Future Missionary

Jacob wanted to cook dinner tonight.  He was looking through the recipes trying to decide what to make.  I need to go grocery shopping. We didn't have the ingredients for most things.  He was "starving" and decided to just put in a pizza.  Then he turned to me and said, "Mom, you need to teach me to cook more things so I'll know how to cook when I'm a missionary!"  Then pretending to be talking to his companion, he switched to his missionary voice, "Hey do you know how to cook?"  "No"  "Crap, I guess we'll have to have pizza again"  "Do you have any money?"  "No, do you?"  Just thought I would share his funny dialog.  I'm glad he is always thinking ahead to his mission and preparing now!

Taking Time...

It was about 3:00 and I could tell Romney was getting tired.  I contemplated just putting a movie on for him and letting him fall asleep in front of the TV.  After all I was busy and had so much to do.  I am so glad I decided to sit down for a moment instead.  He came and snuggled up to me.  His eyes were very droopy.  I began to lightly rub his back and caress his sweet little head and he quickly fell asleep.  I just sat there holding him and enjoying every minute of it.  It isn't often that I can get my three year old to hold still long enough to just enjoy holding him.  It was like having a newborn again.  I didn't want to put him down.  I examined his little hands and fingers (not so clean like a newborn's).  I caressed his sweet little nose and ears and those soft little cheeks.  I don't know how long I sat there but it was quite awhile before the cleaning and such began to nag at me.  At last I laid him on the couch, so glad I took the time to enjoy my toddler.

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to me.  Oh, and Romney, too.  My little buddy is 3 years old now.  I can't believe it has gone by so quickly.  (Time to start potty training.) 

Saturday night Joe took me out to dinner at the yummiest place ever.  Famous Daves.  The food there is so good that everytime you take a bite you involuntarily say, mmm!  We shared a combo with a half rack of baby back ribs and beef brisket.  It came with a corn muffin, corn on the cob, baked beans, and homestyle french fries.  Delicious.  Funny story about it though.  We were seated and soon a waitress came out and asked if we wanted something to drink.  So, she came back with our drinks and left.  She came back a little later and asked if we wanted any appetizers.  No and then she left.  We wondered if she thought she already took our order.  We were getting very hungry and noticed another waitress talking to someone around the corner.  We assumed it was our waitress.  So, finally I got up and told her we were ready to order.  She thought we were waiting for someone else because there were three menus and three sets of silverware on our table.  She was very apolegetic.  It was fine.   I just wonder how long she would have waited before asking if we wanted to go ahead and order.  She made up for it though.  Our food was ready amazingly fast!  I think she told the people cooking to do ours first.    After dinner we went shopping for a pairs of jeans for me.  Lots of fun!

Joe and the kids surprised Romney and I with breakfast in bed.  Romney wasn't sure what was going on.  It was so yummy with all my favorites.  French toast, bacon, hash browns, orange-pineapple-strawberry juice and peppermint hot chocolate.

We had some of my family over for lunch after our special conference with Elder Holland.  The conference was very good.  I was actually able to listen to most of it.  My kids played quietly.  We had a delicious lunch of ham, yummy potatoes and a delicious salad full of yummy things.  We ate at my other birthday present.  My new dining room table.  I can't believe we didn't get a picture of it with a huge red bow on it.  It's lovely.  I said that I wanted that to be my present because we were already getting it and I was trying to get Joe to not spend more money. 

Here are the Elmo cupcakes I made for Romney.  They turned out great.  Romney really likes Elmo and Nemo.  I'm not sure which one he likes more because they sound the same when he says them.

Here's the yummy ice-cream cake Joseph got for me.  It had a chocolate ice cream layer, then a caramel fudge layer, a cookie crumb layer and then vanilla ice cream layer.  So good!

Joe and the kids put up all these fun decorations.

Karyn and Jason McGary. 

My papa.

Opening presents.  Romney was so excited about everything!

Cute new shirts from my parents.

Romney loves these bead these things everywhere we go so Joe got a little one for him.  It is perfect for car rides.

My new jeans and Romney tearing off paper.

What did Grandma and Grandpa Hull give you?

Elefun!

We got batteries today and the kids started playing it.  The elephant has this long trunk that these little butterflies come blowing up out of.  Then you catch them with your little butterfly net.  Rebekah was just laughing her head off at the kids trying to catch them.  It was so cute.

Veteran's Day

Paige and the rest of the 3rd grade did a Veteran's day concert.  It was a really neat presentation.  I was impressed.  I was also impressed by the many veterans in the audience that stood while the music for their division of the military played.  I am so grateful for those that serve our country. 

Sorry for the fuzzy pictures.  The camera was having trouble focusing because of the dim lights.

More Cake

We had a Super Saturday class about how to decorate a cake with fondant.  Ta da!  Here's my first attempt.  It was so much easier than I thought it would be.  And it was so much fun!

Trick or Treat!

I am finally posting stuff from all our fun Halloween activities.  We went out to my sister's (Karyn and Jason) for a FHE night and carving pumpkins.  We got together with Jason's parent's, and sister, and Jilayne and Garret Jenks and their cute girls.  Romney and Rebekah just wandered around the shop while the rest of us carved the pumpkins.  We also had delicious snacks.

You can't see it very well but Paige's pumkin had lots of fun shapes for eyes and such.  Romney's was a scared ghost.  Mine said BOO.  Jacob's pumpkin was a chicken.

We went to a fun trunk or treat ward party.  There was a chili and cornbread cook off.  Then the kids got to play a ton of carnival type games like a cupcake walk, balloon race,  face painting, ring toss, etc.  The big hit of the night was the haunted house.  After all that we went outside for the trunk or treat; or is it trick or trunk?  I wish I would have taken a picture of our trunk.  The spider webs were awesome.  Anyhow the kids were loaded with candy after quickly stopping by all the cars.  A few days later they would have even more!

My mom offered to watch the kids the Friday night before Halloween if we wanted to do anything.  It worked out great because we could actually go to the Ransom's super fun Halloween party.  Joe doesn't really like dressing up so in a few hours notice I had to come up with a costume that wouldn't embarass Joe.  So, here's what I came up with.  We went as a pair of old blue jeans.  We had nametags  with Jean & Gene and dress all in blue.  And I guess you could add that we are old.  And if we are your favorite people we could be a "favorite pair of old blue jeans".   : )  Strangely enough we won the costume contest.  Maybe it was for the lamest costume.  We had fun playing games, munching, and visiting our old Richland friends.

Rebekah was not a very happy witch.

Here's Jacob as a bum begging for candy.

This is the first year Paige has agreed to be a witch.  She likes to be beautiful things instead.  Since Rebekah was going to be a with it was okay.

 Paige didn't want to clean with us.  So, we told her no Halloween.  Finally right before we left she cleaned really fast.  We told her she still couldn't go.  She acted like she didn't care until she was sitting in the car crying while everyone else went up to the doors.  We didn't tell her it would only be the first 10 or so house we weren't going to let her go to.

Out trick or treating.  Look at the creepy window decor in that house.  Rebekah is actually wearing her hat in this one.  Romney my little pirate.  We put patches on Jacob's knees, elbow and bum. Then we cut open the toe of his old boots and he cut holes in his socks and had his toes hanging out.

Here's the Halloween wreath I made for our door.  I loved it!

Rebekah checking out some candy.  I just love her chubby cheeks.

It was a fun holiday.

Rub-a-dub-dub

Two kids in the tub.

And aren't they just cute as can be!

My kids love bathtime!  They think it is just the greatest.  I kept finding Romney and Rebekah sitting in my tub.  So, I thought I would actually put some water in it for them and let them play.  They had a ball splashing and playing.  They didn't seem to like the jets being turned on though.  Romney had to keep getting out and running naked to the play room to get more cars to put in the tub.  Silly kiddos.