Pumpkin Patch

We have had Lyssa up here for the last couple weeks and it has been a lot of fun. Siennah just loves her aunt "Syssa". It's so cute how much fun they have together. Last weekend we went on a hay ride to the pumpkin patch. Siennah picked out her own little pumpkin or ball as she calls them! It is so fun now that she is walking. We dressed her up as a cow girl for our ward's trunk or treat but we didn't get any good pictures. Don't worry, I will dress her up again and take some! I hope you are all enjoying the fall as much as I am. It's my favorite season!

Hal-LOWE-en Challenge

Family,
It's time I presented another challenge. This time your assignment is to report about your Halloween or, if something more exciting is going on, blog about that.
On your mark, get set, go!

Deer Hunt

The 2008 season started on October 18th. Brendon left to Manti on Thursday after work to get setteled in and ready for the hunt. Friday morning he was up and at 'em to go check out some potential spots. The next morning was opening day. By the afternoon I had already recieved a text saying "I got one," shortly followed by another text of "Nevermind." I made sure he was going to all the hot spots to make sure he got one. Then on Sunday morning around 10:30 I recieved yet another text of "I got one." This was shortly followed by this picture.

The weekend was a success and all involved were just tickeled with Brendon's success. He was then very eager to get home to his family that sadly had to stay behind. (work....blah) The hunt continues through this weekend and even though he already got one... we are still going up to the property for one last camping trip.

In other news, Michael is doing great! He is growing out of his clothes so fast. At his 4 month check-up he weighed 18 1/2 pounds and was 27 inches long, way off the charts. Today I bought him so new sleepers, size 12 months and they fit great! Our little man has started eating cereal, and I just can't believe how fast he is growing!

We hope all is well with everyone, and lets get some more posts up!

A Week at the Beach

We just spent a wonderful week at the Emerald Isle, NC beach. We couldn't have asked for better weather. It was raining when we got there but the next afternoon everything cleared up and we had temperatures in the 80s until it was almost time to come home.

Our beach house was beautiful. Decorated in bright colors and fun decorations. We ate some good seafood at a nice restaurant and visited some local sites. Chris and Dad went deep sea fishing and Dad was able to curb his usual sea sickness by taking some Dramamine. Mostly we just relaxed and read books, played in the water (yes, the water was warm enough to swim in), and played games.

We visited the aquarium and the maritime museum in Beaufort (the third oldest city in NC). There was a special exhibit on pirates. Blackbeard and other pirates used to sail along the NC coast. There were some interesting facts on pirates, like compensation amounts for loss of limb or eye. They really did call their money "pieces of eight".

My favorite quote from Kennedy was when I got back from having my nails done. She was so excited to see my nails painted and she said, "Ohhh Mommy! You look fresh out of the box!"

Anyway, we enjoyed ourselves and my kids were wonderful. It was such a relaxing vacation. Anyone interested in coming with us next year?

The Golden Ratio

So, Rachel and I decided long ago that during my freshman year, she and I would take a class together, because there may never be another chance for us to do so. And so it was that both of us enrolled in a History of Creativity class to fulfill a civilizations credit, and a brother/sister credit. We take the class on mondays, and its a two and a half hour monster. Anyway, for the midterm, there was a "do-at-home" creativity assignment to make a work of art using the Greek golden ratio (1.618...), and write a short paper explaining how it uses the golden ratio and to examine whether or not this stipulation inhibited or promoted creativity. At first, Rachel and I kind of misunderstood the assignment to mean make a painting that uses the golden ratio. So, the sibling pair dutifully headed to Wal-Mart to purchase the necessary supplies (kid paint, brushes, and some card stock paper) needed to match our artistic prowess against the Greeks. When we got back to Rachel's apartment, we reread the assignment, and sharply realized that it was not required of us to make a painting. Such joy radiated across our faces upon this realization, for neither of us quite captures the Greek standard of beauty in our bright kid paint portraits. Not wanting to waste a voyage to Wal-Mart or perfectly good painting supplies, we spent the remainder of the evening brushing up on our kid painting abilities. It reminded me just how little I've improved since kindergarten. Oh, and our assignment? You can see just how they turned out (can you guess who they belong to?).

Book Tour

I spent Monday doing a book tour of sorts. I started out at my old alma mater, Belknap Elementary, and read my book to the first through fourth grades. It was great fun, watching the kids' faces as I read the book then taking their interesting questions afterward: "Is that the original book you have in your hand?" "How old are you?" "What's your favorite color?"
After that it was off to the Beaver Drug. They had actually sold out of books already so I just had to sit there and hope people would bring them back in to be signed. A few people did and it was nice to visit with friends I hadn't seen for a while.
Next, Dad drove me and Mom over to Parowan where the drug store there had set up a signing. They sold out of books, too, before the end of the slotted time period. Quite amazing to me, since I'm not related to half the town like I am in Beaver. I met some very nice people and had a thoroughly enjoyable time.
I've heard from other writers that book signings are a thing to be dreaded. The fact that I enjoyed those two so much was a testament to small town warmth and kindness. It made me grateful for my roots in a place where people are so willing to support one of their own. Even the fact that I came from the next town over was enough for some people.
One of my favorite picture books ends with the line, "sometimes you have to go far to find out what is near." I have traveled far and it's helped me appreciate what I had to begin with.

Mary Kay

A few weeks ago I was feeling kind of frumpy so I called my Mary Kay lady and invited her over to try out some new make up. After spending a considerable amount of money she invited me to attend a "fashion show" with her. I was thinking runways and bright lights, fashion designers and flashing cameras. Little did I know this was a Mary Kay shindig. The fashion show consisted of five Mary Kay customers each modeling one outfit from a boutique that I would never shop in because the prices are too high. After the fashion show and lunch a very energetic and convincing guest speaker, also a Mary Kay sales person. By the end of her talk I was ready to sign up, so I did. I now sell Mary Kay. I even have my own website. I don't know how long this will last because do I really have time for this? I don't know.
I had no intention of starting a business right now but here I am and I really do love the stuff.