I love this time of year because of all the extra activities going on in the city to take the kids to. We've already been to three different Halloween activities. The first one was put on at the mall. We dressed the kids up in their costumes and then they got to go and enjoy a Halloween show and win some prizes. The kids each picked out their Halloween costumes this year, and I'm sure it comes as no surprise to anyone that Dutch picked out the Thomas the Train costume. And Maylee's obsession with Princess' makes Halloween super easy for finding a costume. Here is Maylee semi-enjoying her time at the mall, the clown was really freaking her out. Dutch got to go up and have everyone sing Happy Birthday to him, since his birthday was in October. The rec center had a trick or treat day last week. I asked Dutch if he wanted to go trick or treating or go to school. He choose school, such a good kid! So I dropped Dutch off at school and the girls and I went to the rec center. It was fun to do something that was just for Maylee too, since we don't do that often enough. And at the end of the trick or treating they had the bounce blow up toys, which Maylee had a blast playing in. I didn't take any pictures that day, bummer.

Then on Friday day the Clark County Museum by our house was having a Trick or Treat Fall Festival. So we headed over to that with our friends, Brian and Celynda and Maylee's "bestie" Brookie. The kids got to do a little trick or treating, play some games and participate in a costume contest. It was fun! Talli went as a Flower, she was so adorable! (But it was freezing cold so she was covered in a sweater.) Maylee and Brookie, the pictures are blurry because I couldn't get the girls to hold still.

Today was another great sacrament meeting (image sarcasms here). We left for church and as we were driving there we realized we forgot the kids sacrament entertainment bag so we turned around to go get it. We get the bag, head off to church again, Maylee said something so I looked back to see what she was doing and she was shaking her sippy cup of chocolate milk all over Dutch so he was covered in chocolate milk, so we turned around again to get him a clean shirt. Finally we make it to church and start unloading the kids from the car. When I picked Talli up out of her carseat I felt something on my arm, so I look down to discover that my forearm is covered in poop. Just Great! And all I could do was laugh, really hard. So I cleaned my arm up as best I could with wipees put Talli back in her seat and headed home while David and the kids headed into church. I got home, changed Talli's outfit and diaper and scrubbed my arm. We headed back to church and at this point they had just finished the sacrament, I hate missing that. So I head into the chapel, as soon as I got to our pew David and I both looked at Maylee at the same time (because something caught our attention) and she was peeing on the floor. I hadn't even sat down yet, I was still standing in the aisle holding Talli. So David quickly took her out. Came back in a couple of minutes later got the keys and took Maylee home to change her entire outfit. He finally made it back to church for the closing prayer. It's Sunday's like these when we aren't really sure why we go to church with three kids.

But then the day got better when Dutch got to give his very first talk in primary. He did great. I was really nervous about it because he was crying all morning that he didn't want to do it. Well we got to primary and when it was his turn, I went up front to help him. He got to hold the microphone which made him really excited and he had no problem saying his whole talk. He did great, we were so proud of him.

Never Again...

will I sit in the front in Sacrament meeting. We got to church a little late and the only pews available were the very front rows, I hate sitting in the hard chairs so we headed up front. Because church starts at 1pm, right during all three kids nap/quiet times, sacrament meeting hasn't really been very enjoyable in awhile. The meeting starts the kids are doing ok, not great but ok. Then after the sacrament begins to be passed around Dutch announces to us that he needs to go pee. We ask him if he can hold it until after the water (we hadn't even gotten the bread yet, but we thought we would give it a try). So he goes back to playing with his toys, then after we get the bread, he says kind of loudly but not to loud, "I have to go pee, it's coming." So David takes him out. We hate having to leave during the sacrament but what can you do. Then after we get the water, Maylee announces VERY loudly that she needs to go pee. I ask her to please hold it, I kind of thought she was just saying it since Dutch did. Well two seconds later she says, again very loudly, "Mommy I have to go pee in the potty." So my friend in front of me takes Talli and I rush Maylee out. We get to the bathroom, only for me to realized that she peed her panties. So I go back out to the foyer where David is waiting with Dutch for the sacrament to be over so he can go back in. I tell him what happens, so he takes Maylee home to change her and I head back into the chapel with Dutch. As soon as I walk into the pew, I see the big pee spot all over the floor on the carpet, so embarrassing. And then Dutch would not for anything sit quietly and listen, he was tired and ready to be done. Talli was starving and fussy but I didn't' want to have to leave the meeting again. So I waited for David to come back, he finally got back and I headed off to the Mothers lounge. I'm pretty sure everyone in our Ward thinks we are such an irreverent family who can not control their kids. After the block was over and we were getting in the van David asked me if Maylee said she needed to pee really loud. I said it was loud but I didn't think everyone could hear her, he then informed me that the bishop up on the stand heard her announcement. We'll be sitting in the back next week!

Maylee has started to join Dutch on his play group when it his at his friend Issac's house because he has a little sister, Atti, who is the same age as Maylee and they play well together. Last week when I went to pick them up, the girls had just started watching Beauty and The Beast, which happens to be Maylee's favorite movie. When I said it was time to go, Maylee started throwing a super huge fit and I had to pick her up kicking and screaming and carry her to the car and hold her down to put her buckles on. She was fighting me every step of the way. Then as soon as we pulled away and were driving she was screaming the rest of the ride home, "Turn Around, Turn Around!" She was one angry girl. And I of course thought it was funny and couldn't help laughing at her. Love that Girl!

My conversation with Dutch today while driving back from his friends house.

Me: Dutch don't eat your boogers, that is really gross, wipe them on your pants.

Dutch: But I like my boogers, they're TASTY!

He really emphasized on the tasty, super disgusting I know, but it made me laugh.

I've been wanting some end tables for my living room and I found the most adorable ones on All Things Thrifty were I got my idea on what I wanted. So the last time we were in Arizona we made our way over to IRCA to see if there were any we liked. We found some matching ones and I brought them home to refinish. My main color in our living room is a muted apple green. After trying, Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby I finally found the PREFECT color at Lowes. I spent every evening after the kids went to bed for a few days changing these end tables (nightstands) into my favorite piece of furniture in my house, I painted them green and then did a black glaze, LOVE THEM! I really don't think the picture does them justice, they really look great in person.

Of course I was lame and forgot to take a before picture, so my before picture is more a half way through the project picture. But at least you can see what the original color was. After photo, several views.

The first Halloween that David and I were married my cousin threw a costume party. I was Snow White and David was my dwarf. That Snow White costume has been hanging in my closet ever since that day, never to be touched again except to move it from house to house. Well Maylee discovered it Sunday night. She pulled it off the hanger, drug it out to the living room and insisted that I put it on. And how could I turn my cute, VERY insistent little girl down, I couldn't. So I put on the Snow White dress and Maylee and I had a dance party in the living room. I can't remember the last time I played dress up, but I have to say I had fun playing with Miss Maylee.

Dutch turns 4!

Dutch celebrated his 4th birthday yesterday. I can't believe he is already four years old, that happened really fast. We had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed celebrating our precious child's life. Dutch has been telling us for the past couple of months that he wanted a blue birthday. We weren't really sure what that meant, but I was determined to deliver. I decided to incorporate trains into the blue theme since he is still 100% a devoted Thomas the Train fan. In the morning we took Dutch down to Boulder City to ride on a real train. He was so excited.

His ticket! Waiting to board. Dutch with the Conductor. After the train ride we came home and had all the kids take a nap including Dutch so that they would all be well rested for his first big birthday party with friends. He was so excited to have everyone come over. David and I stayed up late the night before getting everything ready, so we wouldn't have to do anything but enjoy Dutch on his birthday.

Getting things ready. Once all of Dutch's friends showed up we had a BBQ and let the kids play with each other. Then we got the pinata out, such a big hit with kids. Everyone was able to have a couple of turns trying to bust it open. Snow White was even able to make it to the birthday party. The kids collecting all the candy. I'm sure all the moms loved that we sent their kids home with so much candy. Then it was time to sing happy birthday and blow out candles. Notice how Dutch has a cupcake for each hand, only on his birthday!! Opening Presents, so much fun. Notice Maylee's expression in this picture, she got overly dramatically excited for Dutch when he opened this present. It was SO cute! It was a great birthday. We had a ton of fun celebrating with Dutch and we are so glad that all of our friends were able to make it to the party to help celebrate with us.

Now I am going to take a minute to brag about Dutch's awesome birthday cake that I made for him. Normally I try super hard to be humble and not boast :) but this cake deserves some boasting about. At least for me it does. It's the first time I have ever made a themed birthday cake. It was pretty easy, nothing to complicated but it still turned out just perfect and I was pretty proud of myself. Ok, I'm done bragging now.

Dutch was exhausted tonight. He started crying about 7:30 over every little thing, he was just so upset and couldn't calm down. I knew he was exhausted but he would not accept that as an answer to his problems. So when bed time rolled around at 8, I got the kids ready, put the girls down, read Dutch a book in his bed and then turned out his light. He started crying again, said he wasn't tired and that he wanted to play. I told him he needed to stay in bed and then I left the room. David came and got me about 10 minutes later and told me to go look at Dutch. He was sound asleep on his floor. I guess he decided to play and not care about me telling him to stay in bed, but I guess he didn't last very long playing.

Maylee came into the kitchen yesterday and said "Mommy where is my mouth." So I replied, "On your face" and then I pointed to it. She seem confused but accepted the answer. Today I realized what she meant. Aunt Dawn got Dutch and Maylee some Halloween suckers and they thought they were the coolest things. And obviously Maylee called her sucker, her mouth.