Happy Halloween!

I got James talked into another trip to Disneyland, again. We got the kids up at 5 to get to the park by 9 and drove home all in one day. Kevin, Jill and Annie came along for driving support. It was fun to spend the day with them. The kids dressed up in their costumes that I finally got finished. Layla was too cool, the first half of the day, to put on her costume. But after the 20th compliment Harley and Avery received, she had to make her costume change to get some of her own attention. It took us a whole month to talk Harley into the idea of Tin Man. He really wanted to be Buzz Lightyear, but I thought that would have been way too adventurous of a project for me. Maybe next year, we'll do that one. Layla was the first one to bring up the costume idea. She wanted to be a cute witch and when her old Dorothy costume didn't fit Avery, I decided to go with Glinda, and throw Harley into the Tin Man idea.

The day after Disneyland was Halloween and we were invited to Patty's party. It was so fun to see Austin dressed up as Scarecrow and another one dressed as Dorothy. Our trick or treating party was complete.

I now appreciate the trips my mom and dad would take with us kids in 24 hrs. I'm pretty sure it was out of necessity, as was ours. I was so tired, I spent the whole next day recovering. I'm not exactly sure if it was worth it. The kids had a good time, though. It's just my thing to try and cram a thousand activities into one weekend.

Some alone time...

So, James is getting ready for another bar exam and I'm pretending to be single for a few weeks.  We went to dinner the other night for his birthday at the Country Club in the Wynn.  I had been waiting a couple of months to tell him about the cruise and I could hardly believe I had kept it a secret the whole time.  As we arrived, I had the concierge place the laniard my mom had made, into the menu.  As soon as we got our menus, James looked up at the waiter and said, "What's this?".  The waiter then replied, "I don't know!", needless to say, it was a huge letdown.  I love surprises and James isn't very good with them.  I think that by the time we get off the ship, he'll be really excited about it.  Anyway, he and the kids are flying up to Utah tomorrow afternoon and I have about a thousand things on my list for when the kids are gone.  James is worried I'm going to be hugely disappointed.  Here's my list...

1.  pack up all the kids clothes that are too small now.  It's driving me crazy that their closets are full of nothing to wear.

2.  paint almost the entire downstairs ...  I picked out a new couch and got all excited for a new color.

3.  install child locks on every single cabinet I have in the house.  I'm worried I might lose it on one kid in particular if he gets into my clorox spray again.

4.  buy new pillows and recover the rocking chair.  See number 3 for reference

5.  Donate shoes and clothes I don't need anymore.  Maybe migrate over to James closet, too.

6.  Get rid of Harley's old room and move my sewing back in.  Since Levi's not gonna need a room anymore, I need to make better use of the space.  I know it sounds kinda insensitive, but I don't know how else to say it.

7.  Clean carpets.  I love the smell of the house after the carpets are all done.

8.  Go to all of the classes at the gym I like.

9.  Get James' desk organized.

10.  I scheduled a haircut, manicure, pedicure, tooth cleaning, doctor's appointment, visiting teaching appointment, invited all of my friends and family over for hair appointments, etc.  

Happy 30th Aunt Lori

Tuesday night was Layla's 3rd dance recital.  I'm not sure which part of the day she enjoyed more; hair and make-up or dancing.  She couldn't wait to get ready with Presley.  It was so fun to have the dressing room all to ourselves.  Presley and Layla sat on the counter while Bracken and I made the final touches.  

Layla danced to Mickey Motion and Happy Feet.  Harley and Avery danced in the aisle to just about every other dance in the show.  

Then, of course, Preston had to steal the show with the boys number, followed by a proposal to Melanie.  I guess she's on his buddy list now.  

Lettin' it Pour

James is in bed asleep and every time I walk in, he asks as if he's wide awake "Do you need help in there?". I need help.  Oh, yes,  do I NEED help.  The last time I entered a new blog,  was a little after I was just finding out that I was carrying another baby.  The baby that has changed my whole life completely.  The tears most definitely will never stop coming tonight and the only thing I can think of doing is write.  

A year ago, I was helping decorate for a lunch at my church with my friend Jodie.  My friend, Stephanie, had lost her baby.  Who would have known that one year later, I would be living that same nightmare.  The nightmare that seems like one long day.  I remember how horrible I felt for her and what a wreck I was.  I couldn't handle walking into the chapel and seeing a picture of the most beautiful little girl in her high chair, completely covered in her lunch.  I thought of how I would feel if I had lost my Avery, who was a few months younger.  My heart ached so badly for her parents who were dealing with this tragedy and loss of such a sweet little girl.  The funeral was one I would never forget.  Stephanie and John gave the most inspiring talks I had ever heard.  They made me want to be a better mom to my kids.  I was so jealous of their strength and their testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ.   

Their experience, I felt most definitely helped prepare me for what was about to happen in my life.