a little ballet before we leave

As I was clearing the memory card on my camera in preparation for our trip, I found this video that I forgot I had taken of Maryn in ballet class.  So yes, instead of accomplishing more on my to-do list, I'm blogging.

The video was taken a few days before Halloween, that's why she's wearing her kitty ears and her friend Samantha is wearing a cape.

Enjoy!

too busy

I'm frantically trying to prepare for our vacation.  We're going from 40 degree highs with snow flurries to 80 degree highs and sunshine.  I could not be more thrilled.  This is the first time we've made it home in the 15 months we've lived here.  And yes, I say home because it will always feel like home to me.

I had grand plans last week for getting things done early so as not to be rushing around this week. Alas, it was not to be.  Last week turned into "the week where I babysit everyone else's kids".  (And not to offend those of you whose kids I watched.  It wasn't actually hard to do, it's just all those hours of me not being able to do anything else added up.)

So here I sit, I have three more days to accomplish all the tasks on my to-do list- and I'm blogging, which isn't supposed to be on the list.  To give you an idea, here's a condensed version of my list-

• Make 15 pairs of hairbows (yes, that's pairs) to put in consignment for the big holiday shopping weekend  (I finished these last night, thankfully)
  
• Make 12 snowman-out-of-lightbulb ornaments for an ornament exchange party (that I will be missing while I'm gone) this includes painting and speckling (with snow paint) the lightbulbs and crocheting little hats and scarves for each
  
• Host and feed hot dogs to everyone at playgroup this morning
  
• Laundry and packing for 5 (using only one under-50-pounds suitcase and 4 small carry-ons)
  
• Gather up toys, electronic gadgets (extra wii-motes, etc), and other things to distract the kids on the flight and find some way to pack them too
  
• Clean so that we don't have to come home to a messy house
  
• Flu shots for 5 (Jon isn't happy about this one)
  
• Enrichment tonight (might need to skip)
  
• Maryn to ballet and Seth to Tae Kwon Do tomorrow
  

I could go on, but just reading that list makes me tired.

Despite being overwhelmed.  I am so so so excited to come home and see family and friends, many with new babies I have never met.  It's going to be a great trip, like the light at the end of this very cluttered tunnel.

We'll make it!

somtimes I like having a live doll to dress

I am absolutely in love with this green and blue plaid dress and argyle tights outfit.

And the fall leaves look pretty too.

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P.S.- Jonas loves yogurt, eats it every day, but unfortunately insists on feeding himself. I tried to get a candid shot of him with the spoon in his mouth like this today, but he saw me coming at him with the camera and said "cheese".

And one more thing- Jon left his Ipod in his pants pocket after camping with the scouts this weekend. I washed all his camping clothes...twice (they smelled really bad). And guess what- the Ipod still works!

cue the Hallelujah chorus

I didn't think I'd see this again in my lifetime!

Halloween 2008

Happy Halloween to all!

For costumes this year, Seth chose to be Indiana Jones (thanks to Aunt Carlie for the hat and "man-purse") Maryn chose to be a kitty, and Jonas was a cowboy (with a too big hat and no boots- don't worry, he still looked cute). Jon was also Indiana Jones for some of the festivities (picture below).

We participated in a variety of Halloween activities this year: our ward trunk-or-treat, trick-or-treating at Daddy's office building, and trick-or-treating with our friends on Halloween night. (See those pumpkin buckets in the picture above? By the time we were done with all of these festivities, we had accumulated 6 bucket-fulls of candy. Sick. We let the kids pick out 10 pieces each and are going to give the rest to our Bishop- he keeps a stash in his office.)

Seth had been practicing the Indiana Jones half-smile, it shows up in a lot of the pictures.

Jonas's bandana functioned well as a bib to keep candy goo off of his coat.

By the time we remembered to take a picture of Indy father and son- Seth had had enough of the festivities.

The next few pics are of our kids and their BFFs. We all went trick-or-treating together in their neighborhood. (Which is a few residential streets away from a fancy country club, we even went to his house- but he wasn't handing out subs.)

Henry Jones, Jr. and Henry Jones, III.Little witch and kitty girl.

I'm sure the kids had a lot of fun over the past few days. They enjoyed trick-or-treating (for while, until they realized how much walking it took) and enjoying playing with their friends late into the evening (past their bedtimes). Jonas showed no hesitation and walked right up to people on their porches with his hands outstretched. We also had freakishly-good, AZ-type fall weather, not too cold at all.

As usual, for the grandparents, more pics of the events can be seen here.