Movemeber = one weeks growth

Well you don't need an up close to see all that scruff on Spencer's face. Only a few more weeks to win our prize with our Movember contest among the brothers/in-laws. So far so good. Except for Megan, she absolutely HATES Spencer with his goatee. We are still trying to figure that one out? At least she cares or is more concerned about the pokes she gets when giving Spencer a kiss.

P.S. sorry for the bad picture Spcncer! But it is for a good cause.

Fun with the kids

So Megan had an extra long weekend. We invited a friend for her and a friend for Evan to play with one day (thursday), complete with movie, popcorn and candy. After that they just all played together. It turned out really well. They (they came from the same family) played and got along well with other, since they all have similar interests. I'll have to do that more often.

Then next day (friday), Megan saw Evan off to preschool and then had to join me in running "mom" errands which was just grocery shopping. But in the afternoon we went to an indoor playground and then went for a swim. A bit of a handful swimming with 3 kids of varying ages/interests and abilities, but it all worked out and we had a great time. Then that night Spence and I went to the Temple. We also stopped in at the stake center to check in on our CV YW/YM and ran into our niece and a few nephews; we also go in a few dances. Phew! what a day.

Here is Megan showing her skills on the monkey bars.

Evan has just learned how to go down the "fireman pole" at the parks and loves to do it! It is awesome to see kids learn new things and to be so excited!

Here is Aaron crawling as fast as he can through the tunnel on the playground equipment.

Then the next day (saturday) I was again the single parent as Spencer was off to some early morning meetings and the kids had swimming lessons. Then that night we visited with some of Spencer's siblings. Which was nice, we don't get to see them too often.

Then the next day (sunday) Spencer jetted off to a work conference for 3 days. Boy we sure miss him and all the help he provides. I managed somehow in church. Miracle of miracles! Actually the kids and I really pull together to help and get things done.

Hopefully this weekend will be a bit slower, but I'm not counting on it. We are just really busy right now with kids, work, family, studying and church responsibilities. But we manage and keep putting one foot in front of the other as we continue on. We feel really blessed in so many ways.

Remembering on Remembrance Day

I always take a few minutes on Remembrance Day to remember those who sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of freedom. I give thanks that I live in a peaceful land with no war, that women are free to pursue education, that there are opportunities for us all to grow and learn and that we can freely choose who or what we worship.

When I was growing up there was an older gentleman in my ward who showed me that he cared about the youth in our ward. When ever he would see me, he would come up and put his arms around me and say, "How are you doing to day, Sis...? You sure look lovely." I always told him what I was up to and he encouraged me to keep going." I believe that he fought in WW 2 as a fighter pilot. He passed away a few years ago, now but on Remembrance Day I think of him and all those who continue to fight for our freedom.

I attended a Remembrance Day service at Megan's school. She has joined the choir this year at school and here is a short clip of the choir singing at the assembly.

Movember

Has anyone heard of Movember? In support of prostate cancer men are raising money by growing a moustache. Prostate cancer runs in my family and as such with some encouragement from my sister; the Burt Brothers and In-laws are growing their moustaches....

Here is Spencer with about 3 days growth. We are trying to determine which moustache style he will eventually go with, but for now I love having him in his goatee. Will keep you updated with how it is growing.

Halloween....

So here are a few things that we did for Halloween this year.

Always the Monday before Halloween we carve our pumpkins. I decided to only buy 3 pumpkins this year, as I knew that I would be doing a lot of carving that night so I didn't need my own pumpkin to do as well.

Evan's is a flaming face, Spencer's is...well his own creation (as usual) and Megan's is more scraped and it is Happini from pokemon.

She liked hers well enough, but said next year she would definitely carve her pumpkin. Aaron was just thrilled to be constantly lifting off the lids and trying to carry them. He could lift Evans but would get frustrated with the other two. I of course love the smell of a lit candle inside the pumpkins. Aaron just loved to see them all lit up. However due to fire safety issues and children around, I think that next year I will go with the flame less candles instead.

Megan and Evan both had halloween parties at school and got to dress up for that. Megan's school kinda grouped all the children together as to what their costume was, superheros, witches, princesses....Megan went as a hippy and her principal also dressed up as a hippy, so she was excited that they were the only 2 in that category. They both handed out treat bags to their school friends. Megan was reluctant to do so at first, but was then happy at the end of the day, since other kids also handed out treat bags.

On Saturday we went to our wards trunk or treat. Instead it was during the day and we did it inside the church. So every family got to choose a room to decorate and hand out candy from. Spencer took the kids around and around and around, until all the candy was gone. Then there were activities in the gym. Cookie decorating, touch and feel gross things like cold noodles, peeled grapes, etc., eat a donut from a string with no hands and balloon races...etc. It was great fun and a perfect way to celebrate halloween this year. They got just enough candy that I allowed them to keep it all and eat it. Evan's is gone Megan's is almost gone and we've been helping Aaron eat his.

On Saturday morning we had a special halloween breakfast of eggs and beef jerky as Evan now calls it.

For dinner we had eyeballs, maggots, bloody toenails, and ghost trees..... (sorry no picture of that gruesome dinner).

My Birthday

What a wonderful birthday I've had this year. The weather was beautiful. We ventured out on Saturday to Prairie Gardens and enjoyed ourselves. There is a corn maze, tractor ride (wagon/hay ride), petting zoo, hay bales to crawl around on, a haunted house, stores selling candy, pumpkins, gardening goodies, restaurants, making a scarecrow, pumpkin painting, peddling a tractor, puppet plays, people dressed up in Halloween costumes, panning for gold.....etc. A really fun place to spend the afternoon and lots of people thought the same thing. Then a quick dip in the pool and home for cake and ice cream and present opening. Megan finally told me a bedtime story, after years of me reading to her and Evan and Aaron showered me with hugs and kisses. Spencer eventually bought me a beautiful silver bangle that I've had my eye on for about a year and he also got me these flowers and black forest cake (I just had to pick them up from the store for him).

Our start at Prairie Gardens. The corn maze....

At the start of the corn maze. We "chickened out" and didn't complete it. Lets face it, with kids in tow and having to find 12 letters in this huge maze....it would have taken all night. We were starting to get hot, tired and frustrated with how things were going....

We also enjoyed ourselves at the petting zoo. Aaron loves animals and pretty much mauls them whenever he gets the chance. Evan on the other hand, is quite scared that the animals are going to get him. We won't break Aaron's heart by telling him that his dad is allergic to all the fun animals; Evan on the other hand is fine with that fact and will be content with trying to keep a fish alive.

While Megan was painting a pumpkin ---Evan had his heart set on riding the tractors. So off the boys went.

Here is pirate Spencer and what is a girl equivalent called?......Arr, Matey....Happy Birthday!

Kids say the funniest things

This is what Megan told us in the van as we were trying to find the best spot to park, so we could go swimming.
Megan - "Oh, mom....I know that you just can't wait until you become handicap so you can have a good parking spot." Said in all innocence...but alas, it is true....the part about getting a good parking spot, not about becoming handicap. (The place were we swim has a lot of handicap parking, as the pool has some design features that enable handicap people to access it easily).

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While the kids and I were waiting for Spencer in the van so we could go vote in our municipal election this is the conversation that I over hear......

Evan - "....Luigi wears underpants....ha, ha, ha"
Megan - "That's so silly, Evan! He doesn't wear underpants, he wears garments....ha, ha, ha"
Mom - laughing in the front seat, as does Spencer when I relate what I just over heard the kids talking about.