Kyah's First Pony Ride

My Kyah loves Horses, everytime we pass a field with a few horses in it she yells "Look Horsies!"

On Saturday driving home from family pictures we passed Saltaire Farms, a local stable for riding lessons, they were having a Fall event - they had old cars a bake sale, various riding contests and pony rides.

As soon as we passed it we did a quick once around the block and headed in. 

For a small fee your child could ride a pony - Yes please!

Kyah was SO EXCITIED!!

Isn't she cute with her riding helmet?

Her she is ready for her ride on Pepper.

She was all grins the entire ride.  She instantly charmed the girls helping her,

she chatted with them the whole time.

She did great!  We're now discussing what she'd like to do more - riding lessons or dance classes.

Final Product

Leave it to me to post about our pumpkin carving night and not show you the finished product! 

It's not like I have anything else to do though - I'm a busy girl and occasionally details get missed.

Kyah picked out a ghost and Colby helped her carve it.

Jaxon picked dracula and I helped him.  Notice the fingers and face of dracula?  I totally got the short stick in ease of pumpkin carving, but the happy smiles make it all worth it.

Here is Rach and Andrew's masterpiece.

Lights, camera, action!

While prepping the others Colby had time to get his scary faced pumpkin in on the action.

Kyha and Jax as proud as can be of their scary pumpkins.

And last but not least here is my five minute pumpkin, nothing new or creative, but it really took less than five minutes, so for me - that's a Win!

Trunk or Treat

Our ward had our Truck-or-Treat super early this year and on a Tuesday night.

So, to say I was unprepared may be an understatement, but by luck and by the hairs of our chinny chin chins, the kids costumes from last year fit, I got the chili done in time and we had bought a bag of candy during grocery shopping on Saturday.

Kyah was delighted to be Tiana again - really anything princess makes this girl happy.

And Jax, he was less than thrilled to be Superman again.  Even though the fake muscles look cool, those huge pectorals poke him in the throat.  My favorite part of his costume?  The fact that he was two hero is one... he is totally wearing a Spiderman hoodie under his costume because he was freezing.

These pictures aren't great and aren't really anything to show, but I LOVE that Jax is holding Kyah's hand and leading her around.  Stuff like that just doesn't happen nearly often enough and I wanted to keep this memory of my kids being sweet to each other.  Jax is a great big brother and when Kyah was smaller he always took great care of her, but now that's she's four and has attitude they have a tendency to act like siblings more than friends.

But, this  - I LOVE!!

Pumpkin Carving

For FHE this week we carved pumpkins... not just any pumpkins but home grown - from our garden pumpkins.  The kids loved going out to the garden and picking their pumpkins and then getting to bring them in to carve.

Notice all the slime on Kyah's hands?  Being a little OCD (I can admit it) I usually clean out the pumpkins for the kids, not this year... this year I cut the tops off and gave them a bowl and a spoon.

Kyah was a little hesitant and first but five minutes later she had both hands in the bowl of
"guts" and was sqwishing it through her fingers and giggling.

Jaxon was uncomfortable with the idea from the word Go.  Poor kid he is definately his mother's child.  The photo above is his first attempt to start the cleaning process, as soon as the picture was taken he pulled his hand out and asked for a napkin.  Hahaha!  I love that kid!

I told him he'd be okay until he was finished and then we'd wash him off good.

Oh yum!!  Pumpkin guts for dessert!

I love to hear these kids giggle - it might be the best sound on earth - and pumpkin guts

definately had them giggling!

Our bestest partners in crime.

A Gift

One last warm day to play outside before it's freezing for the next 5-6 months.

It was so nice this past weekend!  80 in mid-October?  I'll take that any day.

So, while I was at Super Saturday teaching Pie Pops, Colby and the kids worked in the yard and then headed to the park for a picnic.

I was lucky to catch the tail end and snap some pictures of my cute little family playing in the sunshine.

I will miss this so much!

Short sleeves, sunshine and running on the playground.

They are getting so brave - willing to try things that used to scare them.

It's been a big year for bravery and trying new things at our house.

What a nice gift this weekend was.

Missing Teeth

Jaxon lost his first tooth in August and it was an ordeal getting it out... it was lose FOREVER and was just hanging there, but because he thought it would hurt he wouldn't let anyone touch it... I tried everything I could think of... bribery, having my Dad try and rip it out trying to get Colby to, but nothing - and to make matters worse I DON'T DO TEETH.

Like some people don't handle blood well and other throw-up... teeth make me nauseous - I really can't handle it... anytime he started wiggling his tooth I had to leave the room.  Ridiculous I know, but even thinking about it while writing this makes my stomach turn.

It finally got to the point of being just ridiculous that this tooth was still hanging around so one night while having a sleepover at his Dad's, Harley pinned him on the ground and tickled him with one hand and pulled his tooth out with the other.  Jax said it barely hurt and was too excited about the money to really care.

Fast forward to a week or two ago, again Jaxon has a lose tooth, but nothing like the previous one - no one is too terribly worried about it at this point so we just tell him to wiggle it every now and again and just don't even think about it.  That is until we're out to eat and we've all pretty much finished and all of a sudden mid-chew Jax raises his hand (Love school!) and then when he finishes swallowing he opens his mouth wide to show us he pulled his tooth out at school.

WHAT???

Then start all the questions?  Do you still have the tooth?  Did it bleed?  How did you do it? Etc.

He was so proud and so was I. 

Way to get over those fears and take matters into your own hands buddy.

So here he is missing his two bottom teeth. 

Big Kids

Do you ever have those moments when it's painfully obvious that time is FLYING by?

The biggest jumps I see are with my kids, I just can't believe how much they grow.

As we were getting ready to run out the door for church I decided to grab my camera and take a couple pictures of my kids.  I feel like someone has the time clock on fast forward.

They are growing up to be little people.  Independent, smart, funny little people.

What a joy and a blessing it is to be a mother.

It truely is a GIFT!

I love you - my little people.

Oh Remember, Remember...

"You are KNOWN and REMEMBERED by the most majestic, powerful, and glorious Being in the universe!

You are LOVED by the King of infinite space and everlasting time!

He who created and knows the stars knows you and your name—you are the daughters of His kingdom."

"Please never forget that you must be patient and compassionate with yourselves, that some sacrifices are better than others, that you need not wait for a golden ticket to be happy. Please never forget that the “why” of the gospel of Jesus Christ will inspire and uplift you. And never forget that your Heavenly Father knows, loves, and cherishes you."

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

I really am here

Sometimes I'm just too busy posting yummy recipes like these:

Or making a cake like this:

to do anything quite noteworthy... especially when you factor in sick kids. 

Tell me Mom's what do you do?  How do you keep your kids healthy?

When we came home from Park City Kyah had a raging case of strep and Jax had croup (again).

My kids take vitamins everymorning... I try to put them to bed at a decent hour... I encourage hand washing... I keep my house clean and even wash lightswitches and door knobs (not freak style, but I try),

But I can't keep them healthy.  In fact, I just discovered that the anti-biotic Kyah had to have to recover from the Strep has given her a yeast infection - seriously?!?!?

 

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated.