When it Rains it Pours

I have been rather busy lately. It seems like I will go weeks without seeing friends or going anywhere in the evenings and then all of the sudden I'm gone every night and have stuff going on all day. Ok, that's not entirely true. There are a few hours in the afternoons when I get a little bored. It's nice to be busy, but of course the guilt kicks in that I haven't put the kids to bed for 3 days in a row, etc. One thing that has made me feel more busy than normal is the women's choir that I am currently singing with. I really love it. It's so fun to be back singing in a real (no offense ward choir) choir. Doing intense 2 hour rehearsals that fly by. Singing pieces in foreign languages.

This last Sunday were the solo auditions. They began an hour and a half before regular rehearsal. I got there maybe 3 minutes after 5:30 (when they were supposed to start) and I was number 64 on the list of women who wanted to audition. That's right. There was no way an hour and a half was long enough. We ended up having a shorter rehearsal and then staying after to finish auditions. There were 98 women who ended up auditioning for the 14 solos. Wow. Even though I doubt that I will get a solo, I am glad that I auditioned. It was kind of fun and it went better than I thought it would, surprisingly enough. It did make for a looong evening though. I was gone for about 5 hours.

Besides the choir I also have Young Women's once a week in the evening. It's usually fun. Our YW president is in school, so I end up being fairly "in charge" most of the time. Last night YW was at my house. We were supposed to rake leaves at the church, but it was really windy and stormy, so we ended up having a game night. It was lots of fun. Ian took the boys to a free Jazz scrimmage so they wouldn't be in my hair. That was helpful. After YW was over I went and picked up Weston's Halloween costume. I am so excited. It's awesome. You'll just have to wait a couple more weeks for some pictures of it. In the meantime, here are a couple cuties from the last few weeks.

A couple weeks ago when it was still really warm (85 this day!) we went mini golfing. It was a lot of fun. We made sure to get Davin a ball and a club this time. Isn't he handsome?!? I love that face!
Weston had a hard time because he was trying to use the golf club the "right" way. He should have stuck with his shuffleboard technique. Oh well. He was excited when Ian told him his score was 432.
This is what we do most afternoons. When Davin wakes up and Weston is tired, but won't take a nap. They snuggle in for their afternoon movie (usually something Pixar). I think it's pretty cute. This is generally when I read all your blogs. It's my quiet time.
This picture is kind of old and Weston has a weird look on his face, but it proves that he does sometimes play with Sammie. Also, Sammie is already bigger than this. I'm amazed at how fast she is growing.
Well, I will try to be better about posting. For now, that's the update, but tonight I have a fun girl's night planned and tomorrow night I'm getting my hair done, so fun stuff is in the works! Hooray!

PS-Jen, if you're reading this, of course I remember you! Also I'm glad that you blog stalk me. You're so cute. We should be friends, especially since your sister is so far away.

Taking a Sick Day

HA! Sick day. Yeah right. Moms don't get those. I am sick though, so I suppose that technically today is a sick day. I might not do a couple things I normally would, like vacuum, but life doesn't go on without dishes getting washed and laundry being done and meals being served (not necessarily made from scratch). I wish that I could just curl up in bed and read, then doze off, then get up and take more dayquil, eat some toast, climb back in bed, etc. I made the mistake of taking the kids on an outing thinking that it would be easier then trying to entertain them at home when I don't feel good. It was a mistake. Davin is also a little under the weather and it was too much for him. He conked out in the car and I just didn't have the energy to fight him awake the whole way home. I assumed he would be tired enough to come inside and still take a real nap. Wrong. He still hasn't taken a nap, with the exception of his 10 minutes in the car. So, yes, it's been a rough day and it's only 3pm.

I miss the days when someone took care of me. No one takes care of me anymore. I don't even take care of me anymore. Also, I am just plain sick of being sick. I caught a cold September 15th and I think I've felt 100% for maybe 3 days since then. I was just feeling like I was over it when it came right back. With a vengeance, I might add. I am pretty bummed because I will be in no shape to audition for a solo for my choir this weekend. Lame. So far I have only lost it once. I threw the puppy out in the backyard and threw Weston in bed for a nap, which he is actually taking. Hallelujah. At least one person in this house will be well rested.

I do apologize for the whinyness of this post. I just can't quite muster anything positive in my current state. Poor me.

Weekend Update

Warning: This is going to be a long post with lots of pictures. Not for the faint-of-heart blog follower.

First off, sorry it's been over a week. I am majorly slacking. In my defense we have been a little busy. This last weekend we had Ian's parents in town. It was a whirlwind visit, but we had a blast. We kicked off the weekend with the BYU v. Utah State football game. Davin stayed with my cousin, Karren, but Weston attended his first Cougar football game! He was so excited. . . for about the first 2/3 of the game. At half time he went with Daddy to go potty and get a cougar tail (a really long maple bar). Unfortunately they were sold out of cougar tails. Weston was so bummed/tired he almost cried. Poor kid. A little bit later I went and got him some candy instead, then he was a little happier. By the end he was just so tired he was begging to leave. I guess that's what we get for taking him to a game that doesn't start until 7pm. It was still a blast. I hadn't been to a game in years and we all got matching Cougar football shirts.
Weston with his non-cougar tail treat. I think this was the last smile we got out of him that night.
It was a late night, but we were all up at 7:15am Saturday morning. There is no sleeping in with 2 little ones and a puppy. We have Ian's parents for Christmas this year, so we had scheduled an appointment to have pictures taken of them with the boys. It was probably my worst experience at the Target Portrait Studio, but we did end up getting a couple good shots. By the time we got home and ate lunch it was time for the adults to get dressed up and head to the afternoon session of General Conference. Ian's parents had gotten us all tickets. We had a really nice time attending conference. I had a hard time staying awake the first half, but then perked up a little after the rest hymn.
On our way home we picked up pizza. The boys went to the Priesthood session of Conference while Grandma gave the boys a bubble bath and I had some much needed quiet time. Becca came over with Claire a little later to hang out and the boys brought us treats from Sonic after their session. That night we watched some Better Off Ted and played Bananagrams. We were all exhausted, so we hit the sack at a decent hour.

We took Sunday at a little slower pace. We did a big breakfast in the morning and Becca and Alann joined us. It was nice and the kids were pretty good watching Toy Story in the other room for most of the session. It was great to have some time to just hang out and play with Grandma and Papa in between sessions.

Weston really wanted to build a fort.
Little hams.
Being scary.
Davin was in awe of Grandpa's watch that lights up when you push the button. He said wow a lot.
Weston watched part of the afternoon session with us.
In case you were worried, Sammie was well loved all weekend. She got lots of good lap naps. She wasn't on her best behavior and I have had to be a little more strict now that we don't have visitors with us, but she is a good puppy and has already learned "sit".
We are so glad that Grandma and Papa came to see us! It was such a fun trip. We wish we got to see you more often, but we'll certainly take what we can get. Thanks for spoiling us too. :) It was a wonderful weekend.

The Witches

Every year in October Gardner Village decorates for Halloween with all of these awesome witches. And every year my friend, Tara, and I take the kids to check it out and take some pictures. This year was really great. It was warm, but not hot. It wasn't very crowded. We fed some ducks and fish. The kids picked out a great (cheap) treat from the candy shop. They picked out whistle pops. Remember those? Lots of fun. I got some yummy fudge and I found a great stocking stuffer for the kids. They are these really cool wooden cork guns. I also got to chat with Tara a little bit and, of course, we took pictures. Enjoy!

I LOVE this face.
This is seriously the best "smile" I got out of Davin. My boys were having an un-photogenic day.
For some reason the kids all thought these stairs leading up to nothing were great. Weston said that if they were woodpeckers then they would have been able to get through the wall even though there wasn't a door.
Kenzi took this picture of the bicycling/flying witch for me.
Davin taking advantage of his freedom from the stroller.
Weston was so excited that this witch was holding his hand. Also, Kenzi's face is classic.
The best one of the day! Even though Davin isn't looking at the camera.
Even witches need their chocolate fixes.
This witch outside the candy shop had a cat chasing a mouse under her skirt.
Finally, this was not at Gardner Village, but a little while ago I put all of Weston's dress up clothes into one bin in his room, so he has been using them more often. Such a handsome cowboy, am I right ladies???

Last Minute Upset

So you all know that I have been reading a lot lately. Here's a little cautionary tale about my latest read. . .My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.

Once upon a time I saw a movie. The movie was based on a book. I hadn't read the book. I enjoyed the movie, even though it was sad. I decided I should read the book because most of the time the book is better than the movie. I put the book on hold and waited 2 months for it to be my turn to read it. I read. I really liked all the extra details the book gave that weren't in the movie. There was also a fun romance sub-plot in the book that I'm sure the movie just didn't have time for. Last night I finished the book. The last 40 pages contained a completely different ending than the movie portrayed. I mean, completely different! I am pretty bummed out about it.

Lesson learned: Movies BASED on books are truly just that. Based on. Not identical, not even necessarily close! Just the idea of the plot and the character names are generally the same.

I was sorely disappointed in the book, mostly because it's ending was even sadder and more frustrating than the movie! Next on my table to read was The Kite Runner, but I think I am going to opt for lighter fare (considering my somewhat fragile mental state. BTW I am feeling a little better). I finally got The Actor and The Housewife by Shannon Hale from the library today! Can't wait to escape into it. Probably will have to wait until tonight after FHE though.

Dear Abby,

A good friend of mine has recently become a real downer. She used to be fun and positive. Lately she has been snappish and sulky. Her beautiful smile is rarer these days. Her poor kids get yelled at more often, and she has really been letting herself go. She hasn't been to the gym in weeks. Her roots are grown out at least 2 inches and she desperately needs a haircut. How can I help pull her out of this slump? I'm sure a day of pampering at the beauty salon and a new outfit would help boost her confidence, but I think she really needs a more long term solution. Please help!
Sincerely,
Friend of CFM (Cranky Frumpster Mom)

***On the happier side of my life . . . here's my 3 year old goofball. Later when he was watching this video he told me he was being Po (from Kung Fu Panda) and was fighting Tai Lon (the bad guy from Kung Fu Panda).

Just Because . . .

Just because Davin gets cuter and cuter every day. He makes the cutest, funniest faces. This is mid-talking I'm sure. It's good you can see this face because the video is a little dark and you can't quite see how funny his expressions are. I love this kid and can't wait to see what kind of person he becomes.
See look! He does have words. Ok, two. I still think he's smart. Also he is playing with the little battery powered massager here.

Just because I got zucchini in my produce box I decided to make this amazing Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cake. My friend, Alison, made it for our youth fireside a couple weeks ago and it was yum. Mine turned out good too, but next time I will under-bake it just a little. If you have a garden with excess zucchini you must make this yummy dessert!
Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cake
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 3/4 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon (i did a pinch more than that because I like it more cinnamony)
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. sour milk (just use regular milk with a splash of vinegar)
2 1/2 c. flour
3 c. grated zucchini

Mix all the ingredients in the listed order. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan. Liberally sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Next sprinkle chocolate chips and nuts on top (if you want. Also, you can use whatever nuts you have. I finished off a little bag of chopped pecans I had, but Alison made it with walnuts). Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
***I baked the full 45 minutes and it was all done, but more brown than I wanted, so maybe check it at 40 minutes and go from there.