Friday, October 31, 2008

Halloween for real


The kids and I (Mike was at work) went to my mom's house for dinner and then a round of trick or treating old fashioned style. Cousins Abby and Grace came too. My dad said one of his neighbors was like "How many Grandkids do you have?" Only 9.

Trunk or treat


Patrick was a Jedi Knight. He had to put the light saber away after he accidentally hit another kid down. He still had a good time.

Jon danced the night away as Napoleon Dynamite and carried pumpKEN on his back. He was treated to extra candy because of Kenny. He liked that a lot.

Mary Jane wore Patrick's dragon suit from a few years ago- it was almost too hot to wear.

Surprise, Adam was Spiderman.

Kit Kat was a cowgirl. My dad teased her that she couldn't be from the country because she had on white boots and they were still white.

Megan decided last minute to carry the camera and be a photographer. She still received the lions share of candy.


Kids trapped in a parking lot- trick or treating from trunk to trunk- all over in less that an hour I call that good! I didn't go all out for costumes, I just said make your own out of what we have. We had some costumes from previous years but nothing new. I think the kids had more fun that way- and that's what I'll choose to think if they did not. The weather was amazing- Indian Summer 70 degrees. We usually have a big cold front with rain and snow.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Movies

Megan and I watched An Affair to Remember (1957- Grant and Kerr) and then watched Sleepless in Seattle. Oh, we cried in Affair when she could only say "Hello." And when Carey Grant comes to bring her the shawl from his mother and doesn't notice that she's a cripple on the couch until the last moment...sigh... And then to couple the movie with Sleepless- I didn't realize the music for An Affair was the background music (for a lot of the movie) for Sleepless. I've never been to New York let alone the Empire State Building but I have been to Seattle.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Pumpkin Carving Day





























We usually carve pumpkins on Kelly's birthday. Today was no different. Our pumpkins from our garden were still pretty fresh (we picked them at the end of September)and ready for print outs from the Internet. The kids made the dot to dots and I cut out Patricks and Marys. Megan did hers and Adams. Jon did not want to do one this year, but he and Grandma Malm printed out the patterns.

Cake (Not a wreck)


It's so great to be 8!







Kelly turns 8 today! She awoke to her traditional breakfast cereal- she chose the economy Marshmallow Mateys. She received scriptures, Barbies, a picture, tic tacs, pillow , Hannah Montana notebook, slippers, Teddy Bear, and a birthday badge! She will be baptized on Saturday, November 1 at noon. Happy Birthday!

Monday, October 27, 2008

Dinner at the park
















We picked up some Bambinos (4 five packs) three large fries and 2 large lemonades ($23.51) and headed for a picnic at the park. We played and ate until it was too cold to be outside.

I found it


Where the sidewalk ends. It's at a park. I should now write some poems.

Little Brother




Watching the big kids ride their bikes, trikes and scooters out the window.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Bread


He's all about the bread. When Mike and I were newly married Mike decided that we would make some homemade bread for Family Home Evening. We went to the store and bought tons of stuff like pans and flour and such. At the store I told him that we should get a bread machine. He didn't think that was such a good idea. Well, about three am that hard as a rock loaf came out of the oven and we ate it.
Fast forward- Mike now makes all the whole wheat bread in our Bosch. He has perfected the technique. He respects the bread and I respect him.

Outside











The kids went outside for a while. Mary had her coat, mittens, hat, scarf, pants, long sleeved shirt and her sandals on. Fun, fun, fun.

Family Home Evening




























Kenny slept through FHE tonight. He is still sick. He missed doing the lesson- so Mike gave it for him. Adam made up the game- jump over toilet paper rolls. After jumping one roll we added another roll and another...

The kindergarten coat






I told Adam that Jonathan had worn this coat when he was in Kindergarten. Jon said, "It still fits." Patrick said, "It still fits" Adam said "It's mine." Kenny said, "What is Kindergarten?"

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Kelly doesn't feel well


Since yesterday- Adam, Kenny, Mary and Kelly have thrown up. Kelly is emptying her pan. It would be fall break for this out break of crud. Get some sleep sweeties!

Why buy chairs?


Get boxes from Costco!

Mary shortcake




Mary came down dressed like and singing Straw Straw-berry, Strawberry shortcake!

Kelly is a good citizen






Kelly got a good citizen award at the school on Friday. She is our law and order child. At school she makes sure everyone is following the rules. Last year a boy took another girl's lunch and was holding it over his head. She marched up to him and grabbed the lunch and told him that he would never do that again. Go Kelly Kathleen!

Oh Kenny!






















Thursday, October 23, 2008

Been Tagged (by Kara) Just when you thought it was safe to look at this blog!


Six Random things about me:


1. I love the color pink. When growing up I always wanted a pink car. When I turned 16 my uncles offered to paint my car in my grandma's garage. I was so excited to drive my pink car to school I got there too early and nobody really saw it. I do remember sitting in my first hour class one day and the class members were arguing over how ugly the car was (they didn't know it was mine and I didn't pipe into say it was.) My mom even painted the license plate holder and hub caps pink!
2. I never wore pants until I was maybe in 6th grade. I told kids at my bus stop I couldn't feel the cold. I don't know why I didn't, but my mom never made me.
3. I lived 50 miles from Mount Saint Helens when she blew up May 18, 1980. I was ten at the time. We were not allowed to go outside for months. Those who did, had to wear an ash mask. I remember how dark it was for days because of all the volcanic ash. Even today, I have a gallon sized zip lock with volcanic ash for that show and tell moment.
4. When I was 13 years old my family moved into a brand new house. I met Andrea Clark on the bus soon after- we laughed all the way home. She is the sister I never had. She would come up with these great ideas like follow boys around so they would notice us, give them notes wrapped in 7 layers of foil, or generally find stuff to do to cure boredom. Many summers we would ride the train and go to her Grandparents houses in McCook, Nebraska. I can remember laughing my teenager years with her. I wish she would move next door to my house and we would laugh all the time again. (This time let's not get chased by a bull or have a fake bike wreck or have stranger danger ...)
5. I met my husband Mike when I was 19 he 20 at the Baskin and Robbins in Parker. I did not go up to him and say, "Hey, we're going to get married in the Denver Temple 20 days after your mission and have 7 children. Oh and your brother is going to baptize me in 3 years." I think I just said, "Hi. Is that a chocolate malt you are drinking?" (Clever, witty... he must have fell for me then...)
6. I am an insatiable reader. I have read 4 books since Monday. If I didn't have to cook or do other stuff I would be reading. I love to read. I just finished a book called "Life as we knew it" by Susan Beth Pfeffer. If you weren't thinking about food storage, this book makes you not want to watch your children die of hunger.
Okay, that's enough randomness about me- Melinda, Sarah? What about your randomness?

The feast.





































I was putting some butter in the basement freezer the other day. I saw a turkey that I bought last November. I had hopes to cook it over the year even in the summer in my roaster- but the turkey was too big for the roaster at 22 pounds. So, I pulled it out and last night we had turkey and some of the trimmings-cranberries, stuffing, mash potatoes. Patrick is allergic to poultry- so ham, for him. Kenny was afraid of jello a couple of weeks ago- but he tried it during dinner and mash potatoes (he got a bath later.)
It was a lot of work for a weeknight dinner- hooray for leftovers. I had no problem using paper plates though. I think we'll have salmon for Thanksgiving this year (maybe on paper plates!).