Who needs an eyebrow?

Melissa is in school. She has decided that her calling in life is to be an esthatician (No I'm NOT spelling that right) and has been in school for about a month. They just learned waxing in school and she told us that we were to be her test subjects this weekend. Gulp. Dad even had to put his head in the ring and had his eyebrows waxed.

I kid. She's really good and I only have the tiniest of holes in my eyebrow... but my legs look fantastic!! Way to go Miss- and let me know the second you get into your facial unit! :)

Lunch Bunch

While we were down in Salt Lake, we also went to lunch with my grandparents and aunt and uncle (Lori and Brent) on Saturday afternoon. It was so much fun- my mom's aunt and uncle (Carol and Larry) were up from Nephi for the afternoon, so we got to talk to them as well.

Grandpa was really sweet to share his lunch with Ryan. Ryan is fast friends with anyone that will feed him- so he thought Grandpa was extra nice since he got his own cookie!

And here's Grandma and Carol!

Best Buy

Friday night rolled around and we did all go to dinner at Cafe Trang (sorry Dave and Nat- had to add it just for you!). It's a little Vietnamese restaurant that is sooo good! I think it's one of those places that I could eat at every day!

After dinner, Shaun, Miss and I took one car home, while the others went with Grandma. We stopped at Best Buy (I have been looking for the newest season of Grey's Anatomy that just came out on DVD). We kind of wandered around for a little bit, and got separated. I came around the corner and saw Miss playing the Wii Rockband thing. She made me sit down and we played Rockband together. Way too much fun! I'm sure we looked like absolute morons and Shaun tried not to walk too close until we were done.

Happy Birthday Grandma Janet!

Friday was my mom's birthday, and her only request was that we make time to come down this weekend. So... we packed up the kids and we left on Thursday. Friday morning, we (my mom, my sister, Shaun, Ty, Ryan and myself) all went down to the Gateway (downtown Salt Lake) for some shopping! It was so much fun to spend the morning walking around in the beautiful fall weather (and walking around in all the fun stores) together!

We ended up over by the fountains/ splashpad thing at the end of the mall and Ty and Grandma Janet wove in and out of the shooting water- trying to avoid getting wet. Grandma did alright... Ty did NOT! The one time we thought he'd make it across, he did a total wipe-out. Poor kid. It was so fun though!
Ryan just hung out in the stroller for the majority of the morning. He's such a good shopper! He had a few snacks (that he pilfered from his brother's bag of goodies) and one of the stores was handing out water bottles and he was set.

Busy Days

I feel like we are all being run ragged. I guess after the lazy days of summer that is to be expected. And it's not that we're not loving it! Ty LOVES school. He is so excited every morning and he thinks he's so big since he gets to ride the bus! Last week they did a unit on dogs and cats... and he came home wearing some little paper dog ears that they made in class. It was soo funny- there are about four other little kids that get off on Ty's bus stop... they all had their ears on when they got off the bus and it looked so cute!

Ty also loves art time in school. Everyday when I ask him what he did, he'll either tell me about the painting he did or that "we just didn't have time to paint today. Sigh." So funny. He brought home some of his artwork the other day and I hung it up in the hall- he told me this was a dragon... I'll leave it up to you for the interpretation.
And as for Ryan and I... we are also liking the time in the morning to ourselves. It has been so fun to get to know my littlest boy- he is such a little spitfire! And so stubborn- I guess we know now that he DOES take after his dad. Anyway- he is also a little lunch-gut... he LOVES to eat! So most of the time you'll find him with a snack in hand or in the high chair!

Little Bit Medium

Ty stubbed his toe the other day. When I asked him which one hurt- he held up the second toe and said "It's my little bit medium toe! It hurts!" He was less than impressed when I started busting a gut laughing.

More Peaches?!

Yes. More peaches. The rest of the peaches ripened up and we couldn't eat them all (that's not to say we didn't try... peaches for breakfast, lunch, with dinner, as dessert... ), so it was back to the canner for me. This time Ryan offered to help... Okay, not really- but he did sit there and talked to me while I peeled peaches!

Go For It. (Thanks Katie!)

The finest gift you can give anyone is encouragement. Yet, almost no one gets the encouragement they need to grow to their full potential. If everyone received the encouragement they need to grow, the genius in most everyone would blossom and the world would produce abundance beyond our wildest dreams.
-Sidney Madwed

Ryan Scoots and Walks

Ryan walking... and if you listen closely, he snorts as he laughs!

This is Ryan's OTHER mode of transportation... And he goes EVERYWHERE on his bum! I hope that our next kid is a girl... because Ryan has worn out the bum of all his shorts!

Let's Go Fly A Kite

Today is Sunday and most Sunday's we are a little pressed to find things that we can do to make it stand out from the rest of the week. Our little kids may not understand why we don't play with friends or go to the store on Sunday- and we can only lead by example. Still though- I know Ty is confused a lot of the time. And we're working on it. The best we've been able to come up with is the fact that because it's Sunday, Heavenly Father wants us to spend time with our family.

So- today was a beautiful Sunday. Except that it was extremely windy... Enter Ty's new Yoda kite. We walked over to the park (it's only half a block from our house), and I showed Ty how to fly it. It was so much fun. I am so impressed at how quickly he picked up how things worked, he understood that he needed to run a certain direction when the kite started to dive and he understood that sometimes he needed to change the way he was holding the kite before he took off... It was crazy! Shaun is still healing- so he sat with Ryan and watched. Ryan was (naturally) not impressed and cried when the kite went up in the air the first couple of times.

Okay- and I have to admit... I got to fly the kite for a little bit too. I remember doing it when I was little with my dad and my brother... I might have to wish for a few more windy days! It was fun!

Millions of Peaches... Peaches for Me!

I have never canned anything before. But this year... This year is different...

I love peaches. I could eat them on anything and with anything. They are just my favorite things ever. So this year... I bought some fresh peaches from Brigham City and I called my mom and my grandma and we canned! I don't know how much we did- apparently this is something that serious canners always know- exactly how much was made and the cost of each pint... I don't have a clue. I'll get to it next year... I just think they look pretty in a jar!

Anyway- I am so grateful for my grandma and grandpa helping me. I love doing this sort of thing with them because I love the stories that they tell while they are working. They have done it too many years and it's kind of old hat for them- my grandma cuts the peaches and puts them in the jar while my grandpa peels. Ty walked in and watched us work for a minute and then said, "This is kind of like a factory isn't it Mama?" I think he had it about right!

Double Trouble

I finally did it. I pulled the trigger. I moved Ryan into Ty's room last week!! Ty has been begging me for months and I finally gave in! I'm not sure it was such a good idea- Ryan is totally confused at being in there with Ty... but yesterday morning Shaun and I were laying in bed listening to the two of them giggle. I hope that it works out well and that we don't spend too many nights threatening them to be quiet!!

Labor Day

I don't really remember taking a vacation without the kids. It might have been done at one time... but if it did- I'm drawing a blank... Anyway- this Labor Day we decided that we would hop in the car and drive out to see Shaun's brother and his wife in Colorado. I know what you're thinking... "Wait... didn't they just do that!?" The answer is yes- we did. However, Chase and Dani (said brother and sister in-law) have just moved into their new house and we wanted a chance to go and see them again- the last trip just kind of seemed like a whirlwind.

So- we loaded up in Jacki and Orllo's truck and headed out on Friday morning (have I mentioned that I LOVE Shaun's 4-day school week?!). My mom and dad took the kids for us- and from what I understood this morning- Ty and Ryan were NOT going to be sad about it. As we said good-bye to them they were both giggling. Anyway- we made it to Denver and we got to tour the new casa... it was so cute! Dani had done such a good job putting things together and Chase is Mr. Handyman (I kept trying to convince him of the benefits of coming and working for me for a week... I'm pretty sure I can keep him busy!). We also got to go and do a little baby shopping with them! I remember going and picking out our crib and changing table- it was so daunting! What was even more daunting was the idea of putting together all the stuff by ourselves. I have to admit that I'm jealous that Chase had Shaun and Orllo helping. I remember we put together our crib in the living room of our apartment- and we were quickly horrified to find out that once we wheeled it down the hall to put it in the bedroom... IT DIDN'T FIT THROUGH THE DOORWAY!! So we had to take it apart and put it back together again once we were in the room. It was a mess.

Anyway- we had such a good time! We got to talk- which Shaun and I have totally missed since we moved from Boise. And Chase and Dani took us to some yummy restaurants- I already miss them both and I keep checking my calendar wondering if it's too soon to go back out!! Thanks you guys!

I have a "crush" on Autumn...

My Crab-Apple Tree is ready to go... Too bad that I don't have a clue what to do with them... They are pretty though! They may just have to end up as a Centerpiece this week on my Kitchen Table!

I have a crush on the Fall. I love the Summer, but I have a major infatuation with Fall. I love it when the leaves start to change colors. I love the way my house smells after I make apple pie and pumpkin treats. I REALLY love taking the flannel sheets out of my linen closet. I like pulling out my sweaters and taking walks in the crisp fall air. My birthday is also in the fall. What else makes me "heart" Fall...?

Homemade Pumpkin Pie... with LOTS of Whipped Cream

Apple Picking

New Recipes that have ANYTHING to do with Apples

Pumpkin Patches

Crocheting by the fire

Snuggling in bed on Sunday Mornings with Shaun

Thanksgiving and the Harvest

The Smells of Autumn: Pumpkin, Cinnamon, Cloves, Apples...

Opening the Windows

Picking Branches with Red, Yellow and Orange Leaves for a Centerpiece

Turkey with Cranberry Sauce

Smell of Wood burning in the Fireplace

First Day of School

Sniff. Sob. Hic. Sniff.

It's official... Ty had his first day of school today. We had been preparing for this all summer- totally building it up. Yesterday, there was an open house, where the kids got to wander around the rooms and take a look at some of the things they were going to be doing- Ty totally ate it up! He was so excited!

Last night, we started getting ready at about 6:00, so that we wouldn't be rushed in the morning. Ty is going to school out in Paris- which is about 20 minutes away, so we had to plan for travel time. He will be riding the bus- starting next week. But for the first couple of days- mom gets to take him!! Anyway- we laid his clothes out...

Put his backpack by the door...

Then dad gave him a blessing and we said our prayers. Ty was sure to add during each- that Heavenly Father should make sure that he had fun.

Ty got up bright and early and bounded into our bed at 7:00, dressed and ready to go. I almost hated to break it to him that school didn't start until 8:00. Oh well- we weren't rushed and that was the point! Ryan could tell that something was up this morning- he was really clingy and kept looking around trying to figure out what was going on. Here is a picture of our super snazzy pre-schooler...

Ty was pretty chatty as we headed out the door, but as we got closer to the school- he got quieter and quieter... I started to panic thinking that if he breaks down- I'm not going to handle it well at all!! But we pulled up to the school and he jumped out.

Because he had had the tour yesterday- he went right into the school and led Ryan and I down the hall. Once we got to the classroom and I helped him hang up his backpack- he turned to me and said, "See ya in a while Mama!" And that was it. He turned his back to me and went to go play with some of the other kids that were already there. I had nothing to do, but turn around and head back to the car.

Ryan was confused...

I pulled away, telling myself that I was NOT going to cry. That it is part of life. You have kids. They get older and life goes on. But this morning- it didn't seem fair. Why did he have to get to 4 so quickly? I know he's a pain in the butt and there are days that I try to sell him to the passerby... but... he's my baby. My buddy. My friend. Ty and I have done EVERYTHING together the last four years- and now- he's moving on. I know that I have Ryan that I get to do all those things with now- and how blessed I am to have him. To be able to share new things with him... But I'll miss Ty.

Anyway- school got out at noon, and this was Ty at about 12:30... He wanted to watch a movie on my bed. He didn't even make it past the opening credits.

Corn

Being a from a big city, a lot of things just never occured to me. I took for granted that muffins do not always come from a box, that ground beef didn't magically appear in the store and that corn does not always come from a can. That's not to say that I never had corn on the cob- when summer came, my mom would stop at the local roadside stand and we'd have it a couple times a month. But once winter came again- it was back to the canned stuff.

When I married Shaun I was introduced to one of the yummiest things! Fresh corn that was frozen. So this year- when the corn was ready... so was I! We went to Declo for the day and Papa Orllo harvested corn for us- he actually picked it!! Off the plant!! And then we got to the menial task of shucking (sp?). Ty thought it was kind of fun- though I think he was more stoked by the fact that there were lady-bugs in the sack than by the fact that we were getting ready for winter (I feel a little bit like the busy ant- you know- from the story the Ant and the Grasshopper). He did finally get one corn cob shucked and he held it up all suprised and yelled, "Look guys! There's corn in here!"

We took our corn in the house, and cut it off the cob and put it into freezer bags... and Violia! Freakin' yummy corn for the dead of winter!!