The Making of a Pumpkin

First take five boys (I'm including Brett as one of the boys) and gather them around the kitchen table.  Next - everyone draws a picture of a pumpkin face and you end up choosing one mom finds on the internet... go mom!!!  Dad draws it on the pumpkin... go dad!!! Get one giant pumpkin with its top cut off.  

Have boys roll up their sleeves in preparation for the messy job ahead.  

Loosen the insides of the pumpkin and order your unwilling boys to scoop out the slimy pumpkin innards with their bare hands. 

 Tell them to ignore the stinky pumpkin smell and keep on digging in!!!  

Firmer orders must be given to your oldest boy who appears to be hanging back and letting younger brothers do all the work (he's no dummy!!!)   

"No you are not done yet" you tell them... "aren't you having fun?" you ask.  "did you just put that in your mouth?" you say.  

Be sure to have at least one  tactile intolerant child so you can catch moments like these...

While dad cuts out the face, play with the pumpkin cut-outs.

Test your pumpkin with a candle to be sure it will light up well enough on Halloween.

The end result.... a Star Wars storm-trooper pumpkin and boys now with clean hands and happy faces.  

Thanks to Brett for an awesome cutting job on the pumpkin!!! Thanks to M. for surviving the whole process.... I know it was hard for him but he kept on participating anyways, bless his heart.

New Calling

I have barely settled in to my callings as Visiting Teaching supervisor and Compassionate Service committee member when I was called in on Sunday and released from those callings.  I was very nervous about what my new calling would be.  

I'll be honest and tell you that I did not relish the thought of being called as a Primary teacher in one of my kids' classes.  Now don't get me wrong.... I love my kids.  But if you recall from an earlier post - I take lots and lots and lots of pictures of my boys in order to remind myself that I love them because they do so many things on a daily basis to challenge that belief.  I could fill a shelf of books with all the stories of things they do that drive me crazy... hence all the picture taking to soften my heart when someone runs up the stairs crying and tattling on another brother for umpteenth time in a day.

So when Brother Brooks asked me if I would be willing to be the Gospel Doctrine teacher the "yes" somehow rolled off my tongue.  I guess because the previous night and all that morning I had been fearing a calling to one of my boys' classes (don't be offended Dede)  so staying with the adults all of a sudden seemed just fine.... but wait a minute... didn't I always say in the past that I would DIE if I was EVER called to be the Gospel Doctrine teacher???  Strangely enough I'm calm so far.  That's probably because I don't have to teach for two more Sundays.  I'll be freaking out soon enough... you'll see.  That's what I get for slacking in my personal scripture studying lately!!! :P  no slacking now!!!

Family Outing to Scarecrow Festival

It seems like forever since I have made a post!  Life gets carried away and I certainly have been with all the day to day activities.  I was happy that we were able to make some time on Saturday to go to the Scarecrow Festival at Thanksgiving Point and that this year Brett could go with us (I often go during the day when Brett is working).  

It seemed even bigger this year with lots of inflatable slides, 

a haunted house (Cody's favorite... not!!!) 

the spider speedway (not so speedy as it turns out),

pumpkins to purchase, 

games of chance, 

games of skill, 

waiting for the train.... 

more waiting for the train... 

watching other people ride the train...

and finally riding the train.  

Our food almost cost us as much as the admission fee but it was a great day.  We only lost Cody once, helped a lost boy, burned my hand on a bathroom door and had one temper tantrum (I didn't have the temper tantrum... Cody did!)  The weather was perfect and although the Scarecrow Festival did not have the corn maze we were there long enough that I was happy to forgo the maze this year.  I'm glad I didn't skip Thanksgiving Point as I was tempted to do.  We had a wonderful time and have some new family memories.

Witches at Gardner Village

My boys love seeing the witches at Gardner Village (and secretly so do I).  Gardner Village is a great place to shop... Pine Needles is my favorite store there with their awesome fabrics!!! I'm a kid in a candy store.  At Halloween though, the witches come out on display around the village shops.  Although I was tired (exhausted to the point of tears is more accurate) and not sure if we would make it ... this trip to the village was, after all, done after my third trip to a doctor's office this week alone (trip # 4 to come tomorrow morning) ... but I wanted to make it before the weather turned cold and before I lost my resolve.  Hauling boys around the village in cold weather is no fun at all!!!  I never seem to make it around Christmas time when the elves come out to play (there is just too much to do then).

It was a memorable enough event that my youngest boy included it in his prayers ... mumble mumble ...witchy poo...witch on a toilet....amen. hahahahaha!!!! He has the best prayers (and by best I mean the ones that make everyone laugh). 

As we looked at the witches we came to learn a few things...

Cody is afraid of witches (so why does he want to be one for Halloween????)

Gage loves to touch spiders and freak his mom out with them.

boys love chasing geese. who knew???

Cody can't smile like a real human being... but we knew that already.

My boys think this trip to see the witches was for them but really it was for me.  I needed to take some cute pictures of them in a great setting to remind me that they don't always drive me stark raving mad to the point of tears (I cried twice today).  I love my boys.  Their smiles make me smile.

Family Pictures

Another wonderful Conference weekend full of great talks (and great food).  My boys had a hard time grasping the concept that we would not be going to church on Sunday but would be going to Grandma's house instead and watching conference and the prophet on t.v. in place of church.  This was explained multiple times and they still didn't quite get it... oh well...I'll add smart pills to their cereal in the morning.  Just kidding... I ran out of them last week.

In between Sunday sessions we took a few family pictures with extended and immediate family.  The rain cooperated and stopped for picture time.  My kids were the worst with the goofy silly faces... sigh... I had to give the lecture later about how to act for picture taking.  I had failed to take several things into account #1) my 8 year old thinks his poses are "cool" #2) my six year old when put in front of the camera either does goofy faces or somber faces (it is challenge to get a natural smile) #3) my 4 year old feeds off the goofiness of those around him #4) my 3 year old is in a world of his old and does whatever he wants to do regardless of what you ask him to do.  The result... I wish my mother-in-law the best of luck in choosing a family photo that does not have one of my son's doing something objectionable.  

We had better luck when it was just our immediate family.

Lake Powell...done for this year!

Yes we are finally done with Lake Powell for this year. Poor Hornet Head (our latest nickname for our youngest boy). He managed to go one day without asking to go to Lake Powell or praying to go to Lake Powell or mentioning Lake Powell since returning home. Obviously it is his favorite place on EARTH!!! (he hasn't been to Disneyland yet)  

We went with the Gibsons this time and had lots of fun... at least I had a lot of fun each day teasing Roger about various things. My favorite was the return trip home when I got the better cashier at Wendy's and she gave me a large Frosty for free... Roger's cashier was just rude and ate his french fries that fell onto the counter. hahahaha!!!! sorry Roger... you lose!!!  

Cozette made great meals... she can cook at my house anytime... please??? like tonight for example??? and she was willing to ride the molecule with kids. Roger was brave enough to ride the molecule with Brett while I pulled them with the boat. He bragged that he wouldn't fall off the molecule. hahahahaha!!! little did he know..... he should have had a heart to heart with my nephew first before speaking those words aloud. I tossed them off like a pregnant woman tossing her cookies in her first trimester!!! The kids were laughing hysterically when we hit the waves and their dads tried to hold on for dear life. It is a sight to see. Every dad should ride the molecule with their kids watching. I'm just sorry I couldn't drive the boat and take pictures at the same time.

The kids also had fun going on hikes with dads, 

playing in the water, 

fishing,

going behind Roger's boat on the tubes, building sand castles and of course... lizard hunting.... 

I had fun taking pictures, eating, driving the boat, eating, taking a nap, eating, looking at the stars, eating and watching Brett be afraid of the bats (and Roger be afraid of a little mouse...okay turns out the mouse wasn't so little....it was the size of a size 9 shoe).

All in all, a great trip!