Halloween Made Simple.

So Halloween is TOMORROW.

School Halloween parties.....today.

A song returns to my mind every Halloween Eve:

What am I gonna be for Halloween?
Gotta dress up, but gee, I can't decide....
Should I be something frightful, or something more delightful?
Make people laugh, or make them run and hide??
I could be scary, or merry, or something in between....
What am I gonna be? "I know, I'll be an Alarm Clock"
What am I gonna be? "No, I haven't got the time"
Oh, WHAT AM I GOING TO BE FOR HALLOWEEN??

Kaia came home from school yesterday (yes, she is well enough - Hallelujah. The fever has been gone for 4 days now....) and asked me this question. So, for traditions sake, we went downstairs, looked through our dress-up bin and used that as a source for inspiration.

That's right. All the preparation and planning and sewing and hard work that all my friends do for THEIR kids.....nope. I walk them to the basement, remind them of their dress ups and away we go... I choose to think of it as a great way to develop their imagination....

So, Kaia sees her cowgirl hat and she decides to go with it. We just got some bandanas on clearance at Walmart a few weeks ago and she has a cute jean skirt that she could use. Hey, Saryn just got a stick horse (unicorn) for her birthday. Oh man, that doesn't quite work because Unicorns are in short supply out here in the west. Well, that's okay, I'll be a cowgirl FAIRY!! There's a wand that I got for me birthday too!! Perfect! Done!
Kaia also drew a picture of herself this morning. Just in case someone couldn't see the REAL picture. I was REALLY impressed!
Kienna isn't quite as anxious to dive in, but she starts getting excited. She has her eyes on a Hula Skirt that Kaia had as a favor from her birthday party 2 (almost 3) years ago. Done! That's all the Kienna wants. Okay Kienna, do you want to have this Lei too? No, I don't. It's too itchy. Okay, Kienna, but why don't you look at my friends blog who lives in Hawaii right now. Look, they're wearing Leis.... Okay, I'll wear that too.

Saryn puts on a tutu and finds some pretty glittering shoes.....she's done!

And Jaymeson - he gets the giraffe thrown on him because that's what 1 year olds get in our house!
(pictures of the younger two to come)
Done!

30 minutes flat!

I have heard the quote: "If you have a difficult task, give it to someone lazy. This person will find an easier way of doing it". I like to think of this as the motto of my life! Find an easier way...

After we went upstairs and had dinner, Kaia asked me if I could just quickly help her write a song for Halloween......Um, sure.....Why not? I mean, what would be Halloween without the traditional Halloween Song writing??

So, she wrote down the words that she wanted all by herself (while I put Jaymeson and Saryn to bed).... and then brought it to me for some notation. She would sing it for me and I would plunk it out on the piano until we figured out the right sound. Then I would notate it on the staff for her. She would even tell me when a note was being played too high or low or if the note was too long or short. She really had an ear for what exactly she wanted...
You know, Mozart may have written his first Symphony at Six, but he hadn't written a Halloween song. Kaia has.....at SIX!! Stand aside Mozart.....we win!

Here's the score should anyone want to learn and play it at home. It's free for now, but in a few years it could be worth a fortune! My little musical genius....
At the top of the page it reads...
"A witch is in the sky. And goests avrywhere. Bats on avry brant. Or you scard av thos bad sperits. Yes YesYesYes. It's Hallow Hey s10times." (and with spelling adjusted....)
"A Witch is in the sky and ghosts are everywhere. Bats on every branch. Are you scared of those bad spirits? Yes Yes Yes Yes!! It's Halloween Hey (sung 10 times)

I suggested to forfeit the singing "It's Halloween Hey" 10 times, but repeat the verse with "It is Halloween." She really liked that idea....so here's the final result.....

Well, they're off to school, doing the Halloween Party. I can't wait to hear about all the fun things they did!! We'll see what other Halloween goodness we'll be doing!

Some fun!

This week has definitely had more of a focus on the girls as they were all sick. But what ELSE did we do?

Jaymeson (joined enthusiastically by his sisters) discovered the goodness of the Ball Popper courtesy of his Granny for his birthday:
Please excuse my daughters outfits. Remember that they had been sick all week previous to this. I wasn't too picky about what they wore....

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and he LOVED the new smoothie I have made. My kids decided they didn't like spinach smoothies, but if I add blueberries, strawberries and mango chunks to cover the colour.....they LOVE it! Sneaky, sneaky me! This health shake was one of the only things my kids would eat/drink this week and I can't think of a better way to bring so many nutrients into their body! Little Jaymeson would actually sit up and eat it without looking half dead, so he became the focal point of the camera! Enjoy!

My Angel of Mercy

I have felt that Kaia has been getting SO old and it's been frustrating to realize that I haven't been able to hold her and just love her like I did so much when she was a baby. She's just too busy and she's gone so much of the day now. This week has given me the chance to hold her and snuggle with her and have that bond rebuilt again. I love my little girl.

Although my whole family has been ill, Kaia has been slightly better than everyone else. She has a VERY strong immunity and very rarely gets sick. If she DOES get sick, it's usually a mild version of whatever the rest of us have. This has been a great thing for her, but even moreso for me. She has a great personality that makes her want to help constantly. While I am busy serving up medicine, hydrating my kids, changing diapers, putting on movies, making little meals etc., she is right by my side asking how she can help and is so excited when there is something she can do all by herself. She has done runs to get medicine, thermometers, diapers, changes of clothes, blankets and many other things for me while I have been taking care of one of the other kids. She loves taking care of sick people. She watches how I do things and then mimicks it as soon as another opportunity comes around. She sure would make a great little nurse someday.

She has had such a cheerful little personality through this week (quite a rarity in this house these days) and has given me a sanity break just by wanting to be loved but not whining for it. She has been telling me jokes and asking me questions which has really helped to keep me calmed down and therefore, a better mom.

I don't think she has really realized the full depth of what her help has meant to me, but today she might have seen a glimpse of it. I had just finished the morning run of medicine. I was taking Jaymeson upstairs to change his diaper and get him ready for his nap. He blew through his outfit - again. I was cleaning it out when I realized that he, too, was feeling really warm. I went to my kids room to find the ear thermometer and saw that ALL THREE of the beds had been made. Not just a little bit, but perfectly made. Kaia hadn't said anything to me because she wanted it to be a surprise, but I burst into tears right then and there. She woke up this morning and saw that no one else had made their beds, so she made them, simple as that. Housework has been the bane of my existence this week. I cannot feel sane with a dirty house and it has been VERY hard to keep on top of it. Kaia somehow sensed this and went the extra mile without even being asked. It meant the world to me. It was the love I needed to feel in an overwhelming moment and she had no idea the affect it would have on me. I still can't think about it without tears coming to my eyes.

I know that in frustrating moments, I will always have my sweet, sensitive little girl by my side to help me along. THAT has given me more comfort today than I could ever explain. I am so thankful for the merciful gifts from our Heavenly Father. I know that he always watches over us and gives us what we need. Little silent reminders that we are loved. Today, Kaia was that little Angel of Mercy and I will never, ever forget it.

I Repent.....

When my sister Hayley had the Swine Flu, Jarett sent this little note to her:

To support you, ever since I heard you got swine flu, I have boycotted ham completely, and only had a little bacon. Have you noticed anything weird going on with your body? Do you squeal or anything? Does food that has been thrown away look better to you? Do you find that you are throwing yourself in mud puddles more often than before? I totally know what you're going through - Once in Thailand I was as sick as a dog, and I kept on bringing my companion's slippers to him - it drove him crazy!

As funny as he thought he was.... he has a slightly different perspective on swine flu. I too, have sung a slightly different tune as I used to only call the swine flu "the Piggy Cold" and laughed when my friend called it Heine (HINI).

That's right, Swine Flu is rampantly flying through our house. It seems as though everyone has it by now. We took all the girls to the doctor yesterday and the only one that the doctor wasn't SURE had it was Kaia. She might have strep throat instead. We shall see when the swab comes back. I have been gradually feeling worse and Jarett even missed a day of school. This morning Mr Jay has woken up with a fever and some serious coughing and fussiness, too.

I still don't believe it's as bad as all the hype of the media has made it, but it's no laughing matter either. I repent of my light-heartedness...

Let's pray for a swift recovery!

Everyone loves a PARTY!

Jarett couldn't come home on Jaymeson's birthday, so we celebrated it a day late. Let's face it, he would never know the difference and it's nice to have the WHOLE family together. I made a special cake for the occasion (don't look too closely, the cake decorating gene didn't get passed on to me) and we had a couple presents. My girls were wonderful helpers. They helped me come up with ideas for the cake, make and decorate the cake, they wrapped the presents, set the table and EVEN ate their dinner really well.


As you can see, Jaymeson liked the cake. Before we could grab it to cut it, there he was...
When we took the cake away to cut it, he was less than impressed...
He got his cake, and he ate it too...
Then played PEEK-A-BOO....what else would you do with an empty plate?!?...

Then to the living room to open presents...Daddy liked them too!


It was a fun night...but we noticed something strange. Kienna didn't finish her cake. Then she felt awfully warm... 102 to be exact. We gave her some Tylenol and put them to bed and woke up the next morning to MADNESS!

I had a Girls Night Out and got to sleep at about 1am. It was a PD Day, so the kids were going to be home from school. I had a plan to put on a movie when Jaymeson slept and I could get a nap and catch up on the housework etc. Unfortunately, it didn't work that way. I woke up with a horrid scratchy throat. I had a slight fever and was feeling quite horrid. I was about to roll over and go back to sleep when Saryn joined me. She said she felt sick (like every morning) and then fell asleep beside me. Kaia walked in shortly after saying that she was feeling sick. She climbed into bed (thank heaven for a King Size) and I noticed her being REALLY warm. She was 100, just like me. She was talking about her scratchy throat and her head hurting. I was in the middle of checking Kaia's temperature when Kienna and Jaymeson started screaming. Jaymeson just sounded fussy, so I went to see Kienna first. She was lying on the floor and saying that she was going to throw up. She took the cake with 103.6. Jaymeson was next, he's teething, so his fever of 101 wasn't unheard of. Still, he wasn't a happy camper. With lots of Tylenol and Motrin later, we were able to heard downstairs and congregate around the TV for over 6 movies. Kienna's thrown up quite a few times, but she's never phased by it. She just will be mid sentence, throw up and then continue where she left off.

Saryn felt a little left out being the only person not sick, so we did a special video of her being "sick".

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Today has improved in some regard. Kaia and I are both feeling functional and our fevers have gone down. Kienna's fever is MUCH better. It's even been in the 90's once. Saryn, however, had her hopes come true when she had a fever develop of 102. Jaymeson's teeh are painful, but the fever is gone. It's looking up. If things continue this way, we might even be able to attend Stake Conference tomorrow (although that's still a BIG if). Regardless, we've had quite a party with lots and lots of movies. So really, we're grateful to have 3 party days right in a row!

I've had a lot of people tell me that my kids are always sick. I agree, but I've always felt like I'm a bad mom because I can't keep my kids healthy - ever. I would just like to share an interesting little fact with those of you who care, so that I can explain things.

1st, Kienna has HUGE tonsils and adenoids that catch sickness like nobody's business. She is in general, my sickest child and those will be removed on Nov 10, so we'll talk after that.

2nd, we live in subsidized housing where I just found out 2 interesting facts.
#1 There was a house fire in our complex that completely ruined the house. It was completely black and nothing was left. It's in a row of 8 townhouses, and it didn't spread into the neighbouring houses. Now, that sounds like a great thing, right? It's actually quite horrid.... Because if you ask "Why?" you'd get the answer that makes me freak out. Apparently, the mold and moisture is SO overwhelming in the walls, that the fire COULDN'T spread. Now, I may not be a doctor, but this COULD be one of the reasons every child in our complex seems to have asthma, and it COULD have something to do with my kids being sick all the time.
#2 We just had an annual inspection of the house. I was asked if there was anything that needed fixing.
I said that I can't stand my flooring, but I knew they couldn't fix that because I had said that before.
She replied and said, "Yeah, we only are allowed to change 5 floors a year because it's so expensive. Unfortunately, your floors were from the 80's and so they're relatively new."

Yep, that's right. My 30 year old floors are really quite new. Then she continued.

"We actually have a few units left with the original flooring from when the places were built in the 60's". Oh, isn't THAT nice?
"Those are our priority this year, we are going to replace those floors first, and then move to the next ones. Unfortunately your floors are about the 3rd upgrade, so you'll only get new floors in about 5 years."

Of course.....
Then she went on to discuss how disgusting those floors are when they pull them up. How I wouldn't BELIEVE how many things are growing under them. I wanted to throw up right then and there.

Then we went upstairs..."oh, upstairs you have different floors."
"Yes, they are crumbling to pieces under our beds"
"Well, that's because you have the original flooring....." (cue ominous music)

Anyway, the good news about that is that they'll replace them in the new year. The bad news is that we've been breathing in that stuff for the past 3 years. Awesome eh? Anyway, they'll probably replace them when we leave in April, but at least the next people won't have Asthma immediately.

Well, I don't know if those are strong enough reasons to make my kids sick all the time, but I'm going to say that it's not my fault, it's the stupid house with mold in the windows and walls and who knows what all in the floors.

My Little Dude!

Well, it has happened, Jaymeson has turned 1 year old. I can't believe it.

at his birthday dinner....

He's supposed to still be my little baby, but he's growing up so fast. This year has been full of such wonderful things that I can't imagine it all fitting into just one year, but it had just gone way too fast. It seems like just the other day that I was given this beautiful little boy. The hernia scare, the month long wait that seemed to take forever before surgery. His first smiles, his sweet personality, were so quick in coming. He has the sweetest disposition. He is very rarely upset...even when he is hurt, he calms himself down very quickly. There has been MANY people comment on what a happy boy he is and I cannot argue. He has brought a vast amount of love into our family. My girls smother him to death every day and he is spoiled with the attention that he is given. It is very strange and wonderful how attached you feel to a baby the second it is born. I feel that there is a very strong bond between a mother and her son and I am SO honored to feel that when I am with my little Jaymeson. I thank my Father in Heaven every day for the wonderful little angels he has given to me. I just can't believe I've had this little one around for a whole year.

To celebrate his birthday, he had his first haircut yesterday. He looks almost bald because he's so blonde, but he is just so grown up I can hardly stand it.

My little dude is talking!! He says, Uh Oh!, MEE-eeeee (with the inflection that his sisters do when I ask them 'who wants ice cream?'), Yeah!, Mama, Dada, Yaia (Kaia), and 'There he is' (sounds more like "de-he-es") when I say, "Where's Jaymeson" and cover his face. He claps when you say YAY!! and sometimes he'll say 'Yay!' too! He also will just randomly say a word that someone else has said. I can't keep track of all the times he's done that, but it happens a LOT! He waves his arm back and forth to say hi or night-night and sometimes he'll say hi too. When you say good-bye, he waves by holding up his hand and closing his fingers. His first word was definitely Yeah! He says it over and over again when you ask him anything. He also loves to just talk in baby language. He will just talk to himself sometimes and it cracks me up!

Jaymeson seems to be taking after his father in the bookworm department. He will NEVER stay still except when I'm holding a book. He comes right over and sits on my lap and doesn't move until the book is done. He loves to turn pages and point at the pictures. He also babbles constantly after I read to him. He's going to be a smart little guy!

True to being a boy, he is ON THE GO! It is very hard to see Jaymeson without seeing him in motion. He crawls as fast as some people run, I'm sure! He will take off in full steam when you say his name and it's actually somewhat difficult to catch up sometimes. He has taken 10 steps (on his Daddy's birthday - 10/10/09) and will be full on walking soon. He mastered going up the stairs when he was barely crawling (about 6 months) and has more recently started turning around to go down the stairs!!

He loves EATING (true to both sides of the family). He loves all kinds of food. He'll eat almost anything you put in front of him, but if you have grapes or cherry tomatoes, he'll start screaming until you give him some. If he's in his highchair and he has food on his tray, he's a happy man!!

Jaymeson could very well be a dentist when he grows up. He loves teeth and mouths. If you are talking when you hold him, watch out! He'll more than likely put his fingers into your mouth and 'discover'. Just like any good Dentist, he likes teeth a LOT, so much that he has already cut 7 teeth and is currently working on #8.

In my family, music is very important, and Jaymeson seems to have a knack for it. I know it sounds crazy to determine this so early, but he really LOVES music. He falls asleep very quickly when classical music is played. He dances and bops to the beat (and he's right on the beat) when there is some music on. He loves watching Kaia practice the Violin and when we are at Kienna's Cello lessons he sits still and watches in awe. He also sings when we're singing (especially at church) and he has a sweet little voice but it has a great quality and I can't wait to see if he has the booming loud incredible voice of his father... We all know he looks like him, perhaps he inherited the lungs too.

I have just loved watching my little boy grow and discover so much this year. It's hard to believe all that can be taught to just a tiny little boy.











(Pictures are birth, 1 month - 12 months as you go down)



Pictures of his Hair Cut yesterday:







































Happy Birthday Jaymeson. We sure love you!!

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Is it True?

After singing Angel's Lullabye for bedtime tonight, Kienna asked me

"Mom, is it true.....what they say in this song? Are there REALLY angels watching over us at night?"

I told her what I truly believe. Yes! Even though sometimes we can't see them, and sometimes they come in the form of friends and neighbours, there ARE angels everywhere around us. Heavenly Father is constantly watching over us and his angels are a way that he protects us and shows us his love.

I could see that Kienna was touched and excited. She said, "I think I saw an angel in here yesterday...."

Then Saryn jumped in, "Yeah - it was at Costco!!"

I thought we might be going to Costco too much when Saryn asks to go there, but apparently it's because she likes to see the angels that hang out there....

Either way, I'm thankful for my little angels that I get to see every day of my life! How could I not believe in Angels when I've been blessed with 4 of them?!?

Epiphany! Kienna and Saryn style

This morning Kienna told me that she must be growing up fast. She feels like a super big girl...

Why?

Her heels are getting dry and they feel like they might crack. She is getting super excited because this means she's becoming like her mom. Poor girl doesn't know that her mom suffers terribly from those cursed heels.


Yesterday, Jarett decided to teach the girls that he's super talented. He showed them that he can laugh without smiling. Not like a little pansy, "hahaha" but like a howling, loud laugh that makes him sound like he's rolling on the floor holding his stomach (I'll have to get it on video soon). Before he showed them his "gift", we asked if they could laugh without smiling. Kaia and Kienna laughed like most people do. Holding their lips tight and saying "haha". I asked Saryn if she wanted to try:

Um, no.....I can't do it.....it's broken!

Great Green Goodness

Upon seeing a green milkshake, one doesn't jump with excitement, but after a spinach, pear, strawberry, banana smoothies....you might change your mind. I know that Saryn did....maybe you can just help me figure out what her final verdict is:

"I don't like it just a little bit, but a lot bit... a little."

I'm still trying to figure out if that means she LOVES it, or can't STAND it. Perhaps her face can help me....

What's your verdict on this one?

Cookie Monster, Pie Crust and an awesome Thanksgiving!

After eating dinner at my sister, Alanna's house, she offered some delicious cookies. My kids each had 2 throughout the night and when we were leaving Saryn asked for her second one. Jarett gave it to her and then Kaia asked

"Can I have my second cookie, too?"
"No, you've already had yours....."
"No I haven't!"
"Yes you did! (Kaia looking super embarassed) Why would you ask for your second when I KNOW that you've already had it?"
"Well, I didn't KNOW that you knew that."


Granted, the floor isn't a great place for a bag of bread.....but when the kids are no where around it's where it was put when the groceries were brought in. Kienna was walking around the kitchen in a path that would lead no where NEAR the bread, but when she saw it, she went over and stamped right in the middle of it. Just irresistible, I suppose. "Kienna, why would you do that?" "I don't know" (Anyone seen Bill Cosby "Himself"?!?)

Thanksgiving was WONDERFUL. Jarett turned 32 on Saturday! We had an incredible dinner at a Greek Restaurant in Calgary that just opened, Peki (it's where Santa Fe Grill used to be). I highly recommend the roast lamb that is there. We watched a couple movies over the weekend. My little nephew was blessed on Sunday and we had dinner at Alanna's house. Her in-laws, the Moodys, were there and it was so great to talk to them. They have recently returned from being mission president in Baltimore and are just incredible people. It was great to see them again. Monday was Thanksgiving Dinner and most of the day was dedicated to making it. It was fun to have just me and my mom in the kitchen for some of it. I got to make my first pie crust and make lots of rolls with Kienna and Saryn helping (I really was quite impressed with how good their rolls turned out). After dinner, pie and some fun conversation, we had to leave and head back to Edmonton. So sad.....but it was a GREAT weekend.

Sorry for the picture overload.....I MAY have gone a little picture happy (shocking, I know)!

Jarett opening his birthday present...a PS3 that will be returned soon....

Cousins - Jarom and Kaia.

A classic rivalry between my brother-in-law and my sister (not the one he married).....

Alanna and Dustin caught in a bonding moment

Jack and Jaymeson "sharing" a puzzle.

Travis showing his scary face....

The proud Grandma's

Nothing like a Grandma's love!

Our Thanksgiving Prayer.... (actually it was bed time and I came up to this as Jarett was getting them ready for bed....it was too classic looking, I had to grab my camera)