Fall Leaf-es

Every year its tradition to go in the canyon and collect fall Leaf-es {as Soyer would say} This year my girls are using them for part of their reflections contest pictures. The theme is "Beauty is..." and they can do whatever they want with that. Izzy is making an Eagle out of fall leaves, the Eagle being the school mascott and all. And Senekah is just doing a collage of them. So we had more of a purpose this year to get them.
Its interesting to me to watch the kids moods change when they get around this beauty. When they're out in the fresh air with the ones they love and surrounded by gorgeous scenery. The smiles become bigger, the laughter becomes more prominent and they can barely stand still. As the mom, I take in these moments of peace and try to make them last as long as they can.
There is nothing like the autumn time in Utah {so sorry Kath} but nothing compares to it. Every time you get in your car to just run to the store, the mountains that surround you covered in color are so breathtaking you cant help have a warm feeling of appreciation for what you live in. {not to be mistaken by a warm fuzzy feeling of course, its not like that, nothing cheesy about it.}

which way to go?? does it matter??

Oliver turned 7!!

{Read down to know why this pic. is in here.}

Oliver turned 7 this weekend! And we made a loonnngg weekend out of it! I cant believe my little man is getting so big. Not only is he getting older in age but he's changing. He doesnt look like my little boy anymore. He's starting to look different. More grown up, he even sounds different. No more little baby voice. No more chubby cheeks, no more pop belly, no more dimples in his knuckles..Hes just big.
We launched off the day friday with him being the V.I.P. at school. When you are the VIP now, the parents have to come and do something with the class. For example, you can talk about your career, or do a craft, or choose something the child likes to do. But thank heavens for GREAT SCOTT! Great Scott the magician that is! Yes thats right, for those of you that dont know, Scott took up magic about 8 yrs ago and got quite into it for awhile. Those of you who know Scott best, know that he always has something he is going to be "pro" at for awhile. While ive known him, its been golf, then skiing, then bowling, then water skiing, then skateboarding, then biking and magic. I wonder what lies ahead...Unfortunatly, I left the camera home for this part of the day.But Olivers teacher has assured me that she will email me all the pics. that she took. So they will have to be saved for a later post.
Then when he came home we had a birthday party for him. Oliver is very particular and he wanted things just so. We had a halloween dress up party. It turned out to be good. As good as birthday parties for 7 year olds go that is..

We made mummy toes to eat. It's little smokies wrapped in dough with ketchup for the blood.

Everyone had their own headstone in the yard that they got to take home.

All of our little goblins and princesses.

Senekah, Jane, Lizzie, and Izzy did a haunted house down in the unfinished basement. The kids all pretended that they werent scared but when it came down to it, I sure had alot of little hands clinging on to me. Oliver is the little Joker or as my grandpa Arne would say "yoker!" {Swedes cant say their "J's"...funny that my moms name is Jill..Yill}

Mummy wrap

Games outside

By the looks on these kids faces, you can tell I throw a Mean party!!

And it wouldnt be complete until the birthday boy cries.




Then the next day was Olivers real birthday and after waking up at the crack of dawn to recieve his presents, we had to rush off to a soccer game for the girls and then strait to a piano recital for the girls. He would've been really annoyed by this except that he got a Nintendo DS for his birthday so he was plenty busy conquering Darth Vader during both events.

Senekah

Izabele



Then that night a friend let me know of a witchy event down at Gardner Village that is free and thats always good. So we loaded up the kids and went to check it out. There were alot of witches and loud music and food to be had if you wanted. It was crowded but the kids loved it. Oliver was able to run around with some cousins and some friends and play. He was able to just be 7. It was fun. And of course if there is loud, good music playing, even the moms cant help but join in and act 7 also.

Sydney, Oliver, Soyer, and Anders

Witchy poo on the John.

Look in those baby blues, they're exhausted!

The big girls, Izzy, Lizzie, Jane, and Senekah

Then over the loud speakers "footloose"came on and Stacie couldnt help herself. She had to pull out those old eighties moves for us.

Soyer gettin jiggy wit it.

Is it me, or does Scott look really bored??

Mommy Erin and Baby Stela,... one in the same.

Erin dancing with Ady

Girls are dancing and partying

umm, I have no idea...is this really how I dance?

This is the wrong photo. I wanted to put this one that had this super annoying couple in it. I will have to add it to the top since I dont know how to replace this one with that. {He kept singing all the songs to her as he looked into her eyes and they slow danced to all the fast songs..uugghh, I wanted to punch them.}

And the weekend was finished with a party with Olivers grandparents coming over for sunday dinner. Grandma Smith brought her famous birthday cake that the birthday kid gets to eat the whole top piece by themselves. I did take pictures of the grandparents but they all turned out blurry so this will have to be the last picture.

Needless to say, the kid was exhausted.

Monday morning came and I woke up sick, Oliver woke up crying because he was too tired to go to school and Izzy and Sen were at each others throats. So let me ask you, Is it really worth it??

Kick in the ALS

We have a man in our neighborhood who is dying of ALS. Otherwise know as LouGehrigs. He is in the picture below next to me on the right and wearing a hat. He has 4 kids and a beautiful wife. He was diagnosed very recently and has been given less than a year to live. So there just happened to be a 5k for the disease going on in Holladay around this time and so a bunch of us decided to wear blue in honor of Steve and his family and go run for the cause.
It was so touching. He stood at the finish line weak and crouched over but nonetheless still standing, and took pictures and smiled as he watched his friends, one by one, cross the finish line for him. Afterwards at the awards ceremony they had all the people who were there for him to stand up and there were about 30 or so of us. Then he went up and thanked everyone and his family. We all stood there with tears running down our faces as we watched his bravery. And then when I turned to look at his wife and children, they were the only ones not crying. They stood there with big smiles watching their dad and you couldnt help feel the love going on between them.
This particular morning was one of those times that you sit back and look at life and count your blessings. I am extremely blessed and Im extremely grateful I could be a part of this for them.




A bunch of us before the start.

Scott crossing the finish

Me crossing the finish

Sprint Triathlon

Scott did his first sprint triathlon last month! A sprint consists of a 9 mile bike ride, a 3.2 mile run and a 400 meter swim. But actually the order of it is.. swim, bike, run.

Scott was talked into this on a tuesday and the event was on saturday. So with barely any training he goes and accomplishes this like he's done it a million times before. Its not fair. Sometimes I think the lungs and heart on him are not human. He can conquer these events like he's been training everyday for months. He doesnt realize how lucky he is to have this natural ability to perform. Anyway, I believe there will be many more of these to come, because what I do know is that once you have accomplished something like this, you get a bug. And it wont just go away.

Scott running down the final stretch

He had some great cheerleaders!

Running through the finish line chute

Pictures with the boys and his medal

Ben and Scott, his friend who talked him into this.

P.M.S.

Come and give me a hug, I need a hug..... If you come within 5 feet of me, I will throw this remote control at your head!

Im soo fat...Bring me that chocolate icecream with reeces peanutbutter cups in it and hot fudge!

Ive got the worst cramps...I hate being a woman and for whatever reason, its all YOUR fault!

That is the saddest commercial I have ever seen....stupid writters, why would they write that in the first place!!

I cant stop crying...you suck!

I love my kids so much it makes me cry.... If any of you say another word Im going to beat you all! now stop talking and just sit there!!

I wish my hubby was home, that would make things easier and better right now....When you walk in that door, dont even THINK about looking at me, let alone talking.. you are breathing wrong!

Stupid drivers!!!! shut up kids!! stop talking and just look out the window!!! Mommy needs a nap!!....Im so sorry, you are the best kids in the whole world,{crying pretty hard now} cant see the road bc of the tears..

wait, is this p.m.s.? or is this just me?? DOH!!

annoying

Well yesterday Erin told me that my list was "cute." And thats enough to really irritate me. I hate "cute" so here is a new list..
1. I hate warm fuzzys, things that make you feel "warm fuzzy" things that are said that are supposed to make you feel "warm fuzzys". It annoys me
2. cheesy stuff, like public wedding proposals...again, super annoying
3. People who only can talk about how "perfect" their own children are.
4. People who talk about their spouse like they are the best thing in the whole world..to me, thats a HUGE red flag as to what is really going on.
5. Slow drivers!! this always irritates the crap out of me.
6. Slow people in general, seriously, does it really take you and hour and 1/2 to get ready?? what the crap are you doing?? honestly.
7. pda.. I know I said I need to try harder in that area, but it still irritates me.. especially teenagers making out. And if you see adults making out, thats another red flag for "someone is having an affair, bc its just not normal!!"
8. Whiny people.
9. negative people.. its exhausting!
10. People who bear their testimony in church and its all about how they went on an awesome trip to hawaii and how wonderful their husband and children are... honestly, I didnt come to church to hear you talk about yourself!! sit down, and shut up!
11. People who bear their testimony in church EVERY SINGLE MONTH, do you really think that what you have to say is the most important thing in the world and you cant give anyone else a chance?? again, sit down, and shut up.
12. every stupid cartoon that is out there for kids right now, especially japanimation.
13. people who are ALWAYS the victim. exhausting.. why do you think anyone wants to hear you complain about how the whole world is always against you. If you're really that upset, do something about your situation!!
131/2. People who are in a bad situation that refuse to do anything to help themselves fix it. noone else can help you if your not willing to try and fix it yourself
14. things that are meant to be "cute" unlike my list!
15. people who chew their food with their mouth open... seriously, did anyone not tell you your entire life that you are obnoxious!!
16. old men that sit at stop lights and pick their nose..when did that ever become okay?? have you not been told since you were 2 that its disgusting!
17. people who dont brush their teeth until like noon... do it first thing in the morning people! do you think that we all really want to smell your nasty night time breath?? you stink
18. families that still think wearing denim in their family picture is a good idea, and then sticking a HUGE oversize picture of it above their fireplace for everyone to see.. its lame.
19. people that dont take down their christmas lights on their houses until June. thats annoying.
20. Lazy people..
21. And again, things that are "cute"...Erin.. I swear, do you not know me at all??!!