Last Weekend and OTHER Random Moments

Cam and I got to go on a little weekend get-away last weekend. I'm now a new believer in weekend get-away's - NOT to GET AWAY from the kids but to be REJUVINATED and RECONNECTED to eachother. A night away is the perfect time for us to be away: long enough to get that just dating feeling back {again} but short enough that it's not too hard on the wallet or the kid-sitters. {Cameron's Parents; thank you, again. the kids had fun... and, we stopped over at my parents house for a night too - our kids never knew we were getting-away, they just had fun with their grandparents.}

We stayed at Little America in Salt Lake. I love downtown SLC. It's not overwhelming like Chicago but still PLENTY to do and see, easy to navigate and, since we're Utes and both lived downtown before {and after} we were married, it feels like home.

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We ate at our favorite places: Market Street Broiler and Caputos - if you're a Salt Laker stop by. Seriously. Market Street has the BEST clam chowder {you'd never know it was clam chowder, by the way, just DANG good soup} and Caputos is a little Italian Deli with THE BEST sandwiches on the planet. Really.

We went to a 9:20 movie at the Gateway. I slept through the WHOLE thing - WITH my MOUTH OPEN. Cameron's been teasing me ever since. I was TIRED!!

We tried to go to a session here at the temple but I realized my recomend was expired just before we got to the door. So we went into the remodeled visitors center. WOW. So much to learn about not just Temple Square, but the LDS church, and it's teachings, in general. Very neat. *if you want to know what we do in the temple, the above picture of a plaque from the Visitors Center pretty much sums it up. (want to know more? click here)

This little girl is growing, growing. I took this picture of her and a few days later put an outfit my Mom gave her on. She looked so cute I took some more pictures. I can't help it. I just wanna capture her cuteness!
FYI at 9 months Ella is 21 pounds, loves meat, she's rolling around to get where she wants to go and can get into a sitting position from laying down, almost crawling, smiling ALL.the.TIME. she's turned into a blanket snob - she will only sleep if she has one of her aden and anais blankets, still has only 2 bottom teeth, doesn't want to be snuggled when she's tired - just put her in her bed, loves to sing songs and play peek-a-boo, dances to music

We finally made it to a pumpkin patch - on NOVEMBER 1. We didn't get any pumpkins but we had fun in the mazes and corn "sand" box and this HUGE climbing pile of hey.

We found a little place in Glenn's Ferry with a "micro" hiking trail. Hiking is not the same here as it was in Colorado. We miss it. But this flat trail was at least {mostly} pretty and had other vegetation besides sage brush.

Landon has QUADRUPLED his AR reading goal twice. His teacher can't move him up anymore levels because the subject matter in higher level books isn't appropriate for 3rd graders. He's reading Harry Potter right now. He read the first four books in September and October. (Book 4 is over 700 pages and he got 100% on his reading test - the kid has a brain like a sponge, I tell ya, like his almost photographic memory dad. crazy) I made him take a little "Harry" break and read some other books - He likes Geronimo Stillton but he can read a whole book in a half hour. SO we're on the lookout for age-appropriate high level reading material (any ideas?). He just started HP #5 today.

While Cameron was on TDY, the last week of October, Landon sang in his Chior concert. He was nervous. He asked me to print off the words to Star Spangled Banner and sang it for 2 days straight to practice, so he wouldn't mess up.

Isaac is such a little wanna-be Big Boy lately. He trys so hard to do everything the older boys do. Earlier this week I took Austin to Target to spend his accumulated allowance money. Isaac wanted something SO much too, of course. So he "bought" these gloves with his "allowance" money. Made him so happy. He's been wearing them every day since.

Austin was the Special Person in his class last week. He got to present this poster and be the line leader all week. He picked out the pictures he wanted to put on his poster. He also drew a couple pictures for his class (the triangle picture is a drawing he drew of the mountains we stayed in when we went to Big Sky and Yellowstone - he even remembered to draw a ski trail)

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lots of fun going on around here lately

Happy Halloween {part deux}

we kicked off the halloween fun with "haunted houses". i let Landon and Austin invite friends over to make them with us. Isaac did a great job building his little house too (his is the one with only ghosts). Landon invited his friend Andrew - a great kid who has a LOT in common with Landon.

Our only Trick or Treating this year went down at the church "Trunk or Treat". (We opted to invite a few friends over on Sunday and celebrate a little more Sunday-like rather than Trick or Treat) So on Friday I got the kids ready and we headed out. I was glad so many of my Young Women love to hold Ella cuz getting through a food line holding 4 plates of hotdogs and chili would've been a lot harder with her in my arms too.

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I really really tried to get Isaac on board with the idea of being a frog so he and Ella could be the Princess and the Frog but he wanted nothing to do with the frog. So I gave up and let all the kids pick from the aisles of WALMART! Awesome.

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Isaac chose this little Lightning Mcqueen number. He thinks it's a baseball player costume. And he LOVES it. He's already completely worn it out. (it is from Walmart - but really it is coming apart at the seams - I had to sew it back together before Friday.)

And Austin chose to join the Transformer world. (not sure why his picture is so huge)

Landon's costume is one my Mom gave us from her Halloween shop days. I'm not a fan of blood and guts kind of Halloween-ing, but you should have seen how excited Landon was to use fake blood (even though I would only let him use it on his hand.) boys!

Cameron was gone this year for our pumpkin carving. We missed him but we had fun anyway. I let the big kids do thier own pumpkins: scooping, drawing, and carving. Isaac helped me draw his and then punched out his carving (after I carved) with a spoon. We also made Ella a little one. {by the way - Isaac had a big pumpkin to carve too, but he really just wanted to carve the little one}

they turned out so awesome! They each named their pumpkins too. {and I was glad my little prayer that they wouldn't cut off a finger was answered!}

Sunday morning I made "spider web" oatmeal and the kids used a ghost cookie cuter to make their toast scarey. That night we had some friends over for spooky food and games. The kids helped with the decorations (see the shrunken heads - they're made from apples). We had chili and orange cornbread (that Austin made almost completely by himself) and sugar cookies leftover from the ones I had to make for Austin's class party. I attempted to make bone-shaped breadsticks but they ended up being just plain-shaped. We opened the door for a grand total of FIVE trick-or-treaters, the kids watched Babe, and we played Ticket to Ride. It was a fun night.

Happy Halloween

{You KNEW I would dress her up as a princess, right?!}

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ever feel like all you've got to offer at the moment is Mac & Cheese and yesterday's hair-do? yeah... that's where I've been the last few weeks. It's been a long, tiring month for some reason. This week was especially long cuz I was up in the night cleaning up throw up from kids and beds. {'Tis the season for candy and germs EVERYWHERE! that's why Ella's not looking her best - she's on cold #2 this month} Hoping to catch up before the holiday rush really gets going. Including posting the boys in their costumes... they're little cuties too... Cameron is on TDY in Maryland. I know Halloween isn't until tomorow but I'm a little burned out on it after doing all the parties, cookie making, pumpkin carving, and costuming solo this week... got a few little plans for tomorrow, anyway. Man, I really appreciate having a husband around. Hopefully, life will get a little more normal after I pick him up from the airport tonight.

my THIRD boy

I was just getting caught up on my Picture.of.the.Day project and a few pics caught my eye. I love {ALL} my boys. Today, see what I love about this one:

ClAssIc IsAac: black eye {Austin threw the garage door open into Zac's face} and bruises all over his forehead

messy face {the kid can NOT keep his face clean!}

what you don't see {no pants, diaper - yes he's STILL wearing diapers - we're workin' on it, two different socks - one black, leftover from church, one of Austin's too big white ones}

He just learned to ride his "big" bike with training wheels {can you tell the bike's been through all 3 boys?!} I try to spend a half hour a day with JUST him. Today's activity - learning to use the brakes.

He is so enthusiastic. Also, he's got a great imagination. My best "pretender" so far. I love watching him play - especially listening to him talk to his toys and hearing what they "say" back to him.

The other day at nap time: he INSISTED on going to bed inside a web. We made one with a blanet and pillows. he INSISTED on wearing the mask. he fell asleep, I snapped a picture, and then took the mask off his mouth and nose. He is strong-willed and very insistent. I get nervous for his teenage years (seriously, I think about it daily!) I'm constantly trying to think of ways to make him think what I need him to do is HIS idea.

We went to ride Fire Trucks the other night at the fire station's Fire Prepardeness Fair. The boys loved it. Isaac had a great time. He snuggled with his dad on top of the fire engine during our ride. I carried him for a while in line when he got SCARED when "Scruff the Crime Dog" ( a guy in suit) came to give him a high five. {He's hopelessly scared of dogs.}

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There is just something so sweet and endearing about the little things they do. I LOVE my boys. Really. Boys. They're great.

TEN years. Really.

We planned to celebrate our first TEN YEARS together later in the month. So I kind of didn't think about it much. And in the business and ...well, exhaustion the two of us are calling life lately our TEN year anniversary went almost unnoticed. A bit sad, huh? Don't worry we'll make up for it!

Well, on Monday when I noticed the date {October 4}, I threw the kids in the car and went right to the grocery store to pick up an anniversary card and a pie. {We served pie and apple cider at our wedding reception, so it has become our anniversary tradition.} Cameron brought home flowers for me. And that was that. 10 years come and gone...

So, although that was just a teeny, tiny celebration for a great big {10 years long} life together, it represented how lucky we are to have eachother. So happy that we are dedicated and willing to work hard to make our marriage happy and wonderful. So excited to spend another 10 years together. Grateful for the way we have made a family. Dreaming about the future, enjoying the present, and remembering the past.

October 4, 2000 SaltLakeCity Temple

We went to Jakson Hole for our honeymoon. On the way home we stopped in Yellowstone. I never would have imagined, then, that in ten years time my life would look like this:

Wow, how things change! And I couldn't be happier. (okay, so we won't mention that living in a bigger city would make me a teensy bit happier ;) )
Thank you Cameron for completing me. Thank you for giving me our kids. Thank you for being the hardest worker I know. Thank you for being you. Thank you for the past 10 years. ...love ya...

Fall Feast {the recipes}

The first official day of Fall {Autumn} this year was Sept.23. It snuck up on me. Our desert weather has been in the 90's - very unfall-like. But, we celebrated anyway, because, as you all know we LOVE fall.

So on the 23rd - we celebrated the fall equinox with Caramel Apples. They were AWESOME. We tried to recreate the APpLe PiE flavored ones from Rocky Mountain Chocolate. Pretty close, I think. So if you want to give your guys a treat try these. They are the perfect thing to make with the kids.

Apple Pie Caramel Apples:

5 green apples

1 bag Kraft Caramels

5 popsicle sticks (I used cut down skewers because that's what I had)

1/2 bag white chocolate chips

2 TB margarine

2 TB powdered sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Follow the directions for caramel apples on the back of the Kraft Caramels bag. Let caramel set. Melt white chocolate chips with margarine. Dip caramel apple in chocolate. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle on apples. Allow apples to cool on wax paper for one hour.

{I had a bit of caramel left over because I didn't dip my apples all the way to the stem. I thinned the leftover melted caramel with half and half and it made the PERFECT apple dip - the kids loved it. Seriously. We ate 6 apples that day.}

On that Sunday we celebrated with our 3rd annual Fall Feast - a great idea from a great mom I know. Our family loves Fall Feast. We eat something very fall-like, last year a turkey, this year a roast. And we always have pumpkin pie and apple cider. We use our "fancy" glasses and our not-so-fancy fall table cloth.

My favorite Pot Roast Recipe:

3-4 pound roast - I use chuck roast in this recipe because the meat is extra tender - use a leaner roast if you want to do French Dip sandwiches with the leftover (something we do a lot).

1 choped onion

chopped potatoes and baby carrots - however many your family will eat

1 TB choped garlic

2 bay leaves

1 can beef broth

1 tsp coarse ground pepper

1 tsp coarse ground salt

Place roast in crock pot {you can sear the sides in a pan of olive oil first, if you want - it does make a bit better but I usually don't take the time to do that}. Put vegetables around the roast. Add bay leaves and sprinkle the garlic over vegetables. Pour the beef broth over the vegetables. Sprinkle roast with half the salt and pepper and an extra crushed garlic clove, if desired. Sprinkle vegetables with the remaining salt/pepper. Cook on high for 6-8 hours.

And as long as I'm sharing recipes, here's one I gave to the ladies I visit teach. I love this bread:

Apple Cranberry Pumpkin Bread {muffins}:

3 C flour

1 TB + 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 C sugar

1 15 oz can pumpkin

4 eggs

1/2 C apple sauce

1/2 C oil

1/2 C apple juice

1 C sweetened dried cranberries (I used the new pomegranit flavor cranberries)

preheat oven to 350. Grease two bread pans or line muffin cups

combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, bkg soda, and salt. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, apple sauce, oil, and apple juice in large bowl. beat just until blended. Add flour mixture and mix until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon into prepared pans. bake for 60 minutes (check at 50) {19 minutes for muffins} or until a tooth pick comes out clean.

8 months

Seriously? 8 months have come and gone since Ella was born? It's going so fast. And it is so fun watching her little personality emerge.

Ella is still very content to sit on the floor and play with toys. She has mastered the skill of going from sitting to laying on her tummy to reach what she wants. It will be good once she can get back up to sitting, 'cause that frustrates her a lot. Her new favorite toys are stacking blocks and things with tags or some kind of string to pull.

She LOVES books and during story time with the boys she has to have her own book or she will do whatever she can to steal the one we're reading.

She recently acquired two little teeth. Aw, so cute.

She loves looking at herself in the mirror. Girl thing or baby thing? Only time will tell.

She is turning into a giggler. She will giggle if you look at her just the right way. Or if you laugh she laughs right back. The more people laughing the bigger her laugh is. She giggles at Austin the most. She giggles when she's tired and I give her blankie to her.
She is a squealer too. She squeals with delight (like in this picture), but she squeals when things aren't happy in her world too. Mostly, when she needs her diaper changed or she's hungry.
And, the girl can babble. All my kids have been good babblers, and they still are, actually. You should hear us at dinner time - 4 babblers all together at the same time - some speaking actual words, others not, but all of them speaking nonsense and all of them wanting to be heard. Phew! Never realized how noisy a big family would be!!

Her most recent new trick is waving. She's been waving, "bye-bye" for about a week now. Oh so cute.