Back in the Fall of it all!!

Back in the fall of it all...

 Spirit week...Pajama day, red day, team day, halloween colors day... all sorts of fun days!  The best way to start back to school from FALL BREAK!  

 Ainsley's very first field trip.  Good thing she has a scarf in every beautiful color made by her Grandma Grayson!  Andy's mom came up to watch Tate so I could go with her. Tate loves when he gets to spend time with Marlene and it was my first field trip with one of the kids, I am so glad I got to spend the day with Ainsley. 

 They did a matching activity before they got on the bus!  That Ainsley can do matching and patterns in her sleep!  She loves LOVES school!

 It was fun to be a parent helper and be in her group.  We had a great group.  It was a blast at the farm.  Ainsley is the bravest person I know but terrified of goats.  HAHAHA!  

 Everything was so fun!  It was freezing cold!  Ainsley picked out a pumpkin that weighed more then her, I think!  So heavy!  

 I always wonder what it would be like to do a THEME for Halloween.  One time when Aubrey was 3 and Caleb was 2 they were Cinderella and Princess Charming and then for a spring activity Caleb was a Greeser and Aubrey wore a poodle skirt!  If only we could go back to the days before Batman ruled the world and NO WAY IN KANSAS are they going to match each other!  When I tell them other normal families that love each other do themes.... they are quiet and then onward with their choices.  

Saturday while Caleb was at Andy's parents we took the kids to Andy's yearly work tick or treat!  It is fun to see the residents so happy and the kids love it too!  Ainsley was a monster.  Aubrey was Princess Leah.

 Tate IS Batman...he might continue to be batman until the costume is unwearable!  He was BATMAN last year and for the month after and whenever a babysitter comes over he sneaks it out.  He dreams about it and constantly talks about it.  He tells people when we are at the park he is going to be batman, so yes...BATMAN!    

Only a couple more days until November....we will live it up!!!  We love OCTOBER!!
We also went to the Clinton Ward Party this year.  It has been a couple of years since we have gone.  It was just as fun as always.  Fun friends and family, like we have never left.  Our children love that ward.  A spooky haunted walk, a trampoline, a big fire, and lots of food plus grandma and grandpa!  It doesn't get any better then that!

Getting back in the fall of things would have gone a lot smoother if our washer wouldn't have broke in the middle of a full load.  Luckily I had all the clothes done from out vacation but still.  I do 2-3 loads a day.  Add towels and sheets.  Laundry is life.  Routine.  Tate and I spent the week looking for a new washer.  Andy said that if I promised to NEVER over fill it I could get a front loader.  Well, that is the most OBSURD promise...I couldn't keep that considering my extensive laundry history over the past 11 years.  So, Thursday after 5 different stores I found one Andy wanted.  Draining water, ringing out clothes is so stupid and SUPER gross.  They should have an emergency button!!  Of course even if it looks like you have all the water you don't so when you go to move your washer… watch out for your brand new floors because your washer will just exploded with freezing cold water.  NOT A GOOD WEEK.  When you are so used to a washer, 10 years.  A new washer is hard to get used to.  I will.

I also ran out of gas....it has been a good 8 months so its about time, plus all the phone calls with the school and meetings and driving back and forth from the school, and trips to drop off paper work...I wouldn't really call last week a score one for me.  I could have used my movie buddy, but she moved.  A laughing, last minute, 3 hours after, get it, understanding, no judging, still laughing, movie buddy who likes the previews, likes hot chocolate is something I really didn't appreciate for the last 3 years.  I miss it, those are good for a mom to have. 

Fall Break 2013

What do you do when you have a week out of school?

I thought about it...and since the pools are closed and my dad was a no go on baptizing Caleb in the ocean Utah it was!!!  Caleb's baptism, my sister Steffaney's baby shower, Seth and Karalee's baby blessing, Spencer and Kristen's baby blessing, and my Aunt Carolyn's retirement as Elder Ballard personal secretary meant everyone was in town!  My kids had all the family they could imagine!!

 On our way out of town the Rudd family was kind enough to let us park Andy's car at their house...best old neighbors in the world!  If we would have known that we had 22 hours of driving ahead of us I do not think we would have left....Nebraska is a nightmare and Wyoming is rude!  Me with my sweet driving skills, road watch out!

 Utah was lovely...the kids were so excited to see my parents!  We stuck a note in Tate's pocket just in case (My grandma and grandpa love me but sometime I get curious...with their phone number).  They took all 7 of their grandkids to a halloween hay extravaganza!  While they were there I got to hang out with my sibling at the grossest restaurant known to man-kind, Rodizio Grill.  BLAH!  Andy was in heaven because no way would I ever eat there again.  It was like a scene from Miss Congeniality!  All that half cooked meat being shoved in my face just did not sit well with me but it was good to visit without kids! 

 Once we had the kids back we went to Eagle Mountain to Spencer's new house and fed the kids and played.  My Grandpa Hyde joined us!  Then he hung out with us in Orem while we set up for the baby shower.  He was a sport and even shared Ainsley blanket with her!  Tate had fun playing with Ella and Aubrey had fun playing with Dallen.  

My mom made yummo cupcakes and rice crispy treats!  The best soups ever that we ate the next day too!   My Grandma Ras helped my with the marshmallows...she is always by my side. Then and now.  Pretty cool!

Tate and I had fun getting baby stuff for the baby shower...I must say that a lot has changed in 4 years.  Aubrey and Ainsley did the coloring.  Tate was VERY invested in the "baby" of it all.  Telling everyone we do not have a baby but we are having a baby party.

Ainsley just loved all the Grandpa's!  She made sure Grandpa Ras knew where to go and sit.  Tate just loved him.  He is a big, very strong guy so he felt like he has a lot in common with him!:)

Zohorob was the best!  Not only did he hook up his wii for Caleb but he brought Caleb his favorite cereal and made the kids french toast.  He took Caleb, Aubrey, and Tate a LATE  3D movie!  The kids just thought he was incredible!  So fun!

 Ainlsey and her Aunt Sydney...other then Ainsley having athletic ability and I pretty sure they are exactly alike (oh and Ainsley being social).  Ainsley had a special sleep over with Aunt Sydney where they went shopping, Ainsley ate a taco in her car, sang music, and watched HOCUS POCUS...pretty much the best Halloween movie ever made for kids!  Sydney taught Ainlsey the cups song with a cup and gave her a necklace.  It was the best night of her entire life!!  In the morning when Syndey was suppose to put her hair in piggy tails Sydney said "Do you want your hair in piggy tails..or do you want to look like MOVIE STAR?"  So, now Ainsley always wants her hair down!  Oh boy!!  Also, everything is...Aunt Sydney likes likes this or Aunt Sydney does this....hopefully this wears out soon!

 On Sunday it was a big day.  In the morning we were in Eagle Mountain for Spencer's son Conner's blessing and then stait to Magna for Seth's son Daniel's blessing.  At 6:30 it was Caleb's baptism!!!  

Family made the last minute drive....It was pretty great.  

The kids sang, while Andy played.

I think it is great that Caleb made this decision.  While a goofy kids, he's a good one.  

While he was drying off my mom was leading us in songs and it was quite an experience for me to be able to sing families are forever with so many family members there, in the same room.  We have never really been in the same room like that.  It has been years, we have been through so much.  Almost all of my grandparents were there.  It was just awesome.  It was great to have Kelly Harmon and his wife there too!

 Caleb, Ashlee, and Chase (Jane...walking)

 CALEB ALL BAPTIZED!!

On Monday we went and visited my Grandpa Clark and Grandma Nita...Ainlsey wants to be an artist just like her.  They were both wearing purple (how about that?!)  She gave Ainsley fancy paint and something to paint!

 Ainsley, Grandma, Caleb, Grandpa Delton Clark, and Tate Delton

sitting in the same chairs they have had for 20 years!

 Hanging out with Uncle Greg at his new office.... fun lemonade!

 Kickin' it!  

 Jack, Tate, Ainsley, Jane, Paris, Aubrey, Caleb..at Aunt Ella's cool as ever new house.  Tate found the cool buddy ever with Jack...once he found someone who love Batman as much as him he just knew Jack was the four year old cousin he could roll with!!  The kids had a blast on Uncle Matts swing and playing in there AWESOME yard!

 On Tuesday we drove to West Valley City to see Uncle Seth's new house!  He hooked up the wii and they fed us lunch!  It was a blast!   

Ainsley loved to hold Daniel, a big squooshy fun baby!

 Tate trying to teach Daniel how to roll over...he told me he was worried that Daniel was going to roll away and I said babies do not know how to roll.  So he got down on the floor and showed him how.  Then I told him.  You do not know how to spell...it is kind of like that.  He just didn't relate the two because he said "Mom, rolling over is so darn easy"

 In the late afternoon after spending time in Lehi at Andy's sisters we went to Sandy to hang out with my family!  The fasted family picture ever!!  It was cold but fun to see everyone.  Everyone is grown up, with careers...kids, or in schools.  It is just so great to see us together again and to see everyone healthy!

 On our last night in Utah it wouldn't we be the best trip ever if we didn't see the Chipmans right?!!!  We drop back to Eagle Mountain to their new AWESOME house,  our kids had unlimited fun and we did too!  

 Not a day older right?  Just real jobs, real bills, mortgages, an INCREDIBLE wife, and kids.  

We also saw The Hill Family which was a highlight too, she just had her baby and the kids had a blast.  

We had a blast!  We loved seeing everyone and staying with Steffaney in her new House!!  Utah is a beautiful place but Kansas is the place for us!  There is no place like home!

One of Aubrey and Ainlsey's favorite things were the scarves!  They loves the beautiful scarves that their Grandma Jean made for them!  It was so fun to see Aunt Bonnie as well! 

To end our fall break we pick Nate up from the airport for the big game!  It was fun to have him here for the weeks end!  THE CHIEFS ARE 7-0 now and he saw the kids off to school this morning!  Goodbye fall break! 

From this experience I got exactly what I needed. I wanted my children to be able to be around their family.  On Andy's side as well as my own.  My childhood memories as so clear, my happy thoughts and feelings of cousins, aunt, uncles and grandparents.  Funny memories.  I want my children to be able to have those.  For my children to be able to have this trip and be old enough to remember it. To love there extended family and talk about them all the way home.  That is such an exciting thing for me.  To be able to call up my cousins/uncle and say hey come.  I just love my family so much.  I have such a wonderful strong one.  My children are incredibly lucky.  I am blessed, even though they have chosen Utah to live:)