Get candy!

So last night, we did the trick-or-treat treasure hunt. We had an hour & a half to hit three neighborhoods. We were driving from house to house following clues (or a map of what house was closest). Morgan, determined to be a big kid, hauled herself in and out of the car. She's not built for speed or agility and didn't have the more-candy-fire under her butt like Lore and Bryn. This drove the older girls crazy. After about 45 minutes of hauling their heavy pails in and out of the car, I convinced them to leave the pails and just run and get the candy. This helped with Morgan's speed (but not by much). Still, it was a good time.

Of course, a husband who will not be named gave Morgan a Halloween stamp. I confiscated it at the next house when we discovered Morgan had stamped her face and arms (then smeared the ink) till she looked like a filthy black coal mining Snow White. Genius.

But by far the funniest moment of the night. It was our last house (I had never been to their house before), it was dark, and we were searching for the pumpkin sign outside the door. The girls spot a bunch of kids in costume running up to a house. So I assumed it was the house and dropped the kids off. They're gone for awhile. When they come back, Lore says, "Mom. That wasn't the house. Those people were just having a Halloween Party. They said we were trick-or-treating early."

"Did they give you candy?"

"Yes, but they had to go get it."

I love that they waited for the candy. A 13 yr old would have run to the car with embarrassment.

There's a party in my tummy

so yummy. so yummy. [Throw your hands in the air like you don't care. Now stop.]

My new favorite restaurant in Denver: d Bar. It is a dessert cafe. Sophisticated desserts. Casual environment. Sophisticated casual dining: it does exist. It is open till midnight on weekends. We had to wait a half hour to get in at 10pm. Worth every minute.

Also, Cinnamon Bun Popcorn. I've been making it all week for friends and family...but mostly for me.

Quite pointy in parts

We took the kids to Garden of the Gods down in The Springs (Colorado Springs) yesterday. Such a cool place. If you're ever here, I highly recommend it. We took the kids on two hikes and they loved every second...until Ava fell going up a hill and landed on a cactus. A cactus. It was like something out of a Looney Tunes cartoon. Poor kid had tiny barbed spikes all over her hand. Brutal. She toughed it out and I think we got all the spikes. We're going to go back with the kids and do a harder hike. Even Morgan was able to do the 2.5 miles like a champ.

Trick or Treat Treasure Hunt sidebar: We're going on one in 2 hours. We're hitting about 25 houses in our ward. As if we haven't been on a sugar high since the trunk or treat last week.

Eww. Who pooped in their panties?

Morgan could not stop saying that all week. Apparently she has a super sniffer this week and everything stinks.

On Sunday, we did it. We officially became Coloradans: we fulfilled the requirement of vacationing at Mt. Rushmore. A bit random but everyone we know here has gone or plans to go because it is awesome. Seriously, it is awesome. We had the best time.

Let the record show that Mt. Rushmore is a huge tourist trap, but crazy family friendly which makes for good times with the kids. And because it is off season, everything was empty. We loved it. Yes we were a bit cold at times (we may have seen snow) but it was nothing hot chocolate couldn't fix. What we did:

Mt Rushmore (of course). We were one of maybe ten cars there, so it felt like we had the whole mountain to ourselves. There is a fun walking trail up to the monument that the girls ran full speed and we didn't have to stress because (did I mention this) no one was there.

Custer National Park + Needles. We drove the park loop. Buffalo, mountain goats, elk, and deer. Caves and the cool Needles area. These rocks are amazing.

Custer City. Half of it was shut down for off season but good times.

Watiki Indoor Water Park. This was connected to our hotel. I felt like a ten-yr-old kid. I love water slides. Lore and Bryn were loving the huge slides too. Even Ava went down with Aaron. I love that our kids are getting old enough to do this stuff. So fun.

Bear Country USA. Sweet. If I had had the courage to roll down my window, I could have petted an arctic wolf. But I didn't dare. Those things are big and mean. They were pacing the electric fence just watching the reindeer.

Reptile Gardens. This is where Morgan freaked out because the reptiles were too stinky. She walked the entire exhibit holding her nose asking who pooped in their panties. She did unplug to pet the albino python.

Look, I have chuugakaba glasses

Bryn just made a halloween letter for a friend. It reads:

I hop you will hav a grat tim trich or trexing. I kat go decus I am mooving a way to mexico.

[translation]
I hope you will have a great time trick or treating. I can't go because I am moving away to Mexico.

I wonder what's in Mexico.

chuugakabas sidebar: that's how Ava says chupacabra. How does she know about chupacabras? Scooby-doo.

Up there. If you think, you're dead.

Today I took the kids to the Anderson Farms Pumpkin Patch/ Corn Maze Extravaganza. The girls more than enjoyed themselves:

• hay bale maze
• pumpkin playground
• petting zoo
• tractor ride
• train ride
• peddle carts
• corn maze

good times....until the corn maze. I was in the rear with the slower 3 yr olds while my friend managed the older lot. I glanced over at Morgan and she was clenching her cheeks and had the ultimate oops-I'm-gonna (crap my pants). I asked (more to confirm), "Morgan, what's wrong?"

"I'm gonna poo it." Shear desperation. We're deep in a maze.

So I did what any good mother would do. I grabbed her and dove off the path into the corn, dropped her pants and squatted her into position. She let it fly. I wiped her with dry husks, covered her fertilizer in dead corn and husks and walked away.

Sure some of you may judge my decision. I have no regrets. You weren't there. Sometimes there are casualties in potty training.

I'm not worthy. I'm not worthy.

I need to make a public apology to my sweet sister Megan. I thought her christmas rotation was random but now understand it is by birthday order. This makes sense. Aaron did not see it. And I should have known better. But I was an English major and not the math genius I believe I am. Did I mention I solve Rubik's cubes. Yeah, so I should have seen the order. I denounce my power nerd status for not seeing the logic. I love you girlfriend.

it's beginning to look a lot like....

Halloween.

But I'm Christmas shopping and I'm half done. Crazy I know. It seems ridiculous when I say it out loud, but I love being done before Thanksgiving so that I can enjoy the holiday.

I already have my sister Amber's family half done (and it is choice. My family does a gag gift exchange.) I have my in-laws done (this is always the hardest one) so I'm feeling pretty sweet. And now that Aaron's family has (controversially) moved to a sibling exchange, I only have one more Favero to shop for. . .it would be easier to remember who we have this year if sweet Megan had created a user-friendly system of exchange. But instead she went with the ultimate randomizer and I need Aaron to tell me who we have (once he digs deep into his email archive). Smooches, Megan.

I have all my stockings planned out...Aaron I'm in a debate about. And the kids, well, they don't want anything particular this year so they may be an easy crap shoot. All the same, I feel good because I'm confident I'll be done in just a few weeks.

Now I just need to wrangle the kids for a family photo so we can do cards this year. I skipped it last year because it was just one more thing. But then great grandmas heaped unintentional guilt on us when they told us they read our Christmas cards all the time. I'm a swine grandchild. Maybe I'll put together a great grandma care package this year.

Aaron sidebar: he gets home tonight after a long week in New Orleans. I've got a babysitter for tomorrow so we can paint the town. But if he's suffering from manopause or the grumpies I'm going to give him a smack bottom.

boo yeah

This Friday to kick off Fall break, we're having a Halloween late over for the girls. We will be playing games & pranks & eating spooky food. My new fave food blog: The Best Bites is supplying the menu:

• mummy dogs
• monster apples
• dirt & worms pudding
• witches hats
• caramel apple cider

Now if I can just get through today....

This porridge is too hot

[let me set the scene]
Today we had our Primary Program Practice/ Pizza Party. Aaron also had his huge event in the city, so Morgan tagged along with me and the girls. Since she's now potty trained, I had to take a break from the practice to take her to the potty.

The church bathroom has three stalls (one is handicapped).

[action]

"Mom this potty is too big." Morgan walks out of the handicapped stall. My fave to use with the kids. She walks to the next stall.

"Oh! Mom, this potty is too smelly." The seat was up. She walks to the last stall.

"This is good." I smile and help her on.

[end scene]

workin up a sweat.

What a week. I'm running (literally, I've decided to train for a half marathon...next summer + 2 10Ks). I'm herding cats (4 crazy cats). And tonight I'm getting with some girlfriends to put together a lip sync to Salt n Pepper's Push it (radio mix). We're making it a parody about pushing babies all day and night. And often it feels like bullshhhhhhhh. But it's worth it. The lip sync party is tomorrow night. It should be hilarious. I wanted to do lady gaga with Aaron as lady gaga but he has an event tomorrow. He's not sad that he's missing it.

Silly bands are my new nemesis and friend. I hate them. They're ridiculous. Did I mention they are retarded expensive. But the kids will work for silly bands. I've never had it so posh. Lore and Bryn kept their room clean all week (I didn't have to say a word) for a single band and did hoards of extra chores to earn a single band. It might be slave labor but I'll cash in while the fad is hot.

true that.

"Mom, are there going to be dinosaurs at the petting zoo?"

"No, Ava."

"Oh yeah, I remember now. They're dead."

Peace! You will have no peace.

Recently I read The Good Earth which follows the life of a Chinese farmer. Toward the end of book, the old farmer just wanted peace. Peace with his family, time to relax, and a quiet existence. When I was reading it, I thought enough with the peace already. We get it.

Today I really get it. It is conference weekend and as I battle my children for peace so I can hear the prophet, all I want to scream is: can I get a little peace? 2 hours. Is that too much to ask. We passed out conference activity packets to the kids at church but my girls blew through their packets during the first Saturday session. Only one more session. I can do this. I can do this.

elevator to coolness

I need one today. I'm feeling very mediocre at the moment and it frustrates me to no end.