blogged again

What the what?! Come on, you know you're impressed!

My little lovelies playing in the hats. Kate's sporting a pilgrim cap thing, and I have no idea what Gray is holding.

"I'm a ghost!"

The kids wanted Nate to dress up with them and be a super hero too. So I found an old sheet for Super Daddy. I hurried and snapped a picture with my phone since I figured the fun wouldn't last too long.

Super Daddy passed out on the bed. Gray cried.

Nate took the week of Labor Day off of work so he could stay home and work. He did various projects around the house, including repainting our bedroom.

I took the big kids out for a Mom Date while Gray took a nap one afternoon while Nate was home. That way we were occupied and out of the way while he worked without the kids' "help." Colin and Kate and I had a grand time playing at a playground in Springville I had previously been to with my dear friend Bekah (before she abandoned me and moved to Missouri...). We loved being the only ones at the park, until some creeper on a bicycle came riding by, slowly, around and around, staring at us. I called the kids in and made them sit by me while he was around. Then he left and came back again! I'm sure he was harmless, but some middle-aged dude on a bike circling my children still creeped me out. We left before he could come back again.

The kids would spin the wheels to shake the playground and I would stumble around drunkenly to make them laugh.

 More progress on our room. That's a nice, dark, chocolate brown, not black.

Colin brought this scrap of paper to me and said, "Look! I spelled my name!" And he certainly had. I was impressed. He doesn't like to practice writing letters when I am around, so I didn't know he could do it.

Peach pie, how I hate making you. But I do love to eat you! I made two pies one night after canning a bazillion (yes, that is an accurate number) peaches. They looked better than they tasted, unfortunately. They got a little soggy because they were just too juicy. Oh well. Nate was happy. He likes pie.

Scott was ordained an elder on the 9th. It was fun because all of his brothers were able to be there in the circle. It was also a bit crazy because of all those hungry kids! Sara Lu cracks me up. I love the pose she struck when I said, "Smile!" And yes, that's my daughter who refused to smile.

Brothers! And Dad. Brad was kind enough to remove his suit coat to show solidarity with Nate, who doesn't own a suit and was the only one in just a white shirt. Thanks, Brad. You're the best.

Finished painting! (The main part of the room anyway. We're still working on the bathroom/closet part.) Nate also refinished that dresser. It was given to us by his parents about 5 or 6 years ago for Christmas, and it is finally done! (There were some parts that had to be fixed, which is partly why it took so long.) It's a dark brown stain, and it looks beautiful. Nate's clothes are really happy in it.

We're still working on moving our picture of George, hanging the new white picture frames I bought, picking out a new bedspread (well, I've already picked one out. I just need Nate to pay for it now...), replacing the ceiling fan, and getting/building new bedside tables. Yay!

Last Monday I took my mom and the kids up to Salt Lake. I needed to exchange a swim suit top I had ordered online, and the store was in SLC, so we made a day of it. We went to the Church History Museum, and it was awesome! The little children's area they have on the top floor was so much fun. The kids loved it. We started out dressing in cultural costumes and following dancers on the screen to learn some Hispanic dances. Kate loved the skirt, but she wouldn't cooperate for a picture. Also, I forgot my good camera and only had my phone, so the pictures aren't great.

Next we picked food out of the garden, prepared it in the kitchen, and then fed the missionaries. Fun!

There were fun little interactive screens where you could go through a maze, play memory match, do a puzzle, or drag people onto a background kind of like a flannel board. Colin was in heaven.

Next, Kate and I built a city which she then destroyed. I had a great deal of fun.

It was so hard to get pictures of them because they were so busy running around and having fun. But here are Gray and Nana on Nephi's ship. There were fish over the side that the other kids were catching.

Kate and Gray driving the truck full of puppets. I have no idea where they were taking them.

Awww, sister kisses.

Tortilla toss! You're doing it wrong, Kate.

A drugged-looking me and my baby.

Spinning the bike tires.

Next we walked through Temple Square on our way to City Creek.

I guess they didn't want to sit next to each other.

Kate didn't want to climb any higher.

Hugs for the temple!

At City Creek all we did was go to the Disney store and the play place. Then it was time to take the whiney children home. So I have no idea what the rest of the mall looks like, but I'm sure it's nice. 

This is my first attempt at a french braid. It did not go well. After a while I kind of just gave up. I do not like trying to do hair.

What a mess! But he's probably the cutest mess I have ever seen.

Making faces into my phone after doing FaceTime with Daddy.

Yeah, I'm in a robe. Don't judge.

A much nicer hairdo. We called this a Tuckeroo into a Loop-de-Loop. Kate was delighted.

Colin knows just how handsome he is when he gets his hair done. It's looking a little high though. Guess it's time for another haircut.

Playing outside in the sprinklers. I'm glad it's still warm enough to enjoy being outside, but that it's not so hot I want to kill myself.

Scott came over yesterday to hang out with us. When Baby Mismatched Pajamas woke up from his nap, Scott when and got him. Gray sat cuddled up with Scott for a while, happy as a clam. Scott started popping his thumb, and Gray sat there with that goofy, content smile on his face, feeling it move. I took several pictures, and the all looked exactly the same because Gray's expression didn't change. Hilarious.

 In other news, our yard doesn't look as white trash as it used to. Weeds are gone and soil prep and mulch are down. Now we just need some plants and new siding a brick (I wish) and we'll be good to go! Colin will be starting preschool soon. I should probably find out when that starts. I've been designing subway art prints for friends' weddings this last week, and I'm going to start on Christmas cards as soon as EVERYONE WILL LEAVE ME ALONE FOR JUST FIVE MINUTES! That will probably happen around 10:00 tonight. Maybe. Ugh. Too many helping hands now. Guess I'm done.