I'm Running as fast as I CAN!

That's how I'm feeling right now.
Running as fast as I can!

Trying to keep up with all the needs,
while wondering how to squeeze in the wants!

* the girls started track break this week...we have yet to have much fun (at least the want section of fun)

* Celebrated a little birthday yesterday for the man of the house.

* Planning a birthday party for the youngest girl of the house this Saturday. Much to be done there...we have a fun little craft planned.

* Realizing that Christmas planning needs to start happening NOW! Will be with family for turkey day and need to have all our gifts ready to take with us.

* Did another baby shoot. Can't wait to start messing with those.

* Doug continues to struggle around on crutches. It's only been a few weeks and he (and I) are SO over this. And what do we have????? Like 3 more months?????!!!!! ugh.

* Jack has turned into my little shadow. He used to be so independent. Now he wants me to "snuggle" with him all the time. Wants me to be in the same room as him, all the time. And you know I feel bad. He's my baby, and I want to just soak him up and be with him, but life calls. So right now, as I spend "just a moment on the computer" he has brought in to my room, his little castle and guys and is playing right next to me. It's so cute, really, and I like having him near. Especially when I can get done what I want to get done :)

* I've been trying to work on some areas of the home that Doug considers a "death trap" for him, with the crutches and all. I've made some progress, but not enough.

* Mr. Napoleon is doing well. He misses his master though. We are still working on the whole potty training thing, but he is learning to listen to me :)

* I need to post Halloween. (Like that's a law or something!?)

Like I said, I'm running as fast as I can!

Just blabbing

Fall is blowing her way in today.

Hard.

I might need to bring in some Halloween

decor, lest it blow away forever.

I love this time of year.

All the festivities.

Making soup

Feeling all cozy.

Makes me want to stay inside

and.......hmmmmmm.......

lock myself in my room and scrap!

aahhhhhh......in my dreams ;)

It is a busy week.

Halloween parties galore.

We've already got a few under our belt this season.

Helping out at the schools.

Getting ready for birthdays.

Loads of fun!

The girls will start their track break at the end of the week.

I'm looking forward to things slowing down a bit.

Two less schedules on my plate.

I have some fun things planned for us girls.

I like having our time together.

Can't believe it's nearly November,

and we are hitting our first track break.

This year has FLOWN!!!!!

If you know me, you know I'm hoping to do

a bit of this sometime soon....like today!
It's questionable.

Here's a few layouts I've done this month.

I love going back and doing old pictures. It totally takes me back in time.

Here's little Jack. I remember this day...and taking these pictures

of him, watching his daddy mow the lawn.

I've been wanting to scrap these photos. Especially the saying.

It says "I want to be with you whenever I want...and that's kinda all the time."

That's what Samantha said to me earlier this year and I love it!

Here's the girls just being goofy in my glasses.

Check it out!

Kristen had a big day at the orthodontist on Monday.
Now you see them........................................




...................and NOW you don't!!!!!!




Just look at those big ol' pearly whites.
She's so happy.....except for the retainer she has to wear.

Of course, we'll most likely be doing this again in a few years.
She is only 9. But at least she won't have to endure what I did
as a child. Horribly crooked teeth and no room for any of them
leads to much teasing and name calling for many years.
I didn't want that for her.

On a side note...notice also her little ear there.
There's something in it!

A few weeks ago she mustered the courage on a spur of the
moment girls day out. She decided to just get it over with!
She's much braver now than she was a few years ago.

The story goes like this....the girls were begging, BEGGING
to get their ears pierced. So as a Christmas present we took
them to the mall. Kristen suddenly not convinced of the whole plan
decides to let Samantha go first, to see if it hurts.
Samantha's immediate (and dramatic) tears was all the information
she needed. NOPE, not getting her ears pierced.....maybe ever!

So here we are nearly 2 years later, ready to take the plunge.
She was VERY nervous, and held back much wanted seepage from the eyes.
But she did it...and she was SO proud of herself.

Now if she could just take them out and put something REALLY fun in them!

A little bit of adventure...in an otherwise dull day.

Kristen had quite the school field trip last week.
Just a little trip down the COLORADO RIVER!

It was for all the 4th grade GATE students.
There were about 32 kids and then chaperone's.
Doug was supposed to go with her, but we all know
that didn't happen.

We had a good time together and spent like 4 long hours
on the river. We stopped on a beautiful white sandy beach
for some lunch. We made several stops along the way, checking
out other beaches, little water falls and the like.

This crazy bridge is going up over the Hoover dam.
It's incredible to see up close & huge! All cement, HOW do they do it?????
Our tour guide pointed out a porta potty sitting up at the very top.
The kids thought THAT was hilarious!

Me and my baby girl! It was a beautiful HOT day and
Kristen can't stop talking about it.



Blake fishing with a stick and weeds.

if your ever feeling down...just think of us and you'll automatically feel better, cause your NOT us!

So life continues over here in it's usual disastrous ways!
We are in recovery mode once again.

Doug had to have surgery last week.
Tore his Achilles tendon...I should say, IT tore...he didn't do it!
This one is NOT an easy recovery. It is very painful.

His foot can't touch the ground for 6 weeks and then he goes into
a boot for several months after that.

It's a real downer for him. He is so limited in what he can do right now.
Me personally...I'm flippin' exhausted!

It's been a very busy week.
But today....like they say in school...
It's FUN FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't have to do anything today...YAAAAAYYYYYYy!
I think I'll lay in bed all day and surf the web.


I wonder if Jack will let me actually do that?????????

**********************************************************

Speaking of Jack...here are some totally random pictures
I took this summer of my boys.

They make me laugh every time I see them.
I told Jack to put his head on top of Nathans for the picture.

This is how he took those instructions. hahahahahahahaha
Then he proceeded to just play with Nathans head.

We finally got one close to what I was asking. But it was really just more
wrestling with him and the ball.




Happy FuN FriDaY!!!

Boo to You

A few more crafts for your viewing pleasure (i hope)
I'll give a shout out to Jen for hooking me up with these super cute
BOO letters. I painted them, sanded a bit...and put them out till I figure
what else to do with them. Think they need a bit more, maybe sanding,
or some ribbon tied on somewhere. For now this is it!
Oh and they are HUGE!

Gotta thank Heather for this little class. We learned how to
make pumpkins at a little enrichment get together.
They were so cute, and SO easy that I went a little overboard
and made SIX of them.
But you can never have too many pumpkins...RIGHT!!!!????

Happy Fall Ya'll!

as promised...

I made these little draw string bags for the girls
to hold their dance shoes.
Kristen's old bag was really sad,
and Samantha just started dance this year.

Good reason to go to the fabric store and let them pick
out some cute fabric!

I also learned how to make these super cute fabric flowers.
I've seen them all over the web and am totally in love!

Now I just need to go back to the fabric store and buy
broadcloth in every color of the rainbow!
and attach them to EVERYTHING!

I'm really looking forward to this weekend and watching conference.

It seems the older I get the more I enjoy it and look forward to

hearing the words and council of our leaders.

Hoping to do a little of this at the same time!

I've never scrapped a collage of photo's before.

It was fun, and I love being able to show the whole story

on one page. I kinda just threw some random things on there

(now, when I say random...what i really mean is I poured over

ALL my supplies for far too long trying to find the perfect group

of eclectic items!) I really like having a bunch of odds and ends

pulled together in a fun way. To me anyway ;)

Hope ya'll have a great weekend!

Next week (or maybe this weekend ;)

I'll be sharing some fun Halloween crafts.