Happy Halloween!!!

This Halloween cartoon is my favorite....

Hope everyone has a frightfully wonderful day filled with candy, candy, and more candy!

Why having a toddler is pretty cool

She is fun to push around in a dolly stroller...

She can show you how to ride a scooter...

Or drive a jeep...



And she can even help you make a batch of cookies by stealing the mixing bowl from the table and sitting in it when you're not looking....(before the ingredients were put in, thankfully!) We love our baby girl Cali!

I've been boo-ed!

My bloggin pal, Tib, over at Shark Bait, "Boo-ed" me yesterday(sorry I'm so slow to pass it along!). Now I get to pass along the Boo love! Here is how it works. . .

Go to as many friends as you want and tell them they've been "B00-ed". Have them link back to your blog to pick up their Halloween Treat (picture) and tell them to Boo their friends. (Then put the pic in your side bar so everyone knows that you've already been boo-ed and to send the pic to someone else.) So be watching your comments to see if you get boo-ed!

Dinner In A Pumpkin

On the This Mama Loves To Cook blog that I contribute to, my friend Melissa posted a recipe for Dinner in a Pumpkin last year. I never got to try it out last year, so this year I said FO SHO I'm trying it. It just sounded like such a cool idea and a great Fall tradition! I had Joey and the girls clean the pumpkin out while I browned the beef and cut the onions. I mixed everything together, poured it in, stuck the lid on, let it cook and Voila! Dinner in a pumpkin! It made me feel all Martha Stewartish... if only for a moment...:)

Find the recipe here! Try it! Its easy, yummy and the kids will think you are one cool mama.

My 500th post!

This is it-my 500th post! I can't believe I've rambled off 500 of these bad boys. Blogging has been such a fun journey. It started off with me posting maybe once a month, just as a little journal. Then it grew to once a week, twice a week, and now I'm a full fledged blog addict with posts daily!

Here are my top reasons for loving this thang called blogging:

-Its a journal of my life, my relationship with my husband, what my amazing kids are doing, the ups, the downs, the love we share, the kids "firsts," the fun stuff we do, the hilarious things that happen, just life! I am so glad that I started doing this over two years ago. And I absolutely cannot wait to make my first blog book(You can make awesome books out of your blog with Blurb.com!)

-I love how blogging helps me to focus on the positive in my life. You usually don't post the crappy stuff that happens, you post the good(and sometimes the crappy if there is humor involved:) As I look through past posts, I am only more reminded of what a great life I have. Its not perfect, but when I read through old posts, I smile:) I have a lot to smile about! I am truly blessed and blogging has helped me to recognize that even more.

-Family members and friends that live far away are able to see what we are up to(most importantly, what the kids are up to:). I know the kids grandparents especially, just LOVE to see pictures and watch videos of the girls. I love that I'm able to let them into our lives in this way. I hate that we live far away, but at least we have these means to communicate.

-I have reconnected with so many old friends.

-I have also become better friends with the people that live around me that blog. Its something we have in common and something to talk about. I think thats how Melissa and I became besties originally -by becoming blog buds and then real life buds:) Also, by blurking on blogs of friends of friends in our area, I have become friends with other gals around here that I would've never known from other wards in our church. The blog party we threw was awesome. I met a lot of great gals!

-I have also made lots of new friends, some of which I have never met, but love dearly! I feel like I really know you all! You are all awesome and uplift and inspire me with your posts. And some of you just make me laugh so hard! You know who you are:)

-I love reading all of your blogs! There are so many amazing women out there. I love reading about your lives, seeing all we have in common, laughing at the funny things you say and do, reading your inspirational thoughts, feeling I'm not alone in this stay at home mommy thing, getting great ideas, copying those great ideas, etc.

-I love reading your comments(what blogger doesn't love a comment?). They truly brighten my day. I can't believe that people actually take the time to read and comment on my little ole blog sometimes. Its like I have my own little internet posse of friends that support me, love me, and make me feel all warm and tingly inside:) I love all of my fellow blogging friends. Thanks for the support you have given me, especially when I've posted about tough times recently.

Lookin forward to another 500! And no, sorry I don't do giveaways on this blog. Mainly cuz I'm cheap like that. My gift to you is just the knowledge that I will post forever and ever. Whats better than that? :)

Ella tied her shoe!

On Thursday, Ella told me she wanted to tie her own shoes, so I showed her once. And then she did it. Wow, that was easy! I never knew Ella would have such mad shoe-tying skillz. You go girl!She shouted, "I did it! I did it!" over and over again. It was a moment of triumph! Then of course, I made her sit there and wait for me to get the camera. She didn't mind though. She said she wanted me to blog it. :)

Sweet sweet Aubrey

Last Sunday, when I wasn't feeling good, I woke up from a nap to find all of these hand-written notes taped to different items throughout the house from Aubrey. They truly did make my day better! What a blessing to have such wonderful sweet kiddos. Thank you Aubrey! I love you too! And no, Joey didn't put her up to it. She did it completely on her own!

High School Musical 3!

Friday was our High School Musical 3 day! Joey surprised the girls with the soundtrack in the morning, so we jammed to it while eating breakfast and getting ready for school that day. AND in the car on the way to school. AND in the car on the way home from school. AND on our way to the party. AND on our way to the movie. We knew all the songs before we saw it! (which was the goal-I think its more fun to see something when you know the songs!) Check out the girls moves in the morning before we took them to school....okay, well, check out Ella's moves. Cali was cuddling with a bear and Aubrey was being a little camera shy.....

Then, after school we headed over to a friends house for a High School Musical 3 tailgate party. The kids got their face painted, made pompoms and ate lots of treats! Thanks McFadden family for inviting us!

Then we were off to the show! I thought it was a really fun movie. Great music and even more elaborate dance/song numbers than the first two movies. And I loved that this one actually went to the movie theatre instead of premiering on the Disney channel. I give the movie 2 thumbs up! :) I admit it-I totally love these movies as much as the kids do! We had fun shaking the pom poms, screaming and clapping at the theatre that night!

My aunt Cindy came with us, which made it even more fun! Thanks for coming Cindy! I'm cool with the fact that Aubrey chose to sit by you instead of me....sniff sniff:) lol.

This is one of MANY lame attempts to try to get a picture with us jumping in mid air(I was tired by the end of the night from about 10 different jumps. That shows you how in shape I am.) It was hard to get the picture to take while we were in the air! This shot is pre-jump.

Here is post-jump. I hurt my shin. It hurt a little, but I'm dramatic sometimes so its looks as if I broke my ankle:)

Finally! We got a good shot! Look at those girls jump!

It was a busy fun day with as much High School Musical, red & white, I love Troy and "Go Wildcats!" as we could possibly squeeze in!

8 Things Tag

My friends Nicole and Amber tagged me with the 8 Things Tag today. I know you are all dying to hear my answers(yeah right!)....so here they are.

8 Favorite TV Shows
The Office
Seinfeld
Arrested Development
The King of Queens
AFV
Um, thats it.

8 Things I did yesterday
Took kids to school
Changed a raunchy diaper
Mopped and swept the floors-yippee!
Took a shower
Read books and played with the girls
Slapped Joeys tush
Made friendship bread
Read scriptures and prayed with my family


8 Things I look forward to:
The kids Primary Program this Sunday
Having another baby(Hopefully in 9 months or so:)
Having big boobs (Again, hopefully in 9 months or so:) Yea for nursing!)
The holidays
Visiting my family next month
Joey finishing his Masters in July
Aubrey's baptism next year(sniff sniff)
10 year anniversary(I know, its still 2 years away, but we are planning a big trip!)


8 Favorite Restaurants:
Kiko's
Cracker Barrel
Schlotsky's Deli
The Cheesecake Factory
Manny's
Macaroni Grill
Chili's
Joe's Crab Shack


8 Things on my wish list:
Tile in our upstairs bathrooms(they have carpet which I think is just eeew)
A vacuum that really sucks...in a good way
One of those phat front-load washer/dryer
Nice wooden patio furniture
Okay, I'll stop with the shallow wishes now....
For my kids to learn to find happiness in their lives(and the only way to do that is by living the gospel and loving their Savior with their whole hearts)
For my family to always know I love and treasure them
To be a better wife and mother
To grow old with my sweet and loving eternal companion, Joey


Tag 8 People:
Nicole
Melissa
Erica S
Jennifer R.
Becki
Wendy
Rachel
Jessica

Aubrey's 1st grade picture

Isn't she gorgeous? And looking way too old I say! She is growing into such a beautiful young lady. I'm really happy with her school pictures this year. They turned out perfect!

PBS Vote

This is for all of my fellow Conservative/Republican readers....

PBS has an online poll posted asking if Sarah Palin is qualified to run as the VP. Apparently, the left wing knew about this in advance(of course, PBS is so liberal!) and are flooding the voting with NO votes. The poll will be reported on PBS and picked up by mainstream media. It can influence undecided voters in swing states. Please do two things --

1) Click on link and vote YES! Here's the link: http://www.pbs.org/now/polls/poll-435.html
2) Then send this(or blog about it!) to every McCain-Palin supporter you know, and urge them to vote and pass it on. The last thing we need is PBS saying their viewers don't think Sarah Palin is qualified!

Thanks!

Me and my hot date

Saturday night, Joey and I went out on a "hot date" to the YM/YW Stake dance as chaperones(doesn't get much hotter than that! :) Since he is in the presidency, its one of his duties, and I thought, what the heck, lets make it a date!

I actually told him he had to officially "ask" me to it, since I really never got asked in highschool(I was a loser). I went to only 2 dances with guys in highschool and it was only because a friend hooked us up or something. It wasn't because any of them were actually interested in me! My dating life was pathetic....anyhoo.....

So, the other day Joey called me from work and asked me if I would go with him and I said, "yes!" of course. It was fun:) Anyways, we had fun dancing together and reminiscing about our teenage years. Oh, and also laying down the law on some of those wild kids:) It was weird to be a "chaperone." I just don't feel old enough for that! I'm still 16 at heart I guess. We ended the night with a Chocolate Molten Cake at Chili's(one of my favorites!) Thanks Joey for a fun date. You are and will always be the man of my dreams. I love you so much! And thanks Melissa for coming over that night to stay with the kids and for taking our picture:) I owe you!

Dinosaurs Alive at the Heard Museum

Right now I am battling a nasty cold or virus or something. But can that stop me from blogging? I DON'T THINK SO! :) Okay, so it did the past day or so, but I'm back. I can't keep away for too long! In the past hour, I have started feeling a little improved, so I'm hoping it will be much better by tomorrow.

So, on Saturday(pre-sick Holly), Joey and I took the kids to the Heard wildlife center and museum where they have the annual "Dinosaurs Alive!" exhibit. This was our second year to visit and we had just as much fun checking out the animatronic dinosaurs as we did last time. You don't have to have little boys to enjoy this kind of stuff:)

Joey and the girls ready to embark on a journey to the past. . .

A scary dinosaur! You'll notice in most of the pictures with the robot dinos, Ella will not be found. She wouldn't get near them! :)

Yikes!

Cali made a "thoughtful" face a lot at first. Then it turned to laughing and pointing. She is our most fearless kid so far. But at first, she was like, what the heck is that?

I was the video camera girl

There were a couple that weren't robotic that the kids could climb on.

I love this picture. Cali looks so cute squatting face to face with the triceratops.

This is just a really pretty picture Joey took of a cabin in the woods. The moss on the top is just so beautiful.

Like her daddy, Aubrey took lots of great pictures too:)

This was inside the butterfly house. Aubrey had lots of fun trying to catch butterflies.

This picture is my favorite. "Please do not touch the butterflies." We are such rebels.

Yee haw! Ride that dino!

Ella said, "This must be the black desert!" to the empty display case. We were all laughing:)

The kids entering the snake's mouth. I was surprised this year no one seemed nervous about it. Last year was a different story:)

It was a great day, beautiful weather and lots of learning and exploring. But mainly, lots of fun! I'd recommend it to anyone that lives in the area!

Cold front=hot cocoa time

Ok, so I realize we aren't having "winter" weather here yet, but we did get a cold front this week! I was thrilled! Anytime the weather drops below 60, I feel its time to bust out the hot cocoa. And anytime I have hot cocoa, I HAVE to have my Biscotti to dip! We made a Sam's Club run last night(yes, we know how to party on a Friday night) and picked up, among other important things, the big jar of the Nonni's variety Biscotti. We still have a TON of hot chocolate packets left from last year(that stuff doesn't go bad, does it?) and we used my Cocomotion, a MUST HAVE for hot cocoa lovers! It felt like fall last night! Hooray!

The girls enjoying their hot cocoa. And Cali lookin a little crazy. I think she had too much too drink:)

Super freaky baby maker

I played around with the RoutanBabymaker3000 today and this is what I created....

This is supposed to be what Joey and I's baby would look like. Well, since we've already had 3, I'm thankful to know they didn't turn out this ugly! :) I wouldn't recommend doing this if you don't have kids yet. It might just totally freak you out. It was fun though-give it a whirl!

My husband, the wetsuit model

When Joey was about 12 or 13, he did some wetsuit modeling. I had never before seen the pics until recently when Joey's mom mailed me copies. They are awesome! Totally eighties baby! :) Joey even gave me permission, despite slight embarassment, to post them here on my blog. Thanks for taking one for the team Joey. These pictures will bring joy to so many people.

Joey is 3rd from the right in the orange.

Joey is doing the "cool pose" in the upper left. He is also in the center picture behind the 4 kids with his hands in the air. I love it!
I knew when I married Joey he was a stud, but I had no idea I married a model! Lucky me:) Sorry ladies, hes taken.