Gone WEST!!

For the Thanksgiving Holiday we lived it up and spent 10 days out west! We flew into SLC on Friday night....late night...the kids were CRAZY on the airplane (Gordon and Oscar didn't sleep on the first flight and well into the next one...on the other hand Elllie didn't sleep at all until the captain announced the final descent in to SLC...that's when she finally fell asleep--it was 1:30 am Eastern time--and she had only had one nap that day!!! ahhh!)! Steve threatened to cancel all upcoming trips--including Christmas...and in desperation said to me across the aisle..."I am NEVER flying with "them" again!" but memories are funny things and the trip to FL for the wedding and Christmas are still on!

Upon our arrival at 11:45 pm local time, we were met at the airport by Uncle Donny (over from Australia) and Uncle Matt...they were here to pick up some of the luggage we brought out with us for Uncle Mike..who was moving (we checked 3 additional bags for him including a GUN!!...what a headache at the airport...we almost missed our flight!) For our stay in Utah we were put up in the lush accommodations at Chez Dowdle & Maison de Munns (thanks guys!!) Next time we are also going to book at least one night at the Maughan Mansion (it was SO FUN to see you Meghan!! I just love you!)!!

In Utah we hit some (not all unfortunately!) of our favorite places!
BYU Bookstore (go cougars...next year will be our year!)We got new gear for the kids in sizes that fit, paraphernalia for our cars (I know it's cheesy but I LOVED and still LOVE BYU!!), and I introduced the boys to the candy counter...they loved it! It's amazing how much candy you can get for 50 cents!
Goldsmith's Jewelers ....odd I know but I cracked a prong on my ring and they are the best...also steve was so smart when he bought it to buy the lifetime service for it...so they dipped it polished it and basically had it lookin' brand spankin' new!! I love my wedding ring when it sparkles!
J-Dawgs...for those of you who made it out of Provo before this little Gem came to be...make it a must on your next stop--it is located on 700 East and the South side of campus...it's housed in the old shaved ice shack! I get the polish with everything except jalepenos!! ohhh, I wish I had one right now!!
Cafe Rio...need I say more?
The Dinosaur Museum...WE LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Here are some pics...a very few pics...and I'll explain why!

Probably the cutest picture of the cutest boy...there is a dino croc skeleton in the background!

Our Beautiful little Aussie neice Taylor--her and Ellie were darling friends!

These shots at the erosion table are the reason my camera stopped working...see Oscar working on his habitat? I being the helpful mother tried to pass him some more trees...with the hand that was holding the camera...how does this happen? I am not sure I have not come up with a good reason why I would plunge my camera into a pool of water...willingly...huh? Luckily Uncle Mike is a wiz with electronics!! Thanks mike you saved us!

After a wonderful time in Utah (it could have been longer in my opinion...I love Utah...in fact...I think I could seriously live there!) we made the drive to Idaho to begin preparations for the Fete de la Mois and Jenny's Wedding! We arrived from the 5.5 hour drive on Tuesday night. Thanks to Michelle (Steve's oldest sister) the whole ward family packed it in totaling 22 people in a 4 bedroom 3 bathroom home! After that first night Candy and Merl got a hotel, Jenny stayed at her in-laws to be and Matt stayed with a friend at their hotel...so we were at a standing 18 for the duration of the stay! Packed....with fun!!! I loved it...except for sleeping the the same room with all our children...that could have been better!

Thanksgiving was DELICIOUS!!!...we were late getting started as usual...but then there was the problem of only one oven...until we discovered a neighbor's oven...My neice was watching their cats while they were away...shhhh...don't tell! That little discovery saved us from eating too far past our E.D.T (estimated dining time) I didn't have our camera for our new "after thanksgiving walk" tradition...but if i can get a hold of some pictures that were taken I'll post them later!

Jenny's Briday shower was Friday morning...no shopping for us...it saved us from the horrid lines and saved me from trying to pack and fly with those "couldn't pass up deals"! The shower was very mild...I could have used some of my sisters to liven things up...wooohooo!

Sara Perry, Elise (Aussie), Jenny, ME!

Jenny wearing the gift from Elise and I...a hot pink veil...everyone needs one of those right?
Our other gift was our smiling faces, manual labor in preparation for, and presence at the wedding...Idaho is a long way to schlep kids and all their gear from Australia...and Ohio?!!

Danielle Madsen (Steve's Sis), Sara Perry (Matt's Girlfriend), Elise Ward, Jenny, ME, Candy (I love her), Britni (neice), Michelle Ward
The girls were laughing at me saying that this was "such a Munns girls pose"...What?, because we all look adorable...some of the girls couldn't quite get into the "squish really close together" thing...oh well!! We Ward's still look HOT...even you Danielle!

I am so sad that I don't have any pictures to post of the actual wedding and such but will post them as soon as I get some copies from other people...I had a great time and was so busy chasing kids to worry about pictures!

It was a great trip...here is one las shot of Ellie and I on the way home...

...PS the kids were much better behaved on the plane home!

the big BOO '08

Halloween this year was wonderful because Steve had a Sick day he needed to use up before November 1st..so he took the day off for some fun!! He did still have to teach seminary but I made some chocolate-chip pumpkin muffins to bring for the students and ease that burden for him!


We saved carving our pumpkins until a time that Steve could be there to help...evenings were almost always out since Steve works late and our kids are 7:00 bedtimers usually...so we waited until Halloween day to do the deed...here are the pre-pictures

The kids picked their pumpkins and Gordon who really had an opinon about how his pumpkin looked even drew out what the face had to look like...the glowing results are in order at the top of the page!

Our Spooky Lunch....they had Ghost milk with Mud and blood sandwiches (PB&J...I know the name is kinda gross but my boys LOVED it) and eyeballs (grapes)!! Happy Halloween!


Gordon's school had a little parade for all the kids...

Gordon in the AMAZING costume that Grandma Munns made for him! He has a full chest plate/armor too...but he was going as just a knight instead of a "bad warrior knight"...notice that the color scheme matched the dragon costume...my mom leaves no detail unattended!! She is AMAZING...thanks mom!

These are the only pictures I got of my little Sis in her costume that I made for her...she was not interested in the lace on the neckline...oh, well!! She looked so cute and matched her brother's really well for Gordon's school parade!

Some trick or treating fun...we had a Knight a Dragon and a Princess (in an alternate costume...the one I made drover her crazy with the lace ruff!)

Riding in stlye!!!

Oscar was SO polite at the door. Half the time he said "Trick or Treat Please" and always said "Thank you!" After going up with him to the door and witnessing the good manners I commented to him as we were walking down, "Oscar, you are the kindest dragon I have ever known." When he said, " NO mom, I am soooo mean" I LOVE that little "soooo mean" dragon!

I loved this house's spider web with giant spiders...it was really cute--if spiders could be cute?

The last warmish day of '08

Nov. 6, 2008
These are pictures from later on in the day from the missy prissy post! It really was a beautiful day! We had a great day and lived it up outside while we waited for Steve to get home from work!

The afternoon outside started with Gordon taking out a few pieces of sidewalk chalk. I was cooking dinner when he called in to ask me how to spell "Happy Halloween" ...
(the kids LOVE halloween...what could be better than dressing up and getting candy from EVERYONE! They also LOVE the "naughty" halloween song...you know it..."trick or treat, smell my feet..." thanks for teaching them that one Hayden...we are still having to quelch the singing daily at mealtimes...Otter can sing it with the best of them!)
...well I called out the letters and he did a great job writing them...just he wrote them a perfect mirror image of themselves...He does this all the time...I used to worry that maybe he was dyslexic but he can do it perfectly both ways...i even tried to write out a bunch of words backwards and some forwards and he read all of them the right way...wierd huh?

well, here's the rest of the day!

Gordon is an official Monkey Bars Pro...he is really good...we only have about 10 bars but he can do it all by himself! Have any of you tried doing the monkey bars lately...I about dislocated my shoulder...it's harder than it was when you weighed 40 lbs--believe me!

You gotta love putting a sandy bottle cap in your mouth...it's so much more fun when Mom's says "yuck!"

Oscar loves to "write" he always spells everything "S-E-O"...that's what he just wrote for Happy Halloween...can't you tell?

Oh little miss...with the afternoon hair...looks all jumbled after 2 naps and a day outside!

I love the way Oscar wears his cowboy hats...pulled all the way down so that it bows out his ears and any indent naturally in the top is gone...just a big hat full of Oscar!

Gordon kept trying to hide in our outdoor fire pit/fire place..he is one sneaky little BYU fan!

Dad finally arrived and we got to enjoy the rest of the night together...though as the sun crept towards the horizon the day "cooled" rather quickly...time for dinner and B-E-D!!

Missy Prissy Girl

So...like I said before my little sweetie girl is turning so sassy these days!
Almost two weeks ago on a Thursday morning I found Miss E standing in front of her closet whining. She stood there saying "Me coat! Me coat!" I told her it was going to be too warm for her coat and that she needed to just wear her sweater if she was cold .
Eleanor is still pointing as if I said nothing saying, "Me coat! ME COAT!" que the tears!! So I start to close the closet and put a cardigan on her. At this point she is squirming out of reach and turns to me and says..."no, no mama! Me Coat!!!"
Well, I guess I'm a softie but if a girl wants to wear a fur coat (thanks Vanessa!) on a 70 degree day (we had a delightfully unexpected warm spell) who's to keep it from her!
I took this picture right afterwards! As soon as had the beloved coat on and zipped mind you she was ALL smiles...there is still a tear on her cheek!!

you gotta love a girl with style!!

Happy Happy Birthday Darling Dear!

I am so glad that 29 years ago this little adorable boy was born!!

I am so glad that he chose me...to be his wife!

I am so glad that he has given me such adorable, wonderful, smart, funny, and talented children! ( and that all the kids are so happy when they get to sit and watch sports with him!)

I am so glad that he is the BEST father and would sacrifice anything for the kids and me!

In short I LOVE YOU DARLING!!! You are the perfect match for me!! I hope you have a wonderful Birthday!!!! I cannot wait for you to get home from work so the real party can begin!!
You are the BEST!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY