HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween everyone, I hope you all get lots of candy....hopefully your little ones get more chocolate than years before he he. May your night be full of gorging. For those who don't know, if you go to Papa Murphy's they will let your goblins choose between a mini pizza or cookie dough for their treat. It has become tradition to get the jack o' lantern pizza for us and the kids get their own mini one. Have a great Halloween!!!

So sad

Well our newest thing to bite the dust is our camera. The kids were playing with it taking pictures and the next thing we know the memory card can't be read anymore. I've been wanting a new camera, but didn't think we would have to get one so soon. We probably could get a new memory card but the camera is in bad shape anyways, it may not be worth it. It has actually lasted through a bunch of torture. Danika dropped it on the concrete a few years ago and busted a rim around the lens. So I guess I should be grateful that it lasted as long as it did. Well I guess the whole reason for telling you this is so you know why you won't see pictures of us for awhile.

Pumpkin Walk

On Friday's I volunteer at the Elementary school. I switch back and forth each week from Danika's class to Andrew's. This last week I was to go to Danika's class but my babysitters daughter was sick, I didn't want to drop the boys off. I was excited that Andrew's class was headed to the Pumpkin walk and needed parent volunteers. I could take Jacob and Luke with me and they did great! I was grateful that Jacob stayed in the stroller the whole time. Of course their favorite part was the cookie at the end (mine too he he). It seems like there are not as many entries as in years past? Is it me? Have you gone to the pumpkin walk this year or previous years? Are you planning on going? I need to take Danika now so she doesn't feel left out. Here is a picture of his class, it's not the greatest picture (man I need a new camera!) Can you pick out Andrew?

Speaking of chocolate..

I just wanted to tell you of something funny that happened this afternoon. Kevin hasn't been feeling well (that's not the funny part). He came home early from work and as I was heating up his lunch he mentioned to me "Oh did you see that energy bar on the counter, a guy gave it to me at work".
"Oh...ummm that was yours? I thought my sisters brought it over. I'm sorry I ate it!"
"You ate my energy bar?"
"Well it said chocolate chip on it"
"Man nothing with chocolate in it is safe with you."
Well it's true!
I told him that if he felt better it really wasn't that good.
Here are some fun pictures of the kids playing in the leaves.

Ahhh...I'm better

Thanks for all the uplifting words ladies. I must say that it helps to have friends like you!!! Jenny, you mentioning Pierce Brosnon in tights did help a lot too he he. Although I haven't been able to get the songs out of my head.
We took these two pictures of Jacob last night. He really enjoyed dinner. Five times over! When he started licking his plate we knew we had to take a picture. This is a picture of Danika and our neighbor, they dressed up to be like farmers. Yee Haw! Speaking of dressing up....are you all ready for Halloween? What are you going to be? Do you have your candy ready? I have to wait till the last minute to get that or I'll eat it before Halloween. (sigh, I just don't have the will power to hold myself back from chocolate)

Don't talk to me I'm Moody!!!

It's all how you start the day right? Well mine started at 5:30 with Kevin's alarm going off......yes 5:30 AHHHHHH Sometimes I would like to kick whoever invented the snooze button because it went off every 15 minutes. Of course MY alarms snooze button is just fine when it goes off he he. Well it's just little things that escalate. Like forgetting to put the garbage out. It's full so who knows where this weeks garbage will go. Having my one year old talk back to me and needing to get the house and laundry clean. Music usually works to change my moods for the better, but it did the opposite when I turned on the radio and heard Barbra Streisand. I must say seeing this picture of myself did make me laugh a little....this is actually the second one I took, the first one was too close to my face and you could see up my nostrils so I thought I'd spared the viewers he he. Anyway, I am determined to change my mood, even if it takes a spoon and a carton of ice cream!

FOOD FRENZY FRIDAY

I tried these out on Sunday and my kids loved them. They were super easy and fun. It was neat to watch them puff into balls when dropped into the oil. What can I say, it doesn't take much to entertain me.

Sugared Doughnut Holes

1-1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbs. butter
Oil for deep frying
Confectioners sugar

*In a bowl combine dry ingredients. In another sm. bowl melt butter, add milk and egg. Add to dry mixture and mix well. Heat oil to 375. Drop by heaping tsp. full five or six at a time. Fry until browned about 1-2 minutes turning once. Drain on paper towels and roll in sugar. It makes a few dozen. These are very snacky, let me know what you think.

UH OHH!! What have I done

Tuesdays Kevin has Bishopric meetings so I usually make it a "Movie night" for the kids and I. Tonight I got Disney's Camp Rock.Have you seen this movie? I thought it was a good show but it has done something terrible to my kids. Sure it was fun to see them dancing to the songs but when the show was over and Danika was walking all high and mighty with her hand on her hip, I knew we were in for it. She told me that all rock stars put their hands on their hips. Later when she said her prayers she said "Please bless that I rock the show tomorrow and to be like Hanna Montana." Uh oh...what have I done.

How to get Children up in the Morning

This morning Kevin told me he was going to wake Danika up early. Why? Because she wanted to play game cube by herself before the boys woke up. He woke her up and turned it on. Not two minutes had passed that Andrew woke up. "I heard that sound" were the words out of his mouth. Five minutes later Luke was awake and claiming "I want to play." So I figure I need to find an alarm clock that plays the Star Wars theme and has the sound of light sabors swinging in the background, then we won't have a problem getting them up. On another note, we got the boy's room painted on Saturday. We found a mistint at Lowes for 10 bucks. It's was a high quality paint that would have sold for 30 and went on really well. The picture doesn't do the color justice. Oh and overlook the red valence, we will put a different one up. We are going to go get some big sports stickers to put on the wall. All we have left is our room and two bathrooms then the whole house will have been painted. Woo hoo.

80's Reunion

On Friday we went to a Murder Mystery Party. We all had our names and our parts and were attending our 10 yr. class reunion set back in the 80's. It was fun to dress up. Well I had fun crimping my hair and putting on so much makeup I looked like a street walker. Kevin went for the preppy look like Zach from Saved by the Bell. Our names were Susan and Steven and in high school we were voted as the couple most likely to succeed. We married after high school and had six kids. (Gee...I wonder why she chose us for this part) This is a picture of me and Christine (the host). Our hair is like so...well like cool! Like don't ya think? Totally!What crazy things do you think about when you hear "The 80's"?

Sleepwalking?

For the last few nights Jacob has been waking up in the middle of the night and wandering the house. I wake up to him crying downstairs. The other night I put him back to bed and couldn't find his binky. I woke up Kevin to ask if he had it and he said "Ya it's right here," he held out his hand and dropped nothing into mine. I just laughed because he did a similar thing the next night, he was completely out of it! Do you sleepwalk? Do you talk in your sleep? I have a twin sister and they say we used to talk back and forth to each other in our sleep. Kevin told me he was dreaming once that he was on a plane bumping into people and woke up bumping into the back wall of his closet.

Thanks Ladies

Thanks for all the words of encouragement on the last post....especially all of you that said I of course shouldn't give up the chocolate! I'm eating a candy bar for each of you he he. I have two more questions though. I get postpartum for a few weeks, I guess they also call it baby blues. I'm hoping that with me thinking about it now and preparing, it won't be so bad. It is usually only a couple weeks but I hate going through it every time. Kevin's aunt had told me she used St. Johns Wart with her last and thinks it helped. My doctor said she couldn't either recommend it or say anything to keep me from taking it since she has not read anything about it. I'm seriously thinking about trying it. I was just wondering if any of you have advice for this issue?

As for the second question....I've been looking online at Vacuum cleaners. Ours bit the dust (no pun intended) after 10 years. My parents had bought it for me for college (RIP ye old Hoover). So what do you use? Do you like it? Would it work well on stairs? There are a lot of stairs in our house so it would be nice if it was light to take up and down them. If you have any recommendations I would love to hear them. Thanks!

What a Big Liar!

I have never been so offended! They act like it's not that big of deal but they make you go through it again and again!!! I'm tired of it and I'm putting my foot down. They need to just get a new one because the darn scales at the women's center LIE!!! How could I put on 12 pounds in a month! It's a conspiracy I tell you!!!
PS. There is no stinking way I'm giving up chocolate!!
PPS. Tina we may need to speed walk in the mornings or walk more.....sigh..
I'm doomed with Halloween coming up....ahh the candy.

FOOD FRENZY FRIDAY

I'm so excited for this weekend!!! I love to stay at home and hear the Prophet and Apostles. It's a bonus to also get Kevin home with no meetings to go to (well except the Priesthood session of course) Plus I won't have to deal with four crazy kids in Sacrament. Do you have your kids watch? We try to have them sit through one session each day. It's tough for them, sometimes it's tough for me ZZZZZZZZZZZ (if you know what I mean) so I can't get mad at them for not paying complete attention. Good thing it comes out in the Ensign huh? Well since it's officially fall I thought I would share this recipe I got from my friend Heather. It's easy and yummy. Especially Al La Mode

Apple Oatmeal Crisp
6 firm apples peeled, cored and cut in 1/4 inch slices
Juice of 1 lemon (3 Tbs. lemon Juice)
1/4 cup water, apple juice or 7 up
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (don't melt before)
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup regular oats
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Mix together first three ingredients. Place in a buttered 9 inch round cake pan. Double if in a 9x13 pan. Using an electric mixture blend (at low speed) sugar, butter, flour, oats, Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg till crumbly. Scatter evenly on top of apples. Bake @ 350 for 1 hr. Let me know what you think if you try it.

Halloween time

I love Halloween, it brings back fun memories as a kid and well and some not so fun ones. I love it because well....candy. You can't go wrong with asking strangers for candy right? The not so fond memories are of dressing up as the same thing year after year. We only had two costumes, a bunny and a clown. I'm not sure why my Mom never got more. So my twin sister and I would fight over who got to be what. The other part I don't enjoy is how creepy it can get. Poor Jacob screams whenever we get near the Halloween department at stores. The statues that talk completely freak him out and he just clings to me. I want to make this time fun for the kids not scary. I love to dress up, Kevin is not as big into it. He's a good guy and knows I enjoy it so when we go to parties he will be a sport and dress up for it. So what are you going to be for Halloween? Do you have any traditional things you do with your kids for Halloween like decorating Halloween cookies? Are your hubbies excited to dress up?