Happy Halloween!

Here are some fun shots of my kids before we went to ward parties and trick or treating. Audrey and Hailey are Ballerinas, Kate is Super Girl, Max a Pumpkin and Ruth is a witch. We had a great year. Now If I can me disciplined enough not to eat all of the candy that would be great. Enjoy.

Happy Birthday Audrey and Hailey

So they are not eight yet. But we enjoyed having cake and ice cream and a few presents on a quiet Sunday evening. This way I don't have to be in the hospital or half asleep the whole time. For the first time we haven't had snow for Audrey and Hailey's birthday. :) Looking at these photos, these girls are sure missing a lot of teeth. Hopefully they will get some for Christmas.

A Birthday Party 2 months early.

Since our baby is due 3 days after Audrey and Hailey's birthday we decided to celebrate their birthday early. The idea was Tamara's really, she did Jacob's a week early because they were going out of town on his birthday. So 2 months is a little earlier than a week. But they thought it was great. Besides Audrey really wanted to be a ballerina for Halloween and I got them some dance outfits, we decided to do the party yesterday so she could have her stuff before Halloween. Here are some photos. I think they look so cute in their dance outfits. Love you girls.

Even better news.

I had a carpet cleaning guy over yesterday. He pulled up the carpet and looked at the pad. He said it smelled good and would most likley not need to be replaced. He put the carpet back down and did a cleaning. He said after a day or so if it smells he'd come back and we can put in a new carpet pad. He seemed really impressed that the pad looked so good since it had been soaking with water for a long time. He said the company we got it from must have put a good chemical seal on it. Hopefully this flood and stinky carpet problem is over. We'll see.

Good news.

Questar came and looked at the pipe and indeed they had accidentally broken it. So they fixed it. YEAH! They also called and talked with Chris and me, they apologized and are going to pay to clean the carpet. I was very impressed with the guy I spoke with. I'm hoping that a thourough carpet cleaning will do the trick. I hope we don't have to get the carpet replaced. Now I just need to find a carpet cleaning company, any suggestions?

Our first flood.

Friday morning Hailey woke us up at 4:30 am to tell us that water was pouring through her window. We got up and discovered that a sprinkler pipe was broken. It was filling her window well with water. We discovered about 6 inches of water in the window well. So Hailey and I scrambled to get towels to soak up and stop the water from coming in. Chris ran outside with the shop vac and climbed into the window well with the shop vac and sucked out all of the water. We used every towel in the house but 2. So poor Hailey who was on laundry last week had lots and lots of towels to wash and fold. We discovered the break in the sprinkler pipe is right by where the Questar gas guys were digging to fix a pipe. We are going to call them and see what they can help us with. We figure they just accidentally broke it. I'm really hoping we don't have to replace the bran new carpet. It still smells a little in their room. Maybe we can get the smell out with a good carpet cleaning. Wish us luck.

Scrapbooking again!

I haven't scrapbooked for myself in so long. I have two exchange groups that I participate in, and I make layouts for those groups. But I haven't put photos or finished any layouts for myself in a really really long time. I have a scrapbook room that I've been organizing the last few weeks, a little at a time. When I made a huge pile of unfinished layouts I decided I needed to put some
together. So I did, the last few days I've been rewarding myself for doing chores. If I get my jobs done then I can sit down and put some layouts together. It feels so good to be creative. Here is the layout I made for my exchange. It needs more embellishments and maybe a title. But It will due. Hopefully I can print out some photos today and post some done layouts soon. Happy Crafting everyone!!!

Puddle Jumping!

Last time I went puddle jumping it was with Elaine at my apartment before I met Chris. So it has been a good 10 years. It was raining at our house but it was really warm outside. I just couldn't let those huge puddles outside of our new house alone. I finally decided it was time, pregnant or no. Max was sleeping. So the girls Chris and I ran outside to splash around for a while. It was fabulous fun. I had to not think of all the germs that could be in the water and just have fun.

Garnder village

We took the kids to Gardner Village to see the witches for FHE last night. It was really fun. I had a hard time keeping up with my big belly and swollen feet, but the kids sure enjoyed it. Here are some photos.

Can I fix it? YES I can!

This morning I found Kate and Ruth in their usually clean room. Kates broken dresser drawer on the floor with pants little nails and pieces of wood every where. Oh and they were in their underwear. I had told them to get dressed and this is what I found 20 minutes later. Who dropped the already broken drawer? They both said, "she did it." So I folded up all the clothes with their help, and got them both dressed. Then I stormed off to the garage for the hammer, nails, screws, wood glue, and the drill. I was having no more of the broken drawer. My poor husband has been swamped with work lately and the drawer probably wasn't even on his list of things to do. But I see it every day and was done with it. Happily now, I can say I fixed it. YEAH! What a big girl I am. I glued every piece first before I nailed them into place. I also nailed twice as many nails as it had originally had, and I reinforced the parts that weren't broken with more nails. I'm pretty sure the whole house will collapse before that drawer falls apart. Now I just need to keep thinking about my handy skills and fix some more things around here.

Birthday party hats.

We went to a birthday party for our cousin Joseph this weekend. Max and Ruth are just his same age. He turned 4 last week. One of the things we did at the party was make these fun hats. Max and Ruth's were still in the car when I took these photos. The girls have been wearing them constantly. I said they couldn't wear them to school. So thanks Jen. :) What a fun craft.

Happy Birthday to me.

Well it was my birthday yesterday. I didn't have that great of a day. I kept trying to be happy all day, but everything was thwarting me. I did have a good few moments, My RS counselor came over and gave me a gift, we got to chat for a while. Also a family from my old ward came to visit me and see the new house. Today is another day. Chris will be home some time tonight and we can watch a movie and eat ice cream to celebrate. About the birthday present I'm doing for myself (setting up my formal living room) I've got the room sanded, primed and trim painted. Now I'm working on the main color and cutting in (which is so tedious). Hopefully I can finish today and place the furniture. Maybe tomorrow I'll even hang photographs on the wall.

Ruth's first day of school.

Ruth has wanted to go to school for a long time. She and Max always wanted to go with Kate. Now it is her turn to finally go to school. Unfortunately it is not with Ms. Angie. Ruth is going to the preschool at the elementary school. Her teacher seems really nice. Ruth was reluctant to go but held her teachers hand and off she went. I would feel better if they were going together. But Max can't go until he gets tested.

Hailey can ride a bike Whoo Hoo!!!

Hailey took a little longer. I think she was afraid of falling. She also had to have a few fits and fall into a rose bush before she could master bike riding. But here we are 4 days later and Hailey is riding around the circle after Audrey. Way to go HAILEY!

Audrey can Ride a bike! YEAH!

So Monday I decided that Ruth was learning how to go potty and Audrey and Hailey we're learning how to ride bikes with no training wheels. Audrey was ready to go. I had charts they could color in when they had a really good fall. I told them they would fall and to hurry and jump off as soon as they were falling. Audrey picked it up so fast. She was riding around our circle by noon. Now she is a pro. YEAH Audrey.

Big day today!

My kids are off track so Audrey and Hailey are going to learn how to ride a bike without training wheels. Ruth is going to learn how to go potty in the potty. YEAH! Wish me luck.

Canning Apricots from my new tree.

Tonight were going to pick all the apricots off our tree and tomorrow I will can jam until they are all gone. We have some reinforcements arriving soon for the picking, Desiree, Lauren, Victoria and Ashlynne, my sweet nieces. But while I have been prepping for canning today I wanted to share this great website with everyone. I found this website a few years ago. I have used it every time I have canned. The site is made by a cute couple who have been canning for years, they are obviously professionals. They have photographed each step in the canning process and posted very specific instructions for each fruit or vegetable they can. I think it is wonderful. If you have any interest in canning you need to check this site out. Wish me luck with the apricots. I really hope no apricots end up on the new carpet.

http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Canning/index.html

Working Backwards... The 4th of July.

Jen and Stephen took photo's on the fourth of July. Jen sent me these of Joseph and Ruth playing together. They are so cute. Stephen took the family photo for us so it is our most recent family photo. Thanks to Grammy who always puts on great 4 of July parties. :)

First Day of School!

In a new house at a new school. My little children ventured off to school. Audrey and Hailey didn't know who their teacher was or where their classroom was. But they went off last Monday morning with no fear. It was so hard to let my Baby Cakes get on the kindergarten bus this morning. She was really excited. The anticipation this morning was intense. She was the only kid at the bus stop and the only person on the bus. I hope they stopped and got some more kids. Audrey and Hailey are suppose to go get her from kindergarten to get on the bus. I really hope they don't forget her. They will be home in an hour.

Come to our going away party and come help us move! see the details: PDF