Fall Fun!! (Photo catch up time!)

Crazy Hair Day!









HALLOWEEN!!












Sunday Drive















Parker turns 9!!!









Grandma Rose throws a jewelry party for the girls!






Kindergarten Nursery Rhyme Festival!




Annual UEA Trip!





















These are just a few of our fun Fall happenings! Also, I had TWO girls' weekends in November!! I am kicking myself for not taking pictures, but I have to at least write down that it DID happen!! I went with my sis-in-law, Megan, to visit my sis Leslie down in St. George. We went to "Time Out for Women" and had such a good time together. I LOVE YOU LES AND MEGAN!! Two weeks later I flew ALL BY MYSELF to spend a weekend in Tennessee with my girlfriends! It was SO MUCH FUN and so good to see my amazing friends that I have missed so much. Once again, I am so wishing I had pictures to share, but photos or not, I will never forget my fun girl time-- thanks, sweet friends and THANK-YOU, Jeremy!!

Our most exciting Fall happening deserves a post of it's own, so check back soon! (:

Stressed out?

Parker: "Dad, are you stressed?"

Me: "No, why?"

Parker: "You're going to get stressed! There's gum in the carpet."

Am I that predictable? I told him, "Parker, I don't get stressed anymore." I calmly got down on the floor and examined the situation. Gum quite ingrained in the carpet. "Someone go get me the scissors," I calmly intoned. As I coolly cut as little as possible of the carpet out, I explained to the gaggle of kids surrounding me, "Never do this. Only mom or dad can cut something out of the carpet." As I was going through this stress-free exercise, Jesi reaches down and grabs the gum beween her thumb and forefinger. Me, (slightly less calmly), "Jesi, no." By this time she had squeezed the gum, so when she complied with my directive, the gum, which had been in a nice, cuttable ball, stretched out into one of those thin strings. It broke off, leaving some residue on Jesi's finger, which she quickly proceeded to wipe off-on the carpet:) I grit my teeth, forced a smile and said, "See, I don't get stressed anymore!"

Happy Sunday:)

Jeremy

I Have the Greatest Kids in the World

I know everyone thinks that, but I really do:) (No offense, world!) Saturday is the one day a week the kids can watch TV without permission. They go downstairs and veg out while Christi and I sleep in. It's great. This morning about 10:00 am, Jesi knocks on our door and says, "Can I come in?" Then I hear Parker going "Shhh! You're waking them up!" I groggily hollered to Parker, "It's ok. We're awake." So then Parker pokes his head in and says, "Dad, would you like a fried egg sandwich?" Me: "Um, are you going to make one?" Parker: "If you want one." Me: "Sure! I love fried egg sandwiches." So my 9-year-old son brings me breakfast in bed. And this sandwich could have been served at a restaurant! What a thoughtful guy.

Earlier in the morning we had heard Jessica wandering around the house singing: "I am the queen. I am the princess. I am the queen...." After I got up, I asked her to go do something. She responded with "Yes, daddy," while going into a deep curtsey! What a cutie:)

PS.

As I tucked Jesi in to bed tonight she said her bedtime prayer. Included in her sweet requests to her Heavenly Father: "Please bless that I can have a good crush on Nate." What a sweetie:)

Jer

Six going on sixteen...

Dear Jesi,

Someday you will thank me for recording our conversation on the drive home from kindergarten today...

Me "How was your day, Jesi?"

You: "GREAT! There's this boy named Nate, and I have a crush on him!"

Me: "Oh, really?"

You: "Yes! I do!!!"

You: pause, followed by high pitched, drawn out sigh ending with a dreamy sounding, "Nate..."

Me: burst of laughter (:

You: "What, Mom?"

Me: "Nothing, nothing. (try to regain control) I'm glad you told me about your crush. What does Nate look like?"

You: "He has yellowish-ish, brownish-ish hair, just like me, and he's really nice."

Me: Oh good! Because it's important to be nice. By the way, what is a crush?"

You: "I don't know. Will you tell me, mom?"

Us: talk of butterflies and smiles and cute boys and happy feelings...


Sweet Jesi, I am so glad that you told me about your crush. It makes me so happy that you like to talk to me about such things. Please, please, PLEASE continue to do this as you get older. This means the first time a boy holds your hand, the first time he kisses your sweet lips, and the first time you know you are in love. Please include Daddy on the details too, because he's the kind of dad that will like to know these things, and it will make him so happy to share them with you. Don't ever be afraid to open up to us, because we are, and always will be, your biggest fans.

Love you!

--The girl who has a crush on your daddy!