4-4-4 Tagged

Okay, after I put up two posts, I "cruised the blogs" and found that I have been tagged by my sister. So here is post #3 for today:
These are the rules:
1. Go to your pictures.
2. Upload the fourth picture from the fourth folder.
3. Post.
4. Tag 4 friends.
I tag JenR, Emily, Kim, and Sox (I know you're out there).


How about that? I swear this is the fourth folder and fourth picture. This is Halloween from 2006. Nathan was 7, Kade 4, Annika 3, and Adrienne was 1 (just learning to run). Awwwww, they grow so fast!

Funky Town

I have been getting Adrienne into the joys of Halloween. I started with her hair this morning. It is a little funky, don't you think? Notice the "I'm so thrilled about this great hairdo my mom did" expression on her face.
She gets to wear her costume to dance today, and couldn't be more thrilled. Of course, you have to have darling hair to go with it, right? I even made the ponytail holders myself.

The Big Day

We are almost ready. I finished my lesson (didn't get out early).
Haven't quite finished the costumes, but will today (probably, see post below).
Tomorrow is trunk or treat at church.
Thursday is the costume day at school.
Friday is NO School, but finally, the big day!
I took it easy yesterday and ran errands. I got my new cell phone (I'll try not to wash this one). It is always fun to get a new toy. I played with it last night as the kids and Burke carved Jack-O-Lanterns for FHE.

I found some strawberries on a Super Great Deal, and got some to make homemade ice cream last night. We ate it after I gave a kid-version of my lesson in Relief Society. It was on Testimony by Dallin H Oaks.
The ice cream was great, but the jack-o-lanterns were the hit of the night.

pro·cras·ti·nate

To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.

Yep, that's me.

How long have I known Halloween was coming?
About 11 1/2 months
How long have I known that I have to give my lesson in church on Sunday?
About 4 weeks

When did I start working on the costumes?
Wednesday
When did I start working on my lesson?
This morning!

AARGH! I am stressed out and have nobody to blame but myself. Well and Adrienne, because she made me so sick I couldn't do anything this week or last week. Also Nathan, he has been keeping me busy with homework and studying for spelling tests. Plus I have those other people who live in my house and think they need to eat food and have clean clothes and other crazy ideas like that.

Maybe there is another issue here...
blam·ing: To place responsibility for (something)

Perhaps it is just...
wimp: A person who is regarded as weak or ineffectual

Yep, that's me.
Except...my lesson is done and ready and should be relatively good. (Who minds if they get out a few minutes early?)
The costumes are finished. Well, mostly. They were wearable when we went to the big Halloween party this afternoon. We got lots of compliments.

Now, I'm just...
ex·haust·ed: To wear out completely.

Nathan wrote a poem at school about Halloween. All by himself. Without having to do it for an assignment. I am very proud (and shocked) and thought I would share it.


Halloween Night
Oh Halloween Night it's quite a fright
Ghosts and goblins all in sight
With buckets of candy and costumes all scary
And trick or treaters full of candy.

When they go home all tired and dreary
They kiss their mom, brush their teeth,
And go to sleep and dream of candy corn in their sleep.
After that they grow so sweet.

But still think of Halloween.
Oooooooooooooh! Boo!
And that is Halloween Night.

The Ones That Got Away

The deer hunt was a success, in spite of coming home empty-handed. It sounds like they had lots of fun. Kade gave Grandpa a tutorial on how to tie knots, they ate at the special burger joint, and they had the yearly "who is the gassiest" contest. By the way, Kade pronounced Uncle Bryan the winner.
Burke is getting fierce...

While they were gone, I took the other kids shopping for Christmas dresses, went to get donuts, and went out for McDonald's. We went to the dinosaur park, but they had it decorated for Halloween and it was terrifying for poor Adrienne. The mummy that activated when you walk past it was the last straw. She screamed until we left the park.
The girls and I played beauty shop and painted fingernails and toes, but Nathan wasn't interested in that, as much as we tried to convince him that he would look so pretty. He got to play Wii instead.
This picture is of Adrienne this morning. You know that "it's a little too quiet" silence that means trouble? I found her putting on some naak-oop in my bedroom. I had already washed off the goop on her arms before I thought to take a picture.

Mighty Hunters

They went, they saw a couple, but came home empty-handed (whew!). It was the deer hunt and the manly men in the family went up to conquer the wilderness and bring home meat for their women. (Unfortunately for them, I think we would all prefer a nice grilled chicken breast).
The mighty buck eluded them, but hopefully I will have some great pics when they finally get home.

Empathy

You know how kids never fail to surprise? Last night, my rambunctious, bickering, energetic kids showed me their softer side. I would like to think I had something to do with their display of empathy, but maybe they are just "good people".
I was not feeling at all well last night and with Burke gone to a church activity, I was really suffering while trying to take care of the kids alone. I finally broke down in tears in front of them. I think the shock of seeing their mother crying moved them to action. Nathan and Annika picked up the house, Kade went in my bedroom and pulled out my pajamas for me and Adrienne got out the crayons and paper for everyone to make me get well cards. I soon found myself tucked in bed with the heating pad watching the debate (they know me too well) while being showered with cards and kisses.
Just when you think all is lost, they pull a fast one and make you feel like you are the greatest mother in the world.

Shenandoah Costume GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

I found this out there in cyberspace, and would love to see Adrienne it it. Here is the link.
Shenandoah Costume GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Webster's-- Look Out

I got Annika some new shoes.
Seeing how she is not particularly picky about what she wears (a little spaghetti sauce and peanut butter ground in to a wadded up shirt looks great) I didn't think she would care too much about what I picked out. Granted, they weren't especially stylish, but they fit the bill and the price was right. When I presented them to her, the adoring hugs and exclamations of excitement were not forthcoming. Her expression said it all, but I was determined to make her tell me what she thought. When I asked her, she told me they were "husky", as in "ooogly or stoooopid-looking". So when I took them back to the store and they asked me why I returned them, Annika told the clerk they were too husky.
Adrienne has been sick this past week with a terrible cold. She had a heg-ache, a tummy-ache and her throat was sore. I know this because when I asked her how her throat felt, she told me it was "curly".

Adrienne and Mom

Adrienne is my little buddy. I think she gets a little frustrate with me when I decide that it is "new hairdo day". I try different things on her in the morning when the other kids have left and it is just her and I. This morning took a little while for me to decide what I wanted to do with her hair. She was getting bored, and kept complaining, "Mom, it is taking so ever!"
Here are the results of today's hard work. (Notice the slight blur, she was tired of sitting still). This is the top view:

This is the back view:

This is the little pins I made for her hair. They are just buttons on the end of a bobby pin (another idea I stole from a hairdo blog.)
And now...we're off to exercise so that Adrienne can go see her "friend". That promise is the only way I can get her to hold still long enough to do her hair.

A Miraculous Miracle

One of the greatest things about living in Utah is the mountains. I really missed them while we were in Michigan, not just because I never knew which direction I was going, but because they are just beautiful. We went to enjoy General Conference up in the mountains this weekend with Grandma and Grandpa.
Grandma and Grandpa were kind enough to watch the kids for us while we went out on the town. We went to dinner and then to a show. This is what we saw:

Yes, it isn't the normal "Date Night" type of thing, but it was an amazing experience. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, in spite of waiting over an hour just to get in.
There were quotes posted all throughout the exhibit about the body and what an amazing "machine" a body is, but my favorite was:

The heart is the organ formed first, and stops working last.

What a blessing the body is, despite the trouble it may give us from time to time. It is truly a miraculous miracle from God.