Happy Halloween

We are enjoying all the parties and events this October and finally carved the pumpkin for FHE. We went to the library Spook Story this week and already started our collection of candy.

Life

Last night McKee stopped by and we haven't seen him in months. He was filling us in on things and then asked me what I have been up to. I laughed and just said "life". He quickly came back with a serious, "that is the best, just regular life." I thought about things this morning as I was going through the regular tasks of my life and how happy I am to have the life I do. This lovely mess was left this morning after getting everyone fed and off to school. I rode the bike for a while this morning and came in to have a tea party with Lyla before finishing up the cleaning of the mess. We will probably play cars at some point this morning, clean the bathrooms, think about putting away the laundry I folded two days ago, eat lunch, go to the park with friends, pick the kids up from school, stop a few fights, force the kids to practice piano, do homework, make dinner, clean up dinner, play Daddy The Monster, get ready for bed, watch Lost with Phil and go to bed. I have a fantastic life. Not too exciting to tell others about, but it is happy and I really enjoy the people I get to spend most of my time with.

FHE

So Phil is a big believer in doing fun stuff for FHE and the kids love it and the kids love to capture the fun with the camera. Here are some of the pictures of the kids.
Monday night we made donuts and the kids loved eating them. They tasted great that night, but didn't fair as well the next day. Does anyone know the secret to making them last longer?

They do look pretty though. A few weeks ago we got out the big ball for the kids to play on before we made waffle cones for ice cream. Lyla needs a little more help on the ball than Miya and Cannon do, but she thinks she is pretty big.

Miya and Lyla got dressed up in their new clothes from Bangladesh from Aunt Andra. I just had to put this one in because they look so pretty.

Cannon can get on the ball by himself and balance until we start kicking the ball out from under him.

Miya can do it as well.

Last night Phil was outside playing with the kids while I finished dinner. Once I had dished everyone up a plate I called outside for them to come in. I waited and waited and finally, mad, I just started to eat my dinner without everyone else. Miya came in to tell me that Cannon had invited the neighbor girl over for dinner (she is our babysitter) and they were waiting for her. Phil came in and asked for another plate. I really don't know why, but the whole thing bothered me. I felt like no one appreciated the work I had put into dinner and then just to invite someone over without checking to see if I had made enough food.

We sat down to dinner and we were all talking (me trying to force myself into a better mood) and the girls said that her dad was still out with her younger sister and her mom is currently deployed. She raved about how good dinner was and couldn't believe I had made it from scratch. Meanwhile, my kids are questioning how many bites they have to eat to be done. While I was cleaning up the dishes Phil went outside with the kids and started playing volleyball with the neighbor girl. I had an overwhelming feeling of guilt knowing that I should know better and not get so upset about dinner when having his girl over meant so much more.

By the end of the night I was able to feel so appreciative that I get to stay home with my kids and make them dinner each night. That I have a husband who makes time to sit with us at the table and talk about the day we all had. Elder Uchtdorf said in conference this last weekend that love in a family is really spelled T I M E and I realized tonight from Phil inviting this young girl over that I don't appreciate all the time we do have together. Plus it was really nice having someone rave over my sweet and sour chicken.

Chainsaw

The sun was out last week and it was warm while Phil was in Portland so I decided to take out the chainsaw and do a little pruning. The first picture was taken almost 2 years ago, but I couldn't find another picture of the front of the house. Anyway we had two LARGE Camellia bushes out front that were very Alice-in-Wonderlandish so I cut them down.

All the other bushes have been forced to grow in directions over the last 10 years we will have to correct by staking and tying them down, but it does show a lot more of the house. I love fall weather when you can be outside working and cleaning up the yard.

One year older...

Well yesterday was the day I turned 32. Someone asked me last week how old I would be this year and for some reason I answered 34 and it has been stuck in my head ever since. Maybe that is going to be my year? Yesterday was fantastic starting off with Phil making the kids school lunches and letting me lay in bed an extra 15 minutes. Ashlee brought her girls and we hung out for a few hours. She brought some brownies to make, but I didn't have eggs. (don't use applesauce as an egg substitute in brownies) The kids had a half day at school so got to play with cousins then we headed off to piano lessons. For my biggest birthday present the kids went happily to piano lessons and even did their reading during the other piano lesson. We took the kids to Red Robin for dinner, because that is what we do for birthdays and then went to the church for temple recommend interviews.

I have a friend that has inspired me to write 32 things about myself now for my kids to read later to better understand who I am right now. I actually had the thought yesterday before Ashlee arrived that my mom was once me and I was once Miya and that it was weird to not remember much about my mom at that age. So we will try this...

1) I love spending time with your dad, even if it means working together on the cabin

2) I work out at least 5 times a week or it drives me crazy.

3) lately I have been riding the bike instead of running and have really enjoyed it

4) I love reading

5) I am the worst at putting laundry away...we are often going down to the basement to get clothes out of the baskets

6) your dad and I are currently watching all of Lost on Hulu once you are in bed even though we mostly just make fun of it

7) I love spending time with you swimming down at the beach during the warm summer

8) I still love playing volleyball

9) I still get super competitive while playing church basketball

10) I love getting a letter in the mail

11) I am currently serving in the relief society, but will always miss being in young women

12) I am super serious when it comes to your bedtime (7:00)

13) I have a really hard time watching cartoon movies and haven't made it all the way through one with you kids

14) I am not great at teaching you kids things because I don't have the patience. Cannon, you even taught yourself to ride a bike at Aunt Steph's because I was just making it harder.

15)I love cold cereal anytime of day

16) I love picking you up from school and having you at home in the afternoon even if you fight with each other a LOT

17) I can't pull out teeth. Miya dad has pulled 2 and you have done the rest yourself

18) I love Fall, but it always makes me a little homesick for Driggs

19) I love spending time with my sisters

20) I talk to one of my sisters almost everyday, but not on the weekends when I can hangout with dad

21) I am terrified of dogs,

22) snakes

23) and imagine that most animals are waiting to attack

24) I love sweets

25) I don't like beef

26) I was a super picky eater until I married your dad and he put his foot down

27) Grandma O'Brien made me my own meal because I was so picky and I make you eat what I cook or you go hungry

28) Your dad and I watch a lot of movies and once we have started it we have to finish it no matter how stupid it is. (we have even seen Dude, Where's My Car)

29) this year I am learning to really love myself and it feels great

30) I love to have a plan for things, but am finally learning that things don't always work out according to plan

31) I love strawberries dipped in chocolate or strawberry/oreo blizzards

32)I love life and I love being a wife and mother to you wonderful, beautiful kids