Halloween 2012

 Tate wore his awesome borrowed dragon costume to preschool this morning for Halloween (thank you Brandon and his grandma Caroline for making it!).  Avery and I swam and there happened to be a water aerobics class at the same time we were there, so Avery insisted we join them.  I kept trying to drag her away and she kept pointing to return.  We were the youngest in that crowd =)  It must have worn her out because she napped for at least 3 hours while Tate and I waited for her to wake up so we could party!

While she napped I gave Tate a black sharpie and let him decorate his pumpkin.  I had every intention to carve or paint pumpkins together for family home evening, but my lazy side won this round!  Oh well, I'm pregnant.  Enough said =)

So, sleeping beauty finally awoke and we got dressed up and headed over to dress-up cousin Lane.  Now we had a pattern as Tate informed us, in the back seat of the car: dinosaur, dragon, dinosaur.  We hit a couple community parties, which wore me out.  The weather was awesome and my children and I got too scared to complete the haunted house, so we snuck back out the entrance.

After a jack-o-lantern pizza, dad came home and took the kids trick or treating in the neighborhood.  Fun was had by all.  Now to check facebook and see everybody's fun costumes and kids =)

Tate just came in the room, snuggled up to me, and asked in his sad voice, "But who's going to teach me to do good things?"

My first thought was, "What?  I'm not doing the job good enough?!"  But now as I think about it, it's a nice memory for the odd little things this character says that we'll miss one day when he's grown up =)

p.s. Grandpa's hand is the extra one on the end there.  This was an attempt at family pictures last week.  We're hoping to have another session soon.  Enough said.

Birthday Season

Another birthday season has come and gone in our home-phew!  Eric turned 30 and I don't think I got any pictures.  But he's so much older and wiser than he was at 29.  Tate then turned 5 and had a grand party with his friends and grandma the photographer took some pictures I'll share later.  Here he is with his birthday balloons and Perry the Platypus' fedora that came in his card from nana and papa.  He's growing up quickly, but still loves to snuggle with his mom, so I'm happy.  We love him to pieces.

 Then Avery turned 3.  She opened her gifts early in the morning and then played with her princess play-doh set.  I tried to take the kids to McD's for lunch and to play, but they were both so sick and tired that they ate and didn't want to play.  Usually, they play and hardly want to eat so I knew something was up.  Avery then slept all afternoon and woke up with a fever so the rest of her b-day plans were postponed.  Tate knew her birthday plans included a train ride at the mall and possibly a visit to Chuck E. Cheese.  So, he kept asking every hour if she was better yet.  I must admit that I was just as bummed as Tate and Avery that our anticipated busy fun day was rather a boring stay home day, but I had to keep repeated in my head, "Be flexible Shelly!"

 That was yesterday, Saturday.  Today, grandma and grandpa and nana and papa came to church with us for Tate's primary program.  Eric and I teach, so we had parts, too.  I'll pretend that they came to support us, too, their big babies =)  Grandma made Avery a beautiful Cinderella dress.  She was so excited, but it was so long that she had to hold it up to walk and the slippery gloves rendered her hands practically useless.  When her tiara fell in her face, it was the last straw!  So, we'll pose for some better pictures later, tee hee.  After church we had dinner at cousin Amy's with Carley and Keith and grandma and grandpa, too.  It was fun and Avery got her cake and ice-cream and a gift from her cousins.  Thank you everyone for helping us spoil our little gal for her birthday!

Finally, the coveted doll house was revealed and she hasn't even wanted to go to bed so she can play play play.  It's very cute how she loves to play with her doll house and I feel great knowing that my little girl has some girly toys now.  Nana and papa even gave her her first My Little Pony, which she's sleeping with now.  We love this little rambunctious girl with all her spirit and fun-loving personality!

Yesterday in the car Tate asked if he could ride with me to pick up the babysitter.  I told him that she turned 16 and can now drive herself to our home. 
He said, "I'm almost 16.  Avery, you are, too.  Mom, am I almost 16?" 
"Not quite."
"But I don't know how to drive!"
"I'll teach you when you're 15, so you're ready when you're 16."
In a panic, "But I don't know how to get to the store or the car wash!"

Today Tate came to me after watching some tv and informed me that when he's 16, he'll know how to work Netflix.  So much more than just a driver's license to look forward to when you're 16 =)

Yipee! It's October!

  I love love love this time of year.  My favorite season used to be summer for the swimming.  At this stage of our lives, I love fall.  Maybe when the kids are swimming on their own I'll love summer best again.  Maybe when I'm not pregnant and nauseaus from the heat I'll love summer more again, too.  Anyway, back to fall...

Last Thursday was Eric's birthday (the big 3-0 =) and tomorrow is Tate's birthday, followed by Avery's in a couple weeks.  It's also beautiful to see the foliage change color.  Well, when I look at my friends' blogs who live in Utah, I enjoy their beautiful fall mountain foliage pictures.  It reminds me of my college days in Provo.  We'll get there, though.  Our leaves are starting to fall.  I also love the return to the kitchen in autumn.  Baking yummy comfort foods and picking apples and such. 

Today Avery and I joined Tate's preschool group as they visited the pumpkin patch.  Avery pretended to drive the train and refused to pose for a snapshot, but I stole one while she was happily singing as she "drove" the train.  My favorite picture is the kids' hay bale maze.  There was a rather large group from the preschool, and the tour lady was trying to keep everyone together, but I let my kids sneak in the maze before everyone else, and ended up with a nice action shot of their happiness of the moment.  There's also a small petting zoo and Avery loved the bunnies.  I had to pick her up to make her move so others could pet the rabbits.  Then, she kept sneaking back into the barn to get another fistfull of the little soft guys.

Today I gave a talk in sacrament meeting about the importance of families in Heavenly Father's plan for us. 

I keep reminding myself and others of this quote from Hilary Weeks, a singer/songwriter, about inspiration for one of her songs.  She had a realization that we will know our children as adults for most of their and our lives, especially when considering the eternities together.  So, we should enjoy and cherish these short years that we know our kids as children.  

I just want to remember sitting on the stand in church today and looking into the congregation to where Avery was happily flailing her naked Barbie around, walking it up and down the seat in front of her.  It was so funny.  Then, she kept yelling "mommy!" during the meeting until I would look at her.  As soon as I looked away she started up again.  That wasn't so funny.  Eric had to take her out a few times and one time he just took her out and left Tate along in the pew.  He sat there like such a good boy and quietly watched and played.  I suppose it's true what they say, kids really do grow up.  And fast!

 I'd like to say that's me with Lane and Avery, looking so slim, but no, it's Bre. =)  I'm 4 months pregnant and not looking so slim.  Although, somebody did tell Bre good job on her talk today, mistaking her for me.  lol.

Dichos

Me (at the park):  "I'm pooped!"

Tate:  "There's a potty over there."

Me:  "I meant that I'm tired."

....

Later Tate says: "I almost have to poop."

Me: "Well, we're just about to head home.  Can you wait?"

Tate:  "No, I don't have to go potty. I'm tired."

...

 These are Sunday pictures that I took when I realized not only do the kids match, they match the table, too!  This is what they do when I request a "cheese!".  Avery hopped up on the table and made weird noises while spinning around.  I was timing pictures for whenever she was facing the camera.

Another time I was telling Bre about how Eric is about to turn 30 and maybe that's why he's being a stinker about his birthday plans.  I loooove celebrations and planning for special occasions.  I told Bre that Eric said he just wants a bagel with cream cheese with candle stuck in it for his birthday cake.  I said, "He's killing me!"  Tate overheard me and was concerned.  I need to watch my sayings around this kid from now on =)