Carving Pumpkins

Pumpkin carving night is one we always look forward too at our house. The kids always want to help more than mom and dad want them too, I always end up with orange pumpkin guts all over the place and we always listen to the Nightmare before Christmas soundtrack.I should have blogged about this sooner, maybe I would be able to remember why my kids had such dirty faces!

Dirty yes indeed, but oh so happy!

I asked Mike which one of my double chins I could photo shop out, he told me none - what a booger. ;)

And, the finished product! Not to shabby if I do say so myself, and I do.

Ice Cream Cone Goodness

My kids love ice cream cones, really who doesn't?
Grace's whole goal is to make as big of a mess as possible when she eats hers.

I think from now on we will have shirtless, possible pant less ice cream days, the mess is so much easier when I can just throw them in the tub afterwards! Max makes the "What about Bob" noise when he eats his ice cream - mmmm.mmmm.mmm.

on the road again...

Seriously? I never posted Halloween pics? I didn't think I was THAT behind... thats my goal this week, prepare for 7 new posts!

New beds for both :)

I think I solved Max's climbing out of bed problems...

Ok, so maybe locking him in his bed and putting the toddler bed over his crib wouldn't be the best idea - but I had to put the bed somewhere while we set up Grace's new big girl bed.

Mike's parents moved into a new house and gave us a twin bed they were not taking with them, and I'm so thankful they did. The timing couldn't have been better -

Grace wanted Barbie bedding for her big girl bed, but I'm mean and said no. But what we found was so cute, Grace loves it! She wouldn't smile for this picture - shocking!And now Max is in a toddler bed. The first night I very sternly told him not to get out of the bed and after about 1/2 hour I peeked in to check on them. Grace was sound asleep in her bed and Max was still laying with his hands behind his head, wide awake. He said, "Max stay in bed". (When he says Max it sounds like Mach.) I just smiled and told him he was a good boy and left the room. I'm not sure how long it took him to fall asleep but I was starting to think this was easier than I thought it would be.

WRONG! Max hasn't napped since he moved to the toddler bed - and he was a great napper, usually 2-3 hours a day! And, every night since it's taken at least 2 hours to put him to bed. He's in, he's out, he's up, he's down, he's teasing Grace, he's getting toys, he's running to the kitchen, he's teasing Grace, he's EVERYWHERE! Super Nanny might need to come help!

Last night I told Mike we're just going to have to Super Nanny bed time again, and after about an hour Max was screaming hysterically. I finally was like what the heck? And he was pulling at his ear. After 2 more hours and a trip to Wee Care, Max is now on antibiotics for an ear infection and has a referral to an ENT for tonsils and more tubes. I decided he gets a pass for last night :)

Black Eyed Pumpkin

Nobody fall off your chairs - but I did something creative. I saw these cute little pumpkins in a magazine, and I thought, "Hey, those are pretty cute - I might just be able to that!"

So, we bought tons and tons of googly eyes and got crafty...

These were actually really easy, the little ones we grew in our garden this year and they kids had fun deciding where the eyes would go.

Scary Hill

This weekend we went to Scary Hill with my sister & brother-in-law and my niece Daisy. We had so much fun -


Miniature Golf is always fun with 3 kids under 3, and the course was so crowded. We made it through 9 or 10 holes and got some fun pictures. Max was such a help, I had several hole-in-ones because he always picked up my ball and placed in nicely in the cup. What a good boy!


Max - not so fond of actually hitting the ball...

Grace really didn't want may pictures, so I'm happy for a couple of her just looking at the camera! Daisy is such a cutie -

Max kept saying "Scary" at all the pumpkins and spiders -

The tickets we bought included 3 activities so we went on a tractor ride, the kids rode the little train and then we went through the straw maze. The kids laughed and had so much fun. I love this time of the year! The straw maze was the perfect size for Grace, Max and Daisy - they loved running through it! We were glad we could enjoy it with family!

Great Reunion

This little boy makes my day - It's so fun to watch him grow and learn! Everyone started freaking out because he was up at the dessert table - I just grabbed my camera. I wouldn't have been surprised if he just dove right in!

Last Sunday we celebrated my Great-Grandma's 97th birthday and had a Speth family reunion at Hyrum City's park. So many of my moms family was there and we love to see everyone and catch up.

(Pictured - My aunt Sue, uncle Rick, aunt Jaime, cousin Jalane and her daughter Taya)

The kids have so much fun because there is a huge park - I'm glad my kids are starting to get old enough to play!

(Pictured: my nieces Libby & Maggie, nephew Tytan, Grace & niece Adi & some other 2nd or 3rd cousins that I have absolutely no idea who they belong to. To be honest, they could have been random kids at the park that day!)

Have you ever noticed at a family reunion that you still sit by your family and mostly talk to who you already know? Good thing we like each other!

(Pictured - Sister Cassie, SIL - Mary, Sis Nicole & Brothers Jordan & Ryan)

One thing I've noticed over the last several years - the wind always blows. We were there early and it wasn't too bad until right at 1 o'clock and then it picked right up- it does this every year. It's typically a nice day - other than the wind... hmm...

And this year I actually got a picture of my Great Grandma Edna. It's amazing she still does so much. The last couple years she has started to slow down, but she still has an amazing spirit and attitude. Her testimony is so strong and she always shares it with us. There must have been over 100 people there - and I'm sure there was another 100 that couldn't make it. She has outlived 3 of her 4 children, and still lives alone in her home. What an amazing lady!