"F" for Frosting

This week Abbie learned the letter F. She learned it quickly and was anxious to do the activities I had planned which involved making a cake and frosting it. Since Michael was home yesterday for Veterans Day, a bank holiday, we got him involved by mixing, baking, helping Abbie frost the cake. I handed him the large can of frosting assuming they would only use half of the can, but I was so wrong! Somehow, the two of them managed to use the whole, very large, can of frosting on the cake. Now, I like, no, I LOVE this Duncan Hines Whipped Chocolate Frosting. But, oh my! It's a definite sugar rush when you eat a piece of this cake!

Definitely Siblings

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Happy Jack

Mike asked if we should carve a pumpkin this year with Abbie and I said no cause I didn't think she even knew what it was, but one day as we were walking through the grocery store Abbie saw a pumpkin and said, "Mom I want to buy a pumpkin and make a face on it!" That night Mike and Abbie went out and picked out a pumpkin. The next day I drew a face on and Abbie and Mike did the cutting.

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Happy Halloween 2009!

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This year was a really fun year because Abbie was old enough to truely enjoy the trick or treating experience. She chose her costume and we did all the Halloween fun that Rock Springs provided. We trick or treated along the store fronts of Rock Spring's downtown in the morning, we went to a Halloween carnival at the library, We trick or treated at the mall in the afternoon, and finally we went to our ward Halloween party and took part in a trunk or treat with all our friends. I don't think our bunch could have had anymore fun and I don't think our kids could have looked any cuter!!

Scare Everyone!!!

At our last playgroup Abbie was given a Halloween gift bag with a pair of vampire teeth, candy, a pencil, and these lovely halloween glasses. Abbie could not put either the teeth or these glasses down for days. So, the other day Abbie puts the glasses on and tells me, "Mom, I'm going to where these everywhere and scare everyone in town." Then she sat and thought for a minute and then said, "Then I wouldn't have any friends! Nevermind."

Welcome Back Autumn

for a couple of weeks Abbie has been begging us to please let her go out and play in the leaves in our yard and we finally broke down and let her this past Monday. I was bold enough to go out and rake them all up while she played and it took 8 big trash bags and 4 trips to the dumpster to clean them all up. It was a lot of work but a lot of fun spending that one on one time with Abbie.

Our Pathetic Results

This is it! This is what our cucumber plants produced before it got too cold. It only took 7 months to grow these things! The sad thing is because we had so much going on, these went bad before we could even eat them.

Pajama Party!

When Stephanie, John, and Wesley came to visit we had Wesley and Abbie share her room and told her she was having a slumber party with her cousin. She had so much fun having her cousin sleep over and was sad when they left. She wanted to have more slumber parties and wanted US to sleep in her room. That didn't seem fun for us so we created pajama party where we get her ready for bed an hour early and then we go into her room and watch a movie with her while we eat ice cream and/or a fun treat. This was our first go at it and we had a lot of fun! Michael and I take turns and every time she asks that brother comes in too. She's a really good big sister!

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Bath Time!!

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Bad Dreams

The other night Abbie was having a bad dream and so I went in and comforted her. She asked me to talk about her favorite cartoons to help calm her down and help have good dreams when she goes back to sleep. It's something my mom did when I was a kid and it always helped me, thanks mom. So I started talking about Dora the Explorer, Backyardigans, Max & Ruby, and others as she rolled up in a ball under her blanket and closed her eyes. Then I started talking about The Little Einsteins and she interrupts me and says: "Thats nice mom. Next!"

Happy Halloween

So Mike had some free time on his hands last night and found this and made the one with his family, Well, My family is just as fun so today I made the same video with My family in it. Happy Halloween Everyone!

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Mike is the Crazy Scientist, Mark is Frankenstein, Nathan is the Werewolf, Matt is Count Dracula, Rebecca is the Monster's Bride

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I'm the Crazy Scientist, Steph is Frankenstein, Nate is the Werewolf, James is Count Dracula (sorry I don't have a better pic, James), and Alicia is the Monster's Bride

My Idols, My Heros!

I've been thinking about this for a couple of days, about who we idolize as a society, and it saddens me that a lot of the times it's a pop singer, or a professional sports player, an actor or actress. People who are paid MILLIONS to entertain us and most of the time they squander that away on frivolous items. It upsets me to hear about people how spend a chunk load of cash on weddings, jewelry, cars, and clothes instead of donating it to help end world hunger or to fund a child's education. Sure, most celebrities give, but in my opinion, not enough. You make 15 million a year and only give 2 of it away, that's selfish and greedy. Do you really NEED 13 million to live off of? Obviously not!

That's a side tangent to what I really want to discuss. There are everyday people out there that do extraordinary things and live inspirational lives and I thought I would share with you 2 stories of people that inspire me.

The first is of a father and son team that I found out about a couple of years ago. Michael actually sent me this same clip and I still can't watch it without crying. I even happened to watch their inspirational story on the Today Show soon after. I couldn't help it but after watching both clips I found their email and sent them a letter thanking them for be so strong and true, for being men I could look up to.

You can watch the Today Show clip on YouTube as well or Google "Team Hoyt" and find their website. They take donations to help fund their races and welcome any email you would want to send. But, WOW! How can you not be inspired to live a better life or be a better parent, or anything after watching that!

The 2nd story is one that a lot of people might know of since she is currently competing on a reality show right now. It's of Abbey on the Biggest Loser and I can't help but cry every time I hear her story too. She is the second one on the clip and I'm sorry I don't have a better clip on just her.

When I saw this commercial Aaden was three weeks old, and as you know Abbie is 3, so basically I was in the same position that Abbey was in when she lost her family. What is so inspirational about her is that she is picking herself up and she is making a continuous effort and choice to move on and find greater meaning in her life. I really don't think I would have the strength to do what she is doing. The best part of it all is she is one of the most positive people to have ever been on the show. I tell myself everyday that if Abbey can do it, find the will power and focus to loose the weight, than so can I. I will forever be in her debt.

These are just 2 stories of everyday people who have made life changing choices for themselves that have had a profound effect on others, even strangers like me. This is who I choose to call my heros.