Thankful Tree 2016

Kids love the tradition of setting up our thankful tree.  While still in October they kept reminding me and asking when we would get it up and ready.

Preston is at a fun age this year.  I love the things he came up with.  (On the days he said something other than Airplanes...there were at least 10 of those on the tree)

He has been scared of witches since Halloween and in every single prayer includes a blessing that the witches won't tickle him.

As always, we have so much to be thankful for.  It is nice to take some time and acknowledge our gratitude for so many blessings in our lives.

Halloween Food

We had lots of different parties and had fun playing with our food for Halloween time this year.  I didn't get pictures of everything, but as I was going through pictures I found I had a few I'll want to put up to remember to do in the future.  Ethan and Brielle were very excited about it this year and requested different things.

For our carving pumpkin night we made mummy stromboli. We then roasted our pumpkin seeds for snacking on.  I think Ethan and I are the only ones that like the pumpkin seeds, but I don't like tossing them.

Preston has found a new love of quesadillas this month after turning them into jack-o-lanterns.  He continues to ask for a quesadilla, with cheese that looks like a pumpkin.

For dessert one Sunday Brielle requested a flourless cake.  We turned it into a spiderweb.  

Ethan requested another spider web for our 7-layer bean dip, which we made a couple times during the month for different events and on Halloween night.

We also made pumpkin shaped cheeseballs a couple of times and veggie trays with lots of carrots shaped into a jack-o-lantern.  Basically, we just like to play with our food around here.

Happy Halloween!!

We've enjoyed October with outings and traditions celebrating fall and having fun with the Halloween Holiday.

We all went to a pumpkin patch earlier in the month in Avila Beach, but Preston and James got to go again closer to home to choose our pumpkins.

Preston loved driving the tractor and wasn't sure he wanted to leave.

The big kids were happy with Preston's choices for their pumpkins and had fun carving them

Ethan decided on Luke Skywalker this year.  His friends were Darth Vader and Anniken, so they enjoyed sticking together as a star wars group at the school and church halloween carnivals.

Brielle as a good witch.  

I thought Preston would want to be a pilot, or an airplane as he still asks about airplanes every single day.  But when we asked he said he wanted to be a rocket ship and stuck with that idea.  As I was trying to sew the flames and windows on his costume he was 'helping' by trying to sit on my lap, then on my back, then was unwinding a spool of thread...when we finished and cleaned up he smiles and gives me a thumbs up and says 'good team work!'.  

General Conference October 2016

Another conference came and too quickly passed. It is a weekend we all look forward to as we have the chance to listen to the words of our modern day prophets.

 The 2 big kids listened and took notes or sculpted with clay during talks.  Preston worked on puzzles and activities while trying to be quiet.  He also loved being in charge of finding the pictures of the speakers to put up on his board.

As usual, a few favorite notes from the kids to share

Ethan

"Have you ever been thankful?  If you have I am going to tell you how I be thankful.  When I get something I want I am thankful.  But how are [we] thankful?  I have good or bad feelings.  A good one means you did something good.  A bad one means you did something bad."

"Elder Cornish was talking about how to go back to Heaven. 1. Don't say you can not do it.  2. Try a lot."

"Elder Ballard was talking about the Book of Mormon.  Where will you go to learn more?  In the Book of Mormon.  The Book of Mormon teaches you something.  Go and read it."

Brielle

I won't transribe Brielle's, but I'll just point out my favorite part.  I think she was getting tired by the end of the last session of conference (almost 8 hours over 2 days).  In Elder Ashton's talk she wrote that he said "You need to love the Lord as much as you love gummy worms and more than that!".  He did not actually say that, but she was eating gummy worms at the time and made her own thoughts based on what he said.  :)

Fly-on-the-wall Tuesday

Another 7 months have past since the last time I tracked.  The summer flew by with lots of fun.  Kids are back to school and we've settled into a new fall routine of sorts.

Here is another glimpse of our current life-at least what I tracked on the hour marks on Tuesday, September 6th.

Plan for the Day

6:00-Up to Make James Smoothie

James takes off for the day at 6:15-riding his bike the long way to the train station.  We have a few minutes on the front porch to talk before starting the day.  I get on the treadmill to get a run in before kids start getting up and needing me.

7:00-Scripture Study

After a late night last night with the Labor Day holiday kids are still asleep. I'm taking advantage of the quiet time.

8:00-Breakfast with Kids

Kids all woke up a little after 7 and started getting ready for the day.  We eat breakfast about 7:45 together.  Since we don't drive to school anymore we do our 'devotional time' at the table that we use to do in the car on the way to school.  Tuesday is our 'Tuesday talk' day.

9:00-Driving Preston to school

I walked the kids to school and pick up Preston's friend.  I drive them both over to Aunt Annie's house for their preschool time and then head off to run some errands. 

10:00-Cleaning Garage

errands went quickly, being without kids.  Home now to quickly get some cleaning done before Preston gets home.  Slowly trying to sort through all the stuff we moved back out to the garage.

11:00-Cleaning Bathrooms

Tuesdays are bathroom cleaning days.  Kids bathroom will look nice until they get home from school.  And then suddenly there will be dirt and toothpaste everywhere again.

12:00-Dinner Prep

My friend picked Preston up and brought him home.  He is happy to help me finish up some jobs and work on getting dinner ready

1:00-Stories with Preston

Reading stories with Preston before he has a quiet time.  He doesn't nap anymore, but will usually stay in his room to read books or do puzzles for 30 minutes or so.  Usually this is when I can get my scripture study done, but I was lucky to have time this morning instead.

2:00-Computer Work

Have some emails that need responding to and planning for upcoming baby shower.  Preston is 'helping me' by cutting things out while I work.

3:00-Afternoon Smoothies
 
Kids get home from school just after 3.  I'm getting after school snack ready.  I got out the halloween box so we can start to discuss costumes and Preston is enjoying playing dress up.

4:00-Preston to Swim

While Preston has his swimming lesson I can help Brielle and Ethan with homework as we watch from the grass on the hill.

5:00-Magic Minutes

Home from swimming and everyone working on their jobs and helping clean house.  Doing a more thorough job than usual as James messaged to let me know the former owner of the house is planning to stop by to pick up a package and we want to show him the new floors and paint job.

6:00-Dinner

James gets home right about 6 so we can eat together.  Ethan can not keep his legs under the table for a meal.  Ever.  Or use his fork. We've been eating dinner inside for the summer with the heat and the bugs.  Looking forward to fall time where we might move back out again and not have our house so dark closing all the blinds to keep out the sun.

7:00-Family Scriptures

We move around for scriptures, depending on where the most people are at the time.  All three kids happened to already be in Brielle's room tonight, so James and I joined them in there for family scriptures before getting kids to bed.  Then James hurried over to the school for a meeting about possible mudslides in the future for our neighborhood.

8:00-packing kids lunches

Kids start school later now, so I could back lunches in the morning, but I still like having them done at night and ready to go.  Helps mornings not feel too rushed.  Preston is in bed.  Brielle and Ethan are still reading, but should be asleep soon.

9:00-Laundry

Monday is usually a laundry day, but I'm catching up on yesterday, since it was a holiday.  I'm listening to a book and enjoying the quiet house again.

10:00-Prepping tomorrows dinner

Tomorrow is going to be another busy day, so I'm getting a head start on dinner.  James is just getting home from a meeting.

11:00-Checking on kids and heading to bed

Had a chance to catch up with James about the meeting and his day.  Stopping off at kids rooms to check on them before I head to bed.