We need to up our Grocery Budget.

You think this is a joke. It's note. It's an every. day. routine. And it's getting expensive. And I just wish it would work for him already. --I finally told him the only way he could crawl on walls like spiderman was if he got bit by the magical spider that turned Peter Parker, into Spiderman.






He is now looking to be bitten by a magical spider.

If at first you don't succeed, TRY, TRY AGAIN.

14 days later... he is still trying.

We don't give up easily around here. ;)

Spiderman Potion

Lately Noah has been obsessed with Spiderman. He was Spidy for Halloween, and he has most recently discovered that Netflix has 5 seasons of Spiderman cartoon episodes. After watching an episode this morning he said, "Mom, I'm turning into spiderman. I just need to make some sticky goo for my hands". So, I sat back and watched. Watched as he grabbed water, his spiderman shaving gel, spiderman shampoo, and spiderman hair gel. He mixed it all together. He then announced, "I just need an egg." An EGG?! Oh boy. I about ended the science experiment right then and there, but I decided to let him create.

After cracking and mixing in the final ingredient, he took a deep breath, sighed, and said, "Gosh, I hope this works".

Yes, he tried sticking to the walls.  {I can't believe I let him}.

---

He concluded that, "It just needs another egg".

Why does this make me melt my heart so much? I made me laugh, shake my head, and get a little choked up somewhere along the way... These are the memories I will treasure forever.

 
I just wish that I could somehow magically make it work for him. 

 Cute boy.

Christmas Card 2011

Here is our Christmas Card for those of you who once again were not cool enough to receive them. {Don't feel bad. We really don't send very many out.} ;)

Noah's Bi-lingual Prayer

I'm sorry if this is any way, shape, or form sacrilegious to repeat, but I couldn't help but document.

Also, let me prefice this by saying that occasionally when we pray as a family, Brad speaks in Tagalog. Tagalog is the native language from his mission in the Philippines.

Noah: "Mommy can we say a prayer as a family".
Me: Thinking he must be super inspired or something,.... "Sure Buddy, Why?"
Noah: Because I speak in Spanish.
Me: "Uh. Ha. Okay. Sure Bud."


Brad is at school studying. Noah, Chloe, Sophie and I kneel.

Noah: " Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for “BuurrrRRRRR(rolling tounge) BURRRrrRRito. And urbrrugugugurrrl burrrreeeeto. Burrito. UlugulululrrrrrRRrr. BurrRRRrrito. Amen.

I am still laughing out loud. Where does he come up with this stuff? These are the moments that I will cherish forever. Forever and ever...

Spiderman and 2 Hot Chicks

In years past I have tried to make the whole family one big coordinating theme. This is the first year I have let go of all creative control over my kids' costumes. Noah's specifically. No four year old wants his mommy telling him what to be for Halloween. He wanted to be Spiderman, so SPIDERMAN it was.  He loved it and that's all that matters. Who cares that every other boy on the street was the exact same thing. ;)

   

I love this big brother hug that ONLY a big brother can give. Makes me smile...

And thanks to NeeNee for sending the most adorable fluffy chick costumes. These just made me smile. NeeNee insisted they were "TWO HOT CHICKS". I'd have to agree...

Chloe Mae

Sophie June

Get ready for a heart melter...

Say it with me.... AWWWW.
 

and a few more randoms {Yes, Brad and I grabbed last minute costumes out of our basement "dress-up box" lame.}

We found out the hard way that in South Bend, IN you don't try to trick-or-treat after 7 pm. I guess there was an announcement on the news that stated the "official" trick-or-treat time was 5-7 pm.  Sadly, we started heading out the door at 6:30. We thought it would be PRIME trick-or-treating time. Uh... nope. Most people had turned off their lights and the few that did answer their doors were out of candy. Brad was miffed. When we were kids, trick-or-treating started at dark, and went until about 10 pm. Not these days...

I think Noah got 4 or 5 pieces of candy. Poor little guy. He was soooo disappointed UNTIL his daddy made him trick-or-treat at our front door 5 times. Every time, Brad would drop handfuls of falling candy into his little bag and Noah would laugh with delight. REPEAT. REPEAT. REPEAT.

Don't you feel sorry for him. ;) He made out just fine.

Poor Poor Chloe

I'm seriously so upset about this I don't even want to write it. But if she has TWO scars on her head as an adult, she will probably want to know why. Her 1st cut (toothbrush holder) is slowly healing. In the meantime, she fell and hit her forehead on the baseboard creating a second cut, possibly worse than the first. Both on the forehead, both big cuts. AGGGHHHH.  I tried to Dr. it up myself as I wasn't very happy with the glue job the ER did on her first cut. I'm praying for no scarring. :( Sorry my sweet girl. You've had a rough few weeks. :(

First Trip to the Emergency Room

I knew the day would come, but I honestly thought it would be Noah.  Sweet Chloe had the metal toothbrush holder fall down on her forehead in the bathtub last night.  It was a big cut, so I decided to bring her to the ER at 8:30.  Now, I am TOTALLY confused why the hospital calls the Emergency Room an "EMERGENCY" Room. She wasn't even looked at for 4 1/2 hours. Sheesh!!

I found the 5 hours at the hospital surprisingly sweet. I didn't realize how little time I get to adore my girls one on one. Their whole lives they have always been. well,...together. My alone time made me realize that we (both Brad and I) need to take the time to love on them alone. --They both asked about each other several times while they were apart though. In the five hours they were separated ( 8:30 pm - 1:30 am) Chloe asked me "Sophie Sleepin Mommy? Sophie Sleepin?" And when Daddy told Sophie she needed to go to bed, she ran to the front door and cried, "Sophie, Sophie" {She is confused and calls Chloe, Sophie} --When I brought Chloe in her bedroom at 2 am, Sophie woke up to give Chloe a hug and kiss.  Ha. Sweet, sweet girls.

Good news is Chloe just needed some glue and steri strips on her little forehead. I wanted to make sure it got proper care so it wouldn't scar her beautiful little face. It's pretty small, so I am hoping for the best.

My girls have learned to be tough. Between Noah, Chloe, & Sophie at the ages they are, they all get pushed around quite a bit. We don't raise sissys around here. ;) Chloe is proudly showing her "owie" or "bonk-on-dee-head" to everyone.

Speaking of "BONK-ON-DEE-HEADS" we had to cancel our family pictures last week because Sophie flew down our inclined driveway on her tricycle last week...

Yes, our twins have owies in the exact same spot. Must be a twin thing. Gosh I love these tough girls.

I promise we don't beat our kids. PINKY PROMISE.

"Is the Prophet talking to ME?!"

I love watching conference from the comfy cozy of our own home. Snuggled on the sofa with blankets, the sound of General Authorities voices lulliing you in and out of sleep {Don't lie. You totally do it too}. ;) Anyways,...This is the first year our little family hasn't lived in the WEST, so conference isn't televised here. We pushed our sofa in front of our computer and streamed it online. Noah is used to i-chatting with grandma and grandpa, so when the prophet started speaking, in full size through our computer, Noah thought he was talking straight to him. He popped his head in the view of the webcam and say "Hi Prophet". Then he said to me, "Mommy, is the Prophet talking to ME?" Ha. Cute boy.

We got talking about temples. {Noah recently decided him and Adalie were going to get married. They decided this on the playground. He assured me they were just pretending}. So today I asked Noah, are you going to get married in the temple someday? Or at the playground? Or in a zoo? He responded immediately, "No silly. I am going to get married at Old McDonalds". {hee, hee,... he calls McDonalds "Old McDonalds" every time we drive by.} Gosh I love the things he says.

I have always wanted to make some conference traditions. Conference is an opportunity to cozy up with your family, hear amazing spiritual talks, AND make sweet memories. I love it. The past few years I have attempted the tradition of making cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning. Gosh they are good. Ya, ya,... my diet starts tomorrow,... on MONDAY,.. again... ;)

Fall Family Bike Rides

Since Noah learned how to ride his big boy bike earlier this summer, he wants to go every. single. day. And I'm not talking about a little wee ride here. He would go for miles and miles if we would let him. 
I haven't enjoyed a good long bike ride since I was a kid. I'm glad I have children that make me take the time to enjoy the beautiful things in this life, like a simple bike ride. It's surprisingly refreshing to hop on a bike, breathe in the cool fall air, take in the beauty of nature, and ride. Sweet moments like this are ones wish I could package up in a little box and open again and again.  I caught myself taking many 'mental pictures' of our most recent family bike ride.

The neighborhoods around our home are old and charming. We have fun looking for our "dream home" while we are out riding. I snapped a few for future reference... ;)

Yes. Those will do just fine. ;) I love the white, the pillars, the brick, the two side sunrooms... It's so fun to dream. Looking forward to our next family fall bike ride already.

P.S. Brad, I need a bike. The one we found in our garage makes my bum hurt. ;)

Someone is excited for Halloween...

Noah won these DRACULA teeth from Chucky Cheese a few days ago. He asked for them before he went to bed. When we went to tuck him in later that night, this is what we found.

This couldn't have been very comfortable...

Little Cutie. We get excited for Holidays a little prematurely around here.