The Pumpkin Patch

We have had the best weather for all the fall activities that have been going on here. We had a small miracle occur when Moss got off work early, so we ventured out to the long awaited pumpkin patch. Our kids are crazy about animals and were very excited at the prospect of seeing puppies, and feeding goats. I like the pumpkin patch because it is a great opportunity for great pictures. As luck would have it all my batteries were completely dead. I was fortunate to squeeze out any pictures at all. We were able to go on a hay ride pulled by a tractor and there was a fun little maze made out of stacks of bales of hay. The kids had a great time and were thrilled to bring home a very little pumpkin.

Halloween Festivities

Tonight we had our church party and "trunk or treat" activity. The kids had a blast and looked adorable in their costumes. We made good use of last year's outfits and I avoided the stress of creating or finding new costumes. The girls were happy with that, and well, Jacob doesn't even like to wear a costume. The kids love to get together with their friends, and any opportunity to run around the church gym thrills them.

Mary was a good little witch, who loved chasing the boys around. When I asked her to stop she replied, "But mom, it is kind of fun."

Brooke was an adorable little hula girl. She is just tall enough to grab things off the table, and she grabbed as many desserts and drinks as she could. I finally had to strap her into her stroller to keep her out of trouble.

Anna still adores dogs, so she was glad to be a poodle puppy again. She had a great time making the pumpkin head for our trunk display. I had to convince her that the fake skull Moss had aqcuired from work was not really appropriate for a church activity. It really was frightening to see that skull just sitting there.
Jacob refused to wear his costume again. I don't think he likes doing things that might bring him direct attention. He loved making the rootbeer. I couldn't help but think of my brothers as Jake described with intense fascination how the dry ice bubbled in the rootbeer. He couldn't ask me enough questions about it.

Although our costumes did not fit the Halloween theme, Moss and I had a fun time dressing up. Besides I am always wishing it would stay warm. And maybe someday I will make it to Hawaii!

This was Moss' work of art for the Trunk or Treat activity. We have had this guy sitting in our yard with no head on it for about a week. Tonight he finally got his Pumpkin head, and Moss rigged the arm so he could make the man wave at the kids by secretly moving his foot back and forth. The kids kept coming back to wave again. It was quite impressive.

The Toothfairy's Blunder

Well, Mary lost her second tooth this week. She noticed it was loose late Wednesday night, and worked on it relentlessly. Her determination obviously overcame the pain, and she managed to pull it out herself after I told her it was not ready. She promptly put it under her pillow, and the day went on. I went to a meeting, and never heard another thing about it until very early the next morning. There was near devastation in her voice as Mary announced that the toothfairy had failed to come. Obviously the toothfairy has no idea how early we get up around here.(I am guessing we will be first on her list next time.) She was forced to leave the money on the kitchen counter in order to avoid discovery. She left a note letting us know that she would be back tonight for the tooth. The day was saved, and Mary was thrilled with the increase to her piggy bank. All is well that ends well!

Check out my Slide Show!

Back to the days of Summer softball

Our church set up a softball tournament, and today was the first game. Needless to say, it has been a while since I have thrown or hit a ball. Maybe even since high school. I think we women held our own. It took us a couple of innings for our team to get the hang of things, but we came out on top (6-5)! It was an unusually warm day for October and very nice to have a reason to be outside. The kids also had a great time being with their friends. Anna and Mary spent a lot of time chasing the boys around. Hopefully that is not a predictor of future events! It was such a nice time that it was hard to go home, but of course I did. The house does not look any better for it though...

Latest Hobby

I was very fortunate this year to purchase a new-to-me sewing/embroidery machine. I love it! A special thanks to my mother and mother-in-law, and to the guy who rear-ended us, for providing the financial means to purchase it. I was having a little trouble with it initially, but now I am getting the hang of it. It is a lot of fun, and my creative outlet (besides trying to figure out how to raise 4 healthy and happy children, of course). These burp clothes are one of the projects I have been working on. I am helping with a baby shower and we are going to use these as part of the festivities.

Book Club

While I enjoy many social opportunities, book club is definitely a favorite! There is nothing more inspiring than rubbing shoulders with bright and capable women. This month's read was the Twilight series, which is an adolescent series, but could be categorized "drama". While the story line was interesting enough, the drama wore me out (not completely though. I will have to read book 4 to see what happens next!). All I can say is that I am so glad I am not 17 again! High School was great, but definitely a one-time experience. Of course we had a lot of good laughs, and good food.

Amazing Sunrise

It is not very often that I am glad to be awake before 7 a.m., but this morning we had the most amazing sunrise and rainbow. Everything was glowing red. The kids were thrilled, and of course we took a picture. It only lasted about 15 minutes before the the the dark clouds won over-- it rained all morning. I must admit, it isn't very often that I am overly impressed with a sunrise after living where I watched the sun rise and set over Lake Powell!

Are you a victim of Affluenza?

This is a great read, and cause for introspection.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/spend-spend-spend-its-no-way-to-happiness/2007/09/25/1190486307021.html?page=fullpage

Adorable Brooke

Brooke is such a blessing to our family. She is so happy and excited about life. She has been very animated from early on and has a facial expression for every occasion. Her brightness affects all her siblings and they love to be with her. Even Jacob will take every opportunity to get her to laugh, and she obliges him often. She is also quite mischievious and loves a good tease. It is always amazing to see how much she already understands after only a year and a half of life!

Chivalry at its Best

Tonight at dinner Anna was doing her best to trade her dirty fork with Jacob and Mary. She was unsuccessful of course, and very distraught. When Jacob realized how upset she was he decided to come to her rescue. "Anna, if you want I will lick it off for you?" His sincerity was genuine, and I couldn't help but be proud of him despite the content of his offer.

And he's off...

Jacob refused to be the only one with training wheels. So after a few short runs up and down the street with Moss, he was off! It is pretty hillarious to see him ride by on his little 10 inch bike. His self confidence soared as the wind rushed past him. It is hard to believe he is almost 4.

Life Lesson by Mary

Moss and I have a running Joke that when we have our last child he will pick me up in new convertible bug. While leaving the school the other day with the kids, we happened to pass a very nice one. When I let Mary in on our little joke, she explained to me, "Well, mom that is kind of selfish. You should be grateful for what you have. Besides the whole family could not fit in that car!" I couldn't help but laugh.

Determination

Anna is a very determined little girl, that is once she decides she wants to accomplish something. Until then it is impossible to get her to do anything. This has been true with swimming, cartwheels, and now with riding her bike. We tried earlier this summer to convince her she could ride her bike without her training wheels, but she would have nothing to do with it. She demanded that we put them back on her bike and let her be. Well, this past Saturday her friend Haley, who is younger than Anna, was excitedly showing the kids that she had learned to ride her bike. Anna was motivated. She took a few turns on Haley's bike and wanted to go right home to try riding her own bike. She has not wanted to do anything else ever since. Every morning before school, every afternoon after school, and each night after dinner she wants to ride her bike. Determination and persistance are definitely her strengths. It is nice to see them put to positive use!

News Flash!!!

The long awaited day has finally arrived. Mary finally lost her first tooth. She was sure she was the last kid in the whole 2nd grade to ever lose a tooth. It all began on Friday when she bit an apple and noticed a little pain. Once it was established that it was in fact a loose tooth all concern was replaced with sheer joy. There were phone calls made, and neighbors notified. Mary wanted to make sure to lose the tooth at school in order to acquire a little treasure box from the nurse. When Monday morning arrived she mustered up all her courage and asked me to try to pull it out. I gave it a little tug and to my surprise it came right out. I honestly thought she might faint at the thought of blood in her mouth, but the excitement won out. Anna being the devoted sister she is, was just as proud as Mary. She asked if we could have a little family party to celebrate the occasion. Mary packaged up her tooth and went straight to the nurses office upon arriving at school. Hooray!!!

Girls Night Out

I have been so blessed with wonderful friends here in Missouri. We have such a good time, and we find as many opportunities as possible to get together! We recently went out to celebrate a birthday and we went to the local cosmotology school to get pedicures. Afterward we went out to get dessert. I have not laughed so hard in a very long time. Thanks to the Waitor who jumped back at the mention of a spider on the table, and gave us all a good laugh. We were all expecting a heroic extermination of the spider, but this was not to be. Thank Heavens for girls night out!

Heading West

We began our long journey at 3 in the morning in order to get to Utah at a more resonable hour. The kids were such troopers. We were a bit worried when the timeless question of "how much longer?" was first asked at 10a.m. We are very grateful for the invention of the portable DVD player and headphones. Brooke did her best, but as the day wore on she wore out. We made it to Provo by 10:30mst. We were beat, but glad the journey was a safe one. It is hard to complain when you realize the pioneers made that same journey over the period of several months without the convenience of fast food and a the comforts of a minivan. We took this picture outside of a state park named, "Mormon Lake".

We love our cousins

Our first stop on our trip was in Provo. We stayed with Chris and Shanna and the kids had a great time running all around with their cousins. The excitement only increased upon the arrival of Kelli and Ed with their kids. I think Abbi was a little taken back by Anna's surprise attack as she walked in the door. We had a very special experience of participating in Christopher's baptism while we were there. The cousins sang the primary song, "Baptism" together. The kids did their best to be reverent at the baptism, but all broke loose as we moved outside for a delicious picnic lunch.

Brooke is growing up!

Brooke does not want to miss out on any of the fun, nor is she afraid to try to keep up. She loved the horses, but decided to eat the apples herself instead of feeding them to the horses. Once she saw the other kids loving the tree swing she new she had to give it a try. So much for the baby swing on the porch!

Our North Carolina Trip

We went for a nice walk from Grandma Charlotte's house for some yummy ice cream!