Working and Random Pictures

Things have gotten a little busier around here.  I haven't blogged in two weeks and part of that has to do with the fact that I've taken on a temporary job!  I'm working for our local school district as a long-term substitute, covering a portion of one of their speech therapist's maternity leave.  I just finished my third week (I work all day Tuesday and a half day Wednesday).  I also have a private speech client I started with not too long ago as well.  So my free time has been condensed a bit.  We've also been sick around here (darn colds) and so we haven't gotten out much to do fun things.  Tom's also been very busy getting abstracts ready to submit for a conference (oh the life of a researcher).

Being a "working mom" (can I even call myself that when it's only going to last 6 weeks?) has been interesting.  I've had mixed feelings about it.  In some ways it's nice to be able to make use of my degree and knowledge, but at the same time I miss my little Ann a lot while I'm gone (and wish I could be teaching and playing with her).  But it's given Tom a chance to be with Ann more too, which is good for the both of them.  Tom's schedule if flexible enough so he can watch Ann most of the time I'm working, and then just work a little later in the evening.  Any time Tom hasn't been able to watch her, my friends have been more than willing to help out.  The experience overall has been good.

Okay...different topic.  Here's a few random pictures from the last couple weeks:

This was a little while ago.  I had gone outside to shoo away a woodpecker that was going at the side of our building, when I looked up and saw this in the sky.  It reminded me of sun dogs, but I normally only see those when it's REALLY freezing out, and it was nearly 50 degrees that afternoon.  Also, this was more above where the sun was, versus the sides like sun dogs.  There must have been some moisture up in the sky to made this little rainbow band, but it's something I've never really seen before.

The other night Ann and Tom helped unload the dishwasher.  Ann really likes to help with the utensils, and Tom decided to pull the silverware tray out of the drawer so she could sort things.

He did have to help differentiate which forks and spoons were "big" or "little"

These next few pictures were of Ann and I last night.  Tom went to school after I came home from work, so Ann and I were hanging out by ourselves.  I loved Ann's little get-up here :)

Playing the piano

She still loves to flip through the Children's Songbook

And...there were just too many cute pictures I couldn't pick just one.

Happy Halloween!

I can't believe this has been our third Halloween here in Minnesota. It's crazy to think that we're into our third year here.  It's amazing how quickly the time has flown.  But I digress...Halloween!  I think overall it's been a good Halloween this year.  Our ward at church had a Halloween party this past Saturday.  Our primary was in charge of organizing it and so I got to help with planning, set-up, etc.  It turned out really well and was a lot of fun.  After that was over I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't November already and that we hadn't actually had the real holiday yet :)

We got to the ward party a little early to help make sure everything was ready.  I took advantage of being one of the first ones there to take pictures of Ann with our cute "photo booth" before it got busy when everyone else arrived.

There were even signs to hold (of course Ann couldn't be bothered to actually look at the camera)

We walked around the halls for a little bit and found our way into the primary room.  Ann loves to go to the podium and talk into the microphone (she does this every Sunday after I get her from nursery and get my stuff together before heading home).

I tried to dress up as a little girl (and Ann was my doll).  So I put my hair in funny little pigtails with some of Ann's hair clips, and put freckles on my cheeks.  Tom and I decided this was my most "little-kid looking" shirt.

Having tons of fun with Grandma and Grandpa after our chili dinner.

We did our trick-or-treating inside the church (which I think was a brilliant idea - no need to worry about the weather like you would if we had done a trunk-or-treat outside).  Our primary teachers helped decorate the doors and we asked the teenagers to help pass out candy.  Ann loved getting to hold her little pumpkin bucket, but was very shy.  She wouldn't say "trick-or-treat", and the majority of the time I had to stick her bucket out for her to get any candy.

After trick-or-treating we had a little dance.  Ann LOVED it!  As soon as she heard the music she got right down to dancing.  She literally danced until she dropped (I knew it was time to head home when she started laying down on the floor).

Having a blast

Shake, shake, shake

She was being uncharacteristically social during the dance, letting people pick her up and dance around with her (but she wouldn't let me hold her hands and dance...).  

Today Ann colored the little pumpkins I bought for her.

As you can sort of see on the pumpkin on the right, Ann had me write her name, as well as Mommy and Daddy.

Tonight we went over to my parents' house like we've done the last two years.  I had debated whether or not to go out trick-or-treating, but decided not to since Ann and I have both been sick the last few days (and are not fully recovered).  But Ann enjoyed getting to sit on the Big Bird chair and watch some Sesame Street (she didn't want to wear her hat and shoes after we got there)

Peering down the stairs towards the trick-or-treaters who came by

My tired little doll.  This was just before we went home to get ready for bed

She laid there for a good minute or two, even with some of us stepping over her going up and down the stairs.

Hanging out with Grandpa

We hope everyone had a great Halloween!!

Autumn Time

I don't think there is any denying that Fall has officially arrived.  In a few short weeks the temperature highs went from being in the 70s down to the 40s.  The quick drop, combined with a bunch of strong wind, has caused the fall colors to not be that abundant this year (some trees have changed colors, but many have remained green and are just falling/getting blown off that way).  We've still tried to get out and enjoy the fall weather over these last two weeks.  I'll just say right now that there are a lot of pictures ahead.  These probably would have been divided into a few separate posts, but recent events around these parts have caused editing and posting pictures to not be a high priority.  And I didn't feel like dragging them all out unnecessarily.

Ann and I headed up to the Plumber House last week in hopes of seeing some beautiful fall colors.  As I already mentioned, we were a little disappointed in that regard.  But Ann enjoyed getting to wear her new hat and mittens (and getting to be outside in general), so it made the little trip worthwhile.

I was surprised to see how pretty the flowers still looked.  I'm sure they are all dead now though, as we've started having some hard frosts since we were there.

Dancing down the stairs to the lower garden

"Hey squirrel!  Come back squirrel!"

Looking at more flowers.  I think it was after this picture that I realized the death-grip Ann had on those flowers...opps.

Pretty flowers despite the cold

Ann "playing" the piano.  We brought out our Children's Songbook for family home evening the other week and Ann has enjoyed flipping through it pretending to play the songs.

Earlier this week Ann and I headed out to Quarry Hill.  They had some pumpkins set around the sign out front.

When I asked Ann if she knew what that was, she said "no-nos" (her word for noodles).  Sorry hunny, that's just hay.

Having fun crossing the little bridge

I think this gives a good view of what the fall foliage has been like this year.  One pretty red tree, and a bunch of nearly leaf-less green trees in the background.

Walking across the bridge to the island in the middle of the pond

There were some ducks hanging out along the bank of the island and we were able to get really close to them and watch them swim and dive for food.

Hello Mr. Mallard

Watching the ducks swim around

Obligatory self-portrait shot of the two of us

Walking back to the nature center where it was much warmer :)

Ann found her Halloween costume from last year and asked to wear it.  It was kind of big on her last year so it still fit this year (she will have a different costume this year...stay tuned :)

We didn't go out much yesterday, so I finally got around to making some homemade playdough (I had been meaning to for a while).  We enjoyed playing with it for a little while.

Taste-testing (unfortunately she wouldn't stop sticking it in her mouth so I put it away; hopefully next time playing with it won't end in a tantrum).

"making two snakes!" (Oh, and if you noticed the bandages on Ann's face - they are there in attempt to get her to stop picking at the scratches she's had on her face for nearly a month, as can be seen in some of the previous pictures...hopefully she'll leave them alone long enough to let them completely heal).

General Conference

If you are LDS, you know that this last weekend was General Conference (if you are unfamiliar with General Conference, it is a 2 day conference broadcast worldwide, with speakers from the General Authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Go to lds.org if you are interested in watching any or all of the talks).  As always, conference was wonderful.  I appreciated the gentle firmness of Elder Oaks' talk.  I especially was grateful for Elder Holland's talk about depression/mental illness.  I've experienced mental illness to a degree (anxiety) and have seen people I dearly love go through it as well (much more than I), so his talk hit close to home.

I only pulled out my camera to take pictures on Sunday.  This is the choir singing the opening song of the morning session.

Sitting on mommy's legs

Helping lead the choir :)

Yes, I did sneak a quick picture during a prayer (it was too cute to not!)

Taking pictures just like mommy

Closing prayer of the Sunday afternoon session.  I was promptly chastised by Ann after taking this - "mommy close eyes!" (Another funny story of Ann during a prayer: Tom had dozed off at the end of the Saturday morning session.  When the closing prayer started, Ann went up to Tom, and while patting his face kept repeating "daddy fold arms please! daddy fold arms please!" It was so adorable)

Watching everyone leave the Conference Center. It was so cute to teach Ann who President Monson is (our prophet).  She would point to him and say "prophet, prophet!" when she saw him.  And then when he wouldn't be on the screen anymore, she would ask "where prophet go?".

Yes, it was General Conference that we were watching :)  Can't wait until April when we get to have Conference once again!