to Grandmother's house we go!
My mom is so sweet to watch my boys for me every Friday while I get out of the house and go to work. Ethan loves helping Grandma in the kitchen and playing with all her fun toys! Finn on the other hand, I think is bored!!!
Thanks Mom for all you do! I love the pictures!
Tis the season for all the parties!
It all started Friday with mine and Matt's work Christmas party. We ate dinner and rushed back to pick up the kids to get to Costco to buy the food for the ward party. Yes, Matt and I are co-chair of the activities committee......committee, what does that mean? Well, we are supposed to have 5 other people on the committee to help us with all activities. I scheduled a meeting to plan the party and nobody showed up. Hmmmmm....what do I do? Anyway, being the people that Matt and I are, we tried to take this all on ourselves. We spent the entire week running around gathering decorations, food and entertainment. Well, things didn't really go as planned!
*entertainment cancelled
*the company I ordered tablecloths from called last minute to let me know they didn't have what I ordered
*the Stake building was occupied by another ward when it was supposed to be us
*the stake building didn't have any serving dishes, like all others do
*my babysitter fell through (my mom) because she ran over a dog and killed it
*Oh and did I mention while I was preparing the salad, I cut my finger off!!!!!!!
Yes, it's true! Trying to hurry and throw the food together I cut my middle finger just about off. I left just enough skin for it to hang on. It was just me and Ethan and I was freaking out. I was worried I would pass out and bleed to death. I searched for my phone and just as I was dialing, Matt walked in the door. Thank Goodness! We scrambled to get the kids in the car while trying to hold my bloody finger together. Rushing to the E.R. , I was thinking to myself, "what else could possibly go wrong?" Well, what do you know. There was a friendly policeman right over the hill who decided to pull us over for speeding!
After explaining the situation, he let us off the hook! Anyway, I got to the hospital and they stitched my bloody finger back on.
The bishopric and their wives along with some other ward members pulled together and put the party on! I have gained a testimony of service and fulfilling callings!
What a night!
This kid thinks it's the best thing in the world to be naked. He was trying to crawl around on the bathroom floor, but was slipping all over the place!
Nice buns, huh?
Congratulations Ryan & Nikki!
Reese Ryan Carter
7lbs 10 oz 20 in
Stayed tuned for pictures!
I am so proud of my boys, little and big! I have so much to be grateful for. I have a loving husband and two of the cutest boys on the planet! They are so good. It is such a joy to be able to be home and spend lots of time with them. I have the best job in the world..... Motherhood!
Well, I had my first day on the new job yesterday! Yes, I got a seasonal job working at See's candies and yes I have to wear that uniform. I absolutely love it. It has really great benefits too. I can eat as much as I want of whatever I want while I am there, I can order 4 1/2 lb boxes from the San Francisco kitchen for $10, and I get discounts an everything in the store! Wow, I get all of this just to hand out candy......I'll take it! Oh and they pay really well too! I am just working for a few weeks, just until Santa Claus comes and then I am done. I bet you know what everyone is getting from me for Christmas!
We took the kids Trick-or-Treating last night. Finn lasted about 10 minutes then he decided it was time to go back to Grandma's house. Ethan on the other hand loved it! He was a trooper, running house to house in the cold. Trying to get him to say "trick or treat" AFTER people opened their doors was a challenge though. He would say it as soon as we got to the door and rang the doorbell. It was hilarious. We had a lot of fun and can't wait for next year!
Here's the kids excited and ready to go.....
Hannah Montana, Minnie Mouse, G.I. Joe. & Roo
Carving pumpkins at Grandma's house. They all turned out so cute!
I tried carving Thomas for Ethan, can you tell?
Daddy's pirate
Finn's silly pumpkin face
We took a family vacation to Monterey to visit Matt's family! We had the best time. It was definately a vacation that was well over due! We got to stay a whole week this time, so we were able to do lots of fun things. We went to the forest and played with bugs. Ethan even pooped his pants there. It was really adventureous! We took the kids to the coolest park called "Dennis the Menace" Park. It had a huge train to play on. I think Ethan thought he had died and gone to heaven. We went to the beach, of coarse. It was beautiful and peaceful! We walked the warf and watched the boats and saw lots of seals. Ethan loved playing with Grandpa Tom and Grandma Judy and his cousins Ellie and Sara. We love our family and are very grateful for the time we get to spend with them. Now we hope we can get rich enough to move there :)
My baby sister turns 25 today! I can't believe it! She is such a fun and loving person. I feel so lucky not only to have her as a sister, but as a best friend too! Hope you have a happy day Tara! We love you!
Tara, this one is for you!
Rich, dense chocolate cupcake with chocolate peanut butter frosting!
Mom and I made cupcakes today and this was our favorite! It was so delicious! I think it's a keeper!
Why?.....Why do I buy all of these fun toys when all Ethan wants is a cardboard box? He is so creative. If it's not a cardboard box for a hiding place, it's one of my spatulas for flipping "Krabby Patties" or a stick out of the yard used as a sword to scare "bad guys" away. And we all know about the gloves! He will wear any kind of glove he can find and play for hours picking things up and imagining! Ethan, you are just as much fun as you are cute, and you are really cute!
This is one of my favorite times of year! I couldn't wait to get in the kitchen to make Halloween treats. I made the yummiest chocolate cupcakes to start Halloween BOO in my neighborhood. You make goodies for 2 of your neighbors and place them with the BOO sign and instructions on the doorstep and run. They then have been BOO'd and have to put the sign in their window and do it to 2 more people. It's really fun and you get treats!
Here is the link if anyone is interested in starting it in their own neighborhood
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Start-the-Halloween-Boo-in-Your-Neighborhood
Grandpa Scott's best friend Blitzen. Just consider him part of the family!
Sunday dinner! Always a bonus when visiting the grandparents! Grandma Michelle always has lots and lots to eat too!
Breelynn and her new husband Ryan came over too. It was really good to see them!
What a party pooper!
Ethan LOVES going for rides on Grandpa Scott's "tractor" AKA the 4 wheeler. 
Wow! Look at those eyes!
Anna Banana looks so cute in her new H&M dress!
Daddy and Finn trying to enjoy a little bit of sunshine after the snow, Yes, I said the snow!!!! It didn't stick, but it sure was coming down on Saturday. Snow in September.... Whatever!
We had a really nice Sunday! It's always fun visiting family. I am so grateful to live so close to my family. It's times like these that make memories, especially for my kids. There's nothing like going over the hills and through the woods to grandma and grandpa's house!
I finally did it! It's not very impressive, but I finally did it! I have been wanting to get into the digital scrapbooking world, but have struggled to find the time. It is sooo easy and lots of fun. Did I mention, it's also FREE!!!! I can now put books together for my kids! Yeah!!!!
Ethan had his first soccer practice today! His team is the New England Revolutions. We are very excited about this! He was really shy at first and wouldn't go near the ball. When I would tell him to kick the ball, he would yell at me, "YOU DO IT!" Once Daddy took over, he did alot better. It was really cute to see him go after the ball. He is all grown up now.
Daddy coaching Ethan! Since he's played the game himself, he was a big help!
Ethan showing his true feelings......does anyone else see that bird?
He caught on very fast, once he got over his shyness!
Hooray for the BUMBO! Has anyone heard of this wonderful chair? It's for babies who can't sit up yet on their own. It actually uses their own weight to help them sit. It's awsome! Finn (also known as Big Buda) got to help me and Ethan make cookies today in the kitchen and I got to have my hands! Hooray!!!!
"If I'm not eating something, I go for my hands"
Nothing better than testing the cookies before they go in the oven. We LOVE cookie dough!
Ethan could hardly wait for the cookies to be done! 
