 

My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to Stephanie Nielson at this time.

How hard for anyone to have to go through a miscarriage.

I really feel for her and wish I could take away her pain and heartache.

I'm so grateful for the atonement for that reason.

That is what Christ did for us.

He sacrificed so much so that he could truly understand us, grieve with us and comfort us in our most desperate times.

He truly knows what we are feeling, thinking, and going through.

That doesn't always take away our own pain, but it helps us know we are not alone.

We can make it and do this.

Good words for me to remember when I struggle with my own trials.