My Life

Let's Talk Halloween

Found these super cute bats to make as sucker holders to go inside the treat bags for my preschoolers.

I enlisted the help of Lauren and Kyle.  Makes projects like that go so much faster with a few more hands.  They were happy to cooperate.

I think it's safe to say they will be a hit.

And yes, my child does spend most of his waking hours in only his unders.  Honestly, I do dress him.  He just feels the need to get comfy.

After I already started making these.  I found this adorable candy corn bag made out of felt.  Simple and probably easy.....next year.

Find the tutorial here.

Kade has been dying to carve pumpkins.  Luckily they did a project at school last week that involved gutting a pumpkin.  So we washed and roasted the seeds.  He snacked on those while carving the face for his jack o lantern.  He also carved a hole at the bottom "for the candle."  It came in handy for stacking him on top of the larger pumpkin.

Between the fall "festible" as Kade says and the ward trunk or treat, I am all Halloweened out.

I've already washed the kids costumes twice!

Hoping to get a shot of the four of them costumed up soon.  

Monsters go with Halloween.....and Kade has been so excited about Where the Wild Things Are since going to see the movie last weekend with his cousins.  I didn't see it, but love the book.  Sadly, we didn't have a copy.  Shame on me.  I brought one home and it has been on the top of the list of bedtime stories.  I found this cute puppet.  So stinkin cute.  My boys would love this.  Christmas maybe?  I'm adding it to the list.

Have a Happy Halloween!

Went Downtown

to photograph some of my nephews and nieces.  

Hung out in the old alley near LVHS.  Commented about how things had changed at the school.  And what were they thinking painting the main office an ugly brownish color?  Yuck!

It was nice to get out and play with my camera.

No pressure....just hanging out and clicking away.

I have more of the skater boys than the girls edited right now.

Here's a few more.

And one of the boys with Amber.  So sweet.  She is such a good boy mom :)

I can't wait to get these all wrapped up.  There's some really cute ones of Claire.  And Sadie showing off her moves.  That girl can dance :)

It was a good day.

Those Two

Kyle after swim practice, contemplating his current state: bored and hot, and wishing he could have a friend over and that he didn't have homework to do.

Lauren enters.

Let the games begin.....

I'll never know why they find it so amusing to torture the other?

Boots

We have shoe issues with Brandon.

He only likes his crocs.

We always seem to misplace one, so we bought two pair.

Well.... one pair has been missing its match for quite sometime now.  Then when leaving Poppa and Grammies on Sunday, one shoe got put in the back of the car, the other on the floorboard of the backseat.  When we arrived home we only had one.  Seems the other was located in front of Great Grandma's gate.  We dropped her off and it must have fallen out when Kyle was helping her to the front door.

I took Brandon to Kohls to get him a replacement pair until we could get his crocs back.  He would not have any of the tennis shoes.  He had eyes for some toy story boots.  I was doing all I could to talk him out of them.  I do not buy character products especially shoes.  The boy was pretty convincing and pretty in love with the light up boots.  I justified buying then because he will be Woody for Halloween and it will go perfectly with his costume.  

Those boots are all he will wear.  Kade was quite upset that I didn't buy him some too.  They wear the same size and the two have been trying to share them.  Well Kade has been trying to talk Brandon into sharing.  He's not really good at that.

So Glad I Did

Grabbed my camera

Only had a few minutes before I had to leave to get Kyle from school.

The boys and Lauren were playing out back.

I didn't want to miss the opportunity.

It was spontaneous and  without pressure.  I didn't worry about the rules of photography.  I just clicked.  It felt good. And I LOVE what I got.

I think I am slowly climbing out of my photography funk :)

Notice the black fingernails.  They match Laurens.  In case you were wondering....his toes are painted as well.  Red though.  Lauren thought that would be so cute!  I need to find the polish remover :)

No

extra sugar, soda, candy or dessert for one month.

Plus at least 4 times at the gym a week with 4 miles down at each trip.

I have such a sweet tooth.

Never could have imagined I could do this.  Let alone during the month of October.

Guess what?  I'm 8 days in and holding.

I am the boss of me....I can so do this :)

 

Reminding myself....

Words spoken by the prophet Thomas S. Monson at the Oct 2008 General Conference:
"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.

Many years ago, Arthur Gordon wrote in a national magazine, and I quote:

“When I was around thirteen and my brother ten, Father had promised to take us to the circus. But at lunchtime there was a phone call; some urgent business required his attention downtown. We braced ourselves for disappointment. Then we heard him say [into the phone], ‘No, I won’t be down. It’ll have to wait.’

“When he came back to the table, Mother smiled. ‘The circus keeps coming back, you know,’ [she said.]

“‘I know,’ said Father. ‘But childhood doesn’t.’”²

If you have children who are grown and gone, in all likelihood you have occasionally felt pangs of loss and the recognition that you didn’t appreciate that time of life as much as you should have. Of course, there is no going back, but only forward. Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future.

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."

I have to constantly remind myself to be in the moment.

To not over react.

To let things go.

To laugh and enjoy my children. 

To help them feel important and loved.

It's a challenge, I don't always succeed, but I'm doing the best I can.

August Camping Trip

Camping is not really my favorite thing to do.  But I can swing it, and deal.  We were invited to spend one of the last weekends before school started up at Steve's parents lot on Cedar Mountain.  The kids had a blast even though it was COLD.  We were freezing in the night and I swore I didn't sleep a wink.  The kids whined to go home when the evening rolled around.  I thought I might just talk Steve into packing up Saturday night.  No go.

We braved the wind and cold and had a decent time.

Played a little horse shoe.

Went fishing....

Brandon had his own way of doing things.  Thought he should hold the end of his pole IN the water.

I spent lots of time telling kids to keep their sticks out of the fire!

Oh, and getting a few pictures taken by Brandon.

My kids think they have to be the photographer.

So here I am in my windblown, no shower having, makeup less glory.

 

Wrapping Up the Beach House Pictures

•  We took an unplanned trip to Disneyland while there.  It was crowded and warm but not miserable.  The kids could hang and they had a blast!
• Went to the San Diego zoo.  Brandon our little animal lover was in heaven.
• I took my camera to neither park.  I let the kids be the photographers with the point and shoot.
• Brandon hid under the covers in the loft.  We all thought he snuck outside.  We were frantically calling his name.  Wondering where  he would go so quickly.  After a second inspection of the loft, I pulled up the covers and there sat Brandon quiet as can be.  He thought it was funny.  The rest of us, not so much. 

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves....

Kade had a run in with a wave and would NOT go back into the water to boogie board.  He spent the rest of the time digging holes.  It was pretty serious business for him.

until next year.

We're looking forward to it!

Quote of the day

"Wait up Mom, I'm not as young as I used to be."

by Kade five years old.

Said while riding bikes home from school today.

Photo taken while camping in August.  That was the last time I got a picture of that sweet boy.

Note to self: Take a picture of Kade this month!