Halloween 2010

This year we started Halloween out on Friday with our Trunk-Or-Treat. It was a bit crazy - I went to the store to get some last minute stuff and ingredients for food to bring for the dinner. Lexi got home and I started the ball rolling for costumes, forgetting I had a big pot of Taco Soup brewing on the stove for about 40min :( Needless to say the bottom burned and I tried to save what I could. Kam decided before leaving she didn't want to be the cute cowgirl costume we'd planned so she decided on a ballerina and threw a huge fit cuz I pulled her hair in a cute bun. Shelby refused to put on and actual costume - so we dressed her in black and sprayed her hair and called her a witch. She didn't really love wearing the hat or any of the costume, but she's so darn cute anyway that it didn't matter :) All this happend with just me because Mike had to work late that night. So the rest of the night went fine - and Mike was able to make it for the last 15 minutes of so of the trunk - or- treat to see the girls. Of course I STILL don't have a camara so I have no pictures of the girls - my friend took some so I will try to get those from her this week.

Saturday we attempted Trick-or-treating with some friends. There was no one out so we piled in the van and drove over to a near by sub and hit some doors. It wasn't the most unsuccessful Halloween event we've had...but the girls came home having some candy and the experience and it was enough for me :) We were able to persuade Shelbs to dress in a costume so she could be warm (yes its her same one from last year, haha) I told her she could be sparkly and wear a sparkly coat - :) And Kam refused to let me do her hair this night, so that explains her hair in the above photos. (we borrowed the camara from work so we get get some snapshots the 2nd night).

Sunday night we handed out some candy - but not nearly as many knockers as we usually have. We shut down at 830 so we could get the kids down for bed.

I have decided that Trunk-or-treating is the best way to go and the rest is just exhausting. Maybe next year we'll just hit a bunch of trunk-or-treats and call it good :) I'm learning I don't love halloween as much as other holidays - haha

my new little niece LoNdOn!!

Jeremy and Blair had their little baby girl on 10-13-10. They named her London and she's beautiful. We get to see her on Thanksgiving and can't wait to hold her. The girls are excited to have a little girl on this side of the family - they have just had Mckoy and Crew. My girls aren't too use to boys still! haha

Jer and Blair are going to have their hands full with Crew and London being 13 months apart - but they are cute little babes and I'm sure will manage somehow :) Her is a beautiful picture of London that I stole from their photographers blog :)

blogs without pictures = no fun

Well its been almost a whole month since our camara went KaPoOt :( I'm seriously going insane without one. We're looking around, but I want to make a good purchase - so I'm hesitant. Plus it takes alot of work to look up reviews, etc.

So this is what we've been up to (minus some pictures - sad):

Conference weekend we laid around enjoying the first session. Afterwards we knocked out the wall to open up under our stairs and Mike put a door in. We now have lots of storage room and will move our food storage to there. The girls had a blast helping their dad knock holes into the wall. We also let the girls color all over it with crayons before knocking it down. This was a mistake for Shelby - she color ALL over, including walls not to be colored on. So we had to put the kybosh on that! The girls are enjoying playing in the new room and have watched movies in there. I love it because Mike bought a cute door for it, finished it, and cleaned it all up. It was a fast project, and much overdue. Then I rearranged my living room during the 2nd session - only to end up with it all in the same place. There is not alot of options.
Then Sunday we went to Mike's parents and hung out. The house is coming along real well and it's almost complete. We are so excited to have them move in and can't wait til it's done. Already we've had two meals in the new kitchen and it's been fabulous!!

This last weekend Lexi had thur and friday off of school so me and the girls took off home to my mom's to see the family.
We stopped in Poky and had lunch with Heather and Travis. It was soo good to see them and catch up. Their girls are so cute - it is fun to see our little girls as friends :)
We were so excited to get to Preston to see Mckoy and Crew! We just don't get to see them enough - and the girls loved to play with them again. Amber and I rearranged and cleaned her front room. Mom helped us too, then took the kids so we could get more done. It is always fun to do other people's houses. We moved in a table and moved around some darn heavey furniture .
They finally hung their flatscreen after 10 months - Jer and Kelly did it later that day. Amber and I did some local shopping - including a stop at the cute fabric store! I also had my hair cut (of course, a must when I'm in town). Mom was helpful to keep the kids for us during all this fun time - made it more enjoyable to run around - haha.
I was able to go over to Jer's to see the cute new nursery for my little niece London that will be born TODAY!! It was fun to spend time with their little family in their adorable home.

We also went to a drive-by haunted house that was fun and ate good food. We also had some good talks - I was able to learn a lot more about my childhood that I didn't know.
Kelsie had Keni's birthday party while we were there. That little girl is the cutest thing ever. She's a good baby and we love to see her, so sad they moved away :(
We had alot of fun hanging out and playing with cousins. We even enjoyed some icecream! The only down side of the trip was me driving by myself with the girls - it makes for a long drive with a 2yr old yelling the whole time "mama! mama! MAMA!!" but we survived! :)

Cascade Trip

In September we went to Cascade and rented a home near the lake. We had a blast! Some of the Dean's joined us: Kirk's family, Mom and Dad, and Kim's family. We took the sailboat and enjoyed the lake. Mike and Kirk set up a Treasure Hunt for the kids, they really enjoyed it!! The home we stayed in was beautiful and so here are some pictures of it for those of you who wanted to see. One day I will build this home, it was wonderful. We had 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. The dining table was cute, so I'm asking Mike to make it for me :) It was a wonderful vacation...peaceful and good weather. Can't wait to go again!!!
(also thanks to Lisa for teaching me how to do these cute collages...so much easier then uploading a 'boat-load' of photos)

Trip to ELKO!

cute little Tayven didn't want his picture taken :(

We haven't been back to Elko in a year and a half - so it was a well needed visit. We stayed at my Dad's and went to the good 'ol fair and horse races. I haven't done that since I was back in school. Grandpa let Lexi and Kam pick the horses to bet on. They didn't win any :( Lexi actually thought she was GETTING a horse, so I told her if she wanted to buy one she was going to need to talk to grandpa about that :)

Then we went and stayed at Lisa's house. We had sooo much fun there. The kids love eachother and we hardly saw them while we were there. Lisa and Chet are the best hosts! We had yummy food, a pina coloda, a fresh fruit shake, and all the mtdew you could want. It is always fun hanging out with them. We just wish we could do it more often!

Thanks for the good time guys - we love you!

*******

sidenote - funny story:

We let the kids stay up too late at Lisa's, they were beyond exhausted. So about midnight we hear the girls screaming and crying. We go upstairs and Kamree and Taylee are up - Kamree had woken Taylee up with her screaming. I'm not sure if it was night terrors or if she needed to go to the bathroom. anyway we couldn't get her to stop screaming/crying, we tried everything. so after what seemed like forever, Mike took her outside again. He then brought her to me downstairs and we finally got her to go potty and she calmed down. So the boys went back to video games and me and lisa talked sitting on the couch and I just held kam on my chest while she fell back to sleep. around 1am there is a knock on the door - its a cop. someone called in saying they heard a baby crying and then a thump. yeah, that was just our screaming 3 yr old and then mike coming inside with the door closing. oh well - at least they follow thru and check on those calls. the cop came down to the basement to check kamree and make sure she was ok. so I hope lisa and chets neighbors dont think it was them beating their child! haha

Kamree's going to Pre-school

Kamree started pre-school and is loving it. She even wrote her name the first day. This is something she will NEVER do for me. She is growing up so much in the last month. I can see major changes with her in behavior and confidence. I think with Lexi gone iy has made a difference in Kam's attitude. She feels like such a big girl going to school and having her own backpack with her crayons and scissors. I love this little girl, she's a sweetie. She loves being Shelby's big sister and is very helpful. If I tell her to do a chore, she's usually mad. But if I ask her to be my helper and do something...she's all about it with excitement (mike figured this one out). She also is into telling jokes lately. her favorite:

"knock knock"

"who's there?"

"popcorn"

popcorn who?"

"popcorn!"

I wish...

Dear Fairy Godmother,

I wish for a new mixer. I tripled my batch of banana bread today and it almost didn't fit. It was a pain to mix and I could really use a new, bigger mixer. With this wish I promise to make MORE banana bread! :)

Sincerely,

Me

ps-I could also use a new camera, I'm tired of looking thru a peep hole to take a photo. Hello, who should have to do that these days? (my screen broke on my digital)