North Logan Annual Pumpkin Walk

First a new family picture...and yes, that is my new color! Then another cute pumpkin picture with Jace.


They always have these painted wood cutouts for you to put your face in....this is the cutest Yoda you will see this year....and probably one of Brett's favorite heros!

Here are a few scenes that they had this year. Jace liked the tractor. I thought Noah's ark and the hospital room are pretty funny and creative. The last picture is pigeons made out of gords...that one is for you Grandpa Pigeon - we love you!

In response to my meltdown :)

Well....I really thank everyone for their comments and support. I was gently reminded by my mother in law that we have to do things for ourselves. She was so right I was so caught up in the puddle of day to day things, that I had forgot to do the things I enjoy. Since then, I did make a visit to the library, read 3 books, started a 4th, bought some fabric to sew with, went and had my hair done (one of my favorite things) and made plans to go home and see grandma and grandpa pigeon. (A little background on the pigeon name...my dad races pigeons and Jace associates both my parents with this name, of course grandma just goes along with it. On the other hand, Brett's parents are grandma and grandpa pudge...because of their yellow lab) Again, I am okay and really appreciate everyone's prayers and support and love. I am fresh and ready to face the world again!

So most of my posts are happy, go-lucky...usually something new to report, but this one I just have to get a few things off my chest...confessions if you will. The change of season from wonderful warm summer to a bit chilly for flip flops/don't go anywhere without a jacket...really gets to me. I feel like I have to try harder to fight some of those things that inevitably just bother me. I think I will start a list and hope that this helps...
1. I have to try harder at being a better parent because Jace is constantly asking two questions...if he can go outside and...where daddy is at?
Brett has been gone more with school lately, works on the weekends, and recently has been helping some friends put a roof on their house...hence, he seems to be gone all the time. And the outside thing...it is just too cold and when it is warm he seems to be taking a nap. This makes me feel like a single parent and WAY more homesick than ever (due to family and the perfect weather they have...the grass is always greener somewhere else).
2. I have to juggle my work days around everyone's schedule because we choose to not do the babysitter thing if we can. He still goes occasionally, but that is just one more schedule to juggle. Don't get me wrong, I totally love what I do. It bothers me when I screw up because I didn't have enough info from everybody's schedules and then have to make up for it later on and can't do other things, because I am the majority of our income.
I know this doesn't make any sense to anybody...but I am confessing the things that irritate me.
3. I am SO done with school....I know Brett talks about doing a phD and if he decides to do it I will support him and think it would be great for his career, but really the stress, the lack of money, the not knowing where or what we are doing, the late nights, the last minute assignments are all really getting on my nerves. No offense Brett...I still love you!
4. Being the "maid" around the house. I feel like I can't keep up. There are always more toys and dishes and meals to make and laundry to do and diapers to change and baths to give...It never ends, and it can be completely overwhelming doing it all the time.
5. Last but not least, most of you know we have been trying to get pregnant with a second child, but have had no luck for about 7 months now. I don't want anyone to say I am sorry or anything, but it seems like everywhere I turn...somebody is pregnant or just gave birth. Congrats to everyone! No one will ever understand what it is like until they have been through it. I know this is only teaching me empathy for those with the same problem...but we are totally ready to have another and Jace is too. Jace points out babies in the store in pictures...etc. I am just asking for prayers...ultimately it is up to Heavenly Father anyway...but could you let him know we are ready whenenver he decides. I am trying to be patient, but just really hard with babies coming every direction I turn. I hope I don't regret sharing this.
6. The holidays are coming...enough said.
I don't know if the weather is effecting me or what, but hopefully this post will remind everyone that I am human! I have down days, weeks, months and I have good days, weeks, and months. I have stresses in my life that I wish I didn't have, but will learn to cope with them. I really am happy and have a wonderful, intelligent child, a loving husband, and great extended family. I just needed to get a few things off my chest....hope you enjoyed the crazy inner workings of my silly OCD mind! Heheheh

Weekend Happenings!

On Saturday, Jace helped me make a birthday cake for Brett. He loved putting the candles on and then singing happy birthday. He even helped Brett try to blow the candles out. Happy 31st to you Brett and many more! You are my sweetheart and I am so glad to have spent the last seven years with you...I love you...even if you are a classic (almost).

This is what the weather looked like on saterday...yes, that is snow/sleet. I'm not too excited for the winter, but I guess it is always nice to have a change of season.

These last two pictures were taken on thursday morning. This is Jace's friend Tate. They are like 3 months apart and play so good together. They are playing in our temporary sandbox...it is just waiting to be landscaped. It was fun for the boys to put their tractors and dumptrucks in the sand. They had a really great time and thankfully the weather was nice. Boys will be boys!

I said I was glad that we finally have grass, but there are a few downfalls of having grass. Because we received a good amount of rain this past weekend and also the sod has to be watered 3 or 4 times a day...the surrounding areas of our grass have this fun thing that boys love....called....MUD! My worst nightmare today came true. We haven't been super warm these days, but Jace wanted to play outside anyway...I said "okay, just for a little while and you have to stay on the side walk." Of course Jace would say "okay". Before I know it, Jace is in the mud with his cute dump truck. I said "hurry, get on the side walk" and then he falls in the mud, because it is that thick...get your feet stuck, you're not going anywhere kind of mud. So the good mom that I am, go into the mud to help him up. Well the next thing I know is that my sandals are stuck in the mud, my feet are well planted in the mud and Jace is saying "No, no, no" meaning he isn't done playing in the mud. I was seriously upset...it was not on my agenda to play in the mud today or fight a child while in the mud, especially since I was wearing khaki pants and a white shirt. These pictures will show you how innocent he looks and you will see the caked on mud on my feet and his new shoes (thanks to grandma). I really tried to not show my anger towards him, by turning it into a fun moment. Needless to say...we spent the rest of the morning INSIDE!

Saturday Session of Conference

I thought I would just post some thoughts and feelings I had as I reflect on what was said. I loved the talk on "angels" and how we can be angels in people's lives. I have had many "angels" and hope that I can be an "angel" for others. I love that we were reminded to continue to live within our means. It was a good reminder that prayer should not just be a before bedtime habit, but should be always. I have a better understanding of faith, hope, and charity and how they work hand in hand. I enjoyed the primary choir and so did Jace. He stood in front of the television, stopping what he was doing, and stared in amazement that kids were singing on the tv. I don't think he blinked once. I thought it was interesting that there are temples being completed left and right and amazed that there will be a temple in Italy.
I often feel like the first presidency and the quorum of the twelve are so distant...kind of like our presidency of the United States...but the difference is that I have no doubt that the church leadership will NOT lead us down deceitful paths. I am so glad that they are encouraging us to do more and be better people. Who doesn't love conference weekend!

New Neighborhood!

I just have to say how I love that there are so many young families with lots of little boys that are Jace's age. Two of Jace's new friends are....Tate who turns 2 in October and Jack who turns 2 in November. We have spent some time outside trying to soak up the good weather and some time inside. The kids play really well together and of course fight over toys, but it is fun. We have done alot of playdates with these two and Jace will walk around our house and say "Tate?" and "Jack?"....and I always remind him that they are at their houses. Today we went to a little community park that is close by and the boys had a blast. Unfortunately, I seem to never have my camera when it would be a great photo opp...but maybe in the future we can get a cute pic of these three.

By the way....WE HAVE GRASS, FINALLY!