Halloween

I have been horrible at keeping our blog up to date lately. It seems like time has been flying by. But I realized that I need to do better. Addy just turned 18 months old and I will do a post on that in a minute. But I know that if I don't blog so that I remember all of these things that are happening right now I am going to regret it later.

My calling in Primary has been keeping me busy. I can only think about one thing at a time, or else I get so overwhelmed. So I am just trying to keep things going.

Well Halloween has come and gone, but my girls loved dressing up and we had a full weekend. On Friday night we went to the ward trunk or treat. Annika had a table full of her little girl friends and they all wanted to sit and eat dinner together. It was really cute.

On Sunday night Heidi held her annual Halloween party. we ate some dinner, carved some pumpkin, decorated some cookies, and ate some donuts off a string. It is always so much fun!

On Monday Halloween day, Annika's preschool did a little party. That night we went trick or treating. We only walked down our street, and around the corner to two houses. We hit a total of 8 houses. I think that Annika had just as much fun opening the door for the kids and telling them "take just one ok!" :) Neither of the girls wanted to go to bed that night, I'm sure because of their sugar high. But it was a great weekend full of lots of candy and lots of fun!

OUR LITTLE DUCK



CINDERELLA

Sewing by hand

I have been sewing a blanket for my new niece. I was sewing the binding on when I decided I didn't like how it looked. I told Annika actually I think I am going to sew it by hand. She then said "Like you'll get under the table and push it?" I was really confused at first, but I understood that she has seen me pushing the pedal and when I said I was going to sew it by hand she thought that I was going to push the petal with my hand. :) ha ha ha! Made me laugh.

Popsicle

The other day Annika and Adalyn had Popsicles. Ady had a go-gurt, and started crying because her hand was cold.
Annika: Mom, Ady is crying because her hand is cold. But my hand isn't cold because my popsicle is on a tongue depressor.
Me: A what?
Annika: A tongue depressor. Like the dr. uses.

What a funny girl! :)

PreSchool

On Tuesday Annika had her first day of Preschool. She was so excited. We had been counting down for days. I was nervous because Annika has been going through a phase where she doesn't want me to leave the room. I wondered how leaving her at preschool for 2 hours was going to go.

We woke up bright and early. She got dressed and did her hair. We took some pictures and then headed down the street to preschool.

We got there and she saw her friend Morgan. They started doing puzzles, and I told her I was going to go home. She gave me a big smile and said ok bye. Definitely easier than I thought it was going to be.

(Ady had to get in the pictures too. Don't you love her cheesing face?)

On the way home I think that Ady was already enjoying the alone time with mom. We walked all around the neighborhood and I just followed her. She kept looking back and smiling at me. We came home and I wondered how ady would enjoy her mom time. We played for a minute, then she went and got her blanket so we cuddled and she fell asleep.

(Ady on her first day of being home alone with mom for 2 hours)

While Ady was sleeping I took advantage of the time and did the dishes. It was really weird having the house quiet. And It made me realize how much I talk to Annika or how much she talks to me. It was kind of lonely I am not going to lie. But the time flew by and before I knew it, it was time to pick her up. She had so much fun and is looking forward to going back.

Annika is growing up so fast, she is such a cute little girl and makes me happy.

Annika riding

Tonight Brian went out to put the chain back on Annika's bike. After a few minutes Annika came running into the house and said mom I am riding my bike all over and guess what I am riding without my training wheels on, with only 2 wheels. I totally missed her first try but Brian said he followed her down the road and she didn't even need his help. I would say she is doing great! Especially for only having the training wheels off for a few minutes! Here are some videos of her first rides!

7*1*2011

On Thursday night as soon as Brian got done with Pack Meeting we were on the road to Portland. It worked out really well I thought, because we were supposed to meet up with Brian's family on Friday morning sometime at the Mt. St. Helens Visitors Center. We were the very last ones to leave. But Heidi, Jeremy, Eric, and Dom were only a couple hours ahead of us, and they were driving through the night to get there as well. I think that Both girls were awake until about 9 and then they were out. I stayed awake talking to Brian and then took the wheel in Twin Falls. As we were pulling into the gas station Annika shot awake and said "I was just going to tell you we are almost to Abe and Henry's house" (Can you tell she was excited to get there) Earlier in the day I was packing and she was sitting on my bed, and she said "This is the best day ever, I can't wait to see Abe and Henry!" Well Annika stayed awake through Boise, and was saying look at that pretty purple star mom, oh you missed it. I guess it was good, laughing at her kept me awake. I drove until about 4:00 and then I made Brian take the wheel again. We made it through the night and we were not to far outside of Portland, which can I just say if you have never driven to Portland, it was beautiful. You drive along the Columbia River, and it is so pretty. Then we got a phone call from Heidi saying that they ran out of gas and were along the side of the road. So we stopped and got them some gas, went to their rescue and then followed them to breakfast.


This is my happy girls after our long drive all night.


(Scott, Allison, Brian, and the kids looking at what we have to climb the next day!)

After breakfast we headed up to the Mt. St. Helens Visitors Center. It was interesting listening to them talk about it blowing up. We met up with the whole family and enjoyed some lunch. After lunch we headed farther up the canyon to a lookout. You could look up into the crater. It is just amazing to see all the ash and dirt, and the huge trees that were knocked over. Any picture that I had ever seen did not do it justice. It was huge and amazing and so pretty!
(Ady and me in front of the Mt.)
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(Ady loved to kick her leg up, and she was incredibly happy for almost all of the drive.)

Annika enjoying dinner with her favorite cousins Abe and Henry!

After we headed to the lodge that we had rented for the night. Seriously the lodge that Allison reserved us for the night could have slept probably 50 people. We only had 14. So we all had our own room. The room that Brian and our family slept in had at least 12 beds in it. Needless to say there was more than enough room for all of us. Allison had made us a wonderful dinner, and we hung out for a while and then we all headed to bed after setting our alarms for 3:30 am.