The Good Life

or pumpkin-picking this year we went to the quaint pumpkin patch we'd gone to the previous year. Except this year, because of some torrential rains we'd had a few weeks previous, it was a mostly empty field with a few rotting pumpkins scattered. Nice. Max's face in the picture below shows how we felt about each pumpkin once we rolled it over to find nothin' but the guts. So we ended up going through a big bin they had full of pumpkins they'd shipped in; grocery-store style.

But you can't sit on a tractor when picking a pumpkin at a grocery store...
and you can't ride with your pumpkins in a little wagon to the check-out counter...
or have the fun familial bonding that Mom makes the family go to a pumpkin patch for.
We had a speed-carving session on Tuesday night (our new FHE night due to Ty's school schedule) because Ty had some guys coming over to practice for the upcoming ward talent show.
Halloween Day was a blur. I finished the kid's costumes that morning, we did major grocery shopping, went to a friend's baptism, got in costumes, went to Max's friend's birthday party, packed into the van and went to Trunk or Treat at the Church, hit up a few neighbor houses on the way home, then ate dinner, had the traditional hot chocolate/cider and donuts, and finally relaxed for a few minutes. It was a good day, but I hope that next year is more calm and I get to do some of the other traditional Halloween things I like to do, such as a creamy clam chowder dinner with breadsticks. Mmmm...I missed that.

Here is the final product of my costume-making - Super Max (NOT to be confused with Superman, thank you!) *and will you please note the muscle shirt that I made myself with batting, some material, a needle and thread? I was quite pleased with my ability to form a six-pack! Who knew I possessed that talent?*
Super Kelly was THRILLED to have purple hair! Anytime anyone said the word 'hair' and looked in her direction, she would point to her head and excitedly say, "Purple!" The girl is really into colors and pink and purple are the favorites. She, sadly, ended up with many shades of purple. That was hard for a minute for this neurotic mom...but I got over it. Especially since she only wore the mask for the few minutes it took to snap these pictures.
In non-holiday-related news, I hit 28 weeks, start of the third trimester! I've already gained the 20 pounds that I gained my entire pregnancy with Kelly, so I'm feeling a little large and in charge, but just so HAPPY to be carrying this little man. I have felt his spirit so close these last few days especially and I get teary-eyed every time I think about him. It's a miracle that I feel privileged to be a part of...even if it means buying the value-size Tums and downing two several times each day.

Oh, Maxwell T!

Today Max and I had a conversation about him not always living with us. For some reason he's been asking about that a lot lately - marriage, mission, etc. You know, life beyond our home. Here's how our conversation went:

Max: Mom, I'm not always going to live here, right?

Me: Right, bud.

Max: But where will I go?

Me: Well, you'll probably go to college first, then on a mission, then more college, then someday you'll get married and have a family and a home of your own, like me and Dad.

Max: (getting pretty sad about the whole situation) But who will be my parents?

Me: We'll always be your parents, bud. I'll always be your mom. (insert very grateful heart feeling here - I love that I'll forever be his mom) But trust me, you're going to want to move away from us someday. And you'll have roommates when you go to college...

Max: What are roommates?

Me: Well, they will be other guys about your age who are going to college too. You will just live together for a while; they'll be your friends. And on your mission you'll have companions (we talked about what a missionary companion is the other day). Then you'll get to choose your wife and have a family.

Max: Well, when I grow up I want my house to be a castle.

Me: Ahhh, well you'll have to marry a princess then.

Max: I know! (in an "of course, Mom, and I'm excited about that" kind of tone)

A few minutes went by. I could see the wheels turning so I knew he was thinking about our conversation. Pretty soon he looks up at me with sad eyes.

Max: (super sad voice, verge of tears) Mom, when will I go live with the mermaids?

It took a few minutes for my laughter to subside and then have enough of a conversation to figure out that he had confused roommates for mermaids. He's seen The Little Mermaid, so I can only imagine the picture that played out in his little mind. The question wouldn't have been quite as funny if he hadn't been so sincerely sad when he was asking it. Just the lingering chuckle I needed today. I NEVER want the little dude to grow up.

If...

you dip a perfectly nutritious apple into a healthy dose of Nutella, does that negate all of the nutrition you would have gotten from the apple? If your answer is yes, then I ask you, are there different rules if the partaker is 6 months pregnant?

I should warn you that not giving a favorable response to a pregnant lady can have nasty, albeit unintended, consequences. Unintended because I don't ALWAYS have control of my emotions...or my eating habits.

Craft Idea and Kelly Update

An easy Halloween craft...

Max and I did these little ghosts (and other unknown creatures) last week. So easy!

1. lay out a sheet of wax paper
2. pour a little pool of white school glue
3. shape with your fingers into a ghost-like figure (yep, it's a little messy/sticky)
4. place eyes and mini pom-poms for whatever kind of face/accessories you want
5. let it dry overnight, possibly a little longer even
6. once it's dry (it will look almost transparent and you may think that your project was a total bust, but...) peel it off the wax paper and you have these cute little ghosts!
   We were quite pleased with ourselves and they are gracing the front window. I don't know that they'll survive until next year, but it's a really easy and fun project. I found it online, so I can't take the credit. Just wanted to pass it along.
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   Remember the baby mauler...er, lover? Here are a few pictures of the doll with her dolls.

I love these ones where she's multitasking - eating whilst holding a babe in her arms. Momma-in-training already. And, yes, she does have a booster seat, but this was her preferred method of eating for a week or so -the girl could barely see over the table.

Yes, I do her hair, but she prefers this 'style', and in my defense two of the pictures were taken in pj's.

She is developing such a little personality with all of the words she says. Okay, she's always had a lot of personality, we just get to hear it more now. She knows all of her colors and is quite obsessed the letter "O". She likes E, L, X...but O is by far the favorite. Everything sounds super exciting when she says it. I love the inflection in her voice! I'll cry the day she learns to say her "k" sound...I love, love, love when she says, "Otay!" and "Tum on, tum on, Momma" while flicking her wrist in a follow-me gesture.

She's been a super slow teether and is now in the process of getting 4 at once. It's about time, but the poor lady must be hurting. Maybe that's where the sassiness is coming from? Lately she's started to say things like, "No talk to me, Max!" "Don't look me, Max!" and yelling when he gets too close. We're working on nicer ways to express feelings. :) Poor Max can't do anything right sometimes. BUT they also play together really, really well and are great friends. Funny how that works in sibling relationships. Today they opted out of going to the Church for exercise class because they wanted to stay home and play together. I love when they would rather hang at home together than go play with friends (although heaven knows that I need the exercise...I'm getting bigger and softer every minute).

Picture taken this morning by Max. "Kelly, okay, do something cute and I'll take a picture!"

Also, I might be raising an anti-social daughter? She would rather be home than most anywhere. She asks for "Home!" many times when we're running errands. In fact, as soon as we pull out of the driveway, but that has turned into her little joke that she says to make us laugh. And when we walk into storytime or exercise or Church, she squirms in my arms and says, "I no like it! I no like it!" I try to convince her that she will and sometimes I'm successful (especially if I have a bribery snack in hand), but sometimes it's a lost cause and I have to keep her extra close (not easy when you're doing aerobics). But she loves nursery and other kids coming to play or playing at their homes. It's not a mommy thing. Maybe a large group thing?

It's fun to figure out this little woman who came with a little more drama and likes/dislikes than the little man who came before. Ty always says, "You can be a little stinker, Kelly, but you sure make up for it with how cute you are." And I often see him smiling and saying, "Oh man, Kelly, you are SO cute" when they're playing together. She's got her dad all wrapped up...mom and brother too. It's true that for all of the drama, she has SO much personality that is funny and smart and completely entertaining. She's a dancer with great moves and quite the singer. She loves to say anything that will get a laugh or a smile. Hard to believe that she'll be a big sister soon. She likes to lift up my shirt and say, "Hi, baby! I can't see you!" Oh, and we were trying to decide between two names for our babe for a while but have now come to a decision (you don't get to know just yet) so Kelly often calls the baby by the name we didn't choose because she knows it will get a funny reaction. She's our sunshine and we love her so much!

A must-read!

You all know I think my husband is pretty rad. Well, he has 5 brothers and 1 sister who are also very talented. Today I want to share the talents of one of those brothers - Doc Mark Foster.

Mark is a family physician, which means that he's gracefully taken many worried mom calls from me. He has a great singing voice. He is the father of three really cute kids and has one amazing wife. To add to his list of greatness, Mark has recently written a novel. For real. And the good news for you, dear reader, is that you can read it for free for a short time. Simply go to his website - www.authormarkfoster.com - and experience his talents for yourself. You can use this as the next book for your book group, or just simply enjoy it for yourself. Here is a little background of the book as explained by the author himself: "I have written a book, a novel called Grey Matters. It's a medical romance--with a heavy dose of ethics thrown in to boot. It is about a doctor, a nurse, and a dream that brings them together and then threatens to tear them apart. It has been a thrilling endeavor to write the book, and I would like to invite you to read it. I hope you'll find it compelling, challenging and thought-provoking, especially in light of all the swirling debate regarding healthcare reform."

I just finished reading (only took me two days and that was with doing school and taking care of the household). It was excellent! And I'm not saying that because the author is my bro-in-law. You'll need tissues, your son (or daughter) will probably ask you why you're sad when you're crying at your computer, and you might just stay up until 12:30 a.m. because you want to read 'just one more chapter' before going to bed. It was a very thought-provoking book and has me scheduled for a good talk with my husband about my medical wishes. The romance aspect was very well-written, which I am always a sucker for. And I found myself amazed at how well my brother-in-law explained the physical sensation of childbirth - I need to talk to him about that because I was really impressed. It took me right back to the delivery room and many of the emotions and feelings of bringing a babe into this world. Very well-written, thought-provoking, moving, worthwhile novel. I loved it.

So go read the book already and be sure to leave a comment once you've read. Feel free to share the love with all of your friends as well. Enjoy!

From the Mouth of Max

*latest self-portrait session*

Last night I was playing a game called Don't Spill The Beans with the kids. The point is to put as many beans as possible on top of the tipping bean man. Kelly, however, hasn't gotten that yet. The purpose for her is to put a few beans and then tip it over for the "Oh no!" reaction she's sure to get. After a few times, Max said, "Kelly, it's called 'DON'T Spill The Beans', but you think it's called 'YEAH Spill The Beans'!"

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Sitting with his educational laptop toy computer, "I have to check and see if BYU won. Oh no, Oklahoma won! Go cougars! B-Y-U! B-Y-U! B-Y-U!"

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Max was watching me get ready; I had half of my makeup done and my hair was still wet. Max often tells me I look beautiful and he started to say just that, but then looked at me and stopped. "Well, you almost look beautiful, Mom. Almost. You'll look beautiful in a few minutes."

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We just got back from a WONDERFUL trip to Colorado with Ty's family that I will blog about later. This morning Max said, "I wish we could turn Colorado into Washington and then Maggie (Ty's mom) could live at our house."

*Max learned how to write his name - good job, little dude!*

A few of my favorite things (in no particular order)

Tillamook anything. I love, love, love Tillamook cheese. It's a little more expensive, but completely worth it. Look for it in your local grocery store. Also check out your store for Tillamook yogurt and ice cream. You'll be glad you did (if you find it, if not then you'll be sad and I will feel sad for you).

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That I get to cuddle and kiss Tyler every night. I love him.

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Blue (Bleu?) Cheese. I have a small container of it in my fridge and I just want to take it out and eat the whole thing. Nope, not on a salad or a burger or a steak. Just the cheese itself. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I can't get enough. *and, really, which is it? Blue or Bleu? I've seen it both ways on different packaging. Bleu sounds much fancier.*

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Kelly has started to say her prayers (i.e. repeat the last few words in each sentence we whisper to her). She thinks that means she should do that for every prayer, even if the prayer giver doesn't know that she'll be repeating them. My favorite thing is that this has resulted in Max unintentionally "helping" Kelly with many prayers. It makes Max feel pretty big. He loves it and so do I.

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Max teaching Kelly new words. Especially when we're in the car. Max will say, "Mom, listen to this word. Kelly, say...." and she'll repeat as many words as he asks her to.

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We went to the mall on Monday night. We walked by several stores to get to Mrs. Fields for an overpriced chocolate chip cookie (seriously? $1.64 for one cookie?!). One of those stores was Victoria's Secret. Max looked and said, "Hey! Let's go in that pink store!" :) Not today or any day with your mother present, little man. I can just imagine the very loud, entertaining conversation I would have in that store with my curious son...I'll pass, brother.

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My baby maniac daughter. She's a baby doll lover (mauler?). I can't forget to throw one in the car when we're running errands or it can result in weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth (NOT my favorite). A baby often squishes in her high chair with her and is force-fed pancakes, waffles and the like. I love to listen to her conversations with them. Except the other day when she came and told me that her baby was "in trouble". That's what I tell Kelly when Max is throwing a fit on time-out and she's super worried about her sad brother, "He's okay, Kelly, he's just in trouble right now." But it's okay for her babies to be "in trouble" sometimes, right? Maybe I should use a different phrase.

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The other day Kelly got really upset about something (can't remember what?) and started to go a little crazy with the tears. Oh, the drama! She went away and hid herself in the curtains, still crying. She had been playing with Max and I on the floor. Max watched her walk away and then said, "I'll go talk to her." He went over and gently leaned down until they were eye level and in his sweetest of voices let her know everything was okay and there was nothing to be sad about. After just a minute of his sweet talkin' she happily followed him back to play. Oh, my sweet boy! He also takes her shoes off when we get home and puts them away in the closet. She loves that, as does this pregnant momma since it saves me from bending over. Kelly will come in the door, plop herself on the step where they sit to take shoes off, stick her foot out to Max, and say "Shoes!" with a big smile on her face. They are such good friends (almost) all the time.

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My phone-loving daughter. Everything is a phone and she's always calling either "Jack" (her cousin) or "Dad". She repeats over and over again, "Oh, I know. Yeah, I know." I need to listen to myself next time I'm on the phone; I must say that a lot?

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Fall. Yep, I got over my sad fall feelings and am in love with the season once again. Tomorrow we'll decorate for Halloween. The trip to the pumpkin patch is on the calendar. I'm going to be picking apples from our tree soon and making applesauce. Apple cider is sounding mighty good tonight. I love the nip in the air and how Kelly's voice sounds saying, "It's told (cold)!" every time we go outside.