So true!

I saw this on pinterest the other day. When I opened my church bag late last night to get things ready for today and saw my scriptures STILL in there from last Sunday I thought immediately of this quote! I got the prayer part down it- is just this past 2 weeks of craziness that our scriputre reading has been shall we say sparse and last week non existent! SO not acceptable!!! 

So you know the first thing we did tonight after eating dinner was read our scriptures!  

Ahhh now that's better! 

Pumpkin' carving

It's that time of year when The Nightmare Before Christmas is playing on the tv in the back ground... this is halloween, this is halloween...

 and there are pumpkin guts spread all over the table

Once again the kids and Paul did an awesome job!

Paul's- Jack Skellington, Alyssa's- Lola and Xander's- Deadmau5

Costume Party

Every year our friend have an adult costume party and every year I am unenthused about dressing up! This year Alyssa came up with my costume-

Can ya tell who I am? The person who ALWAYS has his phone glued to his ear or is texting away...

Most always has converse on and some sort of siriusXM shirt (since we have SO many)

Yup, you guessed it I'm Paul!

Paul decided to borrow Alyssa's costume from way back when she was 3

I'm lovin' the chubby cheeks! 

Our friends Debbie and Pete really did a great job-

their kids had a great time doing their makeup! 

Maybe next year I'll get more into the spirit... 

Ordination Day

On Sunday Xander had the opportunity to receive the priesthood from his Uncle David. It was a really special day filled with gratitude, love, family and tears. 

 My parent's best friends were out on vacation. It coincided perfectly. 

I asked Pat if he would be a part of the circle and stand in for my dad.

 I could feel my dad's presence very strongly there that day.

As I looked around in sacrament meeting I was overcome with gratitude for my family as well as

 my ward family. It takes a village and I certainly could never do it alone!
I am so glad that I don't have to! 

Birthday party movie bash

October 12, 2012

The kids had another day off of school (only 2 1/2 days of school total for the week) so I told them that Friday would be the perfect day to have a little birthday party. They could each invite 5 friends to join them for ice cream cake and then venturing off to the movies to see Hotel Transylvania. 

 I threw out the #2 last week so I had to use other numbers to add up to 12. All the kids got it. 

 The girls- Alyssa, Laney and Emma

 Lauren, Kayleigh and Kenzie

The boys- Ty, Shawn, Xander, Aidan, Paul, Collin, Jordie, Jake and Niko (siblings are always welcome that's why there are so many boys!)

Hotel Transylvania was a VERY CUTE MOVIE!!! I highly recommend it! 

Everyone- boys, girls and parents enjoyed it!

The silly boys 

and poor sleepy Paul. 

 He got up at 4:30 that morning to make it back from Virginia in time.

 The cute girls! 

And the two best moms and friends anyone could ever ask for! 

Jen and Kel are my "village people!" 

There is no way we could ever do all that we do with sports, 

birthday parties, exercising and LIFE and remain sane without each other! 

Pumpkin Picking

Columbus Day is the perfect day to go pumpkin picking! So we met up with a bunch of friends in Monson, MA and spent our afternoon collecting our bounty. 

 Xander and Niko on the hunt for a good one!

 Ewww! That's my girl pretending to eat a worm!

 Bonni and Nina

Paul, Niko, Xander, Jordan, Nick, Mia and Nina 

 Alannah

 Okay we're done. Can we go now?

 Such dainty DIRTY hands!

 Hey wait for us!

 Lauren and Lissy

 My most favorite backdrop is fall! The vibrant colors just come alive!

 Thankfully they had trees to keep the kids occupied while we waited in line for ice cream!

Jen, Niko and Paul

Yes, Xander I'm done taking pictures! 

A & A's 12th birthday

My neighbor inspired me to make pies for the kids birthday. It was her birthday yesterday and she said her family served her ice cream cake in bed. So I figured why not?! I wanted to make their day special since they were bummed that Paul is out of town ( a first on their birthday) and their ipod's that they are getting don't come out until the 20th of October.

SO pie it was! 

 This was my first attempt at cherry pie- Xander's favorite!

Buttermilk pie for Alyssa

 And a few presents.... you have to have presents on your birthday!

 Mmmmm! What a great way to start their day!

12 years ago my greatest desire came to fruition x2! I couldn't be more blessed!