Typical Day

These images capture a typical day with Maddie and Topher around.

1. Grandma threw out some cookies, Maddie rescued them from the garbage.
2. After being denied the cookies, Maddie, with tears in her eyes, pouts on the couch while the floor recovers from the brutal beating it just took.
3. Topher begs for something that he should not have (this time it was the change bucket).
4. We enjoy a not so calm dinner. Topher running around the table to the window after he sees a cat outside to bark at it. Maddie of course joins in on the barking.
5. In the path from tray to mouth food manages to find its way into Maddie's hair, ears, and many other places...
6. Maddie shows off her knowledge by pointing to her body parts (eyes, ears, nose, toes). The nose is great because she gets to make a noise with it, Beep! Beep!
7. Maddie gets stripped to prepare for bath, but during that process she ensures that everyone who comes within five feet will also need a bath/shower.
8. The bath fails to calm my kids down, but rather wakes them to a new level of hyperactivity not seen that day. (Maddie has a big mouth!)
9. My kids plot together on how they can make the next day as interesting for their mother.

And I thought teaching a bunch of sub-human 13 year olds was tough.

(Part 1) Pumpkin Patch

So I know I won't have enough time to update this blog completely. Little kids and key boards do not mix so well. So, I'll have at least a three part post of preparing for Halloween and celebrating Halloween. And, for full disclosure, it may take at least a week if the kids wake up anytime soon before it is all up!

Fall is such a nice time of year. After three months of unbearable heat (well...only if you live in Savannah is it truely unbearable) it is nice to feel the weather cool off. As well, it seems, like spring, to be such a fragile season. All the leaves turn vibrant colors but you know that their beauty will only last a few short weeks. It makes you enjoy it all that much more knowing how short it is.

Annie and her family came down from Utah for a visit during their fall break. It was nice to see them again. The kids enjoy spending time with their cousisns. (Hint my family - Topher and Maddie have no cousisns...don't you think that is sad :)

We went to Sutherland Farms to enjoy the warm fall afternoon and enjoy a few activites. The kids went through the corn maze - Maddie kept trying to wander down the rows of corn rather than say on the path. All the grandkids (including those who are almost ready to drive and date) enjoyed the corn slides. Maddie enjoyed looking at the animals (goats, chickens, rabbits...) though the smell did get to her mom. The boys went on a tractor barrel ride (I am not sure they enjoyed it as much jerking around as there was.) And, we picked out a pumpkin to carve for Halloween. Topher had a hard time deciding between the classic orange pumpkin or the white "ghost" pumpkins. Maddie just enjoyed sitting on them.

Work and Fun

This weekend was quite warm so we worked in the yard. I pulled weeds; growing up back in Atlanta, I don't remember having to do that so it was quite novel. However, after having to use the hoe to get up some of the weeds, thus brusing my palms I would say it is a chore I am glad I missed out on.

While the adults worked the kids "helped." Maddie felt the need to strut around with her little attitude. Topher "helped" by jumping off the tree.

Maddie was spinning in circles.

My cute kids!

Topher helped grandpa get rid of weeds.

On Saturday, we drove up to Durango to look at the leaves. We walked around downtown and enjoyed some chocolate from Rocky Mountain Chocolate. Yum!

We also went to the Durango-Silverton train museum. Topher really enjoyed this. The trip cost upwards of $40 per person, totally over priced. But, if you were going to go, this time of year would be the time to do it. It was absolutely beautiful up there.

Of course, after a long day of playing nothing is nicer than enjoying a good book with your dad.

I know I am bias, but I really do think I have two of the cutest kids around.

These videos are not where I would like them to be within the blog, but I am far too lazy to figure out how to get it in the right place knowing that I'll mess everything else up and have to start over. So - these are from Friday when we were "working" out in the yard.

Fall Comforts

The fall weather makes me want to cook all sorts of yummy food. I've made cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, pumpkin bread, and pound cake. And while we all enjoy the food I am not sure our waist line will appreciate it. Either way, the kids are loving the benefits of my now obsession. They get to snitch from the beaters each time I do.

In honor of the season Grandma got out her Cricut (sp?) and Topher and her made Halloween decorations. Topher enjoyed watching the die-cutter make spiders and pumpkins! I too enjoyed it and want one now too! Maddie didn't really help, instead she posed for the camera, I love how her little ankles are crossed!

Topher and I hung up his and Grandma's decorations outside on the window. I tried to get Topher to show of his creations but instead I got weird faces.

...finially a semi-normal looking pose. If I ever do scrapbooking (which I do think I could enjoy) there will be a whole year (at least) of Topher making faces or with his back turned to the camera.

So I have Maddie's Halloween costume ready to go - she is going to be a butterfly as per Topher's request. He figures last year she was a lady bug we might as well keep the insect theme going. As for Topher...we hear a change every day. Personally, I think Halloween was invented to torture parents. First we have to spend money and time and energy and money on these silly costumes so the kids can get candy they don't need and worse of all eat right away (which is usually after bed time). I can't wait until the country finally gets some common sense and ends the trick-or-treat practice once and for all (and the costume thing)!

As for non-kid related things in my life; not there is often any of that, but we have found some jobs to apply to lately which is nice and he has four interviews within the next week. It would be nicer to report that he has a job, but at least this gives us hope that maybe one day he will!

Also, I recieved a new calling in our New Mexico ward. Relief Society Secretary. While I am not too stressed out about this calling (organizing and taking notes and the such come natural to me) it feels like the first "adult" calling I've had. I've liked my past callings (nursey leader and 15 year old sunday school teacher and the such) I hope this one is enjoyable in its own way.

And lastly, while I suppose this is kid related (though I am attached to this kid) I can no longer see my toes when I stand up and look down. This means I will not sleep well until the baby comes. Most people told me to enjoy it while the baby was inside me because once the baby is born you don't sleep; well, I don't sleep for the last trimester of pregnancy and I prefer a few hours inbetween feedings than a whole night of discomfort. So, I am finally counting down - 13 weeks until I am due! And praying that it is only 11 (I want the tax ride off this year so I am keeping my fingers crossed for December 30/31!)