A little more Halloween, a finished project, basketball & the 1st snow fall

I unloaded the pictures on my camera thinking I'd post about how Nash started basketball yesterday.  To my surprise, there were Halloween pictures on the camera I hadn't downloaded yet.  Oops!

This is out at Trav's parents' house.  Halloween was his mom's 50th birthday.  Halloween is always a big deal out there since it's grandma's birthday.  My sister in law's kids are in this picture - 1 headless horseman & 1 monkey!

I had to have a picture of Aunt Jamie & Brooke in this costume because I have a picture of Jamie & Sam in this costume that I absolutely love.

Me, Grandma Kris, Brooke & Olivia

Brooke is almost 6 months old, but I finally finished her crib quilt this week!  I've had it tied since before she was born.  I've even had the binding pinned on.  I just hadn't done anything with it because I usually hand stitch the binding down.  In an effort to clean up some of my sewing mess for my Usborne party, I caved & decided to machine stitch the binding down.  It turned out good though so I'm ok with it.

And....the reason for this post:  Nash started playing basketball on Saturday.  About a month or so ago Sam brought home a flyer from school announcing basketball through the high school.  She brought it home because she thought Nash might want to play.  Trav & I asked Nash if he wanted to sign up.  His response was, "I'm not good at it and I don't really know how to play."  Trav & I both said, "Well!  That's why you sign up!"  After that he was game to sign up.  So, this Saturday I took him to his first game.  There are six kids on his team (four boys, two girls).  There was a mix up and we thought his game was at the high school so we didn't show up until right when the game was starting.  They play like they did in T ball where the first thirty minutes is practice and the second thirty minutes is the game.  Nash did pretty good.  I decided we need to get a basketball for our house though so he can practice his dribble.  If we can convince him to step in and steal the ball from the other kids, we'll be doing good!

Nash said he had fun and his team won 10-6 (the coach's daughter is pretty dang good).  I think Nash only knows 1 kid on his team, Clay, because they were in the same Kindergarten class.  Hopefully he'll still be liking it at the end of six weeks!

Saturday morning when the kids woke up and saw all the snow they about went nuts.  They played out in the snow for quite awhile yesterday and then again today.  They were trying to build a big hill today so they could sled down it (dad said no sledding down the stairs - amazing how they listen to dad but not mom!).  Not sure if the snow will stick or if it's going to melt.  If it melts I've decided I better get my bum outside and take care of all the leaves!

Halloween week

Tuesday after Sam got out of dance class I took the kids to my Grandpa Maughan's house.  Grandpa took our dog, Chloe a few months back because she kept getting off her leash & getting picked up by the dog cops.  The kids were super excited to see her.  I was impressed she was still alive!  It is a farm after all!

The kids were cute in their Halloween costumes.  Caleb was pretty happy with how his pumpkin costume turned out.  He was sooooo excited about the hat before I got it made.  When it came down to it though, he didn't want much to do with it!  I think it was because it was too big.  I was happy I found Nash's costume for a whopping $9.  Brookelyn's ladybug costume was a Samantha hand-me-down.  Sam's costume was the one I made this spring for her to wear to literacy night at school.  I couldn't believe how warm it was on Halloween night!  I think it was the warmest Halloween I can remember in ages!  I took the kids to a few houses around our neighborhood & then we headed out to Grandpa Scott & Grandma Kris's house.  Caleb fell asleep on our way out & stayed that way for much longer than I had anticipated.  I took the other 3 kids out trick or treating around Grandpa & Grandma's neighborhood.  They ended up with quite the haul - as usual!

Samantha had another piano recital this pas Saturday.  She looks quite grumpy in this picture.  I'm not sure if she was grumpy because I was taking her picture to send to her dad or if it was because she had to quit playing with her brother at home to come play her recital pieces!  She did good though - grumpy or not.  I'm impressed that she's still practicing away & doesn't complain about it (much).  She's even taught Nash how to play 2 or 3 songs!

I started this quilt at the end of May.  I was making it for my cousin & his wife because they had their first baby.  My cousin's sister & his mom asked me to make it.  I undertook the project, as well as a carseat canopy and a reversible diaper bag.  I didn't think much of it at the time.  Well, five months later I finally finished the quilt!  I got the other 2 projects done in time for her baby shower in June.  This quilt kinda kicked my butt though.  Not because it was hard, but because there were a lot of steps.  Since it was made of flannel there is a fleece pad.  So, I had to cut out 56 squares of flannel x 2 & 56 squares of fleece.  Then I had to sew 2 pieces of flannel & a piece of fleece together by stitching a 1 inch seam all the way around the block.  Then I had to go back & sew an x through the middle of each square.  Then I could stitch the squares into rows & then the rows into the final quilt!  After that, I had to go back & snip all the seams to rag it!  Whew!  Don't think I'll make another one like this for less than $50 + the cost of fabric next time!  It did turn out super cute though.

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The other day I got to daycare to pick up Caleb & Brooke & this is how I found Caleb!  Poor kid must have been completely pooped to fall asleep here!  He was actually almost in the hallway & as you can tell, he was in the middle of all the toys!

Pre-Halloween Fun

When did this little girl get so big?  She's going to be six months in just 10 short days!  Yikes!  Has it really been that long?  We busted out the walker a couple weeks ago but I took it back downstairs because Caleb kept getting into it.  I had the kids bring it back upstairs today to see how she'd like it.  Sister is loving it.  She can be up and see what's going on.  I think she likes it a bit more than the Bumbo because she can reach things that are in front of her without tipping over!

Thursday night Nash had a Halloween program at school.  He was the very first speaking part.  He did awesome.  He spoke slow enough we could understand him & he didn't put his mouth on the mic.  All the kids wore their costumes & so did his teacher, Mrs. Olsen.  There were about 16 songs & each kid had a talking part.  It lasted about an hour (which was torture for Caleb) but it was fun.  All the decorations in the back the kids had made during class over the last week or two.

Brooke has recently discovered her tongue.  She loves to stick it out & make the "pffft" noise.  However, since she has her tongue sticking out while she tries to make the noise, she mostly just ends up blowing bubbles.  It's still super cute though & I can't quite get enough of it!

Today I finally broke down & we carved pumpkins.  Grandma Terri was nice enough to come up and help us out.  Fortunately for me Brooke was napping for the entire adventure.  This is the first year we've carved pumpkins without dad so I was a bit worried.  Other than Sam's drama about the slime touching her, it wasn't too bad.

Sam & Nash wanted to paint blood on theirs & put a knife sticking out of the top.  Alas, the painting....(so much for EITHER painting OR carving)

Caleb couldn't be left out of the blood scene either.  So, his pumpkin is rather covered in red paint as well!

Brooke's pumpkin is almost as big as she is!  When I sat her next to it she kept touching it and smiling.  Not sure if she liked the cold or was just intrigued by the whole thing.

Usborne Books Party Details

Here are the details for the Usborne Books party that I'm doing. If you can't come in person, check out the website & order online!

What: Usborne Books Party

When: Saturday, Nov. 5th 7:00 pm - You can get your books in time for Christmas gifts!

Where: My house 182 E 100 S Hyrum

Online: www.myubam.com/K3919 (make sure you click on my name on the right side after you enter the bookstore)

If you bring a friend that wasn't already invited, you get free shipping! You'll also be entered into a drawing for any book of your choice at 50% off when you come to the party.

Reasons why I LOVE Usborne Books:

1-Their books are amazing & encompass many age groups.

2-Many of their books have internet links - the science ones are so cool.

3-They have everything from touchy feely books to chapter books to cook books!

4-Their books have a life time guarantee!

Smiles, naked legs, a birthday & a camera thief

This little girl has so many smiles lately that it's completely intoxicating.  She just grins most of the day.  Her squeals are undeniable in their complete delight of just being here.  She smiles whether she's eating her toes, milk or just watching everyone pass her by.  I'm so glad she's such a happy baby & I hope it's a good sign of how her temperament will turn out! 

On Friday the kids were over at the neighbor's house playing.  After a little bit Nash walks in the door.  Then I hear Samantha running in.  When Sam gets inside she finds me & says, "Mom!  Come help me!  Caleb is stuck behind the fence!"  I'm thinking it's the fence in the neighbor's front yard where they have a bunch of wood, so off we go.  I go over and find that he is not behind the fence I thought.  Rather, he is in the horse pasture.  How on Earth the kid managed to get back there is still a mystery.  From what he said it sounds like he flipped over the top and went in.  Why am I not surprised?  Once Sam realized he was behind the fence she grabbed his arms & tried to pull him back over to her side of the fence.  Unfortunately, she didn't realize that his pants were stuck on the fence.  As you can see from the pictures, the pants were sacrificed.

Friday was also my 31st birthday.  Since Travis was gone hunting, the kids and I went down to my parents' house and had dinner.  My sister & her family were there too, which was a nice surprise.  We had bad guys for dinner & mom made my favorite chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting & lime sherbet ice cream.  We had a good time.  Caleb bonked me over the head with a gift from my mom & dad.  It was a really nice jelly roll pan like hers that I keep telling her I'm going to steal from her.  Then, she brought out another gift for me:

 A few years ago mom & dad got me a fishing pole & a nice hard case.  This year while we were at Lake Powell I asked the kids where my pole was and got, "Dad said I could have it." from Nash.  Now, I'm sure he didn't mean he could have it, have it, but I couldn't tell Nash that he had to fork it over.  So, when we got home I told my mom about it & told her I wanted a new pole for my birthday.  As you can see, she produced!  I took this picture on my cell phone and sent it to Travis.  His response?  "It's pink!  I can't use that!"  I told him that was the point!  Maybe he'll keep his grubby mitts off & not give this one to one of the kids!

The other day I was sitting on the couch feeding Brooke.  I looked up to watch what Sam & Nash were doing.  Turns out, Sam is teaching Nash to play piano.  Guess I need to talk to Sam's piano teacher about adding Nash to the lessons list!  He actually does pretty good.

Last night I took Samantha & a friend of mine, Amanda, and we went to What A Witch Wants.  It was a craft fair of sorts.  I thought about doing a booth of mine own, but I didn't want to pay for an outside booth that would end up being in the dark and cold.  And, I didn't want to pay $50 for an indoor booth either.  So, we went to check it out to see what it was all about.  There was face painting and pictures to be taken.  There were also a lot of random booths.  I saw a Papparazzi booth but since my sister is doing a party next week, I decided to wait to spend my money there.  I did cave & spend money at the Usborne Books booth. And, I've committed to do an Usborne Books party on Nov. 5th.  More information coming on that later!  Sam & I got matching face painting (no pic of me) and then had our pics done.  (I will post the pics when I get the cd.)

 This morning I am laying in bed still when Nash comes in and says, "Mom.  Caleb has your camera."  Great.  That child gets my camera all the time & I know the day isn't far away when he either a-deletes all the pix on the card, b-breaks the camera or c-both.  I've decided I should tell him that if he's going to steal my camera he shouldn't take pix like this to incriminate himself!

 Here's Caleb's, "Mom I just want pink milk." picture.  How can you say no to that face?

I saw this in a magazine a month or so ago & decided I needed to make it for Scott.  Since his birthday is Oct. 27th I finally got everything to do it and got it made!  He loved it & I thought it turned out pretty cute too.

 On my birthday while we were at my mom's my sister and I put Brooke & Sunny down together.  I must point out that every time I put them down together at least Brooke starts screaming.  This night however, they must have known it was something special because they both played really cute together and no one cried!