Bullseye!

Last week when visiting with my brother, Sarah showed the kids how to shoot a BB gun.

They had SO much fun with it.  Don’t you love how Mandy has her little hip cocked to the side here. 

BB gun and a jean skirt is quite the fashion statement, don’t you think?

Nathan even coached her on how to bend down on one knee for extra stability.

Even Layton gave it a try with some help from Emily.

I love how he even squinted one eye so he could get a better look down the barrel.

And Dallin – he was in love with whole experience.

After everyone tired of it, he continued to practice and practice and practice.

He got really good at his aim and was hitting the target almost every time.  I was actually pretty impressed!

Thanks Sarah for such a good time!

Artistry

At the beginning of last week we went to visit my family.  While there, the kids did their favorite activity to do with Meme – PAINT!  They love painting.  I’m hoping this means they will grow up to be amazing artists one day :)

They really get into it.  It is very serious stuff for them!

Skate Station

A couple of months ago at the kid’s elementary school  fall festival they had a silent auction.  I put a bid on a family pass with pizza/drinks to Skate Stations.  I was the only one that bid on it, it was pretty low bid, and there was another hour left before they closed the bidding, so I knew I wouldn’t win it.  But surprise – I did!

So after the end of baseball season, we finally had a chance to take the kids to enjoy some miniature golfing!

They had a great time and

Dallin even got a hole in one!

Nathan and I had a little competition between the two of us.  Let’s just say it wasn’t my best idea.

Nathan stomped me pretty badly.

After enjoying (I’m really stretching that word by the way) some pizza for lunch, Dallin wanted to do a little skating.  So we rented the skates and then Dallin took one step onto the rink and decided he didn’t want to do it.  I did serious eye rolling at this point and went skating on my own.  Nathan even took a picture of my best side for me.

After doing a little practicing on the carpet, Dallin decided he would give it a try.  So hand in hand, away we went!

With many falls and lots of effort, Dallin finally started to get the hang of it and by the end was skating on his own. 

He even got so confident that he could wave and skate at the same time :)

Now he begs us all the time to take him skating again.  And we did.  Last Wednesday.  And I skated with him.  And then I fell.  And really bruised my knee.  I hate getting old and being less coordinated….

My Gratitude Journal

Like many others this month, I have kept a daily record of things that I am grateful for.  These are only a few snapshot items/moments that make my heart filled with thanks.

11/1/2011 – I am grateful to have a piano and that my kids are showing an interest in learning how to play.

11/2/2011 – I am grateful for speedy mechanics that changed my oil and rotated my tires in less than 30 minutes.

11/3/2011 – I am grateful for word of mouth advertising that helped me get a wedding scheduled for next May.

11/4/2011 – I am grateful for laughter – sometimes it is the only thing that can help me get through a bad day.

11/5/2011 – I am grateful for a warm jacket, gloves, and scarf to wear out at the ball field – it was freezing out there!

11/6/2011 – I am grateful to have felt the spirit during Church and for reminders that I need to try harder to follow God’s commands.

11/7/2011 – I am grateful that my dental work is going to cost less than I thought. And I’m grateful that it stopped raining right before I had to go pick up the kids from school

11/8/2011 – I am grateful for a mother-in-law that is so willing to help out with babysitting whenever I need it.

11/9/2011 – I am grateful for the invention of ibuprofen.

11/10/2011 – I am grateful for Layton and the crazy things he says to make me laugh.

11/11/2011 – I am grateful to have so many things that I am able to give some of them away.

11/12/2011 – I am grateful for all the photo sessions I have this month. It sure will help in paying for Christmas!

11/13/2011 – I am grateful for how girly Mandy is and how much fun we have together making crafts. Especially when it involves lots and lots of sparkles and glitter :)

11/14/2011 – I am grateful for Dallin wanting to do his very best at sports. I love to see him working hard and learning to be better.

11/15/2011 – I am grateful for wonderful friends. Life would be dreary without wonderful friends.

11/16/2011 – I am grateful for people that have great ideas and are willing to share them with everyone on the internet.

11/17/2011 – I am grateful that I can work from home and arrange my schedule to fit my kids’ school activities.

11/18/2011 – I am grateful that almost every time Dallin gets a treat at school he always saves part of it to bring home and share with Layton and Mandy.

11/19/2011 – I am grateful for a husband that likes to go out and do things that the kids enjoy even if it is not all that fun for him.

11/20/2011 – I am grateful that I live close enough to my family that we can easily travel there in only a few hours.

11/21/2011 – I am grateful that just like Nephi, I can say that I was born of goodly parents.

11/22/2011 – I am grateful that my kids have so many cousins that they love to play with. I am also grateful that when we travel Nathan usually drives because he knows I don’t like to.

11/23/2011 – I am grateful for time to do fun things with my children.

11/24/2011 – And today I am most especially grateful for my family. With them life is never dull, is filled with laughter, contains tons of hugs, and I can’t imagine life without them.

Schools Out!!!

Schools out this whole week.  The kids decided that they needed to take advantage of that and relax as much as possible.  They made themselves extra comfy on the living room floor.

I don’t think they could fit in another blanket or pillow if they tried!

May your holiday be extra comfy and cozy too!

A Very Fancy Turkey

Mandy had to decorate a turkey for her kindergarten class.

She wanted it to be the fanciest turkey ever.

I think she succeeded!

P.S.  Yes, it is November and yes, she is wearing a bathing suit.  But is that really surprising?  I mean this is Mandy we’re talking about.

Wouldn’t it be awesome…

if when you sent your kids to time out, you could lock them up like this:

I’d even be really nice and throw marshmallows at them instead of rotten fruit.

A Chilly Garage Sale

Last Friday on Veterans Day, we held a little garage sale to get rid a few things.  It was quite chilly out there.  So rather than going with the normal way of staying warm – coat, hat, scarf, gloves – Mandy came up with her own way.  That’s my Mandy girl.  She RARELY does things in the normal way.

Halloween Day

Every year, the elementary school does a costume parade on Halloween.  And this year was no different!  They try to encourage the kids to dress up as a character from a book.

In Dallin’s 3rd grade class, he had to do his very first book report this past month.  He chose to read “Swiss Family Robinson”.  We also watched the movie.  Which by the way, the movie was completely Disneyfied.  In there book there wasn’t even a single pirate!!!!

Anyway, Dallin wanted to dress up as a character from his book.  He really loved the adventures that the donkey named Grizzle had in the book, so he decided to dress up as a donkey.  Which was just great, because you know it’s so VERY easy to find a donkey costume.  Needless to say, we worked together and made a very simple one.  He had to explain to everyone what he was, but hey, it was the best I could do.

All of Mandy’s class came to school dressed in their pajamas.

They were all being characters from the book “The Napping House”.  Which if you haven’t read it, you should.  It’s one our favorites!  Mandy’s teacher is so much fun!

We were also happy to see cowgirl Chloe that day in the parade:

That evening, the kids got all dressed up again for Trick or Treating.  Dallin decided to wear his donkey costume rather than his pirate one.  Mandy FINALLY decided she would put on her leopardess costume.  Layton decided that since Dallin wasn’t a pirate, that he didn’t want to be one either, so he went as Spiderman.  My children.  Sometimes they are just a little nutty.

Oddly enough, this was actually their very first time going trick or treating.  In the past, since we go to trunk or treat at the church, I’ve been able to convince them to stay at home and just hand out candy.  But not this year.  I guess they wanted more candy!

And more candy they got.  Lots and lots and lots of candy.