Our fall in a jumble

I haven't posted in awhile so here is our fall. A little mixed up but you get the general idea.

Leaves!



Making cookie trees with friends.




More Leaves.




Halloween. A pajama princess, Darth Vader and Yoda


Star Wars with Aunt Nina (I made her dress).



Vampire flapper.



Sam's preschool halloween party.



Holly's first cake.



Pumpkins



Painting cookies





Last night and this morning. Welcome winter.

My Roots

What I have done

What I have yet to do


I have finally gotten unpacked enough that I can start digging in my garden. I spent time last Saturday with a shovel chopping down some of the weeds. It was hard and time consuming so Rob bought me a weed whacker. Now before you all say "What?". I wanted the weed whacker. Rob is more than willing to go out in the garden and start working. But I love it! The weeds are so thick though that the weed whacker only has power enough for about 20 minutes of work. I'm still trying to decide what to do and in the mean time I will just have to whack weeds for 20 minutes a day.

As I am out there chopping down the weeds and digging up the dirt I feel really close to so many people. Orman the former owner of this home and garden plot loved his garden and worked in it even after he was legally blind. I feel especially close to him because I have a sense of responsibility to him to make his yard beautiful. He passed away a year and a half ago so he probably has a great vantage point from where he is.

My Father who loved the outside. His father my grandfather had a garden so gardens always held a special spot in my father's heart. My grandfather Pettit who taught me how to poison gophers in his garden. He had a huge garden. I mean huge. I remember picking great big strawberries out of the strawberry patch and picking beans and rhubarb out of his garden. His mint bush that made summer evenings in grandpa's garden smell so good.

Rob's grandma Wilma. I never actually met Wilma but I did spend a year and a half in her home and working in her flower beds. It was from Wilma that I acquired my favorite garden books. Books that she used for her garden and that Rob remembers looking at as a child because of the beautiful pictures.

As I am out there chopping down the weeds I feel like they are all gathered around me whispering encouragement. "You can do this". "You can make this garden beautiful". "We can't wait to see what you do with this garden."

I love this garden and hope to make all of my muses proud.

Surprise!

Last night for family night we played chutes and ladders. We talked about doing good things for people. Every time you got a ladder you had to say something nice you could do for someone else. In the end Rob encouraged the kids to think of nice things they could do for others.

3:00 am I was putting Max back in bed (it was not a great night for sleep). I noticed Holly's door was closed. We keep it open to let the cooler air circulate in her room. I opened it and noticed she wasn't in bed. Rob and I began a search and a couple of minutes later found her sleeping on the front room couch. She sat up and said "surprise!". She had cleaned the front room and gotten dressed for school at 3:00 in the morning. Just to be helpful. It gave me a heart attack but what a sweetie!

Drumroll please!

This is our new house. We are currently renting it.


The yard and the huge garden plot are my favorite things about this house although we love everything about it.


Flowers from the rose bushes in the back yard.

My kitchen. I love the lights.

Dining room with a big picture window to the backyard.

Living room and Dining room

Basement.



I didn't take pictures of everything. We are definitely in love with this house and feel privileged to live here.

Grandpa "Evil-Slayer"

Rob's dad collects swords. His office wall is covered in them. My boys love it! Sam a few weeks before we moved asked Grandpa if he got all of those swords from fighting bad guys.

I think Grandpa couldn't help but be a little proud that his grandson thought Grandpa fought bad guys and won regularly.

What an awesome vision for a grandson to have of his grandpa.

Sam is 5

Sam Happy Birthday!

Some of my favorites lately

Sam: "Mom how long until I can drive?"
Me: "11 years"
Sam: " that's a long time"

long pause

Sam: "Mom how long until I am a spy?"


In Sacrament meeting.

Sam: "Dad let's place face fight"
Rob: "How do you play?"
Sam: "We smash our faces together"


In the car

Sam: "I don't feel very good"
Me: "What's wrong honey"
Sam" "I think I am allergic to people"


You make me laugh every day.

You are smart and a good brother to Holly and Max.

You love to play superheroes and legos.

You think long and hard about your world and always have insight that I havn't thought of.

You are brave and strong and happy.

Happy birthday Sam

You are such an awesome boy!

Love
Mom

Happy Birthday Holly!

June 15, 2010

Happy Birthday Little Jo!

Your Dad and I can't believe how old you are. Where did the last 8 years go? You impress us everyday with your kind heart and your imagination. You are funny and good and make us smile.

When you were born we were terrified to be parents but you won us over and we have loved you from the moment we met you.

When your Dad first saw you he was hooked and you got away with everything. Cake for dinner? No problem.

My favorite things that you do are:

1. Tell stories. You are a story girl. You always have 4 or 5 stories in your head ready to tell.

2. Try new things. Sushi. Holy Cow. I didn't try Sushi until I was an adult.

3. Play with everyone. You love people and play with anyone available. It doesn't matter to you how old they are or how different they are you don't seem to see any differences and you just play.

4. Tease. You love to tease and you are good at it.

5. Read. I love that you love books. What a blessing that will be to you.

6. Bravery. You are the bravest little thing. reciting a poem for the whole school on stage. Getting baptized even though you are a little afraid of being dunked (afterwards you said "Mom I was a little nervous but I am so happy I did it anyway") I didn't even know you were nervous until you told me after. You hid your nerves well. The Tidal Wave and Rattlesnake rapids. You impress me with your tenacious desire to overcome your nerves and "do it anyway".


Holly you are such a wonderful kid. Your Dad and I love you and are so happy you are in our family.

Happy, Happy Birthday!