52- Week 43

 Ashtyn and Whitney both had choir concerts this week.  Check out Ashtyn's newly altered dress. 
It turned out so cute and fits her perfectly now.

 The grandparents came to hear the choirs.

  I finished counting my last Box Top.  We collected over 14,000 Box Tops for our school!

There was a solar eclipse this week- that's two eclipses in one year for me.

 

 That night there was a gorgeous sunset.

 I gave blood at the Stake blood drive this week.  Afterwards we had an adult Halloween party with my neighbors so the phlebotomist made me a little bow to wear on my bandage. 

 I took the kids to the pumpkin patch.  It was a super hot day and perfect for picking pumpkins.  We got some great ones for really cheap.

 Family party with my family this weekend.  Here is Brody working on his homework.
 I love this boy!  He is so cute and smart.

 

I couldn't get Brooklyn to smile at me.  She is also pretty dang smart and almost fully potty trained already.  After she goes she turns around and claps for herself. 
She played all night with that purse on her arm. 

I sure do love all my nieces and nephews!!

 



52- Week 42

We have been talking about obedience in Relief Society this month.  I also have to teach a lesson on it next month so I decided that we would talk about it for FHE this week.  My kids can be very obedient or VERY DISOBEDIENT.  A catch phrase I took from the Duggers is "The First Time I Say It, You Obey It".  Sometimes that works and other times it just evokes anger- ha ha.  So we talked about how we show the Savior love when we keep his commandments.  Then we talked about how you can also show your parents love by being obedient.  So now I use the phrase "Do You Love Me? Then Please Obey Me."  It's been working very well. 

 

 Tuesday was Pack Meeting and it was the Rain Gutter Regatta.  Think pine wood derby but with boats.  It's actually way better because you really can't alter the boats too much so every child has a fair shot. They are also easy for the boys to complete all by themselves.  This is Ethan's boat.  He worked very hard on it.  He was very excited to race it.  He did pretty well and won one of his races.  Overall though he did not win and was pretty sad about it. 

A little too sad we felt like. So we had to have a talk about being a good sport.

 His group was in charge of the flag ceremony.

 It was a pirate theme.  The girl in charge of our pack is super awesome and creative.  She goes all out on decorating these events.  They served hotdogs, salad and chips for dinner.

 

 The kids had Thursday and Friday off of school so Jeff took Friday off as well.  We went on a hike up guardsman's pass.  It was so beautiful.  There was snow in some parts,

but the weather was perfect.

 

 After the hike we helped Nana and Papa move into their new house.  Each child got to choose a few items to inherit.  We chose Aunt Kristy's bedroom furniture.  I was a little surprised that she didn't want it because I think it is so darling, but I'm glad we got to have it.  This vanity just screamed Ashtyn to me and she has already put it to good use.

 

Whitney got to have the dresser and nightstand for her room. 

I hope these stay nice so we can maybe pass them on again some day.  Notice Ethan's pillows on the ground.  He has taken up sleeping in Whitney's room.  I use to think that every child should have their own room, but I have sinced changed my mind.  I think kids that share a room are forced to learn to work out their differences and it brings them closer.  I won't be moving my kids into one room- but I will be allowing sleepovers any time.

 

We also held our annual Fall Festival this weekend.  We invited the Tanner's to come.  We had yummy potato soup, salad, home made bread and peach cobbler for dessert.  After dinner we made these cut wooden pumpkins I found on Pinterest.  I got the wood for half off at Home Depot because part of it was cracked so it was a really cheap craft.

 

52- Week 41

 Scott and Malia invited us to the Jazz scrimmage game this week.  It was free so how could we pass it up??  It was so fun and I wish all Jazz games were that fun.  First of all it was short- only 3 quarters long and second they had a new player named JP Gibson who stole the show.  He is a five year old boy who has leukemia.  He got to be an official Jazz player for the night.  He got his own jersey, signed a real contract, warmed up with the team, sat on the players bench and scored the winning basket.  He was the cutest thing ever!!!  We had a great time!

 Jeff and the kids gave me a spa gift certificate for Mother's Day and I finally had time to use it.  I got a signature facial done.  It was heavenly- I didn't want to leave.  I adore the spa and my amazing husband for giving me this awesome gift.

 We finally found a pair of jeans that fit Ashtyn.  I got these babies on sale at Abercrombie.  They even fit her waist and we don't have to mess with those crazy elastic bands.  She was in heaven. 

It's so so hard to find her clothes so she was one happy girl.

 

 There was a total lunar eclipse this week on the 8th.  For an assignment at school Ethan was suppose to draw a picture of this.  So we got up at 4:30 AM to check it out. 

I didn't find it that fascinating- or wait maybe I was just really really tired- none the less our camera of course couldn't capture this amazing event.

 

 The next day was walk to school day so boy was I tired then!

 Sorry I know these are gross- but Ethan had to get two teeth pulled out so I snapped a picture.  He still believes in the tooth fairy and was happy to find two dollars under his pillow the next day.

 The dentist was convinced that I look like Heather Graham.  He wouldn't stop talking about it and even looked her up on his phone while we were waiting for Ethan to go numb.  I don't know what do you think?

 This week we had a super fun activity for Relief Society that I was in charge of.  We called it "Everything is Better in a Mason Jar" and showed all kinds of fun ideas you can create with Mason Jars.  Here are the ones I brought. 

 

 We made these cookie mix jars that night too.

 I babysat Corban while his parents went to the temple and he was delighted to find a shovel in our back yard.  He went to town.  See all that dirt that isn't compacted- he did that.  He knew exactly what to do and enjoyed seeing the dirt fly all over the place.

 Corban is also an amazing golfer- seriously.  I have never seen a more coordinated one year old.  He lined the huge club up perfectly each time and made contact with the ball each time too.  Of course it was too heavy for him to pick up and swing all the way- but wow- I was impressed. 

 Next week is the Rain Gutter Regatta for scouts so Ethan worked on his boat.

 My neighbors and I got together and made monster doors for our houses for Halloween. 

This is my door.  I have the best neighbors!!

 

 My kids wanted to also decorate their bedroom doors.  This is Whitney's.

 Ashtyn

Ethan