Halloween 2008

After 3 hours of trick or treating, the results are in: Remi wins with 4lbs 4oz, Nata 4 lbs 1 oz, Grant 3 lbs 4oz. I ate some of Grant's oz and I'm sure gained lbs. This is about the only time of the year where I'll let myself eat actual candy bars. I will never go out and just buy candy bars. I prefer cookies and brownies. That way I don't actually know the amount of what I've taken. I've started with the Kit Kat's. Then I'm thinking of moving onto either Snicker's or Reese's- ok, Snickers (Mmm, good choice.). Anyway, back to Halloween. Grant was a trooper! He walked or ran the whole time up until the last 15 min. It was so cute to see is bumblebee bottom bounce with each step. The last few houses we went to took a heroic effort just to get up the step. He even grunted to get up that step. As we trick or treated, he had his own set of rules he went by too: #1 I couldn't hold him if I was wearing the mask, and #2 I couldn't get closer than the sidewalk. I guess he just wanted to feel like a big kid.

I did a few things different this year. I bought the kids costumes from Savers which I don't know why I haven't done this sooner. So much cheaper and less hassle. Also, I dressed up. This was a last minute throw together. I was just going to wear the mask, but then decided a hat would look good with it and then planned the clothes with to go with it. This was a $1.00 costume- for the mask. So I'm pretty thrilled. Not to mention no one could recognize me. Also, when I see the pictures I don't have to see how much older I keep looking.

Natalie had a great costume. She was a deviled egg. It was funny to see how long it took for people to realize what she was. Some people just never got it.

Remi was a cute dinosaur. All big and puffy and ready for the cold weather. It was supposed to see 70* today so instead he was toasty.

Matt bought the guy's mask. I thought we were a cute couple. He just needed a cigar for his costume.

Porter was the King of Comeback. This was his idea and I thought it was pretty good. Atleast he found a costume for him. He did not go trick or treating. He doesn't like candy so he usually walks around with us or passes out candy. This year he went with a friend and their family to the field of screams- a haunted corn maze or something, I'm not really sure. Since 12 seems to be the age where people don't let their kids trick or treat he was able to go play. I think 12 is still too young to stop.

Tomorrow we will go to the Dillon's Haunted House- YEAH!

Digital TV

hulu.com/watch/36608/talkshow-with-spike-feresten-cable-psa

I don't know how to get video onto my blog yet so I put this address. Just copy and paste it and it should come right up. It's a 2 minute video about going digital. My mom forwarded this to me and I laughed pretty good. Sometimes it's a little bit of how I feel.

Sick

So I'm sick today. Well, really yesterday, but I'm taking it easy today. Usually when I'm sick I live life normally because your sickness will go away sooner. That's just my theory. So yesterdayI went on my walk and went visiting teaching, laid down, then went to help set up for a baby shower. By the time we were finished setting up I was beat. I came home and went straight to bed. I pretty much laid down the rest of the night and my feet and back were so achy (they ached- didn't know how to spell that). I was on the couch for a couple of hours, which there is absolutely nothing to watch on Tues. nights, and after walking up the stairs I got light headed and saw black and white fuzzies swirling around my head. I had to get to the sink in a flash in case I threw up. My face was so white I thought for sure I was going to hurl, but I didn't. I never do. Anyway, I'm doing tons better now. Matt thought I should blog this because I never get sick. And this is true. What really stinks though is that I have to wait another day to see my brand new niece. She's 9 lbs 21" and only 12 hours old.

Smelly Boys

What is it with 12 years olds? I love my 12 yr old. He has really shown a lot of responsibility. In fact, last Sunday he woke up me and Matt at 7:50 asking if there was church. I said yes and told him to get in the shower. Well, he had already taken one. Matt pinched me and I wasn't dreaming. Po did something he needed to do without me asking. It was so awesome! He was waking us up to get ready for church. He hasn't complained that he needs to be at church early to help with chairs and he can't wait to do temple baptisms again. He's enjoying scouts and playing basketball(we forced him to try out). I realize this may wear off, but for now I'm thrilled that he has had a good attitude about these things. However, I tend to lose sight of this and ride him pretty hard about other things. I have a hard time looking past his B.O. problem. I swear sometimes he's cultivating onions in his pores. I can't believe how bad he stinks! He showers and deodorizes daily! And it's not just his armpits, but his feet too. I feel sorry for these middle school teachers that are near these kids everyday. Someone with boys please tell me this is normal and he will figure it out. Lie if you have to or else give some really good advice.

Is there a term for people who are addicted to reading blogs?

Remi, my little drama queen- he says king, was fooling around with some friends and the front door. So what happens? You guessed it, his middle finger got pinched in the door. So he comes crying to me on the couch. The tears are streaming and the noise coming out of his mouth is almost unbearable. He's so loud. And for some reason, when my kids get hurt I get angry. I always have the wrong reactions to situations. It really is annoying at how loud he gets. Anyway, once I saw his finger I felt bad. It was red and had purple dots all over the tip of his finger. I look at it and tell him I'll get him some ibuprofen and ice (more bellowing because ice makes it hurt more). I go to get the stuff and in between sniffles he says to himself, "And these are my number one fingers. My thumbs are number two."
Who the heck numbers their digits?

Don't worry, I'm not in a depression or anything. After that blog about fall and it making me sad I was worried that you might be worried about me. I quickly adjusted to the kids being gone for school and immediately decided I would start decluttering my house. Well, I'm still hoping to declutter because it seems like when you juststart to believe you're going to have extra time on your hands you fill it up with other things which is what I've done. We put in a new to us computer desk on Sunday and today I've finally got things back to looking semi normal. I couldn't do it alone- I have to thank the t.v. for keeping Grant entertained. He started watching it 2 days ago and was completely mesmerized by it today. One of those double-edged swords.

So I read this article in the Readers Digest. This lady left her son in a department store in N.Y. City with $20 and a bus schedule to let him find his way home. She didn't even give him a cell phone.

Apparently, the son had been begging his mom to let him do this for a couple of years.

She said that he came home 45 min later w/ a grin on his face. I'm impressed he knows how to read a bus schedule. I've tried figuring out Chicago's and I can't ever get it. Anyway, I'm not as brave? as this mom but I do say Kudos! This mom inspired me to let my 7 yr old go the block to the park with just the dog. No older bro. or sis. and he came back pretty dang happy- not to mention "he made 4 friends." That's in his own words. The sad thing is I completely forgot he was gone until he came in walking through the door.