What We Did While Ammon Was Gone

Like I said in the previous post, Ammon was gone for a lot of the month of October.  Therefore, when Kent had fall break at preschool, the kids and I skipped town to take refuge at my grandparent's house in St. George.  They were so kind to take us in for a few days, feed us, entertain us, etc.  My amazingly kind grandpa even went above and beyond by replacing my car battery and taking Kent and I to the emergency room when said car battery died.  I have never driven that far by myself before, let alone with two kids, but we managed beautifully.  I don't think I will be making long trips with the kids without Ammon very frequently, but at least I proved to myself that I could do it. 

My car was filthy inside, so I used some of my time to clean it out while the kids played in and around the car.  There was a lot of goldfish back there.

Kent developed a case of croup, something he gets about twice a year, while we were down there.  This case was just bad enough that he needed a breathing treatment in the middle of the night.  When I went out to the car to take him, my car battery had died, so my poor grandpa had to get dressed and drive us there (which is a 30 minute drive in and of itself).  Then he sat in the waiting room for an hour and a half while they checked Kent out.  Now let's give credit to my grandmother who stayed home with a screaming Addy who was awaken abruptly by her croupy brother, she isn't the easiest to deal with when she is crying.  

My grandparent's friend has spent hours making a train track in his back yard and allowed us to come check it out.  Kent just sat there and watched it go around and around.  I think he now has two trains working.  

Addy took a specific interest in walking while we were there.  This was her brother so kindly helping her.

We also took a quick trip to Vegas for one night to visit my uncle.  This is how Kent entertained himself for part of the 2 hour drive that turned into 3 1/2 hours.

Addy and my Aunt Shannon playing the piano when in Vegas.

I love this picture of Kent making himself comfortable on the way home.  

Halloween Festivities/Bring Out the Bernina

Our Halloween this year was pretty low key.  Ammon was gone for a significant part of October in New Mexico, and I am never in a mood to celebrate without him (single parenting is tiring).

Kent settled for painting pumpkins with friends,

and then hammering glowing pegs into his little pumpkin once Ammon got home.

I kind of felt bad for the poor kid who didn't even get to carve a pumpkin, but he was pretty happy with the pirate pumpkin he created thanks to some money Grandma Udy gave him to spend at target on pumpkin decorating supplies.  Personally it was a lot easier to put some stickers on and make a pirate then to carve a pirate in a pumpkin.  The biggest feat of the Halloween season was sewing Kent's costume.  Sewing is one of those talents that I hide "under a bushel".  Not because I am not apt, but because I just don't enjoy it that much.  My mom taught me to sew probably around age 8 and I continued to take sewing classes and sew for 4-H.  Of course we had sewing in middle school and I took the sewing classes in high school, they were easy A's and far better than taking accounting or something like that (sorry Sarah and Nicole).  My friend Amanda and I decided we would set out to make our oldest kids super heroes.  They turned out pretty cute if I do say so myself.  I said I would never make another Halloween costume, but I also said I wouldn't have any more kids after Kent's pregnancy too, and we have Addy, so we will see.

The cape in process.

Ammon was gone the entire time I made the costume, so I spent a good deal of time with this one on my lap.  Any imperfections I blame on her.

Super Kent

Here he is at our ward trunk-or-treat.  You can't wear masks at church functions, therefore multiple people asked what he was, if that doesn't make you feel good about your costume making skills I don't know what does.  

Thank heavens for Carter's and their cheap, cute costumes I could just buy for cheaper than I could make one.

Super Kent and Super Abby

 Our ward at the Halloween party.  You can see Kent in the front and Addy is being held by a girl towards the back.  

I couldn't resist adding this picture of our Bishop's car during trunk or treat.  He did a pretty good job decorating for the kids and that is nothing compared to his house on Halloween night.

Black Island Farms

In October Amanda and I took the kids to Black Island Farms in Syracuse.  They have a fun little set up for kids with lots of activities.  They even take you on a trailer ride to the pumpkin patch and let the kids each pick out a pumpkin.  The kids were really well behaved and had a great time, but the moms were exhausted by the end.  This was my second time to Black Island Farms, we went right after Addy was born the year prior.  I am so glad we discovered this little place and we will really miss it when we don't live in Utah anymore, hopefully we can find someplace like it where ever we move.

Couldn't resist a photo op!

Kent and Abby holding hands as they search for their pumpkins.

Addy guarding the pumpkins on the trailer while we waited for everyone to finish.

The corn pit was a hit.

I love how I caught Kent in mid jump.

Train ride

Tire swings

Hay maze

It was hard to keep track of the kids cause you could almost never see them, but they were happy as can be.  

This Fall Addy Discovered...

Ice cream cones,

toilet paper,

how much fun it is to play in the sink,

how to quickly and quietly (as to not alert Mom) empty a wipe's container,

how to use a fork,

sugar cookies,

the joys of holding a softball in your hand,

guacamole (yes she eats it by the spoonful),

how to stand up while buckled in a cart,

and my eyeliner.

Sorry if some of the pictures are blurry, you can blame the subject who is always moving and a crappy iPhone camera.

Reincarnated Computer/Fall Camping

I was right in the middle of a huge blog catch-up when my computer met its demise.  One should not use her computer to entertain herself in the same room as her kids are taking a bath.  Luckily all that doesn't work is the bottom row of the keyboard, but nonetheless it has be repurposed as a "server" thanks to Ammon and his hopes and aspirations for our home network.  However, all my pictures are still on my old computer so I have had to learn how to do screen sharing, etc. in order to import them into posts.  It is a pain in the butt, but Ammon refuses to put iPhoto back on his computer until they release the next version which was supposed (those who follow apple supposable can predict updates and such) to be released already.  So who knows.  But without further ado, fall camping!

This may just be the new way I camp.  Our friends the Crosbys were going camping with her parents who have a trailer and invited us to go with them.  Because I was lazy and didn't want to pack anything, we just went up for the afternoon, played, ate dinner, then drove home to sleep in our own beds.  It was marvelous.  We just went up Sardine Canyon to Mantua. 

The kids collected sticks...

and discovered the joys of climbing trees.

They got to ride bikes and

in a canoe. This is how they transported the canoe down to the lake, Abby and Kent were more than happy to be passengers.

Peter and Ammon took the Abby and Kent out in the canoe.

Abby and Kent also went exploring with backpacks to collect treasures in.  They are too cute together. We ended up with a lot of sticks, rocks, and flowers/weeds.



Here is proof that Maddy and Addy were there too!