trick or treat?

Wishing my Dad a very happy and relaxing birthday today! We love you because:

You're fashionable:

You're the epitome of handsome:

You're a cool biker-dude:

You can fix anything!

You have a strong testimony and are an example of faith:
You're my hero!


We love our Grandaddy! Happy Birthday!

getting a rise out of me

I started the morning with a smile! It was 7am and I had a craving...

I needed Buttermilk for the Cream Cheese frosting that I was going to make to top off the rolls, since I woke up the other morning and thought, "Today feels like a Cinnamon Roll kinda day!" I ran to Safeway. Arrived home, got out all my ingredients, warmed up my Kitchen Aid and went to work.

I was a couple steps into my recipe when I needed to help two children. Got one a bowl of cereal and changed the other's diaper. Went back to what I was doing...or so I thought. I was waiting for the yeast-step in my recipe and realized that there wasn't one. Then it came to me: I was on the wrong page of the book!

I dumped out all the sticky goop that I affectionately called "my warm up" and washed my bowl. I then found the CORRECT page and got started again. I use Saff Yeast that doesn't mix directly with fluid, so I have to time it just right to be able to get it activiated. I heated my milk, dumped in my flour, added some salt and made a little doughball. Carter needed me again. Thus my concentration was broken; and I thought I knew where I was in the recipe. I added salt. And then my egg, etc etc etc. Long story short: I ADDED TWICE THE AMOUNT OF SALT!

It's 10:30am and once again, I dump out my bowl, wash it and glared at the ingredients. I say to myself, "I WILL MAKE CINNAMON ROLLS OUT OF YOU IF IT KILLS ME." I measure and time everything just right, the kids are fine running amok all over the house and I'm ignoring them to the best of my ability. Everything was going smoothly and I was letting my machine knead the dough while I ran and put Carter down for his nap. I just needed another cup or so of flour, and then it hits me. I'm completely out of flour. COMPLETELY OUT. I need more flour and I don't have it.

I sit down and tears start flooding my eyes. I have been trying to make this stupid dough for hours now and I'll never be able to get it done! I am a mess, I have white powder spots all over my black shirt and apron, I have dough-like goop in my hair and up my arms, I spilled some of the oil on me and I neeeeeeeed flour!

I go back to Safeway, puffy cheeks and all. Grab one bag of flour, pay and come back home as fast as I could.

Got home, tore open the flour and dumped a little in. It was just enough that it made the dough come off the sides of the bowl and it was ready to rise. GUESS HOW MUCH FLOUR I USED????? Less than 1/4 cup. That was all. I was FUMING by now and thought it best to let the dough rise while I cooled off. I fed the older two kids lunch and did some dishes. PUNCHED the dough down. It rose again and an hour later I was ready to roll it out.

Everything went fine from here on out, except I ran out of butter. They turned out delicous if you ask me! This is NOT the first time making these, and I guess that I was just more distracted than I thought.

By the time that I got done making the last batch, it was 2pm. I had been in the process of getting this buggers done for nearly 7 hours. I'm not craving them anymore.

cheesy smiles

I know that it seems like all I do is take pictures of my kids! It's TRUE! Absolutely everything that Carter does is sweet and precious and makes my heart melt. He's eating cheese and I find myself grabbing the camera! You'd think he's my FIRST! I am just seeing him grow up too fast before my eyes and I'm starting to realize that he's not such a baby anymore. AND I'm having a hard time trying to decide to cut his hair. It's always in his face and I think it's about time...so I'm trying to capture as many moments as I possibly can before the first official haircut that makes him suddenly look older!

a little vandal goes a long way

Last Saturday morning was U of I's Homecoming Parade in beautiful downtown Moscow. We dressed up in our vandal garb and walked down. I wanted to get a picture of the kids, they looked so cute! However, getting all three of them to hold still long enough to snap their picture proved difficult.

"Carter get back here! Ryanna hold still! Dawson look at ME! Carter sit down! Smile a REAL smile! Get that finger out of your nose!"

And then I called for backup! Ryan swooped in and encouraged them to look at me!
Isn't this darling?! I love this one. Good thing too, because Ryan was saying through clenched teeth: "Honey, just take the picture!"



Because we live so close to downtown, we walked down to Main. We got distracted and had to play in the leaves.


When we got downtown, we were scoping the perfect place to watch the Parade. We ran into our friends, the Strattons and got to watch with them! (Don't you just love Emma's bag? She made it herself!)

Carter and Isabella, aren't they precious? Issy grabbed my hands to cover her ears whenever a loud marching band would go by. It was so sweet! She was my little buddy during the parade.

We also ran into our friends, the Golightly's, and got to watch with them too! It was so fun to hear everyone cheer for Addi, as she marched by with her flute! My stupid camera didn't turn on fast enough and I missed my shot to take her picture. Way to go, Addi!
I kept thinking, "Skull Rings Unite!" because they loved their matching rings I gave them last week when Brock was over. Handsome little buddies, don't you think?
The firetrucks and ambulances drove by honking, blaring their sirens and making all sorts of noise! Carter certainly did not like that one little bit. He was watching intently for them.

Aaaaaaaaaaand then we went home! We walked past Gritman, where they usually give out hot dogs. This year they did pretzels and milk. Huh? I'm sure it's more healthy and all, but we wanted to see the fluorescent-green-because-coloring-was-obviously-added packets of relish and cheap dogs!

It was also an unexpected good day because the Vandals beat New Mexico State, 20-14! Well, there you go. Impressive if I may say. Personally, I love the Broncos and always enjoy watching them play.

I'm excited to see what happens WHEN they get to play in a BCS bowl game.

am seeking

Anyone out there have an old SPRINT cell phone that I can borrow for a couple months? As you may recall from a previous post, mine is completely dead. And it's the only way that I can call long distance to my sisters! (okay FINE, I admit I miss texting...I was starting to get good at it!) I don't want to sink money into a new phone if I can borrow. Thank you!!

creative carvings

We love to carve pumpkins! The kids have begged us for a couple weeks to do it, and tonight was our family night to do together. Ryan gutted all the pumpkins, I HATE that part, so glad that he does the gooey part.

Ryanna got to carve hers this year, and she loved every minute of it!

Our friends, Jason and Diane, came over to carve theirs with us. It's always nice to have them over.

Ryan is so serious when he gets into carving, but not when he's discussing his law homework!

Carter was enjoying playing with Eddie the Puppy and feeding him green beans instead of eating them himself. What a smart little guy!

Drum roll please.......this is what came out of our evening of being artistic:

Ryan's pumpkin: a self-portrait. The details are uncanny, he captured his face perfectly. This is what law school does to you!

Ryanna's pumpkin: ghosts coming out of a cauldron.

Dawson's pumpkin: a ghost holding a candelabra. Ryan helped with his.

Mine: Idaho Vandals logo, of course! (it's got 11 toothpicks holding it all together...so ignore the ones that you can see) I debated between going Idaho Vandal or going BSU Bronco; eventually black-and-gold won.


Diane's pumpkin: a live-silhouette shot of Eddie the Puppy! Very cute and looks just like him.

Jason's pumpkin: a very cool skull. (I teased him and asked if this was supposed to be Ryan on Sunday mornings)

And after enjoying our work, we went back inside where Ryan had made his delicious homemade pumpkin pie (completely from scratch) and savored every crumb. I love Halloween!