Ah, life!

We really do have a lot of fun admist the chaos of what we call our life! Here are a few of those sweet moments that we captured. Preston is still small enough to bathe in the bathroom sink. I love my baby boy.

Here is Hailey carving her pumpkin. Her main complaint was that it was cold. We never actually finished it, but I think she got the jist of it because on Sunday in Nursery she was walking around carrying a Barney doll singing the song while the other hand was stabbing Barney with a knife (the same way I carved the lid off the pumpkin) as she was singing acting like it was perfectly normal!

Preston is so happy, he loves to laugh, here is a video of his sweet giggles! He just got his first tooth on the bottom last week and the second one I noticed popped through today. He got his flu shot today and was giggling, his thighs are so tickelish, even after she stabbed him he kept smiling, a moment of stunned expression, but not one tear! I was amazed.

Going Private

I had a conversation with my MIL the other day about a news story that told some of the horrors of having a blog and having not nice people viewing your blog and learning things about your personal life and even geting your address from names, posts and photos. It made me sick to my stomach to find out what people can do with a little information in the wrong hands.
I know it is a pain to log in and read a blog, but I promise I will update often so you won't be disappointed...I just feel that with my young family I need to make sure we are safe on the internet. That is why I have decided to go private. So please leave me the email address that you want to login to my blog with; either in the comments or email it to me. Thanks for understanding. I love blogging, but don't want it to turn into something I never anticipated. Thanks for reading my posts and commenting, I love that it is a way to keep in contact with so many of you, to share our lives and to feel connected to those I love.

Our goings ons

We have been spending more time at home now that Preston naps in the morning, the weather is cold, and we are working on potty training, so I have to come up with fun things to do; not only to entertain the kids, but me also! Hailey got these glasses from my VT companion, it made for a hilarious pic and good laughs! Preston is my good little model. Hailey was excited for the snow on Tuesday, she went outside and helped Papa shovel, she is such a little helper, I enjoy seeing her satisfaction in helping to get chores done!

The day before the snow was due to come, we went to Thanksgiving Point with Shanda and her kids, and met Jess with her boys there. It was fun, the kids love the animals and it was a nice outing from the everyday. Especially now that it is cold. It was cute to see Hailey and Jackson seeing each other across the field, they screamed with delight and started to run towards each other. I pulled out my camera to catch this truly Kodak moment of their long awaited embrace...Hailey ran right past him and kept on going. (I am still holding out hope that they will get married one day so we can be related to the Mostellers!) I am trying to look forward to winter, but I am just not! Boo cold weather!

Brown Family Pics

Brooklyn, Candace and Preston

4 generations of girls!

All the cousins

Papa and Hailey playing like always!

My moms family has 7 siblings all of which have kids and some of those kids have kids. We haven't had a family pic with all of us since 1989...yeah just a few years ago! Erick couldn't make it at the last minute. He is the manager of a branch in Colorado and had to fire one of the ladies so he had to stay and couldn't come. My cousin Brady is on a mission, but other than that everyone was there. It seemed to take forever, but I guess with that many in the family it would. Ryan was so sick and Heather hadn't slept since she had a night shift at the hospital, but they made it and managed to stay awake for the pics. I sure hope that at least one of them turned out, but we will see when they get developed. Here are some of the pics that we took with our camera.

Happy Halloween

We had a fun Halloween. We went around the neighborhood with Hailey in her stroller, while Preston slept at home with my parents up stairs (love having upstairs neighbors). We only hit about 8 houses but got a ton of candy from all the neighbors. We then drove to some of the family and had a great time. Hailey was Goldylocks and we were the 3 bears. Papa, Mama and Baby bear. I love the excitement of it all! With kids I get to live my childhood over again but it is way more fun! This is the fun part of parenting.

Library Story-time

Today we ventured out to the library for storytime. There were a ton of kids all dressed up. Hailey was Goldylocks and Preston just wore his Halloween shirt. His baby bear costume is too warm. (and here I thought it was going to be cold for Halloween!) Hailey was really good to sit and listen to the story and then sing the little songs. They changed the words to well known songs to Halloween-ize them! We shook like skeletons, meowed cats to the tune of "If Your Happy and You Know It!" We then made treat bags with a ghost on the front and went on a parade to 5 different stations within the library to get treats. Hailey didn't quite get it until we started to get treats and then she really loved it. She is still not always good at listening and following directions and it is exhausting to chase her with Preston on the front in his sling. It is like being pregnant again but he is heavier and floppier. (at least I can take him off!)

It was also my MIL's birthday today so we went and got her flowers from the store and took them to her school. It should be a relatively short trip, but alone with 2 kids really complicates things as simple as picking up and delivering roses! We get to the store and Preston screamed on the short drive there, but in the 5 minutes it took us to get there he stopped screaming and fell asleep right as we pulled into the parking lot, but of course I can't keep Hailey quiet to keep him asleep! She screamed and woke him up. So the process begins; it is pull him out of the car, lugging the awkward car seat that just keeps getting heavier and harder to carry as he gets older. Then to Hailey's side, balancing the diaper bag, the baby and then keeping her from running away while I shut the mini-van door. Then I put them into a cart, Preston is getting longer and his feet got stuck under Hailey's seat, so it was repositioning to get him and her into the cart. (at this point there is no way groceries would fit, good thing we are only coming for fresh flowers on this trip) I knew right where they were at the front of the store, but on our tight budget I was trying to price compare and not be too cheap, but get her something nice for her 60th B-day. I find the roses are the best bargain for the money and let HM pick the color. She chose pink, a girl after my own heart. Then we reverse the whole thing to get the kids back in. As I am loading PT the cart starts taking off down the slightly sloped parking lot with HM still in it! I click PT in and then grab the cart. We get to WX High and in order to carry the vase in I have to put PT in the sling, the vase in the sling pocket and carry the roses in one hand and hold HM with the other free hand. As soon as we get in the enterance of the school she sees a Halloween display with lights and is immediately drawn to it. I drag her away from it and steer her in the direction of Paula's room. (luckily her class is close to the front and not up any stairs!) She was glad to see the kids and we chatted and then I left. Hailey realized that there were kitties all over the school. (their mascot is the wildcats, I am sure they would be offended with her calling them kitty!) She pointed them out and wanted to see and touch all of them. All the while trying to lead her in the direction of the car. I ended up haivng to pick her up and carry her and Preston to the car. That is like 50 pounds of kid between the 2 of them. I am thinking there are some birthday presents that are more trouble than they are worth, especially when the recieptent is unaware of the sacrifice a simple gesture is with 2 kids. Good thing birthdays are only once a year.

This is for you, Mia!

Hailey had some really good little friends when we lived in Cambria, but since all but one have moved away. She loves blogging, to see all her little friends and what they are up to. Mia's mommy is way creative and such a cute mom. She teaches Mia songs and then will post the short video of what Mia is up to. Hailey asks daily whenever she sees the computer on to "Watch Mia!" So we made a little video for Mia. (I practiced it with Hailey before we recorded and then she got sick of playing my little game so by the time I did record she was done. At the end she runs off because she heard that Preston had woken up and she was going to get him, she has better hearning than I do!)