Halloween Festivities!

Well - we have been implementing Halloween more and more over here.  There are Halloween PJ's - compliments of Grammy Joanne, Halloween shirts, Halloween decorations, and Halloween activities. :)  

I love how these two love each other :)

Wickedly Handsome!

Trick or Treat!

Playin' :)

We have been coloring and drawing pumpkins, witches, and ghosts, singing Halloween songs, and, of course, watching Halloween shows.  Ross and Ruby both love the Curious George Halloween movie as well as the Mickey Mouse Villains show.  Ruby is obsessed with a Donald Duck cartoon where his nephews try to trick him by dressing up as a big gorilla, but a real escaped gorilla gets in.  She keeps talking about when the gorilla takes a bite of Donald Duck's sucker "Orilla eat sucker, mom! 'Orilla eat sucker!" - she's obsessed with suckers (AGAIN - sugar problem).  And then at the end when they use tear gas to stop the gorilla and it ends with both the gorilla and Donald Duck crying, she'll say, "They cryin'.  They cryin'."  We watched it once - and she's talked about it for four days.  Here is the cartoon if you're curious ;)  

Ruby also likes pointing out all the decorations.  Even if she's sad going to bed and crying - she'll stop and say "Nigh Night Spider!  Nigh Night Ghost!" and then proceed with her crying.  She's hilarious.  

We had originally put them up in Ross's room - he was very specific where each decoration should go, but he woke up from his nap scared of the spider and ghost in the dark, so we had to move them. :)

Ruby has become more and more sassy - she makes us all laugh - here are a few pictures to clarify. :)
 

No pants, Little Mermaid sunglasses, holding a snowman :)

Ruby wanted Daddy to wear a bucket on his head...but something is missing...

There we go!  Perfect!

Daddy is always fun :)  She adores him!

Grandma Claudia got some fairy wings that Ruby never wanted to take off - also in her obsession with shoes, she put Ross's on all by herself and then proceeded to tromp all over wearing no pants and throwing the metal ball that's supposed to go inside a whisk and chasing it.

Ross has gotten into the bad habit of coming in our bed around 4 or 5 in the morning.  Stephen indulges in this because he thinks it's sweet, but I keep having visions of my sanity leaving when the baby comes.  Retraining will have to commence and I will have to play the bad guy card.  It is hard though - because he looks so stinkin' cute when he's sleeping.  LOVE him.

Ruby wants to always do what Ross is - and REFUSED to eat her breakfast in her high chair.  So we tried out the table - she did pretty good.  Ross is just way too cool. :)

We've been getting ready to move to Colorado as well.  I've been trying to collect all the stuff/toys I want before we leave and have been doing a great job filling up my in-laws garage with stuff - like a sweet $30 entertainment center - super nice! an elliptical, chest of drawers, a trampoline - and I'm still on the lookout for a table, rug, and washer and dryer.  Have I mentioned I've also finally convinced Stephen to get a minivan?  He's finally succumbed.  They have too many nice features not to.  

I also took Steve to see the Odyssey Dance Company's Thriller which was really fun.  I haven't gone in years and it was fun to see some of my favorite dances again.  Steve enjoyed it too and it was a fun date!  

Creepy zombie

Ready for the show!

These zombies totally creeped me out!

Beautiful October

Maybe it's because I'm pregnant, but I have been excited for fall since August.  Maybe it's because I miss Oregon weather too.  I LOVE when it rains now - I never get sick of it.  There's nothing like great rainy days.  We've managed to have a few, but the crisp fall weather has finally been presenting itself which is my favorite.
 

I've been meaning to take a picture of my beautiful Maple Mountain with the colors.  I LOVE this mountain. :)

I think I get excited too, because General Conference is the first weekend in October as well and I get to hear our Prophet and Apostles speak.  I love getting more counsel, encouragement, and insight on what we should be focusing on in our families and lives.  I know we have a Prophet of God on the earth TODAY and that he truly is God's mouthpiece.  I feel so much more safe and secure knowing Christ's Gospel is here on the earth and that we have a purpose and plan here.  I love knowing the importance of family and having all the joy that comes along with having one.  Too many people these days are focused on themselves and what makes them happy in that moment rather than who they can make happy and how they can serve.  Families are central to God's plan.  We need strong families to raise strong generations.  

Conference was wonderful of course.  Ross and Ruby were entertained by blocks, puzzles, coloring, and toys of course - with the help of aunts, uncles, and grandparents. :)  When the Prophet spoke we challenged Ross to listen for any time he said Jesus' name and he'd get a treat.  He finally caught on towards the end.  

We celebrated my nephew's first birthday that weekend as well.  Ross was so excited for Alex to open his presents.  He plopped himself right in front of him and then would yell excitedly every time he'd open another one, "It's a surprise!!"  Haha.  Ruby just wanted to eat chips and cupcakes the whole time (have I mentioned she has a serious sugar problem?).  

On Monday we got to go up to Logan to meet my new nephew, my baby sister, Rachel, had - Jaxton.  I tried out some VERY amateur skills at photographing a newborn and was happy with the results for the most part.  They are a very photogenic family which helps. :)  
 

Cute Jaxton :)

I LOVE baby feet :)

Dain is a very proud Daddy. :)

Such a sweet family!

Ross and Ruby were so excited to meet Jaxton.  Ross insisted we needed to supply Jaxton with the proper tractors so we got him a few as a present.  Ross "helped" by showing Jaxton how to play with them after they were opened.  

They both immediately wanted to hold him, Ruby patted him and poked him, and Ross just grinned and would inform us with a surprised face whenever Jaxton started crying.  They were adorable with him.  It's going to be a circus when our baby bee #3 comes - I'll have a lot of hands to help I'm sure! 

Ruby making sure everything's where it should be - hands - check, feet, check, eyes - check. :)

Cute cousins!

I was so happy to hold Jaxton and be reminded how little these babies come.  He was so precious and sweet.

After taking some pictures we had dinner together and then made the long trek home.  We were excited Steve could be done with work a bit early so he could come with us.  It's always nicer to have Daddy around. :)   

My Cute Kids and a New Nephew!

I've been rediscovering lately just how cute I think my kids are.  They are really sweet and have so much personality - I love them with all my heart.  They are going to be the best siblings to this new little baby coming.  This is one of my favorite things that Ross and Ruby love to do after we say family prayer every night:

Ross is seriously the best big brother.  Ruby adores him and thinks he's the funniest person in the world!

Which apparently falling while hugging IS hilarious.

They actually love hugging each other more than Mommy or Daddy.  They play pretty well together other than the Ruby-stealing-Ross's-toys-and-bolting part, or Ross-stalking-Ruby-all-around-until-she'll-finally-let-go-of-a-toy part.  They make me laugh and laugh and laugh all day long.

We go on a walking route most mornings now around my old elementary school, down Mapleton's main street and then back up to the house.  I've discovered there are certain important, practically historical points we have to acknowledge every time we pass them.  Ross and Ruby make certain of that.  They include:

1. Checking to see if kids are playing on the school's playground once we step out the door.
2. Saying hello to the dragon from the Boy and His Dragon statue in front of the school.
   
3. Seeing if the pumpkins at the corner house are still alive and growing through the fence.
4. Notice the kids playing on the playground on the other side of the school and discussing what they do at school.
5. Picking Ruby a sunflower to pick apart as we go along.
6. Counting how many firetrucks and ambulances are at the station we pass - as well as the police car that is usually parked at the back.
7. Noticing the progress the excavators, loaders, and dump trucks are making across the street as they dig and lay giant pipes in the ground.
8. Looking for the horse poop on the road that has been there over a week (this is very important of course - for scientific reasons ;) )
9. Seeing if an American Flag is still on a house next to our church.
10. Counting sheep in the pasture and looking for the llama that hangs out with them (did you know llamas help keep the sheep from getting attacked by dogs, etc?  I find that fascinating - also it makes sense since llamas are quite mean - don't tell Ruby - her favorite book is Llama Llama Red Pajama)

    

    The infamous llama Ruby loves.

11. Ruby chants "Bye Bye Sheep!  Bye Bye Llama Llama!" the rest of the way home.
12. Ross needs to see the glass that was broken in front of a neighbors house and discuss with me what it was that broke - he usually decides it was a bowl.
13. And then we end up at home - checking to see if the playground is empty again - if so - we head for it - going crazy for the slides and climbing up and down the bridge. :)
14. We end with a snack sometimes eaten on the back porch. ;) 

I love seeing all the things my kids notice around them.  It's like rediscovering my own world.  Kids really do make life so much more fun!

Ross finally getting a haircut that doesn't require Daddy having to hold him. :)

Ross and Ruby both adore their dad and ALWAYS want him to be the one to put them to bed (I'm not complaining) :)  He's way too fun to pass up. :)

And here's a video of the Three Billy Goats Gruff - more for us to remember. :)

And I am beyond thrilled to say I am now an Aunt on BOTH sides of mine and Steve's family.  My baby sister just had her cute little baby boy, Jaxton, this morning.  They both are doing well and he is SO gorgeous with SO much hair.  I love babies! :)  Congratulations to Dain and Rachel!

Isn't he SO precious?!  I can't wait to hold him!

Proud Daddy Dain :)

Sweet family :)

Not surprising Grampa Stan headed up there to see his adorable new grandson the second he could. :)

Big News - We're Going to the Boonies!

WELL - we've been hanging at the White household for the last few months while Steve has been working up in Salt Lake trying to decide if we'd be content with this job of his or able to find something better for us.  

It's been a bit of a limbo stage to be honest - driving us crazy - especially since we haven't felt any huge confirmation that any one job was what we should be going for.  Steve applied for a few other jobs and one opened up in Oregon that I was excited about until we realized it was pretty much the same job we have now.  There was another offer in Colorado - they loved Stephen in his phone interview and wanted to fly us both out to see the place, give us a rental car, and a B&B to stay in.  This place is in south east Colorado - where you would never travel through on purpose - pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but we decided if they would give us the offer we asked for that we would do it for at least a few years.  

SO - we flew out there for the weekend - in to Colorado Springs and then drove the three hours to Springfield - population 1,500 - all part of a major trucking route that goes in to Texas.  

We flew in pretty late and got our car by about 11PM.  Steve and I are NOT night drivers - we just get way too drowsy, so we were doing crazy things to stay awake - everything got pretty hilarious too when it was that late.  

First hilarious thing:

I guess people in Colorado love big macs - they're trying to limit you of only 5 per customer - watch out! ;)

Next hilarious thing:

When it's late at night - this name for a gas station - CHAIN gas stations by the way - are hilarious.  We also passed a Tank and Tummy gas station.  Who comes up with these names?

Third hilarious thing:

If you look close enough at the liquor sign on the roof - it lets you know it's a drive thru liquor store - drinking and driving going hand in hand - there are multiples of these by the way!

Fourth hilarious thing:

The lonely mountain as Steve called it.  This area of Colorado is pretty much the Great Plains - FLAT FLAT FLAT with a lot of BROWN BROWN BROWN.  The clouds looked pretty gorgeous though as they'd pass by.  Steve would sing this song from The Hobbit every time we drove by it:

Fifth hilarious thing:

Political signs made out of particle board and barbed rods - very unique!

Everyone who showed us around was incredibly nice and generous.  Steve and I have both grown up in a small town - but it was immediately connected to larger ones.  Springfield is about 45 minutes away from any other town in any other direction.  We found that Lamar is the closest church and as we visited it, felt if this was the right move for us, we'd live in Lamar while Steve commuted to Springfield.  Springfield was sweet and everyone so nice, but I think I might go crazy with how small and far away it is from everything - not to mention the grocery store that closes at 7 every night.  I liked the idea of living closer to the church as well.  

After a nice tour of the hospital Steve would work at, the school they had there, and a bit of house hunting, we left and checked out Lamar and met the brother of PT that Steve worked with here in Utah.  They were super nice and informative and connected us the next day with a bunch of the church members who gave us great tips on house hunting, activities, etc. there.   I seriously couldn't believe how nice everyone was.  That evening we even went to dinner with a couple we had just met that morning at a soccer game - a delicious Thai place.  

There were a TON of windmills on the drive from Springfield to Lamar - 108 to be exact.  Pretty cool

During the day we had a realtor take us around to some houses for rent and others for sale to get a feel for what's available there.  To be honest - most of the homes are old, but some were pretty updated.  Steve and I felt a bit like deer in the headlights with our first experience actually house hunting.  It was kind of fun at the same time.

Steve met with the director of the hospital to discuss an offer and terms of working there and came back shocked that they actually offered him more than what he was asking to work there...we were both shocked actually - there wasn't even any bartering involved.  Financially it was a no brainer, but we needed some time to make sure we felt good about all the conditions of moving to this job.  I am a social person who also likes having things handy when I want them - things would not be so handy here - as well as the way I would like to have this third baby delivered.  It's tricky when you got to smaller places to get all the kind of care you may need in high risk circumstances.  I want to have another VBAC with this baby and the only way that's an option is if I commuted to Colorado Springs to do it - which - I finally decided I could do.  

I still didn't feel 100% about it and wondered why I had such a huge confirmation in my heart that we were supposed to go to Oregon for graduate school, but felt like I was getting nothing on this end of getting a job.  We came home and decided to go to the temple about it and ponder and pray more to get a feel of what we should do.  In the end, we decided to take the leap and have felt good about it more and more as time has gone on.  SO - we're going to boony town and having ourselves another adventure!  We'll have to get a bit more creative in our recreational life, but it's a challenge we'll take.  

It's funny - we're going from GREEN GREEN Oregon, to BROWN BROWN Colorado, but there are surprises everywhere and you never know what friends you're going to make or interesting things you'll encounter.  Like tarantula migration...did you know that actually happens?  Right across the highway tarantulas are crossing like the game Frogger apparently trying to get where they need to be for the winter season.  They say there that when you start seeing the tarantulas migrate the first snowfall will be in six weeks.  I guess we'll have to start celebrating Tarantula Day now along with Groundhog Day!

 We'll be heading there around the end of October and starting yet another chapter of our lives - crazy crazy crazy.  

Here's a lovely song to welcome in Colorado - though minus the Rockies in our case. ;)