Octoberlicious

A miracle has occurred and I have a minute to sit down and blog! The month of October has absolutely flown by, and I just realized that I have one week to figure out Halloween costumes and come up with some sort of game or craft to do at Alexis' class Halloween party.

Last week we had Tyler's birthday and a quick trip to Las Vegas to visit my brother, sister-in-law and BRAND NEW niece. Pictures of all that to come soon. Since we've been back I've worked hard to get the house back into some sort of order because it was beyond crazy for awhile there. On Tuesday I scrubbed my kitchen floor, on hands and knees for at least an hour. ONE HOUR! I can think of many, many other things I'd rather do for an hour, but it badly needed it.

So here's a bunch of random stuff about our October that I feel like sharing.

We took another cousin picture with all the kids on Jeremy's side of the family. This always proves to be a difficult task, but fun too. For those of you who know his family and are interested in who all these kids belong to, let me tell you.

To the left of Alexis are Melanie's three boys: Mason (5), Peyton (3), and Tanner (6 months). To the right of Tyler is Shelise's daughter, Kylee (2) and her son Dallin (5). Dallin is holding Justin's daughter Katelyn (7 months).
I cannot express how happy it makes me that my kids have cousins they see often and that they love to play with. I did not have the same growing up, and I'm so glad they can.

Here's a shot of the three babies. Heaven help us all in about a year when they start stealing toys from each other and generally acting crazy, as 1 1/2 year olds do. And Heaven help Katelyn in about 3 years when Ryan mauls her every chance he gets (that is, if he grows up to be anything like Tyler).
Ryan seems to have pinned his arm under his torso and can't push himself up. These are the kinds of trials you endure when you weigh one zillion pounds.

Actually, he weighs 19 pounds. That is 97%, my friends. He is by far my biggest baby, and also my baldest. He had hair, it was blond and hard to see, but it just grew in wisps and definitely not even across his head, so I told Jeremy that I was finally on board with him buzzing it. He jumped at that and yesterday while I was at the store he buzzed it all off. He looks much better, but you have to look at him closely to even notice that he has hair. Jeremy didn't save any of the hair for his baby book, he just washed it down the drain. So we will pretend that it was not his first haircut. Does that even count as a first haircut anyway?

I just finished reading a doozy of a book called "Follow the River", the author is listed over there on my side bar. And when I say it's a doozy, I mean it. Don't read it if you are pregnant, have a newborn, or are particularly emotional. There were many times I thought about quitting, but it's our book club book for the month, so I forged ahead. I'm glad I did, but it seriously saddened me.

Does this picture scare you? It scares me.
That's a place in St. George that I know of as "The Crack". Here's a picture of my sister-in-law, Shandy, and I in it, taken from above. That was a few years ago.This last weekend we stopped here on the way home from Vegas to let the kids run around. I tried to go through it with Alexis, but I didn't fit. She likes to point out that I've gotten fatter. While that's true, that's not why I can't fit--it's actually because I'm a nursing mother. Too much information for you? Sorry.

I love this picture because it makes Alexis and Tyler look like they're the same size. Alexis is actually taller than Tyler, but I doubt she will be for much longer.
Also, Tyler is wearing Dickies shorts that Jeremy found at Wal-Mart for $4. I love them because they are tough and durable, and cute. Also, Jeremy has about 500 of those shorts in his size, so now Tyler really is just like his daddy.

Are you still reading, or have I bored everyone to sleep? This last thing is the cutest story yet. Every morning when I pack Alexis' lunch I write a little note on her napkin. I'm proud to say I haven't missed a day yet. If Jeremy makes the lunch he even humors me and writes a note for her. Sometimes I get fancy and write a poem or a riddle or draw a picture, but more often than not I just tell her how great she is or say something like "Have a marvelous Monday (Terrific Tuesday, Wonderful Wednesday, etc.)! Love Mom". Alexis seems to really like this and some days she comes home with the napkin carefully folded up and put somewhere safe because she liked that particular one so much. Well, I noticed her working on something last night and this morning, and before she went to school she told me I could look in this paper sack after she left. When I did, this is what I found:

A jello cup, a granola bar and a napkin that says, "Have a Thantastick Thursday! Mom! Love Alexis". It made my day, especially because yesterday I was feeling like a jerk of a mom. The best part is that she knows the word Fantastic begins with an F, but she wanted to make up a word to go with the Th in Thursday. What a clever girl!

Now I hope you all have a Thantastick Thursday as well! Anyone want to trade me their cookie for my jello cup??