Halloween Parade

This is the kids school Halloween Parade. I almost talked myself out of going to watch with all of the little kids, but I decided I would be sad if I missed it - so we went! This is our beautiful Jasmine!

And our beautiful Princess Belle!

And our handsome Jack Sparrow!

This is Kenzie's "shy face"

This is Micailey and her friend Bailey.

Our "Happy Halloween" ... finally!

This year our Halloween was a little bit on the back burner with moving and all that was going on! It is actually the 2nd year in a row that we have moved on top of it, so we haven't decorated or really celebrated fall for quite a while! Maybe next year! We went to Richie's Mom's house for "Dinner in a Pumpkin" and to carve our pumpkins. We actually didn't even get them all carved, but oh well! I think for the little kids, they enjoy cleaning them out the most anyway.

Yeah for Cohen on his 1st Halloween. He was a Moroccan ( those pic's will be posted next).

The older kids getting ready to carve.

Brinley with her pumpkin (it was one of the 2 that actually got finished cause it was simple) :o)

Jordan and Kenzie by Jordan's 1st pumpkin (the other one that got carved - thank you daddy!)

We close tomorrow!

We are finally going to close on our new home tomorrow. Wish us luck! We are kind of getting settled now. We have all of the basics in place so that we can live. We bought carpet on Saturday and it will go in after we get done painting. Then I can decorate and then I might post a few pictures :o)

Micailey's pumpkin head

Micailey had to decorate a pumpkin that she got from school. It wouldn't stand up on it's end very well, so after debating it for a while and trying to think of anything we had on hand, we decided to paint it like a old doctor and use the lines of the pumpkin like wrinkles.

She had a lot of fun and was really proud of her pumpkin! We put it on a tray and scattered cotton balls and band aids around. You can't tell in this picture very well, but he has band aids on his wounds and he has a "comb over". Her "award" said for the most painful.

I'm Homeless!

Well as of about 8:30 tonight, we're homeless! Yesterday and today were a little bit emotional to see the house without furniture, up until then it didn't really feel real. The chaos of it all has been taking my mind off of reality. In fact just now, I was sitting here in the quite of the in-laws house and all of the sudden I thought- "What in the heck have we just done!" -- I know what we did and I know we are supposed to be doing this (how many times do you sell your house in one day and buy someone else's house when they have only had it for sale for one day!!!) I'm excited for this move for a few reason's and really sad for a few others, but no matter what I want, I have to do what is best for my kids and what we feel is right.

I'm going to really miss the ward and my friends that I have made there. I have had an awesome calling that I'm going to miss. I served with April for a year now and she has become one of my best friends that I look up to and admire! It's amazing how doing service for others forms such a strong bond so fast because ever since I got back from Morocco, April and Jodi (another good friend through my calling) have been at my house at least once or twice a week, if not more, helping me out with one thing or another and I don't know how I could have done it with out them! They are such great friends and knew exactly when to call and when I needed them! There is no way I will ever be able to repay them! My kids aren't going to know what to do without their hugs and kisses, so luckily we're not going to far! I just want you guys to know how thankful I am for all that you have done and for your great friendship. Leaving you two is what is killing me the most!

My kids and I are ready for this move to be over with though. It's been 3 weeks of solid packing and it is taking a tole on all of us! Brinley is becoming clingy and begs for me to just sit down and hold her or watch her show with her, but if the 2 babies were happy, I had to be packing to be able to be out on time. Cohen is also becoming more needed for the same reasons. So it will be nice to hopefully be able to unpack on my own schedule and once the main stuff is in, then who cares if I only unpack 1 box a day.

I want to give a huge thank you to everyone who helped with our move! Even if you only feel like you helped a little, it was huge to me! So, honestly, (as you all witnessed while helping me!) I couldn't have done it with out you!!! So THANK YOU!

I've been Tagged

FIVE

5 things I was doing 10 years ago ...

1- I was having my first child and watching the Clinton scandal. Ahh... the simple life!!!
2- Worked at Roberts Crafts in Orem as head of the scrapbook department and night manager.
3- Moved to Idaho so Richie could attend college in Pocatello. That lasted all of 2 weeks and we ended up coming right back to take care of my mom who had just been diagnosed with cancer.
4- Killed about 30 mice in the 100 year old house that we stayed in for the 2 weeks in Idaho. That was an easy move back! I would sit on the couch all day and hold Dallas while Richie was gone, for the fear of a mouse running up my leg!!!
5- Apparently having a boring life cause I can only remember 4 things.

5 things on today's "to do" list...

1- Pack
2- Hold babies
3- Change some poopy diapers
4- Pack some more.
5- Visit with my visiting teachers.

5 snacks I enjoy...

1- soft ice (yes, I know it ruins my teeth, Laura!)
2- A bowl of cereal
3- ice cream of almost any flavor
4- pastries of any kind too
5- Basically anything that goes right to my hips!

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire...

1- Pay off my home
2- Hire a live-in maid for me and for April and Jodi to "repay" them for all of their help since Morocco! You guys are awesome!
3- Take all of my kids and extended family on a week long cruise so that they can experience it & enjoy waking up in a new place everyday without any effort on their part, enjoy all you can eat 5 star dining all day every day, and free entertainment to boot!
4- Save for 7 kids education - I might have to cross a few of these off to be able to afford this one :o)
5- Fill my closet with new clothes (for me instead of my kids) & actually get a hair cut and highlights more often than every couple of ---years!!!

5 places I have lived...

1-Idaho Falls
2- Camarillo, CA
3- Pleasant Grove
4- Lehi
5- Spanish Fork

5 jobs that I have had...
1- At a clothing store in a local Bazaar in Camarillo
2- Roberts Crafts in Orem
3- A mom
4- A General Contractor for 7 months while we built our 1st house
5- Head of my own "Adoption Agency" and now "Daycare" and proud of it!

Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, Let the person that tagged you know when you've answered the questions on your blog.

I tag: Kim, April, Cora, Kelly C., & Melissa (sorry Melissa, I never finished posting the tag from you- you can slack on this one if want :o) )

A sneak peak at Macie's Blessing Day

These are just a few of the pictures we took of Macie's blessing. I will post more as soon as my sister (who is a photographer) gets them to me. It was a great day with no flaws! We had all but one of Rich and I's siblings there, plus Grandparents, and even Great Grandparents! -a total of 50+ people over after for a little "late breakfast" of muffins, fruit, and juice. Richie did an awesome job on the blessing and on his testimony after. I told him he had the pleasure of bearing it since I did after returning from Morocco. Thank you to everybody who came and supported us and helped out with the blessing! We appreciate everything you do for us!

Do you think she was tired?

Lately when Brinley gets tired she will just curl up, usually on a couch pillow. But the other day, this is what we found. It doesn't look very comfy to me!

The Rumors are TRUE!

We are actually moving. Just to give you all a minute to catch up- Rich and I had put the house up for sale last April/May and then took it down when we went to Morocco. I told him I wasn't going to sell with 3 new kids, but he slowly convinced me that if we wanted to have any special family time and vacations, then the house bill needed to be downsized! I had felt for several days that I should not be so stubborn, but I didn't know if I could add moving to my already full plate! I finally agreed on a Monday, Tuesday we showed it and had an offer from the couple 2 days later! Heavenly Father must have known that I couldn't take cleaning my house spotless with screaming kids to many times and blessed me to only have to do it once!

It is a bitter sweet! I have made a couple of really close friends in the ward who have spent countless hours helping me since Morocco! Every time I think of leaving them I get choked up. Luckily, we aren't going to far- only a couple blocks further east (that seems to be a trend for us since this house is only a couple blocks east of our last house) . But we are supposed to be out in just 2 short weeks so I have a LOT to do - FAST!

Someday, depending on how long it takes to unpack, I might put pic's of our new house on. We'll see!