The kids had a great time "Trick or Treating". However we did miss "our Dad".. Hope you all had a great one.

Halloween

Reeslyn couldn't decide which was more fun, handing out the candy to the trick or treaters or getting candy when she was trick or treating. Mallory just handed out candy with me and yes this is the only picture I was able to get of her with her costume on because the wings and antenna came off soon after it was taken.

Congrats Russ!!!

Tuition - $40,000
Diet Soda to stay awake while studying - $1000
Fee to take the PANCE exam - $600
PASSING THE TEST - PRICELESS

An extremely cozy couch, a really busy Saturday and a piano lesson ...

Saturday was one of those days that you just don't like to have, overscheduled with half of us going one way and half the other. By 8:10am I already wanted to go back to bed (yeah it was that bad!) but it was off to vote for me and then straight to piano for Zack.

As I sat on the cozy couch in that wonderful place where you have so many things to do but there is nothing you can do about them at the moment so you let it all go, you know those moments, my eyes were drawn to what I can only describe as a Norman Rockwell moment. ...

An enormous grand piano with two little legs hanging underneath crossed at the ankle, swinging effortlessly and joyfully with a pair of big teacher legs beside while a beautiful Sonatina duet steals me away.

It was one of those moments you wish you could capture but when you try it just doesn't quite feel the same. I suppose because in trying to capture it you've lost some of it already, funny thing. Anyway, it is a pleasure to be Zackary's Mom and to hear the beautiful music he plays and composes.

Today was a special treat as well. It was the Primary Program (at church once a year the primary children put on a 1 hour program for the sacrament, or worship service, part of our three hour block of meetings) and Zackary and Jacob had solos and special reading parts. They both did so well. They were confident and calm and sang so beautifully in front of about 300 people. I am not sure if I have ever smiled so big ever! Being a Primary teacher I get to sit on the stand with them so I could see Sam, and amidst the circus of Ellie and Addie he too had a sizeable grin :o)

Love to you all and happy parenthood!!

Amy :o)

Happy Birthday Dave!!!

Jake's Art Gallery

If I had a digital camera I could send a picture but instead I'll paint you a picture with words :o)

Jake decided a while back that he was going to build sculptures of dinosaurs with little rocks. We took one of our rock collecting walks today with our Halloween pumpkins and while we were out we saw quite a few people. It was so cute, he told each one all about his whole process and how "it makes me a paleontologist like my brother, but I am going to be an astronaut and go to space too." One lady invited him to come pick through her rock garden and find some special ones. He was so thrilled and was telling her all about the different pieces of fossilized bone that each one would work for. He was just beaming!

Most of the rocks are no bigger than a pea and when we get home he sits on the front porch with them all dumped out and meticulously works with them until he has it just right. He really works very hard at it and when he's done it looks amazingly like a dinosaur. What a cute little artist and quite the conversationalist as well!

Kids are so great,
Amy :o)

Ellie is at it again...

The kids and some friends were out playing with water guns and the like and when clean-up and dinner-time call came they were less than thrilled. Zack and Jake rogered-up pretty quickly but Ellie pulled out all the stops.

Long story short we were almost done with dinner when she finally decided, after a few time-outs and getting her pjs on for bed, that she would in fact clean-up all Jake's rocks she had dumped out all over the front porch.

After a while Sam went out to check on her (things were going a little too well if you know what I mean) She was cleaning up alright ... along with the help of two second grade boys!!

While we are not sure of her exact tactics we imagine it went something like this ...

Standing in her 'Ellie pose' with her weight shifted mostly on one hip, with a very pretty two dimpled smile resting on her perfect complexioned blue eyed face with her lovely curly blond hair waving in the wind, she offered her famous and extremely adorable "Hi guys!" and the rest was history. Including two second grade boys groveling on the ground picking up every last rock!

Let's just say that we completely realize that if she's like this at two we are in for the ride of our lives :o) Our only hope is that Addie doesn't learn from her. If you all want to start a fund so that we can send her to some all girls school in Antarctica that would be great!

Oh it's great to be parents :o)
Amy and Sam :o)

Updates

Come on blogger family, we need some updates! Mary Ann and Dane we haven't heard from you in a while...

California

This weekend we went to San Clemente with Russ' parents and stayed in a condo on the beach. We had so much fun especially on Friday when Grandma came down from Ojai and spent the whole day with us a Sea World!

Ellie

Most of you are familiar with the Barney song, "I Love You" - if not you are missing out!! Ellie heard it for the first time a couple of months ago and has been obsessed with it. She sings it all the time and we have this toy that plays the tune that she carries around constantly. (I hid it the other day, don't tell her) So, she knows it and loves it to say the least.

Today as she was jumping on the bed with Jake while I folded laundry she started singing it, or so I thought. It was the correct tune, but the words were different. It's not uncommon for her to make up her own songs so I didn't think much of it at the time. A little later she started again and I paid closer attention this time. My sweet little make-up loving, purse carrying, 'pretty hair', cell phone obsessed princess was singing ...

"I love shoes, I love shoes, I love shoes, oh I love shoes, I want lots and lots of shoes oh yes I do - I love shoes oh I love shoes.

After I thought I figured it out (and stopped rolling on the floor) I repeated it back and asked her if that was her song. She did her little shy face with a big smile and said, "I love pretty shoes Mommy"

Yes that is Ellie in a nutshell. The funniest part about it is that I have no idea where she gets it from - I don't own a cell phone, am rearely even on the phone, don't carry a purse, have two pairs of 'pretty shoes' that come out on Sundays only, put make-up on about once a week on average, 99% of the time I am barefoot, and have diagnosed myself with an allergy to shoppping (I'd much rather mow the lawn or sew some curtains). So whoever is telepathing these girly princess messages better stop it or send some money along with!! :o)

Sam, you can start looking for that part time job we were discussing!!
Hope you all enjoyed this moment. I did and wanted to share.
Have a great day!
Amy :o)