Brooklnn's preschool Christmas concert

FYI, as each kid came out they told us what they wanted for Christmas. Brooklynn is saying here, "I want a new Brian (who is lost again), an umbrella, and CandyLand." Brian and the umbrella are on their way, but CandyLand...? Maybe next year.

One of Brooklynn's songs from her concert today (more to come)

Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park and Brooklynn's "invention"

Last Saturday I took the kids up to Ogden to the dinosaur park. Brooklynn thought the robotic dinosaurs were TERRIFYING, so we skipped the coolest part :( 

Instead, we "dusted for fossils" and looked at all the gems in the geology area.

 

 I couldn't keep Aaron from eating sand, so that was our cue to go home.

PS - Brooklynn thinks she's invented the concept of the "triple decker." She makes her own PB&H these days and is very proud of her brave new concept. She's named it the "Cha Cha Sandwich"

Downloads and uploads

We are within short walking distance to a major commercial development. I love it, because whenever I need something, I can just take a walk. I loved that about NYC too, but this walk is much more pleasant (by that I mean wide, open spaces and fresh air - I value that a LOT). Here's Brooklynn enjoying "Happy Hour" at Sonic, and Aaron and I on one of our grocery store runs - both places part of said development:

 I don't know if I ever put any pictures of Brooklynn's birthday party up here but in case not... Here are her birthday cupcakes. They are tutus. Brooklynn had a fun party in our community clubhouse.

Brooklynn also had fun trick-or-treating - THREE TIMES. Here she is sorting her first pile of winnings, from her great-grandparents' Halloween party. 

On to Thanksgiving. These kind of speak for themselves, with the disclaimer that it was all in good, kind fun.

Here is the crazy vehicle I must use when shopping for groceries. They LOVE it. I, and the rest of the shoppers in the isles, "opposite-of-love" it. But, whatever. 

Aaron stands up on everything these days. He currently has a black eye from standing up on the dishwasher door, slipping on a spoon, and crashing down on his face. But he's still a happy boy as always:

 Brooklynn helping with the apples for an apple pie...

 The day after Thanksgiving, we got a Christmas tree. It was a "RiteAid tree" kind of budget this year, but at least it's real! It smells so good - and it fit in the van without so much as 5 minutes of work :)

Brooklynn was sick that day, but in her ill haze, she was still very happy about the tree:

All decorated:

Erik turned 28 on the 26th. Sour cream enchiladas and and ice cream cake:

This was during Erik's birthday party. I wanted to put it up because it shows Brooklynn copying her aunt Amanda, which she always loves to do:

Aaaand... Silly me, I forgot to keep the edible stuff on the tree above the three feet line. /this guy was halfway done before I caught him:

Boise weekend

At 2pm on Friday, with Aaron having just recovered from the sickness I gave to him, we decided to drive to Boise for the weekend. At 3:30pm, we were on our first road trip in the minivan.

We visited Lindsay and Derrick and got to see and hold their 8-day-old daughter. We also got to visit my grandpa.

Unfortunately, by the end of the trip, Brooklynn had what Aaron had gotten over, and so did our new little niece :(

So, well,... There was that. I've heard that the baby is doing better. And so is Brooklynn. Just don't ask me about all the throw up I caught in the car ride home yesterday.

Brooklynn has a preschool program coming up, and I'm super excited. I hope they let me film it.

Aaron insists on standing at all times. We have really tall dining room chairs, so we're always worried he's going to pull one down on himself :(

Aaron's laugh and Brooklynn's new dress

Above is a dress that I made for Brooklynn this week (She's more thrilled about it than she looks). Unfortunately I forgot that when you pick a patterned material you have to buy extra fabric to match the seams up with each other. You'd think that someone who watches Project Runway every week would know better by now. Below, Aaron's signature laugh, especially the yelling at the very end:

pictures

Busy people

Brooklynn:

• Had an AWESOME 4th birthday and loved trick-or-treating
• Surprises me every day (and makes me wonder if I'm a bad parent) by saying crazy stuff like "Great Ceasar's ghost!" (I kid you not.)
• Has a couple of friends in the neighborhood (major relief!)
• Can count to one hundred, except she skips all of the sixties and repeats the eighties like three times

Aaron:

• Is finally teething, for real. I've been using that as an excuse every time he's cranky, but I reeeaaaaally think it's happening now
• Crawls
• Is still in the 99th percentile for height

Erik:

• Auditioned for "Lend Me A Tenor," and they loved him, but they couldn't accommodate him being gone around Christmas (it conflicted with their tech rehearsals)
• Got 7 fillings at the dentist
•  Had to submit his students' grades last week. Joy

Me:

• Been very stressed at work. Month ends are stressful, quarter ends are stressful, and year end is most stressful. So, put them all together and.... Plus, we've just acquired a couple of companies, and the new employees have needed...help
• Got 5 fillings at the dentist (Erik and I hadn't been to the dentist in 6 years)
• Have a fever today, which is how I have time to post. Erik has been taking care of all three of us, and he's about to go babysit for the Relief Society's Thanksgiving dinner party
• Have been increasing my couponing efforts with help from my sister and Grandma Agle. Tomorrow I'm going to hit up a store with a planned 75% savings.

My brother Paco:

• Has finished his mission in Arequipa, Peru, and got home yesterday :) 

Food lover

Brooklynn's first Primary Program was today - she rocked it. She was "that" kid. Also, her birthday party is next Saturday, and all of a sudden I am remembering everything in the last six months that Brooklynn has asked for to which I have replied, "When it's your birthday."

Above, I've put together a little montage showcasing Aaron's LOVE of food. Except for the last clip, which shows his hatred of pears.

This past Monday, I spent about five minutes couponing before going on the typical grocery run. Literally saved ten dollars. Got a little taste of the rush that so many people get when they "extreme coupon." Wow. That sounded incredibly nerdy, or lacking in having a life. Oh well. If it quacks like a duck...

weekly check-in

 

 I just made some popcorn balls for our neighbors in order to meet them, but they didn't answer the door. We went on to our next nearest neighbors (who we also don't know), who also didn't answer. After knocking on five doors, we gave up and went home. Mmmmm.... these are good popcorn balls.

Our van is in the shop already. Luckily it won't cost us because it is covered under the warranty. Oh yeah, did I mention we got a minivan? Like... a month ago. A Kia Sedona. The shocks and struts are loud, so we took it in.

Money has been tight lately, as we are trying to eliminate our credit card balance. So we've been playing at home a lot. Library books, paper football, living room dancing, and board games.  I'm starting to do come extreme couponing in the wee hours of the night (WINCO takes manufacturer's coupons, woo-hoo!). I've also been reading for pleasure for the first time in... YEARS. Right now I'm in the middle of The Screwtape letters, loving it, and open to suggestions on the next book. This is all while the kids are occupied or sleeping, which means, basically, I've given up sleep ;)

Brooklynn wants to watch an epidsode of Cyberchase before bed, so Erik and I are going to go watch an Episode of Sherlock (so good!)

Good night!

Conference Weekend

I loved General Conference this past weekend. Several speakers have motivated me to improve different areas of my life. Awesome news about the new temple in Arequipa, Peru, which is where my brother is serving his mission right now. Bigger news about the new permissable ages of missionaries.  Unfortunately, I've been wracked with uneasiness about it all weekend. Not about the decision, which was inspired; but about LDS society. Now that girls can "have their cake and eat it too," (ie, serving a mission without sacrificing romantic prospects) it exposes any girl who simply never intended to go on a mission - something that should not carry any stigma, as it has never been a woman's responsibility to do so, and it remains something women are not asked to do. But in all the excitement, I would hate to be in my own shoes, six years younger. I'm sure things will die down, but right now, I see major potential guilt for girls, feeling ashamed for not wanting to do something they've never been asked to do. To me, it is like making tithing voluntary, but also making all tithing contributions public - catch my drift?

That aside, my sister-in-law is already working on her papers and is very excited. It's an awesome thing for girls who had already hoped to go one day. And awesome that there exists such a need for increased numbers in the first place.

three weeks out

Brooklynn's costume is done. Aaron's is getting there... He just needs major work on the face (more hair, teeth, etc). Buuuttt, you get the jist. I didn't use any kind of pattern with Brooklynn's so I'm happy it turned out decent enough. I used a pattern with Aaron's suit but am now winging it on the face/head.

Vote: Should I bother making costumes for Erik and myself? If I did, we'd be Gaston and one of Gaston's ditsy admirers.

Welcome Fall!

It's October 1st, eighty degrees - and today they closed the pool :( . BUT, the perks of Fall are rapidly approaching. For example... this week Brooklynn picked out her first couple of pumpkins for the year and paid for them with her own quarters. And, driving to and from work without air conditioning doesn't matter anymore...

On Saturday, Nana and Opa watched the kiddos while Erik and I went on a date (yaaaaayyy!). We went to Sundance and rode the ski lift under a nice full moon. Skiing looked almost enticing. Almost.

Brooklynn went to the fire station this week with her preschool class. I finished her Halloween costume and am now working on Aaron's.

Aaron can now scoot wherever he wants.

Brooklynn is calling for me - we have to go return our library books.

Cutie Patootie

(Sooo... what did we do this week???)  Ummm... there was the library, and swimming, and a BYU game, and Lindsay's baby shower, and the temple dedication....

This week we hope to take our new (used) minivan to the drive-in as a family - a Finding Nemo/Curious Life of Timothy Green double feature :)

Brooklynn made applesauce at preschool last Thursday - I guess it was Johnny Appleseed day?

Besides that... we press on!

Home stats

Because my parents are curious, and because I'm so excited...

Here are a couple of shots of our new place on the inside and out. It's 3-bed 2-bath, with a lot of amenities. And it's $300 cheaper than what we've moved from. $450 cheaper if you count the fact that we had previously been paying for our own cable and internet.

 

All settled

*whew* What a week.

We are all moved in. Still looking for little things... like a bookshelf, a coffee table... but mostly we are all set.

Our community pool is STILL open, and we have been enjoying it. It is directly outside our front door, which is awesome except for Sundays. On Sunday, we have to walk past the pool to get to church, while Brooklynn begs to go swimming and asks why she can't, while a bunch of other kids are in there having fun.

Brooklynn and Aaron both have a physician now (Dr. Broken-leg. I kid you not!). Aaron got three shots yesterday morning, and Brooklynn got to avoid the needle by inhaling her flu vaccine. By the way, Aaron is in the 91st percentile in... height!? Also, all of this tip-toe walking by Brooklynn has become a minor concern. We're trying to get her to walk with her heels down so we don't have to take her to an orthopedic specialist. 

We have satellite tv and internet (provided free as part of rent, but boy was it difficult to get everything up and running). We have plane tickets for a Christmas trip to North Carolina (Paco comes home in a month and a half!)

Brooklynn loves preschool. This week was about rules and the letter "s." Next week is about safety and the letter "r."

Aaron is becoming a sitter. He needs to sit on only soft, plushy stuff, ready for an eventual fall, but he's still making strides.

Here he is enjoying Aunt Sarah's present

Here is Brooklynn on her way to preschool

And here she is at one of the community playgrounds. She's very proud of what she can do on it. 

And here is Aaron freaking out in between spoonfuls of wheat cereal.

9000 words

Hanging with his cousin. This is a couple of months old.

First food: watermelon. 

You can't see it very well, but this was a double rainbow.

BYU's first homegame of the season. We sat right next to the new speakers :(

Shopping for furniture - Aaron made a friend.

Erik sent me this picture while I was at work. Apparently he fell asleep like this all by himself.

Squash. Still not happy about having to reload the spoon.