Jack-O-Lanterns

We carved out Jack-O-Lanterns Monday night for family night. Nana and Papa had stopped by Sunday night to bring us Halloween goodies and they gave each of the kids little pumpkin cups. Isaac chose to put the same face from his cup on his jack-o-lantern. Kenley chose to turn hers on its side and use the stem for the nose. She's really into circles lately, because she can draw them easily, so she wanted everything on her jack-o-lantern to be circles.

Jeremiah and I had fun listening to the kids' excitement as their pumpkins were carved. Then everyone helped to separate the seeds so that we could roast them for a yummy snack. It was fun family time and the pumpkins turned out really cute. Can you guess which is my favorite Jack-o-lantern?

(Also, I L.O.V.E. this new camera.)

Christmas in October

Because I we complain a lot and I am we are needy, both of our parents have already given us our Christmas presents.

A while ago Jack was sick for about 5 days. Five days of continuous vomit. So we had to borrow my mom's carpet cleaning machine. We still have it and we use it weekly. Anyway, Jeremiah's parents are getting everyone freezers for Christmas, but since we already have one we asked for the same model carpet cleaner that we've borrowed from my mom. Last week they just happened to be on sale and so my in-laws just gave it to us early so we don't have to keep borrowing my mom's. And my mom can actually have the use of her own cleaner without asking for it back. Thank you, Brent and Lynette! (I'm sure my mom thanks you, too!)

Also, have I mentioned I haven't had a camera since May? I've tried to keep quiet about it. Actually, I have not. I have been lamenting it's absence at every opportunity and spreading my misery. In fact I was sharing my sadness with my mom just the other day and she said she could give us our Christmas money early if it would help us. Um...YES! Between our Christmas money and money that I had save from babysitting we had enough to by a new camera. Thank you, Mom and Dad!

And don't worry about our Christmas morning. I will be so happy taking pictures of our kiddos with clean carpet in the background.

Toddler Hazing

This happened a long time ago. (As is evidenced by the fact that I have pictures of it. Ahem.)

I'm always amazed at how loud kids are when they aren't gettting into trouble and how incredibly stealthy they are when they're being mischievious. I didn't even know of this particular incident until Jack started crying, presumably because of the copious amounts of baby powder being dumped all over his face. Why Kenley decided she needed to naked for this ritual is still a mystery, as is the reason for dumping out all the socks and baby powder. Also, notice the horizontal mirror in the background, I wonder if that is symbolic. Of what? I'm not sure. Possibly of the position I'd like to take on my bed after a day of dealing with the toddler twosome.

Positive Parent-Teacher Pow-Wow

Alternate Title: Forgive Me for Bragging.

Last night was my first parent-teacher conference with Isaac's Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Z. I have to say that it was a wonderful initiation to the whole experience. I was very curious to see what she had to say about Isaac and she had some curiosity of her own.

She started by showing us his report card and saying that he is performing at grade level - then explaining that "the grades only go up to grade level: He's way ahead of us." She also let us know that she has suggested him as a candidate for the G.A.T.E. program - Gifted And Talented Education. I was actually a little surprised. I've always known he is bright, but I figured maybe I exaggerated it a little bit in my head because I'm his mom.

Mrs. Z. also said she was very curious to know how we've taught him to read so well. I'd love to take credit for it but Jeremiah and I both conceded that he'd taught himself and just loves to learn.

She showed us his first attempt to write a full sentence, with which she was very pleased. We also saw how he wrote all his numbers and she said that she would be very pleased if all the children did that well by the end of the year. His numbers did look pretty good, even if his 7 was backwards. but she said that was common and that they hadn't even learned to write the numbers in class yet so he was doing really well.

All the academic progress was very pleasing to Jeremiah and I, but we had to ask how he behaved in class. This was a concern for both of us since Isaac likes to talk and play a lot. Mrs. Z. reported that Isaac was very obedient to all her instructions and very patient. PATIENT? Isaac? Apparently...at school. She let us know that Isaac was also very kind to a child who had been having a hard time and that now the boy considered Isaac his friend. She was impressed at his compassion and stated that usually kids at his age were "all about me." (We see more of that side of him at home.) Jeremiah also told the teacher that she was allowed to humble him a little bit if he ever became condescending with her or the other children.

Anyway, we were all very pleased at his progress and behavior in school. Mrs. Z. said that she was a little concerned about keeping his attention, but that there are enough activities (i.e. singing, P.E., and free time) that she felt like he was engaged in the classroom.

My biggest question is, where did this little smarty-pants come from?

Vanity Thoughts

I have something really fun to blog about. But since it has to have pictures with it I will wait until I can get down to my mom's.

In the meantime...

I've been thinking about vanity license plates. Not because I would actually pay to have them, but what would I put on them if I did? Think about it: 7 characters to sum up a person. What aspect of myself would I want to portray?

The best I've come up with is 5FT2 QT. But then I realized the plates would be on a minivan and so then I thought MTHRSHP, because really, that's what it is.

So I'm curious, what would your vanity license plate say?

Great Expectations

I don't know about the rest of you, but I check my own blog. Not to see if someone's left a comment, but to see if there are new posts. It's kind of wierd, I guess. I'm the only author on this blog but sometimes I hit my home page wondering if there will be something new, as if someone else will suddenly be writing my posts for me. I anticipate that there will be something fresh, funny and full of wit. Each time I'm a little disappointed when all that shows up is my last post.

Is anyone else feeling let down?

A Year of Plenty

I don't know that I've mentioned how much preserving I've done this summer. It started with the cherries. My mom stopped by one day in late July and saw the cherry tree red and ripe. So we started picking and before we knew it, we had done 28 quarts of cherry pie filling. Then someone else had a tree to pick and we did another 60 quarts or so.

Then peaches came on and I did a bunch of peaches and peach pie filling. Then I had beans and peas in my garden and froze them. Then 40 quarts of corn fell into my lap. My mom made me some applesauce and apple pie filling. Just today I canned 18 quarts of tomatoes and I have more coming.

And now my shelves are pretty much full. They were near empty at the beginning of the summer. And the best part is that a lot of the food was grown in my own garden or free. It cost me more this year to buy canning supplies than it cost to buy the food I was putting away. Not to mention that I got to spend a lot of time with my mom and sister-in-laws canning it all.

I've also had the opportunity to go to the cannery a couple of times this year and put away flour, sugar, rice, oats and other dry-pack items. I'm planning to go again early in November. And last week my mom and SILs and I did tons of dry-packing with a rented canner, although I only put away flour that time.

I'm so thankful that our family has been blessed with this food storage opportunity. You never know what the future will bring, but for us, it looks like lots of pie.

Blackmail Opportunity

I took this incrim- inating picture of Jeremiah at Tanner's wedding reception. I assure you that there is only sparkling cider in the glass...but that doesn't explain the look on his face.

See what the scriptures mean about avoiding the very appearance of evil?

...at least Jack turned away.

3

Happy birthday, Kenley! I can't believe that you are 3 years old already. You are so sweet and dear to me. I love you so much!

We had your birthday party yesterday with your grandparents. You were so cute all day about your birthday. (We just let you think yesterday was your birthday since we won't really be celebrating it today.) Anyway, all day you'd yell to Isaac and Jack from wherever you were and say, "Come over to mine birthday party up here guys!" Then when everyone got here for your real party, you hardly said a word...except when you made a point of asking Isaac if he had eaten all his birthday cake.

I love the way you sing to yourself. It's so telling of what is going on in your little mind. You sing whatever comes into your head and you get very dramatic about it. I've caught you singing happy birthday to yourself all week. Your singing makes me laugh and it is truly one of my favorite sounds.

You're quite the climber. And you're very sneaky about it. I've always wondered how you get onto the corner cupboard - the one up really high where I keep the treats. Yesterday I found out, by watching from around the corner, that you open up the bottom cabinet, climb the shelves like a ladder, and then when you get onto the cupboard, you reach down and close the cabinet door. I guess I need a new hiding place for the candy. Because you can climb up there, you eat way more candy than I'd like. But, I'm comforted by the fact that you are thoughtful because you always grab candy for Isaac and Jack.

I've been babysitting recently and every morning you get up and say, "Are mine friends here?" You love it when Carson and Morgan come over and you love to play hostess - showing them around the house and making sure that everyone follows you. It makes me laugh because Carson is Isaac's age but you boss him around just like everyone else.

I love the way you talk. Your words are so deliberate and you have a little bit of a drawl. You speak slowly and clearly and your face is very animated when you talk. Yesterday morning I made blueberry muffins for your special breakfast. You came in the kitchen and said, "What are you cooking, Mommy?" I answered blueberry muffins and you cocked your head to one side and said, "I don't want blueberry muffins for breakfast, Mommy." It made me laugh (inside) because you weren't rude about it, but you were not going to "settle" on your birthday.

You are definitely a girl who knows what she wants, and my heart truly hopes that you get it all. I love you, baby doll!

8 Things

I was tagged for this post by the lovely and oh, so talented Lady Katie.

8 TV shows I love to watch
1. Pushing Daisies
2. The Office
3. Frasier reruns
4. Eli Stone
5. Wipeout
6. My Big Redneck Wedding (this show really makes me feel good about myself)
7. Jeopardy (only with Jeremiah)
8. Seinfeld reruns

8 favorite places I love to eat
1. A local American/Mexican restaurant that my mom has taken me to since I was a child
2. Johny Carino's
3. Texas Roadhouse
4. My mom's house
5. Mongolian Grill
6. At Delis
7. Grandma B's house
8. At my dinner table with my family

8 things that happened yesterday (I really have to remember that long ago?)
1. I worked on the Primary program for our church
2. We went on a rare trip to Wendy's for school night
3. Jeremiah and I folded laundry together while we watched Pushing Daisies
4. The kids and I went for a 2-mile walk
5. I received heartbreaking news about a miscarriage (not my own)
6. I vacuumed my kitchen floor about a million times (you still can't tell the difference)
7. I tried to take a nap to no avail
8. I babysat 2 extra kids

8 things I look forward to
1. Retiring ..to bed each night
2. Date nights with Jeremiah
3. Having my living room painted
4. Payday
5. Trying new recipes
6. Having company
7. Kenley's birthday on SUNDAY! She'll be 3...holy cow...
8. Jack's nap time

8 things I love about Fall
1. The crisp, clean smell in the air
2. The colors
3. Cooler nights
4. Falling leaves
5. The harvest
6. Halloween
7. Thanksgiving
8. The day after Thanksgiving shopping

8 material things on my wish list
1. A finished basement
2. A new bike
3. A trip to CA to visit relatives
4. Money to bail someone out of financial difficulty
5. A beautiful evening gown and an event where I can fashion it
6. A 90-minute massage
7. Money for more food storage
8. A van with automatic doors

8 people I'm tagging
1. Alisha
2. Kelly
3. Gammie
4. Caroline
5. Deanna
6. Paradise
7. Lani
8. Tammy

Memories

Some of you left memories of me on a post a while ago and so now I'm going to share my memories of those who responded but didn't copy the post on their own site.

Audrey - I remember watching a movie at your house with J.D. and Kendall. I had been flirting with Kendall all night and when they were about to leave I was thinking of kissing him. You came out, all hysterical, saying, "You don't kiss Kendall!" Then you wanted to kiss him because you'd never been kissed. I don't think either of us ever did kiss him. Poor Kendall!

Carrie - One time Scott took you to a dance and you two 'dined' at our house and I got to be your server. I felt really silly because I was only like 8 years old. But I remember thinking you were so beautiful!

Kelly - I already left a memory for you on your blog, but for the other reader(s?) I have another one. I think the first time I met you Evens brought you over to my parents house while a lot of my family was there. I thought you were a good sport for meeting a bunch of strangers. Also, I remember wondering, "What is she doing with Evens?" I'm super happy you stuck with him though. :P

Alisha - Thanks for sharing so many memories (and for not sharing so many as well.) We were kind of crazy, huh? Here are some of mine:

The day we became instant friends when you came and talked to me in choir because you thought I "looked like fun."

Hanging out at your house and talking boys with Audrey.

You telling Joe that if anything happened on my/our first date, I had to make the move.

Picking out songs on the piano and the guitar together.

Throwing mud at each other after moving pipe because we were about to go see Seth and I thought he'd think it was "hot."

The time we asked a worker at Smith's to escort us to our car because there were about 5 scary looking guys that followed us around the store.

Eating Grasshopper cookies like there was no tomorrow.

Making a certain bet about a certain hot guy at choir clinic. I maintain that I won, even if I did ask him if I could kiss him.

(I'm kind of hoping my mom doesn't read this post...and my husband...)

The look on your face when I made you get out of the car to retrieve the garbage you had tossed out the window.

Man I wish you lived closer!! LYLAS

Lani - I don't know what energy you are talking about. I feel like a zombie most days. Anyway, I remember how all my nieces think you are the coolest aunt - even though you're not technically their aunt. Doesn't matter, you're still part of the family and I think you're the coolest too.

My memory of Blake is that I hated him as a kid. For some reason he was always laughing at me and it always hurt my feelings. I'm pretty sure some of my earliest memories are of Blake. My dad was trying to teach me how to blow my nose in the bathroom one time and Blake walked by and made fun of my efforts. When I got older I called him "Blank" because I didn't want him there. I think he's great now though. I'm so glad you are my parent's neighbors.