A little Christmas

Allison and Ammon in their costumes for the Christmas Primary Program.

Neither Allison nor Ammon wanted to see Santa, but I made them.  Chickens.  Ammon asked for a gumball machine.

 King of silly faces.

 Ammon's new glasses.  He was determined to get the ones with skulls on them.  Harley Davidson.

Even though they're not the best fit, Mom and Dad decided it was better for him to get some he loved in the hope that he'd wear them with more dedication.

Randomness Oct-Nov

10/2  I was cutting Ammon's hair and I told him to look up at my face.  He said, "I'm looking at your chinny chin chins."  Ouch.  More than one chin?
10/5  Reading a book Ammon stopped and said, "I never heard my teacher fart."
Twice.  Twice!  I went to get a drink from my night stand and there was a box elder bug in it.  Twice!!
Two different times.  Two different cups.  I flushed the first bug.  Gross!
10/8  Played kickball and ultimate frisbee last night at the church with a few other couples.  First time ever to play ultimate.  Lucky me - I scored my one and only goal and it was the winning point.
Family pictures yesterday.  We actually got one that will work!  Unbelievable!
10/9  Can barely stand up.  Sore thighs from kickball/frisbee golf.
Justin got the dumbest song stuck in my head all day.  Listen if you dare.  It's quite catchy.
10/10 Justin showed the kids the dumb song, so now it's stuck in my head again.
I'm really really really going to miss my friends when they move.  Why do my friends always have to move?
10/11 I got a flu shot today.
11/2  That flu shot made me sick for two days.  And a sore arm for four.
I almost got hit by a huge truck/semi today.  He ran a stop sign about three seconds before I would have been there.
Jacob got his official drivers permit last week.
Jacob and Isaac (and Ammon) drank Mellow Yellow.  They got it at a young men's activity at Chipotle.
Hard to turn lights off when Justin is out of town.
Love my new cell phone:  Galaxy SII
Had to buy myself new pants because my others are now too small.  Can we all say together:
"fatty fat fat."
I wish someone would help me get my house organized so I could keep it clean.
I also want someone to go through all my clothes and help me purge, then got shopping and help me rebuild the desperate wardrobe.  I'm thinking Kristy :D
Have I ever mentioned that I hate. hate. hate waking up early?  Seminary.
11-3 Putting kids to bed early.  3/4 fail.  Jacob, the one I wanted asleep early, did succumb.
11/4  I survived a field trip with Ammon's first grade class to the Mill City Museum.  In fact, it was enjoyable.
I successfully got the seeds out of a pomegranate by beating it.
Dinner with Justin at Acapulco.  It's unusual for us to go to a "sit down" restaurant.  LOVED it.  I've been missing him lately.
11/5  Raked leaves with the ward today.  We got done early so they helped us with ours.  *smile*
Biked Elm Creek today with the Robisons.  Didn't crash even once.
11/8 Woot!!  Fun time shopping with Kristy!  She helped me pick several fun new pieces for my wardrobe.
Movie with Justin.  A tad too much swearing, but lots of laughs.
Popcorn was yumm.
11/10 Sneeze. Blow nose.  Sneeze.  This is my pattern the past month.  I have allergies.  But from what?
11-11 I love running into people that I know in random places.
11/12 Biked Elm Creek yesterday on "my" new bike.  I'm only going to ride it a few times then Justin will sell it as a sample - probably.  I quite liked it.
11/21  I had hiccups during family prayer.  Ammon giggled at every hic.
Justin and I got the giggles over my Sean Connery Impersonation.
We have delved into our Christmas shopping.
Ammon has a thing for all things scary, Halloween-ish, or Goosebumps.
Allison babysat again today.  She loved it.
11/22 Justin's soccer jerseys are orange.  Bright orange.
Jacob babysat for the first time tonight for other people.  The kids slept the whole time.
11/23 Isaac left a 2 gallon tub of vanilla ice cream out last night while we were at the soccer game, even though I looked him in the face and specifically told him to put.it.away.  Turned into a positive by making .yummy dummy chocolate shakes.  Yet another Dittmer crisis averted.
Ammon has been having pms the past few days.
I bought some "candy laces with toffee flavor" from Ikea.  Not good.  I had such high hopes.
Mailed Christmas cards today!
"I mustache you a question, but I'm shaving it for later."
11/24  I love sleeping in on Thanksgiving.
Found some great deals online today instead of fighting the crowds tomorrow.
Still planning on fighting crowds tomorrow at a few more select stores.
How far are they going to push the limits on Black Friday?  Lots of stores are opening at midnight and even 9pm today.
Justin has the boys outside winterizing the yard.
11/25  What a day.  Slept two hours last night and just woke from a three hour nap.
But did we get some gaaaaa-rate deals!
I loved how excited Justin was.  Don't kid yourself.  He likes shopping.
We braved Wal-Mart.   It was bad.  Very very bad.  But were in and out in 15 minutes.
I wanted a Lego set for me.  It had a key and owls.
We ate breakfast at McDonalds at 2am.
Justin bought new tires this morning for his work van.
We need a new alternator for our van.  $500.  We already spend $1500 on it this year.  Poop.
I'm craving chicken lo mein.
Update on car stuff:  Justin needs new tie rods along with tires so it's $900.
Justin changed the alternator and s-belt (which took him all.day).  Yay!
We started the car and it's still making the rattle, so the car fix it place was wrong.
$200 + all the hours for nothing.
I DID come in useful helping Justin though :D
The kids are telling me I give them too many jobs.
Just wrote a scathing email to Barnes and Noble about their joke of a sale.  Dweebs.
11/27 More updates on the car situation.  Justin's ended up $1100.  My car needed a water pump, which Justin also got fixed.
Got out tree put up tonight, but it was hard!  We had to fix the top portion; half of it was burned out.
But it's up!  Now for the fun part of putting on the ornaments.
Allison has a sick tummy today so we stayed home from church.
11/29 Had a fun day with Justin today.  Love him.
I LOVE the sound of my kids doing their homework.  Smile.
New kitchen dish towels.

Shots

While I had my white paper set up for another shoot, I took a few random shots of Ammon and Isaac...

Fail

Allison had "crazy hair day" at school.  We tried the koolaid method but were unsuccessful.  I'm kinda glad it didn't work.  She didn't seem too disappointed and found another silly way to fix it this morning.

Soccer

Rob Owens Lads.

That's the name of the soccer team is on this year.  It's in commemoration of our old Bishop (who isn't old at all, just not our Bishop anymore, and he moved to Idaho - traitor).

So far they 2/2.  They're doing very well for "older" guys.

Halloween 2011

Pretty much a boring Halloween.  About an hour before departure, the kids dug around through the two costume bins to try to come up with something new.  Isaac eventually gave up and borrowed one from a his friend, Cameron (who he went trick-or-treating with).

 Allison was a pirate for a friends party.

 Ammon bought this skeleton hand at a book fair at school.  He loves all things scary.

 We were able to walk through a haunted maze during the day before it opened.  This turned out to be perfect for our younger two kids (and me!). Justin, Jacob, and Dakota later went through it when it was dark, spooky, and with chainsaws.

 Dakota (Jacob's friend - Captain America), Jacob (pirate), Allison (vampire) and Ammon (yet again a firefighter).

The kids loaded up on candy.  Whoa.  This was a Hollywood perfect neighborhood with hundreds of kids and parents with flashlights crossing streets.  

Four separate piles ready for trades.

Justin and I were invited to an adult Halloween party the previous week.  So much lauging!  

Justin and I were Joseph and Emma.  Kristy did my hair.  Is there anything she can't conquer?  Doubtful.  And thanks to Erin for the dress.

 Love it!

My favorite of the night:  earthworm.

Minnehaha Falls

Jacob, my dad, and I went to Minnehaha park on their last full day here.  

 We first stopped at Lock #1 on the Mississippi river.  And yes, Dad you have been there before.

 

 

 

Then we drove over to explore around the Falls.

 

 

And finally a treat after.

 

A nice day out.  

Mom and Dad

My parents haven't visited my house in two years, exactly two years.  It was a treat to have them for a week.  My mom is great to help with mundane household tasks and I gave my dad a honey-do list which kept him beyond busy the entire week.

I don't tell them often but I love them so so so much.  Apron strings?  Yep very attached.

My birthday

Alrighty peeps.  I'm officially out of my early thirties and now into my late thirties.  

36.  I am 36.  

I did have a nice, make that pretty darn good birthday though, considering the girth of numbers I am now.  

I went with my Mom and Dad to Gerten's and bought three fruit trees (Honeycrisp, Sweet 16, and a plum).  My mom has been having chronic coughing for months and months and had a fun little puke episode so we all got so smell vomit on the drive home.  Poor mommy.  

 I am so beyond excited to have my own little orchard now in my back yard.  I've put it off because it's so final.  Buying a house wasn't final, but the trees have been.  Am I really going to live the rest of my life in....Minnesota?  

The kids plus grandpa and I went on a walk on this gorgeous fall day in the field by my house.  

What wasn't gorgeous were the gnats.  

I was spoiled by my great friends and family this year.  

Love you guys!

 My mom made chocolate cake.  I didn't have to make my own this year...a rare treat.

Allison and Isaac bought me Skittles which I love.  And I mean love.

I was even doorbell ditched!!!

This is going to be a great year.  I can feel it!

You've got...

Crazy Hair.

My kids love this story by Neil Gaiman, Crazy Hair. 

Ed Week 2011!!

I wish I had written about this week soon after it had happened to hopefully capture the magical feel I had all week.  This was - hands down- one of the best times of my entire life.  

 Me and Erin in front of the Provo temple.  It was amazing even just walking on the grounds; what a peaceful feeling there. 

We are matching buds.  I think this might have been after a couple hour bout of giggling the night before.  We must have become linked in our color/fashion.  

In one of my classes I happened to sit by a bit of a strange lady.  After the class, she stood up to leave and was pulling a ahem. wedgie. out.  She got right into it and proclaimed, "come on!  Get out of there!"  When you're sleepy and tired, late at night this is extremely funny.  

I was able to have a quick visit with a dearly missed family, The Owens.  They used to live in MN (as our Bishop) and moved to Idaho.

 One of my besties, Tina.  We had so so so much fun.  She stayed with me the last night in the dorm then headed to her house the next day/night.  We got to spend the entire day together : D

 View from the restaurant in the top of the Joseph Smith Building.

 Snarf.

 Big enough sandwich?

 I've finalllllly been able to cross off my list to do a live session at the Salt Lake City temple.  Loved it!