HALLOWEEN

Halloween seemed quite long this year, but we took full advantage of it, and had a blast! On the Friday before Halloween, Oaklee's preschool class had a costume parade. It was so much fun to watch because all of the kids are just SO excited to be dressed up! (Oaklee is the Firefighter)

On Saturday we went down to visit Grandma Kartchner and Grandma Beverly...

Grandma Kartchner had yummy puff balls and candy for the girls, and she even sang a song to the girls about a skunk (since Pemberlynn was a skunk for Halloween). It was one of those moments that I wish I had my video camera so that we could have that precious moment forever....

When we made it to Grandma Beverly's she wasn't home. It was a bummer! But, Chad's Uncle Evan was there and he let the girls pet his blood hounds. While the girls were busy with the dogs, Chad was hanging upside-down on Evan's thingy. Not sure what it is called, but it is supposed to really help your back. Once the girls saw daddy doing it, they of course wanted to do it! So, Evan and Chad let them each have a turn hanging upside-down. They thought it was great!

These are some pictures before we headed out to the Trunk or Treat.

McKinzey--> "Starlet"
Taylin--> Little Red Riding Hood

Oaklee-->FireFighter

Brexlyn--> Tiger
Pemberlynn--> Skunk (she wasn't to happy about having her hat on)
Before we headed out to the trunk or treat we had a fun visit from Nana Paige and Grandpa Hoyt. The girls were so excited to see them and show them their costumes. Pemberlynn was surprised with a birthday present (she is almost 2!!!) from Nana and Grandpa. They got her some bath toys with body wash. She LOVES them!! She already loves taking baths, and these just add to the fun :)

Here we are at the Trunk or Treat. As you might be able to tell the wind was blowing and there was a really big storm that was about to roll in.....it was COLD!! So, we started out through all of the trunks, and when we were about halfway through was when the rain started to fall. Even though it was raining we all had a really good time.

After we finished at the Trunk or Treat we headed over to Drew and Kirstin's apartment to "trick or treat". Kirstin and I chatted for awhile while the kids and the husbands played Toy Story 3 on the Wii :)

On Halloween day we went over to our friends house for a dinner party. The kids all played well together, and the adults were able to laugh, and catch up on life! It ended up being a great weekend!!

Murder Mystery Dinner

This past weekend Chad and I went on a DATE!!! It might seem silly that I am so excited about this, but it is hard to find time between work, school, kids, etc... to find time where the two of us can get out of the house together. So, on Friday night we hit the town with a couple of our friends and went to see "Twilit and the Full-Blooded Princess". It was a spoof on Twilight, Harry Potter, and then for some reason Frankenstein and his Bride were in the play as well :) Anyways, we didn't realize before we got there that this was actually a murder mystery play! I was delighted!! If you know Chad very well, you will understand why he wasn't as exuberant about this little detail as I was :) But....We had a blast!!! We ate a nice BBQ dinner while we watched the play and then we had times throughout the play that we were able to go and talk to the characters to try and figure out who killed.....get ready for it.....BELLA!!!!! At first Chad just hung out at the table with our friend Tyler while us girls went and started the investigation, but after a few minutes they joined in and we had so much fun! In the end we all guessed wrong. Ha! Oh well :) During the play they made it point to Hermoine as the killer, but we thought that they were trying to trick us into thinking that. It just seemed to easy, but, as it turns out you don't really have to think very hard at these things. Hermoine was the murderer. We thought that we were so clever to figure out that they were trying to trick us :) Not that this will make any sense to anyone that hasn't seen this play, but my favorite part was a dance-off between Jacob and Ron to see who possessed more magic. It was hilarious!!!! After the play we headed to our favorite icecream place, Leatherby's, and had yummy icecream and great conversation! It was just nice to get out, and be with the person I love most!

This is us waiting for the play to start

Cami and I heading out to start our investigation
Everyone mingling around
Us questioning Frankensteins Bride....
Chad and I with the cast (I do have to say that Bella and Edward were REALLY weird!)

Casting Call...

I present to you the next "Ralphie" for the movie "A Christmas Story"...

"You'll shoot your eye out, you'll shoot your eye out!"

So far.....

So far this week my life has consisted of this:

Are you jealous yet???

There's More!!!!

Since it took me 7 and a half years to do my family pictures, it has taken me even longer to have pictures of just Chad and I done as well. The last time Chad and I had our pictures taken were for our engagement pictures 8 and a half years ago :) And even then, we were cheap and had Chad's brother Ryan take them. They turned out really good though! So, since we were having our family pictures taken, I decided to set up a time where Chad and I could have our pictures taken, professionally, for the first time. I love how they turned out! Once again, we had Tasha from Cherish These Moments Photography take our pictures (she did our family pictures as well.....check out her blog at cherishthesemoments.blogspot.com).

FAMILY PICTURES!!!

We FINALLY had family pictures taken!! It took us 7 and a half years to do it, but I have to say that I LOVE the results!!! Even though I don't think that there is one picture that either everyone is looking at the camera or smiling, it is the time of life that we are at, which makes them THAT much better!! So, since I like them so much I posted a bunch of them. ENJOY!!

(pictures by Tasha Whitmill....cherishthesemoments.blogspot.com)

Not for everyone...

My job is not for everyone, I have to admit. Some days my goal is just to take a shower or use the bathroom with the door shut. There are early hours, late hours and middle of the night hours. Some days my laundry stack is taller than I am. And other days I am trying to figure out how to get squished carrots out of the carpet. But I love my job. I would not trade it for anything.

I love being a stay at home mom because...I have learned to enjoy shows like Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer. I never thought these shows would be riveting television for me. But, when I see my one, and three-year-old's eyes light up at the sight of one of their favorite characters or hear them laugh when something silly happens, I enjoy it more than any "grown up" show.

I love being a stay at home mom because... I get to see all of my children's "firsts." Most of the "firsts" my girls have had (first smile, step, etc) have been during regular business hours. Had I been elsewhere, I would have missed them.

I love being a stay at home mom because... I don't have to deal with office politics. Around our house the only "promises" made are those that involve what will happen if you eat your peas or what will happen if you hit your sister again.

I love being a stay at home mom because...I get to dry my children's tears. Whether it is something that hurt their feelings or a "boo boo" they got by falling down, I am there to comfort them. While I know I will not always be there when they need comforting, I know that during these important formative years I am the one they go to when they have a problem.

I love being a stay at home mom because... I am there when my children need me. Some days this is the most trying part of the job. When my children need me is often at their crankiest. I have to push all of my pride aside and give them what they need most...T.L.C.

I love being a stay at home mom because...I do not have to keep up on all the latest fashion trends. My attire on most days consists of sweatpants and a T-shirt that is conducive to games of hide and seek and playing with Play-Dough .

I love being a stay at home mom because...everyday is "quality time" with my children. I do not ever feel like I need to carve out time for my children. I get it every day. Whether it's blowing bubbles or drinking smoothies together, every day is full of "quality time."

I love being a stay at home mom because...I get to see the world through the eyes of my children. When I feel like I look terrible yet I see my child's eyes light up when I walk in the room, I am reminded that life is about much more than we think it is. Life is about loving each other, not judging each other.

There are women who have to, or choose to work out of the home. There are days when I want to join them. Sometimes I question my sanity by choosing to be up to elbows in dirty diapers and sticky sippy cups all day. But this is what I have always wanted to do. I aspire to be the best stay at home mom I can be. And that's enough for me.

Oquirrh Mountain

Things have been so busy lately that I haven't been able to write about a really great experience that Chad and I had. Last week we were able to go to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple with David and Paige and do some sealings. With school, work, raising kids etc.. it has been awhile since Chad and I have been able to go to the temple besides for weddings and such. Just walking in the temple doors I felt a calming peace that I wish I could have with me all of the time.

While we waited in the marriage waiting room we were able to chat with David and Paige and catch up on life and the changes that are coming our way. We were also able to take in the beauty of this temple. Chad showed me that all throughout the temple there are circles. Ones that are linked together in a forever chain representing eternity and ones that are linked together like the infinity sign also representing eternity......there were no breaks in the circles...a never ending chain.

As we were doing the sealings it was so amazing to be able to listen to the blessings that Chad and I were promised 8 and a half years ago when we were sealed for time and all eternity. It was overwhelming to me, and the Spirit was so strong. It was also really touching to be able to see Chad and his dad together in the temple. I am SO glad that Chad holds the Priesthood, and that he honors it! I am thankful for the blessings that the priesthood brings into our family! And, I am thankful to Chad's dad for being an example to him in many ways.

I have decided that I want to make it a point to go to the temple as often as I can, and I am so thankful to David and Paige, and many other friends that are willing to help me with this goal. I can't wait to go back and feel that peace, and remember all of the blessings that I have in my life.

Oaklee's First Day of Preschool

Oaklee had her first day of preschool today, and even though she went to preschool last year she was so excited to start school again. I took a few pictures of her before she left, but after the first one that I took she told me that it was "too boring" and that since she was going to preschool for the second time she needed to have a "fancy" picture taken of her :) So, the first picture is "boring" and the second one is "fancy".....

"BORING"

"FANCY"
She had a fantastic time at school! After I picked her up she told me that it was the "best time that she had ever had this year in her life!!" I love that girl!!

From McKinzley

This just made my heart really happy :)