Halloween

Trunk or Treat on Saturday brought my kids a TON of candy!!!  So this evening we didn't really "trick or treat", we just visited Grandparents and a Great Aunt.  But the kids still got plenty of candy!  We took a break mid way through the night and went to dinner...  A friend had posted a link to a coupon for free kids meals from Chilies.  And it was good for two kids per adult!  That made 4 out of the 5 kids meal free!  Can't beat that!  It was a great night of fun.  Happy Halloween!!!

What happened to your foot?

That was the question Josh asked me at Church today.  He thought he was funny.  He knew what had happened to my foot.  I had told him when I took the pictures.  But I was wearing sandals and this is what you could see...

And this is better than it was before!



This is the before...  And the back story...  I thought I had a couple of minutes before I would have kids to get dressed for church (they were still eating lunch), and I was ready to go...  So I decided to paint my toe nails, because I was planning to wear sandals to church...  As I was painting the very first nail Myra came into my room, and decided to help me out!  With her fast as lightning hands, and sneaky ways, she graded my toe before I could stop her...  And my toe ended up looking like that!  I was just glad that I finally found the nail polish remover...  I was a little afraid I would have to go to church with it looking like that!







Myra's handy work ;)



My arm was a casualty
of war as well!

Church times three, and it isn't even Sunday!

It almost feels like we spent the day at the church :)  We started the morning by cleaning the church.  That was followed later in the day with a Piano recital for Josh Jr. also at the church (thanks Amy! It was great).  And then we followed the recital with trunk or treat for the kids!  LOT'S of CANDY!!!  All around great day (there was a lot more to it too, but not involving the church)!

Random Acts of Kindness

Today while out shopping I received many random acts of kindness from strangers.  It was a feel good day.  At three different stores (OK the first and last store where the same, just different times) different people lent me their help when I was struggling.  It really made my day, and inspired me to help others!

Shopping

We went shopping tonight for Halloween costumes...  Nothing like wait until the last minute :)  But in my defence, I haven't slept much this week... I think it's been a while since we have had to buy costumes for the kids...  Not sure where we got what the kids wore last year...  Thanks goodness we only need costumes for the three oldest (cause the three youngest will wear old costumes), and thank goodness the store that we went to, to buy the costumes (the third store) had them 50 % off!  But still sad that I got four pairs of shoes for a third of the cost of the three costumes!  At least the costumes will be worn more than once ;)

More Pictures

Here a few left over pictures from our Denver Zoo trip last week!

Camels

Polar Bear



Lion



Artic Fox



Myra kept throwing things
 out of the stroller!
I think that she thought
we'd let her out to get them :)





Aunt Colleen

My dad and Aunt Colleen!

My Aunt Colleen came for a brief trip here this week.  I haven't seen her in many years.  In fact she brought her two youngest kids with her (my cousins), and I have NEVER met them.  Sad!  But today was very nice.  It was great to meet my cousins, and to see my Aunt again.  Colleen had pictures of my Grandma that I had never seen before with her too.  It was cool to see my grandma as a young woman (my grandma died when I was 11or 12). And it was nice to get reacquainted with my extended family!

My dad and his two sisters!

Birthday Fun!

Aunt Jodie took Savannah out for her birthday last Friday.  They went to the aquarium in Denver.  Savannah had so much fun with Aunt Jodie!  She even got her face (and both arms) painted!!!  Thank you Aunt Jodie!

My sweet, sweet girl!

When we got home from church this afternoon, Josh wanted to take a picture... But the camera was no where to be found! And sadly, after searching the usual places for the camera, we asked Catalina for the camera... And then got frustrated (a little) when Catalina couldn't remember where she left the camera... A few minutes later (while we were still searching) Catalina came to me and suggested that we say a prayer so we could find the camera... I told her that that was a good idea, and to go ahead a pray... It was only a few minutes after Catalina had said a prayer that Josh remembered that I had taken a picture of the cars last night as we were leaving...

After searching the car, I found the camera... Right where I had left it in the car! I came back in and thanked Catalina for thinking of praying, and told her that it had been a good idea. She then said a prayer to thank Heavenly Father for helping us find the camera. So sweet!!!

Over heard

I over heard a conversation between my girls today... Savannah and Brooklyn were talking about what they want to be when they grow up... Savannah stated that she wanted to be a vegetarian when she grows up. Brooklyn asked her what she meant... and Savannah replied---"I want to work with animals!"

Are you trying to drive me crazy Miss Cat?

My 12 year old has a little keyboard that he got for Christmas some years back.  This morning my 4 year old was rocking out to it.  Following me around, playing it VERY loud, and dancing and humming along with it.  I asked her MANY times to take it somewhere else.  Catalina CHOSE to ignore me!  After an hour of this going on I asked --- "Are you trying to drive me crazy Miss Cat?"  Her answer--- "YES!!!" - said with a little giggle :)

The Denver Zoo!



Myra
watching the "puppies"!





We went to the Denver Zoo today, because it was free!  It is always a hard debate on going.  Since it is free it is WAY BUSY!  But it is also WAY CHEAP!  But I still debated about going...  I wasn't going to go when I woke up this morning...  I had slept in, and knew that by the time we got up to the zoo, we would have to park a ways away from the zoo.  After much debate with my kids and sister, I decided that we would just go for it.  I quickly packed a lunch and snacks for us, while the kids got ready to go.  We were out the door in about an hour, some what of a miracle...  And an hour and a half later we were looking for parking at the zoo!  I lucked out when I noticed a car had was trying to back out of their parking space...  As I went by them :(  But the two cars behind me didn't notice the car and went on past!  That is when I spun around and went back for the spot, because I knew it was the closest spot I would most likely find...  It was still probably about a mile away from the zoo, but still close ;)



Cute little monkey



Ben giving Savannah

a piggy back ride
because she was tired!



The zoo was CRAZY BUSY!  But really just at the entrance.  Once you get past the front gate it was just busy!  But the animals were out and moving about and fun to watch!  The kids had fun for the most part (a little bit of grumpy to begin with, but they finally got over it), and it was a great day.  We haven't been to any zoo for awhile, and it was fun to see Myra really enjoying the animals.  She recently learned to say puppy, and any moving animal today was a puppy! 

Catalina is doing what the monkey had done!

Grandma came with us!

Savannah and Brooklyn
Enjoying Aunt Jodie!

Sweet Savannah!



Got to love that Ben!



It was a fun day of walking (guessing around 3 or 4 miles), and a lot of fun animals.  It was a great day!!!



A bear "grave" yard Ben found!



 





Handsome Josh!



Beautiful Brooklyn!

Myra in a

sugar coma :)

Always climbing!

Polar Bear!



Love my Catalina!

 

Myra attacking her
Christmas gift from Josh!



Nice Night Out!

Josh and I went out tonight to a concert, thanks to his parents.  They gave him two tickets to the a capella group Straight No Chaser.  And Grandma Julie came over and babysat the kiddos so I could go to :)  It was an amazing concert!  The group sounded so great!  Thanks Josh for taking me with you :)

Two Months and counting!

Myra is 16 months old today! That means she can go to nursery in two months!!!  That will be a great day!  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my baby, but Sundays are LONG days chasing a little girl who wont sit still or be quiet.  She is so full of energy and so much fun, but still learning to be quiet at church, and so we often walk the halls.  At 16 months, Myra has become a big chatterer!  She babbles to us ALL the time, looking at us like we should know what she is saying.  A few things are starting to make sense too.  Last week we went to the park to do pictures.  There were many people at the park.  People with dogs.  That is when "puppy" became a new favorite word for Myra.  She would call out puppy and then bark at the "puppies"!  So cute!  Today when my phone rang, Myra made a chatter that sounded like "I didn't do it".  This new stage is always fun with little ones!   I love when they start to babble.  Myra is so much fun!  I am so happy that she is in our family :)