Trick or Treat

I was able to get the kids up early this morning by calling out "Whoever wants to watch The Mandalorian, get out of bed now! I'm turning it on!" And just like that, the kids all came running downstairs. The kids wanted to watch it last night, but it was late when we got home from our date night, too late to spend an hour watching it, so I vetoed it even though they had been looking forward to it and had waited for us cause I wanted to see it too. Anyway, we got up "early" (at 10) and watched it, pretty fun stuff. A little scary for Daniel. He told us that he doesn't want to go there (where the krayt dragon lives) and we told him ok. 

Most of them ate their oatmeal during that hour of tv, then we headed over to Corey's parents house to rake leaves. 

They worked quickly and they got it all bagged up. I played the roll of water girl by passing out graham crackers to the servants. 

While the big kids were helpful, the little kids played with toys. 

They worked quickly and then we watched this neat Hope Works message with his parents. Then I headed home with the little kids in my car, and Corey took the big kids to Menchies for some ice cream. Menchies was sponsored by Lily, who had a gift certificate from school for winning the Reflections contest, way to go Lily! That was ok that the little kids didn't get to go, cause they didn't help rake. 

Back at home, the kids practiced their music to earn their right to trick or treat. Corey supervised that while I took his car into Burt Bros to get a slow leak checked out. They put on the spare for me, we have to get the tire replaced, so that's scheduled for Monday for Corey. He appreciated me taking care of it - he had to fill up the tire last night before our date, and again this morning. I was glad to help, and I like knowing how to handle car problems. After that, we had to hurry and do Natalie's pumpkin to represent us tonight. All the other pumpkins looked very old, wrinkly, and scary. Natalie and I cleaned out her pumpkin and I carved it. My kids were a little sad that there wasn't going to be a neighborhood pizza party, but I'm happy for out neighbors who host that every year that they're taking a break. I'm sure it's a lot of work. My favorite memory of that is when snowman Daniel was staring down Bishop Powley the gorilla. So funny. Trick or treaters started knocking and so hurried and put out her pumpkin. It was her friend Berkley that was in the first group to come by, and Natalie wanted to go with them, even though she wasn't ready. She quickly changed into her costume and ran out to catch up with her friends. She didn't mind not having make up. I helped Sophi with a little bit of her eye liner and making her face white, Owen was dressed and anxious to get going, so Corey took him out. I woke up Peter and put his costume on him and gave him a slice of bread for his pre-junk dinner. I didn't see Sophi leave but she slipped out sometime. I started to walk with D and P, then I paused to take a photo. I tried to put Peter's Sulley horns on and he didn't like that. He threw his headpiece and his bag on the street in protest. 

Ok, that will have to count. The kids all scattered so quickly, I guess we won't have a photo of them together this year. But Sophi and Natalie were represented well in their photos before their school parties on Thursday. I should have grabbed Daniel a coat, but decided nah, let's just go before it gets too dark! I grabbed some skittles from our pot of goodies and put them on Peter's stroller tray to keep him happy.

We found Natalie as we left, her friends just went around the block, so then she joined us and did a repeat of a few houses. We met up with Corey and Owen, they were on their way back from a neighbor's house where they had a fire pit set out and were roasting hot dogs, that is a fun idea. O eating his hotdog. Daniel posing for the camera. Natalie was tired of holding her coat and gave it to Peter.

I took D by a few houses in a cul-de-sac that Owen had already visited with Corey. Corey took Natalie to go get a hot dog, and then Natalie joined us and we visited the cul-de-sac houses for a third time, which was funny. They were nice, one of them is our ministering family and it also looked like they hadn't had a lot of trick or treaters, so hopefully it was ok for us to visit three times. (Daniel only double dipped on the third knock)

Then Daniel went to roast a hot dog. 

They warmed by the fire, then we picked up Natalie and finished going around the block. Daniel was cold now, so I gave him my coat, and Corey gave me his coat and headed home to be with the teenagers there who were watching Twilight. Abi earned the right since she finished all 4 books, and Halloween seemed an appropriate enough night for it. Peter finished his skittles and then worked on a sucker for the rest of the evening.

We were a slow moving group and were gone for about 90 minutes. The kids gorged on candy while I blogged here, and then I went and cleaned up the kitchen, with it's spilled nerds, pixie stick powder, and other gross messes. I slowly collected all the candy into the family treat pile, cause I'm the candy cop, and it is now safely locked up in the pantry, yay. Peter was upstairs working on his cars while I blogged - look at what a smart little boy - he lined them all up!!! Peter, you are SO smart! 

It was a Happy Candy Day for everyone! 

Making Their Mark

Owen and Daniel wrote in my scriptures recently. It's nothing too horrible yet. No pages have been ripped out so that's good. 

Owen just circled 22 a few times in 1 Nephi and Alma, which was pretty adorable.

Daniel practiced his ABCs in the margins of Micah and Nahum

I really shouldn't leave my scriptures laying around. I need to remember to put them up and away every time I get interrupted, even if I think I'm going to be right back. 

They've also vandalized every month of my academic planner. Not a big deal, cause I'll be getting a new one next July. I can deal with their scribbles until then. But the scriptures, I am going to do my best to keep this one all in one piece and maybe it will out last my babies. Peter has been doing really well sleeping in his room. He wakes up and plays with his trains or looks at a book, aw!

He does great until he sees me. Then he starts nagging for "nana" = "night night" = nurse me and snuggle with me. Here he is asking nicely for nana...

I'll try to just snuggle and kiss him, but then he gets mean cause I'm not giving him nana.

Sorry buddy, I'm trying to cut back. So hard being a baby. I often tell Peter, "You know, when Joseph was your age, he was the man of the house and had a 6 month old baby sister and he wasn't getting nana... you've been a bit spoiled" Joseph and Mel are 11 months apart. Owen got booted out of his "baby" seat too - he and Daniel are just 14 months apart. Peter Peter, what a baby. He really likes cars and if he catches me or anyone at the computer or on our phones, he'll come up and say "car" and we have to show him pictures of cars. Today he and I watched a video of the top 10 crazy conceptions of cars and that was pretty fun. I can see why he likes cars. Some of those are just not practical though, and I would never get them while living in this fallen mortal world. I'll get one in the next life, trusting that it can't get stained or ruined. I'm sure angels and celestial beings move faster without cars

I did a Costco run to SL today, cause that is the only place with ricemilk. I stocked up on that and a lot of other things - I think we're set until we leave for Hawaii, if that ends up really happening!

I was sneaking out and Owen saw me, and he didn't have coat or shoes, but lucky for him there was a jacket in the garage and Natalie left her boots in the car, so yay let's go. We're set until Hawaii and for a few meals after we get back, and I'll probably make one more run right before we got to get things there, or maybe I'll run to Costco in Las Vegas? I don't know. I hope we are actually able to go. We'll see how crazy things get next week with any election fall out.

School Parties

I am taking Churchill carpool again because my kid driver, Hyrum, is doing school online this term. A nice thing about that is that he's available to help do carpool in the morning if and when I want. I had him take today so that I could help the girls do their hair and put on some make up for school. They were excited for this big day, it's so fun wear make up and costumes to school! 

If 2020 were a normal school year, I would have had a Halloween parade to attend and a 2nd grade Halloween program to attend. But this year was a little less stressful for me since those things were cancelled. (I don't mean to be a grouch, but getting over to the school for those activities usually causes me stress). They still had classroom parties, so it was a win-win: they still got to dress up, and I didn't have to haul toddlers over to the school (like for Sophi's program last year). Sorry you didn't get a Halloween program, Natalie! She never mentioned any sad feelings of missing out on anything, yay. Natalie, you are a cute little pirate.

I'm glad we've gotten our money's worth out of that costume! Abi was the pirate first in 2017, Lily was in 2018, and Sophi last year in 2019, This year Sophi wanted to be a vampire. I had told myself that we were not going to buy anything for costumes this year. They could make due with the big box of costumes that we had. But Corey didn't know I had made that oath, so we bought some vampire teeth for Sophi on our date night with Mel a few weeks ago. Corey was just going to get her those regular kiddie vampire teeth, but I thought these bigger ones would be more official looking/better. 

I think I was wrong. These weren't better, cause poor Sophi couldn't talk or open her mouth with them in. 

Sorry Soph, that was my bad. I'm sure you'll get lots of little fake teeth today, and you can wear those trick or treating. Also a few weeks ago, she presented me with a drawing of what she was visualizing for her attire. I told her I didn't think I could sew that and tried to lower her expectations... but thankfully Kid to Kid came through and I found two things that I put together for her that was like what she wanted - with the high collar cape and the torn fringe on the skirt. Also the black boots were a good find. One last pic of Sophi sans the vampire teeth. There's my cute little vampire. 

Sophi has been a little sad about covid cancelling stuff. She's sad we aren't having the annual pizza party at the neighbor's house, and she's worried that the wax museum and the "School House Rocks" will be cancelled. I tried to comfort her, saying that it's ok to feel sad, and that we'll see what happens, but I also tried to give some perspective that in reality, this trail we are all going through isn't bad compared to what other generations have faced. We can get through this! They will still have a fun day with classroom parties and activities. Off to school.

Last night I did a last minute run to Kid to Kid with Lily so she could find something to wear to school today. And this costume was more my style (aka frugal). Lily bought a "Cat in the Hat" had for $2 bucks (and 50% off!), then we found an old zoot suit from Wes' Little Big Band days, and a little black eye liner on her cheeks - and voilà, perfect!

Pretty cute! Lily showed me how her outfit doubled as a magician 

After I got home last night with Lily's costume, Owen wanted to go get a lion costume. I had just seen one there on the rack... I think it was his size... ok - so I grabbed him and we hurried out to go back to Kid to Kid. We grabbed the lion costume. Then he looked around a bit more and said "I think I don't want to be a lion..." And he saw this dragon costume. It was for size 2-4. It kinda looked like it would fit him though, so ok, we got the dragon costume. It was too tight between his legs, so I spent this morning cutting it off and cinching the waist to make it it a dragon dress shirt. 

He looked cute riding his bike to the bus stop - pedaling his little feet, in a dragon dress, with his big back pack. Cute cute kindergarteners. And with that, we're done with the school part of Halloween for this year! Now we just have to carve Natalie's pumpkin before trick or treating on Saturday. Should be fun.

Socks, School, Boys' Bedroom

Today for Red Ribbon week, it was Crazy Sock Day. Sophi represented her heritage by wearing some fun socks that her Great Grandma Helen knit. 

Helen used to give all the adults a pair of socks for Christmas. I think she might be the original Stance sock. I don't wash them cause I don't want them to wear out, but I do get them out each year on crazy sock day. The kids wear a pair of socks underneath and we put them away right after they get home, so that we can preserve them for the younger siblings. 

At the bus stop today, Owen got there first. And then his four classmates came and joined, and let Owen know that he was not the leader, and so-and-so was, and then they told him who was the next leader, until he was pushed to the back of the line. 

Owen didn't care at all, but I was like "Hey! That's not nice! You guys shouldn't push him around, he was here first!" But Owen is a gentle little boy, and I hope he never minds or notices if his classmates aren't kind to him or make fun of him or pushed to the back of the line. One time, the little brother of one of his classmates, who is 3, told Owen, who is 5, that he talks like a baby. Owen didn't notice, and I was there with Peter and caught the comment and said "Yeah! Owen has a baby brother! He talks like a baby huh!" It might also not be good for earning the respect from his peers that he can't ride a two wheeler yet. I think most of them on are bikes, and Owen rides his bike to the bus stop too, but he has his training wheels. But he's the sweetest and I pray he always will be.

A good thing we did today was that we moved Peter into the little boys room (again). Yes, we supposedly moved him in there last month, but it didn't work for several reasons, the main one being that Abi was in there. I didn't like the idea of her waking him up in the morning as she got ready for school (he's a light sleeper). Also it was a little tricky getting off the mattress after nursing him cause it moves. The floor is nicer cause it doesn't move him when I move. I've been sleeping on the floor with him for months. And I also didn't feel like it was good for Abi to be woken up by him crying during the night, so it would be better if this was a bedroom for just the little boys. So we started moving out Abi on Monday with her mattress, sheets and pillow. Next day was getting the clothes and closets arranged again. Today we got her desk out and then we were able to move in the train table again!! They boys love it! Yay!

This has just been in the basement being unused, so this is great. And this might really work now to get Peter in his own bed. I'm in charge of the room, I can stay in there with Peter if needed. And if I do sneak out, I make sure that the boys' bedroom door is open and ours is open too, and Peter can just wander in if he wakes up during the night. Corey doesn't have to wear ear plugs cause I don't have the white noise in our bedroom for Peter. If Peter does sleep through the night, I just close the door in the morning and The white noise helps him and Daniel both stay asleep. It's all good. 

I made a few runs to Kid to Kid for last minute Halloween stuff before the kids have their Halloween activities at school tomorrow. Owen picked out this dragon costume. It's a size 2-4, so it's a bit tight... I'm going to have to make a few adjustments for him. 

The kids are doing pretty good at getting homework done. Abi and Lily have been practicing an hour a day for over a week, good job girls. I need to do better and helping Sophi and Natalie practice. 

Run Around

Peter was being super cute and snuggly yesterday morning. I love it, my little bug

It was a usual morning here at home. After Owen got to the bus, I put Peter and Daniel in the car and we waited for Joseph to get back home so I could take him back down to BYU. Last night when we went by to see him, he mentioned how he had volunteered to do some Spanish translating at a clinic in Millcreek in the morning and that he might need a ride to and from Frontrunner. "Why don't you just come home with us now?" Good idea. So last night I waited while he grabbed his stuff. This morning we let him take the fiesta if he'd take the kids to school, minus Hyrum cause he's doing online. Joseph came back and we didn't bother trying to catch frontrunner like last week. Joseph wasn't done until 12:30, so we knew he would miss the frontrunner train that he needed to catch to get back to BYU in time for his commitments. There was no need to have a repeat of us trying in vain to catch it at any of the stops along the way. I told him I'd take him all the way down. He had to be back at BYU at 2. So we went for a drive. That was ok, cause I needed to document Joseph on his new stomping ground. 

Then turn around and head home. Daniel and Peter holding hands as they watched Monsters Inc. in the car, so cute. 

Yes, Peter is in an expired carseat. We've had that one since Joseph, I know I said in 2011 that I'd get rid of it, but I haven't. Sorry. Today was crazy hair day for red ribbon week. 

I put tight sponge rollers in Natalie's hair last night, so she looked good. 

Sophi had her hair diced up and put in 12 loops.

Owen didn't have crazy hair, but he's cute in his snowboots and shorts.

"I'm smiling under this mask!"

Getting on the bus, cute little kindergartener.

We talked to Ethan and Mel yesterday, They are both doing well. Ethan sent me some details of things that he'll need when he applies for his visa, and he is going to have to do most of it from there in Missouri, but I did see that he needs a birth certificate that was issued AFTER January 2020 for some reason, so I went to the South Sandy clinic to get that today after school. When I arrived, there was a paper on the door letting me know that vital records at that location was closed. The only location to get a birth certificate at right now is in downtown SL. Since I had Peter and Daniel in the car already, and Abi as my helper, I just decided we'd go get it. So I got a birth certificate for Mel and Ethan, and now they have their own copies and I let them know that now they can keep their own file of important papers. We sent the certificates via letter envelope. I had Daniel write a quick love note to them both. I wrote out the letters for him to copy "I LOVE YOU MEL"

He did good on Mel's but then he was tired on Ethan's and couldn't finish writing out Ethan's whole name.

I get it, it's exhausting for the level you're at Daniel, that's ok, I'll finish it for you. 

Santaquin Fiesta

Today is Father David's birthday. Iveth and Diego invited us to come down and celebrate, and we accepted the invitation. We had to wait until Hyrum was done with his Mission Prep class though. We were all distracting him as he tried to pay attention to his instructors. "Stop!" he said as I came to take a photo of him, after Corey had already taken one. We just really liked his outfit.

Corey had left with a car full of kids, and when Hyrum was done, Peter and Hyrum and I left to catch up. We joined their lunch gathering that they do every Sunday after mass. It was my first time seeing their new place. Corey's been down there a few times to pick up Father David. There was Spanish Karaoke coming from the garage.

We sat and ate and visited. They had a tres leches cake when it was time to sing.

(sorry, not socially distant... we kinda got caught up in the latino moment and forgot)

We making Maria laugh.

The kids played in the snow outside.

Corey and Lily dancing in the garage.

Owen is not interested in Maria anymore, so Daniel saw his chance to win her heart (he's tried this before... see photo 8)

After Maria was done dancing, Daniel decided to dance with Peter....

Then we tried to leave, the kids got their coats on and then got distracted by legos...

And then they said "Don't go yet! We're just about to do the piñata!!!" Ok, so we came back in for another 30 minutes. They started the hitting with the youngest, so Daniel went first. 

Owen's turn to have a whack at it.

It was nice to see them. I hope we don't get covid. We went by BYU to say hi to Joseph. We aren't allowed to go into his building, glad to see BYU takes this coronavirus stuff seriously. Jospeh got all of us ice cream out of the vending machine and we ate it in the car.

Joseph said hi to the kids in Corey's car (ALSD), then came over to say to our car (HWNP). Peter was distracted by a piñata sucker, so that meant a little more ice cream for us.

The end of the term is upon us, and this young man is not passing FOUR of his classes. A few pictures from yesterday - he's hiding his identity.... but it's the same high schooler that is in the photo above.

I think Corey and I, as parents, are handling it well and are helping him. We've been in touch with his teachers and there is a chance that he can fix things, but we are going to be watching this kid like a hawk for real this time. He's got to learn how to play this game. We think he's been lying to us for months when we've asked "Are you all ready for school tomorrow?" "Yup." And a few more photos from yesterday - Abi still reading her books - 

Some of Daniel's face drawings (cute)

Corey took Hyrum, Lily, Sophi, and Owen on a ride down the canyon Saturday night. This was Corey's first time trying the shotgun seat out on the rocky trail. Owen did great and loved it. I'm glad nobody fell down and got hurt. It's a pretty hard trail to ride down, so good job little kids.

I hadn't exercised yet last night, so I parked at the bottom and started to walk up, thinking that once I saw them I'd be able to jog back with them. That plan worked, only it was really dark by the time we finally met up. That helped me get in two miles, yay. We might need some lamps for our bikes. They took longer than expected because they had found an injured bird and spent 20 minutes trying to figure out what to do with it. They left it for nature to take it's course, but the bird was really persistent and was following them. They went back up today before we left to Santaquin, so that they could walk around and see if they could find it. Corey said they saw the bird last week too. Ah! So there was our weekend. I'm trying not to get behind on the blog here. I know these posts aren't very exciting, and my apologies for not trying to cater to my possible audiences interests, but I'm just trying to write our family's weekly story as much as possible, just trying to capture this time in our life so that the kids have a history to look back on.