Pumpkin Patch Fun!

Last year about a week before Halloween we went to the pumpkin patch to get pumpkins and it was absolutely freezing. I rushed the kids through the patches and told them just to grab whatever pumpkin they saw. We sat on the hay ride shivering and tried to smile for the camera but it was impossible. After we paid we sat at the picnic tables to have a snack and our hot cocoa turned cold in just moments. I was so miserable that we were barely there for an hour and I wanted to go home.

This year I approached the experience with much more wisdom. Yes it is only September 29th, but who says you can go pumpkin hunting in September? It was absolutely gorgeous outside, sunny and 75 degrees. I thought we were in California again. The hay ride was glorious, we walked through the pumpkin patches taking our time to pick out the perfect pumpkin. The kids rode rides, we took our time weighing and paying for our pumpkins. We sat down at the picnic tables and had popcorn, donuts, and icy cold sodas. It was a joyous family night out and I left there after 2 hours with a huge smile on my face. Obviously I don't like being cold. I highly recommend Linder Farms to anyone who wants to enjoy a family night, but don't wait too long the cold weather will be here shortly. We already have our pumpkins though and I couldn't be happier!!

What do you Celebrate? Rain maybe?

We went to the Women's Fitness Celebration on Saturday and walked the 5K. Yes, we did it in the rain. It was so funny! It rained all Friday night and I kept saying, "Surely it won't rain anymore, it never rains in Boise very long." When we got in the car at 7:00 am it looked pretty bleak outside and there was thunder roaring and lightning streaking the sky. I turned to my ya-ya sister and said, "I'm sure this will stop before we start walking." I mean really, she came all the way from Utah to visit and this was her first time doing the fitness celebration. We went over and picked up our third participant and drove on to the mall.

My cell phone starts ringing and I answer to my crazy friend who says, "I'm not sure if we are coming there is a lot of thunder out there." I told her to quit being a chicken and get with the program. She said she was on her way. As we sit in the parking lot at the mall awaiting the other 6 participants in our party thunder roars and a huge lightning bolt crashes across the sky. My cell phone starts ringing again. I answer and all I can hear is "Yeah, we're out!" So now we are a party of 3. We board the bus to go downtown for the walk and as soon as we exit it begins to rain. We pull out our umbrellas and say, "Surely it won't rain long, it's Boise!" 2 hours and 2.3 miles later it is still raining and we are soaked to the bone. We had such a fun time though. We grabbed our free-bee breakfast at the park and headed for the shuttles back to the mall. That was the least I have seen of Ann Morrison park after a 5K walk in the last 10 years, but I had seen enough rain.

Well here's to next year. Surely it won't rain again, its Boise right?!

Guess What Teacher?

It's so funny to listen my preschool kids tell me stories. You never know what you will get what you hear "Guess What Teacher". Here are some of the comments I hear.

A.R. says "Teacher my kitty bit my foot!" What did you do this weeknd A.R.? "I played house."

H.L. says "Teacher I got a new game and I played it this morning" What did you do this weekend H.L.? "I already told you, I got a new game!"

M.O. says "Teacher I have a dog named Pongo, he is under the computer table". What did you do this weekend M.O. "There was a tree monster in my room and my dad scared her away."

P.S. says "Teacher, I'm going small!" (this means the swing is slowing down, come and push me) Also "Come and see what is on the slide, it's a HUGE bug!"

P.H. says "Babies don't live on farms." What did you do this weekend P.H. "I did a project!"

M.H. says "Teacher it rained two days ago" What did you do this weekend M.H. "I played Candyland with my family."

R.M. says "Teacher I ate my mom's birthday cake" What did you do this weekend R.M. "My cousin bit me!" (uh-oh)

S.E. is very quiet but when I ask, What did you do this weekend S.E. "I baked a cake with my mom"

Now each of these "teacher" comments, starts out "Guess what teacher" and it is so funny to hear what comes afterwards. I love their stories, they always make me laugh. I wonder which ones are true and which ones are dreamed up. I'm sure the moms all know the histories behind these silly comments, but for me they just makes me think "hmmm, what wild imaganations".

Images of Summer

My sister-in-law just sent some pictures from her camera that she took in July when she was here visiting. We had great fun with them! It's always awesome for cousins to re-connect when they live so far away. The picture of the kids with the snake was actually taken last summer (2007) when we went to visit them. We took a walk on the Venice boardwalk (where the freaks come out during the day and night!) and the boys were so brave to pose with this snake and their two cousins. My daughter wouldn't go near this snake and neither would I! Summer fun!! I will miss those lazy crazy days............

Another Great Preschool Day!

These kids are so fun! They had such a ball at recess today that it was hard to go in and do the rest of our projects. It is fun to watch them having such a good time. Oh to be young again! They were so funny, they had a "I love you Miss Nicole" contest. They were trying to figure who could say it the most. So sweet!!

Blog Award!

This is so funny to me because I think my blog is so blah! My good friend from Utah decided to give me an award and I will take it. It is so rare when I get an award!

Here are some people that I would like to nominate for a blog award.

My sweet friend Jamie whose blog is always so fun and she even includes slide shows of her kids.

My friend Jen whose blog cracks me up with all of her funny stories about her family (except for maybe the one where her husband had a compound fracture on his foot - that was a little gross but very interesting!)

My friend Julie whose blog is both educational and fun to look at and she is just such an awesome person to know.

My friend Staci who finds the most interesting pictures to put on her blog even pictures of people she doesn't know, but they are always funny.

Finally the woman who gave me the award, she is so awesome and her blog boggles the mind, because you never know what you will find. Today she had pictures of her botched hair do from the beauty school, now that is brave! We need to get you an appointment with TJ, Queenie!

Now nominate your friends and come and get your award from my blog!

Tag You're It!

Four Places that I go Over and Over
1. Church
2. School
3. The Laundry Room
4. Wal-Mart

Four Places I'd Rather Be
1. Disneyland
2. On a Cruise (even though I have never been on one, I think I would like it!)
3. Visiting my family in CA or FL
4. Reading a book on a beach

Four People I talk to on a Regular Basis
1. Tonya
2. My Mother
3. The Husband
4. Tammy (via e-mail)

Four Places I like to Eat
1. McGrath's
2. Donnie Mac's Trailer Park Cuisine (sweet potato fries-yum!)
3. Saigon Grille
4. Cancun

Four People I Tag
1. Jamie
2. Julie
3. Staci
4. Mom

My New Preschool Class

Aren't they cute! I have eight 3 year olds this year. They were all over the place today. It was a crack up and so different from my group of 4 year olds last year. It was great though because last year those 4 year olds did their own thing and didn't really need much direction. These kids are fresh and new and ready to learn. They all got along beautifully. Once we get rid of the wiggles, they are going to be perfect. I love them already! Preschool is great fun!

A friendship that lasts

Our great friends came to visit us from Utah for the weekend. We had so much fun! The guys played games and the girls had a "chick night". We went swimming, visited and the kids played and played. What a wonderful blessing to have such choice friends for the last 10+ years. How we miss them and wish they lived closer! Thank goodness for e-mail and blogging so we can stay close through modern technology. We love you guys!

Our New Nephew

This is the newest member of the family on my husband's side (his brother's son). He was born about a month ago and he is so cute! What a sweet baby! My kids enjoyed holding him and getting to see how little they once were.

It was so funny. They would ask to hold him and when he started to cry they would say, "Mom take him" and then when I got him calm and happy, they would say, "Mom I want to hold him, he's being good now!" Kids are so funny. What a joy, to see a little piece of heaven in our arms.