Card Sharks

The kids found a way to entertain themselves one day. Daniel came to me and told me to come into the hallway and bring my camera - I was really going to like it. This is what they had to show me. And then they all posed with their arms behind their backs to mimic the robot. They were so proud of themselves!


The next day, Nathan made a pumpkin and requested I take another picture. I bet the people who made Five Crowns never dreamed up this game to play with their cards!

Three cheers for creativity and quietly busy children.

Boys or Girls?

We were shopping at Wal-Mart this evening...all 7 of us. We passed a woman who wondered how we did it. (I told her we don't - that's why we're yelling so much!) She remarked that she'd just had her 3rd baby and wasn't sure how she was going to handle it. Then she asked which was easier...boys or girls?

As soon as the question was out of her mouth, Rebekah knocked a glass jar of applesauce to the floor and made a big mess. (Who forgot to tell her that the shelves aren't for climbing?) I answered, "Well, I guess that would be boys." Luckily, she laughed. And then the nice Wal-Mart people cleaned up after us.

Halloween Carnival

Last night was the ward Halloween Carnival. The Primary did the games and the Elders' Quorum was in charge of the food. Chad ordered 200 pieces of chicken, 200 rolls and picked up 10 gallons of drink. It was requested that everyone bring a side dish. We ran out of chicken before we ran out of people in line. Apparently, Halloween is a big time for inviting your grandchildren and for less-actives to make it out to church. I was pouring drinks and didn't recognize at least 1/3 of the people there. They were setting out extra tables and chairs and the people just kept coming! I was wondering if there was a sign out on the road advertising the fun!

Anyway, the kids had more fun than they even expected to. We were there to the end, helping clean up. I was very tired when we got home. But I was glad that the Halloween costumes were finished. (Now I can sit and relax all next week!! ha)

Here are the kids in their costumes. We had two members of royalty as well as two clowns this year. The bee costume was so big on Rebekah, that I image she'll be wearing it next year (if we can convince her that it's a good idea).














There were lots of activities there...

Face Painting (it's beads...don't know why she wanted that, but it's what she requested)





Sugar cookie decorating






Donut eating...off the string (Rebekah cheated)







Mini Golf








Pumpkin Bowling












There was a fishing pond and a candy walk, too. (You don't get a picture of everything!)
Joseph's favorite part of the night was the custom stroller ride. It sure would be easier on the "horse" if he would sit in the stroller the right way! Joseph also enjoyed some dinner off the floor. We'd like to thank the little boy who spilled his pasta salad on the way to his seat. Nothin' beats "home cookin'" at the church!

Oh, actually, this was Joseph's favorite part. He likes to be carried around. See how comfortable he gets? Fortunately, he's starting to accept Daddy sometimes. I had bugs in my hair (I go all out for Halloween.)

And there you have it. I feel like Halloween is over now. It's only the 25th of October!

Speed Scrap

I was out for a bit this evening and got home just in time for Chad to run to the church to help set up for tomorrow's Halloween Carnival. I sat down to nurse Joseph and check email when I happened upon a speed scrap at one of my regular digital scrapbooking haunts.


A speed scrap (for those of you who don't know) comes in two parts. The first part is when an instruction for building your layout is given in regular intervals (one rule every 10-15 minutes). After all the instructions have been given...this is usually the first hour...you then have another hour (or whatever the instructor has chosen) to finish your LO and upload it to the site.


When I logged into the site, there were 45 minutes to go. I surprised myself by getting Joseph to bed and being able to get the LO posted in time. Forty-five minutes may seem like a long time, but you'd be surprised how quickly it passes! Anyway, this is what I ended up with. It's simple, but I was pressed for time! :)

Credits

Here were our instructions:

Instruction #1 Find three photos and crop them into 3 equal long skinny rectangles.

Instruction #2 Align the 3 skinny RECTANGLES together into a squar-ish shape (I say squarish because I know it won't be a perfect square). Then place them off center on your page and stitch them down.

Instruction #3 You must use the color orange on your LO. It can be on the BG paper, an element, a flower, a title, anything.

Instruction #4 Use journal strips on your page and use a "not so common" font on them. Like not century, times, etc. Download something fun! Cool font site: http://www.dafont.com/

Instruction #5 Use wordart on your layout. It can be any type, purchased or homemade.

Instruction #6 Use string on your page. (can be twine or fiber too) Ribbon does not count.

FINAL Instruction: Date and Title your LO. Any way you want! Then you have until 11:15 EST to post your LO to the Speed Scrap Gallery. Please include SS or Speed Scrap and the date 10-23-08 in your title. And post to this forum thread. (I think I only missed this last detail of actually putting a title on my LO. Hopefully, no one will notice!)

It was nice to sit at the computer after working on Halloween costumes so much today. Unfortunately, that's where I ended up again after playing along in the speed scrap! *sigh*

Busy

I know I haven't posted for a bit. I've been kind of busy. Our ward Halloween party is tomorrow and I've been working all week on costumes, when I wasn't do everything else I couldn't ignore.

We also had to go to a funeral of our friends' 13-year-old daughter. It was very sad and still is. More on that later.

I have visiting teaching this morning and then more sewing today. But be waiting for some awesome Halloween pictures!

Halloween Layouts

Here are 3 LO's that I've recently created for different challenges. Gotta love Halloween!

Credits

Credits

Credits

Speaking of scary, Rebekah has a new fear.

She flooded the toilet last week. She started crying and yelling and I had to lift her out of 1/4" of water. Everything was soaked and I was pretty sure my fancy bathroom scale would be shorted out. Then I realized that two boxes of tampons were sitting there by the toilet. Some of them were thrown out!

So now Rebekah won't flush the toilet. She won't even wipe herself up. It's apparently going to take her a while to overcome her fear of drowning toilet-side. Let's hope she doesn't need therapy!

Pictures from McCall

Finally! I'll wasn't sure I'd ever get around to posting these pictures. I'm trying to do it quickly while I wait for Joseph to cry himself to sleep so that I can go a steal a nap for myself.

We started the trip with scenery like this
but eventually got some of this. (Much better.)

We had to keep 5 kids from murderous acts of desperation. This was one way. (Meet Cpt. Nathan)

Our first night there, 4 adult raccoons came up to the deck where they were rewarded with green plums. My mom and I were at the grocery store, so we got the whole story (several times) and saw the pictures when we got back.

There was a lot of playing in the water that went around. That accounted for the multiple loads of laundry I ended up doing! I have a certain dislike for wet sand on wet clothes and wet kids.

Payette Lake









Brundage Res.

We did our best to keep the mud and sand where it belonged...we resorted to making the boys strip and rinse off. hehe

Rotary Park/Payette River (in town)



We enjoyed some beautiful views from the (near) top of Brundage Mtn.



You'll notice that Rebekah is missing her pants. They were wet, of course.






We visited the fish hatchery in McCall. (Very strong smelling fish smells. Go figure.)











We went on a walk or two and enjoyed the trees.












There were treats in Grandma and Grandpa's room each night.

The sleeping arrangements were very flexible. The boys slept upstairs with Grandma and Grandpa most of the time. The last night, everyone stayed downstairs and made good use of the Murphy bed!


Of course, Joseph got his own bed each night. He sure seems to be sleeping soundly!

July, August, September

What do these months have in common? I guess there are many different answers. Here's a hint to the answer I have in mind:













Yes. Those are the only 3 months of the year that it didn't snow here. It's October 9th and it's snowing. Maybe I'll skip the Halloween decorations and pull out Christmas.

The FREEZE is coming!

So I went out and picked all the tomatoes, peppers (wasn't sure if the freeze would hurt the peppers, but since I was out there...)and one last cantaloupe. This is what I got off of 3 tomato plants. It's mostly from 2 plants since one never really thrived. I still have to go out there and clean off 2 BIG cherry tomato plants. I think this will be the year I learn how to can salsa.

It's kind of ironic that 2 1/2 plants gave us so many tomatoes when 2 years ago, Chad planted 25 plants (not a typo) and we didn't get nearly this many tomatoes. The country must have a magical effect on us. I still have to pick the pumpkins and butternut squash, but they aren't a big rush. We have a lot of corn stalks to decorate with, too!

I just wish there was a way to keep these tomatoes fresh all winter so that I could keep on enjoying my tomato sandwiches for lunch. Speak of lunch...not sure where we're going to eat today since the table is full of the garden.

An Egg-stra Special Day

We have an egg-citing announcement! We have our first egg from the chickens!

This is a long-anticipated event on the Collett Farm. We'll remember it fondly.

Isn't it a tiny beauty? *sigh*

BOO!!

Did I scare you? I thought that maybe since I haven't been around very much that you wouldn't expect me to sneak up on you like that. And it is the season for scaring!


Anyway, I have much to share but less time to do it in. (NCIS starts in 40 minutes and I have a goal to sit and enjoy it. It's a show I really like but hardly ever catch. And the most frustrating thing is that whenever I do get a chance to watch, it's a rerun of an episode that I've already seen! How does that happen? I've only caught 3 the whole year and those are the ones they rerun. Does that happen to you? But that's not supposed to happen tonight because it says it's a new one.) I'll see how much I can fit in and then I'll have something to keep you coming back for next time! *wink, wink*


A month or so ago, Chad's company changed office locations. They had some places to put some signs up and so I got a little creative on the computer. (Do you remember my computer OCD post a couple of weeks back?) I designed a little sign for their business and Chad got it printed up. The sign people had to sharpen up some of the image (and I didn't create the "CZ"), but otherwise, that's my handiwork!

Here are the 3 signs:


Out by the street. It's double sided.

On the building.

On the door to their suite.

Are you impressed? Yes, I am so skilled. Orders anyone? (Chad was my consultant on the project. I must give appropriate credit.)

Last week and this week have been and are Spud Harvest. It is an age old tradition in these parts to let school out for the potato harvest. It began when the kids were actually helpful and worked in the fields. Now, it's mostly kids in the farmers' families that help, kids that are still taught to work hard for their $$ and teachers who do work hard, but don't earn any money and so must also help gather and sort potatoes. Otherwise, it's a long break from school that comes just as we feel like we've worked out the kinks in the routine. We have 3 more days before the school year will really begin in earnest!

It hasn't been a bad thing (too much) because all of last week we were gone on a little vacation. We spent the week (M-F) in McCall, ID with my mom and step dad. I have a zillion pictures to share in another post. We spent this past Monday recovering from the traveling the week before and the Conference weekend that left the house looking torn apart. We also went to a fun straw maze for FHE. I have pictures of that, too. Today, we got out and made our weekly trip to the library. Tomorrow, I hope to finish cutting back my overgrown rose bushes in preparation for winter, see what I can clear out of the garden, tie-dye some Halloween T-shirts with the kids and dig out the Halloween decorations. We'll see how much of that actually gets done (or even started!).

Joseph is still my little Kirby Jr. But now there is a new twist. He seems to have fallen into the habit of smacking his lips and sucking on his tongue (or is it his cheek?). Maybe he's been eating so much off the floor that now he goes through the motions subconsciously. Whatever the reason, I now have to check his mouth twice as much, just to make sure it's empty. With his 6 teeth and vise-like jaw, it's a dangerous procedure.

A little something I overheard Rebekah saying in the tub this morning as she was talking into the sprayer/telephone: "Uh, I remember you. I just don't remember where you live." ??? Oh the things they come up with!

2016

I got my driver's license renewed today. It expires in 4 days. Nothing like a little procrastination! I had an option to renew for 4 or 8 years. What the heck? Let's renew for 8 and I won't think that I've NEVER lived in one address for more than 4 years. It's bound to happen sometime.

So my license now expires in September of 2016. That got me thinking. Daniel will be 16 years old when that happens. SIXTEEN? He'd better start behaving himself a little better if he's going to make it to that age! He'll be driving by then. He'll have his own driver's license! And then if I renew my license for another 8 years, he'll be home from his mission and Nathan will be on his when it expires. Oh my, I think this may be a bit too much for me to think about.

And then I realize that they are growing up so fast. When I got that license 4+ years ago, I was shocked to think that Daniel would be baptized by the time it expired. Where did those 4 years go? I swear it hasn't been more than 18 months.

I need to be a better mom. I need to learn to be more patient, accepting, understanding, forgiving, respectful, humble and above all, loving. Before I know it, they will not want to be so close to me that I trip every time I turn around. They won't want to "help" make lunch or fold the laundry. They won't be dieing to tell me about a funny show they watched and now have to act out for me. They won't be hanging to my every word as I read them stories. They won't be putting 20 barrettes in my hair and telling me how great I look. (I'm hoping that they won't constantly be fighting or complaining, but I've heard it only changes...becomes less innocent.)

So my resolve was fresh and honest. We took the kids to the park. The weather has been PERFECT lately. We were doing so well...then Nathan threw Daniel's shoe high into the air and accidentally pegged Joseph with hit. The only apology he could manage was, "srrr..." (or something similar) before he completely closed up and started to pout. Leah was screaming, stomping and yelling like those spoiled kids you see and wonder why exactly the parents think they have a right to be parents and Rebekah was hogging the can of cream soda. I dumped the soda into the flower bed, had to carry a very stubborn Nathan to the van and told the kids they weren't allowed to go anywhere in the van until we leave for church Sunday.

I guess I'll start being a better mom tomorrow.

400

I noticed earlier this week that I was fast approaching my 400th post. And here it is! I revisited my 300th post to see how long it had been since reaching that milestone. That's when I read that I had a goal to reach 500 posts within a year's time. Huh. I'd forgotten all about that goal. Luckily, I had dubbed it an "unofficial" goal, so it isn't so bad that I forgot I was working on it. As it is, it seems I am a natural at keeping goals (at least this one, anyway) because I'm right on schedule! The 300th post was March 20, so I am only 6 days past the halfway mark.

I found it interesting that I didn't remember typing much of what I'd read. Maybe I should go back through my blog from the very beginning and reacquaint myself with...myself! Maybe I could tell myself a secret now and be completely surprised in the Spring. Anyone else want to tell me some secrets?

I admit a certain OCD over the computer. I've pondered on it occasionally and I'm not exactly sure what the big motivator is. I know much of it is that I feel a little "cut off" from things. I don't have many commitments that take me out of the house and after a while, the separation becomes too much. Therefore, I search for something through my internet connection. I have enjoyed blogging and reading blogs. I am able to interact with people that I'd never have contact with otherwise. And in some instances, I get to see a side of people that they don't often show in person. However, I rarely ever enter a chat room or register in a new site. I'm comfortable with my regular haunts and friends, though I welcome new friends when I'm lucky enough to meet good people.

My computer is also convenient. I can sit for a minute and check email or read a quick article about something as I make my way back and forth through the house. I can hear if someone is at the door or if the kids have come in or out of the house. Truly, I would love to be in my sewing room, but it isn't so convenient and it drives me crazy when the kids get into my stuff in there!

Unfortunately, Joseph has had just about all he can take of the computer and starts to complain before I can even sit in the chair! He is a very jealous boy. I should probably pay a little more attention to that.

So my 400th post finds me in a fairly unremarkable point in my blogging life. I am just a little crazy when it comes to numbers and can't let such a momentous occasion pass by uncelebrated! Maybe by the time my 500th post rolls around in March, I'll be better organized, or a nicer mother, or pregnant for the last time (which will pretty much wipe out any chances of being a nicer mother), or rich, or poor and without internet access, so there won't even be a 500th post. Who knows? But won't the journey be exciting?

My Humble Pie is cinnamon flavored

I made cinnamon rolls today. Would you like one? These are from the bottom oven.

These are from the top. I think I'll need to make a few adjustments. But for now we'll be eating those black ones, minus the bottoms. All that sugar just melted and burned. Just when I think I'm perfect, I go and try to bake.

Here are my cute girls before church on Sunday. They love being seen through the eye of the camera! I made Leah's "sweater" from some fabric I found on a discount table at Hancock's a few weeks ago. That stuff sure was hard to work with! I made a size 5, so we won't know if she's got hands for another several months.


We're still fishing things out of Joseph's mouth. I found him with a wood shaving about 10 minutes ago. I'm still trying to figure that one out. On my way back from throwing that away, I found a game marker in his hand. And I think he just swallowed something else 2 minutes ago. Great. (I just turned around to check on him and found him in a cupboard. He'd found one of those mister fans, had gotten the 2 AA batteries out and was starting to eat them!) I wish he'd eat baby food so well!

A realization

I came to a realization about myself today while driving home. I was sneak-eating a week-old, stale pop-tart but I couldn't bear to just throw it away. I was wondering why I would do something like that, but yet I held onto my goal. I finished that stale pastry. Bonus points for me.

Then I realized that I am a stress eater. I actually already knew that. I made a deeper discovery than that. My "trigger" stress is anger. I eat when I'm angry!

Lately, that has meant a lot of munching. Some little demon in my head is saying, "Neener, neener" to my kids every time I sneak a snack. "I get a snack, and you don't because you're misbehaving!" This is SO not healthy in more than one way.

There are five little independent (and sometimes down right naughty) catalysts to my anger. I need to find a "happy place" and soon! (Because I don't deal with my anger JUST through food.) I could also use a little more sleep.

So I guess if you want to see how well I've been managing my anger, you could just watch me from the rear. No flash photography, please.

Kirby

Have you ever had one of those Kirby vacuum sales people come to your door? We did a little over 3 years ago and ended up with a big, silver monster vacuum. It actually works pretty well. It had better last 20 years, for what we paid for it!

I don't actually like to vacuum, so I expect the vacuum to have a fairly long life. But lately, I've had to use it more often.

Enter Kirby Jr. I mean Kirby Joseph. I mean Joseph. Yes, it's that bad. Chad and I were talking about it last night (we fished garbage out his mouth repeatedly yesterday) and we're not sure if he's been the worst at putting things in his mouth or if he just has the most people to drop things on the floor for him.

He's thrown up two different times because he's eaten something bad. I think we got a piece of petrified chicken out of his mouth yesterday. It was over an inch long. I've found him sucking on Rebekah's discarded cherry tomato, dried pound cake, marbles, game tokens, paper, a twig, etc, etc, etc. He got mad earlier today when the bead he was trying to enjoy didn't yield up any flavor and didn't mash up in his gums. Last week I recognized the slice of crayon that had been on the floor earlier...in his diaper.

Ironically, the kid does not like baby food. He won't eat more than a few bites before he's slumped to the side of his high chair, looking for a corner to hide in. One of his favorite foods is bread. That's fine with me because it's portable and not very messy.

So I'm going to have to vacuum a bit more and put the broom into action occasionally. Darn it. These kids are making me work!

Here's a little scrapbook page I whipped up for a challenge at one of the websites I frequent. I thought it would look nice on this new orange background. :) That's the same reason I'm saving the pink layout I did yesterday. Pink and orange are only good in sunsets.

First Day of Fall

DO NOT ADJUST YOUR MONITOR

In honor of summer's end and Fall beginning, I made a new header. And then the header looked funny on the blue background, so that had to be made over, too.

Sorry if the orange is a little over powering. You'll only have to squint for 38 days. Until then, you get to put up with me in my festive mood!

Recent Layouts

I'll just throw all these layouts in here at once. You can skip this post if you aren't interested or think I'm too full of myself. (Just don't tell me how you really feel!)

I have been a guest in Franziska Altmann's creative team this month. I've never been part of a CT before and I have no idea if I'm working out the way she hoped, but I guess it's nothing she can't take for a mere 30 days! These were the LO's I did with her kits.

These 3 are from her kit "Charmed Meadow" and you can get it here if you are a digital scrapper!

These 4 are from her kit "Free Spirit" which she did as a collaboration with Monica Leiria. Here's the link for this kit.

These other 2 LO's are for other reasons (challenges, fun, etc.)

Credits

Credits