Pumpkin Muck

Okay, I found this great pumpkin carving lesson on a website, I think it is called TheHeartof theMatter, but anyway I love that it has all of the verses with each point. It is probably to late for most of you because we are probably the only ones to pick the day before Halloween to carve pumpkins, but I thought I would share it anyway in case anyone was interested. Also something I saw that I want to get for next year (because it is too late for this year) is a kids book called The Parable of the Pumpkin by Liz Curtis Higgs. Anyway just thought I would share what I had found.

~HOW GOD CARVES A PUMPKIN~
Create a pumpkin. Make it big, little, short, tall fat or skinny. No matter which, it will be a WONDERFUL pumpkin.
“Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” Isaiah 66:2
Harvest the pumpkin when it’s fully ready.
“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
Hold the pumpkin gently as you cleanse the dirt outside, washing all the dirt away.
“Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sin.” Acts 22:16
Make an opening at the top, Search into the dark cavity for anything that needs to be removed.
“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind to reward according to conduct and deeds. Jeremiah” 17:10
Remove all the stringy pulp and slime, and clean out the entire cavity.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God.” Psalm 51:10
Give that pumpkin a big set of eyes so that he may see all the good around him.
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.” Luke 10:23
Carve a nice nose so that he can take in the wonderful scents of the world.
“Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart.” Proverbs 27:9
Carve a great big SMILE so that he can bring JOY to anyone who sees him.
“A cheerful look brings joy to the heart of others.” Proverbs 15:30
Make the pumpkin glow all over with a little white light inside.
“God said, “let light shine out of the darkness,” and made His light shine in our hearts.” 2Corinthians 4:6
Rejoice in the “NEW” pumpkin that has been created and given new life.
“Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me, I have found my lost sheep.” Luke 15:6
Place the pumpkin in the perfect spot so that the light will guide others.
“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise the Father in Heaven.” Matthew 5:16

Disneyland Again

The other day I took Bryce, Ella and Olivia to Disneyland by myself. I know I am a crazy person, but it was fun to give them all of my attention. I love them all so much and it was so fun to watch the joy in their faces about the different things. The highlights were definitely the parade and the Elvis concert.

It was also one of the only times that I have stayed with kids to watch fireworks. I must be so old because it felt so late to stay. Oh and also it was so cute they picked Ella to be the princess of the carousel, which if you know Ella, you know that is a big deal. They announced her name over the loud speaker and everything. All in all it was a fun and very exhausting day.

"I want it all!"

So really I guess that I most love to blog about the little funny things that happen in our lives and in our home. These things are small and maybe even uninteresting to most, but some of these little things are the highlights of my day.

Yesterday these two cracked me up. I gave Bryce a Toys'R Us ad, but it was like one of those super ads, meaning it was more like a catalog. I told him why don't you sit down and circle some things that you would like to get for Christmas. So Bryce and Ella, who soon

joined in on the fun, sat and started circling. About an hour later (by the way did you get that, this lasted for an hour, which if you are unaware that is like forever in the life of a five and three year old) they had circled almost everything in the ad. Bryce would circle everything that he wanted of course. And then everything that he saw that was girly he would say do you want this Ella and I don't believe that I ever heard her say no. Well I guess everyone is allowed to dream.

My Halle Reesey Piecey

Halle is one now. Well actually she is 14 months but who is counting. What can I say about Halle? I think that she is so adorable, but it is a good thing because she can be a royal pain in my hinney. Am I allowed to say that about my precious little one year old? I love her to pieces but she is the most stubborn independent and active one year old I have ever seen in all my life. I am actually a little bit scared of what the next few years are going to be like. I know that some of you at this point are thinking what is the big deal? Or, look at that face, how could she be anything but adorable? Well there is a reason that God gave her that cute face, let me tell you. There are also those of you that have seen her in action and know just what I am talking about. I do love though, that she has a mind of her own and I know that she will be a strong girl that loves to laugh.

We all love her so much though. It was so cute when we were doing this photo shoot with her, every time I would put her on the backdrop she would run off of it and straight to her big brother and then laugh like she was the funniest thing in the whole world. It was so cute to see them all laugh and play even in the photo shoot room. Bryce and Ella wanted to do anything they could to help Halle do what she was supposed to do. And Halle loved being the center of attention and wanted to make Bryce and Ella laugh.

Cilantro

So Bryce has become a kindergartner. Which by the way is just not right. How did my little baby boy become a school aged kid? I think that something happened when I wasn't looking. Like someone threw me in a time machine with all my kids and warped me like at least two years forward. Anyway I guess I have to accept it.

So yesterday Bryce came home from school and started counting in Spanish because that is something that they do in school. It was so cute he said "Uno, dos, tres, cilantro." To which Jarrod and I laughed hysterically. Which by the way if you are worried about Bryce's little ego right now, don't. He loves nothing more than to make people laugh.

So I started to count to ten in Spanish correctly and by about the time I reached siete, (I know really impressive, is that even spelled right?), Bryce looked at me with wide eyes and said "Mommy you lived in Chinese."

Man I love that kid. Have I happen to mention that yet? I am still not entirely sure that it is fair that Mrs. Taylor gets to spend so much time with him.

Lake Mead

We got to go to Lake Mead with the Carrillo Clan. We had so much fun with them. It was colder than we had hoped, but we had fun anyway. We went on the boat and we found a beach to eat lunch on and collect seashells. Jarrod got to wake board which is one of his most favorite things in the world. The boat trip was definitely an adventure considering that it was so so cold and windy and it looked like it would start to rain at any minute. We were all bundled up and trying to stay warm. But it was kind of special in that way too because I think that I will always remember it.

The next day the guys took the big kids and went four wheeling through a wash to some red rocks were they hiked and had a picnic up on a big rock.

Amanda and I went to Planet Hollywood Hotel in Vegas and had lunch at P.F. Changs and shopped. It was Halle and Cruz's first ever trip to Las Vegas.

One of the highlights was Joe singing the Mad Gab phrases. Who knew it actually works.

Thanks again guys for having us we had a really fun time.

Letter Recognition is the Name of the Game

We are having so much fun in our house teaching letters and their sounds. Bryce loves to help teach Ella and participate in the different fun things we do to practice. I had to grab a camera when Jarrod put their letters on their chests. I am not sure if it helped, but it sure was cute.

This video is so cute too. Last week Halle picked up the sound of B and she kept participating in saying the sound. I know she will forget but it was so stinkin cute.

Recent Trip to Disneyland

Mason running in the water, he loves to get wet
Aidan holding Ella's hand and rubbing her arm at the same time, how cute is that


This was so adorable. When we went on the Dumbo train Ella and Suzy laughed together the entire time. Kelsey said it best when she said that moments like that make all the effort that it takes to get there worth it.

Ella and I had so much fun with our friends the other day, October 1. And it was so fun to watch her play with a girl friend. I hope that I never forget the moment were Ella and Suzy compared flowers on their pajamas at the end of the day. There was just something so incredibly precious about it.

"Will You Marry Me Brycey"

This morning at the breakfast table, Ella said to Bryce "Brycey, will you marry me?"

To which Bryce replied, with all of his knowledge as a five year old "No Ella, you can't marry your sister."

Ella said "Are you going to marry a different girl someday?"

Bryce nodded his head.

Ella said "And be her friend?"

Bryce said yes.

Ella said "But you can't leave us!"

Sometimes my heart just truly aches to put these moments in a bottle. Of course there are also some that I ache to forget. Why do they have to grow so fast? I remember when he still wanted to marry me!

Inspired

A group picture of the ladies at my MOPS table and their kiddos from our park day

Okay so lets give some credit where credit is due. My new table leader at MOPS is the one that has truly inspired me to start blogging about my crazy little life. She is so adorable with her blog and her picture taking that I couldn't help but feel inspired. I already have the picture taking thing down, but now hopefully I can translate that into a blog.

We had so much fun at the park the other day with these new friends and I am so looking forward to the coming year with them. The cute red head in the middle is Heidi, my new table leader. Thanks for the inspiration Heidi, heaven knows that I needed it.

And of course my adorable friend Ashley has also inspired me. She and her blog are so adorable that it is almost painful. I love you Ash.

Our First Pumpkin Patch Trip of the Season

Us on our free train ride!!
This turkey was huge
That is Wolfie with Bryce, his kindergarten class stuffed animal that gets passed around.

Daddy and Halle on the train riding away from the sunset
What a handsome man I married!
We had so much fun running through the corn maze at dark with our flashlight

We had so much fun this last Tuesday night, September 30, taking Wolfie on our trip to the pumpkin patch. We took advantage of all the free activities they offered us (because we were the only ones there). It is such a great way to celebrate fall. And we got to write all about it in Wolfie's journal. We will definitely be back.

Mason's Latest Sleepover

Mason and Halle were sitting and playing together so nicely that I had to get the camera
Okay how can you not love that face
I love being Mason's Auntie


We all went to the park and hung outside a lot on Saturday and then Mason spent the night and we took him to church with us on Sunday. I love how he will say cheese for the camera now. I wish I got a picture of him standing on Bryce's skateboard because he will park it there for like an hour it is hysterical. I love the way he looks at Bryce too, like he is the coolest boy in the whole world.

I love my nephew Mason so much. Having four kids five and under is of course a lot of work, but is always always so so worth it. Come back and stay again soon Mase.

This is the story of how Ella's ponytail fell off

This is the ponytail
This is the bald spot

This is the very nice lady that tried to help fix the bald spot
This is Ella's cute face that you can't help but love even if she does shave off her ponytails

So the other day, a couple of weeks ago, I put Ella down for a nap (which by the way was very hopeful thinking anyway). I then needed to make some phone calls for MOPS registration. I started to make my phone calls, when my ever so mischievous middle daughter comes walking out of her room holding her ponytail. I quickly got off of the phone, with a poor lady that I probably scared off forever, and asked Ella "What Happened?!!!!" To which she replied, "It fell off."

Well needless to say of course it had not fallen off. I found Jarrod's beard trimmers in her bed and a trail of hair from her room to the bathroom. Somehow she figured out how to turn them on and how to shave her ponytail off. Also needless to say I laughed and I cried and then I rushed her to the salon as soon as I could to try to salvage the situation. Oh how I love being her mom.

There of course was so much that happened between this post and the last post, but with restarting our blog, I have just started with what has been going on recently. We had a very fun filled summer that I could of blogged and blogged about, but I suppose I will save that for next summer.