Tradition

I love a good solid timeless tradition. Pumpkin carving is definetely one of them.

Rhett refused to stick his hand in the pumpkin and clean the guts out, so I was stuck with his dirty work.

If you look closely you can see the inspiration for our pumpkin designs. This movie has been a favorite at our house since Rhett could watch movies. Halloween is this kid's favorite holiday. Danny Elfman and Tim Burton are truly brilliant.

Tomorrow we are taking the fam to see the Nightmare Before Christmas on the big screen. 3D style. I am just as excited as the kids. We all have the movie memorized but seeing it in 3D will be worth watching it again for the millionth time. Any one else have some Halloween traditions you'd like to share? I'd love to hear. This is such a great time of year.

nine

So far, nine has been a great age. Mo has become more mature and even tempered as the days pass, yet she is still hanging on to her childlike innocence.

I'm finding that I really enjoy hanging out with her. And for the time being, I think I can say she feels the same about me.

It doesn't get much better.

daddy's girl

I almost made it through church without Berk. I had looked at the clock thinking "yes, only 10 minutes left". Thats when it all fell apart. Ella started crying very loudly saying," I want to go home." And then the older two started hitting each other. I grabbed Rhett and took him out along with Ella, who was letting the whole congregation know that she wanted to go home . As I grab Rhett and pull him out I smack is head on the bench. Wahoo. Then Mo follows along. I decided we had done well enough without daddy and it was time to go home.

On the way home Ella did not want to sit in the stroller, but refused to put on shoes to walk so I made her stay in the stroller. (Power struggle) She cried all the way home. When we made it home I pulled her out of the stroller and held her and she cried saying, "I want my daddy".

"Oh sweetie, you and me both."

After naps we took a drive up to the family restaurant to see daddy. The place was busy, which means Berk was busy. Even so, Ella wasn't going to leave his side. We ate lots of good food and spent some quality time with family. All in all the day turned out just fine.

Ravelry

I finally got my e-mail invite to join ravelry. It is a great place for knitters and crocheters to come together and share projects. You can keep track of projects you are working on and show off finished projects. You can also keep an inventory of all your yarn and needles. I am all sorts of excited about this website. If you like knitting or crocheting go check it out.

pumpkins and scare crows

Today was Rhett's fieldtrip to the pumpkin patch. It was windy and cold. The best part was this scare crow. Just as the kids started touching him, he started to talk and then move.The looks on the kids faces was classic. The scarecrow was a real man with a real carved pumpkin on his head. He was very entertaining. He gave us a tour and then let the kids pick out a pumpkin

Yep, thats me wearing the pumpkin. I don't know how he did it.

my new/old boots

I remember when I bought these boots. It was six years ago for christmas. I remember because I was pregnant with Rhett. Shoe are the only justifiable clothing purchase when your pregnant. It's the only part of your body that stays about the same size. I have loved these boots, casual enough to wear with jeans but nice enough to wear with a skirt. But last year I wasn't quite as crazy about these boots and this year I was wanting a new pair. My boots were feeling, well a little out of style. So I got online and started looking for new boots. Of course the ones I fell in love with were from Anthropologie and almost $300. I just couldn't justify paying that right now or maybe ever.

So I went back to my old boots. The only thing I wasn't liking about my old boots was the big chunky heel. They were way too heavy, hurt my feet after a while, and well, the chunky heel was just not cute anymore.

As I was looking at them I got a really great idea. I took my boots downtown to my neighbor's shoe repair shop. He cut off most of the width of the sole and glued on a new thinner one. So for $20 I got myself a new pair of boots and I love them. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

I wish I had a before picture, but I was too excited about taking them in and didn't think about taking pics.

lesson learned

corn maze, hay ride

pumpkin picking

Ella taking pictures, big hay slides.

I learned a little mothers lesson friday at the farm. Rhett got too scared to go down the big slide. I trid to convince him that he would love it. I even tried to bribe him. After much coaxing, I got impatient and he started crying. Then he just wanted me to hold him and cry. I told him that I paid for him to have fun and not to be held. So he better go play. Obviously my impatience didn't make the poor kid feel any better. After arguing with him to stop crying, I finally looked at my watch and realized it was an hour past lunch time and in the rush of getting out of the house that morning, he didn't even get breakfast. Oh I felt aweful. I took him over to the concession stand and bought him some food and a treat. After some food in the belly he was back to the good ol happy easy going Rhett I know.

I felt guilty thinking back on my behavior. I didn't act like the mindful mom I want to be. If I could go back I would have stopped and remembered that Rhett's feelings were most important. I would have sat down and held him and calmed him down in a gentle loving way. I'm sure he would have calmed down much faster. Well that and some food in his belly. Here's the real kicker, I was the exact same way when I was a kid. Probably even more chicken and just as stubborn. So thats sympathy for ya.

my family

My very talented friend Sarah took these family pictures for us. They turned out great. Thanks Sarah

may I interest you in a pumpkin hat?

I have some extra time and materials to make a few more hats. I know it is already late in the season, but these cute little hats can be worn thru the month of November. I am also adding the strawberry hat, which can be worn all year. So if anyone is interested let me know. I will take a few requests first come first serve basis. I am also willing to try a blueberry for the little boys.

sizes are 6mths, 1 year, and 2 yrs. (Sorry nayt no 27 year size.) cost would be $23 for the pumpkin and $25 for the strawberry. The strawberry is a little more time consuming.

reduce - reuse -recycle

I think this economic crisis goes hand in hand with the environmental crisis. Our country consumes way too much. Too much of everything. Whether or not we can afford what we buy. It only makes sense to only buy things if you have the money to buy it, saving debt for only a few exceptions. We've all needed this wake up call.

When we try to pinch our pennies we are also helping save the environment by not being as wasteful or consuming as much. We are being mindful about our purchases, how we take care of the things we own, we are consuming less and saving more. I like the old saying "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without". Going back to the way our parents and grandparents lived. My goal for the future is to be more mindful about where my money is going and how I am affecting mother earth.

I would love to hear some ideas on how other people are saving money while also saving the environment.

pumpkin

Imagine this pumpkin...

on the head of this little pumpkin.

oh so cute.

colds and snow

Its snowing in October (notice the leaves on the trees) and the whole family was sick with colds this weekend. I haven't been able to breathe through my nose and it makes me quite grumpy. My poor children. To remedy the problem, I squirted afrin nasal spray up my nose and the results were wonderful, completely clear nasal passages for 12hrs. After 12hrs though it all came crashing down and I'm plugged again. Worse than when I started. No way was I breathing through either nostril for another 12hrs and the only way around it is strait through. You have to stop taking the medicine, deal with the plugged nose, or it will just keep coming back. Oh, but one squirt and it would be all over and I could breathe again. It's so addictive. No more!!! No wonder the bottle warns users of its addictiveness. I think I'm done with afrin, it works so well, but the side effects are so not worth it.

Well, we watched too much tv, played too many video games, and wiped too many noses this weekend. I did get some good knitting in. I had to do something productive while sitting on the couch. Hopefully there will be pictures of a finished product tomorrow. Stay tuned....

New Find

I'm always thrilled when I show Berk something he doesn't already know about because it rarely happens. Tonight I did just that. And for the rest of you here it is www.pandora.com
I'm totally diggin this website. how about you?

careful what you wish for

As I was putting groceries away, I heard a big boom in the other room. I came running in to see what had happened. I found the playstation and the tivo behind the tv. I asked him what had happened.

"I don't know, I was just sitting in this chair right next to it and it fell."

"Ok, yeah right. Tell me what really happened."

"promise you wont be mad?"

"If you tell the truth, I won't be mad."

"I was climbing up there and my belly knocked it over."

So yeah, the playstation tried to honor my previous request. It did not survive the fall. I was wondering if my request had something to do with this and I thought crap these machines are expensive. (And I don't mind a good game of quitar hero)

Not to worry, Berk quickly remedied the problem. He sent out a mass text to all friends asking for a used playstation to buy for cheap. Our friend responded by giving us his old playstation2 for FREE. That's my awesome husband for ya, very resourceful.

I am relieved that this incident didn't cost us anymore money, but I was hoping for a little more time before the thing was replaced.

obsession

The playstation has kidnapped my son.
I'd like him back now please.

It worked

I woke up this morning to Mo tapping me saying, " come mom, lets go see how much money the tooth fairy left me".

A wave of panic flew over me. I forgot!!! I knew I would forget. Why did I forget? I tried to think as quickly as possible.

"Sweetie, just a minute let me go to the bathroom and then I'll be in. Please wait for me, no peeking!!"

I spotted 2 dollar bills on my dresser. Aha, this would be risky, do I attempt?

I walk into her room very slowly cupping the crumpled up dollar bills in my hands. As she is searching, I help and discretely tuck the money in.

It worked!!!! It worked!!!

I keep wondering when she will stop believing. Maybe she already has. After all she is 9.

That's ok. I'll hold on to these bits of childhood as long as I can.

garages and basements

After buying the minivan, the next project on the list was to finish the basement. I've wanted to finish our basement so badly. Our little family is getting too big for the upstairs alone. But to be able to finish the basement, we need a place for everything in the basement to go.

"Why not the garage?" I say.

"Let's clean it out and evaluate." Berk says.

Well the garage was officially deemed unworthy of sheltering anything of value.

So it looks like instead of a finished basement, we'll be getting a new garage.

How did this happen.

10 things I'm lovin about the weekend

1-How much Ella loves her daddy. She's making it hard for him to work.


2-General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

3-First time ever canning salsa using tomatoes from the garden and it turning out awesome. (it was my brother nayts idea to add corn and black beans. But he's going to have to come visit if he wants some.)

4-Early morning Ableskeevers/Aebleskivers breakfast with good friends before conference.

5- rainy weather perfect for knitting and watching conference.

6-Our lovely garage......

going DOWN!!!!!

7-One sock down, one to go.

8-A halloween only yard sale right next door.

9-Random phone calls from my favorite brother Nayt

10-Last but not least: Berk

someday I'll laugh

Don't draw on the floor sweetie, please draw on the paper.

"Yes!!!! flinstones vitamins. I'm going to take these behind the couch and open them."
This one speaks for itself.

Want some ranch with your tea?

banana bread

The bananas went bad. Whenever this happens I keep them for a few days with good intentions of making banana bread. Mind you, I have never made banana bread before. Then I end up throwing the nasty brown bananas in the garbage. I cringe as I'm doing it, like I do when any food goes in the garbage.

Today was different. I mashed up those overripe bananas, got on line for a recipe, and I made banana bread. It was the best banana bread I've tasted in a while. I got the recipe here. It was so much easier to make than I was imagining. I added some chocolate chips that were not part of the recipe.