Hallowahoo!

happy halloween

Fun times at the turnk or treat! Our ward does a really good job, so we spent our whole "trick-or-treating" time here. We had a fun visit by Jake and Loopy and Josh and the Cheat...

the stash...

this was the night before...carving pumpkins....

does everyone like my new boots?

before

after

i thought this would be a little awkward to blog about...but now that I've done it, it is rather refreshing...

i just bought them. they were kind of expensive, but worth the money. they are a little sore right now, and will take getting used to, but i think they are great! i wonder if anyone will compliment them...is it wierd to compliment someone's new boots?

can we get some sympathy

Does anyone know of a leaf cleaning service??

fun in fall

with the dread of an approaching winter looming in the backs of our minds, we have been trying to enjoy the transitional season.

picking our pumpkins at Vineyard

(Yes. He crawled all the way through the hole after getting stuck halfway. He didn't get the whole idea...that wasn't a pun )

fun in the leaves with Grammy!

Yes...this much more is yet to fall...anyone wanna come roll in the leaves?

we will fight day or night, rain or snow

whoever wrote the cougar fight song wrote it before they had children. Last year I took Jackson to a BYU game. Afterwards I vowed to never take a baby/toddler to a game again. It was miserable. We were crammed, students were trying to push us out, it was cold, Jackson went poo and I didn't have a diaper, he wouldn't stand on the bleacher so I had to hold him (So then my arm smelt like poo). So...this year I don't know what came over me, but I agreed to take Jackson and Christian to the BYU game on Saturday (with Jenny of course--and Jessie's baby Emme- but she was an angel). We were lucky to get tickets from Jenny's fam (BIG THANKS! really!) We couldn't go until half time because I took the 3 hour long GRE test (that should be a post in and of itself--don't get me started). Right when we entered the stadium it started to downpour. It was soaking everyone and it was cold rain that quickly went to slush then snow real quick. We were going back and forth on whether to go in, and then thought it best not to when Christian started freaking out because of the cold. This was only the beginning. What we thought was a let up in the storm turned out to be a calm before the blizzard. By the time it was really coming, we were at the beginning of our mile long trek back to the car. (This is not an exageration, we parked far away). I started to run and the snow and hail and whatever was pelting the boys. Both of them were screaming. I wish I had a word for one or two steps above screaming, because that is what it was. Blood curdling. People thought I was stabbing them. My hands were frozen to the stroller handle, I was soaking wet, I felt like a horrible parent because I thought the boys were in hypothermia, I was getting stuck in the gravel and mud, by the time we got to the car they seriously looked like little snowmen- covered in snow- then they were crying so hard they started vomiting when I put them in the car and the car was covered with snow with no scraper because I didn't think we would get half a foot in OCTOBER!!! I have said this before and now I say it with assurance. I could not have made the handcart trek west. I would have laid down in Iowa and just died. Just bury me here. There is not enough mention of the children in these stories. I have never read about children just screaming from cold. I shiver at the thought.



This is long, but I think some frustration was still bottled up in me. It feels good to get it out. So yes Mr. Cougar Fight Song Dude I will fight...in the day...with a babysitter...when it is sunny...
tickets to Hawaii are $303. US Airways. One way.

we want to viva in las vegas

We just got home from a getaway to Vegas! We had a blast while we were there! We had Fall Break at school and decided if we stayed home we would probably just lounge around all day, so we called up Jenny's cousin Jana and her hubby Joe and decided to go spend the weekend with them. They were such great hosts and their house was awesome and it was fun to spend time with them...

The first night they took our kids and let us spend a night on the town. We ate at Cheesecake Factory (of course!) and walked through the malls on the strip and watched the fountain show at the Bellagio (that is my favorite part! There is nothing naked in it)

Vegas has the best parks! This one is the one right by her house! Isn't it cool?! It reminded us of the Bug's Life Park in DisneyLand...

Zoey and Livy (Jana and Joe's girls) have one of those motorized Barbie Jeeps and Jack was OBSESSED with it! He wanted to ride it any time we were at the house. He had a great time on it... (although I disapproved of it's color--he had the best time giving Chunky rides)

We went to a really cool aquarium in the Mandalay Bay casino. It was a "predator based aquarium", which means sharks! So we took this picture for Josh-- thought it would be his dream job if law school doesn't work out--shark tank cleaner.

(Jack was afraid of the sting ray--we had to hold Chunky to keep him from diving in)

We took the boys to the Lion Habitat at the MGM hotel (right in time for feeding hour). Jack LOVED it! He made sure Nana saw his brothers.

m&m world

Vegas is a fun place for hiking...we went to this desert conservation hiking place--it was cool.

(This is the cactus that falls on Lightning McQueen in CARS)

We got tickets to the UNLV vs BYU game. We sat by some obnoxious UNLV fans, so it felt good to win! Yeah baby, Rise and Shout!

This is the gas station in Beaver where we stopped on our way home. Jenny and I took a picture in this chair when we went down to Vegas for Sam Thorley's farewell.

It is good to be home. We are putting out the suggestion to the family that we all move to Vegas! We LOVED it! It was warm and fun and central to so many thing like skiing and deserts and red rock and the beach and DisneyLand and Mexico! (Ok, the last one is wierd, but it would be a fun place to live...not as fun as Hawaii)

Oh...P.S. Our close encounter with death...

Who's your daddy?

My life with my 3 boys...

...who are fast asleep right now and it's only 9:00PM! This would have been unusual a few months ago, but now that David is teaching early morning, it's pretty normal. I'm usually happy to join him and be to bed so early, but I had a nap today....so I'll let them sleep and I'll blog about my cute boys...




...Who like to play dress-up! ha, ha...and I thought only little girls played dress-up. They love running around in costumes and playing with their "friends".


These pics are the best we got when we drove up to South Fork to try to get some cute fall pictures. Christian was too busy eating (like 3 pieces of costco pizza!) and Jack was too busy trying to run as far away as he could to care about pictures (or eating!)...maybe next year....sigh...







This is Jack's potty chart....(I know - random stickers)



He has done so well and will soon be getting his....

that I had hid in the extra bathroom with all of the Christmas decorations because I really didn't have much hope when we started that he would get it before then, but it's not even Halloween yet and he only has 3 stickers left! Tomorrow for sure! He'll be so excited!

I picked tomatoes for dinner today, but then I just kept picking because I started to get nervous that they might freeze this weekend and I'm not disciplined enough to cover them with blankets every night (like my dad).

And I'm trying to decide what to do with the large bag of Decorative Gourds I bought at Costco yesterday. I've thought about putting them in a cute container....


... or I'm tempted to make some fun Gourd people using anything the boys can find outside since we have a million different leaves, seeds, twigs, and fall foilage outside...



or I might just let Jack and Christian haul them away....


We'll see....

Addiction Percentage

61%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

I am surprised I am this high. Ok, maybe not, but I am surprised at people who are higher (Christy!). How many blogs do you have?

a flying go-cart

The priests activity this week was supposed to be a flying trip in a man in our ward's flying "thing". I can't remember what it is called-- a power parachute, I think. (but it looks like a flying go-cart). We were gonna go Wednesday, but the weatehr was bad, and we drove out early this morning to Eagle Mountain, but when we got there it was too windy again--so no luck. I am really excited to ride in it when the conditions shape up. He gave it a test run, and I actually had the helmet in hand and we were unfolding the parachute when he called it off--an old flying expression: Better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air, than in the air wishing you were on the ground. So stay tuned hopefully for the real flying adventure. Even though we didn't get to fly, we got to drive it around this huge field...so basically a go cart with a flying engine propeller on the back- I think he said it gets up to speeds of 100 m.p.h. on the ground. So that was totally rad. Except I was in flip flops and the desert plants were killing my feet going so fast so close to the ground. Exciting...I like my calling :)

I couldn't resist

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!This is the second one, so go down to the last post to get a brief explanation and another video. These are sa riot. Maybe I am just in a wierd mood...

i love it

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!Ok, so Jenny is gone to a girls night out in Salt Lake, so I was looking through the blogs and found something similar to this on Josh and the Cheat's blog...so they are to thank for the fun everyone will now have!

shocked? ashamed? embarrassed?

I hope this comes across the right way...Tonight I took the boys to one of my student's soccer games while Jenny went to Enrichment (which she really liked and you should ask her about some of the cool stuff). I like going to the kids' games. They are fun for me and the boys and the kids playing to have their semianry teacher come. Tonight we had a show. Without boring you with the details (which could be an important part of the story), the end of the game situations brought a couple of parents and the coach to the sidelines to start saying some awful things to the center official and line judge. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. (Maybe it could have rivaled the event at Justin's football game that was supposedly similar--we didn't make it there, so don't know) I am all up for razzling the refs, yelling at the t.v., booing at an apparent bad call, and getting into the game, but for the first time tonight I started to wonder when it goes too far. When does someone think they have the right to yell at someone inches from their face? Is it ever justified? When do we throw out the fact that they are a person, a human being, with feelings and a family they will go home to and treat them like nothing. How bad does the call have to be before permission is granted to get personal. When are feelings of frustration allowed to turn into anger toward the person and not just the bad call. I get frustrated with this as a teacher sometimes (and blame it on pride on my part). But I can't understand in a similar fashion when I lost my identity as a human being and became part of the institution that some of these kids seem to hate from day one. I want to say...Do you even know me? Do you even know my name before you have some beef with me? (Anyways, that is a side tangent). I saw some of the most childish arguments tonight by civilized adults. When should a 50 year old man start yelling at a 16 year old just to rant and rave about a bad call. (This 16 year old was not the official, but the kid kicking the penalty kick on the other team). Ridiculous. You had to be there, I know, but it really bothered me tonight. Yes, it is part of the game. Yes, an official should know he will be booed on every call from one side of the field or the other. When there is a foul, the fouling team will never yell, "Good Call Ref". But can we zoom out of the field sometimes and remember who we are and who they are and boo with decency?

Now watch, in ten years from now I will knock out the front tooth of the opposing coach when Jackson plays...

The ABC game...

A- Attached or single: attached

B- Best Friend: David

C- Cake or Pie: Ummm...cheesecake or really good apple pie

D- Day of choice: Fridays

E- Essential Item: stroller

F- Favorite Color: blue

G- Gummi Bears or Worms: the sugar-covered bears

H- Hometown: South Jordan, Utah

I- Indulgence(s): dried Mangos, sewing/craft supplies

J- January or July: July!!!

K- Kids: Jackson and Christian

L: Life is Incomplete Without: family, vacations, the beach, Costco

M- Marriage Date: November 22, 2002

N- Number of Siblings: 3 sisters, 5 brothers

O- Oranges or Apples: grapes!

P- Phobias or Fears: tires popping, roller coasters, overheated/worked machinery, large buildings, buildings built into the sides of mountains (...I know none of them are very valid, but they still scare me!) spiders, snakes.

Q- Quote(s): "People and Experiences are more important than money and things."and "You get out of life what you put into it."

R- Reason To Smile: Family

S- Season: Spring for the flowers and fresh smells; Summer for the long days; Fall for the beautiful leaves and football games.

T- Tag Three +: anyone who feels so inclined

U- Unknown Fact About Me:

V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: I've been both

W- Worst Habit: decision making, plenty more just ask David

X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds. Are X-rays ever good?

Y- Your Favorite Food: ice cream, cereal, berries, grapes, really good desserts, everything Suz and Jeff make...

Z- Zodiac: Sagittarius

Way to go little bro!!!

I don't mean to brag, BUT... I'm so proud of my little brother - He's such a GREAT kid.

We love you Justin!!!

He was the Deseret News Athlete of the Month for August.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695209247,00.html

Here's another video of him...
http://www.kutv.com/video/?id=28607@kutv.dayport.com

night requests

You can't get mad at this kid...but he drives me crazy at night time. His "normal" sleeping things are two blankets (Hawaii and Bubbles) his gray pillow, Stitch, Nana, Bibi the bear, and two sippies that have to be filled to the correct level and placed in the upper right hand corner of his bed...oh and his feet can't stick out. Occasionaly he will make requests forever! Like tonight. In addition to the staples, he had to have silky blanket, little blanket, blue blanket, this blanket (the stiched one) horsey (who he has to have in his bed even though he is huge), froggy, Russell the sheep and anything else he saw on the way. Last night he wanted to sleep with Buzz, Woody, Sully, Nemo, Dash and Mr. Incredible, and often he wants every single car he owns to line the side of his bed. I think he is just stalling, but he will ask and ask for specific "friends", and then once you hit a certain one, he is content, says, "ok. night night", turns over and goes to bed. Whatever.

p.s. These are his dinner guests some times...