Pumpkin Carving

I love the holidays and all of the fun things you get to do as a family to build traditions and create memories. When Talie and Dallin were really little and we first started carving pumpkins, the pumpkin guts grossed them out and they wouldn't even put their hands inside - one of my biggest disappointments as a mom=). But now they've outgrown that, and even drew and carved their own faces.






The kids had friends over and made witch's hats, li'l jack-o-lanterns, and witche's fingers.

Benson's BDay.

The kid's were out of school on their fall break on Benson's Birthday, so we all loaded in the car and drove up to Evergreen to meet Dad for lunch. We went to Beau Jo's pizza where the kids filled up on pizza and fed the ducks (that live in the creek behind the restaurant) 1/2 their food- I'm not sure who ate more, the kiss or the ducks=). Then we lit a small bonfire on the scotcheroos (his Bday cake). He blew out the candles after a few huffs and puffs and is officially 34 - that sounds old, boy am I glad that he robbed the cradle!

History . . . by Dallin

So tonight, Dallin and I were reading Tuck Everlasting - one of my all time favorites - and he started using a half southern/half hillbilly accent when he was speaking for the characters. I asked him why he was talking like that, and he said, "That's how they talked then. In the olden days, that's how they all talked back then."

The other night, he was asking me questions about when I was younger, and asked me if there was color back then. Completely confused, I asked him what he was talking about. He said, "You know, like in the old movies that are black and white, because there was no color back then. Everything in the whole world was just black and white." Even as I tried to explain that it was just black and white in the movies, but the world was full of color, he didn't believe me because it was on TV and, well, we all know if it's on TV, it's gotta be true.

Funny Girls

Ok., a couple weeks ago I posted a blog about Kennedi crawling. Which she is continuing to do, but I guess I need to clarify when I use the word crawl. She can get anywhere she wants, but she has her own way of doing it. She takes both her front arms and sort of hops forward with them landing at the same time, like a bunny rabbit, and then crawls with her left leg and drags her right leg (still in sitting position) forward, and then starts the whole process over again. She's kind of half rabbit, half turtle - so I guess she ends up at with an average speed between her front and back ends. Here is a video - not the best, but it's a pretty cute crawl.



One of the things I enjoy most as a Mom is watching my children enjoy each other (maybe because it's so rare=) The other day, Talie took a handful of chocolate chips and placed one on the kitchen floor in front of Kennedi, who instantly put it in her mouth - of course. Then
Talie scooted back and placed another chocolate chip on the floor - which, again, was quickly gobbled up. Talie continued to go around the whole house, with Kennedi closely behind. The end result was a very happy Kennedi. And, who says chocolate doesn't make a girl happy?

Ashlynn is known in our house for her little one liners that keep us laughing. She loves princess movies (ok., I know, what little girl doesn't), but Snow White used to be her favorite. She would watch it and when the wicked Queen turned into the old lady, Ashy would hide behind the couch and peek around the side to catch little glimpses. The other day, she asked, "Mom, witches are extinct, right?"

She also lost another tooth and asked, "Mom, is there really a tooth fairy?" I asked her why she wondered, and she said, "Well, I was thinking, parents stay up late, and they could just put the money under the pillow."

Ok., one last one. The other day, she said, "Mom, I know what you and Dad do every night after you tuck us in. You watch movies and eat candy." Boy will she be disappointed when she becomes a parent.

Although Ashy is funny, she is not the only one that makes us laugh. We went four wheeling a couple of weeks ago for FHE. We went to Rampart Range, which is full of dirt trails meandering through trees - kind of a natural forest area. We got out of the car, and Talie looked around and said, "Mom, this is cool, but who would plant a bunch of trees in the middle of all these four wheeler trails?" Yes, her hair is naturally blond.

My little genius =)

Ok., so I know that everyone thinks their kids are amazing. And don't get me wrong, I love my kids and think they're definitely great, but I am also a bit of a realist, and realize that they will never be the next Einstein, or Michael Jordan. Knowing this, I thought it would be fun to teach Peyton, my two year old, the answers to generic questions that people will ask him in the grocery store or in the halls at church. You know the ones, they don't really expect him to answer, and then when he answers them and answers them correctly, he'll not only knock their crocks off 'em, but he'll also appear to possibly be the next - I don't know - John Grisham. It was a fun little project, and I hope you will enjoy the results as much as we have. (I have to end by saying that we have enjoyed hearing his answers so much, that he has gotten to the point that - after the 5th or so time - we'll ask him a question, and he'll just look at us and say, "No."=)


By the way, he usually gets the last question right, maybe just suffering from a little stage fright.