{Halloween 2011}

 I have to say as much as I love fall, I have been really lame this year about decorating.  I still have no Fall or Halloween decorations up at my house.  Really I think it is because I am bored with my old decorations, but it is kinda sad nonetheless.  We had trunk or treat on Friday at our church and the kids were so excited to get dressed up. 

Ayden found his Bumble Bee costume at the thrift store on half off day so it was only three dollars.  It was a little on the small side which we didn't find out until that night.  He was a trooper to wear it anyway. 

Meysa was a Renaissance Princess.  Funny side note, when she was telling someone what she was going to be, she couldn't remember the renaissance part and asked me, "mom, am I a retarded Princess?"  After I stopped laughing hysterically, I corrected her and then educated her on what "Renaissance" means. 

Lauryn is Daphne from Scooby Doo.  Really she just wanted the orange hair.  She has slept in the dress for the last few nights. 

Wyatt had to be "Lightning McQueen"  The costume was a little big for him but we managed just fine.  He finally got it this year and was super stoked about trunk or treating. 

We had a great time and the kids made off with a significant amount of candy.  Only to have today be Halloween, we are trying to figure out a way to get away with not trick or treating tonight.  

{Colors}

The leaves have been a changing around our parts.  With so many trees some of the views here are truly breathtaking.  One of my favorites is driving up on I-95 and there is a point where you cross a bridge and if you look on either side all you can see is trees.  Trees as thick as ever, you can't even see to the bottom of the little valley.  There are so many varying shades of fall that it is amazing.  I have wanted to get a shot of that but sadly stopping on the bridge on a busy interstate just for a picture, didn't seem to be the smartest thing to do.  So I had to settle for a picture of the tree in our front yard.  Imagine a million other leaves and you can imagine what that valley looks like.  It is getting colder around here as well.  I am not sure if I am prepared for all the white that is coming my way this winter, but that has beauty to it as well.  I will just keep reminding myself of that :).

{Family Time}

We feel that family time is precious.  So we try to make everyday things like watching tv together a family affair.  Our kids are hooked on a great show called Top Shot from the History Channel.  The premise of the show is that they take some of the top marksmen from around the country and put them through some pretty intense and pretty far out competitions and see who is the "Top Shot".  Ryan and I find it pretty hilarious how much our kids are into this show.  Even the girls...I should say especially the girls.  So every Tuesday night the DVR would faithfully record the episode and Wednesday nights became a coveted night.  The kids would hurry through dishes and pajamas and teeth brushing so that they could watch the episode before bedtime.  This last episode was the season finale.  The guy who we were rooting for won and so everyone went to bed happy that night.  We are looking forward to season 4.

It kinda reminds me of when I was a kid and my siblings and I would look forward to watching nature shows, like the Mutual of Omaha or Wild America with Marty Stouffer.  We looked forward to those shows all week and loved watching them as a family.  There is less and less on TV that I will allow my kids to watch but shows that we can enjoy as a family can still be found, thankfully!!

{I am a Mormon}

Many people know that I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but some may not.  I hope that for those that did not know of my religious affiliation, when learning that I am in fact a Mormon that would lead them to think of the church in a good context.  The church, in an effort to dispel myths and misunderstandings that surround what we as a church believe have encouraged us individual members to create profiles on mormon.org.  In creating these profiles, members share their simple beliefs and what the gospel of Jesus Christ means to them in their lives.  People who want to know more about what Mormons believe can go and see thousands of profiles of members of the church from around the world and learn from them what it is they believe. 

I have always found it interesting that those people who claim to know what we believe, really don't know.  I once had a young man whom I worked with point blank tell me that I didn't believe in Jesus Christ and that I belonged to a cult.  Well that was news to me!!  I find that it is best to not tell others what we know they believe in but to instead ask them to share their beliefs with us.  More understanding comes from that kind of dialog and hopefully more mutual respect.  That being said, I have created a profile in hopes that people that know me and didn't know that I was a member of the church can now know what it is I believe in.  For those that knew I was a member of the church but assumed they knew what my beliefs were can hopefully gain a greater understanding of my beliefs as a Christian.  Here is the link to my profile mormon.org and if you would like to see any of the other many profiles go here,  mormon.org.

{Sick Day}

We had a sick day yesterday.  We don't have them often but it seems more and more that when we do they are humdingers.  Starting a few nights ago, Lauryn woke up in the middle of the night with a fever of a 101.2.  I gave her Tylenol and she went right back to sleep.  She woke up fine, with no fever and didn't act like she wasn't feeling well.  So I sent her off to school.  She came home fine and played like nothing was wrong.  I thought it was just a fluke, until that night she ran a fever again in the middle of the night.  This time it was up to 103.8.  I again gave her Tylenol and she went back to sleep and woke up ready for the day feeling fine.  She wanted to go to school so I let her, she didn't have a fever and at this point I just thought it was weird.  She had no other symptoms so just a fluke right.  Well not long after I sent the kids to school yesterday I got a call from Ayden's school telling me that he had a temp of 101.8 and that I needed to come and get him.  Not an hour and half after that I got a call from the girls' school.  I fully expected them to tell me Lauryn had a fever and to come pick her up.  I was wrong.  It was Meysa who had a temp of 103.2.  While I was picking her up I figured I would grab Lauryn as well so I wouldn't have to come all the way back.  Wyatt hasn't had a fever and I have felt fine.  Yesterday afternoon was a lazy day with naps and cartoons in abundance.  Evening came and they were starting to feel yucky again.  After they all received another round of Tylenol I put them to bed.  Lauryn woke up about 4:30 with a low grad temp and Ayden and Meysa are still under the weather with low grade temps.  There are really no other symptoms, thankfully.  So even though the sun is shining today, we are still in jammies and snuggled under blankets, trying to rid our house of the germs. 

{ABC-123}

Starting with Ayden way back when, I have used a favorite video to get my kids excited about learning their ABC's. It is the Leap Frog Letter Factory. They have come out with new videos recently but I haven't liked them as much as I have loved this one. It is so simple and it teaches them what sound the letters make as well. All of my kids have watched this video and have come away learning their letters in seriously a week. Then my part is reinforcing that knowledge and we do fun activities with the letters. My goal as a mom is to have my kids learn their letters, numbers, colors and shapes and be able to write their own name by the time they are four. So this year while I have all the other kids in school that is just what Wyman and I have been working on. He already knew his colors and shapes and he could count to 10 without help but didn't know all the numbers by sight. With a few times through our numbers flashcard he has 1-10 down pat.  I got him excited about the letter video and he has taken off. He knows the letters and their sounds and now he is working on writing them. He has mastered the letter A, and H!! He has been so fun to watch as he learns something new. He claims his flashcards are his homework so he can fit in with the other kids.  And our little miss Lauryn is starting to read and loves the independance that she gets from that skill.  We are learning up a storm around our house lately. 

What is your favorite method for teaching little ones the basics?

{Fall}

This last weekend was the first time it has finally felt like fall. Up until then we still were using our A/C. Then in one day we were busting out the sweatshirts, jeans and the hot chocolate. I am loving it even though I know it will be short lived.  Sooner than I can bear to think about the winter will be upon us and I will be wishing I had to use my A/C again.  Fall is by far my favorite season.  I love the cooler weather, the pumpkins, the smells of yummy food baking, the holidays and not to mention my own birthday is thrown in there too.  Ahhh, I am in heaven.  The leaves are turning as you can see in the dogwood tree my rugrats decided to climb.  (Yes, Wyatt is still in his pajamas and yes it is the afternoon.  Don't judge me!!)  It was General Conference for our church this last weekend and we were livin' it up in our jammies.  It was such a great conference with so many uplifting talks that I needed to hear.  I love fall for that reason too. :)  I also can't believe it is October!!  Really, wasn't it just June and I was busting my fanny to get moved?  Time I tell ya doesn't slow down for nothing!!  I guess I am going to have to get with the program and plan costumes and Halloween.  Most importantly we are going to have to find a pumpkin patch !!  Here's a Happy Fall to ya'll-

{Visitors}

We had our first official visitors come since we moved here.  Ryan's mom and stepdad came to see us a few weeks ago.  Margaret wanted to spend her birthday with us so that is just what she did.  We packed so much in, in just four days.  Day 1 we hit the National Mall to see some of the monuments.   Greg and Margaret got a crash course on the metro, which they became seasoned travelers by the end of their visit.  We just had Mr. Wyatt so we booked around to see the WWII memorial, the Vietnam memorial, the Lincoln memorial, the Washington Monument and they got a small glimpse of the White House.  On Day 2 we had all the kids with us so we thought it would be a really fun idea to ride one of the double decker tour buses around the city.  That way we wouldn't have to listen to tired kids that have had to walk all over kingdom come.  Well wouldn't ya know it, day 2 was the only day that rained while they were in town.  So we rode around the town from the inside of the bus and we were lucky enough to get a boat tour from the Potomac river.    That was really the only time we were able to take pictures.  It ended up being a fun day despite the weather.  Day 3 was Margaret's birthday and we hit up Mount Vernon.  It was such a great  place to visit.  We could go back a spend another few days there.  The kids had a wonderful time and so did the adults.  Our favorite place that day was visiting Washington's gristmill and distillery.  It was so interesting and it is a working mill to boot.  On our final day (sad:() we went to visit the Air and Space museum by the Dulles Airport.  It was wonderful and we spent a good few hours there.  Ayden, Meysa and Papa Greg got to ride one of the simulator rides.  We got to go up to the observation tower and watch planes come in to land at Dulles.  That was really cool.  Wyatt loved that part.  It was just a really wonderful day.  Sadly their visit had to come to and end and we said goodbye the next day.  We were exhausted but oh so happy they came to see us.  We can't wait until they come back or anyone else comes to visit for that matter!!  We love you guys-

P.S. most of these pictures were not taken by me.  Margaret and Greg graciously let mecopy some so I could make a birthday surprise for Margaret!!  Thanks guys-  

{Family Pictues 2011)

Yes, I am one of those people that must have family pictures done each year.  My kids change so much and I like having something new to look at on my walls.  While my MIL was out here visiting I figured this was my chance to get pictures done.  She has helped us with family pictures for the last few years and I really appreciate being willing to be put up with my bossiness :)  We hit up a really cool park and went crazy..  Margaret took our family picture and I took the kids' individuals.  I am really happy with how they turned out.  I can't believe how big the kids are getting and how much they really do change in a years time.  I even managed to snap a picture or two of the inlaws :)  Thanks Margaret and Greg!!

{Ft. McHenry}

A few weeks ago we spent our Saturday up at Fort McHenry, near Baltimore.  Ft. McHenry, for those of you who don't know, is significant to our history because that is where Francis Scott Key wrote the "Star Spangled Banner".  He was watching the British attack Ft. McHenry from a ship out in the bay all night and he waited for the daylight to come to see what flag would be flying over the Fort.  When he saw the stars and stripes he penned the song that we hold dear as Americans.  The weekend that we chose to go to the Fort happened to be the anniversary of what they call "Defenders Day".  We were lucky because the Fort was alive with period people and demonstrations of life in the early 1800's.  We even got to meet the esteemed Mr. Key himself, which the kids loved.  Flying over the fort they had a replica of the flag that was flying over the fort in 1814.  We have been to see the original "Star Spangled Banner" in the Museum of American History.  Seeing it time and time again, and hearing the words written by Francis Scott key sung, never ceases to cause me to get choked up with pride for this country we live in.  We do live in a blessed country and I love showing my kids the sacrifices made so they can enjoy it today.  There are a lot of pics because it was just a great day. Ayden got the low down on how to fire a canon.  We got to play dress-up and enjoy the military band perform.  We even got to enjoy a shaved ice to end a pretty perfect day.