Comings and Goings...

Well, now that bronchitis and a sinus infection are out of the way...i'm trying to get back to "life".  I'm wayyyy behind, but here are a few things that have happened in the last few weeks...

Halloween came and went...Garrett was a "Scary Skeleton", Nick spent hours making an amazing ghillie suit, Jessa was "Flo" the progressive girl and Em was a "50's girl".  Jordan had a baseball game on the night of our ward trunk or treat and on Halloween night - both boys had a special fireside to go to...so he was out this year!  

The next weekend, Mark and I took Jordan and Nick to Cali.  We had a blast!  We left on Friday night and drove to L.A.  We spent Saturday at Magic Mountain and rode all of the roller coasters!!!  It was a total marathon and we had soo much fun.  Then Saturday night, we drove down to San Diego.  On the way we stopped by Mark's old neighborhood in Irvine.  It was fun for the kids to see where Dad spent some of his childhood.  On Sunday, we went to the Maritime Museum and to the Midway Aircraft Carrier.  The boys loved it.  We drove home that night and got home around 12.  What a whirlwind of a trip!  It was so much fun to be with our boys!!

Emily Ann loves a good drink from QT.  Last night at dinner she said, "Look Mom, I have a QT!"  Love her!

School was about to begin and my baby girl was going to start kindergarten. She had just turned 5 (2 weeks before school started) and her life was about to "begin". To put it lightly, I began to panic. I talked to Mark and told him my feelings and He made sure that I knew that He supported me. Long story short, we only get one chance with our kids. I get to do this one time and then she'll be gone. I'm so glad that we decided to wait. I LOVE having her home with me. We do everything together. Most of her other friends are in kindergarten or preschool so she gets her mom in the morning. She goes to dance each week (which she loves) and we are zooming through Junie B. Jones books. Recently we decided to do "Friday Field Trips". Yesterday was our first outing. Em just learned to ride her bike without training wheels and that's all she wants to do! So, yesterday we rode our bikes all the way to Subway and had lunch. It was so much fun!! I'm treasuring these moments that we have together. She's growing up wayyy too fast!!!

Taking a little break...

Em wanted to take a "funny" picture!

Eating at Subway!!!

2 weeks ago, my little Garrett got baptized. It was a very special day. He took his baptism very seriously and came out of the water with a huge grin on his face.

He thinks that the Gift of the Holy Ghost is very cool. A few days ago, this is the conversation that we had in the car:

Garrett: Mom, can we go trick-or-treating on halloween night?

Me: I'll have to talk to your Dad about it Gar.

Garrett: Mom...oh Mom...hold on a second (he cups his hand to her ear) Hey Mom...the Holy Ghost just told me it was okay!

He is such a funny little boy!

My Sweet Nick has turned 12!!!

Today was my sweet Nick's 12th birthday. I remember with such clarity the day he as born. He was so sick and such a sad little thing. My heart was so full, but also quite broken because of the condition that he was in. The love we immediately felt for him was indescribable. Who would have known then what an AMAZING little man he has turned out to be. He truly lights up my life!

We are so proud of him. All he can talk about is that he will become a deacon on Sunday. We are so excited for him and the young man that he has become! Love you Nicholas... xoxoxo

So today has been a wee bit crazy! I let the kids ditch school today...and it was still a little out of control! I promised that this afternoon, we would carve the pumpkins. This picture pretty much sum's up the day...

I walked into the bathroom this afternoon and this is what I found..hmmm :)