Thanks Mom and Dad!

My parents worked tirelessly with me last Thursday and we successfully bottled 29 quarts of apple sauce.  There is no way I would have done this without them.   In fact, my mom ran the show and knew exactly what to do.  :)  I just took orders and cut a lot of apples.  Love you MA and PA. :)

Halloween Daycation

 Fall break has come and gone.  My kids were out for fall break the week before I was out so I worked during their entire fall break.  We had to make up for that so we decided to do a Daycation.  We let the kids miss school and Nate took the day off. .  .  and I just got to do something fun and memorable for fall break.  Gardener's Village had a Witch Scavenger Hunt...just witches all over and you tried to find each one.  I thought that would be a fun and cheap way to start the day.  Apparently everyone else in Salt Lake County had the same thought.

 It was so crowded.  You should have seen the cars lining up to park.  We braved it anyway.  We had a fun and Gardener's Village was so pretty.  Nate and I would love to go back there again...when we could actually go in and enjoy the shops.  With 4 kids in tow...we did not enter any shops...except the toy store.  We figured we were pretty safe in there. 

 Anyway, by 2pm we had a few witches left to find but we were all starving.  The smiling faces were not so smiley so we cut out for lunch at the mall and then home for a break.  Little Sarah almost climbed in her bed on her own.  :)

 For our afternoon activity we went to HEE HAW's in Pleasant Grove.  This was really fun and I think we will do it again...if they have a good deal on it like they did this time.  Nate was determined to get a picture of Sarah in all these pumpkins.  She was not very obliging and would not stay put.  But he did get this one really cute shot.

 We weren't the most diligent Corn Maze participants.  We walked in and soon discovered that the dried corn on the cobs made great weapons.  There was lots of flying corn kernels.  Sarah kept eating them off the ground.  That girl really likes anything that is covered in dirt.  :) 

 The kids got a taste of what it would feel like to be trapped in the corn maze forever.  Lucky for us, we knew how to turn around and go backwards...so we got out in a jiff.  We didn't want to miss the hay ride to the pumpkin patch.  Actually, I really did want to miss it since  I am slightly allergic to hay.  But, we made it.  We sat right down in a wagon full of hay.  Consequently, I had to take a break and return home afterward for allergy medicine.  It was still fun though.  The kids each picked a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch.  It was a fun ride.

 The end of our adventure was just fun times in the play yard.  They had some cool slides and games and a lot more hay.  Ah choo...

 Sarah and Nate took a ride on the farm yard train.  Sarah thought that was the ultimate. 

And she found the petting zoo pretty awesome as well.  Those poor animals were so patient with her patting and chasing them around the yard. 










Nate and I agreed that our Daycation was a million dollar day.  We are so busy day after day.  It was really nice to slow down and just enjoy an entire day together.  By the end of the night Nate and I were definitely ready for some quiet time though.  :)  Thank goodness kids sleep. 

My Life, My Family

 My dad came and took some family pictures of us last Sunday.  I hated myself in all of them but in a true act of fearlessness, I am going to allow them to be set down in the records of history anyway.   One must have family pictures sometime...and frankly...these took some real sacrifice on the kids part. I thought they were going to die before the hour was over.  The last pictures...not posted here...showed true strain on the beautiful faces of my children as they tried to smile one more time.  I really can't justify torturing them again anytime soon just because of my vanity. 

 As I am putting something down to be remembered historically, I thought that I would mention a couple things about my kiddos.  Emily started kindergarten this year.  She truly loves it.  Probably more than most kids as she knows that being at home just means putting up with mom's work schedule.  She did not enjoy missing school over the fall break.  Emily received high marks from her kindergarten teacher when I went to visit for parent teacher conference.  6 year old's have it pretty easy when it comes to school.  She knows all the kindergarten curriculum already.  She has started learning to read.  I know...I could have taught her sooner...but I always feel like there isn't really a point in pushing them there...I believe in childhood.  Anyway, that's off the topic.  Emily is a lot of fun.  Spunky and funny.  Really, I will miss her next year.  She is a good companion to Sarah everyday while I work in the morning.  Emily has so much patience for Sarah.  She plays with her and watches Dora with her.   I really don't know what I will do without her next year. 

Rachel is doing so well.  She is a perfectionist when it comes to things and people outside her own family.  has an impeccable reputation with her teacher at school.  She is an obedient little girl.  For Rachel's birthday she got to bring home a book full of pictures of herself drawn by her classmates and their little comments about her and what makes her special.  Over and over again it was said "she is nice to everyone" and "she is really good in class".   We went to get her scriptures yesterday...the present that Nate and I give our kids for their baptism.   She told me that she has been reading her Book of Mormon sometimes, just on her own.  She also thinks about and remembers to pray because she wants to do it.  She is easily touched by the spirit.  Just so no one gets the wrong impression...she has her faults too. :)  She is, by far, the grouchiest person in our family in the morning.  I've learned to walk in her room, rouse her just enough to know she is awake, and leave.  She comes up on her own and then I just have to try to get through the first 30 minutes of her morning.  :) 

Benjamin...what can one say.  He is 10.  He is really a bright kid.  He loves to read and Nate and I try to feed that passion as much as possible.  He finished the last Harry Potter book last week.  He spent all summer reading those.  We just bought him the second book of "the Janitors".  A new series that he really likes.  He also just finished the second book of "Micheal Vey". What always stands out to me about Ben though, is his ability to have a close relationship with his sisters.  He is a one man show when it comes to them.  It leaves him out of a lot of there play at this point.  He is reaching the stage of being too old to play pet shop and stuffed animals with them yet he still finds ways to maintain his bonds with them.  They laugh and talk.  They have a great time every Friday enjoying "Friday Night Movie Night".  An activity that mom and dad are not invited too.  The kids all get to sleep in the family room together and watch a show.  Ben and I butt heads more than we used too.  I hear "that's not fair" more than I want to.  But, we make it through.  I hope he knows how much I love him.  He's the oldest.  It really isn't fair that he has to go through the experimental parenting issues.  Anwyway, I am getting emotional.  Let's move on....

 Sarah.  We call her the "cutest little menace".  Oh my, it is so true.  The girl gets into trouble everywhere.  She can open the refrigerator.  Once day I found her covered in white sticky stuff.  She found a open container of frosting in the fridge and proceeded to dip her whole hand in and partake of the deliciousness.  She poured a bottle of lemon juice on the carpet in the family room.  I only found out about that yesterday when I asked Emily why the floor was wet.  Apparently it happened a couple of days ago.  She pulled a cup of apple juice off the edge of the counter this week.  She was showered in it and wasn't very fond of the experience so I am hopeful she will avoid that trap in the future.  She climbs on the kitchen table  constantly....especially at dinner time.  At least it forces me to clear the dinner dishes.  She is an incredible menace...but she is so precious.  She loves blankies and stuffed animals.  It doesn't matter which ones.  She loves them all.   Everyday when I go to retrieve her from her bed she insists on bringing all things that were in the bed with her.  Sometimes I have to bring what she sees on the floor as well.  She loves books and will sit with a little pile of books on the chair in her bedroom and just look at them.  She loves to be funny.  Sometimes I catch her laughing at herself and I am not even sure what she has done that was funny...but she knows and I can see it on her face.  I mean, really, look at her.  That picture is worth a thousand words.  She is really, really wonderfully entertaining and cute.  We can't get enough of her. 

And...let's wrap things up with my husband.  What a man.  I am going to admit it here...I am kind of demanding sometimes.  I expect a lot from Nate and he delivers.  He helps out around the house a ton.  He recently told me he was sick of doing three days of laundry every week.  I thought he was going to tell me it was my turn to take over.  Instead, he said that we needed to get a new washer and dryer.  :)  He just wants it done faster.  He doesn't want to make me do it.  And, even though I know he is so sick of being in charge of the bathrooms every week...he keeps doing that.  He helps get the kitchen cleaned up frequently...not everyday...but truthfully...I don't get it cleaned up everyday.  Really, if he is home and I am cleaning...he is usually cleaning as well.  I woke him up at 5am the other day because I was sick.  He drove to Walmart at 5am to get me what I needed so I could feel better.  He didn't complain once.  I really don't know how I would ever live without him. 

My life...my family.  Our history in the making everyday.  It goes so fast.  Next year, everything will be different.  I want to remember today.  So, I will let these family pictures stay.  

Conference Commotion

I bet your kids were all sitting so quietly today listening to conference.  My kids spent half of the second session this afternoon using the air vents as communication devices.  Yelling back and forth to eachother while Nate and I tried to pay attention to conference.  Oh well, we forced them to watch for one hour.  Next time I am going to make them watch for one hour both sessions. 

Six and Sensational!

This last week we celebrated Emily's 6th birthday.  First of all...can I just get a Hallelujah!  The fall birthday season is finally done.  Three birthdays that fall back to back...or at least it seems that way...is a lot. 

Anyway, sweet little Emily came into our world on Oct 4, 2006.  She has been such a fun little girl to have in our home.  She is thoughtful and giving.  She wants to make her siblings happy and often puts their desires and wants ahead of her own.  She is lively and funny.  She loves to tease her mom and loves to make jokes and be funny. 

We did a small family celebration on Thursday, which was her actual birthday.  It was a quicky birthday.  I had a really busy work day and was lucky to even get a shower that day.  But, we were able to run out to the store for some cupcakes.  Thankfully, she wanted an easy tortellini pasta meal for dinner because I really didn't feel like cooking.  We ate dinner then took her to the store to pick out a few birthday presents.  She chose a cute little bunny animal and a package of legos for girls.  It was a motor home lego kit.  We had fun putting it all together when we got home and then blowing out the candles on her cupcakes. 

On Saturday we invited some of the cute little girls in our neighborhood over for a party.  Oh my, such a calm bunch compared to my last party.  We started with coloring time.  Were they disappointed.  No.  They shouted for joy.  They all love to color.  Yea!  That was easy.  Then we played pin the tail on the zebra...bought for $2 at walmart.  Then duck duck goose.  Finally we opened presents and had cake and ice cream.  Those cute little girls were just so easy to handle.  :)

We finished off the party with some Halloween dance music.  Those kids really know how to get down.  They were so funny dancing and jumping around the room.  Spontaneity is sometimes the best thing.  

Happy Birthday Emily!  Can't to wait and see what your 6th year brings. 

Boys and BYU

Tis the season for BYU games.  Each kid gets a BYU football game date night with Dad.  Ben and Nate went to the BYU vs. USU game on Friday night.  It was a late game.  They didn't get home until 1 am.  It was cold but they went well prepared with blankets and coats.  Nate was proud to come home and tell me that Ben is picking up on the game now and getting more interested.  They had a great time together...as always.  I am sure they will continue to strengthen their Father / Son bond for many years to come via BYU games. :)