G-Parents visit

We did a lot while Alan's parents were in town, including a lot of breaking my diet, spending money we don't have and going to bed WAY too late.

This is the road on the way to Nauvoo. I love Fall!

Calvy showing me his cool leaf from Carthage.

The whole group at Carthage. It was a beautiful experience, I love it there.

Cute Caleb! I love this jacket from my friend Tori!

Beautiful flowers at the Nauoo Temple grounds.

I am oping my MIL Linda, won' mind too much that I put this picture on, she has been showing everyone a picture of me in my "onion cutting goggles". ;0)

Look at those leaves, I see cool art and Alan sees work. ;0)

Love this Ellie Bellie!

We had a movie night with friends and watched "How TO Train Your Dragon" which was a gift from Alan's parents and happens to be our favorite movie right now.

At Carthage.

I will post more tomorrow. I am not exactly on my game lately, I will try hard to put out some more clever posts, until then, enjoy the pics.

-Keara

Material Girls

I am dying over these rooms! You have to check it out.

Our BIG Trip Continued

We hung out all night, and played Polly Pockets and other games while other SLAVED away in the kitchen making the yummiest pizza I ever had.

They have the most beautiful daughters, in the most beautifully decorated home.

Here they are playing again.

They were checking out the "little" bunny downstairs, which happens to be the biggest rabbit I have ever seen. ;0)

Well, I get down to it...Calvin wouldn't really eat all day, but once he got his ice-cream he ate that WHOLE thing. He was pretty whiny all day, but we attribute it to no nap and traveling. Late that night after eating the most delicious pizza, we went to bed, right about the same time as Alan and I had fallen asleep were heard what sounded like choking. Alan shot out of bed and freaked me out, I had no idea what was going on. Calvin had puked ALL over the floor and inflatable mattress and all it's bedding. It was SO disgusting, it was pink and chunky apparently the bubble gum flavor has actual bubble gum in it. Hey got another shot out in the hall way on the way to the bathroom, I'm pretty sure none of it made it in the toilet. I went upstairs and made a good guess as to which door was the McCoskey's bedroom. They came right down and helped clean up that totally gross mess, we felt so bad and felt even worse when we heard it was all brand new carpet. Poor Calvy, he was so sick, I wanted to just hug and love him all over but he had chunks all over his little body, so I waited till after his shower. Alan, the great dad that he is, jumped into the shower with Calvy to wash him up and got soaked in the process. It was one of those times that you just wish you were at home in your own space, this trip was full of them. ;0) He ended up puking again, but was less eventful. That morning it took us a LONG.....LONG.....LOOONG time to get out the door, they kind of had to shove us out. SO sorry!!!!!!

So the rest of the trip went like this, kids coughing, Missed church meetings, Mommy Crying, Mommy puking, Mommy crying, picking up G-pand at the airport, sleeping, Mommy puking, kids coughing, driving home and a lot of wishing I were either dead, or just back in my own home. We, or I, also decided that I NEVER want to make a long trip in a car EVER EVER again. So all you family back in AZ, I'm not sure we'll see you this Christmas...sorry Mom. ;0)

Things are going much better, I am feeling better and the kids are having a total blast with their totally amazing G-Parents.

P.S. Thanks Jeremy, sorry you had to clean up dog poop. ;0)

Our BIG Trip

We had a great time in Ohio visiting the McCoskey Family. They took us to a farm where we ate lunch, fed the animals,took some fun pictures and met Humungous Gus.

Yes, he is humungous, but his name is Caleb, and yes his shirt does say "SOMEDAY I'LL BE YOUR CHIROPRACTOR" I love his stripe pants, I was made fun of all day that he looked like Santa's Chiropractor. ;0) I still like them.

Feedin the goats.

Ellie saving money and just picking up the scraps on the ground.

Mrs. McCoskey comforting Ellie after she was "bitten", not really sure how bad it was, but she was definitely enjoying the comfort. ;0)

"I'm backin up guys, watch out!"

Kids riding on a "cow"

I love Ellie's face in this one.

Look at Calvy, SO big! I love McCoskey(that's what Calvin calls him) in this pic. They were so amazing, they were so kind and inviting, we felt right at home...maybe too much at home, I'll tell you why later.

The whole fam at the pumpkin patch. We were trying really hard to get Ellie to smile.

Humungous Gus and the pumpkin too. ;0)

This sign was so cute, Maybe we'll put it in "Cowvin's" room. ;0)

These baby ows were so sweet! They had the biggest dark eyes and the longest black eyelashes. Seriously SO sweet.

Making a for the 2 scoops. ;0)

These pigs were so funny, they fought the whole time. Ellie was super cute wanting to pet one. It was interesting, McCoskey pointed out that their pen was the cleanest, they would poop and pee in only one corner and the other goats and cows just pooped wherever they wanted. So obviously when my mom would say my room was a pig stye, it was actually a good thing. ;0)

Ice-cream, the beginnings of a very long night, full of very smelly pink ice-cream.

Some of this some of that.

Clean dishes.
Calvy enjoying the view on the way to our super cool trip! More on that later.
Dirty shoes mean happy and sleepy kids.
The amazing Alan, my best friend.
Our delicious lunch before we left. Yummo! Recipe on my food blog, here----------->

Deep Thoughts by Keara B.

We went for a Sunday drive tonight after dinner. We drove around looking for all the "Halloween Houses". As I held Alan's hand with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir playing in the background I felt a sense of total contentment. We had been missing our Daddy who was away at a NUCCA conference for 3 days. I love my family, I love when we are all together in the same space, whether it be a car or bedroom or a family room, I just love when we are all together, safe and happy.

I love driving through the neighborhoods and seeing all the windows lit up with blue lights, it makes me feel comfortable and safe, I envision us in our own home sitting on the couch together watching a movie cuddled under a blanket drinking hot chocolate and eating popcorn. There is a sense of safety I feel when we are in our home protected against the weather and those who might harm us. I remember playing "camping" as a child, we would use every sheet in the house and all our dining chairs and hair ties and make a tent. We would turn all the lights off and put a lamp in the middle of the tent and pretend that it was a fire. I would pretend that we were out in the wilderness somewhere, where there were deadly animals that might try and hurt us, but I would stay close to the fire and be safe. I still remember that feeling of safety, I often feel it while we are driving cross-country and we are all in our car driving through the darkness when all that can be seen is lit up by our headlights. In the midst of all that darkness I feel safe and protected and very blessed to have all of my little family snug and safe in our car.

I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for that being my light in the midst of the world or darkness. I am so thankful for the Plan of Salvation and temples which will allow me and my family to live together for eternity. I love my Savior, I am so humbled to know what He did for me, to know that He did it for us all because of love, I am truly grateful for such a blessing.

Zonked.

My friend got a new Halloween cartridge for her Cricut and wanted to try it out. Being a little overenthusiastic about Halloween has it's benefits. These are just a few things we did.

The local Libraries are have a "chairity" event and auctioning off chairs that people had decorated and donated for a silent auction. I put in a bid for this one. I love it, I love sunflowers and the quote just topped it off for me. The auction isn't over until November 4th, so there is still a lot of time for others to out bid me, but here's hoping I get it.

Looking forward to October break, Halloween, our trip to Ohio and Alan's parents coming to town. YAY!

~Keara

Calveanorisms.

Ellie: "I wan my poon."

Mommy: "It's a tooth brush"

Ellie: "poop bruss. I wan my poop bruss"

Mommy: "tooth brush."

Ellie: "I wan bruss my teese"

C: "I was a punching bad guy, that's why I was doing that."

M: "Well, just be nice, don't punch anyone."

C: "but I was a punching bad guy, that's what bad guys do."

It's a BEAUTIFUL Life

Boy, does that missionary look hungry. ;0)

We fed the missionaries and had our super wonderful neighbor, Linda, come over to join us. The meal was not half bad, it totally fit my diet at nobody complained, they actually said it was delicious. My friends tell me I'm quite the gourmet, though I would never profess to be, all I know is my friends say so....10 points to whoever can name that movie.

~000~

Football. I love Alan because he is such a good Daddy, he loves playing with the kids and enjoys teaching them new things. Sadly football is new to them, we are not much for sports in our house. I am so glad I was able to capture this moment on camera, I love seeing their smiles and remembering how it felt to sit out in the cool breeze watching my favorite people enjoy themselves.

Ellie didn't quite grasp the concept of taking the ball and running with it. . .

She sure did love it though.

Fierce.

Calvy just loved it, they "tackled" each other and Alan played monster football player.

~000~

One of the cruel realities of going to school away from home is that you make great friends, "friends for life" who lets be honest, you will probably never see again once you graduate. It's not that you don't really love each other it's just that life does go on, and your focus changes. I experienced my first good-bye this last week. One of my VERY great friends moved home last week, so we threw her a going away sha-bang. I, of course, went out with my Halloween decor to make it a spooktacular night for everyone. This is my largest pumpkin for this year, sitting atop one of my favorite chairs.

This is my great friend, who at this point-in-time is enjoying some nice sunshine in a nice new house with nice grandparents who take the kids so Mommy can enjoy a nice break every morning. I am a tiny bit jealous of her...a tiny bit. :0) I love you Tori! Kiss those babies for me.

These are my other pumpkins on top of our TV armoire, I pulled that grass out of someones yard. tehe, I though it would look cool in a vase, and it does. ;0)

These are just some pics of the spread, I didn't take one when we had all the food...well I'm pretty sure it was all junk food, which I did NOT eat, I stuck to carrots and celery and a few pieces of fruit.

It was really hard for me to pass up those donuts, seriously, my favorite thing in the WHOLE world to eat...SERIOUSLY.

I love my little highchair, Alan thought it was weird that I decided to out our drinks there.

Alan came home from Priesthood Session of Conference, the kids were so excited to have their Daddy, they had a little tickle fight. You can see in Calvy's eyes how much he loves his Daddy. Being a parent is so cool, how else would you get another human being to look at you in that way? I am convinced there is no greater call. Love it.

~000~