Trick or Treat Practice

Since Trey was little we have used the Family Home Evening before Halloween (Monday night is reserved as Family Home Evening in our church to be a night to stay at home with your family and learn more about the gospel, bond, and play together) to have a Trick or Treat dress rehearsal. We started this because Trey was not so sure about dressing up in a costume when he was younger (he still has a hard time with it). The kids dress up in their costume and knock on different doors in our house - behind the door Lars waits to give them treats. As you can see by Toby's face it is always a hit. I would recommend this to anyone who has little kids who are still a little unsure about Trick or Treating.

Oh and just in case anyone is wondering how we tied this into a gospel lesson - we didn't. Although it would have been a good idea to teach Trey that sometimes we just have to smile and take what we are given. At our church's Trunk or Treat he would tell people no thanks to M&M's and then when people tried to give Toby a candy with peanut butter in it he would tell them that Toby was allergic... So now Lars and I are without Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, what makes for a sad batch of candy in my eyes.

My Boys

I love my boys. They are my world. I am excited to add a girl to the mix, but there really is something special about a mom and a son, maybe it's because I know that someday there will be another woman that will become their everything, so for now I treasure them. A few things that I want to remember about each:

Trey is so sensitive and kind. He is exactly like his daddy in his obediance. He loves school. He loves to laugh and tease. He hates vegetables but loves apples. He will always cuddle. When Julia was sick he would sit on her bed and play puzzles or look at books for hours just to be near her. He is very smart. The other day he said in regards to Toby, "I can't wait until he turns four so that we can stop playing this guessing game of what he is saying". He loves being outside and climbing his tree. He says his best friend is Daddy and he wants to live in Boise. He won't wear/eat/drink/ anything with eyes on it (cartoonish things). He won't be around the color pink and refuses to eat girl birthday cakes.

Toby is the funniest little boy. He didn't talk until he was 2 1/2. Now he knows his colors and is learning his alphabet. His facial expressions are priceless. He is like me and has OCD tendancies. He has to do things in his way. He is the biggest helper you will ever meet. He loves to wrestle with Trey and is a total dare devil when it comes to jumping off things. When he gets mad he can throw a fit that is like no other. Lately when he is upset he puts his hands under his armpits like he is going to do the chicken dance and stomps his feet and his eyebrows furrow together - it makes us laugh. He loves vegetables, especially green ones. He, unlike Trey, loves characters and would dress up like any of them. He is obsessed with spiderman even though he has never seen a spiderman cartoon of any kind.

Sleep Sweet Sleep

Since we got back from our tip to Idaho this summer, Trey and Toby have been sleeping in our bed with us. It is a king, but come on now - I am huge (see previous post). We had to come up with a solution. This is what we came up with...





Lars found a great deal and put this together in one night - that might give you an idea of how desperate we were for a good night sleep! I was shocked that he put it together so quickly, because I swear it took him longer to put together this dresser. Now we are going on six nights with no kiddos in our bed. And just think I have 3 1/2 weeks to enjoy that before baby girl is in bed with us....

We still got it

So we just got back from a Rockband party. And since I am doing this blog as a way to journal about me and my family I just have to say for posterity sake that boys, your mommy and daddy still have it! Lars is great on the guitar, which is no surprise since we own guitar hero, but he picked up the drums right away. I on the other hand decided to stick with the guitar and singing. Lars refused to sing, but I promise you as soon as we get our version for the Wii (which Lars informed me he ordered weeks ago - news to me) I can guarantee you he will be belting those songs here at home. So while I was the youngest one at the party tonight it certainly didn't show - 30's, 40's it's all good at Rockband parties in Fungomery!

Bring it On

So I like to celebrate things. I have been known to buy a cookie cake for the opening BYU game, for elections that we have been directly involved in and now I want to go buy a cookie cake for this last debate! I love it! I will say though that I fell asleep during the last one so I am hoping for some more sparks during this one. I love the debates, but I also love the post debate discussions where each camp tells us why they won. Hmmm, who will win? Who will say what? Will he go there? I just can't wait to watch - please entertain (I mean inform) me tonight!

On another note, here in Fungomery we have enjoyed some local forums and debates. Our neighborhood did a Potluck forum at our local park and I was even interviewed. Good times. Lars and I will be attending a debate for a hottly contested seat in congress in a couple of weeks and I am already looking forward to it, maybe I will buy a cookie cake for it....

32 Days to go

So, we are getting close. I am getting nervous, excited and huge! Really, I thought I was doing better with this baby, but nope - looks like we are going to be heading into the hospital at the exact same weight as Trey and Toby. 9 months up, 9 months down I guess, but all these similarities have me very nervous that Julia Karen might really be a boy! I have had 3 people confirm it is a girl, but I am still freaking out, I am also obsessed with the worry that she only has one eye - weird I know, but these are the things that keep me up at night! I once knew a girl that had dreams every night that she gave birth to a bird, so I guess we all have our things....

We love the Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch this weekend - it was a blast, the kids loved it. Hayrides, tractor rides, pumpkin picking - it was all fun. Toby just kept staring at everything, he was definitly overwhelmed. Trey on the other hand was all about every place, his favorite was the hay bales that you could play on.

We love the Fall! Oh and by the way we found a fantastic Halloween costume for Trey at Costco. Their costumes are GREAT! Thanks for the idea of looking there Cindy.

Just hangin around

Lately the boys have loved climbing trees. This is their favorite one. Everyday we go outside to wait for Lars to come home and climb trees.





Toby can't quite get as high as Trey (thank heavens)







Trey goes so high, I am worried that soon I will be doing a post from the hospital...

WARNING: Ranting Ahead

Okay so I have a bit of ranting to do. Remember I am using this blog for a journal of sorts so at times it may get a bit opinionated or personal...

So recently I had some blood work done at my Dr.'s office (this was not routine blood work by the way but instead a way of finding out if something was wrong). It was done a week ago Thursday and I was told by the lab tech that I could get the results Friday evening. Because Fridays are kind of 'close-up early' days at their office I decided I would call on Monday morning. I called on Monday and was told by my Dr's nurse that my Dr was out of town for a week. I had heard that this was the case but was still wandering if I could get my lab results. She said that the Dr. would be checking in and she would get back to me that day. That evening before they closed I called to check in. The nurse told me she hadn't heard from the Dr and would give her until the next morning before having another Dr in the practice look the lab results over. I thought this would be better because I really didn't want to bug my Dr on vacation if one of the other 14 Dr's in the practice could just look at them and let me know if all was good.

So Tuesday goes by with no word and then Wednesday goes by with no word so I call today (Thursday). The nurse tells me that my Dr hasn't checked in. I asked what about another Dr, she said that she hadn't had another Dr look at them. So I inquire how I can get these results, she says she'll try to get hold of my Dr today. I'm thinking "yeah right" but instead I express that I don't think it is odd that I should want my results and I don't mean to be annoying, but because there is another human inside me I don't want to be neglectful to her so I am taking a pro-active approach and following up with these results. She says that their office policy is kind of a ' no news is good news' one. Too which I tell her that the Dr has told me opposite and has been suprised when I have had no clue on the results of papsmears, diabetes testing etc. during this pregnancy. to which she pulls up my chart and trys to tell me that I have been contacted, but then realizes that it has always been me calling for results. So again she tells me she will call me back when the Dr gets back to her.

She did get back to me and tells me that she told my Dr that I felt I had been neglected - WHAT? I said 'I hope I am not being annoying, but I don't want to be neglectful so I am being pro-active and getting my lab results'! She then says everything looks fine but they are sending me on for more monitoring. I got the distinct impression that this is being done to appease me (or to calm me down which is how it really felt).

So my question is, am I really crazy for wanting my lab results especially since they weren't routine but to find out if something is wrong? And why do I feel that by calling and asking for them I am over-reacting and have become the nutty pregnant woman in their office....

GRRRRR - thus ends my rant, for now.

Happy Fall

So Fall is here and it is my very favorite time of year. Today Toby and I spent the morning at the park and there was an actual chill in the air. Every mom kept commenting on how great the weather was. I love October, I kind of wish that this little girl was going to be born during October so that for the rest of her life she could have fun Halloween parties for her birthday.

The boys are really excited for Halloween. Last night we took the boys to get a pumpkin to decorate for Family Home Evening - Trey named his Pumpkin Dumpkin. We have plans for the pumpkin patch, possibly this weekend and then fall festivals at schools and church Halloween parties marked on the calendar. I love it. they love it. Also there is something about October and chili and cornbread with apple cider that just sounds right - don't you think? I will post my favorite recipes for those soon.

Hopefully the above picture makes you laugh, it did me....

General Conference and BYU Football

This weekend was a nice and relaxing one - there is something to be said for having real reasons to stay at home and watch TV. Friday night was football, and so far BYU has had a good season, providing our home with a happy Lars. I am not kidding when I say that Lars really takes these games to heart - heaven help us if the cougars lose, in fact I think Lars started letting his mood go when USU scored their first TD. USU was not going to win, but Lars was frustrated none the less. Our big discussion now is how he is going to get to Birmingham for the UofU BYU game on Nov. 22 considering that baby girl is being born on the 17th.... Stay tuned for that discussion....

Conference was great! I felt that there was an overall theme of finding Joy in the process. What do you all think? Perhaps that was what I needed to hear. I have had a number of professors and teachers say that if you will go into Genenral Conference with three things that are on your mind and then prayerfully listen, you will be uplifted and feel that your concernes/ thoughts are being addressed. This has always been proven true for me and I was crying (not a rare occurance lately) during many talks thankful for answers to my prayers. I especially loved Elder Wirthlin's talk Saturday afternoon - I laughed out loud a couple of times and can't wait to re-read it. Now if I were really blog savy I would provide a link for you to click on it and read it - but that's not me yet.

So now I am off to change a messy diaper and try to find Joy in the process.....

Is anyone else excited for tonight?

Here we go! I am excited for this debate tonight. In all fairness I am excited to learn a little bit more about both of these guys. I am openly rooting for Palin because I love that she has put a new (and quite differant) face to strong, intelligent women in this country - what an NRA, pro-choice feminist, this can't be. Sure it can and I appreciate it. I'll post more thoughts after this debate tonight - but I hope you have fun watching it as well... Is it on network TV? If not thank heavens for TiVo because 'The Office' is right up there in importance....

Shower In Alabama

Recently my friends here in Alabama threw me a shower. It was GREAT! So again, my ability to post a lot of pictures is making my posts limited, so instead of showing pictures of the beautiful people that were there and the darling things they brought I chose to focus on the food because it ROCKED! They went all out and I loved it! Thanks gals. They did a brunch and it was tasty and delicious! I am sure the main hostess is still recovering, but I think everyone there was happy they came if only to hang out, chat and EAT! Thanks again everyone. I love you all!

Idaho Part III

Ok so you can tell that I am totally blog illiterate because I am having to do a separate post for each entry - oh well in time I will be great at this like the rest of you....

I wanted to blog about some other fun things we did while we were home. Davis had a birthday party and we also went to the Smith family reunion in McCall. Both were so fun. Davis is getting so old and he and Trey are best friends - too bad they are so far away from each other. McCall was beautiful - Tammy's brother built an awesome "cabin" (I love how we still call these fantastic McMansions cabins just because they are in the mountains) and we stayed there for a long weekend. The actual reunion was at my aunt and uncle's "cabin" on the lake. We had fun eating, swiming, boating, canoeing, jetskiing etc. I have never seen a better location. There is something magical about smimming in a mountain lake. The only thing that comes to mind to describe it is AAHHHHH! It's cool and fresh and beautiful. Lars thinks I am disgusting, but I have been known to use a mountain lake as my shower for days at a time (yes I even shampoo my hair in the lake - fish killer that I am...) see my beach post for further explanation on alternative showering techniques.

We miss you Idaho - oh and on a side note, if you are ever in McCall eat at the Pancake House. Tammy introduced us to this and it is worth the two hour drive from Boise just for their GIGANTIC cinnamon rolls!

Idaho Part II

Tammy and Amber threw a shower for me while we were home. It was awesome. It was suppose to be a surprise but then I caught them shopping for baby girl clothes! I hope I didn't totally ruin the fun - I don't think so because we had a great time. Dinner was served, the decorations were fantastic and Julia Karen was totally spoiled - thank you everyone.

I love you all!