Happy Halloween!!!

Today was a fully packed Halloween day. Maddie had Halloween celebrations at both ballet and preschool. Then we carved pumpkins (we didn't get around to it until today). For dinner we made chili in a pumpkin and had Andy's parents and sister over for dinner and games. After dinner we all went to the assisted living home to see great great grandma pug. She was all dressed up as a witch. All the people there were very nice and loved seeing the kids. Garen was a little afraid, but figured out this whole trick-or-treating thing isn't so bad when you get all these yummy treats. When we got home we took a lap around all the condos and got more than enough candy. Maddie was sooo excited running from house to house and tripping on her dress a few times. Garen really got into it as well. He was right up there with the big kids picking his candy out of the bowl. Garen was laughing and knocking on doors until someone opened their door dressed as beetle juice (crazy hair, painted face)-Garen screamed and started to cry. He was a little more cautious the rest of the night. When we got home, Maddie took over handing out our candy, and we played games with Andy's family. It was a fun Halloween and I am pretty Halloweened out!

Maddie's first Halloween friend party

Maddie got to invite a few of her friends over for a Halloween party today. They made spider webs, painted Halloween books, and had spider snacks. They also played games like pass the pumpkin, spider-spider-ghost (duck, duck, goose), we had relay races with candy corn on a spoon that couldn't be spilled, we played make a mummy with toilet paper, and ended with a fun game of hide-and-go-seek. We ended up having to try and find some of the kids when their mom's showed up-they had found some pretty good hiding spots in my house. Maddie had a blast (as she usually does)! It was kind of a whirlwind party and they left a good size mess, but it was well worth it to hear all the laughing and happy voices!

Playing at the park

Yesterday, me and the kids all got a little tired of being in the house so we headed to the park to play. The kids had a great time and Maddie took on the roll of mother with the two toddlers. She would help them up the stairs, put them on her lap to go down the slide (or try to) and just make sure they were okay. We also played in the leaves and then walked to the Library.
After all the play it was time to run some errands. I got a nice glimpse of what having three children will be like (thank goodness I have a while). We went to Walmart and Avery fell asleep on top of the groceries in the back, Garen was begging for all the food on the shelves, and Maddie was climbing on the sides and under the cart. And check out was the worst. I had to move Avery to get the groceries and she woke up, Garen wanted out, and Maddie wanted to ride the Mickey Mouse car close by. By the time we left if was getting close to the time Avery's mom picks her up. I thought we were going to make it just in time, but there was a huge wreck and traffic was at a stand still! Even though it took me and extra 20 minutes to get to my house with crabby kids in my car, I need to count my blessings that it wasn't me or anyone in my family being taken to the hospital in the ambulance!
Maddie's attempt to take Garen down the slide

My Saturday

Finally it was Saturday-no place to be and no one coming to work on the house. I was finally going to clean up the house, sit on the couch and watch cartoons with the kids, and just have a relaxing day. -So I thought.
My friend, Brenda and I switch kids often so we can each have the chance to get out every once in awhile. I took her kids in the morning for a few hours while she went golfing. (She had Maddie on Friday so I could finish the cupboards). So the day was going good-lots of laughing and running around; a fun lunch with different shaped sandwiches and Halloween cupcakes.

Next we went to the park.

Garen loves the park, but this time he wanted to just sit next to me and he was whining a lot. I put him is the swing because he loves it and I though it would make him happy. Just then Danny threw sand and it got in Maddie and Jacob's eyes, followed by Danny falling of the climbing thing (he can't climb very well because he has a broken arm), and to top it off, Garen started throwing up all over. Chunks were flying all over the swing and in the sand!

picture taken about 5 minutes before the chaos.

I carried a throw up covered Garen back home, striped him down and put him in the bath. Luckily Brenda showed up right after. So Garen spent the rest of the day in my arms or throwing up. Later on I tried to give him Pedialyte, but it all came up.

I was so relieved when Andy got home from hunting to help put the kids to bed. Andy didn't get a deer but he did find a use for his knife:

So today, Sunday, we all skipped Stake Conference and Garen continues to throw up. We are hoping he will soon keep some liquids down so he won't get dehydrated.

Tag I'm It
I got tagged by Carrol.

Two Names You Go By:
1. Em
2. Sug by Andy (pronounced shoog, short for sugar)

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1. Pajama pants
2. T-Shirt

Things You Would Want (or have) in a Relationship:
1. laughter and children
2. trust and hard work.

Two of Your Favorite Things to do:
1. Go out with just Andy
2. Play with the kids.

Two Things You Want Very Badly At The Moment:
1. To have Garen stop throwing up.
2. To go on Vacation

Two things you did last night:
1. Cleaned up throw up and hold a sick baby
.2. Play Scene it TV version with Andy.

Two things you ate today:
1. A bagel
2. I guess that is all I've had

Two people you Last Talked To:
1. Andy
2. Brenda

Two Things You're doing tomorrow:
1. Cleaning the house
2. Family Home Evening

Two longest car rides:
1. Burley to Minnesota
2. Logan to Boise

Two Favorite Holidays
1. Christmas
2. 4th of July

Two Favorite Beverages
1. Water
2. smoothies

Two Things About Me you may not have known.
1. I had my gallbladder removed at 17
2. I want to open up my own preschool and I want to get my Master's degree

Two jobs I have had in my life:
1. Life Skills (Special Ed) teacher
2. Behavior Specialist at USU

Places I have lived:
1. Burley, Idaho
2. Logan/Smithfield, Utah

Two of my Favorite Foods:
1. Spaghetti
2. mashed potatoes

2 Places I'd rather be right now
1. In Europe somewhere (with my family of course, not by myself)
2. At the peaceful, beautiful Temple.

Tag you are it
1. Jenni
2. Megan
3. Shalet
4. Chanc
5. Brecca

A Crazy Day

This is the Gifted and Talented class I've been subbing this week-It's crazy hair day.

Well, first of all we got our cabinets re-stained these last three days. Which means everything had to come out of my cupboards and onto the couches, floor, and table; and my house was full of men working. Which also meant no place to feed the kids and no naps for Garen. (plus I subbed everyday) But the cabinets are done now (but my stuff is not back in them). Here's some pictures: I didn't get a real before picture, but this is the color they used to be:

And After:

Maddie had gymnastics today and they got to wear their costumes. I got a few fun pictures. Maddie ditched her princess dress halfway through-it was to hard to do her tricks in:

Maddie and her coach-

On the balance beam-

learning to do a handstand on a beam-

Dracula's castle full of spiders and snakes-

cookie rolls on the bar-

chalking up

Then after a few errands, no nap from Garen, some cleaning, dropping and picking Maddie up from preschool, I headed to my first Pampered Chef Show. I never thought I would do something like this and I mainly signed on because you get $400 of free stuff if you do 4 shows in 30 days-so I thought what the heck. I had to bring the kids with me, but it was at my mother-in-laws, so I guess that's okay. (Andy is still hunting) The party went good and we made some good sales. The one good thing about selling Pampered Chef is that I don't really have to sell. I just show the products and people generally just want them, so I don't have to even try to be pushy or persuasive, just myself.

After the show, I headed to our ward Halloween party, mainly just to help my friend clean up. We all got home just after 10pm and everyone was so tired. My house is still a mess, but I'm going to bed anyway.

Just a picture of Garen. I had Maddie stand there for her picture and when I was done I found Garen standing in the same spot waiting for me to take a picture of him.

Pumpkin Walk

I went with Maddie and her preschool to the Pumpkin Walk yesterday. Her class made a display of pumpkin cows and chickens to go with the story "Click Clack Moo." It was fun to see Maddie interact with her classmates that I hear so much about, but never see. I forgot my camera during preschool, but Maddie was anxious to show Andy her pumpkin so we went back for Family Home Evening. They had all kinds of pumpkin displays-John Wayne and the wild west, Sesame Street, Brady bunch, farmers, scary monsters, Willy Wonka, Albert Einstein, Elvis, the Beatles, and so many others. It was a lot of fun!!! My favorite picture is of Garen as Yoda! The park was also haunted last night. There were people and kids dressed in scary costumes blending in with the rest of the displays and then would jump out. They scared me pretty good a couple times. They made Madelyn pretty nervous!

Maddie's first primary program

Today Maddie got to sing the primary songs and say her part in the sacrament meeting primary program. Andy was sad he had to miss it since he had to work today, and I was sad because I had to deal with trying to keep a very tired Garen quiet for three hours and teach our Sunday School lesson by myself. But it all worked out fine. Anyway, Maddie did great with her part and of course she did just what I used to do during the program... lean on the edge while singing (I remember being told several times to stand up straight and not lean on the front ledge), talk to her friends during the whole program (remember, Carrol and Alisha), she twirled around, waved to people in the congregation, and even picked her nose! But, it was so fun watching her-I can't believe I have a little girl in primary, it doesn't seem like that long ago when I was in the primary programs. Maddie loves her sunbeam class and loves going to church. I'm so glad for wonderful primary teachers that help our kids learn about and love this gospel.
My little girl is growing up right before my eyes:

Garen was feeling like giving hugs this morning. Wouldn't this be the perfect picture without the toilet in the background:

Stormy Days and Beautiful Sunsets

Utah weather is funny. Yesterday started out cold and rainy, then turned to snow for awhile. Later in the afternoon it was nice and sunny. Then it ended with a beautiful sunset that made everything around glow a pink or orange. We just caught the very end of it in the picture.

Andy went hunting yesterday so he got to walk all over the mountains in the cold, snow, rain, and bright sun.-No buck yet, maybe next week.

Corn Maze

Last night for Family Home Evening we went to the corn maze at the American West Heritage Center. It was a lot of Fun! They had a ton of Halloween lights-

Maddie loved the kids hay maze. They had tunnels and a huge place to climb to the top of hay bails and jump off into a pile of hay. Maddie went right up there and jumped off without a second thought-I thought she was going to break her leg; it was pretty high up.

Garen was determined to follow his sister to the top and jump off. Sorry Garen, maybe in a couple more years.

It was funny to watch Garen try to get the hay out of his mouth. He'd get a piece in, then try and get it out with his gloved hand that was cover in hay. So he would end up with more in his mouth. Poor kid.

I had to add this next picture because it kept up laughing for a long time. I told Maddie to turn around so I could take her picture and right has I pushed the button she tripped. And this is the picture I got. Then we had to take a couple minutes to get the hay out of her mouth and out of her pants:)

We forgot our flashlights so we made it through the big maze with our cell phone and camera light.

When we would stop to check the map, Maddie would find corn to peel. She thought that was pretty neat to be in the middle of a corn field. She kept some of the ears of corn because she wants to cook them-I think I'll pass, they don't look very tasty.

After getting lost a few times, we finally made it out-
We also went through the haunted house. Maddie was scared the whole way through, then when we got out she said, "Lets do that again!" We had a wonderful time together. We got home way later then planned and still had to give baths and put the kids to bed. It was 10:30 before the kids were in their beds. Then Andy and I made some hot cocoa with marshmallows and sat on the couch and watched TV together. What a perfect evening!

This is Garen saying his new word on our way home:

Baptism and a Blessing

This weekend was busy, but wonderful. On Saturday morning I took the kids to Andy's cousin's baptism. It was in Preston, Idaho. Savannah looked so beautiful and it was a wonderful experience. It was fun to answer Maddie's questions about the baptism and the Confirmation. Afterwards we got to go our to their house and have some lunch. Maddie had a wonderful time playing with her cousins (or second cousin once removed?).
On Sunday we went to Andy's sister's ward because they were blessing their little boy Levi (my nephew). Zeb gave a wonderful blessing and it was very touching to hear all the testimonies. I know Andy really enjoyed being a part of his first (blood) nephew! We had lunch with the families after. It was a very uplifting weekend. We are so blessed to have this gospel and the many wonderful things that come with it in our lives!
-Sorry no pictures, I forgot my camera at both events.

Getting Smarter

This is Garen pointing to some of his body parts he has learned. The end of the video is just some screaming and hitting to tell me to stop asking him questions, and to put the camera down.

Family Home Evening in The Canyon

Andy's got Maddie hooked on some of his old 'silly' country music. This is Maddie singing to the "Donkey Song."

Last night we headed up Smithfield Canyon to look at the beautiful changing leaves and do a little walking around. Here are some pictures-I really need a new camera, mine keeps taking blurry pictures :(

When we got to the top, there was even snow! Garen was very intrigued with the snow, since last year he didn't even touch the stuff.

Garen resting on Daddy's shoulders

Garen getting warmed up on the way back.

This is Maddie helping me deliver newspapers this morning. She loves doing it and she's got a pretty good arm on her too.