Hanging out at home...

It's been nice to take a break this week from running errands. Oh I still have my mandatory school pickups and the trips to the grocery store...but beyond that...I'm taking a break! I've got most of my Christmas shopping done, and I can recognize a break when I see one! Since there's nothing URGENT calling my name...I'm staying in this week. Since I'm staying in...that means Madison and Seattle get some bonding time...outside of the car, stroller, and grocery cart!

She looks...how I feel sometimes! We just need to add 2 more babies to her patch!

Do you notice the "dirty" face theme? It's from all the darn Halloween candy that she keeps finding! I'm getting rid of it by the handful, and yet it still appears all over her face!

Our table is really high...so I had to move her from this pose...but I love how she goes, goes, goes...until she just crashes!

She was trying out Brooklyn's Easy Bake Set! I missed the shot where she was trying to put it on Seattle! That was a mess! Seattle almost lost an eye, so mom had to step in and save the day!

Here's with the hat off...and sister...away!!

Election Day!

It's official...we voted! Phil, Madison, Seattle, and I all went to our designated polling place at the school this morning at 10:30am! We were a little worried we would run into a crowd, but were pleasantly surprised to find the line was really short! We even bypassed the short line outside, because our last name was "M-Z", apparently the majority was between "A-L"! They even let me roll my stroller inside and park it next to my little voting booth! We went together so that one could watch the kids while the other voted, but when they were so accommodating...we both just went in and voted!

I'm so happy to live in such a great country! Even though some of the things I want to pass...might not, and the president I would like...probably won't be elected...I'm still glad that I have the right to vote!

While I was out...

My room is always the last room in the house not only to be cleaned...but to be decorated! Every room in the house...even the laundry room...has had some shade of paint splashed on it. Phil and I have been wanting to do something with our room...just not sure what. Ever been there before?

Well...here's our solution!

I had picked out the comforter and paint colors earlier in the day, but put the project on hold for a "girls night out" at the movies. My mom was excited to be invited...but to be honest...was more excited to start painting! (NO one can whip out a painted room as fast as my mom!)

(The lampshades are going...but we need light until we can find ones to match!)

So...while I was out at the movies...my mom finished this! Isn't it great? I've got the greatest mom and husband in the world! They did the whole thing! Maybe I should go out...a little more often! I absolutely love being in my room now! It's crazy how excited the smell of new paint gets me! I think it reminds me of "new" when I walk in...either that or I'm getting high off the paint fumes? Either way...I love it!

We still need to pick out some new curtains and rods...and those lampshades will be swapped out...but the hard part's done!

Thanks a bunch you two!!!

Halloween Fun!

It finally arrived! It was such a busy week, the kids even got to wear their costumes to school this year! It was great to have my mom in town too, because I got to go hang out in Brooklyn's classroom while they did pumpkin experiments! They got to "hypothesize" about how much their pumpkins weighed, how many seeds they contained, and if they would float or not! It was fun to see what their original guesses were! Brooklyn's pumpkin weighed 8lbs and had over 1200 seeds! Oh yeah...and they all floated...in case anyone was confused about that one!

School ended...the kids had enough cake and cookies to burn through about 50 neighborhoods, and were all sent home to finish their buzz! After seeing what her 3rd grade teacher goes through everyday...with 29 kids...wow! It totally made my 5 look like angels!
Trick or Treating Fun! My mom, me, and the older 4 kids all went out first, just around the block, to get some candy...we ended up being with a group of kids that had a "black spider man" costume. I think it's the bad guy from the last one...well Madison would not go trick or treating with him! So we had to wait until all the kids had run off to the next house before she'd go up! She would just keep yelling, "I no likee pider man, scare me!" It was funny at first...but then as we had to hang back...it just got annoying. I have the most pictures of her...because I was the one with the camera...and we were way behind everyone else!
Sorry, Seattle didn't score any candy this year. We stand out by the curb. I'm not a parent that can wheel my baby around trick or treating, and pretend the candy's for them! (I just can't do it!) More power to those of you who do have enough guts to do this though! I'm sure you could score a lot of candy...who would turn you down? In fact, as long as your baby's in a costume... you can come to my house and not be judged! I really do like seeing their cute costumes, and the trouble you go through to dress them up, deserves an extra handful of candy!


A group of teenage girls drove by in the back of a truck and yelled out that she was soo cute and pretty. Madison immediately got a huge smile and said, "I pretty mommy!" I have to admit...it was freaking cute!
Madison thought the saying was "pick a treat"...it's actually easy to see how she got confused.
When we got back, Phil took the older 3 out a bit further to score some more candy, while we went home and raided Madison's candy! She really dug the suckers! We had so many "trick or treaters" this year, we totally ran out of candy by 8! That's never happened before. We even buy way more than needed every year so we can eat it afterwards! I guess we'll have to eat the kids' candy this year!

There are 5 suckers here!
This is as they came back...what a sight! It brings back memories of when we were young! My dad would always be sporting one of us kids on his shoulders! (I was always embarrassed!)

Corn Maze fun at the "Fear Farm"

The last couple of years we've been making it a tradition to take the kids to the "Fear Farm" corn maze. It always looks so crazy and wild, being a "teenage" hangout with really loud music (sponsored by KUPD)...but our kids love navigating their way through the acres of corn in the dark! This year, my mom was in town and my sister Shavonne is having some difficulties with her pregnancy, so we also got my little niece, Haven, for the night!

We looked so flipping sweet! We had 2 strollers, 6 kids, and 3 adults all by-passing the sweet little pumpkin patch next door, for the wild, smokey, and loud "FEAR FARM"! My mom was a little nervous, but the kids reassured her it would be so much fun!

While we were listening to our "instructions" to go through the maze, we found out that there was a wedding reception going on in a part of the corn...that was not part of the "maze", and we were to make sure we were staying on the correct paths...that were wide, with packed dirt. Yeah, yeah...we were just interested to know...who wanted to have their reception in the corn???

Anyway, so we were off to a solid start...sure that we knew exactly where we were...until we realized...that we had no idea where we even started! Last year we didn't pay attention to the map at all and some how completed the whole maze by accident in a record 30 minutes! (I'm sure we didn't actually do the maze as it was intended) This year was so different! After about 10 minutes we decided we were completely lost and started following "shortcut" paths that had been forged by some previously lost and frustrated individuals! It was so funny! We had all these kids and 2 strollers coming out of nowhere into the middle of clearings...scaring the crap out of people! We must have looked like such a sight! All my mom and me kept thinking about was the fact that one of these times we were going to come out right in the middle of the wedding reception...and our original maze guide would be there to reprimand us for not staying on the wide, packed dirt paths! So we sent Phil with Seattle in the stroller first! Plus he helped forge some extra room for Haven's stroller, behind him, when the paths became too narrow! If there could have been a hidden camera on us...I could only imagine!

We finally found our way out shortly after Brooklyn announced she had to go to the bathroom! That was incentive enough for Phil to grab his bearings and lead us out of the flipping maze!!!

When we came out we had an audience of scared teenage girls that wondered if the maze was scary. After they saw all the kids smiling and saying it was fun...I think they became convinced...the only scary things in there...just left!

In the end...all still smiling!

It was a lot of fun...and I recommend it to anyone brave enough to walk through the "wild" crowds!

It was really dusty...so we lost some really good footage outside of the maze!

Just another Saturday...

The day after the party...time to sleep in...time to relax and enjoy not having anything to do...yeah right! As Phil put it..."Why the crap did we have 5 kids???" Just kidding...we love the craziness!
Someone thought of the awesome idea to have the Primary Program Practice at 9:30 am on Saturday morning! Yeah...for the parents that don't happen to be primary teachers...not so bad...stay in your P.J.'s and do a church drop off! Unfortunately, Phil and I weren't that lucky. We are the CTR 7A teachers and were required to show up bright and early (9:30 is early when you have to get yourselves and 5 kids ready and across town!) Naturally, Phil and I were fashionably late...as usual. (We tried!) It was supposed to end around 11:20, but Paris had a soccer game starting at 11. (Thanks to Maylene who picked up the girls a little early from practice to get them there on time!) We ditched out a little early so that "Nana" could see her in action on the soccer field. It was a sweet game...and as usual...I have no idea what the score was!

Aren't they a tough looking bunch?
The sidelines...was anyone paying attention to the game?

Paris and Sydney...working out their next game plan! Seattle just being adorable in her car seat! She was so good!

Paris apparently having a great time!

After the game, we decided to cash in on some Texas Roadhouse for lunch! It was YUMMY!

Once our stomachs were at maximum capacity...we went home for a little mid day "siesta" (nap?). I actually got about 30 minutes on the couch, I think! Which just made me feel worse than before. (Why do little naps do that to you?) It's total crap. Anyway, we had just enough time to get the kids into their costumes and head back to the church for "Trunk or Treat!" The kids had a blast and we got to see some familiar faces from the Tolleson ward! The Fallstroms told us that they are going to be debuting some sweet costumes at their "trunk or treat" next week! Hopefully we'll be able to make it! If not...I'm sure Hilary will blog them! Right?

Our little Tinkerbell got to ride her first horse! She had so much fun, thanks Mark for riding with her!

Seattle and her superhero boyfriend Ryan! They have no idea they're going to get married someday!

Madison way excited...(shown with a chocolate mustache) about all the free candy!

Paris and her friends involved in a group hug!

Brooklyn, our little Dorothy, and Paris trying out a couple of games!

Boston attempting to knock down some ghosts from like a foot away!

Phil enjoying my new VZ Navigator on my phone. He was also setting up my Mobile email account! Thanks babe!

We always seem to have a lot of "classic" moments with our kids doing random things...and tonight was no different! I just got done making fun of my sister who was going to a "pig pickin'" as her ward activity, in South Carolina. I was laughing and saying that it sounded so "WT"! Well...30 seconds after that phone call ended and we pulled up to the church for the "Trunk Or Treat" Boston announces that he has no shoes! He was Darth Vader and it has those things that go over your shoes...you know to make it look like you're wearing boots! Well he just assumed you didn't need any shoes! Luckily...I don't think anyone noticed because his feet were completely covered from the top! When we got home...this is the disgusting sight we found!!! (Did I mention the Trunk or Treats are in the Parking Lot?)

Isn't being 7 great? You gotta love him! Guess we're the "WT" ones!!! Oh well. At least it wasn't during the day...so he could still enjoy his night. I don't think he missed a step! He was even sword fighting some Jedi in the rocks with his plastic light saber at one point during dinner! Oh to be young again. Wonder where he gets the tough feet from? It definitely is not from me!

The 80's have arrived!

This year's Halloween Party finally arrived, and not without some serious citations from the fashion police! Everyone looked so incredibly sweet! We all looked like we came from an 80's nightmare! (Which was such a good thing!!) I've been looking forward to this thing for months! I think I actually chose the date for it in July!! Sorry again, to those of you who've heard about it since then too!

We decided on an 80's Murder Mystery Theme to try something different...and weren't sure how it would turn out, since the script was laid out a bit differently...but with the group we had...I don't think anything could have gone wrong! You guys were all AWESOME!!! Thank you for making this year a total hit!!! I loved everyone's costumes and the time you all took to "get into character"! Also a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you for your sweet gift! I would like to say that we will be taking advantage of the Texas Roadhouse gift certificate very soon...and as for the See's...consider it gone! You guys are the best!!!!!!! I'm just glad you all could make it!!!

*Sandy-I would like to also give you a special thanks, again, for the HUGE help you gave me yesterday with running some last minute errands! I couldn't ask for a better friend! Seriously...I so owe you!!!!! Just let me know when you want me to "PAY UP"!

We love the Murder Mysteries...but they do limit the amount of people that we can invite! This year there were 9 couples including us...and that was huge!

Okay, okay, already...now for the pictures...

Sandy and Spencer as "Jane Fondamy" and "Rev. Jerry Flawless" aka the murder victim!

Deborah and Jeff as "Kelly Incapowski" and "Zack Morrisey"

Cynthia and Mike as "Melinda Vaness and J.R. Duwing"

Bettijo and Heath as "Rosanna Danner" and "Will Catchu"!

Amy and Rob O'Neill as "Allegra Summers" aka the murderer and "Ferris Buellner"

Kim and Kurt as "Ladonna" and "Willy Idol"

Maylene and Mark as "Vanity Shuetz" and "George McFly"

Laurie and Justin as "Molly Holiday" and "Max Gibson"

At the dinner table...Sandy was scoring some sweet "couple" photos...which she has to share! We had all the couples facing each other...so she decided to get everyone to pose with their "neighbor"!

Sorry if some of you were caught off guard...but I love the shot of Mike holding the "Martinelli bottle!" You look like a "cider-holic!" getting ready to toast something! :)

On the menu...Chicken Cour don bleu...or at least my attempt at it with some rice and broccoli.

And for dessert nothing else but Costco Cheesecake! We got two different kinds, Pumpkin (shown), and regular! Can't have a party with out some serious "sweets"!

It was so much fun...and almost everyone brought their own camera so I know there are some more photos floating around out there! Don't forget to send me some! Can't wait to check them out!

A huge thanks again to all of you for playing along!! It was an awesome night!

So who's throwing the next party??????