Thankful for...

I have been out of commission lately.  My computer took a turn for the worse, and it was beyond dead.   It wouldn't even start.  And all my programs were dead.  I guess I didn't realize how much I used it until it was dead.  Luckily, I had my iPhone and such.  But I've decided that regardless of how much I love my phone, having to zoom in, and scroll down every two seconds puts me in a bad mood, and makes me give up.  (Sad life, right?)
Anyway, on Saturday I went out and did yard work.  Mowing, and pruning trees in late November in Utah seems a bit funny, I'm sure.  Especially since it looked like the sky was going to open up and pelt me with snow.  However, it held out and waited to do all its dumping till Sunday, and meanwhile, I got most of our leaves put in the trash cans and made our yard soooo pretty.  While I did that, Jeff was detoxing my computer.  After like, 16 hours of removing, and cleaning and stripping it down to its original settings, it works better than I ever remember.  So big thanks to Jeff.  He did what I thought was impossible.  It had gotten to the point where I would turn it on, and wait ten minutes to even have the OPTION to go online.  And maybe you think this is boring? But let me tell you...when you have to go without, you realize how important everything is.  And I got to thinking about this.  Because, it works with other stuff, too.  And as shallow as it sounds, it took something like this to make me realize  I need to be more thankful.

My half-brother is going to be deployed on Tuesday.  Perhaps.  I specify half brother, because if I just said my brother, everyone would ask me when Jessey joined the military.  He went to Iraq a few years ago...and I guess it's time again.  Right before Thanksgiving.  I said "perhaps", because he's been told a few different dates.  Had to quit his current job, and just wait for someone to tell him when to get on the plane, meanwhile trying to prepare himself and his family for the day he has to go.  It makes me sad.  And then there's his family.  I think  I'm sad and worried.  And I really have no idea.  When I talked to him about it, he seems upbeat--willing to see the positive.  His family supports him, and realize that that's the way of life...but to me, it's such a long time to be without your best friend, husband, father.  I can't imagine.  I'm so grateful to have my husband here.  To know that he won't get some call to go away for some untold time.  There are people that adjust, and handle it.  And live their lives.  I'm thankful for them, and for their bravery.  And I'm thankful that I'm not expected to be that brave.  

This year is my "Siblings" Thanksgiving.  I'm excited to be able to host it at my home.  In all honesty, I hope one day to see Shelly and Jayson at this function, too.  It would be really nice to get to know them better.  Lora won't be able to make it.  And this is completely understandable, because I know what it's like to drive through Wyoming at this time of year.  It's scary and unpredictable.  And after being caught in a snowstorm with Muffy and Jeff and a baby Riley for 16 hours, I know it's just not something to be messed with.  We'll miss her, but I'm certain she'll have an enjoyable holiday with her husband and perhaps his family.  In a way it's been nice to take control and fix an entire meal.  Well, the siblings help, of course.  But I mean, there's something about fixing a holiday meal that makes me feel more like an adult.  That I can do something that for as long as I can remember, seemed to be only for "ladies".  Old ladies.  And speaking of that, I found my first gray hair last week.  Well, the first gray hair that I know of, anyway.  I'm all about dying my hair every month.  And really have been since I was 25.  I thought that I could kind of cheat those stupid grays, because I wouldn't see them.  Does that make sense?  And, I thought that I was more adjusted to the whole getting older thing, than I am.  I was a lot sadder than I had planned.  Also, Jeff has a bunch of gray hair.  And I don't know if it's society, or what, but I think on him, it's attractive.  On me?  Not so much.  
But, this was something that made me stop and think, as well.  I'm thankful to be alive at this point in time.  Where things are changing so quickly, I've been able to see a lot of things come into play in my lifetime.  Things that were just fleeting thoughts years ago.  Technology is rocking our world, and we are trying to become a more tolerant and united people.  Maybe it's not happening as quickly as we would like, but I think that for the most part, people are trying.  I'm so happy to be a part of a generation that is pushing individuality, and equality, and freedom to be...who you are.  After thinking about this, I'm okay with becoming an old lady.  I'm grateful for the things I've been able to see.

I really hope that everyone has an excellent Thanksgiving.  Regardless of where you are in your lives, or what your personal beliefs are, or wherever you are emotionally or spiritually, or physically, I honestly expect that there will be miracles occurring.  I hope that's the case with all of you and your families.  Much Love.  
Now that my computer is fixed, I'll try to be better about posting.  What's all of your excuse?  You know who you are.  
Peace out.  

October's end.

An appropriate title...however many weeks late.  But, alas...I feel like time is really getting away from me.  It has seemed lately that I can't remember jack...or focus on anything but the upcoming holidays, and my love for snuggling with Syd, and being in pajamas, and having my house smell like pumpkin bread and vanilla.  And baking, and enjoying the warmth of the fire, and so many other things have been occupying my mind and time that the day to day seems to be forgotten.  However, Amy made me one of her personalized planners, and I got it at the end of last week...so now I have no excuses.  But I'll still come up with a few doozies to hide my laziness.  At least I'm still trying to hide it, right?  Doesn't that say a little something?  No?
I will answer some questions and respond to some statements real quick, though...because I didn't get around to doing it in the comments section of my last post.  Keri--Riley's school has "mismatched" day for spirit day that week.  However, she liked it so much that she continued to wear them the entire day.  I think it was less about fashion, and more about me letting her wear shorts.  But, I thought it was pretty cute, too.  She is getting too old, too fast.  And Cole said the exact same thing about my pumpkin looking like the bat symbol.  I didn't see it until he said that.  Must be a guy thing.  Kass--Sydney DID try the pumpkin goo.  And unsurprisingly, she wasn't a fan.  And Lora?  Just looked like Syd was taking a dump.  She was having that much fun. ;)
 As you probably noticed the last week of October went by very quickly.  And was a bit surreal.  It turned out that the second grade at Canyon Elementary had been practicing for a Halloween play/concert for the parents and fellow schoolmates...but they didn't really tell anyone until the last minute.  However, I HAD been hearing Cole singing songs that he doesn't normally have access to, and busting some moves that were new.  If he would have been my nephew Erik, I would have just assumed the dancing was business as usual, but it's Cole, so I figured something was up. 

Someone is pretty excellent when they can get a ton of kids and do synchronized dance.  Much respect. I almost had to shoot that girl pirate, though.  I did NOT appreciate her blocking of my son.  And his moves. 
Jeff got to come to this event, even though it was on a Thursday.  This was nice, but lately, it seems like his schedule has been fluctuating and that's been annoying me.   Anyhoo, Riley and Cole both came up to Jeff and Syd and me after the show, and we took pictures to document Jeff's being able to attend a midday event.  It was big news.  ;)

Riley decided to be an angel, rather than the devil she was for the Anderson Halloween party.  There was a little drama with the wings, but we pulled everything else together at the last minute.  She's wearing my shoes.  They're a little big...but she can wear them.  And Cole was the Pokemon trainer again.  He was pretty proud of himself.  But, that's because he did the most awesome out of everyone else, and typically rocked the entire program.  That's just how he is.  Syd was in her stroller while all these pictures are being taken.  I feel like I need to explain that because she was being such a huge brat, that I couldn't even pretend to want to document her.  No...that's not true.  Not completely.  I just didn't want to get her out, because I knew putting her back in would be a fight for which I hadn't the strength.  She was there, though.  So don't worry.  Even though it was really tempting, I did NOT leave her in the car during Cole's production.  
So, Friday, the day after, the kids didn't have school.  And the weather was gorgeous.  We just kind of chilled all day, and put our Jack-O-Lanterns on the front porch.  We were all excited for Saturday night, when we would trick-or-treat.  Cause we're in Utah.  And apparently, that's what they do when Halloween falls on a Sunday.  I'm used to it, now...but the first couple of times it happened, it threw me.  

Saturday we woke up and the weather was terrible.  It was cloudy all day, and windy, and just cold.  And normally, I love that weather.  But not when you're supposed to go outside all eventing.  And, Syd had had diarrhea the entire day and night before...and it just got worse.  She was grouchy, and tired, and whiny...and she was pretty miserable.  I ended up having to cancel all our family visits.  
Riley and Cole were excited to go for the first time trick-o-treating here in this neighborhood.  But during the time these pictures were taken, our home was literally being shaken by wind, and there was hail pouring everywhere, and whitening all the bushes and trees.  Eventually it just began to rain, and the kids were willing to brave the weather for candy.  Hopefully, the good kind. 
Syd helped me with our Trick-O-Treaters while Cole and Riley went on their way.  Well, helped me with the candy, anyway.  She tasted pretty much everything in the bowl...and the Skittles were here favorites. 

The rest of the night I basically sat around and stressed that Riley and Cole would call and be lost, or scared, while I greeted kids in costume, and gave them vast amounts of sugar.  When the kids got home, they were happy, though.  They had caught up with neighborhood friends, and gotten a lof of candy, and were already excited for next year,  and plans that they had made.  It turned out to be a lot of fun for both of them, and I was glad.  I'd worried that Syd being sick and lack of our normal Halloween routine would bum them out.  But it seems like they are mostly interested in the candy part of this holiday.  Weird. 

They brought in some good stuff.  We are still munching on it from time to time.  I hope you all had a Happy Halloween, and that you all gained at least 5 pounds from the vast amounts of candy you've consumed.  Because if you haven't, then that's not fair to me.  
Okay, at the end of this week, I'm putting up our Christmas decorations.  For reals.  I'll post pics when they're up.  Try to contain your excitement. 

October, part two.

Occasionally Teresa, my stepmom will come visit us, and us her.  Last week she came over with Gabe, her grandson and my kid's...cousin?  Yeah, I think their cousin.  Anyway, usually we visit while the kids play, and this time was no exception.  Syd waddled around, and destroyed stuff while we caught up on what the kids have been doing, and life in general.  I always look forward to these visits, because she's a friend, and we just laugh about everything.  But when it was time to go home, she had asked if we'd been to the pumpkin patch this year, I said "no", and she invited us to go to Springville to Jakers, the pumpkin patch that is right next to where our old home used to be.  Apparently they had upgraded it quite a bit, and the kids were way excited.  So we went.  

The weird thing is, when we lived right next to Jakers, we never went.  Not once in seven years.  But this being the year that we moved away, we decided to check it out.  And, this year they added quite a few things: A maze, a hayride, and a petting zoo.  It was way more fun than I was thinking it would be, and the kids loved it.  That llama in the background looked like it had a perm.  We-ird.  And there was a baby kangaroo, as well...but it looked really sick, and it made me sad.  I really like petting zoos and such, but when they look like they've had one too many kids throw something at them, or have been poking them, or are screaming at them, it makes my inner animal's-rights-activist come out.  So, I guess it doesn't take much.   

But the hayride was a lot of fun, despite how dorky I look, and Syd and the boys LOVED the "corn pool".  That sounds really nasty, doesn't it?  But I'm not sure what one would call it. 

And Riley was pretty good at climbing up the bales of hay.  They were ginormous.  It kind of made me sick to watch, and I realized that I am in fact, getting old.  Not only am I getting the wrinkles and such, but the carsickness, and the stomach upset of heights.  Ugh.  Anyway, after all the festivities, the kids picked out pumpkins from the actual patch and I thought they did a good job.  Grandma Teresa treated them to their choice of baby gourd in addition to the pumpkins.  She's awesome like that.  ;)

And lastly, this is my most favorite picture of the event is Syd sitting in dirt.  She looks like a very special monkey, but she's MY very special monkey.  

Big thanks to Teresa for a really fun time.  All three of the kids loved it, and it was nice of her to take us out.  Plus, our pumpkins rocked the house.  As you are about to see.

We got around to carving the pumpkins about a week later.  And each of us got to create our own...it was the first time the kids got to pick and choose and make anything they wanted.  I'd like to say that I was a runner up in the most creative...but we all know that wouldn't be true.  In fact, I tried to download some sort of pattern or a cool face off the internet so my pumpkin could keep up, but my computer chose to not respond to any of my promptings. And I had to go at it alone.  

Jeff says that is my old lady face.  It's actually my "artistic concentration" face.  And this is just another reason I am not artsy in any way.  It makes me really ugly.  However, everyone else in my little family seems to do it and look great simultaneously.

(Notice that whenever Jeff does something, even pumpkin carving, it's an event that requires the electric drill)

Technically Syd didn't do any actual carving, but she did touch some pumpkin goo and rearranged the little gourds.  She's an asset, for sure.  

And in the end, I think they turned out pretty great.  The kids did a really excellent job, and Jeff's mummy pumpkin turned out perfect...but that's normal.  His is always the one that I wish I could say I made.  Instead my jack-o-lanterns have the perpetual "baby face", as my sister, Muff says. I always draw people that have the same face, apparently, and they just look like cartoon babies.  I guess it's my style, if you will.  
Rainey's, Jeff's, Cole's, and Riley's pumpkins:

Up next is Cole's Halloween play and Halloween night, which blew not only literally, but figuratively as well. You don't want to miss it.  For reals.