Hey All You Bloggers...

I know at one time I probably had your blog addy but can you send me it again? Email me, invite me (if your bog is private) or comment on this post...Thanks! I want to keep in touch!

Halloween!

This year Wendi and Emily found costume ideas in Family Fun magazine. Emily was a jellyfish which we created using a sombrerro, fabric and ribbon. Wendi was a gypsy and enjoyed wearing big hoop earrings and fake nails. I am particularly proud of Keith's costume...he of course was jedi. I sewed his jedi robe using a tutorial I saw online. When he put it on he got a big smile on his face and said he felt like a real jedi...these are the moments that are so satisfying as a mother and amatuer seamstress. Abbie was Cinderella and was only disappointed that she didn't get to wear her "clacky" dress up shoes to trick or treat in- (she kept tripping when she wore them to her preschool Halloween party). The kids got tons of candy which I have been stealing all week. Alan's mom put on a fabulous Halloween party where the kids decorated cupcakes, did a treasure hunt, bobbed for donuts on a string and other fun games. The kids all said it was the best Halloween ever! P.S. Paige did not have a costume because she just stayed in the stroller all night and let's face it...I was a little worn out getting 4 kids all decked out...she will make her Halloween debut next year.

Wow! How time flies!

Oh my goodness! I can't believe it's been an entire year since I posted on my blog! Oops! Well, I read an article recenlty in a magazine about a family blog...I really liked the idea so I am going to try to implement the idea. The family used their blog as a kind of family journal. I think the kids will love the idea. They will be posting and writing and I think it will be great! So here's to adding one more thing to my life! Yippee!

I'm Thankful

Last night I talked to a really good friend of mine. I haven't talked to her in a long time and it was great to hear her voice. The circumstances that prompted us to get in touch were kind of sad but it's amazing what an old friend can do to cheer you up. We reminisced and laughed and I felt like I was in high school again. (I mean that only in a good way). So I'm thankful for old friends and for new friends. I have such wonderfully creative friends who are awesome mothers, teachers, artists and everything else. They inspire me.

Mystery, Intrigue, just plain corny and some not so great 80's music

Am I describing an episode of Saved By the Bell? No- just our weekend movie night...

So every weekend we have family movie night and we watched some pretty good ones this weekend. I'll start with Nancy Drew. We really enjoyed watching this as a family. I loved the retro clothes that Nancy wore and her roadster. The girls thought it was funny and a little scary at times (but not scary enough to cause nightmares). Alan liked watching it with us and Keith fell asleep...I don't know if it didn't interest him or if it was just past his bedtime. It was a great family film. However the next day Emily said, " I didn't get that movie we watched" and I said "What's not to get- it's a mystery and Nancy Drew solves it". "Who's Nancy Drew again?" Hmmm....maybe Emily fell asleep too, but she did laugh when she was supposed to laugh and get scared when she was supposed to get scared sooooo...who knows what happened. I would recommend it even for couples if you're just in the mood for good clean fun.

I mentioned Keith fell asleep. I think it was in protest because he lost the vote when deciding what to watch first. His pick was Journey to the Center of the Earth. Alan and I had seen this in the theatre and so I didn't watch it on Saturday afternoon with Emily and Keith (Wendi was at a Mud Run with her best friend...I'll post that later). I got enough of this in the theater and so I felt no need to watch it again. Yeah, it's corny but there's a dinosaur so what's not to like? (According to Keith)

And now we get to the 80's music...I also got Transformers the movie for Keith. No, not the most recent action packed midriff (how do you spell that anyway) showing blockbuster. (What kind of mother do you think I am?- he's 5.) Nope, I got the ORIGINAL...yep, the animated 1980's version. It had all the workings of a great 1980's animated film. Rad animation with way over done detail (sort of worn and faded looking), plot line and script that no child could ever follow and some kind of hard rock 80's tunes that fit in not at all. Keith lost interest after about 10 minutes and asked to watch "the center of the earth" again. Why is it that we look back on the 80's with nostalgic longing only to be disappointed when experiencing them again? I refuse to watch the Goonies again for this exact reason. But I do put Wendi's hair in a side pony every now and then...you know just to reminisce on the good old days.

So the last and final review...my favorite...The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. This was our "date night" movie on Saturday night. I laughed, I cried, I think Alexis Bledel is really gorgeous in this film. Costas has kind of a big nose, but I knew that from the first one. I said to Alan, "Wasn't that the best movie?" What he said..."Well, I wouldn't say it was the best...I mean, it's not one that I'll keep in the dvd player and watch continuously like Pride and Prejudice but, you know it passes, it touched me" For those of you who don't know my husband you might think that that was a sincere response. No, it wasn't... but he made me laugh.

Well, that's it in our weekend movie review. This weekend I'm going to see Twilight with some girls from my ward. Ashamedly, I'm excited, I won't deny it but I don't have high expectations. I'll let you know what I think.

Emily's baptism

Here's some pictures from Emily's baptism. It was a really nice day. She invited her teacher and some friends so it was nice to be able to talk to them about our beliefs and it was great that they came to support her on her special day.

Emily's birthday

Alan and I took Emily out for her 8th birthday. We started out at Outback but after waiting 45 minutes I asked what was taking so long they said they were looking for a table that was big enough to fit us. Ummmm.....there's just the three of us, or rather 2 1/2 because Emily's just a half size little person. And really if you're being technical Alan and I aren't exactly large people either, some might say we were small. So we went to Red Robin and had hamburgers. It was a good time and Emily felt special because the waitress said how much she loved Emily's outfit...a salmon colored sweater dress, leggings and some silver flats...yes, very cute if I must say so myself. She told everyone that the waitress had given her a compliment and said she was very pretty and Wendi immediately said, "Well that's cause you are". It was one of those moments as a parent when you say, wow, I really have nice kids.