Carving the Pumpkin

Last night when I went grocery shopping I bought a pumpkin to carve for Halloween. When the kids came out to the car to help me bring the groceries in, they were already begging to carve it. Finally Jason gave in and decided to help them carve it. This was very difficult with our kid that can do everything himself and doesn't want any help.

Here is Carter lighting the candle himself...this took about five minutes to light one candle because he was so scared that it was going to burn him, but didn't want anyone else to do it. Buy luck he got it lit.

Here's the finished product.

Can you tell who picked out the picture??...Jason.

Addicted Already??

We were out of Dr. Pepper this morning (I can't function without it) so I stopped by Sonic on my way home from taking Carter to school and when I pull into the stall Leah says, "I'm sooo thirsty...I need a Diet Coke." I think Grandma Welker is rubbing off on her...

Happy Birthday Carter!!

Today Carter is 6 years old!!! Time to get a job and start paying some rent. Honestly though he wouldn't mind if he really did have to get a job. The kid loves to work.

He wanted to buy a locking gun safe with his birthday money, but they cost a lot more than he had. So we talked him down to a locking cash box. (He loves anything with a lock and key.) Sometimes it seems like he is a wise old man in a little boys body. Some of the things he says or even knows makes us say "where did he get that from". I swear he has lived in or has seen the past.

Here's some of my favorite pictures of Carter.

We love you Carter!!

Tagged...

Elli tagged me....I had to go into my pictures and pull out my third file, eighth picture and post it.

This is Christmas last year at Grandma Welker's House. She buys the grandkids all matching PJ's.

I might as well post the rest...

Here's a picture of all of em.

Getting all of them to just sit there long enough to get a picture...what an accomplishment!

This was a really fun night!!

The kids opened gifts from grandma and the adults played a gift exchange game.

We decorated sugar cookies for Santa.

And acted out the Christmas story.

The kids loved it! We all had pretty good laugh when Stacey came down dressed as the angel.

Fun Times!!

I tag Merri, Kara and Niki.

Restroom Issues

Leah has been potty trained for almost 6 months now, but I think she's taking a step backwards...She hates to take time and go to the bathroom. By the time she finally decides to go she doesn't have time to pull her pants down or even put the toilet seat up, so she squats there holding herself, dancing, and then proceeds to pee on the floor. This is becoming an everyday occurrence.
And then another issue is public restrooms. They gross me out and with kids it's even worse. I don't know what it is with them, but everywhere we go our kids think they need to use their restroom. I even make them go before we leave the house and it still doesn't help. Like yesterday, we went to Target and as soon as I get a few things in my cart and we are all the way in the back of the store Leah says she needs to pee. So we rush back to the front of the store, put our items on the end of the register and go and use the restroom. (I take the cart with us so I don't have to get Mila's car seat all germy.) When we come out our stuff is gone. What do they expect you to do with your stuff if you can't take it into the restroom with you? So I had to start my shopping adventure all over again...
Sometimes I think that it would have been easier if I had just waited until Jason got off work and then left him with the kids while I ran to the store just because of the restroom issues.

Tired Kiddos

Tonight we were at my moms new house working on a few projects and the kids kept saying they were tired and wanted to go home. I kept telling them we'll leave in a few minutes...but a few minutes turned into a couple of hours, so they found this cardboard box. Carter took a nap in it first and then as soon as he woke up Leah decided to take a nap herself. (I missed getting a picture of Carter.) Maybe next time I should take a blanket for them to lay on...

Quirks tag

Stacey tagged me...I have to tell 6 quirks (odd habits) about myself. After reading Stacey's quirks I can't believe how much we really ARE alike; I could have used any of hers. Also, she could probably do this tag for me faster than I can cause she knows I have alot of ridiculous quirks, but I'll give it a try...

*Lists - I make lists for EVERYTHING. Grocery lists, To do lists, Stuff I want to look up, Lists for Jason, stuff we need to buy, etc. I usually have lists everywhere; on the fridge, on the counter, on the computer desk, in the bathroom...and at night it's hard for me to fall asleep because I'm constantly making lists in my head.

*Mail - When I get home from checking the mail I can't just put it on the counter. I have to take care of it right then. If it's junk mail I throw it away, if it's a bill, I file it, whatever....I just can't have it on the counter!

*My back-up system - I have to have a back-up of everything!! Deodorant, shampoo, shaving cream, air filters, laundry soap, whatever...Once you take the last of something it gets added to a list (see above) that way we are never actually out of something.

*Making my bed when I get out of it. - It all starts with my bed. If my bed gets made in the morning, my house will be clean that day, if I don't make the bed, then you can forget about a clean house. (Weird, I know.)

*Trash in the Car - I cannot stand to have trash or junk in the car. I have to clean it out as soon as we get home. If Jason takes the car and leaves gum wrappers or an empty soda can in the cup holder it drives me crazy!

Can you tell I hate clutter...and I have to be organized??

I have to copy Stacey on the last one...

*I love doing yard work. - I love everything about it!! My neighbors have always wondered why Jason doesn't do the yard work, but the truth is that he's not allowed. (Just kidding) I love it so much that my neighbor has me do her yard too. When I was recovering from my c-section Jason was doing the yard work and Carter comes in from outside and says "Mom, Dad is not mowing the grass right." Carter knows you have to have the lawn mower lines all going the same way, and Jason just mows to cut the grass...

I tag anyone else that wants to do it.

Where did this week go??

Carter has 2 weeks off for fall break and we've really taken a break ....from all household chores that is....The laundry pile keeps getting bigger and if you need something you have to dig through the pile to find it.
The beds haven't been made all week...
The kitchen hasn't been cleaned. (I did load the dishwasher a few times or we wouldn't have anything to eat on.) You can't even find a clean spot on the table anymore, and your feet stick to the floor from the spilled soda and melted popsicles.

You cannot even walk into the toy room anymore without stepping on a toy and twisting your ankle. There are more toys on the floor then there are on the shelves...
I really have my work cut out for me now....Maybe I shouldn't have let it get this bad.

Here's Leah when I told her it was time to wash her blankets. She has to have them when she watches TV, and the whole time they were in there she kept asking "Are my blankies done yet?"

Finally done!!
This week we did have fun...Carter and Leah had cousins spend the night one night.

And then we went to McDonald's and had lunch and played.
We also went to the mall play area one day. It was still to hot to go play at the park this week. It's October...you would think it would cool off by now.

Mila also turned 5 months old. I've done her baths in our laundry room sink and she's starting to get too long where she can't lay down very well.

She's getting to be a little bit easier for me. She likes to lay on the floor or sit in her chair and play for short periods of time.

This week we did a family picnic at the park for London's and Carter's Birthdays. The kids really had fun. They played flag football, had races with Uncle Eric, rode bikes, played on the playground, and played basketball. Carter's birthday isn't until the 24th, but it's such a busy month for everyone we decided to have it a little early.

We gave him the walkie talkies that he's been asking for, but we didn't get him the real handcuffs that he wanted. (He doesn't understand that real handcuffs are only for real cops.)

He got lots of money...What kid doesn't love money???
These were the highlight of his gifts...Tickets. (A large roll of raffle tickets.) Why would he want tickets?? He's a cop...he needs tickets to give to people.
Doesn't this look gross? Jason said he looks like he was eating poop. (It was a cupcake.)

Mila and Leah have both been sick with colds for the past couple of days, so Jason went to Safford with just Carter. Carter really had fun and I'm sure Jason was glad to get away too, even if it was only for one night. But, now that they're home, Carter feels like he is getting fever....Yeah!!

Minus these past two days we have really had a fun week. For me it's just nice to not have to drive Carter to and from school.

Now... what are we going to do next week??

Today is Officially Pajama Day

This week in Carter's class they were learning the letter J, so today they had "jammie day". I didn't think it would have been appropriate to send Carter in his normal pj's since he sleeps in his underwear, so we had to go and buy him some sleep shorts last night. After that trip I'm glad he only sleeps in his underwear. They don't seem to think that husky kids need pajamas. They all looked like they were made for a really long two year old... We ended up finding some spiderman shorts on clearance because they were missing the top. (It wouldn't have fit him anyway, so we scored...only $5) We just put it with the big shirt he usually wears.

They were also able to take their favorite stuffed animal as well, so here he is posing with Kenya. (Before I took his picture he said "Take my picture with Kenya and I'll hold it like Grandma Nelson holds her Kenya." He makes me laugh....)


Of course Leah had to get in on this...

And Carter wanted a picture of Buster and Kenya...
Since we don't have any pets, our kids treat these stuffed animals like they are real. They have leashes and everything. Kenya has been a part of our family for about 4 years now and is still their favorite. Maybe someday we'll have a real dog...until then Kenya and Buster seem to work.

Fun with Cousins

Today Stacey's kids came to play while my mom was here working. Her kids are so baby hungry and want to constantly be holding, touching, or kissing on Mila...Especially Makayla. Mila is starting to love all of the attention that they give her. Sometimes it seems like she just wants to get down and wrestle with the big kids. It's so funny.

Mila, Makayla, McKenzie, & Leah

Just a random picture...
The other night Carter found some of Leah's clips in bathroom and this is how he came out. (I don't think he makes a very pretty girl.)