000

Why is it that growth spurts seem to happen literally overnight?  With the cold weather Cambrie needed to wear pants to school.  It just so happened that every single pair of jeans she owned were short by about three inches.  Hmm....  We had some time that afternoon to go shopping, so that's what we did.  We went to our top spots for jeans for her, only to be disappointed by the wrong style, the wrong fit, or the wrong fabric.  Hmm....  Plan B....  She's reaching a stage where it is a little bit hard to find her right size.  She's too big for the kids styles but not big enough for teen styles.  We took a chance and hit up Aeropostal.  I had no idea what we would find.  The sales woman took one look at Cambrie and suggested she might fit into a size 000.  I didn't think there were that many zeros in one size.  By some miracle when Cambrie tried on the three pairs of 000 they had in the entire store, she liked too of them!  Wahoo!  It's always a win when my kids find clothes they are happy with.  It was also a win that it was buy one get one free.  Yes please!  While I was waiting for her to try on the jeans I thought back to when I was about the same awkward jean buying stage.  I remember stores suggesting that I wear a 0.  My mom and I were both rather incredulous that sizes existed like that.  They were hard to find too.  I remember my mom simply not knowing where to go to find pants for me.  I didn't think I'd be in the same position.  But now Cambrie, my tween, has pants that fit.  Even if it's a ridiculous size :)

Preschool Halloween

Kelton was pretty excited about being able to wear his costume to preschool for their Halloween party.  When he found out that he was going trick-or-treating through the rec center too, that was a huge bonus.  I wasn't sure if he'd go crazy having a tail all day, but apparently it wasn't much of an issue.  I arrived in time to take pictures of his class while they were trick-or-treating.  

I have come to the conclusion that all moms are just a little bit crazy.  We just can't get enough of our cute kids and never seem to have enough pictures of them.  There are always moms everywhere!  (And I'm one of them.)  

Back in the classroom the kids continued their party with their festive snacks.

 Lastly they performed "Five Little Pumpkins" for us.  The teacher told them to be loud and proud.  Those kids were proud!  They yelled the entire poem.  They were pretty adorable and I'm glad I pulled out my video camera.  Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin carving

With all of those trips to the pumpkin patch this year we had our hand full carving pumpkins this year.  

I admit, I was a little nervous about Cambrie's being sooo big.  I didn't know how thick the flesh was going to be and how difficult it would be to carve.  It turns out that I was right to be worried.  This was a demon pumpkin.  I have never before carved skin so tough!  Pumpkin carving knives?  Please, this sucker needed a butcher knife and a lot of muscles.

I was really grateful that Cambrie chose a design with so many straight lines because if it had been something more intricate, there's no way we could have carved that beast!  

She designed a pumpkin prison, and Daxton's pumpkin was just the right size to sit inside.  His pumpkin on the other hand carved as easily as butter.  Bless you easy pumpkin.  

Jeremy helped Daxton work on his Jake pumpkin.  Kelton did a lot of the work this year and was the kid who complained the most about the slimy pumpkin seeds.  

McKenzie chose a vampire bat.  She on the other hand was looking for the slimiest pumpkins to clean out.  I helped with some of the detail carving, but she did a really great job wielding that pumpkin knife.  

Jeremy went all out with a Dia de los Muertos skull.  When we have our colorful light inside it looks pretty incredible!  

Once all of the kids' pumpkins were done, it was finally time for me to start carving mine.  While I was deciding on a design I heard a thump....yes, that was my pumpkin that splattered on the floor.  I was relieved it wasn't one of the kids' that they had worked so hard on.  However it meant that I needed to change my plans.  It was cracked almost all the way around, and there was no really good way to keep it put together as I carved.  I decided to go with plan Z, just scratch a crazy farmer face in it, complete with his five o'clock shadow.  

Ultimately they all ended up looking fantastic, and we manage to tackle all six of them!

Trunk or Treat

Time for the annual ward trunk or treat.  Getting the kids dressed in their costumes is always a slightly magical experience.  They have been anticipating these costumes for over a month.  We've tried them on, made adjustments, shopped for accessories, and the kids have imagined themselves as their characters countless times.  It is so rewarding for me as a mom to watch their faces light up as we pull it all together and it was exactly what they were hoping for.  Kelton put on his costume and shouted, "I am Catboy!  What how fast I can go with my super cat speed!" 

 McKenzie turned circles in front of my mirror smiling and admiring how beautiful she looked.  Cambrie suited up and proudly displayed her arsenal of weaponry.  Even Daxton, who has no idea what was going on, smiled and made faces at himself in the mirror.  These kids were ready to party!  

We had an Indian princess, Catboy, a nerf gun warrior, and a train conductor.  

The party was fabulous with kids and friends running around every direction.  Jeremy and I did get a couple of comments about our lack of costumes this year and I decided that we will be in costume next year!  As horrible as this may sound, I see very little of my kids during these parties.  They run off with their friends and have a good time.  Every now and then I catch a glimpse to make sure they are causing mischief, but that's about it.  

Jeremy had to help with some of the games which meant I was on my own passing out candy at least until the kids had their fill and came to help...help eat the candy anyway.  

Daxton never even made it to the next car over, but I'm sure he'll beg some candy from his siblings later.  

The trickiest part of the whole evening is rounding up the kids after the trunk or treat.  My girls hide in classrooms with their friends so they can do a candy swap.  This year they didn't kick me out so I was able to see some of their bartering in action.  Kids these days, they don't know which candy is the best candy to save!

Escape!

Here's one childhood stage that I don't really care for...learning to crawl out of cribs.  I then see pictures like this an hour after bedtime.

I don't remember Cambrie climbing out much, and even if she did she would stay in her room.  She had no other siblings to bother so it wasn't much of an issue.  McKenzie literally broke out of her crib by braking the slats and we had to move her to a big bed sooner than we had planned on.  Kelton was a climber.  I remember many afternoons holding the doorknob outside of his room waiting for him to give up thoughts of escaping and just fall asleep.  Daxton surprised us all.  I had no idea he even knew it was possible to climb out of his crib.  I never saw him practice or even think about it.  One afternoon he just showed up on the stairs when he should have been napping.  Nooo!  Worst surprise ever!  (But he had a huge grin on his face, and he was super proud!)  We lowered his crib as low as it can possibly go, and he can still climb out.  (Insert the sob of a tired mom here.)  The first few days were rough.  I put him back in bed a dozen times each night and naps were nonexistent.  He must have started learning what was expected of him (that or the bruise on his cheek might have something to do with it from a rough escape attempt,) but he has stayed in bed pretty well this second week.  I am crossing my fingers that I can keep him in his cage...I mean crib...a bit longer, simply for my sanity's sake!

Daddy Daughter Hoe Down

For Activity Days the girls were able to bring their dads to a daddy-daughter hoe down.  Everyone had a chance to dress up in their best cowboy gear and a chance to put on their square dancing boots.  They did a lot of line dancing and square dancing.  Cambrie told me that she had never been so hot dancing before.  The girls were all turned around when it was time to switch partners, but eventually figured out the routine.  So many smiles that night!

Lousy lice

I can now check off another item on my "mom experience" list; lice.  Every year we receive notifications from the school saying that there are active cases of lice, and to exercise vigilance.  I still wasn't prepared when I saw bugs crawling around McKenzie's head as we brushed her hair for the day.  Noooo!!!  Immediately my whole day changed directions.  Suddenly I was calling the school and excusing absences and tardies.  I was running to Target to pick up lice treatment kits.  I was stripping bedding, gathering blankets, soft animals, and coats.  I was boiling hair brushes.  I was sitting with a nit comb in the bathroom meticulously combing each and every strand of McKenzie's hair.  I was on the phone with friends letting them know what I found.  I was running a million loads of laundry.  I was freezing helmets and hair bows.  I was vacuuming floors, couches, and chairs.  

At least I had a cheerful face to keep me company!

.

Fast forward to dinner time and I still hadn't even dressed for the day.  I was exhausted, and I wasn't even done!  

All week we've been combing through the girls' hair making sure we didn't miss anything.  I've been making and remaking beds and making sure I didn't forget something important.  I hope this is a one-time deal!

Leaf piles

We've had a ton of wind the last week that has done a great job blowing leaves into our yard.  My kids absolutely love leaves.  Surprisingly we still don't own a leaf rake so the kids use whatever they can to pull, dump, scoop, and brush, those leaves into a pile.  

Success!

They don't stay in a pile long.  Cambrie loves throwing them in the air to see how high they can fly.  

McKenzie likes jumping in them and being buried by them.  

Kelton loves throwing them in the air as he runs around kicking the leaves and shouting, "I'm having so much fun!!"  

Daxton tags along with whatever his big brother and sisters are doing but doesn't love the itchy leaves quite as much.  

I was not allowed to be an innocent bystander.  "Play!" My kids commanded as they dumped leaves on my head.  Apparently I was the leaf queen.

Cross Country fun

I mentioned in a previous post that Cambrie qualified for the Meridian cross country team again this year.  Today was race day and Cambrie was really excited.  As soon as she found her friends she ran off to have a good time while the rest of us just waited.  Many of the girls on the team this year are friends of ours anyway so it was especially fun.  

The Meridian girls team before the race.

Cambrie's goal this year was to pace herself and build throughout the race so she wouldn't crash at the end.  She did exactly what she was hoping to do and pulled off an 8:23.49.  I grow really excited when I see her racing.  I can feel her butterflies and I can feel her enthusiasm.  Who knows if she'll continue racing, but I'll take what I can for now.  

The Meridian girls took 3rd in the district so they have another trophy to add to the trophy case as school.  Nice work girls!

 

Spontaneous hike

Part of my ankle rehab is hiking.  I haven't made the time to take the kids hiking a lot since we've lived here.  Sometimes the drive to Boulder to find a good trailhead is just too much.  However I was feeling motivated this morning and was desperate to smell mountain air and see mountain trees.   Daxton and I drove up to NCAR to hike while the other three were at school and make the most of our morning.  A cold front had moved through so I had no idea how cold it was going to be up there.  I bundled the both of us up and hoped for the best.  The weather was actually beautiful.  It wasn't too cold.  The sun was shining.  And the mountain air was everything I was needing.  As we hiked we practiced Daxton's animal sounds.  I realized as the two of us hiked that I don't talk to him nearly as much as I talked to Cambrie at that same age.  Very rarely is it just the two of us and I spent the hike pointing out birds, rocks, pinecones, trees, chipmunks, and a stream.  It was really fun.  

Towards the end I also tried to introduce him to the fine art of eating snow.  It was really hard to bend my arm far enough to put the snow in his mouth and the sleeves of his coat were too long for his hands to do the job, so only a few chunks actually made it in his mouth.  

When we were nearly back to the car I let him climb out of the backpack and walk around by himself for a bit.  The snowclothes are all too big so they were dragging and he was a bit uncoordinated, but he didn't mind.  He even smiled for me while I took his picture!  I'm hoping I feel motivated again soon to do that again, because it was really nice.