My Husband Loves Me!

So, anyone who knows anything about me should know that I LOVE HALLOWEEN!!! I love the autumn time with all of the beautiful yellow, orange, and red leaves on the trees. I love the cooler weather and I love that my birthday is the day before Halloween!! So from the earliest moment possible I begin to decorate for Halloween. I've tried talking to Craig for the last few years about decorating one room in the house for Halloween year round and he has had a bit of a hard time with that. Especially because I wanted to decorate the front room which is the very first room you enter through the front door. So after much debate he finally agreed that I could have the laundry room. So my wonderful husband spent his entire afternoon painting the laundry room Halloween orange for me :) Of course I still have the decorations to put up but here are the pictures of probably the one and only laundry room you have ever seen painted Halloween orange! Isn't it so cool!!! I will post more pictures after I get it decorated!

Wow I'm Tired!

Well, we had our first Vinyl Open House today. We've done lots of craft shows and boutiques but today we actually did it at my house so it involved a lot of prep work I don't normally have to do. We set up our entire downstairs into a vinyl display. Actually it was a lot of fun and we had a good turn out. Overall we were very pleased with the turn out. We are in the process of creating a blog for our vinyl. You can check it out at quoteyourhome.blogspot.com. Keep in mind it is a work in progress :) Once my house was put back to normal and I sat down, I realized that my feet were killing me and I'm exhausted. Oh well, nothing like a hard day's work :)

Boys are so weird!!!

At our house we have a basket that houses all of the "lonely" socks and empty hangers for the laundry. So this morning I'm in the bathroom getting ready and I hear Tyler going crazy in my bedroom. I looked around the corner to see him throwing the socks and hangers all over my bedroom. I said to him, "Tyler, what are you doing?" He says, "I'm killing these socks!" What?!?! Not my sweet 3 year old little boy who loves Thomas the Train. I must of heard him wrong, so I ask again, "What are you doing?" To which he replies, "I'm killing these socks!" Yep, I heard correctly. So we haven't started the whole shooting and killing playtime at our house yet so I'm trying to figure out where he has gotten this from. I think little boys just have different wiring than little girls. So, I'm hoping my little monster who now growls at me when he isn't happy and kills socks will still grow up to be a decent person, lol! I just keep telling myself what a sweet little boy he is. Craig says I keep saying that just to try to convince myself, lol!! You gotta love 'em!

Tyler & Chocolate Cupcakes

Last Saturday Ashlie went to a friends house to play. While she was there she made some cupcakes and brought some home to share. Well, Tyler inhaled his cupcake and wanted more but there was only enough for 1 each. So, I offered to help Tyler make cupcakes. He helped pour stuff in the bowl and then he helped put the sprinkles on top. I didn't get a picture of any finished product but you can be assured it was very interesting. Included are pictures of him enjoying the finished product :) Later I thought to myself, "Wouldn't it have been easier to just give him my cupcake?" But then we wouldn't have this fun blog to post.

Tyler's Big Boy Bed

So, I decided that since my baby is now 3 he probably is getting a little big for his crib. He loves his crib and even though he can climb out if he wants to, he doesn't. So I put it off for awhile. But the time has come. So I have been searching far and wide and finally found a bed frame on Craigslist. I hit Lowes for some wood slats for the bottom and pulled a mattress off of Ashlie's bunkbed. Of course then we had to hit Target and get the Thomas Bedding. I wasn't sure how he would do once he actually saw me taking down the crib but he was so excited to see his new Thomas Bed. I checked on him 20 minutes after I laid him down and he was already fast asleep. When he woke up this morning he came into my room and says, "I woke up, all by myself!" He was very happy he could get out of bed by himself this morning. Such a big boy!!! The first picture is of him trying out the new bed, the second picture is of him sleeping after I put him to bed, and the third is of him this morning posing after he got out of bed all on his own.

Bed Frame on Craig's List $30
Thomas Bedding at Target $45
Wood Slates at Lowes $6.54
Mattress from Ashlie Free
Tyler sleeping in a big boy bed - Priceless

Ashlie's Baptism

So, the long anticipated weekend finally arrived :) Ashlie was very excited and just a little bit nervous about her baptism. Craig helped her practice so she knew just what to do and it went fine. I had envisioned a pretty poofy white dress but she wanted something long and straight. So that is what she got. She had lots of friends and family come to see her be baptized but she was sad that her Grandma & Grandpa and all of her aunts, uncles and cousins from the Dixon side couldn't come. She was happy that her uncle Chris & aunt Jenny came from San Jose though. She was also excited that one of her good friends from her primary class got baptized the same time as her. They decided to mix things up a little bit and we ended up doing the confirmation the same evening just after the baptism. Afterwards we had everyone over to our house for egg rolls and sticky rice. We made over 100 egg rolls. We had lots of fun and she had a good time. She got a little baptism journal from the primary and there was a place to write her feelings. She wrote that she got a warm feeling as she went into the water with her dad and she knew she was making the right choice. What a sweet girl. It has sort of become a tradition to get the kids their own set of scriptures for their baptism (instead of hand me downs). So Ashlie was very excited to go to church on Sunday in her beautiful white dress with her green scriptures and bright yellow case :)

Too cute to pass up!!!

A couple of days ago Tyler and I got home from our errands a little too late to put him down for a nap. So I just figured I would skip it for the day. If he goes down too late then he doesn't want to go to bed on time. He wanted to watch Polar Express so I put it on for him and he sat down on the couch. About 10 minutes later I looked over to see why he was being so quiet and this is what I saw!! Aren't they sweet when they are sleeping :) Needless to say he was eating his beloved "Spicy Hots" before he fell asleep!

For MaryAnn and all others that might be curious!

I did make the cake! It was really easy. Kind of a funny story. I was sick on Craig's actual birthday so I opted out of the homemade cake and bought an ice cream cake instead. I was feeling quite guilty so about a month later one day while Craig was at work the kids and I decided we would make him a birthday cake. I had a really cool football pan I was going to do for him, of course in Green Bay Packers colors. Well, Tyler found the Thomas pan, so instead of a manly football cake Craig got a blue Thomas cake for his birthday. So from that time forward any time there was mention of Tyler's birthday he announced he wanted a blue Thomas cake. If he could have taken the joke I would of made him the Green Bay Packers football but since he is only 3 I didn't think it would go over very well.

As for the spicy hots, several months ago Craig and Tyler were home alone. Craig was at the computer eating Flamin Hot Cheetos. Tyler wanted some and Craig told him no because they were hot. So Tyler, being the genious that he is, started blowing on them to cool them off. So Craig tried to explain they weren't heat hot but spicy hot. Of course how do you get that through to a 2 year old? You don't except by letting them figure it out on their own. So Craig gave Tyler a Flamin Hot Cheeto. Of course Tyler loved them and kept begging Craig for more "Spicy Hots". So anytime someone wants to get Tyler a surprise they either get him plain M&M's (he's a chocoholic) or "Spicy Hots"! Weird, I know :)

Tyler Sang!!!

Okay, so unless you are around Tyler quite a bit you probably wouldn't know this little tidbit of information, Tyler doesn't sing! Most children go around and sing little tunes or hum or whatever, but not Tyler. He has never really been into singing. Then about a month ago on one of our many trips to Idaho this summer Tyler was really cranky in the car and so to get him occupied I started singing some of our little preschool songs that him and I do together. He would actually get a few words in here or there and Craig and I were all excited. Since then he has kind of gone back into his non-singing mode again, until last night. It was soooo cute! We were doing Family Home Evening and I Am A Child of God was our opening song. Ashlie was playing the piano and the rest of us were singing and all of a sudden we hear this wee little voice getting some words in there. It was the cutest thing ever. Of course he was about a half phrase behind us most of the time, so sometimes he would skip a few words to sing the ending of a phrase right in beat with the rest of us. It was so cute I had to blog about it :)

Tyler's Birthday Party

We celebrated Tyler's birthday the day after. He didn't care and it worked better that way. We just had some friends over for dinner and cake with swimming. We were barely through dinner when Tyler decided he was ready for cake. So some people were still eating as we were singing and cutting cake, funny. He had a lot of fun and actually blew the candles out all by himself. Of course he got lots of Thomas trains and spicy hots for his birthday. (Does anyone recall spicy hots?) Of course he has been asking for a blue Thomas cake for well over a month so there was never any question as to what kind of cake he would be having. He loved it of course, so it was well worth the work :)

Happy Birthday Tyler!!

Okay, so this is my dedication to Tyler on his 3rd birthday. We were very excited and surprised when we found out we were pregnant with Tyler. I was pretty sure from the beginning that it was a boy. I really wanted the name Joshua, but we already have a nephew named Joshua so I was kind of bummed. We decided on Tyler Joshua. Just before he was born our nephew Joshua said he didn't mind if there was another Joshua but by that point he was already Tyler. And now when I look at him I can't imagine him not being Tyler. He has been a lot of fun and very challenging. Of course he is #3 in the family and so we had all of the typical third child challenges even though the girls were older when he was born. On top of that though, he is a boy!!! And so different from the girls. It has been a lot of fun to explore trucks and wheels and of course trains. He is all boy!! He has been a true blessing to our family. We are so thankful for him and all of the joy he brings to us. He keeps me busy but I wouldn't have it any other way!!! As you can see from the pictures he has grown just a little!! Happy Birthday Tyler!

You're Not Going To Believe It!!

As most of you have probably read my blog throughout the summer you might recall that I took a summer course. English 001, and I was stressing. My teacher was pretty uptight and I just didn't think I was going to do well at all. Well, I just found out my grade! I got an "A" in that class. I really was hoping for a B but figured I got a C. I nearly fell off my chair when I read "A". I have included a picture of the web page. I know it is difficult to see but just try for me :)

Tyler's Not A Box!!!

So, Tyler has become very aware of names! His name, our names, everyones names. And he wants to be addressed by his name. Sometimes I will call him Sweet Boy, or Handsome, or something fun, and every time he will tell me, "I not (insert name), I'm Tyler!" So the other day Craig was doing something and Tyler was just talking non-stop. Finally, Craig turned to Tyler and told him, "Come here Mr. Noisebox." Tyler says, "I'm not a box, I'm Tyler!" It was very funny. So the past week we've been chuckling about Tyler not being a box.

Tyler at Play Group

Last Tuesday Tyler and I went to a little play group at the park. This particular park has a great little water area where the water shoots up from the ground and the kids can run and play. My sister got a cute shot of Tyler and Ezra playing in the water. They had a blast.

I'm still alive so I must have survived!!!

I was going to title this entry simply "I survived!" Yet I'm not sure what the real definition of surviving is. Such a crazy week! I know most of my friends I have visited with this week seem to have felt like it was a crazy week for them too. I started school. I am taking daytime classes this semester and that is a huge adjustment compared to night classes last semester. I was previously able to study during the day while the kids were gone to school and Tyler was napping, but now I am in class during that time and so my study time is when all of the kids are home and active, yikes!!! This was just the first week so I'm sure I'll get a system down eventually. And then we had so many stinking appointments this week. Sari is now the proud owner of a spacing retainer. We're trying to keep some spots open where teeth are supposed to be growing in, that's been a real blast (insert sarcasm)! We're having a huge sale at the bookstore this weekend so I've been spending tons of time at the store trying to help get ready for that, plus all the fun after school activities are now in full swing. Tyler is now a member of a fun little preschool two mornings a week. And then, crazy as it may seem, I decided in my spare time I would like to be an active participant with the PTA at the girls school. I always volunteer in their classes but I thought I would go a step further and volunteer at some of the other activities. You know, in my spare time :) And the really fun part of all of this is that the eye doctor determined that the last two weeks have been a great time to try me out on some new extended wear contacts. You are supposed to be able to wear them for a week at a time without having to take them out at all. It's supposed to save me time. Yeah, sure!!! I've managed to get as far as 2 days and 1 night and I end up with a splitting headache and my eyes are killing me so I take them out. It takes me a day to recover each time I try this out. I think I'm just not for extended wear. Oh well. So, my goals this weekend include a trip to the temple (Jen's boys are being sealed to them), a blowout sale at the bookstore, reading chapter 2 in Speech twice through so I'm prepared for test 2, finishing both biology assignments, scrubbing my house from top to bottom (including the baseboards, door casings, and window sills), doing my visiting teaching, reading the Sunday School lesson & Relief Society Lesson before church, baking bread and cookies for all of the neighbors, having my children ask if they can help, oh wait, this was goals not dreams. Okay, I'll stop after a blowout sale at the store :) The rest is just a dream :) I'd be happy with a little bit of relax time this weekend I think.

1st Day of School

Well, it is that time again. The girls started back to school this past week and I think we were all ready :) We have had a busy summer and we were ready to get back into the routine of things again. Sari is now in the 6th grade (scary) and Ashlie is in the 3rd grade. They both had a good first day of school and they both seem to really like their teachers. I had a couple extra days off myself before I start back this coming week. I'm taking a biology class and a speech class this semester. Hopefully I can do as good as the girls do!!

LDS Bookseller's Convention (5 Days with no kids)

So, we left the kids at Grandma & Grandpa's and off we headed for a week kid free. It is always kind of weird traveling without the kids. Usually Sari is needing a movie changed in the DVD player or food to eat. Ashlie is usually needing a drink or something to read. Tyler is usually screaming, "It's a train, look mom (or dad) it's a train Is it coming??? It's going!!! A train, a train!!!" So, when we get in the car and there is no commotion coming from behind it is almost a little eery!!! We found ourselves pointing out all of the trains to each other, lol!! We had a great time at the convention. One day was a school I went to so Craig just hung out at the motel and slept and read and played on the computer. The rest of the week was spent going to concerts and different things. I learned so many new things that I hope will really help the bookstore. We are really excited about some of the new products we found. And there are so many talented musicians in our church it is amazing. The event that I enjoyed the most was the evening spent on Temple Square. We were able to hear a number of different groups perform but then the Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed the last half of the evening. It was so amazing to hear them perform live. The spirit was so strong that evening. Of course we heard many other wonderful groups, Jessie Clark Funk of course is one of my favorites. It really was a tremendous week and you leave so exhausted from lack of sleep but on such a spiritual high. We get lots of freebies while we are there so the whole way home from Salt Lake (via Blackfoot) I listened to several of John Bytheway's talks on CD. Wow! I got up and went to church this morning just ready to feel the spirit. I think we are starting to get caught back up on our sleep. You truly go from about 5 am to about 11 pm every day. It is a wonderful experience and it was so fun getting to do it all with Craig. Kind of a funny couple's vacation but we had a great time together. We were happy to see the kids but I don't think they really missed us that much. Ashlie is the only one that greeted us on her own, we had to go and find Tyler & Sari. Funny.

LDS Bookseller's Convention (Kid Version)

So, while Craig and I headed off to the convention the kids got to stay at Grandma and Grandpa's. We knew the kids would be fine. We were mostly concerned about Grandma and Grandpa. I have left Tyler for a few days at a time before but it has always been with him at home, this was a first leaving him somewhere else. But I figured he would be okay since the girls were there with him. My point was proven as Craig and I left and then realized we had left Craig's wallet so we had to turn around and go back. We went in to get the wallet. When we got ready to leave again I bent down to Tyler and said, "We're going to go now." He backed up against the wall and very serious like said, "I don't want to go, I want to stay at Campa & Campa's." (That is what he calls them when he says their names together.) I chuckled and told him he could stay but that I was going to go. He gave me a kiss and ran off to find Grandpa. So throughout the week the kids were kept plenty busy. Ashlie and Grandpa had lots of fun working in the garden and cooking together. There are also horses in the pasture behind the garden so all of the kids got to pet the horses quite a bit. They played in the sprinkler and played games. It sounds like they had a really good time. And by the time we got back to Idaho the following Friday, Grandma & Grandpa were still functioning and seemed to be in good spirits. I do think they were somewhat happy to see us pull off with all 3 kids that afternoon though. Secretly, I think it was naptime for both of them :)

Ashlie's 8th Birthday in Idaho

So, the morning after the party at home we loaded back in the car and headed off to Grandma and Grandpa's in Idaho. The kids all stayed there while Craig and I continued on to Salt Lake for the annual LDS Bookseller's convention. So Grandma & Grandpa had ordered a very fun birthday cake for Ashlie. Once again Princess. She was very excited because when we got to Idaho on Saturday afternoon Grandpa suggested we sing and have birthday cake that day which was the day before her birthday and then do it all over again on her birthday the next day. Since Ashlie agreed, that is what we did. So we all sang Happy Birthday, she opened a present from Grandma & Grandpa and we had birthday cake. The next day was Sunday which was the real day, finally!!! We went to church that day and she was so excited because they sang to her in primary. We came home from church and had more presents and birthday cake. Once again, a very lucky girl.

Ashlie's 8th Birthday at home

Well, as most of you probably have noticed from the blog we have definitely had a fun summer. We have either been getting ready to leave or just getting home all summer long. The few days we've actually been in town Craig has had to work (to fund all of the fun trips). We like to do birthdays kind of big, especially an 8th birthday. That has special significance to our family since it also means getting baptised. So we asked Ashlie what she would like Craig and I to do for her 8th birthday. Her response was, "Same as last year." That means another day of lunch at a restaurant of her choice and a shopping spree. Last year we did this and didn't put a limit on her, wow, that was a mistake. So we learned this year. About 2 weeks before her actual birthday, (this was the only day Craig was off that we were going to be in town before her birthday) we took Ashlie shopping. She chose Wendy's for lunch, go figure. Then we went shopping. We let her pick anything she could possibly want, she had about 100 different pieces of clothing. Then we started the process of narrowing down. It took almost an hour just to narrow it down to an affordable spread and she walked out to the car with several bags and a happy smile (we hit the clearance racks!!!). So she has been wearing new clothes for the past 2 weeks everyday. What a happy princess! We knew we were going to be in Idaho on her actual birthday so the night before we left we had a family party at home. We had frito boats for dinner and swam. We opted for a Baskin Robbins cake (I took the easy way out). Of course it was princess themed with white cake and vanilla ice cream. I don't even have a response to that. I would have picked at least a flavor of something, but it was her cake. She had a lot of fun celebrating with her friends and family here. She is a very lucky girl.