I am so THANKFUL for...

1. A great family including a great husband and 3 of the cutest kids ever!!!
2. More fabulous family members on both sides: Moms, Dads, Grandmas, Grandpas, brothers, sisters, in-laws, nieces, and nephews.
3. Loyal friends who, even if I haven't seen them for a little while (say 1 year or so??) can call you up and talk as if no time has passed and crack you up like no one else can! (thanks SUM!)
4. Modern conveniences like running water and online shopping ;)
5. People who drive slow and prevent me from getting a speeding ticket because I cannot pass them.
6. This great free country that I, along with many messed-up people live in (for the record, I don't consider myself one of the messed up ones-pssh of course not ;)
7. Holiday candy to accompany the holidays.
8. (speaking of holidays) Christmas music in November-I admit I kinda like it-it doesn't get annoying until December 21st.
9. Grocery store baggers that help you out with your groceries when you have 3 kids and a cart full...am I supposed to tip them? (shhh..ignorance is bliss!)
10. Last but not least, Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for me!!

Halloween!!!

Well, better late than never I guess!! The kids had fun dressing up this year for Halloween. I always get their costumes a few months (yes months) early because I learned the hard way when Jaxon was little and couldn't find anything. So they've been excited for some time now to dress up. The Monday before Halloween we had a party at Grandma and Grandpa Frew's house. The kids had fun playing together and they all looked so cute!
Lisa planned a really fun spooky walk that really wasn't spooky until Tyler decided to hide in the bushes and give the kids a good scare!! Awww...Tyler- we're missing you already!!! (Left on November 5 for the MTC!!)
And here is Halloween for our ward trunk or treat.. They looked so cute and got tons of candy!

DORA THE EXPLORER

SPIDERMAN and our cute little (chubby) BEAR
Yikes! That's a scary witch!
We stopped by Michelle and Chris's house on our way home. Here's a cute picture of Gabe and Elora-both looking thrilled to be dressed up!!

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

Today Jaxon's preschool took a field trip to Black Island Farms in Syracuse. He was so excited because he remembered it from last year. He even woke up today at 6 am!!! Brooklyn got to come too and she loved it but she froze!! The slide this year was bigger than it was last year. I couldn't believe that he dared go down it. Here they are on the little cow/pig train...they had to be right behind the tractor!

I loved the way that Jaxon had his arm around his 'sissy' the whole time!!
They got to pick a pumpkin from the patch too!!! How fast time goes....here's last years picture of them getting ready to go.. And, last year in the pumpkin patch!! I can't believe how fast time goes...I was pregnant with Gabe in this picture and now look at him.. He had to stay home...maybe next year!!

The good thing about Campbells

So I got some inspiration from my friend Liz (thanks LiZ!) to clean out my pantry-YIKES!! I keep thinking that we need to get our food storage in order so for starters I went to Macey's and loaded up on some case lot items. I came home and looked at my pantry and wondered where it was all going to fit. It became evident that the pantry was going to need a makeover. I decided to take a before and after picture.

I learned some useful things from this little project:

#1: The makers of Campbells soup knew what they were doing when they designed their cans. Unlike the off brands, their cans stack impressively well.

#2: The Great Value Wal-Mart brand stacks the WORST!!! (I guess you get what you pay for aye?)

#3: We NEVER use cream of celery soup

#4: There CAN be such a thing as a lone weevil....or can there???

#5: My kids Do notice when things are clean...especially Jaxon (big surprise) who said, "Good job Mom!"

#6: I do have a little OCD in me.

#7: We do pretty good at eating things before they go old....This was the oldest thing I found...

Yes it says 9/13/06...

#8: It will only look this good for today so I'll enjoy it!!!

The Train

Jaxon got this wild idea that he wanted to build a train. He said we could use wood and the wheels from his cars to make a train that everyone could ride in. I tried all morning to tell him that it was really hard to build stuff like that out of wood but he was relentless!! I don't know what he saw on t.v. that gave him the idea but he kept saying, "but they did it on t.v." I don't blame the kid, I was the same way- always wanting to build tree houses that looked like the Swiss Family Robinson's. So..I finally came up with this idea....I'm such a dream killer, I know.
It was actually pretty funny. Gabe got the whiplash effect a few times!

Deja Vu

Jaxon wearing the hat in the walker.... and Gabe wearing the hat in the walker.. I couldn't resist although Gabe is about 2 months older than Jaxon was in his picture-sometimes it's crazy how similar they are.

Jaxon's FIVE!!!

I can't believe my little guy is already 5 years old!! How time flys. I don't think there has ever been a kid so excited for their birthday as Jaxon was.
Squeezing Brooklyn he's so excited for what she just gave him. He got the thing that he wanted most, a.....Drum set!!! I know, what were we thinking!!

Brooklyn took a turn.

Here's my scary attempt to make a cake. We tried to incorporate everything that Jaxon loves: Boats, tractors, and four-wheelers (he really wanted a REAL 4-wheeler for his birthday after the drum set but we told him that he'd have to help pay for something like that).

On Saturday Jaxon had a swimming party with all of his cousins on both sides. He got MORE presents...
..and had fun swimming!!! What a great birthday!! Thanks everyone for all the gifts-whoa spoiled!!