Trunk or Treat, smell my feet...

Tonight was our ward's Trunk or Treat Spooktacular Event. Monica picked out the pirate costume weeks ago and has been dying to play with it. I picked a lamb for Leah because it seemed like it would be warm just in case it got cold.



It didn't. PERFECT weather.


My pirate...Captain Mo























Anna had a little lamb, little lamb, little laaaaamb























Monica thought I was a grandma. I was going more for the retro, Austin Powers era.



















Captain Mo and Princess Katie held hands on their way to get their candy!



















So cute!








The Cottams had this awesome fishing booth at their trunk. Monica loved it!



















Monica fished out some candy and spiders...oooooh!

Not only do they match perfectly as a family every Sunday, the Cordrays also had the best costumes!

Mary Poppins

Her chimney sweep guy type friend... ( I don't remember his name. But I remember he liked flying kites. Um, right?)

Then the Popes had this cool cemetery setup at their trunk.

I forgot to get a picture of her final count, but Monica was ecstatic over her candy. I told her to take one piece in with her to go inside and she grabbed a big handful. Our conversation:

Me: Monica, I said one piece of candy.

Mon: But Mom! I need to share with my friends.

Me: Ok, that works.

Mon: Friends! Friends! Mom, where did my friends go?

Laughter is the BEST medicine!

Last night while Ryan was at school, Monica, Leah and I shared about 10 minutes of pure laughter. I had gone to the laundry room to change a load when I heard Monica laughing hysterically. I found her doing this. Leah would smile real big at her between peek-a-boos, and wouldn't you know the moment I turn on the camera, the smiles ended. But it was still fun. You'll need to turn on your volume for this. Monica's laugh is too contagious!

Windows to Their Souls

As I sit here updating my blog, adding a few pictures of my beauties, I study these pictures and wonder what it is that makes me and seemingly so many other people, so captivated by these two little girls. And I think it is their eyes. I am mesmerized when I look at their eyes. Monica, with her thick, long, and dark lashes and full, round chocolate brown eyes melt me when she gets so excited about the world around her. They are so full of interest, curiosity, and genuine happiness. Leah, with her almond-ish shaped eyes, gives you a glimpse into uncharted territory, so full of excitement and wonder. Poor thing, she inherited my short lashes, but I am mesmerized nonetheless. They haven't turned to brown yet so they are this deep shade of brown and green. I am overwhelmed when I take the time to look into my girls' eyes and see beautiful spirits gazing at me, and I wonder how I was ever entrusted to be their mother. It's a constant reminder of my great responsibility as such. I really feel like I am looking into the windows of their souls, and am permitted, if for but a moment, to gaze upon their divine potential as true daughters of God.

Yesterday in Sacrament Meeting was the Primary Program. They sang, "I Am A Child of God" at the beginning and at the end, with two beautiful little solos. During the end solo, Monica got real close to my ear and sang "I am a child of God..and me here...parents dear...hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm walk beside me, help me....the way". So in a meeting jam packed with the Spirit, to hear my own little tot singing along these words just really hit home. My responsibility is to make sure my children know without a doubt who they are, earthly and spiritually. It is my job to help them find their way by walking beside them for the little time they are in my care and to teach them everything they need to know about who their Heavenly Father is so they can live their lives to return to live with Him again.

I am thankful to be a mother, but truth be told it scares a whole lotta something out of me. As exciting as it is, it is equally gut wrenching. I am scared of failing to be there in the way they will need me. I am scared of letting them out of my sight where I cannot protect them from every possible threat. But I am also excited to see them take opportunities when they come. And excited to see them learn and grow. I am excited to watch them build relationships and grow in strength and knowledge. So it's no wonder to me that moms go gray before dads. For us emotionally driven moms, it is quite the rollercoaster!!

We're MOVING!!!

We are soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo(get the picture?)oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited!! We have been looking for another house to rent for about 6 months. We like this house, but there is one major drawback- no closetspace!! And kind of a crummy backyard. So- Ryan is at work one day and decides to look around the neighborhood and see what's out there. Two turns and Voila! He sees this house and makes the call and it's actually available! So what's so great about this other house???

#1. two full closets in the master bedroom
#2. Two sinks in the master bathroom (SCORE!) plus another closet!
#3. Twice as much sq. footage in the master bedroom.

#4. 2-3 linen closets
#5. A coat closet

#6. A formal dining room (we can actually have space to invite people over!)
#7. Two family living areas
#8. good sized kitchen
#9. two car garage

#10. A fully landscaped HUGE BACKYARD!
#11. A tool/shop shed
#12. A big concrete slab for playing basketball, or holding a dance party
#13. 3-4 times as much grass space

#14. Spacious bedrooms
#15. large closets in the bedrooms
#16. Built in a hacienda style

In case you can't tell, we are soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited!! Ryan checked his messages as we were leaving church today and found out. WOOHOO!! I was so excited I did my Molly Shannon "Superstar" right there in the hall. YES!

We'd like to thank Congress for passing the new GI Bill, Ryan's boss for giving him work, for Moms and Dads and their support, and for all the other little people who made this happen. We ESPECIALLY have to send a shout out to our new landlords for approving our application and offering this beautiful and spacious home to us for such a great price!

Das Wienerschnitzel ja!

So what do you get when you combine a hankering for German cuisine and an aunt who flies to Germany regularly?

HOMEMADE WIENERSCHNITZEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The best in the west! Dude, seriously. The sauce, the breading, the yogurt (around 10 euro)- handcarried from Germany. The only thing missing? An open fire oven and french fries (2 euro). The trip down memory lane- priceless!!!

We found our camera!

Ok, so it's time to play a little catch up. We didn't lose our camera, as we had fretted. It had fallen out of the backpack and rolled under the stroller. YAY!! So, here is the last week and a half in review.

We saw our friends from Germany, the Keils and the Prices! It was so fun to see you guys again!!

Previously said sweet picture of the girls at the balloon fiesta fireworks show...

Then Leah helped Ryan do his homework. She looks so tiny in the arms of her daddy!

It's officially cookie-making-decorating-and-giving-them-away season!

Here's Leah on the day she rolled over from back to tummy 8 times! It has now increased to everytime she is on her back. She falls under the "baby may EVEN be able to..." in the what to expect book. Genius maybe?

And now here she is in action. She's much faster now.


My decorated cookies...

A fun photo op with the girls last night...

Miss Monica took this picture!

Monica took decorating her cookies very seriously...especially since she could use the princess edition of cookie icing!

Like Mother Like Daughter

Walked into the toy room today to find Monica and her baby Elmo...

It's a Party!!

Last night Ryan and I took the girls to see the special shapes glowdeo at the Balloon Fiesta. We took the park and ride since we knew they pretty much had their own lanes and could get us there a LOT faster than if we drove. Online, it said the glowdeo would start at 7 and go til 8. So we got there at 7:20 and right as we were pulling onto the grounds we saw the special shapes all up and glowing. Monica stood up on the bus and goes,"Look! It's a party!!" Cutie patootie.

But then we walked onto the grounds off the bus and they announced that the glowdeo was OVER! What?! You've got to be kidding me! So the balloons all deflated before we could even get close enough to take a good picture. BUM-MER!

So at least we were able to enjoy the fireworks show. They ROCKED!! My personal faves were the ones that explode, hang for a second, and then pop out at you! YEAH! Monica and Leah had fun watching them too. I got some pretty sweet pictures of them. Too bad we're pretty sure our camera got stolen. Ryan stuck it in the outside pocket of his backpack and when we checked this morning it was gone. NOOO! We're going to check around the back of the truck and make sure it didn't just fall out, but how likely is that? I think there had to have been AT LEAST 3000 people there last night. Rubbing shoulders with all those folks doesn't add up in our favor. But we did have a good time. And the girls were A D O R A B L E!!!

P.S. If you really want to see some good balloon pictures, you should bloghop around my New Mehicanos blogging buddies. Pretty much everybody who still lives here has awesome pics!

Good Words and Bad Words

So yesterday we took Monica to the McDonald's Playland for lunch and every couple minutes or so she would come to our table and tell us how fast the big boys were playing. And then she tried telling us there was a b*@!^ here and there and the boys climbed on it. She said it enough times that I seriously got concerned that the boys in the playland were swearing at the girls playing. So I asked her to describe it for me and she pointed to the strap tunnel. OH! (cue lightbulb)BRIDGE!!! We, and a couple dads sitting at tables near us, laughed pretty hard. Ok, so that made sense. But she also mispronounces "ashes" when she sings "wing awound the wosie." So at what point do you start teaching that there are bad words? I'm assuming it has to be about the time they can correctly pronounce their words. Which is definitely not now. So I guess I wait? And just find the humor in it until she knows what she is saying...