Better late than never, I suppose...

I did not make my shirt, or Andrew's hat, but everything else was sufficiently stressed over. :) Now maybe by February, I might get some Christmas pictures posted. ;)

It' that time of year...

Sewing season! Not that I don't sew anything the rest of the year, but this is definately my "busiest season". And naturally, Andrew's costume includes a challenging coat (as usual), so now that it is out of the way, I can move on to some of the simpler to sew items. Well, until I get to my own. Think I may have bitten off a little more than I can chew. So! Thought I would take a minute to look back at the last couple of years of creations. I only have two Halloweens under my belt, so it's a short look. And I realized that I do not have any good digital photos of last year's of just our costumes. Bummer. And I did not sew the boys skeleton costumes.

A Scary, Friendly Ghost

After dropping Liam off at the bus stop one morning recently, Caleb and I were driving on some errands and he began the game of "Pretend you heard a spooky noise, and you didn't know what it was". So I played along, and in my best frightened voice said, "ooh, I hear a spooky noise, and I don't know what it is". Then he proceeded to make his best "spooky, ghostly sounds" and started talking like a ghost. The conversation when something a little like this (with his best spooky voice throughout the entire thing):

"I'm a spooky ghost."

"A spooky ghost? Oh no! That's so scary!"

"I'm a spooky, friendly ghost"

Me:"Oh, a spooky, friendly ghost like the ones at the Haunted Mansion at Disney World?" (there's been a lot of talk about that ride in our house lately, even though neither of them have been on it)

Pause.

C: "Yes, I am supposed to be at the Haunted Mansion."

Me: "Oh no. What should we do?"

Caleb (still in spooky voice): " You're going to have to take me to Disney World!"

He's definately creative in his arguments for the things he wants. :)

I'm beginning to understand...

Why my mother cried at touching scenes in movies, moving talks in church, and poignant moments in life.

When I was young, and whenever she began to tear up at so many of these things, I found myself looking at her a little strangely and wondering what had made her sad.

Today was a thought, and tear, provoking day. At church there were some wonderful talks given by an amazing couple who had been through some heart wrenching things, and their testimony of the power of the Priesthood blessing their lives was so powerful, I cried. Then I let myself get my feelings hurt about some silly thing or another, got frustrated with my son's disrespectful treatment of me, and I cried. I arrived home from church to find the neighbors dog emptying his bowels on my front lawn (the mystery of the multiple deposits left over the last few weeks was solved), and I was so angry I thought about hitting him with my car (of course, I didn't), then came inside the house and cried.

The boys have never scene the Wizard of Oz and on the way home from church today, Caleb kept asking for "the Dorothy story". Once I had finally figured out what they meant, and they had determined that we had the "real movie of it", they wanted to see it. So, following my meltdown over the animal control issue, I put the movie on and we watched it, Caleb snuggled close at my side. And I cried...multiple times. As I stifled a sob toward the end of the film, Caleb, who felt the sharp intake of my breath, turned and looked at me. And I saw in his eyes the same question I had as a child looking at my own crying mother. I smiled through my tears and said how much I loved the movie, but I knew he didn't understand. And that maybe someday he might.

I get it now, Mom. And when I say that I am turning into my mother, I can't think of a better person to become.

Recent Roundup

So it may appear as though we have stopped doing anything interesting since March (not that picking crocus and breaking rules is particularly interesting, but it's something, right?), however, that is not the case. There have been plenty of activities, vacations, family trips, etc. to keep us busy, so I thought I would do a quick roundup of recent events and include some pictures. A lot of pictures, actually.

There was a trip to the Peninsula, Andrew and I went to Hawaii, the boys did swim lessons all summer (Liam's backstroke and butterfly are amazing! I can't even do the butterfly), we had a fantastic 4th of july at the Beach with friends, we went camping in Deception Pass (first family camping trip and it was a HUGE success! more on that later), and Andrew did the Warrior Dash (for which the boys ALSO wanted to get dressed up). It may not have been very warm this summer, but we have still managed to have a great time.

Thinking I will try to keep up a little better with blogging and pictures. Maybe when school starts for the boys, I will have a little more time. Ha ha. :)

Lovely Crocus

Sitting at my computer while the boys played in the backyard (or so I thought), the doorbell rang. Delivery! I thought. My shoes? The boys' shoes? Some other thing that I had forgotten I had purchased online? Then the doorbell continued to ring... again and again, and I realized it was NOT a delivery person. Hurrying to the front door, my suspicions were confirmed. It was Liam and Caleb, in the front of the house, where they are NOT supposed to be, but smilingly bearing purple crocus blooms they had picked from the front yard for me. Such a sweet and utterly disobedient gesture. Love those boys! Now get back in the bak yard, ya' hoodlums!

Our latest activities...

Have discovered a new and unexpected love of sewing. Might have to see my doctor about that, but I have been having a good time trying to come up with cool ideas for the boys... jersey-lined rock star pants, anyone?

Then, today was just a regular old rainy day at home with nothing new to do...

Is summer here yet?

My new love...

My tiny little Singer that I bought Walmart cheap 9 years ago, and that I have no idea how it lasted so long and made it through so many Halloweens has finally gone the way of all plastic sewing machines. Mid-project, no less. *sigh* So, I wheeled and dealed (with the husband, not the store), and made a late night trip to procure a solution. I'm seriously in love...

It's just a machine...no worries, hon. :)

Tangled

Saw Tangled yesterday. By myself on my "mom's day out". Loved it! I thought it was totally in league with some of the great Disney Classics like Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, and completely on par with the 90's animated revival hits like Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. I am constantly in awe of storytellers and animators who can take a fable, spin it in a manner so complex, and yet so clearly all at the same time, and create characters that you adore. Giving facial expressions to chameleons and horses alike that make you laugh out loud. And creating a princess so stinkin' adorable, you want to put her in your pocket and take her home with you. Not to mention wanting her super cute messy 'do at the end. I stand in grateful awe of all those creative individuals.

I laughed. I cried. It was better than Cats.

Secret Mess

I've decided that my house is a reflection of myself. The rooms that people see look clean and put together most of the time...just don't look in the rooms behind the closed doors, cause that's where the real mess is. Such a metaphor for my life.