Halloween Fun

It's Halloween! Yea. I am completely on sugar overload. So, I am going to challenge myself to go 2 weeks without sugar. Besides I have been feeling a bit lack-luster lately, and maybe this will help. So please join me! Okay, at least check up on me because I need someone to hold me accountable. I'm going to give myself some minor exceptions. Jam is okay (my jam is almost sugar-free anyway.) Things with small amounts of added sugar like cereal- not the sugary kind-are allowed and honey is okay. I'll let you know how it goes. Anyway, this day has been not so great so far. Talia has diarhhea that has me changing her pull-up about every 1/2 hour. The baby is sick and doesn't want to be put down, and Ammon is as hyper as a hyena on steroids.

Despite the iffy day, we have had some fun in the last week. We had a trunk or treat party and carved some pumpkins for family night. Ammon was not convinced that I was dressed up as a tree for the monkey to hang on (I wore brown pants and a green shirt.) Oh well.

Well it's now November. I didn't get to post yesterday-- the kids took all my time and energy. Russ got home late and took the kids out to trick or treat. Although there were few houses on our street with lights on, those that were home got few trick-or-treaters, so each of them gave them a TON of candy. So, even though it's only day number one at 8:49 am I am already tempted. I will need to hide most of the kids candy somewhere when they are not around. Anyway, the kids had fun. I think I could do without Halloween though, except that I love pumpkins. And the kids are awfully cute in their costumes, uncreative though they are. And candy is always good. Plus you don't have to try to remember the real meaning of the holiday, since though it has roots, it really is just for fun. Okay, so maybe Halloween is not so bad afterall.

Aunties and Apples

It's been a busy week at our house! Thank goodness for my pampered chef peeler corer slicer- it is helping to process the almost 200 lbs. of apples we got from our friends whose parents have orchards in Eastern Oregon. Yummy!

We had a fun weekend playing with Aunt Natalia (Auntie Yiya) who came to visit us. Unfortunately, even though my camera has been working again, I am horrible at remembering to take pictures. Sissy really tried for me though (see pictures.) I did have Ammon catch Sissy in the imitating act the other day though. Her bear was hungry, so she had to "give him a boob."

She also asked me later that day to "put some peanut butter on my boobies." I guess she thought the milk would taste better that way?!

Anyway, we took a fun drive up to Mt. Saint Helens. Beatiful weather and gorgeous views made for a great day. Natalia took lots of pics, so if I can get her to email some to me I will post them later. It's great to have a sister- especially one who thinks it's a great getaway to come visit with her sister with little munchkins to clobber and slobber her. We did get a little time to ourselves at the RS super saturday, and having an adventure on the way to the airport. We got a flat tire-- no problem, we could handle that (although the lugnuts gave us some issues.) But then the spare went flat. Uh-oh, stranded. We were able to get someone to come get the tire and take it to fix it, but only after carrying the tire to Cosco only to find out that they didn't carry the size we needed, as evidenced by the circular grease stains now on my sweatshirt.

For any who are wondering, my parents are fine in San Diego. Just a little bothered by smoke and falling ash.

Bedtime for me-goodnight!

The Tooth Prayer

We have been struggling lately to get Ammon to say his own prayers that aren't rushed and the same thing over and over again. It took him a loooong time to even want to say prayers by himself, so I try not to push him, but to make him understand how important prayers are. So yesterday Ammon discovered that he has a loose tooth! (Somehow I had no problem with my child starting school, but this makes him seem so grown up I can't believe it!) Anyway, he was very thrilled and couldn't wait for it to fall out. In fact, when he was saying his prayers last night he prayed that his tooth would come out in the morning, or in the afternoon, or in the evening. And that was the extent of his prayer. Okay, so he's getting the idea- you pray about what is important at the time. I worried that he would be disappointed when his tooth didn't fall out in one day and wonder why his prayer wasn't answered. Well, he's a five year old. This morning he didn't even remember which tooth it is.

I love fall! Even though it is rainy here, it's beautiful with all the fall colors. I even pressed some leaved in waxed paper and hung them in the windows. I haven't done that since I was a kid.

The I-can-dress-myself marathon

So sometimes it is a wonderful thing when my child learns how to do something for herself, seeing as my time is now divided between 3 kids, a husband, a million house projects, and the usual demands of a stay-at-home mom. Talia loves to dress herself now, but here's how it went this morning: Mommy says "Sissy, please get dressed." at 8:00-Took off jammie top, 8:15 took off jammie bottoms, 8:30 took off pull-up, 8:35 puts on swimsuit, 8:45 takes off swimsuit, 9:00 puts on shirt and pants, 9:10 takes off shirt and pants and puts on swimsuit (inside out), 9:30, takes off swimsuit, 9:40 puts on pull-up, 9:45 puts on different pants, 9:46 takes off pants, 9:50 puts on shirt but takes off pull-up, 9:55 puts pants on without pull-up, 9:56 wants swimsuit on again, but we are supposed to leave the house at 10, so I wrestle her down and get her dressed. Now it's time for the hair....

Anyway, I've been sucked into the world of blogging. I've wanted to start one for some time, but always have an excuse not to. Right now my camera is barely functional-- I can get one picture if I'm lucky, then have to charge it again. My computer is slow, I don't have time, I don't have anything to write, blah blah. But here I am. I have really enjoyed keeping up with some old friends lately by reading their blogs. So if I can figure this all out (yea, I just got my picture up) I will post at least every few days. Forgive me if some of what I post is memories, since there are a lot of things that my kids have done that I wish I had recorded and now only remember if something sparks it.