October 27 2007 - THE COUNTDOWN IS ON...

Countdown for what? Well, if you asked our children, they'd tell you how many more sleeps until Halloween. However, it you asked me, I'd be guessing the date this baby arrives. I can feel the changes and know that our newest little one will be joining us pretty soon (just hoping that I don't go over due this time around!!!!). Halloween is exciting too though!. We've had some fun making little crafts and decorating a little. Usually I hang bats from our ceilings but in this new house, I'd need to use a step ladder to reach my ceilings and so I scrapped that idea this year. I'm a little wobbly as it is when I walk, so we can't complicate things more with ladders. We had a ward Halloween party this past week. I was so excited that this year I had bug costumes, and found it fitting that my girls would all be cute little bugs for Halloween. Brooklyn especially is fascinated with bugs. She even loves spiders...likes to follow them around, make them change direction and of course when she's done, step on them. So I found a darling little spider costume for her but 20 min. before leaving for the party, she had a fit and wouldn't wear the costume. Not sure what her problem was but she was not putting it on. I'm still hoping she'll change her mind for Halloween cause it will be the perfect thing over top a winter coat to keep her warm. Anyway, luckily my sister Tanis had a Frog costume (which has a button you push and says "ribbit....") so I knew that if all else failed...she'd put that one on. Luckily the party was so loud no one got annoyed of it being played over and over and over again. So much for my idea! Who said 2 year olds could even have opinions anyway? She has got a mind of her own and it's probably fitting that she was a froggy....seeing as how she's often picking on her older sisters (don't froggy's eat bugs?). Anyway, Kendall dressed in an orange jumpsuit, escaped from a prison, and the only thing I could fit into was like a moo moo (how do you spell it?) so I went as an old lady (which maybe wasn't the smartest thing to dress as cause old lady's really don't look like that and besides, our ward is made up of 60-70% elderly). Note to self: don't worry about dressing up next year!!!! (Here's what I would have done if I had been more on the ball. A friend of mine gave me this idea the day of the party so I had run out of time to hunt for supplies but for any moms out there wanting a costume....she said get an old white sheet and cut it into strips (here's where a thrift store comes in handy) and wrap pieces of this sheet around you, kinda all over but it doesn't have to be perfect. Then you could write it on with black pen or just tell people that you are a "mummy". Cute I thought!!!!

The party had a Spook Alley/Carnival with some pretty fun games and prizes to win. So I'd be willing to call it good for the year, but this party has only got them more excited for the REAL thing this week. My dad was the same way, each time Halloween rolled around I'd cringe at the thought of all the candy he'd bring (however, I seemed to snack on it more than the kids cause I had it up high...only within MY reach!!!). Just last year, he showed up at our house with boxes and boxes of candy/chips and Ava and Mya helped him make piles for each grandchild (even the babies who couldn't even eat candy). Pretty fun time for kids! (and Dentists!!!) Not much else is new with us. I must be nearing the end cause yesterday I cleaned my entire house. I just pushed through the discomfort of doing it and tada...clean house today (for a few hours anyway). I miss our old home....I could clean that baby in 2 hours top to bottom no problem. It took me all day to plug away at it but it feels good to know that my house is clean. It was PD day yesterday so I had my kids help me of course. They've become good little helpers (especially when it comes to bending down for me). And for their awesome help, we had a fun movie party last night with our neighborhood friends. There were 10 kids here and we watched that new movie "Meet the Robinsons". Cute show. It was a ton of fun!