Preschool Halloween...

Noah went to preschool yesterday and got to dress up, he had a lot of fun and even kept his costume on the whole time. I LOVE Halloween and it is so much to have excuses to dress up and play!!!

I made these cupcakes for his class..I was happy with how they turned out and as it turned out they were drawing spiders in class...perfect planning!!


Here is a video of them singing scat Halloween cat Noah has been singing it at home....so here is for the grandparents!!!

Pete the Pumpkin Pirate

Every year Jeff and I talk about how we are going to carve pumpkins and every year so far we have just said forget at the last minute and don't dare hassle with the mess.....it has been YEARS since I carved a pumpkin. So instead I got this cute Mr. Potato Pumpkin at Target. Noah loved helping me with it and it took all of ten minutes to do and no mess. My kind of halloween fun!!! Maybe next year we will actually carve but I doubt it!!!

Halloween Party....

 

We went to a great Halloween party on Monday night. It eas so much fun! Noah LOVES his costume this year and was so excited to wear it. Plus he got see cousins so he was one happy guy!!! Sawyer looked so cute in his Pluto costume it was a little hot so it didn't last too long.

 

We played some classic halloween party games...I think Patrice is still laughing at the dougnut game...it was HILARIOUS!!

 

We had a GREAT time I love all things Halloween!!

 

My feelings....

I have really struggled with this topic for the last few months. I have gone rounds and rounds in my head about what my true feelings are. I am a VERY stubborn person, I HATE being told what to do and when to do it. I totally agree with the facts of prop 8 yet I have really been adamant about not participating. At first it was easy I had just had a baby when this all started so really Jeff or I giving up our time was too hard....but now Ryder is four months old and I have no other excuses. I have really struggled with the emails and phone calls we have received, people have been treating us like if we are not out spending the next month on our corner than we are not obeying the prophet. I have read and re read the message sent by the first presidency and it is simply stated "do what every YOU can to insure the successful passing of this proposition" Really why do some people feel the need to decide for ME what I should be doing.

So there it is and what is the point of all this.....I have decided that I need to get on board and actually help so I can have mine own experience and perhaps soften my heart. I have agreed with this from day one but I have disagreed with all the scare tactics on BOTH sides. I don't like feeling like I am being conned into doing something....and don't worry no one that reads this blog has done this. It really is probably more me than them like I said I am stubborn. But I think they only way for me to get over my intense feelings iks to do something about it.
I know that I am not the only one who feels this way I have read a lot online about different situations and the nasty fights that are happening within the walls of some of the churches in California.....and to this I say we are going to have to continue to be Brothers and Sisters long after this election. Please be kind to one another, we don't know what there reasoning and for some even voting YES is all they can do.
Jesus has taught to love everyone, loving doesn't mean accepting. I have a few friends who I love dearly I may not agree with there choices but they are still in my life and I appreciate them. What would I do if one of my own children told me they were gay I would love them and I know it would be a hard line in the sand to draw. So for some people simply voting is all they can do and even that weighs heavily on their and their families hearts.

I think we are going through all of this more to learn to love and respect each other in the way Jesus taught, there are many out there on both sides NOT doing this.

We don't have to see eye to eye on this I am happy to agree to disagree. I hope I don't offend anyone with my thoughts but this is my way of journaling and really leaving this out would be leaving out MONTHS or turmoil in my life!

Lastly I appreciate my friends, and family for being loving examples for trying there best and not judging me. I am so grateful to have such good examples that make me want to strive to be a better person. Also to Jeff who never says a word to me in my ranting, who has known that this has been a very hard topic for me and I appreciate his love and understanding and most of all for not putting any pressure on me...(I think he knew I would come around =))

10/21-10/24

Well despite my last grumpy post, we really do get out and have fun....so here is some of the highlights from our week. Sawyer is teething like a mad man so he will only eat very soft foods....he loves chocolate as much as me!
This pictures cracks me up...he fell asleep like that and actually stayed like that for a long time!!!





Our friend Charise invited us over to make pumpkin shirts....they turned out so adorable! the shirts took a while so we ate, decorated cookies and had a lot of fun watching all of these adorable cuties play together!!

Here is all the kids enjoying popsicles....

Frosting anyone??


making cookie treats.....

Gavin on the phone....he enjoyed that more than the cookies.....




Friday night we went to Disneyland with Grandpa Rich and Grandma Jody we also met up with some of Jeff's cousins.....it was very crowded but still as always the happiest place on earth!! These are out of order but you get the idea....

Here is Ryder with cousin or uncle Ryan as Noah calls him! We were seeing if he is ready for baby duty?? Hopefuly soon so the boys have some MORE cousins...(no pressure)


Inside innovations they now have this thing were you can sing kareoke.....Jeff sang circle of life...to bad I didn't video it in time he was hilarious I think we NEED rock band!!

Noah modeling his new Pumpkin shirt....so cute thanks Charise....


Us in our Orange shirts....I love this color I could never wear it everyday but I think that it is so bright and fun!!



So another busy week has come and gone...next week we have a lot of Halloween activites planned sooooo look out.....

Call Super Nanny fast.....and cute brothers!!

First I'll start with the cute stuff.......These pictures I took the morning I left for Santa Barbara. Sawyer has been just loving on Ryder these days. He crawled into bed with me while I was changing Ryder and aksed to hold me....I tried to hold him thinking that is what he wanted but oh no he wanted to hold Ryder....he was so precious...Ryder was still naked from being changed and Sawyer started taking of his shirt too. It was so precious I had to take pictures. He was so excited when I brought home his little brother on Sunday he jusst wanted to sit and hold him.

Now for the super nanny part. I never understood how people could go on that show...really they are little you are big... deal. Maybe this is why I am pretty sure she is the only one can help me at this point. Noah bless his sweet little heart is giving me such a hard time these days. Really everything is a power struggle which leads to one of us in tears. From sun up to sun down everything is a whining crying fight. And why are we whining and crying....because no one around here is getting enough sleep. We have been starting our bedtime routine most nights at 7:30. Sawyer quickly falls asleep leaving Noah free reign. As soon as he is asleep noah takes anything Sawyer has in his crib to steal, pacifiers, blankets, bottles. He hides the pacifiers and brings us the bottle and uses the blanket for himself. After that ritual he spends the next hour sometime two to three hours coming out of his room delaying bedtime, he's hungry, he has to poop, he needs a drink you name it he has tried it. I have read what the super nanny says on this one so we take him back to his bed no words are exchanged the process goes on and one sometimes as late as ten.
Finally he is asleep only to start the process again at four in the morning. I am usually feeding Ryder in the dark and he tells me he needs cartoons I tell him it still the middle of the night and to go back to bed. This works until 5:30 and then for some reason he will NOT go back to bed....so he going to bed very late and getting up very early and then screaming, crying and falling asleep during the day. I am done I thought that him having some Daddy time this weekend doing some fun things would put him in check but oh no it is some serious drama the last two days.....I have gotten nothing accomplished and going anywhere is a complete disaster! I bought him an alarm clock and we are going to try and teach him that he can only come out at seven but we will see. Right now we are telling him if he can't get it together and stop waking up the entire family we will be putting him all by himself in his big bed all alone in the play room.....I am done I can not wake up at 4:00 anymore....
Potty training is a joke...really will he ever stop peeing his pants??
I am hoping it is all just a phase and with the whirlwind of changes this summer I am hoping we can now all settle into a routine and get back to being normal again..SOON!!!
So if you hear a kid sreaming at the top of his lungs in Target because his mom won't buy him the tenth toy he has shoved in the cart...it is probably me and before you judge, please feel a little pitty.....and then pray that I figure out what will break this kid what will be the punishment that actually makes him stop and that he thinks is bad enough to not do it again.

...Santa Barbara

 

This weekend I get to go on a getaway to Santa Barbara with Jody, Patrice and of course Ryder. It was a great time and I was so glad that Jeff was so willing to stay home and be with the boys while I got away for a whole weekend. It was so nice to only have one baby to look after and I loved it up there!! Here is what we did....boring details so don't read on if you don't want to hear....

Friday we left the OC, thanks again Karin and Lisa for taking care of my sweeties....really this was the FIRST time I have ever left the boys with anyone who wasn't family...crazy I know!!
We headed off to Santa Barbara and stopped along the way for a great lunch in the park and some delicious Trader Joe's salads and then off to outlets for one of my favorite past times shopping!! I love outlets and did manage to find a few great deals! After we shopped until we dropped (literally)we were off to Santa Barbara....it was just getting dark but it was such a cute place with such cute buildings. We ate at a great Italian restaurant. YUMMY....seriously very yummy. We did some more shopping and walked through down town. We made it our hotel and all crashed from being out so late and doing so much walking

Saturday we were off to the Lemon festival in Goleta it was a cute little lemon festival with different booths and of course some yummy treats. After the festival we headed to UCSB, where Patrice went to college. We walked around campus and of course had to tour the book store. I could never have imagined going to school right there on the ocean it was so gorgeous. We headed up to the very exclusive Bacara resort, it is a gorgeous hotel that celebrities go to. We didn't think they would let us get out and walk around but they did it was so beautiful and everyone was so nice and friendly. We headed back down to Santa Barbara to have some dinner. We ate at a yummy cafe that had the best tarts and cupcakes the tarts had picture perfect fruit on top..mmm.
Afterwards exhausted from our walking and eating tour...we headed back to the hotel and watched Mama Mia. It was such a cute movie and fun music.

Sunday we turned into pumpkins and had to head back to normal life...but before that we drove through Santa Barbara and up by the mission it is so beautiful there.....We then headed down to the beach for the art festival that takes place on the street there were great little jewelry and art booths it was so fun to look at everything. We had some lunch and then headed back to our families at home. It was such a great weekend and I loved getting away and enjoying a mommy timeout....Thanks Jody and Patrice for a wonderful time!! Thanks Jeff for letting me go and taking such good care of the boys!!!

Camping....

This weekend we went camping with my family! I was thinking that it was going to be way too much work for one night, but Noah was so excited that it made it worth it. Jeff and I even put up and took down our own tent....My Grandpa did help us set it up but still we survived and we actually had a lot of fun. Jeff even said he would do it again...I thought I should document that. It was great especially since it was just in San Clemente so we did not have to go too far.

Jeff and the boys in the sand.

Our token shot how many of these can we have?

Noah playing in the sand.

Doing what he does BEST...

Ryder was there and he actually only did this some of the time...


Noah and his glow sticks....

An attempt at a family picture too bad Sawer got caught off...

There he is....

Sawyer and Autumn bright and early....


Noah posin/climbing in the trees....

All of the cousins...Noah loved playing with them and even tried to go home with Porter and Carter.

Sawyer refused to take a nap...

Porter wearing the scary mask that Sam used to scare the kids the night before...


All packed up and ready to head home...

What a week...

Seriously this has been my busiest week since Ryder was born....I am so exhausted.
Here are a few highlights from this crazy week....

On Wednesday we went to Disneyland, we met my Mom, Leslie, Cari and the boys we ahd a ton of fun. We also got to go on the new ride with Darci and Gwen. It was a horribly HOT day crazy HOT. But it was still fun and the boys loved it and that is all that really matters...
The boys just love putting on the 3D glasses.



Grammy, Porter and Ryder rode together!

Leslie wanted this for her blog she is so cute!!

Loving all the fall decor..

My very BEST Buzz score yet..and no I won't reveal my secrets...



Today we went with some of our friends to the Irvine Regional Park pumpkin patch...we went there a few weeks ago but it was still fun to get out and be with our friends.

We rod the train....


When we sat down to have lunch there were tons of yellow jackets swarming us...I didn't think they stung and they were more just swarming and a little annoying...until one landed on Sawyer's sandwich while he was eating it...I grabbed the sandwich and the bee flew onto his lip, fearing that he was about to eat it I tried to shoo it away and then the little booger stung him on his lip!! I hope bee's really die after the sting. He was very brave and got over it very quickly. Thankfuly we now know he is not allergic but it did give him a fat lip...thanks to my mom/nurse friends for helping me to remain calm and tell me what to look for.
Here are some attempts at getting a shot of the fat lip!


An attempt at getting the two of them to smile!

Brody and Sawyer had fun jumping on the hay!!

Me and my sweet boys...I just love them!!

All the kids loved playing in the pile of pumpkins!