Gotta love the Babies!

For those of you who know her, you know that Nicole LOVES babies! She has a few of her own and will frequently carry around as many as her little arms will hold but her favorite is "Bambi." She named Bambi herself. She is also so protective of her that she frequently asks me to hold her if she has to do anything and instructs me to kiss her and pat her back. I have to watch out if I don't do it right - she is VERY particular! So the other night I decided to document what we sometimes find. . . Nicole asleep with Bambi on her chest! I think it is so cute how her last thought before she goes to bed is to make sure her baby is covered up and comfortable on her chest!

The First Snow

Of course, I had to document the first real playable snow of the year! We had to try out all the new snow gear to see if it worked! Here's Matthew all suited up and ready to go! Can you tell he was excited!

Whohoo! Let it snow!

The Big Race

Well, I definitely fell off the blogging wagon and now I am trying to catch up with a LOT of stuff that has happened! But most importantly, the BIG race, as Matthew and I call it (as we also call EVERY race) must be mentioned. Matthew loves to talk about "the big race" before I'm going to run anything and how he will cheer for me at the end and say, "Go Mommy!" and that will give me that last ounce of strength I need to pass somebody at the very last second and win! (Is it possible we've had stories about this very thing?) He especially liked trash talking Uncle Mike before this last race and telling him how his mommy was going to beat him!
A big thanks to Mike and Brandi for letting us stay with them and for Mom and Dad for driving up to watch us all. Also to Woodson for taking off work to support me and not make me sleep somewhere strange with the kids all by myself! :) It was definitely lots of fun. . . and a little bit painful! But mostly fun even though I think we all decided we would NEVER do this race again! Good job to Mike for getting us all to do it! It would never have happened without the CHALLENGE! I won't even mention how you lost to a pregnant lady! While Matthew, of course, loved this whole thing, Nicole was less than enthusiastic about hanging out in the cold for however long they were there after the donut run with Grandma and Grandpa!

Julie, Aimee, me, and Mike: the fearless four! Next year, Joe and Paul, next year. . . the whole fam! That is, of course, unless you're afraid. . . !

Running poses before the race. . .Aimee's gonna take down the pack! We looked much different after the race but fortunately I have no pictures of that!

Here's us taking off . . .about 3 minutes after the starting gun! We all had to go to the bathroom so bad and the porta-potty lines were so long we couldn't make it in time for the gun! Plus we had to get a few pictures before we started. . . etc etc etc! Luckily the race was chip timed!

Here's me just about to the finish line. Way to get the action shot, babe! And, even though I couldn't hear Matthew say, "Go Mommy!" I must have known he would be saying it because I think I passed this guy! Although by that point I WAS almost delirious so I could have imagined that!

Halloween, Halloweeeeeeeen!

The title of this post is how my kids say it - "Halloweeeeeeeen!" Add a spooky quaver into your voice and you've got it! It also fits the sense that I had this year that Halloween went on FOREVER! Not that I don't like Halloween, don't get me wrong, but I swear we got into our costumes 15 times! Hence the reason all of these pictures look the same. They are, however, from different Halloween festivities. I promise. Here is Nicole doing a "dragon snarl." She liked to pretend even though she wasn't technically wearing the dragon costume. These pictures are from the actual Halloween night up in Boise where we went trick-or-treating in an AWESOME neighborhood where everyone dressed up and had haunted houses and discos in their front yards!

Here's Matthew doing his "dragon snarl." You can tell he's had practice.

Happy to go trick-or-treating!

Earlier in the week (I don't know why my pictures always show up on here backwards!) we went to the ward "trunk-or-treat" where we also got lots of candy, particularly Matthew who, because the cars were all so close together, felt comfortable running ahead to finish a row and then doing it again with us - sometimes he did this 3 times!

Matthew, happy with his collection thus far!

Matthew and Nicole with friends, Mia and Ian Seitzinger.

WoooHooo! Look who turned 2!

On October 24 our little beauty queen turned 2 and oh, how she enjoyed her birthday party! She still talks about it any time anyone else has a birthday and thinks it's hers all over again! Here she is strutting her stuff in some of her new birthday finery - sunglasses, a purse (this has become a FAVORITE) and ducky slippers! Opening presents - another purse (also a favorite). She loved ALL her presents. . . and her cake. . . and the attention!

Here you can see how much she loved her cake! I was quite proud of the sprinkles I thought to put on it as well as the fact that it actually tasted good!

Happy Birthday our little Colie-wol!

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

It has been perfect kite-flying weather this fall so a few days ago we headed out - to the backyard - to fly a kite! We have actually had this kite for a months but never flown it so it was high time! Here is a picture of one of our successful flights - you can't really see it, but it is a very fancy Lightning McQueen kite that I put together myself (let's be honest, when I carried it outside I didn't think it would actually ever get off the ground) Woodson made a few minor adjustments and look at it go! Only quirk was that it seemed to gravitate toward our neighbors' weeds every time it flew! Matthew was in charge of "flying" the kite. He took his job very seriously.

Daddy was instrumental in the success of this venture for MANY reasons.

Nicole really didn't like being outside at all and couldn't have cared less about the kite. She stayed on the porch most of the time, saying, "Let's go back inside!"

Fun times! (well, at least for Matthew and Mommy!)

Picking Pumpkins

A few weeks ago we went to the pumpkin patch here in our neighborhood. A little girl had grown pumpkins to sell them and raise money for her ballet class. It was great to not have to go far to get our Halloween pumpkins. Besides that, we had never been to an actual pumpkin PATCH where you get to pick out your own pumpkin and they CUT it for you right there! Matthew thought that was great! He was so excited and picked out his super awesome pumpkin very quickly! He only cared that it was the biggest one he could find!

They also had kittens that the kids loved just about as much as the pumpkins!

So proud of his big pumpkin! I don't think he cared/realized that it was mostly green!

When we got home from our successful pumpkin picking trip and as I was getting ready to begin the pumpkin carving ceremony, Woodson asked, "You're not planning on actually CARVING those pumpkins, are you?" Well, yes, actually I was but anyone who comes to our house will notice who won that discussion when they see our stack of COLORED pumpkins on the front porch. The washable markers didn't really do a very good job on the pumpkins but luckily we had some old colorful buttons and a hot glue gun! Thanks to all those who contributed to me finally investing in one last year - every time I use it (which is approximately once every couple months!) I am very grateful to have it!

"Armoring Up"

Sometimes you just gotta "armor up" and fight some naughty bad guys.

A big thank you to the Webbs for our new "costume box!"

The Hubby Tag

This is courtesy of my sister, Julie. I will now be passing it through Lehi and a few other select cities.

1. Where did you meet?

At church the first time I attended my new ward when I switched apartments. I remember thinking he was really outgoing and had a really cute bum. He remembers the outfit I was wearing. It was meant to be.

2. How long did you date before you were married?

Well, we knew each other for about 1 year and 3 months but I guess we only "dated" the last 6-7 of those months.

3. How long have you been married?

5 years

4. What does he do that surprises you?

He leaves me little notes and occasionally takes off work and comes home when I don't expect him.

5. What is your favorite feature of his?

Well, question number 1 may have given me away (j/k!) . I just like everything!

6. What is your favorite quality of his?

That he is so thoughtful and service-oriented. He truly knows how to love the people around him.

7. Does he have a nickname for you?

Babe or (this is mildly embarrassing) Baby-cakes

8. Does he have a favorite color?

Blue

9. What is his favorite food?

Steak

10. What is his favorite sport?

Wrestling

11. When was your first kiss?

February of 2003. Making chocolate chip cookies in his kitchen. He was moving things along a little slowly so I had to take matters into my own hands. I must have been emboldened by the intimacy of making cookies together.

12. Favorite thing to do as a couple?

I'd like to say talking together while we kneel by out bed before we start praying but he actually hates that. I am the one who likes it. So I'll have to go with traveling or flying when we hook up with someone with a plane.

13. Do you have any children?

If you're reading this, I am assuming you already know the answer to this! But for all of you blog stalkers out there who got here through a friend of a friend's blog because it looked intriguing, yes, I have one son, 3, and one daughter, 2.

14. Does he have a hidden talent?

MANY! In fact, he can do pretty much anything he tries! It can be quite disheartening when I compare myself to him! He sews. He had sewn a huge bean bag cover before we got married that remained in our apartment until I managed to get rid of it (not due to poor sewing!). He paints. He painted a mural on the kitchen wall of his old house. He cooks - he is the bread maker in our house so ya, that bread you may have eaten when you came over, that wasn't me. He is also a pro-ironer. Honest. There is no way I'm going to let him start doing crafts because that would probably push me over the edge if he were better at it than I am!

15. How old is he?

34 tomorrow!

16. Who said I love you first?

He did. It freaked me out.

17. What's his favorite music?

He used to listen to a lot of Ozzie Osbourne (is that how you spell it?) when he was younger but after I called it "angry music" once he doesn't listen to it so much anymore! Now when he turns on music it is usually Hawaiian music from the internet.

18. What do you admire most about him?

I admire his commitment to be the best person he can be. He is constantly thinking of things he needs to be better at and making lists and trying to change things about himself. He is so driven. I also admire his self confidence and that he is so hardworking. He never stops to think that he can't do something. If he's never done it before, he just figures out how and does it! It is amazing. I really can't pick one thing but I do have to mention one more thing: he is the most giving person I have ever met. I am in awe sometimes. He is constantly doing things for me and making my life so much easier! I wouldn't have breakfast or lunch most of the time that I go to work or meetings if he didn't make it and pack it for me while I frantically got ready! I also would rarely be wearing ironed clothes either.

19. Do you think that he will read this?

Oh, yes!

I tag Alyson, Natalie, Jen Davis, Ashley. I would really like to tag you all but I am assuming there's a limit, right?

Hiking in the Mountains

On Saturday we went "hiking in the mountains." On our drive through the Alpine Loop we stopped at Mutual Dell and hiked around some of the trails, finding sticks, fighting weeds/bad guys, and tracking bears. As Matthew said, it was "the most fun ever!" You can tell he was having a good time in this first picture. I had just told a really super funny joke about why the chicken crossed the road.

Here's Nicole with a really cool stick (aka sword).

A little smoochin' at our picnic. We dined on apples, Ritz crackers, graham crackers, raisins and a dessert of M&M's. All of the important food groups!

It's so nice when they love each other!

Un guard! (is that even remotely close to how you spell it?)

The trails were beautiful! But not as beautiful as US! (Woodson is supposed to say!)

SOOOO excited!

Daddy and Nicole climbing on rocks.

Tagged!

I got tagged by my friend Natalie for this one so here goes! I can't believe I am actually doing this tag! I am very proud of myself for doing it - hopefully none of you will think less of me for my grungy house! You're supposed to drop whatever you're doing when you read that you're tagged (thankfully, the kids were in bed at the time so this was doable) and take pictures of the following things WITHOUT cleaning up first: my kitchen sink (I only cheated SLIGHTLY here because I really could NOT take a picture of the soggy pancake chunks that were at the bottom of the sink so I washed them down the drain. There! I've come clean! You all know they were there now so I figure that should be good enough without you all having to see them! My favorite room in the house: my bedroom. I LOVE this room! Particularly the bed! I dream of staying here all day long! Of course, in my dream there are usually no children with me in the room. Sorry, for some reason this picture is on here twice and I have no idea how to get rid of it.

The refrigerator: now, I know all of you whose blogs I've already seen who have done this tag have shown the inside of your fridge but the tag did not specifically say that so I chose the safe route and went with the outside. Not cheating: semantics. That's Matthew's obedience chart on the top - full of stickers. We have not yet printed out a new one. I guess we want to remember that he ever got one full!
My closet - complete with laundry rack and everything. Luckily there is no longer a child sleeping in this "room!"
The laundry room (more appropriately the laundry "hallway"). Yes, those are dinosaurs on top of the dryer.
Self Portrait: Woodson took this one for me. Apparently I was exhausted from the strain of doing this tag!
So now to pass it along! Ha HA! I tag Aimee, Julie, and Ashley!

Traditions

When we were little I remember pulling off our shirts but leaving them on our heads and then strutting around pretending we had long, beautiful hair. I think I even said that: "Look at my long, beautiful hair!" in my most sophisticated voice. I was not home when Woodson took this picture but was pleased when I found it to know that somehow, without consciously doing it, the tradition had been passed on! Now to work on "Magic Toybox!"

The State Fair: Pumpkins

I LOVE the state fair! I love the rides. I love the stinky animals. I love the greasy food (that I don't eat because we're too cheap but you get almost as much grease just from the smell). I love the "Little Hands on the Farm." But mostly, I love the pumpkins. I can't help it. No matter how much time we have, if we go to the fair, we MUST visit the pumpkins. I think it began a few years ago when Woodson and I visited the Alaska state fair and saw "Thunderhorse." That was its name. And it was big enough for a name like that. And I've never forgotten it. The sign said it weighed like 496 lbs (. . .or something.) Ever since then I've been fascinated with the big pumpkins. I mean, who grows these things? And do they sit there all summer long thinking, "Oh, I hope it keeps growing! I hope! I hope! Maybe we'll win 1st prize at the state fair this year if it . . .just. . . keeps. . . GROWING!" Or, as Woodson says, are they just injected full of farm steroids? I don't know! But as intriguing a picture as that second theory conjures up, I think I prefer the first one. I like to picture some lucky kid coming outside one day and walking by his garden - doo, da-doo - just walking along - and then "What the?!" and seeing a Thunderhorse and saying, "Holy Cow! Mom, come look! We're DEFINITELY going to win THIS year!" Anyway, I've started taking pictures of us with the pumpkins each year. These first ones are from last year and I have to say - they were no Thunderhorse - but still, pretty impressive. This last picture is from this year and man, all I have to say about these is: No surprised lucky kids this year.