Another Year Older and Wiser Too!

Our oldest child is NINE years old! I can hardly believe that she started out 7 lbs 9 ounces and is now a third grader learning how to multiply and kicking her parents bums in Mario Kart.

She is such an amazing kid:

Favorite Color: purple

Favorite Activity: playing the Wii

Favorite Animal: cat

Favorite Food: spaghetti

Favorite Book: Harry and the Horrible Dungeon

Ideal Career: Zoo Keeper or Veterinarian

Fun cupcakes I made from my friend's blog (http://www.ourbestbites.com/). The other two kids and I took them into her class as a surprise, they were so happy. Funny story, I'd only been to her classroom once before and wasn't quite sure which one it was. She had a substitute that day so I couldn't even verify the classroom by making sure it was the right teacher. I went into the classroom next door to hers, twenty 3rd grade voices cheered loudly when they saw the cupcakes, I looked frantically around the room, couldn't see my daughter anywhere, quickly apologized to the teacher, turned around to see Paislee standing it the hallway with a , "What are you doing Mom" expression on her face, and left that classroom with twenty 3rd grade voices expressing extreme disappointment, I think I owe that class cupcakes!

She requested Chuck -E- Cheese's for her birthday dinner (we tried to bribe her with something a little more fancy, to no avail). I guess we have to be happy she's still a kid, even if it means expensive, disgusting pizza. The one saving grace at that place, they have Coke Zero in the soda fountain! They did have some new games and rides for the kids to play on this time, this one was her favorite!

Some of my favorite things about her:

Love for others

Ability to get ready for school in 20 minutes (we're hoping this wears off on her younger sister before next fall)

Upturned nose

Willingness to help with her siblings

Her obedience, she does things the first time she is asked

Her quick mind, she is always paying attention and focusing on the things we are saying and absorbing them in

How outgoing she is

Her hair; long, thick, straight....so jealous

The Cowboy and the Bride

Halloween was great this year! Sadly we have pictures from our pumpkin carving night and the Primary Dance Party but I can't get them to load from a seperate SD card. However I do have these photos to share.

Ella had planned on being a bride for Halloween for months and months. Thank goodness it was an easy costume to put together as this dress is already one of her favorites for dress up. She wanted Grant to be a Bumble Bee, but when we put the costume on him he had it off within two minutes. He wanted to try the Horse costume on, that lasted less than 30 seconds. Finally he decided on the Cowboy costume. I wish you could see his tiny holster and his tiny guns a little bit more clearly.
Two very happy Trunk or Treaters! We have the most darling video of Grant filling up his pumpkin from the larger pumpkin we were handing candy to the other kids out of. He had the concept down and was taking full advantage of it. However, I can't figure out how to get the video from the hard drive onto the blog! Come over, we'll show you on the TV!

Procrastination; a naughty word

In the past I have written down goals that I have had and had them come to fruition because of basic planning, sadly this has not been working for me lately. Last year I wrote a post titled "Battling Thor", it was a list of my weaknesses, I decided to post it because peer pressure is a powerful thing. In that situation it worked, I was able to get a much better handle on some of my weaknesses. I'm hoping that by posting my personal to do list I will have the same results.

1. Finish quilts:
Paislee's Minkee Blanket
Ella's Butterfly Quilt
Grant's Flannel Blanket
The Rag Quilt I started over 6 years ago
Bind the quilt for the ward humanitarian aid
2. New baby projects:
Minkee Blanket
Receiving blanket
3. Super Saturday project
4. Finish canning/freezing/drying:
Potato soup
Spaghetti sauce
5. Sort through girls baby clothes, wash and hang
6. Update food storage list, get back to couponing, and make a food storage plan
7. Finish emergency car kits
8. 72 hour kit
9. Start scrapbooking again

I know there are many more projects I have been guilt ridden over never completing, we'll see what else I can dig up as I start this process. Wish me luck!

**Items that are italicized and in bold have been completed**