6 for the price of 1!

This blog post needs to be a 6-in-1 post, because we've been sick and in survival mode so I haven't had a chance to blog at all. If you've been missing my blog posts you're in for a treat!! :D

First, Brad went to Las Vegas for 4 days. I was scared and sure missed the cuddles but it was nice to not have to worry about dinner and black socks on the floor and being able to read as long as I wanted at night! While he was gone the kids had a playdate with two of their favourite friends, Brooklyn and Jacob. I couldn't believe Breanna actually wanted to be a princess, YAY!

I also filmed this little video of Breanna playing and Brad and I can't stop laughing about it.

Then it was Halloween. I felt crafty this Halloween and so the kids and I made egg carton spiders, saran wrap ghosts, sock vampire bats (with Candace) and Pretzel ghosts. The kids liked dipping the chocolate:

Jesse said they didn't look like ghosts, but whatever they are I think they're cute!!

Trick or treating was a great success! Until Jesse threw up all over our friend's doorstep. Yep, we all had stomach flu. Yuck!

Jesse says "Engardio Lavioso" or something to cast a spell and make you float!

EWOK! I looooove Ewoks, but especially this one. See our saran wrap ghosts in the background?

Breanna made the cutest little Laura (at her preschool Halloween Party) and no I didn't make this costume, you know, as much of a sewing genius as I am...(can't believe how many people have asked me that)

Finally, it snowed!! Every year I am so excited for snow! Not this year, I don't know why. Breanna was excited though and first thing after we sent Jesse off to school she wanted to get in her snowsuit and go play. She was out there for almost an hour, and then when Jesse got home they both went out AGAIN and played for almost 2 hours!! Then I was much more excited for snow. We'll see how long it lasts.

I'm totally in a sweet spot in my life right now!

My little baby girl is a nut bar! As crazy as her hair, I'd say! She's so cute and I love her to death but she makes lots of messes, BIG messes, has a ton of energy and is just go-go-go every minute she is awake.  She also has a very driven personality. She knows what she wants and will stop at nothing to get it. Right now, she wants to walk! I don't think she is physically ready because she can only walk short distances but she does it all the time and the look on her face while doing it is sheer pride. Then the other day I casually went into another room to wash my face and forgot to close the other bathroom door. No big deal. I come back to brush my teeth and there, on the floor, is a huge puddle of pee-water from the toilet, a pile of unravelled toilet paper and my baby in the middle of it, sucking the pee-water out of the toilet paper. Ah, life.

The kids, with Jesse wearing Mr. Potato Head's hat. At the library.

 Jesse's in Mandarin Immersion and counts to 39 in Mandarin about a hundred times a day. I guess he likes it. The other day my sister asked him if he has made friends in school. He said, yes. She then asked, "are they Chinese? Or white?" He said as he skipped happily away, "Nope! They're skinny like me." Haha! Jesse started soccer again and he loves it, which makes me so happy! Because I'm so competitive! He's really good and must burn a thousand calories running after that ball because he runs after it constantly-no matter where it is. Not very efficient but a good workout, as I see it. He also talks non-stop and asks questions I don't understand and makes abstract and obscure observations. I spend a great deal of my day confused.

Breanna continues to be funny and beautiful and mellow. She's just chill and I love that about her. Again, so different from me. Every day she wants to wear a dress that "dances really wide." I remember the first time she saw her cousin Avery twirl at the Christmas dance. She was barely two but since then, she's had an obsession with twirling in dresses that spin out.

Brad turned 31, thank goodness because I always feel so awkward for the month that I'm 4 years older than him! For his birthday I put his mission pictures in a scrapbook and have completed about four pages. I'm not good, but I've made a new friend who scrapbooks and I'm amazed-I like it. This is all very strange considering I have always claimed, rightly so, to be the least crafty person I know. And all I can think about is my friend Silvana right now reading this and thinking, Sarah, you've changed. Haha! But truthfully, I can't see myself scrapbooking ever again after this one is finished. Although for Halloween I think I may make cake bites for my children's school parties. What is happening to me??

As always lately, life is so good!!

Aaaaaand the Corn Maze

Joy and Thanksgiving

I've had about the best weekend ever! Friday was my fairy godmother day, always one of my favorite days of the month! Then Friday night I went to the temple with my husband (thanks Candace and Dave, you are the wind beneath our wings :) and felt the sweet, beautiful spirit only found at the temple. The gospel is truly 'good tidings of great joy!' Saturday I went for a run and we enjoyed a nice day at home with nothing to do. Sunday was Thanksgiving Dinner at my Mom's house and my sister came from Texas with her kids. Turkey and pumpkin pie against the beautiful backdrop of fall, wow! We had so much fun.

The Little Kid Table

 Brad always talks about how sweet potato pie is the most underrated pie. So when we were asked to bring dessert to Thanksgiving dinner I told my Mom we would be bringing sweet potato pie. She insisted we also bring pumpkin pie. So Brad felt a little slighted and being the trixter that he is made a pumpkin and a sweet potato pie, told everyone they were both pumpkin pies using different recipes and made them pick which one they liked best. He felt very vindicated when everyone chose the sweet potato pie. Good one, Brad!

 Hunter (my nephew, to the left) worked SO hard to help make this pile of leaves. He was very passionate about it and stood by to watch everyone jump in it. Can you sense the enthusiasm? Haha. But really, it was so much fun running down the hill and into the pile.

Leaf Fight!! Not so fun when sticks are added to the mix and YOU are the target.

 Lexi being beautiful

In a tree, this does not look comfortable. So much for living in a tree, Margaret Atwood style: (LOVE this book!!!)