Date night ideas ...

I love fall!!! Its my favorite, especially October! For instance look at all the cool stuff this month:

General Conference, Ward campout, cooler temps, my birthday, Halloween, and this:

One of my all time favorite events is the Frisco Storytelling festival. For those of you who have never been I HIGHLY recommend it. The daytime activities are great for the kids, but I really love the night stories, which are more geared for adults. I have laughed, cried, and laughed some more at these events. A good story told by a good teller is what TV never has been and never will be! And just so you know its still held in Frisco but its now considered the storytelling festival of Texas and its has a new name - check it out here:

Lone Star Storytelling Festival

I have volunteered in the past too - its usually a short block of time and you get free tickets! A GREAT DATE NIGHT!

Here is another new date idea I want to try too:

info here

Funny Demotivator Poster

You can check out more of their stuff here - despair.com

well...

still no sign of Mister

I hate wallpaper

that's it.

did I mention I hate wallpaper?

Oh and when I am not peeling wallpaper off (still) I am really obsessed with this:

The New Family Search

Makes me smile, laugh, and break down in tears...

Blogging is my journaling, this belongs in my journal, but I will also share it here. Its personal but a great example of how important it is to tell each other how we feel. I will ALWAYS treasure this letter from my Mom. She sent it to me and my sister. today.

Hello My Beautiful Girls…
I am having a strange sort of nostalgic day, and I figured it was a moment I should share with you. For a brief moment, I just wanted more than anything in the world to go back to when you were both little and the world was perfect. I just didn’t know at the time how perfect it was.
You were both loving little ones who loved with such pure hearts. You never cared how much money we had, what we looked like, or how we compared in the rat race of life to all the other rats. We were just Mama and Daddy. And unlike other siblings in other families we knew, you WANTED to share a room. When we did put you in separate rooms, Daddy put a hole in the closet walls so you could sneak back and forth to each other’s rooms. And generally, I found you together in the morning. I think you were both glad when Tommy came into the family because then you got to sleep together “for real” as you said back then.
I remember living on Natchez Lane as some of our best times. Janie, you wanted to grow up enough to walk to Me-Maw’s on your own. I finally let you so you didn’t want to tell me that you actually got gently hit by a car. And of course, you said I let Meg do it much soon than I let you.
I remember working in the yard and even having a garden! You would get so dirty, I would hose you off outside before you came in and got in the tub. And once you got in the tub, it took an act of Congress to get you OUT of the tub. Janie, I remember putting you on the bus to ride off to the strange world of first grade, and Meg would wait at the glass storm door all day for you to come home.
Well, I could go on and on. But what I really want to tell you is that your Dad and I loved each other and we loved you more than you can realize. When each of you was born, we laid in the bed deep into the night talking about the marvel of creating you. There was much celebrating your births. You were beautiful babies and you have grown into beautiful women.
I don’t know where your lives will take you. But in your heart, you will always have my love with you. There has been a lot of anger and hurt expressed since the divorce. I just thought it time to express the continuing love and the beautiful life you have given me.

Mom

Makes me...

Makes me smile:

Nana sent this - very cool eh?

Love, that blessed arrangement...

Makes me laugh:

Benjamin bringing me a cup and saying "close your eyes and drink this"

I don't think so!

Zeke trying on his Halloween costume

Makes me sweat:

We are ripping down more wallpaper - doesn't every home improvement project for us start with that statement?

Makes me want to throw up:

Ella lost a front tooth!

Please help

If you live in our area and you see this cat around please let me know. His name is Mister - he belongs to Meg and he hasn't been around for four days.

She misses him.

Any clues at all email me

or

call her 214-592-3855

Great photo

from Ingrid: here. There is another one of a really sexy man holding my baby - check it out.

My heart...

“I wish to say to everyone here, come to the temple. Live worthy to come to the temple. Live the commandments of God so that you may come to the temple. Do those things which will make you eligible to serve in the house of the Lord. It has been built for you, my brothers and sisters, that you might have the opportunity of coming here and receiving the wonderful blessings that can be had nowhere else in all the world, except in other temples, where you may be sealed together as husband and wife, where your children may be sealed to you, where you may work in behalf of your forebears, who have gone beyond. That great and marvelous and wonderfully unselfish work occurs in the house of the Lord. Come to the temple”

Gordon B. Hinckley

my blessings
me and my baby sister

nana

grandma

aunt beth

uncle tommy - still being the best uncle, just from heaven

When we found out Kyle was getting laid off I had many concerns but the biggest was would I be able to control my anxiety and attitude during the job hunt. This may come as a surprise (wink) but I can be the freaking out/nagging sort of wife. If really stressed out I have been known to wake Kyle up in the middle of the night to either boss him around or cry on his shoulder.

But you know what - with a renewed energy for prayer, alone and as a family - I have been calm and very optimistic. Even with all the scary news regarding the economy - I have felt safe and confident about our future. Like I try to tell the kids, the Holy Ghost is amazing. When you need comfort he is there. I have needed comfort and he is here.

Today Kyle and I are going to the Temple. It has been too long. Since talking is one of my best attributes I do it too much. I need to be someplace to listen. My heart longs for a quiet moment in the Celestial room. Things that will be on my mind there tonight:

-Prayers for continued confidence for Kyle

-Thankfulness for everything I have. I really am living my dream - how many people can say that?

-Thankfulness for my babies - I love them so. And despite earlier arguments I don't think I am done. I won't be ready to have a baby again for some time - but I can ponder this tonight.

-Sorrow and hope for my baby sister. She did not get accepted to the Nursing school she wanted to go to. She worked so hard. I want her to be proud of that right now.

-Gratitude for my mother-in-law. Its hard to go to the temple and not think of the first time you did. When Kyle and I went to to the temple, she came with us. It meant a lot to us to know she was there supporting us from the Visitor's center, even though she is of a different faith. It was a palpable support we still feel.

-Thoughts of Mom who is still struggling from the effects of her cancer treatment. Thankfulness that said treatment has been successful. Smiles that she was able to be here with my new baby and teach my kids really important things - like how to make dumplings :)

-Thoughts of Aunt Beth who is currently struggling with cancer treatment. Hope that the rest goes quickly and without incident.

-Missing my brother Tommy. I have felt very close to him when holding Cora. He LOVED babies. I know that the veil is thin between her and him right now. I can feel it. She spent time with him before coming to me. She tells me this with her eyes. His exuberance went with him to the spirit world. The limited intelligence that he had in this life did not. His confidence and the trials he went through are making him a wonderful missionary to those who need it right now. I know that too. I'll sit and be proud of him tonight.

-Thoughts of my dad, heavy thoughts that I will keep in my heart for now.

I wish you could all be there with me pondering too. Interested? go here

When I should be cleaning house, I play with my camera:

When you are the fourth baby you take naps on the floor.

Actually its one of her favorite spots - she has always loved it since we first put her there in the sun to help avoid jaundice.
Goofy self portraits - I have a HUGE forehead they say.
I think they are right.

Impromtu photo shoot with Aunt Meg.

And now a letter from Cora:

Dear Practically Perfect:

Today my mom opened a package that you sent. I loved everything it contained. I think its awesome. And my mom thinks you are awesome. Even though she hasn't got to meet you yet. One day, if daddy gets a a great new job - She says she is taking a road trip; to see you.

I love the tutu.

Love,

Cora

What's going on here...

Disney was awesome:
We stayed at the All-Star Music Resort in a family suite, It was a little more trailer trash crowd than I would have expected but our room was PERFECT for us, and the kids loved the guitar pool. We had a seven day pass for all four parks, we did not do water park and more. We had the Disney dining plan - thank goodness. We could not have afforded to eat otherwise. Think movie theater food prices for everything. Our average fast food meal was $75.00 and a sit down place was $150-240 per meal. We did not rent a car, we took the Disney express from and back to the airport, and we used the Disney transport buses to the parks. I was nervous about that, but it was just right for us the whole week and I never felt like we even needed a car.
As far as what age to take your kids - I think we hit a perfect time. Maiya was old enough to enjoy what she was experiencing. Cora was young enough to be carried in the Snugli on just about every ride except the coasters. Benjamin was young enough to still want to stand by the characters for pictures but too cool for school to stop and hug them too much! He loved the roller coasters! Ella (just at 40 inches) could do every ride except one. And she loved them all! We won't be a family that makes Disney something we have to do every year (not that we could if we wanted) But I am very glad we did experience it!
Highlights:
Cora sleeping through the night
Benjamin and Ella screaming on Space Mountain "THIS IS AWESOME"
Maiya seeing all the characters! - She loved them ALL
Ella conquering Haunted Mansion
Holding hands with Kyle and riding a roller coaster together.
Meg and I laughing our heads off at the most random things - being truly exhausted will do that to us!
Frustrations:
The heat of course!
Cora's stroller fans that kept breaking
Thousands of lazy people in scooters that weren't really disabled, getting in our way, slowing down the bus line, and just about running us over!
Benjamin not being able to conquer Haunted Mansion, poor boy just couldn't do it - a loving dad sat it out with him.
My tips:
have good stroller fans!
Bandanna around the neck for me, the one who sweats a lot - it saved me!
tie a jacket around your waist, because no matter how hot you are you will be that cold in the A/C of the restaurants and rides.
Character meals beat waiting in line to meet characters.
Bring a photo matting frame for the characters to sign - way cooler than the cheezy Disney autograph book.
Be there when the park opens - you will get to do all the big rides with no lines.
Leave before the park closes, if like me, you hate fighting crowds. When you stay for the fireworks, just park it on a bench till the crowds pass!
Make the most of parent swap passes and fastpass - neither expire (well the fastpasses do, but they honor all expired ones anyway)
Use this website: http://tourguidemike.com/ - it made our vacation wonderful! Thanks to Kyle who did all the research and planned our days out perfectly. He made it magical! Meg and I called him "fastpass man" all week. As Meg put it "I don't question. I just go where he tells us to go" We NEVER waited more than 15 minutes in line for a ride!
Now back to life here:
Kyle's office is closed, the job loss is looming ever bigger and closer.
He will be working from home until October 3rd. He is also working very hard at the worst job there is -- finding a job. Please keep us in your prayers.
Having him home is good but is does mess up my blogging time! LOL

Cora went to her 2 month check-up today, here are the stats:

15 lbs. 9 oz.

16.5 head circumference

23 (and something - I didn't pay attention well) inches long

I love my fat & happy baby!

Look at this stuff....isn't it neat

We are home-

that was so much fun.

One more post before we go...

Can't go see Mickey dirty.

Awwww She's my little Buddha Belly

Don't I look Japanese in this picture?

Have a Disney Day!

We got more loot!

Thank you Grandma!! We love you!

Not Forgotten

Wacky Day

Serendipity

I thought all morning about entering this contest. Check it out, its a great idea. I found out about it through Abby who is HYSTERICALLY funny. I too couldn't think of anything to write. Then the following occurred. All of it is sadly true. Just ask Nancy she was there! As they say: You can't make this stuff up!

Farts, Cigarettes, and Cub Scouts
Scene one:

Rush in to the dollar store to grab a few things, notice Halloween candy on sale - grab an innocent bag of candy for cub scouts. Spiderman theme. This should work.

Scene two:

Overcrowded Cub meeting in full swing. At a crowded table of boys someone rips a good one. I mean a good -- one! My son looks up with redness in his cheeks. Laughter ensues as well as the "it wasn't me" chorus. Guilt is firmly placed on Benjamin. He looks up and says a little too nonchalantly "It wasn't me it was my Mom" ............................ WHAT?.................................
Yep my son just blamed his fart on me. When I gave birth to him I looked at his little face and knew I would do ANYTHING for him. Little did I know that meant taking blame for his fart in public eight years later. Then he gave me that look, the "please bail me out mom" look, so I did what any loving mother would do ... I said "oh e x c u s e m e?" The words were drawn out because I truly did not know what was better for my son: make him take the blame or be the kid of the farting mom. Dr. Sears doesn't have this dilemma in any of his books.

Scene Three:
The Cub scout meeting closes. Said candy is passed around. Impulse buy quickly regretted when I realize amongst snickers of fellow leaders that I had brought candy cigarettes to the church building for scout night. Although nowadays they are not technically candy cigarettes they are "Candy sticks" and the tips aren't painted red anymore so they just look like joints. So there I was in the midst of 12 boys at church in cub scout uniforms with joints hanging out of their mouths.
I may be the farting mom, but I deliver on the goods!

Does anyone smell something?
aka. cub scout joints

We got loot...

for disney!!! It was a preloaded Visa card. As she opened the package and saw it Ella said "my precious" Lord of the rings style. too funny.

Thanks Nana!!

Your turn!

I was a guest blogger on Sarah's blog in an ongoing series she hosts! Check it out here

When you are done reading my story write your own - I love to read that series!!!

Does anyone else have this problem?

When I was in college and for a while after I married I carried just a keychain wallet combo like this, with proper lipstick application before going out it held all I ever needed. Now I am a bag lady. Hence the bag parking lot at home including a: church bag, scout bag, camera bag and purse/diaper bag. Thanks to the lovely Sarah that bought me the perfect purse it holds all diaper supplies and I am one less bag. I either need less bags (which isn't going to happen) or they need a better home.

I had a shiver inside too Benjamin

Click on it to enlarge and read about Benjamin's feelings on the first day of school.

OH and that is a smiley face, not a C.

Gustav blew Ms. Ingrid into town

She brought with her the Jubilant Julia and the Adventurous Andrew. Much fun ensued...

I had witty comments and further descriptions - but a picture is worth a thousand words right? so how bout serveral pictures?