Trunk-or-Treating

We had our Ward party at church on Friday. It was really fun. First we had a pot-luck dinner, then they had lots of games for the kids to play, and finally we had trunk-or-treating. But it was pouring rain outside so there was actually no trunks involved. We just trick-or-treated to the classrooms down the hall instead. The boys had a great time and have enjoyed eating their candy. We did manage to get about half of it that was "Andrew-safe" (he's the one with all the food allergies) so he can have some too. Timothy fell asleep on the way there and slept through the first half. He woke up just seconds before we got our photos taken so he's not too photogenic in them-- ah well! And he was still in a daze when we started trick-or-treating. So he just kind of stood there wondering what in the world was going on.

Swimming

The drain in my bathtub is really slow so it fills up the tub when I shower (I know I bought some Drain-O I just haven't used it yet). So, the other day when I was getting ready I turned around to see that my little Timothy had taken advantage of the full tub and crawled right in-- clothes and all. Who needs a swimming suit when you have pajamas that work just fine! He loves water so he was having the time of his life swimming around with the whole tub to himself. Usually all three boys get in together. He had never crawled in and out of the bathtub on his own before so this was a new accomplishment for him. Too bad all that water didn't wash the snot off his nose or the poop out of his diaper that I discovered when I was changing him.

Pumpkins for Daddy

We wanted to share Halloween with daddy so we painted pumpkins and sent them to him. Each one of the boys painted their own all by themselves-- I didn't help at all. They had lots of fun painting and were very excited to send them. They were so proud of their masterpieces. Now they are being proudly displayed on Derek's desk in Afghanistan.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN DADDY!!

Air Show

A few weeks ago there was an air show held at the ajoining Air Force base. We got brave and faught the crowds and went. The boys had a great time. It was really overcast and foggy that day so the show got delayed and we only got to see three fliers before we had to leave. But we enjoyed what we did get to see. Brian thought the "clown helicopter" was quite funny and he was excited when he saw the biplane take off. He knew right away what it was and he excitedly said. "Look-- a biplane!" No one had told him it was a biplane. Smart kid!! We had lots of fun looking at all the planes and stuff that they had out on the flight line. The boys especially loved the C-130 as they know that's what Daddy jumps out of. Andrew also really like the planes with shark teeth a.k.a the A-10's. They also happen to be Derek's favorite plane too. We learned that the inside of the C-5 is so large that the first flight by the Wright brothers (which is very famous around here cause it happend in NC) could have taken place inside of it. It was big!

9 Months and Counting

Well today was the 9 month mark of the deloyment. If we were waiting for a baby it would be here or at least on its way soon. But I guess when you're waiting for someone to come who is full grown it takes longer than the regular 9 months. :) But regardless of how much we still have left to go we are all doing well. I know that the Lord is watching over us and gives us the strength we need to make it through each day. We could not do it without Him. At the beginning of the deployment a dear friend reminded me of a quote from a pioneer who was a member of the Martin handcart company. He said, "I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it. I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there." We too have felt the angels of God there to help lift our burdens and make our load light. Thank you for all your prayers-- I know they make a difference. We know the end will come-- just not soon enough!

AAHHH!!!!

OK-- now that I have told you all to come here and check out our blog its having technical difficulties. So check back again later, I am trying to get them fixed. I am so computer savy though you better wish me lots of luck!!

Ok I got everything back to normal now-- I think. Sorry if you checked while it was messed up!

Pumpkin

Well because of deployments and training Derek and I have missed every holiday together at least once. But, until now, we have never missed getting to carve pumpkins together since even before we were married. You may think "so what!" but for us this is a big deal. We carved pumpkins on our first date and it has thus become a big tradition for us. So I debated whether or not to even get a pumpkin this year but the kids wanted one (mostly Andrew) that I just couldn't deny them. So we got one the other day. Andrew was so excited. He helped me put it in the cart and then he sat next to it the whole time with his hand on it keeping it safe. (If that's what it takes to keep him good while we are shopping maybe I should buy a pumpkin everytime--j/k!!) He then helped me get it out of the cart and put it on the counter to buy it. And then once we got home he helped carry it from the car. He thinks he is so strong!! We put it by our scarecrow (or scarey-crow as the kids call it). Andrew wasn't so sure that he wanted it there though. He was really worried about his pumpkin being outside and getting rain on it. I finally talked him into letting it stay out there but he was still worried about it. But then he exchanged emails with his daddy about it and Derek told him it would be alright so now he doesn't worry about it anymore. He stops every once in awhile when we walk by it though and stops to kiss it. Silly kid!!

Pinata

Brian has a Spanish class at school and he brought this pinata home from it. He was so excited with it. He couldn't wait to show us how to hit it and get all the prizes out. He was trying to find all sorts of places around the house to hang it. I knew that would never work so I made them take it out to the backyard. But even there the only place we could find to hang it was on a branch of our rose bush-- poor bush. All three boys had tons of fun hitting it and getting the prizes out. I think they had more fun hitting it then getting the prizes as even after it was empty they still kept taking turns whacking at it. It was cute and at least they were hitting the pinata instead of each other. And they were doing really well at taking turns too. But then at the very end T did whack Brian with the bat and that didn't go over very well. OOPS!!

You know its a bad Sunday when. . .

• You leave 5 minutes later than originally planned because it takes so long to herd your children to the car.
• Once you finally get those rambunctious children to the car you then have to spent 5 more minutes back in the house looking for the baby's shoe that you have already put back on him twice.
• You have to wait a moment in the foyer outside the chapel before going in because the children are too "wild" to even go in yet.
• Your 3-year-old is singing while the Bishop is giving the opening announcements.
• While you are restraining that 3-year-old and trying to keep him quiet you quietly whisper in his ear, "This is Jesus's house and he wants you to be reverent." and he responds by yelling for all to hear, "I NOT WANNA BE REVERENT IN JESUS'S HOUSE!!"
• You have to take your children to the foyer before the Sacrament even starts.
• You spend almost the whole hour of Sacrament meeting out in the foyer physically restraining that 3-year-old still trying to get him to be quiet. All the while trying to keep track of your other two children too.
• At one point when that 3-year-old is struggling to get free he yells, "JESUS SAYS LET GO!!"
• You can't wait for Sacrament meeting to get over so that you can go to primary and help be in charge of 100 kids, several of which act just like your 3-year-old, who will all be practicing for the program.
• You almost knock over the large glass vase full of flowers in the front of the chapel in front of those 100 children. (Luckily you catch it just before it crashes to the ground).
• When church is finally over you can't get the kids herded to the car.
• When a nice gentleman steps in to help and carries your unruly 3-year-old to the car that 3-year-old growls at him.
• Once at home you find your 3-year-old wrapping the baby in Saran wrap.
• The baby crawls up on the counter and throws off the dishes braking one cup and chipping another.
• You can barely get the kids herded to bed.
• That unruly 3-year-old of yours cries for half an hour on the couch after you have to separate him from his brother so he can go to sleep.
• He then continues to cry for another 30 minutes after you finally put him to bed. All you can do is hope that all that crying doesn't exasperate his asthma.
• Meanwhile the baby unloads your dishwasher by throwing all the dishes on the floor.
• You remember at the last minute that your 5-year-old had homework that is due on Monday.
• Two large cockroaches enter the house when you let the dog out to potty and you can't catch them.
• The baby breaks your computer keyboard while you are waiting to type instant messages to your husband who is half a world away.
• Oh, and did I mention you have a run in your nylons too?
• And finally, you are looking forward to Monday morning because it will mean that Sunday is really over!!

(Needless to say, you can tell that we had a rough Sunday at our house. I can think of a hundred other things that could have made it even worse than it was. So I am glad that it was only as bad as it was.)