Halloween a Haunting

October 25th was our ward Halloween Party, well our last ward anyway. Our ward got split last Sunday but we went to the Halloween party anyway. I made some White Chili to contribute to the chili dinner and I won 1st place out of 12-13 different chili's!

That was fun, (It was Docena's recipe).

Addy went as a Lady bug, I went as a speed bump, (I dressed all in black and put a yellow paper over my belly that said 'Caution: Speed Bump') and Lauren went as Clark Kent/Superman with a Goatee, he is currently growing a goatee, and I really like it.

We also decorated our trunk for the Trunk or Treat event. That was alot of fun. I cut our several black spiders and put them into spider webs that hung all around the trunk. Pumpkins and other decorations were taped around the car. Inside we had a bunch of candy with a walking pumpkin man a crawling skeleton arm (over the candy) that the kids loved. Some young ones were scared enough that we needed to hand them the candy.

I've been getting into making Christmas Cards, since I just got a Cricut Machine. They have been really fun to make as well. Lauren and I still share our favorite hobby together of playing games, and he is a great provider for our family. Michael, my brother get's home from the mission he served in Romania in 5 weeks! We are so excited to see him and introduce him to his two new nieces Adalyne and Lucy.


Adalyne is such a talkative girl, she really enjoys pretend play. We recently went to the park, and she had a blast! I have some more really fun video's attached as well as the Halloween photo's and videos below:

Policital Mumbo Jumbo

You know what bothers me? Well, besides having a piece of popcorn kernel stuck in my gums with no floss or toothpicks to get it out...?

It's all this political fluff that seems to emanate from the digestive regions of the presidential candidates and their campaigns. It's like a loud puff of foul stench that comes at an unwelcome and embarrassing time. Like as I'm sitting down to a deliciously prepared meal, thus causing me to loose my appetite, or as I'm sitting in a quiet room with hundreds of other people, and there's no way to blame it on the person next to me or to repeat the sound by rubbing my shoes together in an attempt to blame the outburst on something in-animate. Or, that time when I...well, you get the idea.

The air seems to reek lately with all this, and, quite frankly, it's making me a little queezy. Aren't these men old enough and experienced enough to have learnt to keep it in? Well, maybe McCain is too old to keep it in... And, many would argue that Obama certainly isn't experienced enough...

The point is, what ever happened to integrity, and honesty, and up-rightness, and the American dream that any good man--or woman-- can become president? What ever happened to playing fair? Did anybody every play fair when seeking out the most important political office in the world? I feel like I haven't looked up to a President of the United States as a truly noble leader since... well... ever in my life. (Granted I still haven't seen more than like 4 presidents during my lifetime, and I don't remember two of them).

What spawned all this cranial spewing? Well, this is the first time in my life where I have actively followed the presidential election. I've been watching the news and I've been trying to read up on political news here and there (though I get the strange feeling that the media is a bit liberal--who woulda thought?!?!)

Also, what really stunk up the room lately was a barrage of all sorts of very biased political e-mails forwarded to me, and I don't like it. Especially because most of them contain "references" that are only there to attempt to convince me that the horrible things that are being said about both candidates are founded in truth. But it all feels like scheming lies built up on lies to me. And, sadly, many of these forwarded e-mails come from loved ones. I am sure they didn't write the silly things, but I hope they don't buy into them entirely either.

By the way, I'm not upset at any of you who may have forwarded me one of those stinking heaps... I just fear that there are some people out there (certainly nobody I know) that aren't smart enough to figure out when they are being lied to or manipulated into taking a side. I hope I'm smart enough...

I recently read that racist comments and threats are being yelled out by some of those less intelligent types at political rallies, and that the GOP candidate was letting it go. Then, after several weeks of this going on and after public attention, he decided he better speak out and stop it from continuing. I'm not saying that only the Republicans are to blame. I hear the Democratic candidate claims that he is going to somehow cut 95% of American's taxes, and somehow offer me a wicked cool insurance plan... A government run Health Care plan? How does that save me money?

I will say that I am grateful for one of the outcomes of this reasty election year: the wonderful Saturday Night Live parodies of the debates and the conventions. They're like a warmly scented candle that temporarily masks the bad smells coming from the donkey and elephant rumps. Comedy gold, I tell you. Comedy gold!

So, what's the moral?

Keep it in or keep it silent... though, I suppose either of those could be deadly couldn't they?

6 months and still going...

Well, were coming to 6 months of being pregnant and we've decided that we will name our new little boy Joshua. We are still debating on the middle name. Maybe 'fire' or 'flame' or something. J/k. I think he will be a gymnist someday because he flips alot. Must have got that from his Uncle Shad on Lauren's side.

Addy is getting so big these days, and she is talking alot. We are beginning to understand her language better. The other day she bonked her head on the couch and when daddy came home, she told him, in her own language 'I got a bonk, I was sad, I bonked my head and I was sad. But I'm okay now, I'm okay.' It was really cute. We will also be able to pick up other conversations she is starting with us, like about her favorite book, 'Maisey's Colors'. She still LOVES to read, and LOVES to color. We started fingerpainting a few weeks back and I did a great job of teaching her not to paint onto her body, then her daddy comes along and teaches her how fun it is to paint circles/balls on the palms of her hands. So, now, whenever she paints, I'm confident we will be taking a bath afterwards. She gets paint ALL OVER HERSELF! I've provided some pictures below.

She is into singing alot, both in and out of the bathtub and she is very good at carrying on conversations over both the real and the pretend phone. She loves to switch the light on and off in the Living Room, and loves to see bugs out side. The other day she saw a beetle, and was looking at it with awe, saying 'bug, it's a bug' then she covered it with her food, (stepping on it) moved her foot, and said 'bug went bye bye' wondering where it went to. Ha Ha

She loves hats as you can tell and will be able to see in the following videos. She knows, mostly but not all of the animal sounds. And the colors Brown, Pink, and Yellow. Were still working on the others. She can tell when someone is sad, and goes to hug them. And says, 'no sad'.

Here are some pictures and videos of my gorgeous daughter:

Grandma Stroud, Adalyne and I recently went to the petting zoo at Thanksgiving Point. She loves to ride the ponies there and feed the animals. We have some great pictures for you to see of her feeding the animals. I'm still learning how to use this so it may take a while to get this blog up and running.

Petting Zoo

Grandma Stroud, Adalyne and I recently went to the petting zoo at Thanksgiving Point. She loves to ride the ponies there and feed the animals. We have some great pictures for you to see of her feeding the animals. I'm still learning how to use this so it may take a while to get this blog up and running.