Typical Mormon Mommy Blogger

The other day a darling friend from my old ward contacted me about using my boys and and me for a Mormon Message. I thought I knew what a 'Mormon Message' was, but Googled it just to be sure. After watching short video clips on an LDS YouTube site that were incredibly touching and looked like fun to be a part of, I quickly agreed that we'd do it.
We chatted about the details - This message was going to be about Elder Uchtdorf's conference address about slowing down and taking time for the little things and to be still. I remembered the talk and couldn't think of a better lesson for me to focus on. She went on to tell me that I was to be portrayed as the 'Typical Mormon Mommy Blogger" and my boys were to be rowdy boys at play outside. I loved it. No acting required. This is who they are, who I am. Or am I?
I haven't written in my blog in 6 months.
I opened my blog the other day and just started reading and found that I'm completely fascinated by the things I had written over the last several years. Some stories are terrifying reminders of early mommy days and most are funny things the kids said or did. I found myself wanting to pinch tiny bums and rub bald little heads. My words are dripping in sarcasm most of the time and it's annoying to read it because, really, who likes the sound of their own voice being played back?
I do love writing. And it's clear that I love myself, my kids and my rambling. So why have I slacked off so much over the last year or so? This has really been bothering me lately because I find the conclusion so very scary. Am I....boring? The kids go to school all day and Eric and I just shuffle around the house. Then they come home and it's homework and playing but at their ages it doesn't really seem like noteworthy stuff to blog about. I can't put up recipes because I don't cook. My idea of crafting is more interesting to the pre-school age kid, using magazine cutouts and glue. I've never used more than 3 coupons. No matter how expensive the camera, I can't take great pictures. What the crap do I do all day? Who am I? What am I supposed to write about?

rambling

Eric: "What do you do if a stranger comes and offers you candy?"
Cameron: "Tell him 'No thank you, I'm on a diet.'"

****

As we were pulling into Anaheim and we started seeing peeks of Disneyland through the trees Adam said, "I'm so excited that my heart is beeping fast and me teeth are cheddaring!"

this is halloween

Queue the Christmas music! Halloween is officially over. Most people get the blues in January, after the holidays. I'm already feeling the Halloween let down tonight. I love Halloween. My kids started the obsession and I've fallen in line.

This is Adam at our Wimmer family party tonight. He's so dang cute I want to bite his lips off!

Here's Mario/Adam ready for school.

Yoshi/Luke is ready too.

We're not exactly sure what Cameron is. Princess? Fairy? Dancer? Human? She's great at the dressing up thing because she will dress up as something different for every Halloween event for the entire week. I think we had four different costumes for her this year. This is what she wore to the school parade.
This Halloween was extra special because Brett and Melissa's family came up from San Diego to stay with us. These are two of my very favorite girls ever! Melissa and Baby Natalie!

These pictures clearly won't go in the order I want, so here's one of Cameron at the school parade.

On Saturday we went for 4-wheeler rides, harvested corn, Grandpa cooked breakfast, carved pumpkins, roasted pumpkin seeds, dressed up, went to Grandma and Grandpa's house, and trick-or-treated. It was a blast! Everything is more fun with cousins.

Thanks to Brother Bigelow, who lets us plant on his farm land, we had a crop of 27 pumpkins and too much corn to even count! If anyone wants to go pumpkin smashing, come on over and take a few.

How cute are these kids?

I'm already feeling sad that the cousins are gone. I love the craziness and the conversation and the love. Yup, I'm that cheesy. The love. I can't wait till Brett and Melissa's family moves back to Utah (preferably Pleasant Grove). Thanks for the super fun memories!

top ten of fall

I hate the cold with a passion. I would happily live in hell, er, Phoenix for the rest of my life. But even I have to admit that it's kinda fun to get out the unattractive/cozy footwear. Hello Uggs! So ugly, hence the name, but OH SO COZY!
This is my TOP TEN for this time of year:
10. Auntie Gracee pulls out the Davey Jones mask to freak out unsuspecting children/adults.
9. Buh-bye to yard work for about 7 months.
8. I don't get weird looks from anyone when I order hot chocolate.
7. It's finally acceptable to sit in front of the fire while I watch TV. I do it all year, but now I can do it without disapproving comments from my family.
6. Ditto on #7 but sleeping with a heating pad.
5. I can let my feet go! Nobody knows if I have chipped toenail polish.
4. I get to wear my coat that makes me look like the marshmallow man.
3. Taco soup.
2. It's socially acceptable for my kids to flaunt their obsession with creepy stuff.
1. Seat heat in the car.

PS - You may have noticed that I somehow lost the sidebar with all my friends' blog addresses. Please leave a comment so that I have your addresses again. Thanks.

farewell to summer

There comes a time every summer when the potted plants are crispy beyond revival, the kids have discovered increasingly inventive ways to drive me insane and the days seem to fly and drag at the same time. I start to dread the 'crisp' air because it's an omen of winter.
The week before school started, excited as I was, I kept urging the kids to stay outside and play. We had nightly dance parties in the front yard and introduced the neighbors to b.o.b. and Katy Perry.

Cameron even sprinkled the sidewalk with rose pedals and set up a refreshment table.

And chairs for spectators.

The day before school started we went up to Tibblefork to let the kids play at the lake and feed ducks and squirrels. Luke tried to convince me that he was born a squirrel and grew into a boy. Squirrels love goldfish.

And then it happened. All the kids started school.

Luke

Cam

Adam

What a great sight!

Buh-bye!

Sports day at school

This is the amazing view from our front yard. I love it here!

when I grow up

Cameron: "Mom, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Me: "A mom."
Cameron: "You already are a mom."
Me: "I'm also already a grown-up."
Cameron, lauging hysterically: "No Mom, really. What are you going to be?"
I'm so glad that my life's ambition can be such a source of amusement for my kids. Here are a few moments that I'm actually proud of as a mom.
If there is a sight better for a mom, I don't know what it is. I love seeing my kids in bed, bathed and safe enjoying my very favorite passtime.

Eric at his Timapanogos Fantasy Football draft. It was the 20 year anniversary and these guys take it very seriously.
The league.

We have a tradition to drive the Alpine Loop and collect rocks and leaves and take pictures.

Luke was in heaven knowing that the whole world around him was his very own personal bathroom.

The kids were trying out their new Halloween costumes on Uncle Greg.

welcome to fabulous

What better place to take a Mormon girl for her eighth birthday than fabulous Las Vegas?


Or Paris?

Or New York?

I love that now my kids feel like they're world-travelers because of the five minute car ride down Las Vegas Blvd.
We had a mini family reunion with Aunt Puffy, Uncle Mike and Grandpa Bob at Puffy's house in Summerlin. It was so much fun for the kids to have so much adult attention. They got to go swimming, to the park, drive the strip, carve pumpkins, visit the Springs Preserve, trick-or-treat, stay up late and eat lots and lots and lots of treats! We had so much fun!
Kids and Grandpa

Birthday girl and her (not eaten) cuppycakes!

Birthday girl in her new apron Aunt Puffy sewed for her.

Birthday girl and her mama!

The kids got to go trick-or-treating at The Springs Preserve.

By the end of each day, the kids were so exhausted they could have fallen asleep standing up. But instead, they slept like puppies all over each other.

VIVA LAS VEGAS!