Marc's 42!

Fourty-two!

...and still completely hot!

Sorry, hun, I just had to post it! Mmm hmmm!

I caught him by surprise after his workout. I really had the camera out while the kids were doing sit-ups with him, but I missed the opportunity. (I'm not complaining about this opportunity though.)

We had a really fun date on his birthday. Lynne watched the kids while we went out to eat and bum around. Then on Sunday we got together with my family and had a party, so of course we had to sing him Happy Birthday!


My mom didn't have any candles so she was "kind enough" to use the lighter... funny!



Then on Monday we wanted to have a party with just our kids so that they would understand it was Daddy''s birthday. It was so cute because as soon as the candles were lit and the camera was out, Sister started in on the birthday song. (Sorry about my loudness, I forgot that I was the one holding the camera—but if you can get past me, you can hear Sister's sweet little voice and sometimes, even, Brother's.


The kids sang happy birthday to their dad!

Grandma Lynne's Impromptu Birthday Party

Lynne didn't really want to celebrate her birthday this year... what? Of course, we know, that I couldn't let that happen...

So we had an impromptu party when it worked out for my mom and dad and Marc's mom and dad to come over for dinner on the same night, which happened to be the night right before Lynne's birthday. Once everyone gathered I announced that this was Lynne's birthday party and she smiled shyly. It was so cute. We had homemade stew and breadsticks. Then we had dutch oven peach cobbler. My mom had to have ice cream with hers and I had none but, Lynne had some at home. So, my mom and Marc's mom went together in the car to go a block away to get he ice cream. My mom sang "Happy Birthday" to Lynne the whole way there... tee hee! This is them when they got back with the ice cream:

No, Lynne is not that short, she was on the step below.... she is actually taller than my mom, I think.

Here she is just before blowing out her candles.

It was so cute because while the grandmas were gone getting icecream, Sister asked Grandpa Gary, "How old's grandma gonna be? 7?" (smile)

Punkins, Carrots and Tizer

Who didn't call them "punkins" as a kid? I don't think I realized it was said "pumpkin" until I was in first grade!

We did not have a very good garden this year. Not because of the weather but, because of me. I didn't really take care of it... weeds took care of it. So, along with our incredible crop of cheat grass, we got sparce peppers, few tomatoes, hundreds of carrots and plump punkins!

For family night we decided it would be fun to pick out the kids pumpkins from our own garden. We had the pumpkin plants given to us by a friend and I didn't have much hope for them (the pumpkin plants, my friends are fine).

Well, here are our sweet pumpkins for our sweeter punkins...

Then while I was out there I figured I might as well pull up the remaining carrots from the garden. Marc took some pictures of the event. I had to put in the one of me pretending to bite the muddy carrot because it looks so realistic.... sheesh! I look like I have FXS, where am I looking? not the camera... I must have been worried about one of the kids doing something or other because my smile/chomp even looks a little tense like I am thinking "Hurry up and take the picture so I can yell at Sister to stop it..." Whatever, it's funny, so I'm posting it. Oh, and check out the neighbor's horse eyeing my carrot. "Feed me." (Say it with a funny neighing-type waver and it is funnier—promise.)

Now my favorite part of the post, the tizer.

Sister L.O.V.E.S. hand sanitizer. I buy it at the dollar store because it comes in vanilla or strawberry scents... mmmm... much better than hospital alcohol smell. Anyway, she loves to put it on her hands, again, a sensory thing.

She loves to get her own little thing of what she says is "my tizer" and use it constantly. Well, this night I walked into her room and she had lined up chairs and a stroller from her room and had her stuffed animals all sitting on them. She was lecturing them and telling them stories as I walked past the first time. Then it was quiet for a really long time and you all know that silence and Sister alone are not a good combo so I go to check up on her. Apparently it is lunch time for the toy classroom and she is sanitizing all their "hands." She would go in a line and put it on while she talked to them about having clean hands and then she would rub their paws together for them and then get out the wipies to wash off the dirt... so cute. I took pictures with both my phone and my camera.

180th LDS General Conference and our last day with Daniel

The last day that Tynelle and Daniel were here was conference weekend so we all got together for the Saturday afternon session. Looking back at all the pictures, I realize I didn't really get any of Daniel and Tynelle. The other thing I am kicking myself for is not getting pictures of me and Daniel cooking Thai food together. You should have seen the wok full of chicken curry!!!

Anyway, here are a few pictures anyway. It was good to spend some good quality time with them.

Even though I don't exactly remember all of the special things I felt during conference (hat is why I am bugged I haven't had a chance to stay current on my blogging, because I forget the little things) I do remember feeling a strong spirit—not just because I was able to hear modern-day prophets speak and testify of Christ but, because I realized how blessed I was to have all of my family surrounding me while listening to it all... pretty neat stuff.

Now, I know that I talk about 13 and 18 a lot, but I think that this weekend as I listened to some of the speakers during the conference I realized that I did OK with them as their mother for that time. I wish things were the same, but they are not. I guess that is what I meant in my last post, I want them to be the kids they were when they were here, the kids I was able to love on, hug, guide, teach, encourage, and strengthen. Now, I am just on the sidelines. I try very hard to continually let them know I care about them and love them and hope the best for them. It is getting harder and harder as time goes on. I thought it would get easier, but, it's not. I don't know quite how to explain it... it's just so different now. So, listening to General Conference at least gave my heart peace that I did my best at the time. Someday they will know that I love them as my own.

My most favorite line from all of General Conference that brought tears to my eyes was, "I am grateful for selfless parents who—perhaps for a lifetime—care for a challenged child, sometimes with more than one challenge and sometimes with more than one child." —Jefferey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I felt stronger when I heard that and that strength even lasted the whole day... (smile)

The REAL Annual Family Halloween Party and Another Campy Horse Ride

Boy, this was a night to remember!

First off, Marc and Brother were going on another camp and horse ride adventure so I was helping Marc get things together for that. They left. (Brother was so excited he couldn't wait inside—he had to wait outside while standing on the horse trailer or sitting in the suburban.)

Then 18 showed up for me to do her hair as Belle from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Her and her boyfriend were excited to come to my family's Halloween party and show off the costumes they had put together. Grandma Lynne fixed up a thrift store find for 18's dress and my mom had a cool jacket for 18's prince to wear.

Anyway, I was so excited for it to be like old times where I was doing her hair and make-up.

It wasn't like old times.

I don't know how to explain it, it's really different.

But, we both had fun regardless and she looked fantastic when we completed.

18 left.

So now it was me and two little girls to get costumed and ready to go to the Halloween Party!

Wow!

Note to self:
Don't wait until last minute to do your costume and two little girls who don't want to dress up...

Anyway, I finally convinced Sister that it would be fun for her and Baby to be pink princesses. She was so excited after I got Baby all dressed up that she practically leaped into her costume.

Another note to self:
Think of these wonderful ideas BEFORE the tantrums start...

Since Marc and Brother were off camping for the night I figured it would be fun to sleep at my mom's! Yay! Sleepover!!!

So once we were all dressed I had to pack:
toothbrushes
diapers
underwear
changes of clothes
shoes
make-up
hair stuff
pajamas
baby toys
Sister's blanket

And along with all that I had to bring:
My dutch oven "Western Hemisphere" dish for potluck
my huge five-gallon water jug (for Jane's family famous green punch)
and the candy to share for the candy hunt

After about 7 trips to the car to pack everything in, drive down to my mom's I was fashionably 20 minutes late... I was very proud of myself.

I had invited 13 to come too. I figured that he would be riding along with 18 but, I guess not... he was there before I even got there and 18 and her prince came later.

While it was still light I wanted to get shots of all of us.

I thought it would be fun to get pictures together like "old times." But, again, it wasn't the same. Oh well, I tried. We got some "separate" ones too.

 

 13 is a Ninja Star. His mom made his costume... clever huh! Cute!

And yes, because EVERYONE asked me, that is my real hair. I ratted it and then smoothed it over the rats nest... voila! It was awesome when I would bob it from side to side... sheesh!

And I have to show you the back of 18's hair so you can see I did it just like Belle's

OK, so that picture doesn't really show it, but, I tried.

Here are some more pictures of the hay ride, and other costumes...

 Is that Tyler or Tara? I can't tell...

Zzzzzzzzzzzzoooooorrrrrrroooo... or is that Antonio Banderes with my Aunt Aleesa!

Aaron is the pumpkin grower and Chelsea is the growing pumpkin... tee hee.

 Yes, I had to put the crown on....

K.. seriously LittleB... that is one of the funniest things I saw the whole night!

And I LOVED Jman's glasses and check out MrT... he has a mullet and a mustache with a knight's helmet on!! Bwa haa ha!!!

 Joel really went all out on his costume this year... oh, never mind... that is a fun backdrop my mom bought at a yard sale for the occasion.

Uncle Slade

Sister wanted her face painted because LittleB had her face painted.

Ya, that's my mom.... pppfffth! She is so hilarious, every year!!!

The Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter... who knew they would make such a cute couple... Kirsten made the hat out of paper and the hair is some stuff she got at the dollar store... creative!

Since we had to change the date because of the weather, Daniel was able to be there! He even helped with the candy (look how excited he is to take the instructions...). My aunt Jane sure knew what she was doing when it came to stuffing 90 bags to hide in the corn... and we still ran out of bags, we ended up needing 97!

Funny story: 13 found a bag of candy. There was a little girl who couldn't find hers (I don't know how little—she could have been 12 for all I know, but "little" makes the story funnier) So, 13 told her that she could have his candy bag, but, only if he found another one for himself.... he didn't find one. So he went and got his back from the girl... tee hee. What a gentleman. (smile)

This is some of the candy that went into the bag... mmmm ?????

This is my hair after I took it down... it looks like I am leaning but that is my hair, actually standing sideways out the back of my head... 

Anyways, this is where we just all got to that tired funny part of the night. There were a few who stayed until midnight and we watched homemade movies and laughed and scared eachother... ah the fun. We got really goofy and had Kirsten doing some of her antics. My girls were asleep and I was having the time of my life.

Then, at 2am, they woke up... it was a very long night... we even wore my mom out.

But, all while I was having fun at the Halloween party, Marc and Brother were having some great father-son time.

Brother was trying to show how flexible he was when he was trying to avoid the camera...

Marc is attempting to get a picture of them together... close.

sunset

I promise, he was having a GREAT time, he is just a little cold here... That's the palamino in the background, Socks, that he got to ride. He was so excited!

One of Brother's favorite movies "Cowboys" with John Wayne. So nice of our friends to let us borrow their cooler to use for a TV stand...

ready for bed

Blue

tent... what? I was naming everything... so I thought I should tell you what this was too.

I can't believe they had to go...

waaaaaaaaa.... I miss Daniel! (Aaron, I do love you, promise. If you move out of state I will cry when you leave too.)

waaaa...

I will be updating soon...

What to look forward to:
The Real Annual Family Halloween Party
Sleepover at my mom's after The Real Annual Family Halloween Party
Final activity with Daniel and fam
180th LDS General Conference highlights and insights for me
More Sister-isms
and of course—pictures!

More fun with the Floridians

I went and picked up Daniel and his fam at Tynelle's parents and piled them all in the Suburban to go to Mom's house. We had a great time hanging out and eating Grandma's yummy food. Popo loved grandma Judy's helicopter and played with it the whole time we were there.

Berry found this fun guitar...

The next day I piled them all in the suburban again and we went to Aaron and Chelsea's for lunch, fun and singing. (Popo and Berry are singing together in the golden microphone while Aaron plays the piano. They were so funny.

Then later, that same night, we all gathered at my house for Daniel's famous Thai food! Mmm mmm! I didn't get any pictures of me and Daniel cooking together but hey, I got the rad game of Upwords that Aaron, Chelsea, Brother and I played after most everyone left while Mom and Marc cleaned up the mess and Dad read to Sister... mmmm... good times!

Here is a video of my two brothers singing together... priceless... especially since Daniel rarely sings for us...

I was so intrigued so hear how much my brother's voices are alike. Aaron is always the one to sing and Daniel usually is just quiet in the background. He's still pretty quiet here but if you turn it up you can hear them together. I think my favorite part is Daniel trying to hide his smile when I say how good they sound together.