Trick or treating with Dad at work!

The kids got a surprisingly good haul for showing up unannounced. Hoping to get more and better pics up later--but we're moving Friday, so we'll see . . . Happy haunting!

Fan mail for Sam and Ezra

This is going out to Ginger's boys--it's my kids' reaction to their AWESOME dance video. Hopefully they'll all meet someday at the same Saturday Night Dance.

Sorry if you don't know Ginger and can't see the original video--maybe this is still entertaining?

Oh no, or maybe oh boy!!!

Guess it's a good thing we're getting into a house (rented--more details later!) soon so I won't blow any walls off! I've been thinking of dabbling in unique instruments lately (lyre, dulcimer, banjo) . . . better add this to my list.


You Should Play the ACCORDION

You Should Play the Accordion

You are eccentric, funky, wacky... definitely one of a kind. People have trouble putting you in any one particular category. You definitely have your own thing going on. You are a born entertainer. No wonder you'd be perfect as an one man (or one woman) band. Your musical influences likely cross all genres - and blend together in a very unusual way. While you are definitely offbeat, you also enjoy tradition and influences from the past. It's just your style to take an old fashioned instrument like the accordion and make it uniquely yours. Your dominant personality characteristic: your total lack of inhibition Your secondary personality characteristic: your interest in obscure activities and subjects

What Musical Instrument Should You Play?

I resonate with the third paragraph--but I'll have to think about the aaack . . . accordion. For some reason I view it as kind of dopey, not intriguing and exotic. And I think I can be plenty inhibited--I like playing with groups--I tried to swing this quiz towards a bluegrass folk GROUP and this is what I got!

The Wedding Montage

The Smilingest Aaron and Amy!!!!! Hooray!

and, in no particular order (because I'm not that skilled with this technology)

the other good shots . . .

with my parents






ZAZEL

Catherine (my sister) and Ken

Adam (my brother), Heather, and Zazel

the PT Cruisers

a pretty lady and a handsome boy on an innocent walk . . .
til this guy came along
and picked them up!
Alli was sad that they took off with her mom too!

Thanks Aaron and Amy, for letting us test out your getaway car ;)

A nostalgic Fall day

He's getting grown up, isn't he?

This is for Papa--a field of dreams surrounded by forest.

Mark's tree shot

The reward after a long leafy walk--two kids asleep in the stroller.

These pics are from Maryland--the day before the wedding.

We went up to D.C. last week for Aaron and Amy's day. . . more pics coming as soon as the kids let me!

One thing that's good about sitting here reading instead of doing something "productive" while Mark's at priesthood for two hours: I'm sure I can feel the baby moving as I sit here. So it's a good thing I haven't moved--otherwise it couldn't have told me three times that it likes to push my waistband. But I'm nearly becoming a vegetable--I can't remember the next sentence I'm planning to type. Oh yeah, the baby will keep on being "it" for a while--we're going to do another surprise round and wait to find out like we did with Simon.

I want to publicly CURSE all the insects of Texas--because it's 10:23p.m. and after a very long day I have to go do the dishes. Blast you you little creatures!!!

The Smiliest of Days . . . the actual birthday!

a Planet Heroes Turbo Shuttle. pretty much the coolest.

Mark says he would have asked for this up until he was 15 . . .

the long adored Buzz Lightyear!!!
and, delight of all delights (Alli's face testifies!), Simon will share one of his new pods with her!

We finally feel like we got this birthday right, "got him just what he wanted, instead of what we overthought he might want", and he's been playing hard ever since (and sharing more than I thought I could hope for!).

Now, after it was all said and done, I needed to sleep muchly. That's why this is all making it up here a week later.

To four years old and beyond!

A sketched-on Buzz Lightyear and cupcakes with planets and lightsaber handles. I'm pleased.

" Pin the rocket on the planet"

Notice the Simon montage on the wall bar. ;)

Simon invited a bunch of good singers!

Making a wish!

He confessed to me a few days later that it was for the big Buzz Lightyear (once he safely had his Buzz and could take it everywhere and show all its features to everyone who comes to the house.)

Cupcakes on the Rainbow Asteroid Belt

Warming up for the LIGHTSABER BATTLE--it got pretty fierce once all the space kids were armed. We did try to make them do it to music and stop (and win prizes) occasionally. Pretty fun.