Hey you good looking, wat'ch you got cookin...

Zane!

I canned some applesauce last week and have been to lazy to take my pot down to the basement. Well, Zane once again has found a place to hangout.

Carvin pumpkins...

On Sunday night the kids got to carve thier pumpkins. It is nice that we can do it a week before Halloween and not worry about the pumpkins going bad. Symen helped Garrit pick out a face and carve it. I helped (ok, did) Zane with his. The kids had fun digging out the middle and saying "Yuck!". Even though Zane would not touch it, he still had fun saying "Yuck" with the other kids.

I love Halloween and carving pumpkins. It reminds of being a little girl. It was always a big deal to go to the pumpkin lot and pick out your pumpkin. I remember going to 2 maybe even 3 lots looking for the perfect pumpkin. Then coming home and getting out the newspaper and start digging out the junk. My dad was and still is the master of jack-o-lanterns, we had so much fun coming up with face and carving them out. And of course, the best part was lighting them in the dark. I can not carve a pumpkin without thinking of my dad. Last year was the first year I did not carve a pumpkin with my dad. I miss you Dad.

Emilee drew her own face and carved it out all by herself this year. She was very excited about it.

After many failed attempts to get a picture with the kids smiling, I gave up and had the just be silly.

Picking pumpkins.

Last Wednesday the kids and I went down to Salt Lake to a pumpkin patch. They had rows and rows of pumpkins, fun trackers for the kids to play on, and a corn maze. We meet Grandma and Grandpa at the patch and they helped the kids pick their pumpkins out. After the kids picked their pumpkins and we ripped Zane away from the trackers we stopped and had dinner before we headed home. It was a fun time. It was one of the moments when I love living here. I loved that it was chilly out, it really feels like fall, and that it was a fun pumpkin patch with trackers and corn maze, instead of just a corner lot. However, on the other hand it made sad that the rest of my family was not here to enjoy the evening with me.

Ok, so its not the best picture but I had to use my phone. I forgot to charge my camara.

Moving...

Last weekend we helped (not sure if really did) Symen and Tracee move into their new home in West Jordan. It is a cute house on a quite street with big full trees that line the street. It is a perfect house for Grandma and Grandpa.

The kids had fun playing in the boxes.

Shopping with the boys.

For all of you that are mothers of young children know what it is like to take your kids shopping with you. And for you that don't remember the ordeal of shopping with your kids, it is war. It is a constant battles in every isle.

"Mom, can I have a treat?"

"No, honey"

"Mom, can I have a star war fruit snacks?"

"No"

"Mom, can I please, please have that light saber?"

"NO!"

"Please, don't touch that"

"Just sit in the cart and I will be done soon."

I usually end up losing one or two battles along the way, however, if I can leave with out buying a toy. I have won the war.

Last week the boys and I made our monthly trip down to Provo. Target was one of my last stops, so as I unloaded the boys I prepared myself for war. To my surprise the boys did great. Zane found a new snow hat that he wore around the store. Also, Garrit and Zane found a new way to have fun at the store.

They help mom push the cart. They were having a blast working together pushing the cart making stops to fill up. I love that the boys can find something fun anywhere.

Brothers and friends.

This morning Garrit went looking for slippers. Well, he ended up emptying out his whole shoe box and still not finding slippers, what he did find was a way to transport Zane. The shoe box has wheels on it so Garrit was giving Zane rides down the hall.

"Zaner, you ready"

"Here we go!"

The boys have a lot of fun playing with eachother. My prayer is that they stay friends and enjoy spending time with one another.

Moving on up!

On Friday Garrit had promotion in karate. He did a very good job and moved from white belt to yellow stripe belt. He was so excited about his new belt he did not want to take it off for dinner. However, he did take it off to go to bed.

Good Job Garrit!

My little cheerleader.

A few weeks ago Emilee attened a cheer clinic. She practiced all week then preformed at the high school football game on Friday night. By the way I think every little girl in the town signed up for this. Emilee loved it. She has now decided to be a cheerleader. Well at least for now.

Mom's weekend off...

For the first time in my almost 10 years of marriage, I did something by myself. Last weekend I went to Arizona for a little retreat. I had a blast. I spent time with my sister, Mom, and friends. I slept in and made no decisions on anything. I just went with the flow.

I went to breakfast with my friend LeAnn, we have been friends since junior high. I had a pedicure with Mom. Now when I take off my snow boats I get a little summer surprise. Went to the movies with Janette and Mom and saw The Women it was a good movie. Definitely a chick flick. I also went my nephew Brett's football game. He plays JV at Red Mountain. They won their game, so their undefeated record lives to see another Thursday night.

I went to one of my favorite restaurants, YC's, it is one of the few things I miss about Arizona. I went with the Nelsons and of course Mom.

While in Arizona Mom and I canned peaches. We did peaches and also made raspberry and peach jam. It all turned out very yummy.

We did two cases of peaches.

It was a lot of peaches to peal and cut. But when they were done, they sure were pretty.

The best part about doing the peaches was spending time with Mom.

While Mom and I worked on peaches, our good friends JuJu (Sorry Julie, you will forever be JuJu) Aaron, and Gionni came over to say hi. Gionni is going to be Tinkerbell for Halloween and is going to wear Emilee's old costume.

All in all it was a great trip. I enjoyed the time to just go with the flow and not worry about nap schedules and all the other things that moms have to think about. However, it gave me the opportunity to step back and see that I really do love my job. I love being a wife and a mom. The Lord has blessed me with a wounder family and I am thankful everyday for them.

P.S. for all of the wondering how Symen did with kids. He did great. I got home and he had a wonderful meal ready, he did laundry, took the kids to the store and even took them out for ice cream. He is SUPER DAD.