Good Morning Sunshine!!!

Gotta LOVE the morning hair on the kids! Especially my little princess! What a beauty huh?!

I promise you I did NOT tamper with her hair in ANY way! She REALLY did way up this way! (she had pigtails the night before)

This one is less drastic but still gorgeous isn't she?!

Leelou is having a re-launch party! They are having a give-away for every day this week until Thursday! They've got some great stuff! Good Luck everyone!

Another Ethan Moment! (Journal Entry)

Setting: Eating snack in the kitchen, late afternoon.

Ethan: Mommy, I don't like Daddy-Anta-non.

Mommy: Huh?! Who's Daddy-Anta-non?

Ethan: He's in nursery, I don't like him he's mean to me!


(Now I'm concerned)

Mommy: Well who is he? What did he do to you?

Ethan: Mommy, he's in nursery!

Mommy: OK, what did he do to you?

Ethan: (getting frustrated) NUF-FING!!! (ie. nothing)

Mommy: Ethan, you don't talk to mommy that way. Now, who is this Daddy-Anta-non?

Ethan: (sigh) I don't know!

( So I give up, and go on with planning dinner, and cleaning up snack)

About 10 min later.....

Mommy: (Thinking), that name sounds like Gadianton, maybe that's what he's talking about.

Ethan! Are you talking about Gadianton?

Ethan: Yeah Mommy, I don't like him, he's mean to me, he throws balls at me! I don't like any of them! ( I think he means the robbers)

Mommy: (Now I start testing him to see how much he knows). OK, how about Nephi, Ethan, is he a nice guy?

Ethan: Yeah, he's nice.

Mommy: What about King Noah? Is he nice?

Ethan: No Mommy! He's MEAN!

Mommy: Who else is a nice guy?

Ethan: All of the missionaries, they are nice guys!


So, my little Ethan is actually hearing some of what is being taught. We do read scrips with him each night, and that might help, although we really don't go too in depth. But, here's a shout out to Bro and Sis Hansen!!!



Yesterday we had our primary program for sacrament meeting! It was very well done, and as usual the kids were great! Ethan was paying a little more attention than usual because of the little kids voices, and the singing. He was playing with one of his file folder games, when one of the children said something about the Holy Ghost. Ethan's head pops up and he says (loud enough for 3 rows up AND behind us to hear) "OH, the Holy Ghost is our FRIEND!"



In August we had an Enrichment that we focused on making a variety of things to keep kids occupied and quiet during sacrament meeting. I made a bunch of different file folder games for Ethan. His favorite is one about the word of wisdom. You separate food items either onto a plate for yummy food, and into the garbage go the alcohol, coffee, and drugs. Ethan will often tell me, out of the blue "We don't eat garbage food!". Yesterday, as he was playing this game, he held up the picture of the pills (ie. drugs) and said "Mommy, these are Yucky M&M's". I think I may need to clarify some things for him. I don't want him testing colorful pills to see if they are "Yucky M&M's".

4 Seasons

This morning we went out to play and since it's FALL leaves were everywhere. So, as the kids were playing on the swingset and in the sandbox, I started raking! Ethan jumped in to help (with a pronged hoe) every once in a while. It wasn't long before we had a huge leaf pile. This kids had a blast playing in it. This is something that even if I had had the opportunity as a child I would have refrained. I'm a little OCD when it comes to getting dirty, or the thought of having leaves clinging to my clothing or hair . I actually have to try really hard not to drag my kids out of the leaf pile hyperventilating, watching them play actually was making me feel some anxiety. They were having so much fun though and I got over my issues and took some pics. I think I may have confessed a little too much right now about my wierd-ness. Oh, well!

This big pile was made by raking what is not even 1/4 of the BACK yard! There are still leaves everywhere!

I've lived in AZ nearly all my life and never had the privelege of enjoying what 4 seasons are really like! My FAVORITE is still summer but FALL comes in a close second!

Aren't We Lucky?!!!

Yesterday we decided to take advatage of some of the beautiful hiking trails we have here in Bella Vista. Our favorite one is one that leads to some waterfalls. Avery, of course, LOVED seeing all the doggies along the way. And, Ethan has a facination with waterfalls. It was a beautiful fall day, and since the water was a bit low we were able to climb right up to the top of the falls and almost get in. At one point I picked up Ethan and pretended to toss him into the falls, and Avery gave a little scream and pinched the back of Nana's arm ( she was scared for him). I think this is where we will take our family pics for Christmas cards this year.

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Marie-Therese Gown GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Celebration City

Craft Fair Fun!!!

On Friday, my good friend Jill and I packed up the kids and headed out to the "world famous" craft fair. We decided on one that was quite the drive, but it was supposed to have pony rides, hot air balloon rides, and some other fun stuff for the kiddos. Unfortunately we were tricked! It took us 2 hours to get there (and like 3 hours to get back due to traffic). However, the kids were great, thanks to Laurie Berkner, and McDonald's. Can you imagine 5 hours of Laurie Berkner?!

HOWEVER...

It was a beautiful day, and we were able to enjoy some wonderful pig races! Where Sam and Ruby's pig won!!! We also got to enjoy yummy roasted corn on the cob, and funnel cake! Each kid got to pick out one thing to take home. Ethan chose a "bobble head" dragon made by a native american lady (too bad he changed his mind half-way home, and decided he wanted the snake instead). Thanks Jill, for convincing him that his dragon WAS cool!!! Avery got a magnetic bracelet, she only keeps it on for a few minutes at a time, but she LOVES twisting her wrist around to look at it! She's such a GIRL!

Avery freaking out when the pigs came out!

Sam, Ethan, and Ruby

The pigs!

It was a long day for us, but REALLY fun! I always have fun with my friend Jill, and even though the crafts were a little disappointing because of the lack of vendors there, it was fun to get out with our friends, and I got to experience my first craft fair, and it was a BEAUTIFUL drive.

I don't want it to get too cold for this!!!

They can be sooooo needy, and drive me sooooo crazy when we are cooped up inside the house. I REALLY don't want it to get too cold to be able to let them play outside. It's been such beautiful weather, and they play so nice together outside. I don't know what it is, but Ethan turns into the PERFECT big brother when we are outdoors :) Avery doesn't feel the need to be held, and she HAS to wear her sunglasses! I hope our FALL weather lasts a little while longer!!!!

Theme of the Week

I have been using http://www.letteroftheweek.com/ to do some preschool activities with Ethan. This week our theme is Rainbows. I had a lot of fun doing research this weekend finding some fun activities to support the theme. Monday I introduced the theme by having Ethan help me make "rainbow" sugar cookies. I love how he gets so excited about stuff like this. He was totally into it, and made most of the rainbow shapes all by himself.

When it was time to put him to bed last night he was really fighting me (more than normal), so I told him that I would make him rainbow pancakes in the morning. It always helps him if he has something to look forward to. Here's what they turned out like!

Another TAG!

I know...my Heavenly Father loves me

I want...to win monopoly at McDonalds

I have...a waffle in the toaster waiting for me

I wish...I had already won monopoly at McDonalds :)

I hate...pie

I miss...family in CA, CO, Utah, Idaho, and AZ

I fear...dying first, dying last

I Feel...relaxed

I hear...the lawn mower, and football on TV

I smell...Carress soap

I crave...chocolate all the time

I search...the Internet for new books

I wonder...what Ethan's going to want to be for Halloween

I regret...nothing!

I love...My wonderful hubby, and two beautiful chillin's

I care...about what others think of me

I always...make my bed

I am going...to see a movie tonight (it's been a while)

I believe...I can do anything if I try

I dance...ONLY in front of my kids

I sing...in the shower to entertain Avery

I fight...if I feel I have to defend myself or my kids

I write...lists for everything

I lose... any game I play against Jesse

I win...when Jesse and I play as a team

I never...get sick of chocolate

I listen...to what my kids have to say and try to respect them.

I am scared...of losing anyone in my little fam

I need to clean...nothing, I just finished

I hope...I can learn to be more patient

I tag...everyone who reads this, and that means you!

4th Picture Tag

Go to your picture file, find the 4th folder and post the 4 picture in it. Explain a little about the picture. Everyone's tagged!

This is an ariel view of Washington D.C. Jesse took a business trip there a few months ago. He gets to go a lot of places, too bad we can't go with him.

P.S. NO CHEATING

FHE Pumpkin Carving

Last Monday we carved our Halloween pumpkin. Ethan is always excited about stuff like this. I hope he always is! I love the face he makes when he first makes contact with the "goop". He chose the spider design for daddy to do, he loves spiders, even though he is scared of them. Avery wouldn't stick her hand in the pumpkin, but she took the goop willingly out of my hand, and then asked for more, by opening and closing her fingers and motioning (yes, I know I am great at reading her own version of sign language). The picture of the actual finished masterpiece is from a week later, so it is a bit shriveled from being outside. I think we may have jumped the gun a little. Maybe we'll do another one next week!

Win a Free Handbag

www.handbagplanet.com is have a free handbag contest. It's totally free, meaning you don't even pay for shipping. They are giving away one free bag every hour for 24 hours until the launch of their new website in 4 days. GOOD LUCK!!!

Right Choices Pumpkin Farm

Yesterday for playgroup we drove about 45 min away, to Anderson, MO to go to Right Choices Pumpkin Farm. We (Ethan and Avery) got to ride the "cow" train (so cute), and we all took a hay ride. Then we had fun going down the long hill slide, playing the duck race game, seeing the farm animals, and playing in the corn box. I should have taken more pics, but I wanted to come back anyway with Jesse, so I figured I would save some picture taking for then. It was really fun, and not to mention cheap. Yeah for Fall, and cooler weather. I am so excited that in the past year I have been able to experience what 4 seasons are really like. What a difference from just the 2 seasons in AZ :) We had so much fun at the pumpkin patch, Ethan has been talking about going back from the moment we left. He even woke up this morning wondering where Jesse was because he had assumed that we would go back to the pumpkin place when "daddy got home". Poor guy! I guess we will have to take him back another time.

***See slideshow below***

Right Choices Pumpkin Farm

Guess What?!

Ethan: Guess what Mommy? I have a pee pee bat!

Mommy: What? (looking around to figure out what he means)

Refer to picture...

Make your own conclusion...

Accountability Board

For Ethan's birthday Nana Conn sent him an accountability board (like a chore chart). First Ethan had to paint it and decorate it. He had a blast, he loves doing "art". And he is excited about doing his "chores", and earning some of his own money ($.25/week). He's only 3 but I figure he can start learning about money, and saving for things that he wants to buy, because he wants/needs EVERYTHING no matter where we are, or what it is (as long as it's colorful). Thanks Nana Conn!!!

NEWS!

I just started teaching violin lessons at a local music studio. I am very excited about it. I had one student in AZ, and I loved it. I am so glad to be back at it. So far, I have one student, he's a college student, and I am excited because he's there for himself and not being forced by a parent. I also like that the studio takes care of getting me students. Hopefully I will have a full load soon. I am happy that I am able to do something in the evenings to contribute to our income and still stay home with the kiddos during the day! Just thought I would share my happy news!