We have to make a two-night production of this for the sake of time and working around Reas' schedule. Last night we scooped and drew faces. Tonight we'll carve. We've decided to let Maggie and Ty carve their own jack-o-lanterns this year. I'm a little scared.

We started our adventure at the Pumpkin Patch (aka Food 4 Less). No pics - didn't think they'd turn out all that special with shelves of paper towels, toilet paper, and nasty store bakery cupcakes as a background. The highlight was definitely when Claire spotted the "baby pumpkins". It was love at first sight. She caressed, nuzzled, talked to her "coot" pumpkin all the way home. The first thing she said when she picked it up - "It's so coot. Can I give it a kiss?"

The love hasn't stopped.

Reas masterfully carved the tops off (thought we'd better at least do that part). Yes, that's a pumpkin sticker on his head and I'm pretty sure he put it there himself. Ty was no help at all since he couldn't seem to get over the awesome geometrics of the starburst shaped lids.

Maggie was a super scooper as long as she could keep her hands slime-free. Amazingly enough, she managed.

We'll see how tonight goes. I'll call it a success if all fingers are still in place.

Let me tell you about our Ty. This kid is ALWAYS obsessed with one thing or another. And when I say obsessed, I mean OBSESSED. If he's not sleeping or sitting on the toilet he's wholeheartedly engaged. Usually, and unfortunately he absorbs himself into some activity that is not slightly productive in the least, and I do try to set some limits. Some such obsessions have been PBSKids.com, War and Slap Jack (the day we left for CA Maggie happily announced, "At least now we won't have to play cards with Ty!), Connect Four, Chutes and Ladders, cutting paper into microscopic pieces, etc. etc. Occasionally, he'll take a liking to things that are at least a little bit mentally stimulating. Such as putting together puzzles over and over and over, announcing the time while walking past any and EVERY clock, memorizing his math doubles and writing them down ALL DAY LONG. His list of obsessions goes on.

Currently our crazy 4 year-old has discovered a new found interest. One that is rather impressive, I think, although I admit I'm slightly biased. He has set himself to the task of exploring all angles and points of doctrine of the Resurrection. Here are some of the questions he's asked me in the last 2 days.

If EVERYONE and EVERYTHING will be resurrected will people and dinosaurs be together?
Why did Jesus have to DIE for us to be resurrected?
If I die while I'm still a kid, will I be a kid or a grown-up when I'm resurrected?


I'm beginning to think our FHE lessons have probably been boring the poor kid to death...silly lessons like sharing and service and other such simple ideas.


Move on over Laura. We may have a new Gosple Doctrine teacher in the making.

Whew! It's a good thing I didn't know exactly what I was gettting into when we were deciding if it was time to have another baby. I have nothing to compare the last 7 weeks of my life to. The kids and I recently returned from a 4 week stay at Grandma and Papa's in CA. And I wish I could say it was for vacationing purposes. No - it was really a matter of survival. For 4 weeks I went back and forth between my parent's house and my sister's while they took care of me and the kids day after day after day...after day. THANK YOU everyone! Thanks Dad for giving up the long couch for me to sleep on all day for a month. Thanks Mom for never complaining, even when the kids claimed to be starving 15 minutes after lunch was cleaned up. Thanks Shelly for making my 10:00 omelet everday and letting my kids run wild through your house. And just as importantly, thanks to all of you great friend's here in Vegas who called me and checked in on Reas and invited him over for dinner - you saved a lonely bachelor from going crazy. We are all SO happy to be back together again!

Thank you for all the nice comments you all left for me on my last post. Occassionally I would have my mom or Reas check, and all the well wishes made my day. I have the greatest friends!

And now it's back to real life for me - the simple pleasures of motherhood are all mine again, like broken washing machines, clogged toilets, knotted shoelaces, and missing blankies. How soon I forgot about these little joys.


Last Tuesday was my first doctor's appointment at 13 weeks and 1 day along. It was a monumental day being the first time I wore makeup, drove a car, or stepped foot in a public place in 7 weeks! Talk about getting back to reality! When Maggie got home from school she asked, "Are you wearing makeup? Your eyelashes look so long!" I think my family had forgotten what a functioning mommy looks like.


Oh, and to answer many questions about what exactly was wrong with my crazy body that doesn't know how to have a normal pregnancy. It can all be attributed to a combination of low blood pressure and hypoglycemia, which in normal life translates to dizziness, blacking out, severe fatigue, monstrous headaches, and the need to eat so frequently that I began to hate food. Fun.

I'm looking forward to an uneventful and healthy rest of my pregnancy. Right now I want to focus my attention on the more serious stuff, like holiday decorating, yummy baked treats, and falling temperatures. This is my absolute favorite time of year and being healthy again is a great added bonus. Happy Fall!