Reading

The big Sis has been doing a lot of this...

And the little Sis is doing her best to copy cat!

"Da dat dis dat dis da"

Ky is taking off as a reader.  It makes me so happy that she WANTS to read!

We LOVE Halloween!

((This is a month old but I owe my mom some pictures...))
We have been Halloween partying around here!  We have a little extra time to kill without our busiest family member around...  Plus little Halloween crafts and treats are great incentives... ahem bribes... 

Incentive #1 

Whoever invented foam sticker crafts is my hero!  :)

Incentive #2

Halloween costume PARTY with a couple friends.  Mae wore the chickie costume all of 5 minutes and I think this was the only time she smiled...  And I got a picture!  :)

 We made Oreo spiders at the party...  Leo wore his Buzz Lightyear costume all morning while we were getting ready for the party but was done with it come party time!

Kyla has discovered the art of pulling funny faces for pictures...

Pin the nose on the pumpkin... my kids didn't want to spin, I didn't make them, I still have nightmares about spinning for a pinata!  :)

Johnny won!  But he didn't spin and was only 3 feet away... not sure it counted.

Ninja Johnny!

Witchy Kyla

BUZZ!!

Chickie Mae.

Incentive #3

Mini pumpkin cupcakes, just the right amount of sugar...

Incentive #4

Spider Pizza...

 And Vampire Jack-O-Lantern pizza!

Incentive #5

Chocolate Rice Cripsy BATS!

Incentive #6

Melty Beads!  I NEVER buy them, the thought of all those tiny plastic beads is too much for me... the Halloween spirit won out. Witch, skeletons and bats.

Incentive #7

Adding more sugar to the Chocolate Rice Crispy Treat Bats!

(Non-)Incentive #8

I love dinner in a pumpkin... the kids just think the pumpkin is cool! 

Incentive #9

Trick or Treating... for room to room.  I gave out the best prizes, Halloween notebooks.  The rest of them gave out toys, books and blankets collected from their own rooms... :) 

 Happy Belated Halloween!!!

Locked Out!

We came back from another morning of bus stop drop off and walk to a LOCKED house!  I have been extra careful to lock all the doors and windows with Steve being gone.  And when Leo was opening the door this morning he accidently locked it...  It happens at least once a week but we usually just go in any other door, there are 4, not like we don't have options.  Not today, all locked!  I checked all the first floor windows, all locked... except the powder room window!    

My little super spy fit perfectly!  

Way to go Leo!  He opened the door for Mae and I!

 Lessons learned:  Take a 3 year old with you when breaking into houses...  OR make sure the 3 year old doesn't lock the door on you... :)

Camouflage Baby

Our morning walk required a jacket for the Mae, since it is October I put on the pumpkin suit.  Cute enough all on its own, but then she got in the orange stroller and disappeared...  So cute and fun!

We love our Monster Mae-hem!!

Conference Saturday

The kids had a "sleep over" last night...  Mae and I came downstairs to them already on the computer, who knows when that started... :)

Coloring station for conference!  

They colored the entire first session... it ended and Johnny reminded me he was only going to watch one hour of it...  

The second session was not quiet as happy and quiet but what can I expect?!

We went on a two mile bike ride after to get all that stored up energy out.  They were so proud of themselves for going so far!  I had to load all the bikes in the car and drive to a walking trail to get enough flat bike trail for them but it was worth it!

Fort Days!

We made an awesome fort, complete with "garage."  Lucky kids, I don't even have one of those... :)

Missy Miss Turns 7!!

Where did seven years go?!  Its hard for me to believe she is growing up so fast!  She is a wonderful sweet girl, full of love and life.  She is such a special part of our family!

Kyla wanted an ocean themed party this year... We started the week long celebration with star fish sugar cookies with cousins.

Waffles for a birthday breakfast!

The cake!  Leo picked out the sea life figures to give to Ky and they all had fun putting them on the cake.  

Steak and mashed potatoes for dinner!  We don't really eat steak and potatoes that much but Johnny and Kyla both choose it for their birthday dinners.  :)

Ky got to use the "birthday cup" we had one when I was a kid and I remember thinking it was so cool.  We resurrected the tradition and made it through dinner without breaking it!    

Happy happy birthday to our sweet seven year old!  

Sugar Cookies!!

Sugar cookie season is here!  Mae helped me cut them out, she loved the flour, so fun and messy!!

Messy miss ended up in the sink, she hung out in there for quite awhile...

We have a WALKER!!

Delayed Labor Day Vacation

Steve had to work the Saturday and Monday of Labor Day weekend... so he decided he needed a little family time and a break.  We took Monday and Tuesday off and went to Utah for a four day weekend.  It was a fun filled, jam packed weekend.  Starting with boating on Saturday morning, Steve said the skiing was so good, just that was worth the drive... :)  AND Kyla knee boarded!!  It is so fun for Steve to see his kids loving the same things he does!  

Then we headed to the aquarium with Liz and kids, Uncle Matt and Jenny.  Kyla wanted to go to an aquarium for her birthday and we were planning on going to the one in Phoenix, but it doesn't have penguins, Kyla's favorite!  Utah's does... plus some cousin time... PERFECT!!

I love this funny picture of those silly silly cousins!!  Go Bella!

Leo and Buggie!

 HUGE snake!!

PENGUINS!!!  Kyla loved it!  She said the penguins were worth the drive!    

We unintentionally planned our trip perfectly to be in Utah for a big b-day party for Aunt Sid, Uncle Vaughan and Caroline, fun!  We went to dinner at David and Michelle's and got to see their beautiful new home!  I won't ever buy another fixer upper again, unless it has a view like theirs!  Logan Temple, Old Main, mountains, the works!  And we got to wish the soon to be newly weds congrats, we won't be able to make it back again in two weeks... Steve's annual Scotland trip is then.  

And thanks to Steve's sweet mom, Steve and I got to do a session at the Bountiful temple before heading home.  THANK YOU!

We finished off with a short stop at Grandma Grover's and we were on our way.  We made it home before midnight and got the kids to school for picture day on Wednesday.  Whew.  I'm tired!    

Cinderelly, Cinderelly night and day its Cinderelly...

We put Mae to work sweeping Grandma's floor... she had great balance, maybe I should have her carry a broom around... 

I think her next job is to clean herself up... she LOVES watermelon!

I have a picture of me sweeping the floor around this same age... and one washing the walls with a sponge...  either I was really into cleaning as a toddler or my mom was exploiting the cheap labor that didn't complain... :)!!

Brigham City Temple!

We got to go to the Brigham City Temple open house while we were in Utah.  It was our kids first time at an open house, mine too.  The Temple is gorgeous and full of peach blossoms, the door handles, windows and carpets...  it is beautiful!

Steve's parents have been helping with the open house, they were both there the day we went and by some miracle we found each other.  Grandpa went on the tour with us, with an extra detour or two, one of which landed us in the Bride's room where Grandma was!!  It was a really special day!