The Stash O' Candy

For the Halloween season this year, my Aunt Jan got a bunch of goodies for the kids, including this for Hayley:

and this for Jackson:

She came and dropped them off during our crazy day last Saturday. We were bummed that we missed her, and wanted to tell her thanks in person, so we made some cookies and Hayley made a card, and we went to Aunt Jan's to visit. While there, she mentioned the Trick or Treating event that they have at her work. Knowing that the weather wasn't supposed to be optimal this weekend, I kind of invited myself and my kids to come and trick or treat at her work. Rude to invite myself? Maybe. But worth it? Heck yes!

Friday after I was done with an early out day at work, we headed uptown. Hayley was amazed by all the pirate loot as she got off the elevator. Little did she know there was more (a lot more!) where that came from!



We moved on to the Decorate Your Own Treat Bag station. Hayley could have probably stayed there for an hour with all the bags, paper, glue, markers, and stickers.

Then it was time for some heavy duty trick or treating. Four floors of offices. Indoors. With no cars, no darkness, and no rain. It was wonderful, enjoyable, and we left with so much yummy candy! Thanks to Aunt Jan for letting us come.



Oh, and Jackson had what I think was his first real taste of candy. He would not let go of the dum-dum in the picture above. I'm pretty sure this is how he felt about it:

See that reach? Like, "What else ya got, Mom?"
Trouble, I tell you.
But dang cute trouble.
Both of 'em.

Preschool Program for a Princess

When I pulled out Hayley's old Zebra costume for Jackson to wear this year, Hayley decided she wanted to match him. (Sweet, huh?) Enter the Zebra Princess costume...

(I think it's the dress that constitutes the "Princess" status.)

complete with a tail!
(She was all, "Now will you take a picture with my butt Mom? You know, to show my tail!)

I was so glad I took the morning off of work to go to Hayley's Preschool Program and Parade. The kids were darling, and Hayley was so excited, with a big grin all through the parade.

Then on to the program. Here are some highlights.

I'm a Mean Old Witch:

Pumpkin, Pumpkin:

and Row, Row, Row Your Boat, with a twist.

It's so much fun to watch her turn into her own little person, with her spunky, yet shy, and sassy yet sweet personality. For all the times when she's a total turd, there's so many more when she's my favorite little girl in the whole world!

The Witches and the Wedding

When the Breakfast with the Witches at Gardner Village sold out before we could get tickets, we decided to go to the Witches Breakfast at the Fitness Center. Hayley wanted to wear her witch costume. I was surprised it still fit her, since she wore it for Halloween two years ago. Similar to our experience with the Pumpkin Princess at Cornbelly's, Hayley jumped right in, while Jackson was a little hesitant.


That was, until Stitches the Witch let him hold her broom, and Harry Potter let him hold the wand.


A fun family Saturday morning, complete with face painting.


At least until we had to wash it off an hour later to go to my step-brother Russell's baptism, then to pictures at the temple (in the pouring rain!) for Jeremy's brother Bryson and his new wife Destiny, and finally to their reception in the evening. A fun day, complete with two tuckered out kids, and two tired parents!

Congrats to Bryson and Destiny! So happy to have you two in our family!

Cornbelly's

Last year we didn't make it out to Thanksgiving Point to do Cornbelly's, because, well, what can I say? The two-month-old may have cramped my style a little. We did go two years ago though, and it was super fun. We went in the middle of the day last time, and I remembered it was super hot. So this year we decided to go in the evening. We got to Thanksgiving Point and ate at the Deli in the Water Tower Plaza, which I highly recommend. Best chicken sandwich I've had in a while, and trust me I know my chicken sandwiches!

We walked over to Cornbelly's just in time for Pumpkin Princess Storytelling, and then she posed in her carriage for pictures.

Hayley loved it.


Jackson did not.


In fact, I'm pretty sure he was holding a grudge for the rest of the evening, because the rest of the pictures of him look like the ones below. Please meet Mr. Actually-No-Mom-I-Will-Not-Look-At-The-Camera-But-Thanks-Anyway.

Hayley, on the other hand, was having a great time, and had no shortage of smiles.

They had so many fun things for kids to do: a bounce house, playhouses, the giant rocking chair, the giant bouncy pillow, two trains, and a sandbox full of corn! (Hayley was still finding corn in all sorts of places after we got home... It was pretty funny!)

I think we'll keep up this Autumn tradition.


Because I still need some pictures with Jackson actually looking at the camera while he smiles. And I'm gonna need one of those chicken sandwiches at least once a year. Yes, it was that good.

Family Vacay

It took a while, but my mom finally found a time to get the whole family up to the cabin.

Because really, what's better than brothers and sisters playing in the rocks,
(It was great for Jackson because he was too weirded out to crawl or walk on the rocks, so he would just stay in one place and play.)

uncles, aunts, cousins, and a campfire,

and some moose, some deer, and a trip to Mirror Lake?

Can't wait to go back in the Spring...
Or on a new snowmobile...
Whichever comes first!

Mad Skillz

Note to Self: Don't leave the camera where the four-year-old can get it.

She did alright with aiming once she turned the camera around the right way.

Nifty Fifty

Haven't gotten tagged in a long time, and I think they are kind of fun, so...

1. What time did you get up this morning? Ugh. Which time? 2:00? 5:00? 7:00?

2. How do you like your steak? Medium-Well

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Toy Story 3 in 3-D. Loved it!

4. What is your favorite TV show? Grey's Anatomy

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Here. All my family is here. If I could take them with me, then maybe Hawaii.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Scones and homemade apricot jam.

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Hmmm, overall I think Mexican.

8. What foods do you dislike? Fish. And super spicy things.

9. Favorite Places to eat? Chili's, Olive Garden, Sizzler.

10. Favorite dressing? Ranch, although I'm coming around to Italian.

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? A Honda CRV.

12. What are your favorite clothes? Jeans, hoodies, sneakers. So glad it's hoodie season finally!

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Florida, New York, France, Italy. And Disneyland EVERY chance I get!

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Usually half full but I do have my empty days.

15. Where would you want to retire? I don't really know/care... That seems so far away!

16. Favorite time of day? From about 8:00 to 11:00 pm. 8:00 I get to lay down with Hayley and cuddle, 8:30 I get some "Me Time," 10:00 Jeremy gets home, and about 11:00 Jackson gets his "Sleepy Time" bottle and cuddle time with Mom.

17. Where were you born? Salt Lake City, Utah.

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Women's gymnastics.

22. Bird watcher? What?? Uh...no. Weird.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night Owl. For sure.

24. Do you have any pets? No. Kids are enough.

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? Um, geez, loaded question! My school may be going traditional next year... Oh, wait! Jeremy is going to start working day shift in February! That's exciting!

26. What did you want to be when you were little? I really didn't know. The choices overwhelmed me. In high school I wanted to be a Speech Pathologist. I love teaching, but I still think about going back to school sometimes for it. Maybe someday.

33. Favorite pizza toppings? Anything but anchovies. I'm not picky and I love pizza!

34. Favorite flower? Tulips. It's the Dutch Girl in me. Daisies are good too.

35. Favorite ice cream? Raspberry Cheesequake Blizzard from Dairy Queen. Or Mint Chocolate Chip.

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-Fil-A. Yum!

43. What was your favorite vacation? Disneyland.

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? Dinner: Jeremy and Jackson. Lunch: Melanie F.

45. What are you listening to right now? Jackson's babble as he plays, and an old re-run of Grey's Anatomy that's on in the background. I miss George and Burke. Izzy not so much, but I do miss her long hair.

46. What is your favorite color? Yellow. But to wear, black. I'm a firm believer that a girl can never have too many black shirts.

47. How many tattoos do you have? None.

48. How many piercings? Eight. I know, you never would have thought, right? Five in my left ear, and three in my right. It was the Wild Child in me. I only wear earrings in the first set of holes these days though.

49. Favorite Childhood Toy? There's so many. Cabbage Patch, Pound Puppies, My Little Ponies.

50. Coffee drinker? Yes, occasionally.

Keepin' It Real

I've been off track for the last week and a half. It's been so nice to be able to sleep in, clean and organize around the house, read a few books, go to the gym pretty much every day, lunch with friends, and spend more time with Jeremy and these little munchkins...



But there's also been some of this:



Jeremy thinks that it's having both parents home all day for so many days in a row that is throwing her off, and she just wants attention from both of us, even if it's negative attention, but seriously?! Some of her bestest naughtiness yet has happened in the past week and a half. I've lost track of the number of time outs. It makes it rough on me, partly because she's inherited this little quirk from Jeremy that when she is in trouble, she laughs. So I don't know if she is listening to me or taking me seriously until the tears start.



And then I feel bad, because I realize that I've raised my voice at her. Usually over something stupid like that she's cut a necklace apart with scissors, or that she's spilled a package of M&M's, or that she's bugging Jackson in the car. Except that it's not just that. Because it's like the fifth necklace that she's cut apart, and every time we have the conversation that scissors only cut paper. And because I've just told her as I hand her the candy to please be very careful not to spill. And because it's like the millionth time that she's bugging Jackson in the car.

Please, please tell me this is normal. Please tell me that all moms yell sometimes. Please tell me that sometimes you are frustrated with your kids. Remind that she is four and that this phase will pass.

And help me realize that when it does pass, that surprisingly I will miss it.

At least she listened to the part when I said that scissors don't cut hair ever again, right?

September Faves

Favorite Food(s): Bananas and Strawberries
Favorite Treat: Gummies
Favorite Friend: Sydney
Favorite Book: If You Give a Moose a Muffin
Favorite Movie/Show: Spongebob Squarepants
Favorite Song: My Hands are Starting to Wiggle
Favorite Thing to Do Inside: Dance to music with Jackson
Favorite Thing to Do Outside: Play tag with friends
Favorite Thing About Jackson: When he gives kisses
Least Favorite Thing to Do: Have her hair washed
Funny Things She Says: "Today at preschool, we painted. But they didn't have paintbrushes, they just had sponges on sticks."
"Bee-pods" (beehives)



Favorite Food: Mandarin Oranges
Favorite Treat: Frozen Yogurt
Favorite Friend: Grandma Heidi
Favorite Book: Baby Signs
Favorite Movie/Show: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Favorite Things to do Inside: Walk!!!
Favorite Things to Do Outside: Go for walks. (Walking, not in the stroller.)

Favorite Thing about Hayley: When she comes in his room after nap,
because that means Mom is fixing the bottle.
Least Favorite Thing to Do: Still, with the teething.
And being told no. He'll put his head down on the ground and just cry.
Things He Says: Mostly "Mama" but also buh buh (bottle), night night, grandma, love you.
And he'll lift his hands for up, and point at things he wants.