find joy in the journey

happy halloween!

  (later in the night his costume evolved into "ninja vampire" with the addition of vampire teeth - idea taken from an episode of Phineas and Ferb)

Happy Halloween!

halloween week

Halloween is tomorrow, on a Sunday, which always changes things up a bit in our household.  We won't be trick-or-treating and hopefully turning off all our lights will limit the number of kids who ring our doorbell.  Tonight we went to a trunk-or-treat at our church.  The kids had a great time.  Even with a little bit of rain.  We have filled the past week with activities (Halloween-related and not) so I'm hoping the kids don't feel like they are missing out on anything.  There is definitely no shortage of candy around here.

So looking back at our week . . . 

Scott and the boys went to a basketball game.  They loved every minute of it and are begging to do it again.  Cotton candy, red ropes, giant foam fingers, cheering with the crowd, staying up way past your bedtime . . . for a 7 and 9 year old, what's not to love?

It was bring-a-friend-week at ballet so Anna got to have a friend join her.  It was also parents' watch week so I got to enjoy an hour of watching 5 and 6 year old girls practice ballet feet & clown feet, say "hello mr. bar" as they go through 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions, play little miss muffet, fill the room with cuteness, and leave a permanent grin on every parent's face.

The preschool harvest party.  And showing up to find that Sheila and I were twinners.  Head-to-toe twins - black shirt, denim skirt, orange/black striped tights, black flats.  No joke, we did not plan this at all!

Each day this week I worked on bits and pieces of Book Fair decorations for the boys' school.  The theme centers around heroes.  Thankfully Scholastic has some great online templates and ideas that I can just copy and look really creative.  :)  I spent 4 hours on Friday setting things up so now I've got a big checkmark to put on my list.

Yet another opportunity to dress-up.  Storytime at the library.  

This morning we went to a {free} children's fair for games, activities, candy, etc.  It was a great way to add more Halloween fun to our weekend.  Plus, have you ever seen a king hula hoop?  Milk or cow?  or look this cute?

 

Other notable events of the week:

• we made caramel apples
• pumpkins were carved
• Scott mowed the lawn one last time
• peppermint whipped cream entered my life. oh baby.

hot nurse

Last week Payton came home from school venting his frustrations about a game that a lot of kids are playing at recess.  Tag.

"My class has the stupidest rule.  Only the girls can un-freeze you!  So the boys just run around and get to do nothing.  If you get tagged you just have to stand there and wait for the hot nurse to unfreeze you!"

Wait.  Back-up.  Did he just say hot nurse?

My mind back-pedaled for a moment, trying to make sense of this.  These are 2nd graders, and one of their games includes a hot nurse?  ooookaaaayyy. . . . 

"So Payton, who came up with the name hot nurse"

He names one of the girls in his class.

Conner chimes in, "Ya, if you're frozen you need the hot nurse to unfreeze you."

To them, it makes perfect logical sense.  Scott and I got quite the laugh from this one.

--------------------------------------------

Saturday, we had a ward activity that centered around pressing apple cider.  As soon as we arrived, Conner joined the men and dove right into the process.  Loading apples into the grinder, turning the press.  He was loving it!   And he didn't quit until I told him it was time to go an hour and a half later.  

Once in a while our eyes would meet and he would give me big smile with bright eyes, that showed how proud he was of himself, and how much fun he was having.  He was on a total high.

At one point he told the other men, "I can't believe my mom isn't over here taking a picture of this."

And someone replied, "I can't believe it either."

ha ha ha.

So I pulled out my camera phone and took 3 fuzzy pictures.

_________________________

On Sunday the kids participated in the Children's Sacrament meeting program.  They all did so good and spoke so clearly.  Payton had his part memorized - he stared straight ahead at the clock so he wouldn't be tempted to look at the "cheat sheet" on the podium.  Anna memorized her part too (which was long!), but received help when she hesitated on the last few words.  Conner had a longer talk-like part and did awesome.

Anyways, the Primary presidency included comment cards in the programs (what a great idea) for the congregation to write positive notes on.  These were later read to the kids during Primary.  Of course, Scott had to write a comment:  "The primary program was great.  Anna, Conner, and Payton narrowly escaped punishment by their reverence during the program."

After church, Conner gave Scott the look.  "They read your comment.  Everybody laughed at us.  Could you please stop making me the laughing stock of the world?!"

a peek into friday

dancing deer come to life and a little girl gives a puppet show to a very attentive audience.

  {"We need a volunteer . . . "}

a seemingly simple and short list of to-do's eat up way too much of mother's morning.

laundry is folded & ironed while Cinderella puts on a performance.

  {and mother smiles at her forethought to buy this dress 2 sizes too big while at the magic kingdom, 2 1/2 years ago}

plans are made and maps are printed for a very rainy saturday of soccer games.

projects are seeing completion, and that makes mother happy.

{family pictures on the wall . . . check}

more pumpkins are welcomed home from school.

the piano is played, morning and afternoon.

{watch that fingering, little man}

cheers are given when mom says yes to the Wii.  Mario Party 8 makes everyone happy.  Especially when little sister wins a mini game for the very first time.

bacon is sizzling.  For dinner, breakfast is served.

post-dinner, chaos ensues and mother is about to pull her hair out.

sanity is restored by the quiet that comes from a kids' movie night (Bridge to Terabithia) and a brownie sundae.

three children are kissed & hugged and tucked into bed and mother begins the next project . . . creating a kingly robe for boy #2.

-----------------------------------------

note to self:

Do more projects with Anna.  

Take time to sit down and watch those movies with the kids more often.  Cuddle.

Eat more brownie sundaes.

her world

Some photos from my recent shoot with Anna.  I love how they capture her softness, curiosity, playfulness, radiance, and youth. 

whole wide world from Shannon on Vimeo.

And some notes about Anna at 5 . . . her little world

- she loves to eat hot cheese sandwiches.

- she loves to sing!  In the car to Glee, at home with her made-up songs, and even in the store.  A couple weeks ago we were in Jo-Ann's and she belted out, "Hoo, baby do you know what that's worth, Hoo heaven is a place on earth."

- she is a collector of things. From rocks to bits of paper to ribbons . . . a lot of what I consider trash is a treasure to her.  We have to do a serious de-clutter of her bedroom a couple times a month because she collects so much stuff.

- she is good at giving compliments. "Oh mom, I like your dress."  :)

- she loves to color and brings pictures (in an envelope) to her preschool teacher nearly everyday.

- she loves to play outside.  Riding scooters, bikes, playing soccer or football with Scott and her brothers.  She is an active little girl.

- she wants to be an artist.  She has a spiral bound notebook which she calls her scrapbook.  Each page is covered with drawings, collages of leftover pictures that she gathered from my scrapbook room, paint chips from Home Depot, whatever she can find.

- she loves to bake and gets offended if I bake something without her.

- she loves to be read to and share her made-up stories with me.  She especially loves it when I tell her a story of my own.

- she is silly.  That's an understatement.  I need to record her funny quips and sayings more often, because before I know it she's moved on to something else.  One of our favorites of the last few months:  "I'm going to stir you in a pot!"  Which evolved into "I'm going to toast you in a pot!"  We love it when she pulls this one out.  Especially with pretend stirring motions.

- another line:  "are you staring at my eyeball?"  And "there's a chicken on your head."  

- she is great at establishing eye contact and stays very engaged in conversations.  She can win a staring contest any day of the week.

- she is hyper-sensitive to smells (like her dad).  Sometimes her stinky brothers are too much for her to bear.

- she likes to get pretty.

- she loves horsies and puppies.  She is not shy around animals at all and asks to pet every dog that we see.  And we regularly get the question, in a sad sad voice, "mom, when can I get a puppy?"

- she doesn't name her animals and dolls.  They are known simply as Bunny, Pillow Pet, Puppy with the Big Head, Pink Puppy, etc.

- she weighs 43 lbs and is 45.25 inches tall (that's the 92nd percentile).

- she is a pretty amazing little girl.  We love her.

10 on 10-10-10

1.  Had a great cub scout den meeting this week.  Of course, because Scott was there, in Boy Scout uniform to teach us all about performing flag ceremonies.  The boys were really really good and I think they absorbed what was being taught.  Repetition is key.  During the outdoor flag ceremony a humongo spider descended upon us from the top of the flag pole.  No one screamed or jumped.  I think it would have been an entirely different situation had this been a group of 6 (8-9 year old) girls.

2.  Is it wrong that my 9, 7, and 5 year old know all the words to "Let's Get Physical"?  The Glee soundtrack (volume 3) is to blame.  And the catchy beat.  I justify it's repeated play in our car due to the fact that the meaning of the lyrics is way over their heads. They all seriously believe that the title of the song is "Physicup".  And that's how they sing it.  And I'm not going to correct them.

3.  This week I took Anna on a little photo shoot.  She was a great model and looked really cute in her fall boots.  (I will share pics later).  Then we went to the library for story-time.  And finally, ate our Subway sandwiches at the park.  As we walked to the car I turned around and caught her sipping on her juice box.  Just love this scene.  A perfect snapshot of 5.

4.  Anna has a crush on a 10 year old boy.  Oh my.  I almost want to do a whole post on it.  Maybe I should get his mom's permission first.

5.  A color for my master bedroom has, at long last, been selected after a 2 month search and debate.  Cue the "Hallelujah" chorus.  Now, finding the time to actually do the job . . . . that may take another month.

6.  This time of year our town turns into Halloweentown (the 1998 Disney movie was filmed here).  After school the kids and I had fun walking through Olde Towne, checking out the scarecrows & monsters & goblins.  I love it when there are fun, local things to do and explore.  It just adds to the charm of our small town.  Yes, even the bloody beheaded stylist adds it's own sense of charm.

7.  Week 4 of the saturday soccer game double header is over.  Both games were raaaaaainy.  We were prepared as possible with rain boots, umbrellas, and chairs for each person.  But still tears emerged.

8.  The digitally re-mastered Beauty and the Beast on DVD is just magical.  Is it corny that I get a teensy bit teared up when I introduce my kids to these classics from my youth?  Gets me every time. 

9.  Both of the boys have really good friends at school (like, best friends) who are girls.  I keep wondering, is that normal?  Scott says that he always played with the girls up until 5th or 6th grade.  So maybe.  But then again, Scott always really really liked the ladies.  A small excursion to a local pumpkin patch was organized for the boys' school classes.  They immediately found their friends and paired off for a run through the corn maze.  Payton & A made it through in record time - the farmer told them so.  Conner & K . . . well, they were the last ones out and we had to send P&A back in to find them.  Conner says that he was just having fun getting lost.

10. I can't really come up with a 10th item.  Other than, today is Sunday.  I've been listening to general conference while I get ready.  We'll be going to church soon.  And I don't have to bring a 15 pound bag  filled with a lesson & activities.  We're practicing for the primary program which should be it's own kind of exciting.  Let's pray for non-wiggly kids.  And a chapel roof (which is currently covered with a big tarp) that has held up to the constant rain this weekend.

Happy 10-10-10!

you capture: faces

I reserved this sweet picture of Anna with her beloved Pillow Pet from the birthday post.  I just love the look on her face.  Can't you just see the love?

 

and here's a great face from Conner.  I don't remember the particular reason for the face.  Actually, this look graces his face many times a day.  It's his hmmph / i-don't-want-to-admit-i'm-wrong / my-life-is-so-unfair / that's-funny-but-i-don't-want-to-show-i'm-amused / i-don't-like-touching-pennies face.  It serves multiple purposes.

He was pretty excited that I captured it in a photo.

 

the day that pillow pet entered our lives

Anna turned 5 last week.  Yes, five!  I know.  Crazy how time flies.

A week or so before her birthday I randomly asked her, "so, do you think you're going to be different when you're 5 years old?"  She thought about this for a long time, and never really gave me an answer.  A few days later she started dropping into casual conversation, "I'm going to be different when I'm 5."  What kind of different, I don't know.  But she began checking out her face in the mirror regularly, so she could see those changes when they came.

I think she's just perfect.  4 or 5, it doesn't matter.

Can I just say that planning for a girl birthday is so much fun.  The boy birthdays are fun too, but I just don't get the kind of reaction out of them as I do with Anna.  

You gotta have the pink cupcakes.  And the cute table setting.  You can't see it but there are pink and white balloons hanging from the ceiling.

 

oh here's a peek at the balloons

 

But for a 5 year old, birthdays are mostly about the presents.  Anna had one, fervent wish for her birthday . . . a pillow pet.  We have seen the commercials for months and every single time she shrieked, "Mom! Can I get a pillow pet?!!"  I was finally sold when I saw them in stores.  If a $20 stuffed animal has the potential to make all her dreams come true, then why not give it a shot.

Pillow pet did not disappoint.

(fresh out of the gift bag)

 

It's a pillow!  It's a pet!

For the first solid week, pillow pet went everywhere with Anna.  Always at her side.  Well, until it developed a strange smell last night, only perceptible to Anna's heightened olfactory senses, and got canned for today's preschool show-n-tell gig.  "Puppy with the big head" went instead.  But just an hour ago (when she overheard Scott and I discussing this funny story) she emerged from her room, jubilant, because the smell on pillow pet was gone!  Oh happy day!

Happy birthday girlie!  We love you and are so glad you are a happy, noisy, sweet, silly, singing, scooter-riding, and puppy-loving little 5 year old girl!