Independence

Last year I hung several low hooks in our mud room so Tyler could/would reach and hang up his coats and hoodies. It worked great and now he hangs everything up right when we walk in the door.

About two weeks ago - when we started needing hoodies at times - Paige decided she was old/big enough to reach. She can barely, barely reach, but she insists on hanging up her hoodie everytime we get home. It's great! No wonder I feel as though this baby will be a shock - I haven't felt like I have a little baby in so very long. I love that just a few hooks can give kids a great feeling of importance and independence.

Halloween

This Halloween was so much fun! I felt like I finally got it all together and that the entire evening went great. Of course, it's only taken me many years to feel so on top of things. :)

We started out about 4:30 by eating some worms in dirt. The kids loved it and we'll probably have to make more soon. I only made tiny portions because I knew there'd be plenty of candy later.

As the kids finished their dirt I dished up our dinner - chili and corn fritters. Now, I know that the norm would be scones or corn bread, but I think corn bread is wrong. And I love these! 

We finished decorating outside - the kids have wanted to put things up outside all month, but honestly, there's a LOT of wind here and I wasn't willing to put anything up until the day of.  

And we put our pumpkins out. These are Ben's and Paige's.  

Tyler's, Trenton's and the one Trent painted. He painted a face, ghost, and bat. And then put googly eyes on the ghost and bat. He won 1st in his class.  

After we got in costumes (and while we waited for dad to get home) we broke out our glow sticks and bracelets - we always have lots of these around.  

I asked Paige if she wanted some makeup on for her costume - um, YEAH!!! She was so excited and it was a blast to put eyeshadow on her. When Ben saw it, he laughed. But I've never had a girl - and I have such a girlie one. It's so much fun! 

As it started to get darker, and just before kids started coming to the door, we lit the pumpkins. Even though Tyler gave me quite the face to cut out, I think it looks awesome! 

Ben skipped dinner to take the kids out. I usually do this, but I volunteered to take Ben's favorite place of handing out candy with my big belly. It worked out better. It was such a great, warm evening.  

The boys said we did this last year, so they wanted to do it again. (I don't remember) I let them decorate milk jugs and we filled the bottoms with rocks. I guess it's just fun to draw! 

They were out for awhile - and Paige never got tired or asked to come home. Tyler was done first. He is my little home body! 

After everyone was undressed and dad had checked all the candy, Paige got put to bed; Tyler wanted to go play in his bed; and I took Trenton to the awesome haunted house we went to last year. It's super close and nothing jumps out at you. I think Tyler would've gone if it was a little earlier and he hadn't just walked all around the neighborhood. I loved getting some one-on-one time with Trenton - we talked and laughed while we waited in the line and Trent loved the haunted house. He's sure of what he likes and doesn't at his 7-years. Haunted houses and Halloween are definitely things he likes!

Getting Ready for Halloween

We had a lot of "Halloween" activities this month. The kids have had a blast and I was so glad we had so many opportunities to wear costumes. Trenton had a field trip at the beginning of the month where they each got to pick out a pumpkin and bring it home to decorate. In a moment of 'fun mom' I bought a small pumpkin each for Tyler and Paige to decorate. Coloring with markers and paint on pumpkins is apparently really fun!

 

These are all the pumpkins we grew this year. Nothing small about these monsters. We carved four of them (Ben wanted to carve one - which completely shocked me; but I didn't want to.) 

Tyler and Paige were so funy this year. Tyler eventually got a little dirty, but Paige would only touch the pumpkin guts with a spoon. And she was very concerned that I was 'messy' and wouldn't wash my hands. :)

Coloring and carving was more fun than cleaning out.  

Ben never wants to carve pumpkins...but he does every year. I'm wondering if he got into it because he didn't have to pay for these ones - other than the water we were already dumping on the garden. 

And he looks good in my pretty flower apron.  

Tyler drew quite the face on his - and plenty of other things too. I had a time of it cutting it out, but it looked awesome! 

The boys knew what they wanted to be the second I asked. Trenton: Star Wars Clone; Tyler: Captain America; Paige: (okay, she didn't have a choice - I bought her wings and a wand and they were pink and pretty so she was happy!) 

At one of our trips to the dinosaur museum Tyler saw this dinosaur dressed up like Captain America - so he wanted a picture! 

The day of Halloween Trenton got to wear his costume to school and we went and watched their costume parade at the end of the day. He was pretty excited, but didn't want to bring his mask. He's very 'no fuss is better' like his parents.  

Watching the parade - they got to wear their costumes from after lunch on - Tyler was stoked! 

We went to a birthday party and since Trenton's friend has a Halloween birthday, we usually get to wear our costumes. These gorillas were in a haunted house, but once we got outside, Tyler really wanted a picture with them. Hey, they are animals, after all! 

Trenton loved getting to wear his costume again and wore these fun mustaches the rest of the day. 

Paige got to go to a Cinderella Birthday Party for her favorite friend Maren. She got a Cinderella dress which I still haven't gotten a picture of, and tells me about this pumpkin coach everytime we read 'Cinderella'. This coach is so adorable...I love it! 

In total we got to wear costumes to: the ward party, school parade, birthday parties, the library, and, of course, Halloween. That's good because I was happy to buy them this year. When I said something about costumes to Ben he said, 'just buy them', which was so nice with all the other stuff on my list to get done this year and me still not always feeling great. This has been a fun October!

Best Zucchini Bread EVER!

I have been making zucchini bread all summer, and even found this recipe at the beginning when I was searching for ways to use zucchini - and yet I did not try it out until last week. It is so good. Even Ben, who cannot stand zucchini or banana bread, LOVES it! Wahoo!
This is my new recipe of choice for zucchini bread.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/blueberry-zucchini-bread/

Enjoy!

It's back!

Our kids are loving that the nights get darker earlier again....we have been playing 'flashlight hide-and-go-seek' almost every FHE the past month. It's a family favorite, but one we can't play when it's still light out at 10pm in the summer. However, when it's dark by 6:30pm, it's quite easy to play. Even Paige takes a turn 'counting' and finding us.
So for the next few months, the Spencer Family Favorites of flashlight games is back. :)

Silly Paige

This morning Paige wakes up and I'm still throwing myself together in the bathroom. Ben got her up and she comes in with her entourage (which currently includes three babies, that crazy pink penguin, and her 'pink') and says, 'Mommy, my tummy so hungry.' So I told her I'd be done in two minutes and I'd go get her breakfast. Well, then her eyes woke up a little more and she realized I was getting ready - which she knew meant I had washed my face. So she ran to her bathroom and got a washcloth and brought it to me. I tried to not get it wet, reminding her that she was hungry. Paige: "Mommy, I no like food anymore!". Ben and I busted up. She's such a 2-year-old girl - it's all about what she wants at the time.

P.S. I got the washcloth ready for her and she proceeded to 'wash' her face. The second I said let's go get food though she was right there following me to the kitchen. She keeps us laughing!

Church Attendance in Witch Shoes

Out of the last 7 weeks of Sundays and church, we have only been to a regular church day 3 weeks. !! I was telling Ben this morning that I hoped our children remember what it's like to go to Sacrament Meeting and Primary. :)

The reasons for these different days were: a special Conference with all the wards in Utah County; the dedication of the Brigham City Temple; General Conference; and today, a Stake Conference that was presided over by a seventy. We have had such great Sundays lately and have felt the Spirit very strongly. And I'm grateful that our kids have been so good in the 2-hour sessions, especially in the chapel.

However, as far as my fear of our kids forgetting what a normal Sunday is like, it's unfounded. Today as we were walking out of the church and out to the car, Paige broke down in tears and begged for nursery. :)

Another sweet thing I have watched the last few weeks is my boys jumping up after the closing prayer and immediately start folding chairs. And while I'm proud of them helping, even Tyler, I have been extremely proud of all the youth in our Stake - it seems there are several each time, both Primary children and teenagers, who help put away all the chairs and pick up garbage before leaving the building. It's something I haven't seen in many other wards we've lived in. It's cool.

Today I got out what I was planning on wearing and laid it on the bed. I had my shoes by my bedroom door. Paige and Tyler wanted to try them on. Ben told Paige they were mommy's 'witch shoes'. Of course then Paige kept asking me all day if those were my witch shoes. I took these pictures after church as we were changing today. She's only sad because I pulled out the camera - she put the shoes on herself. And she desperately needed lunch and a nap!

And over the past few weeks her hair has been losing it's curl. I used to be able to wet it and it would curl right up, but I'm sure she's getting older and her hair is getting longer, both of which are making it harder for those cute little girl curls to just magically appear. So sad! However, today I curled her hair for the first time, and it took about 2 minutes to get it to the previous amount of curl. They're just too cute not to. :) 

One common thing that was brought up at Stake Conference today was about the recent changes of the missionary ages made at General Conference. So, I thought I'd share my thoughts.

I had two thoughts when that announcement was made: First, was about my sister, who just three days before that told me she thought she might like to serve, but didn't think it was likely to happen so many years away. It was just funny to me that we had had that conversation so recently. Second, was about my sons - especially Trenton. He will graduate (like me) when he's still 17 years old. With more than a year to wait until a mission I have often thought and wondered how he would stay on the right path all that time. I know many who have done it, but it has still worried and concerned me (in a way only mothers could know looking this much into the future!). So, my thought about Trenton was that he'd be able to serve just two months after he finished school if he wished and Tyler could serve the very moment he graduated. I know that's still many years away, but I was grateful that even as Heavenly Father is answering so manys' concerns and prayers now, He also has calmed my heart 10 years before any actual plans could be made. I'm so grateful for a living Prophet today.

Wrapping Up the Warm Days

We have been trying to enjoy the last of the semi-warm days and sunshine. Of course it's impossible to go out and enjoy it before about 3pm. We've already had snow - just a light dusting, but Tyler was sure trying to get me to let him out at 7am while it was still dark and only 19 degrees. Didn't happen, but I'm sure he'll get his chance this year.

Tyler and Trenton have been playing lots of hop scotch.

If it's sunny out, the kids ask to go play. I think they must be like the geese and ducks flying south over our home all the time - they can feel the seasons changing. :) 

We're excited about the seasons and fun end-of-year activities and traditions, but I'm not sure any of us are ready to give up our sunny days yet. I'm so glad this week is looking to be warm and sunny! (I think I've made all my kids love the summer months by spending so much time in the pool this year!)

Preschool and Tyler's Creativity

Tyler is completely obsessed with two things: numbers and coloring. Put them together and color-by-number anything is his favorite right now. In fact, I found some color-by-number church-related pictures and he sat very quietly and watched Conference doing those most of the time. He's learning how to read the color names, but the last few months I have just been coloring the color key for him and then he's off.

Paige always likes to color if Tyler is. She is my best at staying in the lines this young - I think she watches what everyone else does. How does she pick up on every little detail? 

I recently made Paige a calendar book like Tyler's and she loves it. It has shapes and colors in it to work on - and she begs for it whenever her brothers are working up to the table.  

I also keep pipe cleaner and beads in her book and she sits and threads them all on. Sometimes several times. She has the best fine motor skills of my children at this age and loves doing things like this.

These animals are my new best friends. I knew I should've just brought animals into the equation and it would all sort itself out. We have been doing adding and subtracting with Tyler - I'm telling you, it's all him and his number obsession. So to help with the concept past the ten fingers he has on his little hands, I got him counters - we have used beads and popsicle sticks and little cubes. He would do it fine, but sometimes get either frustrated or bored - and now I think it was just because it didn't seem fun enough to him! 

I ordered these animal erasers a few weeks ago to play a game with and instead, finally pulled them out to use as math counters. HOORAY! It has been the best week ever. So, he's still begging to work on math, but he's completely content to sit for...up to 1 1/2 hours while adding and subtracting. (And I'm begging him to stop!) It's been so great! 

After he did all his flashcards, he then counted them all in their groups and we wrote those numbers down and then we added all the animals up together and wrote that number down. He's really starting to get the hang of how the number thing works and counting animals was just combining two favorites.  

Which now leads me into the latest and greatest book/movie around our house. I read this book to Trenton when he was around 3-4. I just finished reading it to Tyler. Tyler LOVED it. And then I showed him the movie (even though we own several movies, I don't think my kids know about many of them). It was watched or begged for every day for about 5 days straight. Multiple times a day. It's still asked for, but we're breaking down to every other day now. :) This week I have had to also: hang up all sorts of drawings of the characters of Charlotte's Web that Tyler has drawn, and found several color-by-number pictures to print of the characters. If Tyler isn't working on numbers or coloring, then he's drawing. Which maybe would be in the same catagory, except Paige can color, but not really draw.