11:30 PM is not the time for conversation with a three year old...

We can't sleep tonight so we are up talking in our bed. Well, Zander wanted to join the conversation. Although I am not sure he was entirely coherent... it went like this, literally moments ago...
"I don't want to go trick-or-treating"
So I said, in my most authoritative voice, (Zach writing, by the way) "You will go trick-or-treating and you will get candy, that is what you do at Halloween!"
"NO, I don't want to!" comes the reply from Zander's bedroom accross the hall.
"Yes, you will!" I say.
"But, I don't want to be scary." comes the reply, half asleep and trailing off at the end.
"You will be scary, that is your job!"
"But I don't want to be scary, I don't want to scare the other people."
Well, by this point we are laughing our brains out as quietly as possible. As more incoherent mumbling came from the general direction of our reluctant scarer we laughed and laughed.
It's wonderful to hear what kids have to say, isn't it?

Apple Holler...

On Tuesday we went to Apple Holler for Playgroup! It was a blast. Just a little shout out to all you EX-Wisconsinites we SURE MISS YOU AT PLAYGROUP!!!!! (I know you are all in a better place now!) It was only Me, Becky, Marci, and Marci's Mom at playgroup. Although the numbers were small we still had a great time! You can tell by the pictures! The kids had a blast playing in the CORN sandbox, hiding in the hay forts, petting the goats, and of course playing on the train! We were will all done playing we ate some yummy (fat-free;0)) elephant ears, donuts, and apple turnovers! They were super yummy and super healthy! I am only dreaming about the fat free and healthy part. It is a good thing I guilted myself into running for 30 minutes on the treadmill last night...

Alissa all by her lonesome!
That apple looks so yummy I could eat it!
Zander and Kevin on top of the hay fort! They are almost exactly one year apart. Dec 20th and Dec 21st!

Wouldn't it be hilarious if one day the meet back up at BYU and fell in love? That is such a cute picture of the two of them!

L to R Brody, Allissa, Addies, Max, Zander and Kevin!

The perfect end to a wonderful playgroup!

Why??

So our family has decided it is time to kick our butts into gear when it comes to the spiritual side of our family. We have always known that reading scriptures and praying together as a family was important but we didn't really make the time for it. With three who are so little it is easy to find a billion excuses as to why were aren't doing these things on a regular basis. Last Sunday we decided it was time and since then things have been happening. It feels GREAT!!!! If I can get the video clip of "Family Scripture Time" uploaded you can see why I named the title "Why??"! Zander is talking, Brody is making noise, Zach is trying to read, and Allissa is all over the place, playing quietly, at least. At times I wonder why we attempt to do anything where all three of the kids have to sit quietly and pay attention. It is pretty much a joke trying to keep them quiet on Sunday. Eventually we will outgrow this stage and I am sure we will look back and miss it! Brody folded his arms for the first time tonight ( the way he does that is by me saying Brody fold your arms and what he does is lay his head down on the couch). We kneel around the couch. Any time I say, "Brody fold your arms" he goes and lays his head on the couch. It is too cute!

Not sure why Zach is yawning it is not even 7:00pm!

Brody saying "CHEESE" after he say the camera flash.

This is why I LOVE Zach so much! He is such and awesome Pappi! After saying our prayer it was time to travel to bed. Zach offered a piggy ride to the kids and of course they were so excited. Zander was so excited he forgot that he lost his chance to have an ice cream treat before bed and he did even put up a fight for it! By the time Zach got to their bedroom his knees where quite sore :0(
And they're off





It is now almost 8 and Zach is doing his MBA homework and I am going to go in the basement and work on some bow orders! What fun!!

Lissie's new dress!

Just so you know there are two new posts today. I don't know how to do two post in the same day without it being two separate ones??? If you know how, feel free to fill me in!
Today my brother Todd and his new wife Robin got married. It was a very nice, intimate wedding at the Lutheran church that my parents go to. Pastor Dave did a wonderful job and it was beautiful. Todd has 2 kids from a previous marriage Gabe, 9 and Spencer, 7. Robin has two kids from a previous marriage Josh,8 and Jenna, 6. After the ceremony they did a sand ceremony were each of the two parents and 4 kids had a vial of sand and they all took turns pouring the sand in to one big vial to represent them coming together as one family. It was pretty neat and brought tears to my eyes...not that that is hard to do these days.

Since they got married today, of course, Lissie need a beautiful dress to wear. During preschool on Friday I cut out all the pieces to make the dress and then after I picked Zander up from school I started to sew. It took me about 4 hours total from start to finish. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the way it turned out!!! I used the pattern that you can buy on the website http://www.youcanmakethis.com/ it is the peasant dress pattern. I just love that website!!!!! Anyways, all I can say is, creating new clothes for Lissie is a BLAST!!! It seems, the more I do it the faster I get at it, so that is nice. The fabric I used is Farmers market by Sandi Henderson. She is an LDS fabric designer and Micheal Miller prints her fabric. I am sooooo excited to get the patterns that I bought from her when they get printed. She created about 4 to die for patterns so when I get them I will create cute clothes and dresses with them and show them all to you! In total this dress cost me about 10 maybe 12 dollars. If I were to buy it on ebay or at a boutique it would cost me around 100.00 dollars. The flower headband was a last minute creation before we headed out the door because I ran out of time and didn't make a matching bow.

Allissa modeling the dress! It is so hard to get a good shot of her.
Side view
Up close
Allanna(4), Allissa(2), and their new cousin Jenna(6). Aren't they so cute!
Gabe, my brother Todd and his new wife Robin! The was at the end of the day after all the guest left.

A day at the farm...

On Thursday we went to the farm with Zanders preschool. It was AMESOME!!!!! We had a great time. The weather was freezing probably about 50 degrees with a little drizzle here and there so that kind of stunk but what do you expect living in the state. The farm was better then I expect. We were able to pet rabbits, chicks, pigs, potbelly pigs, kittens, goats, sheep's, lamas, and milk the cow. Oh and I forgot the horses! Zander was sooooo excited for the pony ride. It was so neat to see touch and hold the animals and not be afraid of them. I am not going to lie it really made me want to get a kitten. Zach is allergic to them so in will never happen not to mention then my Aubrey would never be able to come and visit me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zander picked out the biggest pumpkin he saw! It was cute to watch him to and hold it. Then he was nice and picked out a pumpkin for miss Allissa!
Him with his little girlfriend Katelyn. They were petting the goats together.
Marci hold the baby chick while Zander got to pet it!
At last the pony ride. It was toward the end of our trip. Zander wanted to ride the pony since we got there so it was a long pretty patient wait for him.

Addie and Zander with the cow. I think it is the cutest picture I have ever seen of Addie. I LOVE her big cheese in the picture!