Pumpkin Time!

We carved pumpkins with some of our ward friends, the Parra's...Ashley, David, Jacob, and Adam (of Adam...hit...Camry.) We had tons of fun. David schooled me down on how to really carve a pumpkin. Than took care of the pumpkin seeds...one of the three things that he cooks. They were yummy!

The whole crew...minus me of course!

Pacen and Jacob have become good friends. It's fun to see him play with other boys his age.
This is how it's really done, kids. We should all take some lessons from the master.
The work of art created by yours truly. Thanks to David for bringing out my talents!
The finished products!

Dan in Real Life

You have got to go see Dan in Real Life. I saw it with Than last night and I LOVED it! It was funny, real (did I say real? Maybe the title has it right!?!?), emotional, funny, great characters, clean--just real good. So, go see it. It's one of those movies that I could watch over and over again. I was laughing so hard in some parts I was crying. Seriously good show. I would hate to pump it up only to have people be disappointed when they watch it, but I don't think that you will.

San Diego

Isn't my mom so stinking cute in her Dressage outfit! She is such an example of working hard and always learning something new. She's 57 and just started dressage a few years ago and works her little butt off! She's an amazing teacher, she works hard with her horses, is a fabulous cook, she plays the guitar, keeps a gorgeous garden--and even chops her own firewood for crying out loud! This lady is amazing!
This is what we woke up to last Monday morning at my sister, Emily's house. We thought, hmm, I wonder if it's smoky outside. It got much worse as the day went on, but we were all safe.
Erin played so hard with the kids. She was very patient in playing the Wii with Pacen and he LOVED it. Once he got his timing down, he did pretty well. :)
Tickle Time!
The roads finally opened up and we could get to Borrego Springs where my mom was evacuted. Pacen and Camry were so happy! They LOVE to play her guitar with her. She can even get Pacen to sing a little...I can NEVER do that!

Disneyland

We took a trip to Disneyland with our friends, the Merrill's. Cache works with Than and Carrie and I have become good friends. It was fun to see Pacen and Camry get so excited about Disneyland again. Going to Disneyland with your kids is awesome. Just to see how their faces light up when they see everything...I love it!
Camry loved to ride the horses on the Merry-Go-Round. She'd say, "Horses fun!"
In deep concentration on the teacups. How can I make these things go any faster?!?!
Rella! Camry and Pacen both love Cinderella. Pacen wouldn't go near her, but it was all I could do to keep Camry away from her. She was so happy when Rella gave her a big hug. "Rella hug Camry!"
What is a trip to Disneyland without a picture with Mickey?!?

Camry loves Minney, too! Who doesn't this kid love?
I loved all the Halloween stuff they had out. There were pumkins everywhere--the kids loved all the Jack-O-Lanterns decorated as the different characters.
Dumbo! This was one of Pacen's favorites, along with the teacups.
I love this picture. Very in the moment.
I'm pretty sure she really thinks that she's a princess. :)

Fire Update

Well, my mom and sister were both evacuated in the end, but are both
now safe and sound in their houses. Mom and Loren were lucky enough to
have a home to stay in while they were evacuated inBorrego Springs.
Erin's coworker had a second home out there so they had a place to stay
with the three dogs, three cats and rabbit. :) Our family was very
blessed during this whole experience. The kids were going a little stir
crazy towards the end, but they have the best aunts and uncles ever!
Emily's husband, Marc, went and bought the kids some toys so that they
wouldn't go crazy. It was awesome. Pacen was entertained for hours by Chick and Lightening McQueen racing around on a track. Way to go Uncle Marc! So, we survived the week of sitting and playing the Wii...which I must add, is pretty dang fun. I'm not any good, but I did get better. Who wouldn't get even a little better after 3 days of non-stop Wii playing?!?!?

Thanks, Katie

The rules:
A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leave them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Well, we're just sitting here watching fire news, so why not.

1. TV shows I love: The Office, LOST ( I can't wait until February!), 24-even though last season was kind of disappointing I have full faith in Jack Bauer!, and American Idol. I know I'm lame but I can't not watch AI. Than thinks it's a waste of time, and it is, but I can't get enough!

2. I HATE doing the laundry. I don't really hate putting the laundry in, but I just despise folding it and putting it away. EVeryone always says, Oh, just fold it while you watch TV, but you can't really do that because you have to put it away and then you miss parts of the show! :) I've learned that I can't let it pile up, because then I hate it more, so I have to fold it immediately after it comes out of the dryer while it's still hot, then I can handle it!

3. I am an AWESOME soccer player. Well, I'm not awesome. But I started playing soccer with Jana and her family in an all women's soccer league in Spanish Fork, and I really love it. I never thought that I would ever play soccer and that I could actually like it, but it's tons of fun and it's a good excuse for me to run! And the best part is that I'm actually decent! I've scored a total of 6 goals. What a feeling it was to score my first goal! You would have thought that I won the World Cup or something--I was running around screaming like a crazy girl. My Aunt started playing soccer in her 40's, I think, and said that scoring her first goal was better than child birth---I wouldn't go that far, but it is definitely up there as awesome moments of sports life. So, thank you Jana and LaNell for making me play and get out of my comfort zone.

4. I really do enjoy being a mom. I love staying home with my kids and watching them learn and grow. I'm not a fan of cleaning, obviously if you came to my house, but I love making dinner and being able to visit with friends and learn new skills. Being a mom is very fulfilling for me and I really don't feel like I'm missing anything by not working. There are so many things to do--I love that. Jana and I talk about how blessed we are to not have that desire to work so that we can just enjoy staying at home. I really loved my year of teaching that I did, but I guess I get to use what I learned at home and at church, so maybe that makes it easier. It really just works for me.

5. I'm trying really hard to be a reader. If you count reading Harry Potter and the Twilight books, then I'm a reader! :) I'm in a book club in my ward so that has got me reading a bit more. I enjoy reading but I need to be a "responsible reader" as Annette Robertson puts it. I've found that I become a neglectful mom when I have a book that I like, so I need to find my own little "reading time" and stick to that! So, if you have any good suggestions...I'm all for it!

6. I hate shoe shopping. I know that is very un-girl like, but I have the most disgustingly shaped feet that makes shoes just not fit. And then the shoes that do fit aren't that cute...especially not in my size, so it just makes it a not enjoyable experience. I'm sure that if money were no object it would be more fun, so until then I'll just keep spending money on my house! :)

I really don't think that I know that many people that blog! Here you go, Heidi, Ashley, Shauna, Carrie, Rob & Raeanne, and Michelle! Sorry!

Fire!

You know what is great? Taking time to come down and visit your family in San Diego during the time of 8 separate wildfires that have over 250,000 people evactuated and most major Highways closed! We came down Saturday night after spending two days with some friends in Disneyland. Sunday, my mom had a Dressage Horse Competition. We watched that and then headed up to her house. My sister, Erin, told us the smoke we were seeing was coming from the "Harris Fire" but the wind was bringing it toward us. So, we're driving up to my mom's house. The drive up there is through the town of Ramona, and up a hilly/mountainy drive--about 20 miles. We're heading up and the smoke was just thick and black and scary. We finally pull over and were thinking that it didn't seem safe for us to keep driving with our kids. My sister kept driving and around two or three more curves there were flames everywhere! A bunch of fire trucks and police had blocked the road and were turning people around. But that was the Witch Creek fire that is now over 22,000 acres! All the roads up to my mom's house are closed, so I haven't been able to see her except for at her horse show. Pacen keeps begging me to take him to Grandma's house--he really wants to feed the horses with the red bucket. :( Erin & Chris, Emily & Marc and their dogs, and Pacen, Camry & Me are all hanging out at Erin's house. Than had to catch a flight to North Carolina for work so he gets to visit Dave and Lenore--Fun! The one bonus is that all of their work and school is canceled so I get to spend a lot of time with them. I'm hoping that roads will be open tomorrow and I can visit with mom and Loren sometime soon. It's so depressing looking at all of these home being burned and all of these people having nowhere to go. There was a reporter that was watching his own home burn to the ground. Very emotional. The winds are shifting today, so today will be another interesting day. But my family is all safe and so I feel blessed.

Pacen--3 years

Pacen is three and is really one of the sweetest three year olds you'll ever meet. He's not perfect but he has just a real calm, caring spirit about him. He's becoming more and more little boy everyday playing with friends and getting dirty and thinking that farting is hilarious (thanks for that, Than!). But he always makes sure Camry is alright and that baby Packer has some hugs and kisses. We feel so blessed that he was our first child and is going to be an example to all the rest of our kids.
And he LOVES BYU! He loves to play "X-Box cougars" with dad, and plays BYU football all the time by running around scoring touchdowns and singing the fight song. He can spot a cougar or a BYU a mile away. We love it! We've brainwashed him well. This was at the BYU Homecoming parade. Yes, he's holding Cinderella. This is a source of contention between Pacen and Camry. Cinderella is often in 'time out' because they fight over her all the time.
He loves to wear his tie just like dad. He loves mom enough but there is something special about he and Than. They definitely have a connection. Pacen finally enjoys going to nursery. Thank goodness for great nursery leaders. I thought I'd have to spend the rest of my life accompanying him to class. He loves his buddies Nathan and Jacob. In all of his prayers he can't leave out them, or "President Linky." We sure do love this kid.

18 Month Camry

I just love Camry! She's 18 months old and has TONS of personality. She's definately has more spunk than Pacen did at this age...probably more than he'll ever have. :) That is just being a girl for ya.

Camry loved her new black church shoes. She ran around the kitchen listening to the sounds they made all morning before church. And she gave me the best birthday present ever....she went to nursery for the first time all on her own without crying! Way to go, Miss Independent!

Camry is obsessed with many things. One thing she loves right now is gum. And it's so funny because she'll chew it for hours without swallowing it. I'm probably ruining her teeth, but it makes her so happy!

I'm a really lame mom and made a list of all the words she uses at 18 months and it was around 180, and she repeat anything you want her to. Pacen at 18 months could grunt a few words out like ball and mom! I love being able to communicate with her at such a young age. I don't like it when she screams, "Stop it, Pacen!" or, "Don't say that, Dad!" But she says, "I love you." all the time and can really be sweet despite all of her fiesty-ness. I love having this girl around.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Happy Birthday to me! 27 sounds a lot older than 26. I know it's just going to get worse from here. :) Pacen was obviously very excited about me opening my presents.
My favorite gift was my Dwight card!
Kathy was so great to make me a wonderful chocolate cake. Luckily, I only could find nine candles to put on the cake instead of starting the house on fire with all 27.
Make a wish....
After I blew out the candles, we had a few extra rounds so that Cam and Pacen could practice.

Than took me to Gardner Village to go birthday shopping.
That is the cutest place ever!
I loved all the pumpkins and witches and Halloween stuff. I also loved an entertainment center there, and I've been trying to justify spending that much money on something that our TV sits on...I do have some good reasons that we should buy it. Now, if I can only convince Than......

Visitors

For Conference, Sam & his new girlfriend, Abby, Kaylee & baby Olive came to visit us. They were so nice to come visit. My kids love baby Olive and couldn't keep their hands off of her.
Isn't Olive just so cute? While Sam and Abby looked at Temple Square and saw the Joseph Smith move, Kaylee, the kids, and I went to Hogle Zoo. It was pretty cold, but they loved it. Pacen made us aware everytime something didn't smell good. "That stinks, mom! Those monkeys stink!"
The Zebra's put on a show for us. The kids were entertained while we were eating some lunch.
Kaylee is the best Aunt! All of you other ones--Erin, Emily, Shauna, Becca, & Candy are great, too--but Kaylee made her ringtone Donald Duck. The kids were entertained for hours!
And Olive had a milestone at our house! She pulled herself up to standing! What an amazing baby! Thanks for coming to visit!