Spooktacular Fun!

Had a great time at my brother's for Halloween. Lots of food and fun. He always sets up his yard so neat and so many people come from the neighborhood to see it. The weather was great and I especially liked the foggy bubbles he had. You could see the fog from down the street there were so many. They were a lot of fun to pop! Savannah really is enjoying giving the candy out this year. It is cute!

Savannah decided for Halloween to wear her witch costume instead of her Pumpkin Spice costume (above) either way she had a great time being fellow witches with her cousin, MattieJo. Charlie's costume as you can see was worn by Jacob this year. Bear wasn't so happy about the man with pins in his head walking around and niether was most of the girls. I guess it was pretty spooky once the mask was put on. Even Savannah tried it on a few times and had fun with the kids coming to trick or treat. Charlie has unfortunately had a bout of sickness this week. That along with Michael no longer being with us had changed some of our plans. No worries though, we still had a good time! And yes, that is Bat Woman below...

Making Fall Memories

We went on our annual Pumpkinland venture and also took a trip to the zoo with Grandma and Grandpa Randy. It was gorgeous! I don't think I'll ever go to the zoo in the summertime again. The weather was perfect, the animals were active, and there weren't as many people. I can't believe how many baby animals that were there this year. Something must be in the water up there. :)

Things that make me feel all warm and cozy inside.

It's that time of year where I am reminded of all the family festivities that come along with the season. It reminds me of more than what was centered around the holidays though. It reminds me of anything and everything that has ever given me or now gives me warm fuzzy feelings inside. Not only when they occur but even just thinking of them:

• Watching Wizard of Oz on network television.
• Playing board games.
• Holding a fluffy soft kitten against my cheek and nose.
• Watching hamsters run in their exercise wheel.
• Watching Bugs Bunny Cartoons.
• Smell of pasture weeds burning alongside the road.
• Seeing an old car on the road and thinking of the word "Dubs" - only to find I say it out loud without thinking!
• Seeing the sun peek through orange and red leafy tree tops

This list could go on and on...I am so grateful for all my senses, for they are worth a lifetime of sentiment!

Is it too early to start making New Year resolutions?

While people complain about already seeing signs of Christmas coming in the stores or on the radio, here I am contemplating my plans for the new year. Is it too early to start making New Year resolutions? I don't see why not. After all the it is up and coming and with my recent birthday it gets me to thinking about how I would like the next year to pan out.

Sure we have plans for California...but what else? More overtime and home improvement?

My goal to go camping this year didn't happen. While I love fall and am excited for the new fall season, I have recently come to realize that summer is over and we didn't do a whole lot other than get our flower beds completed. (Which was a large goal since it has been on my to do list for 6 years now.) Don't get me wrong, I feel we spent our time wisely this summer however we did not take the time to enjoy the other stuff in life.

It bums me out realizing that I really should have buckled down and planned a trip regardless if I felt like it or not! Regardless if the boys weren't able to come with us. Regardless of the crowds, the work, the lack of camping gear and what not. Why I am realizing this now and am making public mental note for next summer? Well let's see...

1. My husband has just been informed by his employer that he has over two weeks of vacation that if he doesn't use by the end of the year he'll lose them.

2. Savannah went up the mountain to go range shooting with my brother and his family yesterday afternoon and apparently doesn't remember how to potty in the out doors. "I wish they had a toilet," she said.

3. Our lab/retriever is still afraid of water.

4. The fishing pole and license have yet to be used.

5. I just realized we haven't gone camping since Savannah was a year old.

You see in my house it is up to me to make the plans on what to do, where to go, how to go, why to go, how much it will cost to go, what to take. Sometimes I like others to make the plans and tell me to arrive - kind of like the way Dad did. I also thought visiting my mom and step father while they were out camping would be sufficient enough but there's nothing like getting out there and doing it yourself.

So make note, camping will be at the top of my list and I hope to reserve the first camping spot next May!

I think I had the best birthday ever...

Why? Ten reasons, that's why.

1. I noticed how large my bamboo plant is getting. It made me smile to remember Dad giving it to me 6 years ago for my birthday and how large and beautiful it has grown to be.
2. My boys made me breakfast and my husband cleaned it up!
3. I can't even begin to count how many people said Happy Birthday...probably more than anyone ever has on any other year.
4. My husband and Savannah woke me up with a lively "Happy Birthday!"
5. Charlie and the kids made me a double fudge, chocolate chip, chocolate frosted cake. With rainbow sprinkles.
6. My mom and sisters took me out for Mexican food and to see "Little Shop of Horrors" at the Hale Theater.
7. The kids and Charlie all sang happy birthday to me as I blew out re-lighting candles over and over....with Savannah's help of course. We smoked the house out with those things!
8. My boys cleaned my car inside and out.
9. I had a wonderful dinner after church, a good afternoon at the park, and snuggled up to a good movie..."Little Shop of Horrors" (I had to watch it to see if I was right about the ending being different in the play verses the movie. I was. But now I know why it ended differently. I think.)
10. My husband and I are getting away in two weeks to sunny St. George to see "Thriller" at the Tuacahn!

I also enjoyed the cute singing card and pumpkin bread from my sister, the beautiful fall sweater my friend gave me, and a lunch with a coworker just the two of us!  I love having my birthday in the fall time...for it is a new season.

Merry Autumn!

Wow it is October already?!?

There is snow on the mountains and trickles of "sparkles" in the morning air as Savannah says. Sparkles. Sounds better than frost, doesn't it?

Life is busy, with working 4 10's, assigned to the late phone shift, and added to that the construction I don't get home until almost 7 pm. However I have noticed some of the construction has lessened now that they have completed the intersection so that has been nice.

Fridays I watch my nieces. Between my time working on the Church books, their schedule, and my housework it is busy! Kinley has preschool from 10- 12 and the older girls go to Kindergarten from 12:45-3:30. I have to set timers on my oven to keep track of when to take and pick them up!

Charlie is busy too, he has to work 50-60 hours per week until November and so we've decided to postpone the rest of our work on the new cement slab and bck deck until spring. We have gotten a lot of projects done this year already and plan to get the kitchen tile in this winter and the good thing is we will have that much more time to save up for the composite decking and that little jacuzzi tub we've been eyeballin'. Who said patience can't be a good thing?

We had a mishap with our sump tank this weekend and had to make a mad dash to Salt Lake City to buy a new tank. Remind me why we trust this 210 gallons of water in a glass tank thing again and add to that 300 pounds of rock in addition to the weight of the water? Good thing it was only the sump tank for the filtration system underneath the real tank that cracked! Whew! Who said this was safe? Maybe I better report this to our homeowner’s – its either that or talk everyone into letting my buy a canvas painting of fish in its place.

Don't even talk to me about getting old and cracked. I know it is my birthday this month; I don't need to be reminded. I have yet to count how many boxes of hair dye I have used this year and how many more wrinkles I see on my face. Squinting doesn’t help that either. If you look at my family’s pictures about half of us are squinting for no reason. Not sure where we got it from, but I know where I got it from.

My kids say I forget things a lot. I’ve noticed it too. I’m not that old so what gives? Was it all the crap I put in my system 12 years ago and it is now just catching up to me? For example, this week I thought I threw away my ATM card or that the kids took it, that it went down the heat vent, under the dresser, or in the hamper. Turns out I left it in the ATM! I am soooo losing it! I am not even going to mention my driving habits lately!

At least birthdays are good for something. They create reasons to get together with those you enjoy spending time with. My mom and sisters are taking me out to see “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Hale. I am getting excited. That and we are going to see Thriller at the Tuacahn at the end of the month! A good friend took me out to lunch at Café Rio today too. We had a good time catching up. Maybe birthdays aren’t so bad after all?

Work is going okay. We lost one of the best managers ever to retirement. So happy for her though. She is such a sweet lady. That has been why I've enjoyed working for this region in our department; the people down here are so kind you feel like family – but it has all been changing due to infrastructure of management to meet budget needs in addition to less options. Makes me wonder what it will be like when I retire in 21 years.

Savannah is doing well in Kindergarten. She is learning to read and write her name better every day. She told me all about her hearing test and how she raised her hands when she heard the beeps. Today is picture day. I hope my “Smile pretty” didn’t turn into a fake smile that kids often do to please their mothers. She went to her friends birthday party this week and came back dressed as a cat! I thought it was pretty cute! She is practicing for her dance recital coming this December and is getting to be quite the little dancer! She wants to be a dancer when she grows up so I am glad she likes it.