Mommy Joshie date

Where has the time gone! What happen to this little boy that fit in my arms not this boy that is getting too close to my shoulder!

Josh and Holly both had "Make good choices chart" when they made good choices they got a sticker. At the beginning they got to choose their reward. Josh wanted water colors and ice cream with mom. Holly wants a date with Daddy.

Josh and I had a hard time finding a water color with the book of pictures that wasn't girlie. He was really going for superheros, transformers or star wars. We did have great success with the ice cream. As we were eating ice cream I asked Josh why he is growing up so fast? I told him he better slow down or the next thing I would know he would be getting married and moving into his own house. All of the sudden he got really sad. "Mom I don't want to leave!" I tried to explain and thought I had done a good job until as we were walking to the car and he asked me "When will I have to have a new mom and dad?" I was like what! He said "You said I'd go to a new house, when will I have to go?" Tears started to form in his eyes. I was like forget I ever said anything. You will always be my Josh and you are stuck with me forever. Oh break my heart!

That was the drama of our date. The sweetness was when he asked if he could bring some of the M&M's that were in a cup (to go on the ice cream) home for Holly. That's my sweet boy. He still has a strong hold on my heart.

Our new door

Our latest basement reno update. Don has finished mudding and sanding my room. He just needs to finish the laundry area, which he has a goal to finish this next Saturday. Yeah!



This could mean that I could paint, but I have elected to wait until he is done mudding his room. He is almost done
tapping it; he'd probably have finished yesterday, but we

decided to put in the door.



This is the door that goes between Don's man cave and the garage. It is a heavy duty door and the first that Don has hung himself. I think that he had fun using all his toys... I mean tools, but the actual getting it to fit perfect was not as fun. In the end it as worked. So here is our door. Tah-dah!



So he gets his room done. Than we paint, then the flooring goes in and some homemade cabinetry, then furniture, and decorate and , and, and. Well, we aren't super close to being done, but closer.

Play ball.

Okay, so the other day was really nice weather. They say it is going to be the last of warmish weather. I was outside putting my garden beds to rest. Which is funny in its self since I have no idea what I am doing as I put dead grass clippings, leaves and dried garden rubbish in the beds with dirt on top. Hopefully something magical will happen before spring.

Any who. Josh was out there and I thought I should try teach him how to hit a baseball. You would laugh if you knew nonathletic I am. I never hit the ball, but the ball seems to hit me in all sports. But here goes nothing. I tried to show him how to hit. That wasn't too successful. So we started with tossing the ball back and forth and keeping our eye on the ball. Then he threw it to me so I could hit it. Then he tried hitting it. By the time we were done he actually did get some hits in. I think he could of hit more if I was better at pitching, but its the time spent not the ability right? I said RIGHT?

(He was pretty proud to show Don later on:) ) opps double chin.

Primary Program

Today was our wards Primary program. I am taking a big exhale breathe. It is over for this year.

All the kids did wonderful and were really cute. We had this one little boy that did a solo of Teach me to walk. It was so sweet, and the way that our music leader arranged a bunch of our music was wonderful.

Yesterday when we practised I could have killed Holly. She wouldn't sing, she was twirling during the songs and she just wasn't cooperating. Today was wonderful. She sang and stood still and said her part. Yeah. Thank you teachers, music leaders and all the stand ins, thank you kids.

Big Books Memories

I can remember when I was younger my brother and I pouring over the ToysRus and Sears Catalog. Totally drooling over which toys we were desiring for Christmas.

This was my kids first year for the "Big Book". They have looked and looked and looked again at it. It has been circled and marked all the toys that they want.

Holly- anything Barbies or Disney Princess

Josh- anything Lego's, Iron Man, Super Hero's, and a couple of Toy Story things.

Groccery Sticker Disease- it could be real

So, we are checking out and the kids ask if they can have a sticker. The checker says hold on a sec. Then as I am paying he gives them each literally 10 stickers each. I looked at him and said, "Your killing me here!"

I should have ripped two off the roll and gave the rest back. Instead I told them not to stick any of them on the cart or car. So this was their solution. It actually got crazier where all their eyes, nose and mouths were covered.

(I love having my camera with me)

Learning my matters

The other day Holly told me that she is growing up, but she is still learning her matters. Not manners, but matters.



Do you know your matters?

Boy family night

I love movie nights the kids look forward to it all week.

Don thought it would be pretty cool to watch Star Wars. Josh was totally on board. Holly not so much. Josh loved it, but was sad that Kwigan's (or however you spell it) body was burned at the end.

Holly's quote of the movie, "Yep, he's still wearing make-up". She said this when Darth-mahl came on the screen for the second time.

Right, hee,hee!

Last week on the way to church the kids were practising left and right. They told me which way to turn the whole way to church. (You know, because I haven't driven there all year).

So Holly is in the back and she is crackin' herself up. "Mom to be RIGHT, you have to go RIGHT! Haa-haa.

She thought this was hilarious.

Ahh, the beauty of discovering things all over again through your children.

Being six

Josh has dived into being six, head on. How you may ask?

1. Totally into the super hero's.

2. Loves Star Wars

3. Laughs at everything, things that aren't even funny and makes nonsense rhymes to go with it.

4. Does mouth farts (you know the kind where you push air between you cheek.

5. (my favorite) Has mastered the ARM FART!

Yes boydom is full speed ahead.

Crushin on Jack

See this sweet LITTLE girl. She has a crush on a boy at church. Holly is four, Jack is 11 (his birthday is next month). Holly is in preschool, Jack is in 6th grade. Holly likes to dress up like a princess, Jack is an ice skater. (He is actually the nutcracker this year in the "Nutcracker"). Holly asks about Jack all the time, Jack only notices her when she is in his face (but, he is a real sweet kid). Holly is learning to read, Jack can write and read his own talks.

Earlier this week we went to Jack's house (while he was at school) to meet with his mom and other ladies for lunch. Holly on the car over, "Is Jack going to be there?". Holly on the way home, "When can we go to Jacks house again?, Next time we go will Jack be there?". Later in the day I called Jacks mom, Holly was in the background, "Is Jack home now? Can I talk to him?" I told her no. She is too young to talk to any boys on the phone. Oh, help us!

Addicted to sale shopping

Have I told you that I am addicted to sale shopping. I really need to get help. Sometimes I just want to buy it because it is on sale. I need to work on sticking to my list. But check this out My total was $82.50, but I paid 32 dollars oh yeah!



I got 12 cans of Campbell's cream of soup (which I never see go on sale!) and Playtex gloves for FREEEEEEEE!



I think that my ultimate goal is to bet my friends percentage of savings at Kroger. Hers is always better than mine. This week I saved 63% she saved 83%.



I mean my goal is to make sure that my family have food storage, yeah that's what I mean.

Learning new things

Josh keeps surprising me with things that he is learning at school. "Hey mom, Did you know 10 plus 10 is 20? Did you know 20 take away 1 is 19?" "Mom, I learned what pronouns are today". "Mom I learned how to cut in the middle."

Holly Grooving

Holly was totally getting into the music at trunk or treat! I think she liked how her cape and dress twirled.

Brrrr, baby it's pink outside.

This Saturday, I woke up early, 6:00 am, for a Saturday that is eeearrrly for me. I met up with some friends from the ward so we could go do the Race for the Cure walk/run.

Two of us were going to jog and the other three power walk. I was afraid to get separated from my little group. There had to have been hundreds of people there and I didn't have my cell phone with me, or I would of jogged it.

It was 40 degrees (I wore like five layers) when we got there, but the walk was worth it and I had fun chatting it up with my friends. I want to do it again next year and jog it.

In celebration of Tracy. In remembrance of Candy Swanson.

Left to right: Brenda, Me, Aimee, Melissa, and Taylor.

Mom, did you bring money this time?

Weeks ago we went to the circus and everything there cost money. We told the kids don't even ask, because it cost money and we didn't bring any.

When we went on Josh's field trip, I told Josh that we were heading toward the pony rides and he was going to ride one this time. He asked, " Mom, did you bring money this time?". Nope kid you just got lucky!

Side note, I never knew how expensive it was for my kids to be in school. You buy supplies, then give extra money for more stuff, then you have to buy the class t-shirt, then you pay for the field trip and it's just the end of October! I got keep track so I can earn a little extra for next year. Education is expensive and were in public school!

Team work

This last week, I was so tired at the end of the week. After reading books with Josh I told him and Holly to practise writing letters. I vaguely remember telling them which letters to practise and even less than that saying sure go play in your room.

\

When I woke-up from my nap on the couch, that is exactly what they were doing. They had worked together and built this castle out of legos. What a good job!

The other weird thing was I couldn't remember buttoning my sweater and there was a blanket on me. When I asked Holly about it, she said I did it while you were sleeping. What sweet kids.

First Grade Field Trip

Josh had his first, first grade field trip. I chaperoned! Who knew that you had to pay to be a parent on a field trip. This is my little group of kids that I was in charge of. For the most part they were a good group. We went to the Little Ponderosa Zoo. It is a shelter for animals that either have been abused or abandoned. They had kangaroos, just look at that little Joey.

They had pony rides, very exciting. And all the kids were thoroughly grossed out when the horses pooped.

I loved the sign by the camels and llamas. "Beware of Spit"

Josh thought this deer was really cute.

My favorite part of it was when the owner had the kids gather around this cage had more fencing in 2 feet in front of it. There was a monkey in there that was acting all crazy. Biting it's own foot etc. He told the kids how this monkey had lived in a little cage in the kitchen of a meth lab. The people had it there so they could see if the fumes were getting deadly. If the monkey died then they would know to get out. This monkey he said was mean and crazy and had been effected by the drugs. He said if anyone ever offers you drugs or even talks to you about drugs, I want you to remember this monkey. Do you want to be like him? Crazy, lonely, mean to everyone? This is what drugs do to you. Don't do drugs. I felt like it was a powerful lesson.

I tried to keep the kids attention along the way by playing eye spy. When we were waiting our turn for the pony rides. Red light, green light when we walked around looking at the animals, and Do as I'm doing while waiting to get back on the bus on the way home. Josh yells out No, mom, that's a church one. I just said shhh and kept playing.

Preschool Halloween party

Holly's preschool Halloween party was this last week. She dressed up as a princess. They sang songs, made snow globes (out of baby jars), played ghost, ghost, witch (duck, duck goose), played Halloween Bingo, played telephone and heard Halloween stories. It was a good time at preschool. My favorite costume had to be a little girl that was a cowgirl. The horse was sewn onto her costume.

Proud ma-ma!

Here is a spelling test I gave my kids this last week. Josh's is in red and Holly"s is in green. I am very proud of both of them. They have come a long way in their spelling and their handwriting. I am one proud ma-ma.

Pumpkin Quesidillas... EWWWW

No pumpkins were harmed in the making of this lunch, because there was no pumpkin in the ingredients. But they were sure funny. What will mom think of next?

Fall is HERE!!!

Fall is here! It is my favorite time of the year. I love the color scheme. Reds, Yellows and Oranges. It is dress up in fun scarf time. It is make soups and stews time. It's carve pumpkins and roast seeds time. It's get geared up for getting together with family and eat too much food time. It's sit by the fire with a good book time. It's dig out all the decor that you've gathered over the years time. It's smell the rain time. It's pull out the yummy smelling candles time. It's baking time. It's feeling that crispness in the air time. Oh, the beauty of it all. I love Fall!!!

(Holly was totally posed for these pictures!)

Trunk or Treat take two

Our ward had a trunk or treat on Saturday night. First we had a chili dinner. I brought Arwen's White Chicken Chili, Tina's cornbread and my first ever apple pie, with Ma-ga's Pie crust. (I don't like making up my own recipes).



Holly decided to be a witch for this one, and I didn't get a decent pic., but oh well.

Sister Turner was looking scary. I love the eyelashes. She actually scared my kids on their second time around the parking lot.


The Hammond's had brains you had to dig through to get a skull out and find out which bag you could get candy out of. Holly was scared to put her hand in. (it was just cold speghitti, but it really freaked her out). Everybody did an excellant job this year.

Trunk or Treat

Halloween was on a Sunday this year, we didn't have big trick or treating plans, but we did have big trunk or treating plans. My neighbors the Angel's invited us to go to their churches trunk or treat on Friday night and then we went to our own churches on Saturday night.





I invited my friends the Roses and the Teed's to come with me.

Holly was a princess and Josh a knight in "Sharping" Armor.

Teed kids, Fay, Mabel and Charlie

The whole gang.

Doesn't this next picture look like a line up?

The Roses: Benson, Adalyn, Brielle, Holly, Josh and Benson. Super hero's Rule!

The trunk or treat was crazy. There was a live band, games, hot dogs, fried oreo's (didn't try one), hot coco (it was stinkin' cold outside) , candy and long, long, long lines. I was so glad to have my friends there because it made the time go by so much faster. Thank goodness for blankets and coats and friends to warm us up.

This was one of the trucks handing out candy. Clifford the big red truck?