Breanna's 4th birthday party was a lot of work but so much fun! I even made those cheesy puff balls to hang from the ceiling. It's hard to entertain 9 little girls for 3 hours, but it's also fun to see them happy. The party had everything Breanna loves: a picnic, all the colors of the rainbow, crafts, dancing and candy.

See those pretty sparkly party hats? Breanna wanted black. She's such an unusual little girl, but I love that about her. I always thought people were lying to be cool growing up when they said their favorite color was black. But now I see, I should not have judged.

The candy table. Does it look like a wannabe pinterest table or what?? 

Here's the video. It's super lame. I'm sad I have to be the one to do the videos these days. They are nowhere near as good as when Brad would do them.

               

Anway, I just feel blessed to have Breanna in our family. She's special. When she was born I remember being overwhelmed with her spirit. It felt like it filled the room and the only way I could describe it was "sweet". She still has that same spirit. I love watching her and getting to know her and I love her so much. This is her getting ready to leave for pajama day at preschool. She's been waiting years for this!

Afton turned one. She likes to walk fast and embarrass me by begging other Moms to hold her.  She talks a ton and has all of the intonations down but only says a few words- hot, hat (she whispers those and they sound exactly the same and it's so cute when she blows something hot), she asks "what's that?" and "what's this?" and says "hi dad" while waving. She also likes to say "MUM!" really loud just to see if I'll look and am paying attention. Afton is definitely very passionate about life. She can hardly contain it. She wakes up in the morning with wide eyes and looks around to find something to point at and practically screams "WHAT'S THAT?" It's like she's saying Do you see that? Isn't it amazing? But it's just a door, or a blanket or a light. She likes to stack things and put things inside of things. She knows by now what she's not supposed to have and when I mess up and leave it out she studiously brings it to me and hands it over willingly with a look on her face like "here's the scissors Mom, you know I'm not supposed to have these so what are you doing leaving them out?" Her birthday was, well...simple. But she was surrounded by family and she got to devour cake and to her that's all that mattered! 

Brad and I went snowboarding and it was so much fun. Then we went to the hot springs. Although I felt guilty leaving my kids it was worth it to have that time with my husband. I was so in love with him by the end of it. Yay! I get to spend the rest of forever with this hot, nice, smart guy who is in love with me and also thinks I'm pretty special.

We're ready for Christmas! It's a great feeling. Next up our trip to Florida. I'm so excited!!!!!!!

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