Jack O' Lanterns

We carved our pumpkins into Jack O' Lanterns for Family Night on Monday. Jace wanted a silly face and Brooke wanted a "scaawy one". They helped me scrape all the goo out of the pumpkins and thought it was hilarious. Although after a while they started throwing it at each other which was totally NOT hilarious. We had a huge mess and Brooke ended up slipping on it and falling off the table. She was okay and luckily we had no trips to the emergency room that night. They squealed with excitement as I carved the pumpkins and were equally as excited when we put the lighted candles inside. According to Brooke it was "oooooh spoooky scaawey". After they went to bed I cleaned everything up and searched through pumpkin goo to get the seeds to bake. Jace really wanted to taste a pumpkin seed. Craig stayed up with me and we just chatted - it was really nice to have an adult conversation. I soaked the seeds in salt water, spread them on a pan, sprinkled seasoned salt on them, and baked them up. They actually tasted decent. I put them in a Tupperware for Jace. The next morning,while I was checking my e-mail, Brooke found the pumpkin seeds and filled the Tupperware with water from the refrigerator. When I came downstairs there were slimy pumpkin seeds everywhere. So much for all that work. Oh well, I still had a blast carving pumpkins with my kiddos and I have to say that they turned out great!

I told the kids to make their scariest face ever . .

. . and this is what I got. I LOVE this picture!

Here are the pumpkins all lighted up:

Buzz Lightyear & the Fairy Princess

I took the kids to the trunk or treat this year by myself. Craig has been sick and still wasn't feeling well and there was a BYU game on so I figured I was on my own. I had signed up to decorate a classroom and hand out candy. Instead of doing the trunk or treat outside this year they had people decorate the classrooms at the church and hand out candy inside because of the likelihood of rain. Jace and Brooke helped me decorate. We ate some maple bars, drank some hot cider, visited with friends, and did the cake walk. They both won a plate of cupcakes and I helped them eat them. It was lots of fun and they got lots of treats. Jace went as Buzz Lightyear and Brooke went as a Fairy Princess. I took these pictures right before we left:

Pumpkin Patch

We had a blast at the BiZi Farm and Pumpkin patch for the second year running. We hit the hay maze and pyramid, the pumpkin launch, and the patch of course. I was very proud of Craig since he won me a scarecrow at the pumpkin launch. He had excellent aim and it went in on his first try. It's kind of funny since I got one in last year - we must just be excellent pumpkin launchers. I'll make sure and put that on my next resume. We took a hay ride over to the patch and the kids had fun finding their perfect pumpkins . . .although it took me the longest. What can I say I'm a bit of a perfectionist. The line to get back on the hayride back to the farm was a mile long so we just walked. Craig pushed all the pumpkins in a wheelbarrow, Brooke fell asleep on my shoulder, and Jace was amazed at the corn field we passed. He thought for sure it was the same one from Field of Dreams. He whispered " If you build it he will come" and had to sneak into the corn a few times. After chasing Jace in and out of the corn while carrying a sleeping, dead weight we finally made it back to the car completely exhausted. But we had a fun time and we now have pumpkins to put on the front porch which = a successful trip!

Taking a break on the hay pyramid so mommy could take a picture.

A princess perched on a pumpkin.

A posin' Jace.

Daddy - the talented pumpkin launcher and pusher of wheelbarrows filled with large pumpkins.

Mommy - the picky pumpkin picker.

A sad attempt at a family picture.

I don't know what Brooke is doing here but it looks like she's yelling at that pumpkin.

"If you build it he will come"

If you don't know what that means then watch Field of Dreams.

Okay, I'm officially blogged out so don't expect another one - EVER. Just kidding, but at least until after Halloween.

Copy Cat

I had so much fun reading the interviews my sister did with her kids on her blog (thanks Becky - you made me laugh) so I decided to do one with Jace and Brooke. Kids say the most random, funny things. This was really great fun - you should try it.

Brooke first: 1. What's your name? "um . . . Bookie"

2. What's your favorite cartoon? "boots a mokey" -Dora

3. What do you like to eat? "pastas"

4. How do you fix an owie? "put en a dowa banaide en it" - put a Dora band-aide on it.

5. How old are you? "um, six" -she's two.

6. What do you want to do? "get nice a woarm" - get nice and warm - then she climbed under my robe.

7. What do you like to say? "tank ew SO much"

8. What do you like to drink? "miwlk"

9. What do you like about momma? "mammas a nice, Jace a not nice"

10. What do you like about daddy? " wanna paint"

11. Are you a girl or a boy? "gewl"

12. What toy do you like? "um, not know."

13. Who sleeps with you at night? "um, es my beebies, a toots ana coot." - she has twin baby dolls that she sleeps with. She named them toot and cute.

14. What is a potty word? "Jace say poopie, I like it."

15. Who do you love? "Shush mom, I wanna paint."

Good job, you did good Brooke! " Ina good."





Jace:

1. How old are you? "aaa. . four"

2. What's your favorite toy? "Every toy in my room" - his room is a filthy mess right now.

3. What's your favorite food? "Everything"

So you like to eat tofu and worms? "NO, YOU LIKE TO EAT WORMS"

4. How do you fix an owie? "by puttin' vaseline on it"

5. What do you like best about daddy? " he gives me daddy stories"

6. How are you and mommy a like? "We're not a like at all." - a truer statement was never spoken. lol

7. What do you like to do outside? "turn the water on"

Is that naughty? "Yep!" - he always turns the water on and sprays Brooke down,so he goes to time out in his room if he turns it on. 50 degrees is way too cold to be playing in water outside now.

8. Why did you have to get stitches? "Cuz, I was jumpin' around."

9. What did you do at preschool yesterday? "Um, I don't know."

Didn't you bring something home yesterday? "Flubber. I played with Brooke and she LOVED the flubber."

10. Do you think the girls in your class are cute? "YES!!"

11. How many friends do you have? " A million"

That's a lot of friends you must be really cool. "Yep." "Mom, you're a slug."

12. What do mommy and daddy do after you go to bed? "Play and do work things."

13. Who is your hero? "You"

Why? "Because you saved me when I almost drownded. "You have to save someone to be a hero like Hercules."

14. What happens if you don't brush your teeth? "Cavity bugs come in."

15. What happens when you say potty words? "I get punched in the face. No, I go to time out." - I was like What? we don't punch you in the face. That little stinker.

What's a potty word? "poopoo bum."

Good job, Jace. " I love you, mom"


I love my kids so much. They are completely hilarious! It cracks me up because Jace is so mean to Brooke but she still loves him and follows him around like he's the coolest guy ever. If someone else is being mean to Brooke, Jace does a 180 and turns into her little protector. I guess he thinks he's the only one allowed to be mean to her since he's her older brother. I'm sure blessed to have both of them with all their uniqueness. I love you kids!

Stitches

I am the Activity Days leader for our ward and last night as I was leaving home Jace took off upstairs as usual. He always goes upstairs climbs up on his bed to get to the windowsill and waves good-bye to whomever is leaving. I was riding with my friend, Laurel, who is also in Activity days with me and I was distracted and in a hurry so I didn't even look up as I left. I few minutes later Laurel gets a call from my cell-phone. I had forgotten to bring mine with me.. . oops. It was Craig, and he was completely panicked. He told me that Jace had gotten hurt on the windowsill and that blood was gushing from his wounded little face. We turned around and luckily Laurel used to work as a doctor's office and she took a look at him. We decided to take him to urgent care. Laurel took care of the Activity by herself - thanks Laurel! We headed to 3 different urgent care facilities before finally finding one open. They took a look and said it would be better if we went to the emergency room at the hospital because they have the liquid stitches which is less painful for such a little boy. We went to the emergency room and were there for 4 hours. Finally, they wrapped him up like a burrito so he couldn't move and started numbing the area. I think they poked the needle into his laceration at least 5 times as he screamed and cried. I felt like crying too. Then they gave him 3 stitches just above his upper lip. When he fell his canine tooth went clear through and left a gaping hole. Then we waited another 1/2 hour for them to finish up the paperwork. We didn't get back until after midnight completely exhausted and frustrated. I wish they would have just taken care of it at urgent care because we would have been done 3 hours earlier, and it would have cost MUCH less for the same thing - regular old stitches that we have to have taken out in a week. We let Jace go to the store and pick out a toy for his bravery. What a night!

9 Years Later

We had the opportunity of having one of Craig's good friends from his mission come and stay with us for a few nights while he had some continuing education classes near Portland, OR. Craig hadn't seen Joe Mackay since the summer of 2000 in Chimbote, Peru. It was great for Craig to see him again and for us to meet him for the first time. They had a great time catching up and we all had fun playing games. Of course I had remembered a picture that had been taken of the two of them back on their mission standing back to back and couldn't resist the urge to try and recreate it
- 9 years later.

Taken July of 2000 in Chimbote, Peru

Taken October of 2009 in Washougal, Washington. - I know the lighting is horrible - it was late at night.

It made me think of Craig's mission and how it was such an important time of his life. I can remember countless stories he has told me and continues to tell our children. In fact, at night I read books to the kids but Craig tells stories. His "daddy stories" are always looked forward to. I'm so glad he had such a good experience and made so many wonderful friends. His excitement recounting his experiences has Jace excited and ready to go on a mission of his own one day.

Here are some more pictures and memories from his mission:

Elder Craig M. Brammer

Trujillo, Peru Mission

Served July 1999- July 2001

Standing in front of their living quarters in Laredo, Peru which happened to be just upstairs from the chapel. Elders Hansen, Mackay, Smart, and Brammer. Craig is in the tree for some reason. (January 2000)


Elder Brammer barbequeing some chicken in the streets of Casa Grande, Peru (February 2000)



Giving the thumbs up with Koryn in Chimbote, Peru. He was the son of Craig's Pensionista (cook) Imelda in that area. (July 2000)



Overlooking the "beautiful" city of Chimbote, Peru otherwise known as the stinkiest place on earth. They have fish factories there and when they're burning there's a healthy dose of fish fog but "Cuando hay humo hay plata".


New Years Eve 2000 in Trujillo, Peru. For New Years it's tradition to light a scarecrow stuffed with newspaper and firecrackers on fire, to ring in the New Year. This was a missionary scarecrow. Welcome 2001!


Visiting Cumbemayo in Cajamarca, Peru March 2001. Using a P -day to visit a pre-Incan aqueduct and ruins.



Checking out Llaconara waterfall in April 2001 with Elders Kelly, Smith, and Palmer. Dressed in mission approved attire?



Baptism of the Familia Porras in Cajamarca, Peru. (May 2001)



21st Birthday, May 10, 2001, Cajamarca, Peru.



Milking a cow in Banos del Inca on splits with Elder Smith. The 4'2" lady was much better at milking the cow, AND carrying the milk on her back then Elder Brammer was.



Last day in the field with the beloved Edith Romo, his pensionista in Cajamarca. Her family later moved to Provo, Utah so we have been able to visit the Romo Family several times, always enjoying her Peruvian cooking. We love them like family.

Visiting Macchu Picchu with his dad. Robert picked Craig up at the end of his mission and they were able to travel around the country a bit.

Craig has been back to Peru only once since being released. He returned in August of 2002 with his good friend and fellow Peru, Trujillo alum Justin Seegmiller. This was taken in the plaza de armas in Lima, Peru.

Craig and I met the day after he returned from this trip. We would love to go back together and have planned trips two different times, but with both times right as we were about to book the flights we found out we were pregnant and the Peru fund became the baby fund. We are hoping to return for the dedication of the Trujillo, Peru Temple in the near future.

I am so thankful for my husband and his love of the gospel!

How to Keep Your Little Ones Quiet During Conference

It's called Aroma Dough and it's super easy to make. Here is the Recipe:

AROMA PLAY DOUGH

1 cup flour

1 cup water

1/2 cup salt

1 T. oil

1 T. cream of tarter

1 envelope unsweetened Kool-Aid mix

Mix ingredients in pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until dough forms ball and doesn't feel sticky. Dump onto counter top and knead for 1 minute.

The kids LOVED this. Plus it smells good too! We did Orange, Tropical Punch, Cherry, and Lemonade. Yum! Although, watch them carefully because even though it smells good, it tastes horrible! Brooke found that out the hard way.

Also, making fruit loop necklaces works too. Anything that keeps those little minds and fingers busy so that they're not fighting and yelling does the trick. While they're working on their projects you get to be spiritually fed in silence! That is until they start fighting over the fruit loops.