Yuk, Thats so slimy!!!!

Tommy and his best friend carter spent the afternoon carving pumpkins yesterday. But I have to say that for two big macho boys...they sure didn't like how slimy the insides were!!! THEY MADE ME CLEAN THEM OUT! It was pretty funny to watch! They did do all the cutting alone though (except the eyebrows on carters pumpkin), so I have to give them some credit! So I know that a few of my friends have blogged some pictures of some pretty impressive pumpkins...(The Petersens) But, I thought it would defeat the purpose of them carving pumpkins if I helped... and they did a good job!

Carter (looking oh so scary!!) Did a great job on his pumpkin. I was quite impressed!!!

But tommy's... I am not really sure what it is!! I think he said he wanted it to have two mouths.... More room to eat candy I guess!!

I think they had fun and they will like seeing them with candles inside tonight!!!!

*.*.*. Apples to Apples.*.*.*

Everyone knows (especially my close friends) that I get on these little hobby spurts... two weeks ago it was martha stewart crafts. Right now it is food storage...I wonder what it will be next?

So I have been drying apples for my food storage. I am forever thankful for my apple peeler/slicer! Without this, it would take me forever! Thanks to good friends also for doing my apples last night while I got ready for pictures! Today I am doing apples for them!

I also started getting 72 hr emergency kits together. (Plus walmart had backpacks for $5.00, Yeah!)It's actually quite fun to put these kits together and tommy loves helping...he made sure to put bandaids in the kits...Just in case!

If anyone is interested, my family is going to be ordering a pallet (contains 240) of 4 gallon air tight storage containers for food storage. If you would like some...let me know. They will be 6$ each. I am buying about 25 for now! We will also be ordering honey, let me know if you want that too... There is also a location here in calgary that sells 5 gallon water jugs. They are members and if you tell them they are for food storage they will add extra stuff to keep the water from going stale! This may not be the cheapest way to store water...in the long run. But, They are only about 10$ each and you can buy some now and keep adding to your storage as money permits and the water will taste better than the large water tanks!

I can get you the info if you are interested!

So today I will be busy in my basement building shelves and such for food storage...

I am so excited!!!

A good influence!!!

So this morning I kept tommy home from school for a little while because I needed to get his hair cut for our family pictures...Beaners was booked last night. When we were getting ready to leave, I said..."tommy, don't tell your teacher that you missed school to get a hair cut, just tell her you missed the bus." I proceded to go about getting ready to leave and tommy said, "Mom, that would be telling a lie!" I thought real hard about this for a minute because I didn't want his teacher to think I didn't care about school or something... But I couldn't really tell my kid to lie. So I told him to go ahead and tell her you got your haircut today cause we have family pictures tonight. I love to see that my little boy is so good! He is such a good influence on me! I love you tommy!!! XOXOXO
P.S. He did make sure to tell the lady cutting his hair about how I tried to get him to lie, but that he told me he shouldn't...I had to laugh!! But I did tell him not to repeat the whole story to his teacher...She doesn't need to know, Right???

Husband Tag...

1. Where did you meet? We were both part of the same singles scene in Dallas Area... He couldn't resist my body!!!! hahaha

2. How long did you date before you got married? 8 months...like I said, he couldn't resist me :)

3. How long have you been married? about 2 1/2 amazing years! Seriously!

4. What is your favorite feature of his? There are actually a lot...mostly I like how loveable he is and how his lips curve when he smiles.
5. What is your favorite quality of his? He doesn't let things get to him. We'll have an arguement and I fume about it forever, but he'll forget about the whole thing within five minutes and want to cuddle again! Sometimes that makes me even more mad though... I'm crazy!

6. Does he have a nick name for you? Mostly just calls my honey

7. What is his favorite color? Not sure actually... He wears a lot of blues and browns.

8. What is his favorite food? Chips and Queso, Ginger Beef or Cafe Rio Salad.

9. What is his favorite sport? FOOTBALL...cowboys!!!

10. When was your first kiss? not long after we started dating... read #1 and #2

11. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? Watch the hills, got on vacation, lay in bed and talk/laugh/get the diggers out!

12. Do you have children? 2 one boy one girl

13. Does he have a hidden talent? He is an amazing public speaker and is a good writer.

14. How old is he? almost 30...ouch!

15. Who said I love you first? Actually he did, but it didn't count... He had asked me if I would clean up after him and his friend scott (they had just made nacho's or something) then he said thanks...love ya. Not fair!!! I can't remember who said if first for real, but I know that I felt it first FOR SURE!!!

16. What is his favorite type of music? He's eclectic

17. What do you admire most about him? His truly good heart!!! He would never ever want anything to happen to me or the kids...It would KILL him!

18. Do you think he will read this? Prob not...He hates these things!!!

I tag whoever reads this message and loves their hubby....

California Dreamin...

My trip to california was bitter sweet (as my whole family wasn't there!!) I missed my husband and Tommy like CRAZY!! and I didn't get to see my brother Mark's family or my sister Marsha and her little boy bryton. But... I did have a ton of fun and spent lots of time seeing cousins and aunts/uncles I don't see very often. The wedding was pretty and they had these amazing Bacon wrappen almond filled Dates...I think I ate about 10!!! I need that recipe!It was also super fun to play with my little neices and nephew at the beach! I was shocked when my mom put her swim suit on because she has lost some weight...she was looking pretty skinny!!!We spent one day at Venice beach which is always fun and ALWAYS INTERESTING!!! I found a great dress there...YEAH!!! Then we finished our night off at Santa Monica pier and ate a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. They have the BEST dessert I have ever had...I need that recipe too! It was a chocolate flourless cake that was cooked inside a mason jar then topped with ice cream, whipped cream and raspberry sauce... It was AWESOME!

The last day I was lucky to be able to spend some quality time with my cousin, who I used to be very close to, She grew up in utah but recently moved to california to live with her aunt. She is so beautiful and SO SO SO smart!! She has not had an easy life by any means but she has been able to rise to the top and I love her for that!!! She is a journaling major in college and wants to do something to change the world...I believe she can!!!




We stayed at the temple apartments... Which was really cool, because its right next to the temple and its inexpensive! I loved going into the LA temple, it is so beautiful and that is where my mom and dad were married. (It was the first time they had been back there since their wedding!! I told them to go on a night walk around the temple and hold hands and stuff...but they were not going for that idea :)) Now days they don't build the temples as big as they once did and its fun to get to see a temple that is so big. My aunts wedding had about 80 people in the sealing room, it was really special! It was a great trip!!!

Kyla's Favorite thing....

My daughter HATES bows...but I LOVE THEM!!! So thanks to Meaghan for all these bows!!! Kyla looks so cute in them, Right!!!

She looked so cute that she just sat in front of the mirror for a while!!!

But then she was done, and I am so glad these bows are indestructable!!!!!

This is why we call her "belle"

Can a little girl get any cuter???? I am just nuts over her...

My Beautiful Neice!!!

I am soooo excited that my neice will be moving back to calgary soon! She is such a beautiful person on the inside and out! She is such a great role model for me and her little brothers! I love you cameryn!!!

Chasing Bubbles...OoOoOoOo

I just love naked babies in the bathtub! Kyla loves the bath, but this morning she was especially excited to chase the bubbles around that were forming from the soap! It was so funny to see her go for one and than it would pop and she would look at up at me...like I knew where it went.

Kyla is such a curious baby, way more than tommy was! She is still super little, probably about 15 lbs and she is 8 1/2 months now, but she is really smart! I know...all moms say that about their babies, but thats okay right! She already pulls herself up to standing on the furniture and crawls (well, army crawls) everywhere! She may not have teeth yet, but she has already decided that baby food is not nearly as good as normal food! So feeding her is a challange...any suggestions let me know! I have taken to boiling my own veggies and mashing them up a bit.

Tommy "by a long shot can make kyla laugh better than anyone. She just loves tommy!!! He'll gladly admit to anyone that she is the best too! No jealousy here... They are like little pals! But then...tommy always says that she is his baby anyway, not mine, but his...because he prayed for her :) So sweet! I just hope it stays this way forever...

Oh, so thankful!!!

I am going to apologize in advance for stealing this photo :) I only have good intentions... I promise. This is strickly for "journaling purposes."I was thinking today about how extremely lucky I am to have the friends that I do. We live in an amazing ward and there are a lot of people I would say are "good friends." But I want to take a little spot in my "JOURNAL" to talk about two girls that have changed my life!!

I feel like I can tell these girls ANYTHING!!! and they don't judge me. Often times our conversations end up on more of a spiritual note, and I am so glad that I have them to look up to! Their examples make me want to be better!!! I think every person that crosses your path in life does that for a reason... and it was part of a divine plan!! I am so glad my path crossed with theirs! I love you girls...Thanks for being who you are!!! and hint- if you have a better pic for my journal...send it over :)

our own series of LOST!!!

We went to the calgary corn maze with some friends and had such a fun time. The dads were of course entertaining the kids (and acting like kids!) while the moms got to hang back and play "good cop!"

I just love fall time (pumpkins, corn mazes, comfort food, the smell of dead leaves, and all the apples you ever wanted!) I wish the season was longer in calgary, but its not, so we make the best of it!!! I was so excited when I found out about this corn maze (thanks Rachel Cairns) and I hope they stick around for years to come!!

Here are a few pictures of the kids RUNNING through the maze... and when I say through, that is what I mean! They did not think it was important to stay on the path so they climbed right through the corn stalks...(we'll be nice and not blame it on the grown up men :))

While we were there, the sun started setting

and it was absolutely remarkable to put it mildly!!!

Some Batty Business!!!

So here are pictures of the finished bat wings...Yeah!!! They were so much work and they aren't very durable, but I'm still proud of them and I think they are super cute!!!

Here is tommy wearing the full costume, and might I say... looking pretty scary!!! He actually got the scariest costume award at the party. I was so proud!!! All that hard work was worth it now :)

Her are a few pictures of other kids at the halloween party, mostly my friends kids...

My mom will appreciate this first costume!

Because I have always LOVED tinkerbell :)

This is my friends daughter Lexie...She was so proud and so beautiful!! (see Right)

This next one is tommy's best friend Carter. He was a swashbuckling pirate and of the best treasure seeking kind!! Arrhh Matey!! (see below)

Here is Linken (the scary green dragon!!) He is the cutest kid ever, barry and I just love him to pieces... (see below)

There were lots of great costumes at the party like (the pratts) look at their blog! We had a lot of fun and ate way too many cupcakes! Here is one more picture of all the kids watching the magician...