Halloween 2009

This year we did Halloween dress up 3 times. Our ward had a Halloween party the weekend before and Veronica's school had a parade and then the actual day. By the time Halloween came around I was exhausted. Veronica, who's favorite color is anything pink, decided she wanted to wear a black dress and be a witch. Don't know where that came from but it was easy so I didn't talk her out of it. David had 2 costumes...I just couldn't decide. Vanessa was a bee, didn't think too much about putting her in a costume that would be all bunched up anyway.

Ward Halloween party. David's looking tough!


Here's little Mario.


At Veronica's school parade. I guess he's baby Mario since I forgot to draw on a mustache.


This is right before he got stung by a bee. Yeah, it ended up being a miserable hour. Why do I put myself through this stuff?

We carved pumpkins the night before Halloween. Jeff always wants to do something intricate and so he set out to do his own. After lots of frustration he gave up and went to something a bit easier. You be the judge. I liked the spider so that's what I did.


Getting ready to carve the pumpkins.


Veronica was having fun and gave the pumpkin snacks and a drink.


Outside our door with the finished products!


I think they turned out pretty well.


Here they are ready to hit the doors for candy.

She's 5

A few days ago Veronica got very upset because she kept saying she was 4 3/4 and I finally said that she wasn't 3/4 because her birthday was on Sunday. I asked Jeff to do the calculation and he figured it was somewhere in the 20ths...anyway, she refused that answer and said she was 4 and a BIG 3/4. There you have it! Anyway, Veronica turned 5 on Sunday. Wow. A five year old! It was a good day. I love it. It makes me a bit sad because she's getting older and isn't my little spark plug of a baby. I love you Veronica!

Veronica's school did an October birthday celebration...I got to bring 20 juiceboxes.


October birthday kindergarten kids!


Blowing out the candles on her very pink birthday cake. Veronica was very specific about her cake. It had to be "chocolate bread with light pink frosting and pink candles." Once I was finished frosting the cake I let Veronica put the rest of the stuff on top. (You like my cake stand? It's a lid from a bowl.)

She also asked for pink flowers and Lana to come. Hopefully she's as easy to please the rest of the years.

Happy now?

Little Vanessa is 5 months old and cut her first tooth. Veronica told me that she was letting Vanessa bite her finger and she felt a sharp thing and sure enough...there's a little tooth.


I love her eyelashes.


Cuties!

I love this picture of David holding Vanessa. He's been very watchful over her this past month. He shares his dinosaurs with her and even lets Vanessa chomp on his arm...such a great big brother.

Sometimes I send Veronica to "make Vanessa happy." I usually am doing something so I can't really see what she's actually doing to keep Vanessa quiet and happy. This is what I saw her doing.

David loved feeding the ducks. He was getting even closer to the edge...not so fun for me!

At the park feeding the ducks.

Jeff has been taking the kids to Lowe's for their kid workshops. I think David wore the safey glasses the whole day.

This was our FHE treat...Monkey Bread. The kids helped me make it, it's that easy to make! It is so good, in a buttery, sugary sort of way! The only bad thing about this treat is that it is way too easy to make and eat!

Labor Day update

We headed up to St. George for the long weekend. We went up there for our newest nephew, Lincoln. He was blessed that Sunday.
We will probably keep our roadtrips to no more than 3 hours. Vanessa thought she would make the drive up as miserable as possible. She cried the whole way there. She wasn't hungry or wet or anything, she just wanted attention and Veronica and David weren't good enough entertainment. It was fun to stay at a hotel and go to the pool, the kids like to go hot tubbing.
Anyway, it was the first time in a while that all of Jeff's family was in the same place. I think there are 7 grandkids for Jeff's parents. It was the first time that our kids met Matthew, our little Kohler nephew, Darrin, Rachel's husband and Lincoln, our Bird nephew. It was a fun trip, minus the driving, kind of short but fun to be with Jeff's family.


Here's little Lincoln. We're so glad to have you in the family! We love you so much!


Hannah and Veronica playing like best pals. The last time these two saw each other was last August.



Bedtime at the hotel. Veronica only managed to roll off once.

All the kids.

Matthew, David, Vanessa, Veronica, Hailey, Lincoln and Hannah.

Darrin holding Vanessa. Rachel, you two are cute!

An attempt at a family shot.

Mannywood

Jeff went a little crazy with Dodgers tickets this season. I don't think he took into account that going to a game with a 4 month old wasn't the best idea. Anyway, we ventured out to several games this season and we actually got really good seats in Mannywood. It's too bad it was a day game, 12pm and half the roster sat the game out. We didn't even see Manny. After we devoured our snacks and drinks we decided we should take the kids out of the sun and head home. Luckily they didn't get too sunburned, just really sweaty and tired.


Checking out the score from the shady area with the rest of the people that were out in the sun.


That's what I call a sweat head. Vanessa is peacefully sleeping in the back.

David looking cool in his hat. He's obsessed with it and has to put adjust it until it's the way he likes it.

My attempt at a family shot...where's Veronica?

4 Months

Vanessa kind of looking like Veronica but not really.


She is all smiles...take your eyes off her and it's a different story.

Cuddles are definitely sweet, especially from this cutie.

First Day, New School

It has certainly been a long summer. Veronica is officially a Kindergartner. She started school at Chime Charter Elem. Veronica was super excited to start school. She wasn't the least bit apprehensive about it. It was a different story for me. I started realizing that I've had my 4+ years of being her only real teacher and now she's going to be out there learning what she will. Anyway, it's sort of bittersweet. Funny thing, once we pulled up to the school, Veronica insisted that I stay in the car and to leave her there. She kept saying to me, "Just go! I don't want you here in my school." There was a Kindergarten breakfast for the parents/kids so that the transition wouldn't be so difficult, otherwise I think I would've left a lot sooner. It was hard to leave. I know she's happy and safe so that helps me a lot.


Right before we headed out the door. This is a first, she is waiting for me and not the other way around.


Here she is at the playground. She's already sort of annoyed that I'm even there and taking pictures no less! Can't you just picture her saying, "Go away mom!"


In front of her classroom. That's her teacher behind her in the blue dress.


Wow, she actually smiled.


Here they are going into their classroom and I was trying to get her attention so I could wave goodbye and take a picture and she turned and said, "Don't follow me!" On that note I headed for the car and tried not to cry.

The heat is on!

A picture of our new place. Still trying to figure out where to put things.

David has been crashing in the weirdest places.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Headed to Zuma 4 with our ward play group. This time around there were 3 moms and 8 kids. I don't know why I do it...maybe it's for the quiet car ride back when all the kids are exhausted from playing and they are all sleeping. It's very relaxing to drive in a quiet car.

The kids all packed into our snug backseat. Good thing about having them so close together is that if Vanessa starts crying the other two keep her occupied and happy. Love it! It's definitely a task to get them all in.

That's as close as David wanted to get to the water.

Veronica doing her usual beach thing: filling buckets with sand and water.

Vanessa relaxing at the beach.

Veronica's new haircut. I think she looks awesome with the new cut. Perfect for school.

Back to the beach, but this time Jeff came along. Yes...these kids do have a dad!

The girls in their feet pajamas.