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I've been tagged

The Rules: Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags six people and posts their names then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Have fun!

A few things that you may not know about me:

1. I have 2 boxes of 'very important papers' that I have been collecting since Ella was born. We moved here with one and have gathered another. One day I will file them and then when I need something it won't take me half and hour to find it!:)

2. I will wipe the kitchen counters before washing the dishes. I can ignore a sink full of dishes but crumbs on the counters drive me crazy.

3. When I was little, I had an underground fort. At night, I would dream of all the tunnels I was going to add (it even had elevators). I still create grand plans about once a week. My last few are 1. Freezing meals so I only have to cook one or two times a week - this includes typing all of my recipes into a nutrition program to ensure we are eating healthy and to help generate a shopping list; 2. Doing chores with my kids in the morning (I even have a list of kid-appropriate chores and a jar of mysterious kitchen chores to pick from; 3. Paying my children allowance based on chores and giving them some allowance just because they're kids (also dividing up their allowance into 5 different types of accounts); 4. The 'Mom Vacuum' - where I pick up after my kids and put it in my big brown bag; 5. Snacks after school; 6. Training for and running a half marathon; 7. Using a new and improved spreadsheet to track our finances - even assigning specific credit cards for certain purchases; 8. Labeling all the toys in our playroom with pictures and words so that friends and Daddy will know where to put things; 9. Having dinner in the Dining Room each night and each of us taking turns telling about 'How God has touched our lives that day' - I write it in a book; 10. 'Family clean-up time' - this is supposed to happen right after dinner, our whole family cleans the kitchen and picks up the main level - also, we crank the kid tunes and end up dancing at the end. Is there any wonder that I am failing at all of them?

4. I am an 'all or nothing' type of person. So, do you see the list up there? I can only do one at a time and that means I am constantly rotating between them all - never really finishing any. Unfortunately, I end up discouraged and find myself paralyzed to do anything.

5. I overplan to compensate for my airheadedness. I am naturally very forgetful. In fact, I earned the nickname 'dilly' from my sister Sara when I still lived at home. I can take an amazingly long time to do anything if nothing is pressing me.

6. I hate the wind, dirt under my nails, hair in my face, cold feet, cooking in a messy kitchen, whiny children, mailing anything, sweeping the floor, watching TV programs, feeling tired .... I love kisses on my cheek from my children, shoulder/neck massages from my husband, very melty chocolate, Fritz's Frozen Custard, beautiful days in nature, fresh clean sheets when I have just shaved, shopping, reading stories with my children, listening to a rainstorm at night (unless it comes with a tordado warning), talking to anyone about interesting topics, creating a new recipe, feeling the Spirit, having something exciting to look forward to.

I think I am supposed to tag 6 people, but from reading everyone else's blog, most people have already been tagged. So, I will tag those that I am certain have not: My mom, My Aunt Diane, and my Aunt Christina/Uncle John. Have fun!

Halloween

Everyone thought Ella was wearing a wig - some people even wanted to touch her hair. She, of course, loved all the attention and began volenteering information about her hair to random people.


This is Grant's mean look.


They have been practicing this pose all year. I'm so glad we got it on camera. Sadly, Dallin did not make it for halloween pictures (he was sleeping). I did, however, take him trick-or-treating when he woke up. I did feel a tad bit guilty taking candy for his candy basket knowing that I would most likely be the one eating it. I suppose he will just get sweeter milk. :) (Or, maybe just gas from the chocolate).

Halloween Festivities

Paul's and Dallin's pumpkin, Grant's pumpkin and Ella's pumpkin. All pumkins were designed and clean by their owners (except Dallin's - Paul sort of confiscated his).


This is Paul's pumkin lit up. Scary!


Ella posing in a Fairy costume. I think the idea is to somehow, have a certain Aunt (hint, hint Jessi) make a poster of all the neices in this costume. She absolutely loved posing - though, I'm really not sure where she gets that from. :)

Paul was a tourist at our trunk or treat and Dallin was a monkey. Too bad we didn't have a big yellow hat. I was a basket of Laundry. No pics - sorry, the only one we took was simply awful.


Grant and Ella Absolutely LOVED dressing up like Sharkboy and Lavagirl (The movie is not recommeded by movie critics - especially me). A long time ago, Paul began telling Grant stories about how he was really Sharkboy and had all these special powers. Over time Ella became Lavagirl and their special powers have grown. Nearly every day, Grant and Ella run around the house pretending to be these characters (sometimes in the basement/playroom saving stuffed animals, or wrestling Daddy who always plays the villan, or even as small talk over lunch they ask me if I believe they are really Sharkboy and Lavagirl - to which I always answer 'no' because whenever Sharkboy and Lavagirl come to visit, Grant and Ella are always in the bathroom.) They can even make the sound effects: Sharkboy's fins (ching, ching) and Lavagirls lava (SHHH). How lucky were we that one of their good friends' very talented mom had made these costumes two years prior.

Pumkin Patch

I think this is the cleanest way to be buried. And ... he got a few kernels to take home as a souvenir :)


She even made the cowgirl noises, "Yee-haa, Yippee". Doesn't she look like a natural. Thanks Baba Debi.


They did have a bigger pony, but I think Grant felt more comfortable knowing that he and the pony were almost the same size :)

Originally we planned on buying our pumkins here, but after checking the price ($50 for a big one and $5 for a very small one), we decided to check around.

The Zoo

This is the beginning of our Day!


Grant and Ella did some exploring on the path. Funny how children show just as much interest in nature as they do the exhibits.



This is the end of our day - guess which one got a nap during the day?

Daniels Farm

We went to this fun little farm today. They had a petting zoo, mazes, slides, swings and other stuff we didn't get to see because it was drizzly. It was fund watching my kids explore. I forget what it was like discovering the world, but being a parent is great because I get to experience it all over again through my kids.

The writing's on the floor

Apparently this is what our living room looks like at the end of the day when Dallin requires extra TLC (no naps and all day in my arms - maybe a cold???) Look at all that fun! We spent the morning shopping for friend birthday presents, wrapped one, and started folding laundry. Then Grant and Ella doing their very best to entertain themselves hooked all of Dallin's toys on his playmat and made a fort with kitchen chairs and cushions. At about 6:30, I just stood dazed at how a room could go from clean to disaster in a matter of hours. I just had to take a picture.

Super Cute

Need I say more?

Dallin Updates

Here is the little man. He is very expressive and still very cute. Although, he has found that he can control his voice and has been experimenting with forced cries. I think they are so cute that I have a hard time feeling sorry for him. He also makes the cutest (and very loud) squeals. It's pretty adorable.

Snipe

After living on this Earth for 32 years, a fallacy was discovered. Snipes are not imaginary furry little creatures that live in the woods and can only be seen by older, more experienced campers. Not to mention caught with a pillowcase. They are actual animals. Birds to be exact. Sorry to burst everyone's bubble.

Family hike

Paul took some time off to bring sanity to our lives - we spent Thursday cleaning. Quote from Paul as he and Grant finished the job, "Let me tell you, this is what I wanted to do with my vacation, clean boogers off the wall" - said with a smirk (Grant had issues with using tissue for a time). Friday, we went for a 1 mile hike. The weather was perfect. It was a nice break.

Monkey

Ella loves to climb everything (swing-set poles, dressers, basket-ball hoop poles, hammocks, banisters, play-gyms). She has no fear!

Kate's Birthday

The Best things in life are free, or close to free. When Grant and Ella found out it was my birthday, they scavanged the house for my present. Then they wrapped the items by themselves and Grant even colored the paper (after it was wrapped). So, you are all dying to find out what I got, I will leave you in suspense no longer. Grant gave me 3 whole pennies. After I made a big deal out of how nice the present was, he informed me that he didn't even want the pennies because, "I already have 3 dollars". Honesty - is it always the best policy? Ella gave me her pretend make-up and blow-dryer. Do you think she was hinting at something?

Dallin Smiling

This boy loves to smile ... loves to suck on skin (face, shoulder, belly, arm) .... and looks for any reason to laugh. We call him 'medicine'. One smile and all our frustrations fade away. Feel free to print this one out - free of charge - we don't mind sharing Dallin's medicine.

Princess Ella

Ella has been blessed with an enormous array of dress-up (or should I more appropriately say 'dress-over') clothes and accessories. She truly believes that she is a princess (also, Lava-girl and sometimes a puppy, kitty, horsie). She tells us stories everyday about her 'pretend' preschool. Grant is the teacher and everyone in our family gets to attend. For some time I thought that she actually believed she was going to preschool, but today she reassured me that it's, "just a pretend preschool, mommy". Just one more thing about my princess, she is always quoting Disney movies and want's me to play along. If I say it wrong she always corrects me. Her favorites are:

Ella says, "Are we there yet?" (from Incredibles)

my response, "We get there, when we get there."

(This one is repeated 10-15 times as we drive anywhere)

Ella says, "Buried Treasure, Mamma" (from Peter Pan)

my repsonse, "Thanks Ella, this is the last buried treasure of the night - go to bed"

(This one happens just before going to bed - every night, usually 2-3 times)

Ella says, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" (from Heffalump)

my response, "Cloud racing" (then we sometimes jump up in the air)

And More!

More!