Halloween 2010

We had a very laid back Halloween today. Kate has been very sick the last few days with a stomach bug and fever so we took it easy on her and she rested. We carved pumpkins in the morning. The boys played with friends, watched TV and ran errands with Dad. Greg cleaned out the garden and I took care of Kate.
Kate was feeling quite a bit better this afternoon, so we put on our costumes and went trick -or-treating at Grandma and Grandpa Fowler's. We picked up a pizza on the way home, along with Cayden, Gavin's friend. We ate a quick dinner. Then, out into the rain. Geesh it was wet and cold, but we braved the elements for a whole seven houses. The kids were done after that. Fine with me.
We came home, handed out sticky hands to trick-or-treaters and the kids ate their candy while watching TV wrapped up in blankets to get warm.
Enoch and Kate looked so cute in their costumes.

Enoch discovered a raccoon costume in the costume box and thought it was pretty cool. I think he was glad to be so bundled up on a cold night.


Kate told me over and over she wanted to be a pink kitty. Her costume was very easy to make, even her hood. She is so adorable! She loved her whiskers.


They both really liked their tails!

Gavin is now 12, so too old to trick-or-treat. He watched Harry Potter with Cayden while they devoured a large amount of candy.

It was a fun night!

Jack-O-Lanterns

We put off carving our pumpkins until the last minute because 1. Kate was sick and Greg and I were exhausted from staying up all night cleaning up throw-up and 2. Greg and I really don't like carving pumpkins. But, it's only once a year, so we do it. Or, Greg does it while I give encouraging words. HEHE!
The kids were very excited. Even sick Kate rolled out of bed to sit at the table. We actually had a fun time this year. The pumpkins were quite easy to carve. I think they turned out great! Of course, Gavin did a BYU pumpkin. Enoch drew his own design and Kate was really too sick to care what I choose for her.



They looked great all lit up and many people commented on our fun pumpkins.

Scattered Thoughts

1. A few weeks ago, our family received a toy catalog in the mail. Enoch and Kate got busy right away picking out toys they would like. They sat at the table with a marker circling their favorite toys and labeling them with their initial. They had a lot of fun. They repeated this process daily for 4 days until almost everything in the catalog was circled. They even labeled a few things for Gavin, Mom and Dad. As soon as they lost interest in it, I tossed it in the recycling bin. I hate having paper junk sitting around and I already knew their top 3 toy wishes for Christmas.
Today Enoch asked me where that catalog was. I replied, "I sent it to Santa." "Why?" asked Enoch. "So he would know what you and Kate wanted for Christmas," I answered. Enoch thought for a second and then sighed, "So, you threw it away, huh." Not even a question - a statement. He knows me so well.

2. While folding laundry in my room this afternoon, Kate went into my closet, closed the door and started counting. After a bit, she yelled, "ready or not, here I come!" I wondered who she was playing hide and seek with since Enoch was outside. I wondered if I should be hiding. She popped out of the closet and whispered, "Where are my buddies hiding?" "Who are your buddies?" I asked. "They are my friends. They are very little (holding her fingers about 2 inches apart) and quiet." Ooookay. I told her they were hiding in the family room and off she went. Apparently she found them because an hour later she was having a tea party with them in her room.

Fall Pictures

We have needed to update our family pictures in the family room for quite a while. I think Kate was 6 months when we last took pictures. We have done birthday pictures to go over the stairs, but downstairs I wanted some more fall, darker colors.
I pulled together some matching clothes (Gavin is wearing Greg's shirt and Kate is wearing her cousin's dress, which I bought from my sister because Kate looked sooo adorable in it!). We went to Grandma and Grandpa Fowler's backyard and snapped pictures as fast as we could. I knew Enoch wouldn't last long. Kate also was impatient. She would let me take a few pictures and then walk away saying, "Mommy, me done now."
I think we got a few good shots.












And then we had fun.

Gross & Disgusting

This afternoon Gavin asked what was for dinner.
I answered something gross and disgusting.
Gavin said, "What is gross and disgusting?"
Enoch yelled, "You!"

Oh the joys of being a brother!

Enoch's Utah Accent

Enoch has a lot of fun playing with his Leapfrog airplane speller on our fridge. It allows you to spell three letter words and then says the word for you or it will ask you to spell a word and then sings a little ditty when you get it right. Enoch prefers to spell his own words. His favorite to spell - mud, imagine that.
Today he came to me very upset. He sounded out a word, spelled it and the airplane was saying no such word existed. I asked what word he spelled. He answered, "get", and then he used it in a sentence, "I went to get the toy". I checked it out his word on the airplane and just started laughing. Enoch didn't know what was so funny since he knew he had spelled it right. Poor Enoch and his Utah accent. He spelled it out the way he says it. G-I-T. You know, git.
I explained the problem to Enoch. He response, "Well, that's silly. Who says it that way?" Who, indeed? Hopefully this doesn't lead to more problems with his future spelling.

Pumpkin Patch

This fall has been quite warm and sunny. We thought it was a perfect year to visit the pumpkin patch. My sister told us about a fun patch in South Jordan. It was pretty close and had a huge selection. Enoch was ready to go as soon as we jumped out of the car. Luckily it wasn't too crowded so I could see Enoch as he ran through the field. Kate stayed a bit closer to Dad and Gavin was in charge of the wheelbarrow.
Kate was excited to discover the Cinderella pumpkins. I'm not sure if she really liked the color, but she liked the fact that they were named after a princess.

Enoch wanted a tall pumpkin, then a small pumpkin, then a fat pumpkin, then a huge pumpkin. Finally he found the perfect one, only to have it be a bit squishy. He picked out another one and was quite happy with it.

Gavin just wanted the biggest one he could find that was still round. He did a good job.

I really wanted a fun picture of all the kids in the patch. I was able to snap a few. I love how Gavin and Kate look in the same in all the pictures, but Enoch - well, you know.




It was a beautiful night. The kids had so much fun.

After the patch, we ate dinner at Carl's Jr. and went shopping at Ikea (and then got after the kids all the way home about what little stinks they were at Ikea).

KItty Nests

Who knew that kitties lived in nests? My kitties do. Enoch and Kate love to pretend that they are kitties (fun, I know). A while back they started living in nests that they build in the family room. I think the idea came from the dinosaur family that lives in a nest on Dinosaur Train, but I could be wrong. These nests are pretty self-sufficient. They have blankets, pillows, toys, books and sometimes I find a sippy cup of chocolate milk in there too.

I know it's odd, but I don't care. These kitty nests entertain the kids for at least 45 minutes a day! Since we are pretty aware of TV time at our house, I appreciate all the quiet entertainment factor so much. And since each child has their own nest, it significantly cuts back on the fighting. It 's a win-win for everyone. Be warned: the first person who tells them that kitties don't live in nests will be on a major time-out! I'm milking this for as long as I can.

Goblin Valley

On the 9th my dad and I went to Goblin Valley with the scouts. We drove 5 hours to get there. At about 7:00 we stopped to eat at Subway in Green River. We were actually supposed to eat at Price so only our car ate at Green River. We then met up with them inside the state park. we then set up camp and talked for a long time then went to bed.
The next morning we woke up and got to work. We had pancakes, sausage and orange juice. I then went exploring with a couple of other people. after returning we went to the Valley of the Goblins and hiked for 2 hours. After about a half hour in we played in a cave that my friends dad knew about. it was 30 feet long and about 3 foot tall and then turned into a cave that was five of six feet tall. Then came back for lunch then played a game of sardines, tag and football. Football was pretty fun and it was boys against the leaders. We then went home.

Imagination-Challenged Mom

There have been many times in my life that I just smile and pretend to understand what someone is saying to me. Do you do that too? Ever since Enoch started talking I find myself doing that quite often. I understand his words, I just don't understand his logic or ideas. They are way too creative for my imagination-challenged brain. Lately it seems like he is coming up with all kinds of schemes and experiments (that word strikes fear in my heart when Enoch uses it in a sentence). Some of them include:

*Something to do with pulleys, ropes, buckets and the shower curtain.
*Anything to do with ice cubes.
*Giving our car secret wings so it can fly over the ocean.
*He is quite fascinated with baking soda and vinegar, hence making all kinds of things explode.

I am trying to think of more, but right now they are passing me by. I hear about his plans constantly and, am sad to say, usually tune him out, agreeing and mindlessly nodding yes until he happily says,"Really? I can really do that?" Then I snap back to attention and wonder what I agreed to that time.
What a curious boy! What a smart boy! Enoch is an imagination genius (if only he would find school so fascinating!) Someday he will amaze me with his inventions. For now, I'm just glad the house is still here.