Tis the season!!

It 'tis the season you know!!! The ward Christmas party is over and the boys were both shepherds in the primary program... Rulon was the ultra serious shepherd, Mads was the finger sucking Shepherd. It was the first year the primary did a little program at the ward party since I have been attending and BOTH my boys were in it, fun! Can you spot them?
OK, here's Mads.

And Rulon.

It 'tis also the season for decorating the house, which the boys and I did this morning, IT WAS GREAT, they were so happy and full (way full) of energy. We even put up the Christmas tree... I haven't totally sold Chester on the "we're not buying a tree this year" decision, but when he sees how cute it is and hears how much the boys love it I think we'll be ok. I hope. Isn't it awesome, for FREE!!!

And no watering necessary and no pine needles to clean up afterwards!! HORAY.

So Merry Christmas everyone, get your decorations out - if you feel like it - we are now in the Christmas mood.

Thanksgiving in St. George

The morning we were to drive to St. George I woke up to the sound of Rulon running swiftly all ove the house... when I got out of bed I found that he had "packed some things for me." I alway put our things on the washer or dryer and Chester takes them out to the car, well, Rulon helped out, that's for sure. We had to talk about what a great job he did but how we had to scale down a bit!
Obviously I am BAD at taking pictures on vacations, this is the only one I took. At least I got a supre cute one!!

Bosch-day and Baking Buns

My 34th birthday might have been the best birthday ever!!! It doesn't even come close to what I really feel but "THANK YOU!!!!!" to everyone who did so much to make me feel LOVED to bits and pieces!

Chester and I planned to go out on a dinner date on Saturday so that became my real-fake birthday (since it is hard to celebrate on Sunday) Before dinner he had Rulon help wheel in a major surprise of a birthday gift!! It was heavy, but Rulon is strong!
Can you see the look of confusion and worry on my face? What in the world would be retrieved from the garage and put in an old box and pushed in on a skateboard for my birthday gift???

OH, A BOSCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy smokes, a what?!?!? A Bosch. Chester was sweating bullets and not breathing much awaiting my reaction... in words. I felt so bad for making him doubt himself by my silence, I was trying not to fall off the couch. I LOVE IT - my brave nervous perfectly in-tune husband wins the grand prize for the best surprise gift in our history together (sound dramatic, well it is)

See, I am happy Chester!!!

We did go out on a great date too, dinner at Macaroni Grill and then a movie, cliche but just what I wanted!

So then a few days later I had to put the Bosch to use!! As always I has two little helpers (I'd like to say they were by my side but they were more accurately right in front of me) Rulon wants to do this "every day"!!

Here's the spread of goods in the midst of raising to perfection: 3 loafs of bread, 2 pans of buns, and a tiny pan of cinnamon rolls for good measure. No wonder Rulon wants to do this every day!

Ahhh, and the finished product (forgot to photo the others but you get the idea). The house smells delish and the Bosch works just fine! :)

Cornbellys

Thanks to another one of Melissa'a FUN ideas, we took the kiddos to Cornbellys at Thanksgiving Point (a while ago but who's keeping track?) It was amazing how many things there were to do there, it was kid heaven. Somehow Melissa picked the day and time that was perfect, sunny and not too cool, and practically no one else was there, it was crazy!

These things were awesome, the kids could jump or slide on them!! I need one in my back yard.
Such a serious driver!!

Such a serious motor :)

Rulon had all his ducks in a row, a nice straight one - who's his mother anyway??

Tired Mads?

Real Halloween

Here's handsome "Guido" Lightyear, Buzz's younger, Italian brother. Once Mads saw Rulon getting a moustache and brows painted on , he too had to have them. Funny cute boy!! This was pre-rock in the forehead.

There was a fog bubble blower at the party we went to, MADS LOVED IT!!

Rulon loved the snacks - smart boy, he went for the rice krispie treats we brought to the party, yummmm.

The rock is present and accounted for, but the party must go on. Everything's good with a cupcake in hand (and mouth)

Ok, later we did actually go trick-or-treating. Chester was the best dad ever and got dressed up too!!

Mads ran up to each door yeling, "ding dong" and knocked if that failed to bring a candy toting adult. He actually fell off these steps, awesome, par for the day.

It helped Mads keep up to hold on to Chester's hockey stick, Mads actually got concerned if he lost his grip, like he'd be late to the next house or something, it didn't matter that I was right behind him.

The loot!!! That's a tootsie roll people, dont worry!

All in all a good, FULL day!

Rock head.

I'm seriously sick of trying to fix the text placement in this so just read horizontally where you have to, it's so fun)

On Halloween Mads got a little rock stuck in his in his forehead, yup, took a tiny little inconsequential spill at a fun party we went to at a neighbors house and came up with a little rock stuck right in his little dome.

We (a friend and another friend's EMT husband) tried for a good 45 min or more to get it out and Mads didn't even cry... for the first 30 min anyway. After that it was so irritated and starting to swell and we stopped trying. So the rock stayed, Mads calmed down and played some more, went home, napped, trick-or-treated with all the fervor of the Energizer Bunny, and went to bed.

The next evening - we went to Melissa and Dan's house where Dan (surgeon) and his friend Jeremy (ER doctor) brought the Dr's office home and worked on Mads head.

Uh, he did not like the Lidocaine injection - can you see the bubble of in under his skin?? But he watched Finding Nemo and calmed down while it got numb.

Why am I smiling so big?? Twisted momma.

............................... So after it was a little numb Dan probed... but Mads could still feel it. Notice Rulon up close and personal for the whole process, he was so excited to watch.

................................. So, more Lidocaine.

.......................... Dan tried again to get that little rock out, but I guess it was warm and cozy and didn't want to come out yet, plus Mads could still feel the probing, so... another numbing shot and a new surgery location... Mads was actually smiling when we rolled him up in the towel because he was a Mads burrito, the smile didn't last though.

Dan pulled out all the stops and got that rock right out of Mads head, whew...
Mads took it like a champ, what a tough boy!!!!

As soon as it was out Mads was telling Dan thank you and giving him a "high 5", tears still soaking his cheeks he was smiling and grateful, amazing!!!

He's holding the little rock but it's blurry... I asked him what it is and he said, "my rock!" I asked where it had been and he said, "in my face!"

THANKS DAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For geting the rock out of Mads face :)

Halloween Sneak Peek

Our ward had a fall dinner and the kids were invited to wear their costumes... so mine did! Rulon wanted to be a fireman (again) and Mads was a "shadow" - or as a friend suggested, the victim Rulon missed in the fire rescue...

Shower Power

We threw a pseudo-shower for Brittney and Kent and their baby recently... ever play baby shower games with your brothers and husband included... a whole new breed of fun!!!