Halloween Party with cousins

Taylor and Mason spent the night with us on Oct. 30th so we decided to take 5 kids--6 and under--to a local church Fall Party (aka Halloween party!!)  I had seen the signs advertising for the night outside the church, but had no idea what exactly it was, if it was good, or what.  But, it was something to do and another excuse to wear our Halloween costumes.

Costumes:  

Tyler--Darth Vader, left his mask in the car, on purpose

Paige-- Princess

Taylor--cheerleader

Jaden--pablo, left his hat/head-piece in the car on accident (I htink!)

Mason--we tried to get him to wear a monkey costumer, but he wasn't having it!!

We get to the church and there was NO PARKING---literally 6 blocks or more away was the first parking place.  So, Steve dropped me and the 5 kids off at the corner.  We then had to walk through a field to get to the church.  Where did all these people come from??

I made the kids hold hands in the field.  5 kids is a lot !!!

Standing in line for the games...

We met MaryKate and her mom an dad there too.

Mason just hung out in the stroller the entire night and didn't say a word.    

He was so good!!

The petting zoo was the biggest hit.

Looking at baby chicks

Petting rabbits, holding baby chicks, dogs, a mule?, riding a pony...

Then, home to bed.

It's been awhile since we tried to get an 18 month old to sleep!  Hmmm.....

He was SO tired.  Finally we laid him in the pack and play at 10:30, opps, I think that is a little past his bed-time!  But, he just went to sleep!! 

And---I can't believe these 2 princesses actually fell asleep together in the same twin bed.  

They talked and read books for awhile, but they really did do a great job.

I moved Paige to her couch on the floor to sleep!  And, Miss Taylor ended up in my bed about 1:30 and Steve got moved to the couch!!

It was lots of fun!!  Looking forward to more sleep-overs!!!

Costumes at School

2:15pm on party day means putting on Halloween costumes in the 1st grade classroom, then a parade in the gym, followed by a PARTY in the classroom.

Tyler and Ethan

Ethan is Tyler's favorite buddy this year!!!!

**This year Tyler was a Pirate. Thanks to his cousin, Jeremy, giving us his old costume!**

In the gym--sitting as a class--waiting for the parade around the gym to start!

Parading around

I think it's so cute when the kids see us and their faces light up!!  I was towards the end of the "parade" and when Tyler finally found me, his face lit up!  I hope that look never goes away!!!  Or when I walk into his classroom, he SMILES and runs over to give me a big hug!!

The "real" Pumpkin Patch

When I told Jaden and Paige we were going to the Pumpkin Patch--they told me they had already

 been there.  I had to explain to them, that the field where the picked out a pumpkin (at school)

 was not the PUMPKIN PATCH!

When we got to the Pumpkin Patch---it was COLD!!!

We had heavy coats, hats and gloves.

 There was a giant slide that landed in the hay.

You've heard of a corn maze---that costs $$$$.

So, for FREE, you can go through the hay maze!!!   Paige loved it!  She just climbed in and out of the hay bales!  The boys loved it too---but Paige really loved walking around in the hay!!

Waiting for the hay-rack ride...we all got hot chocolate.

Grandma Balzer was the first to introduce the kids to hot chocolate!!

They were super excited to get hot chocolate, licorice, chips, and popcorn!!

Yeah, great snack, I know!

On the Hay-Rack ride....heading to the Pumpkin Patch.

Jaden took FOREVER to find the "perfect" pumpkin.  We would point out pumpkin after pumpkin.

 He just didn't know...... it took forever.

Of course, Tyler choose the BIGGEST pumpkin.  He could barely carry it.  But, pumpkins are all the same price, so go for it......

Paige of course chose the SMALLEST pumpkin.  WOW---that was an expensive per pound pumpkin!!

And, Jaden found the perfect pumpkin, the perfect size.

The kids got to feed some goats, sit on old tractors, run around, and play on a teeter-toter!!

We had a lot of fun!!

Happy Fall!!!

Jaden's pumpkin patch day

The Pumpkin Patch was brought to Jaden's class too!!

On the Trailer 

ready to go around the parking lot!! 

 It was COLD so the teacher's told all the kids to all put their hoods on!

Does he look like he's having fun or what!!!!  I'd say he doesn't care he's just.....

riding around a parking lot!!

Jaden and Mary Kate

The perfect PUMPKIN!!!  And, yes...Jaden did look at several pumpkins to find the right one!

Then we went to the classroom, put names on the pumpkins and had snack!

Sitting at the table for snack.  The few times I have peeked in the classroom during snack....

Jaden is one of the LAST ONES EATING---just like at home, no big hurry.

Pre-school rooms are so cute!!  I wish I could go to Preschool!!

School pumpkin patch

It's hard to take Pre-schoolers on a field trip...car seats galore.

So, Westlink Preschool is bringing field trips to the kids!!

The first one---a trailer ride to the "pumpkin patch"!!!

Sitting on the trailer

So proud of her perfect pumpkin (or the first one she found!)

Emmi Harden and Paige. The girls go to church together but have become buddies since being in Preschool together too!!

The trailer ride. The kids are piled in and then they drove them around the church through all the parking lots. A total of a 3 minute ride. But, the kids did not seem to mind one bit that they were riding in a parking lot!!!

And, they didn't seem to mind that the teachers had placed pumpkins in a field at the back of the parking lots. It was fun and the kids got a pumpkin. That's all that matters!!!

Blessed and Thankful

I am thankful to be caught up on my work and have an afternoon to myself.

I am blessed to have a wonderful family and friends, a great house, 3 healthy-beautiful kids, a fantastic husband who helps me with work, kids, the house, you name it. I have super parents, super in-laws, a job I love, and I could go on and on.

The past 6 months or so have been "different" at our house. Steve has not been as busy at work and has been home A LOT. (A LOT!!!!) At first I loved it, then it was weird, then I wanted him to GET OUT, now we have figured out how to be home together all day. (for the most part!!) Of course, with not working as much, comes not making as much ($$$). We were stressed, we were mad, we were stressed, we were mad, and the cycle repeats.

The other side of the story is this--I have been SUPER busy with Premier lately. I have more jewelry shows than I know what to do with, I have sponsored lots of new jewelers, my shows are averaging $650 a night, my business is really doing great. On a side note--my business has always been great--but it is just expectationally great right now.

I have been so tired, the past few weeks, especially. I am DOING something ALL THE TIME. If it's not work, it's laundry, the house, the kids, cooking (ok, not too much of that), it's always something.

I have been getting a little down. Down about no time for ME! Down about the things I can't buy because our income is not the same right now. Down about not having enough time to get the laundry done, etc. I won't keep going.

Then, I finally had a thought (and I am pretty sure the Holy Spirit put these thoughts in my mind recently).

WOW---how BLESSED am I --- when my husband's job is not "normal"---my Premier business is growing and providing for us. I didn't do it. I didn't "try" to get my business to this point. In fact, the only way my Premier business has grown like it has, it because God is on our side, taking care of us.

No---I may not be able to buy every pair of shoes I would want. But, we have not missed a bill, we have not missed a meal, we have not done without the things we NEED! And, I guarantee I have snuck in buying some things that we did not "need!!"

So--I am being THANKFUL that we are SO BLESSED!!

I want to remember that there is ALWAYS ALWAYS something to be THANKFUL for. It could always be worse---ALWAYS!!!

Not that Steve and I still don't wish things were "back to normal". We do. But, I am going to be THANKFUL when I am busy with work, because I was given Premier to be able to help our family. How often to we complain about the very thing that we should be thankful for??

So, I leave you today with these thoughts...
What are you thankful for? There are so many things....

Time flies

One month has gone by since I have posted a blog. That would be because our last month has been CRAZY!! And, I think October is following in September's footsteps.

My Premier business is growing more than ever and with a growing business comes CRAZINESS!! Many people ask how my business is with the economy--it's probably better than ever.

So---when I'm not working my business....

We are still attending soccer games.

We have gotten Jaden to wear his shin guards UNDER his socks finally!

Tyler's team:
Coach Steve, Braeden, Tyler, Hunter, Scottie, Gabe, Braeden

I decided this year, my picture is just as good as the $30 professional one you can buy! (and, I wasn't the only mom snapping her own team picture!!)

We spent a few days cleaning closets--getting rid of summer clothes and getting Fall clothes out. I try to buy the kids' clothes at the end of season's, on sale. When I pulled out Paige's Fall clothes I had already bought---they were size 4T. Way to big!! So, she has lots of 4T shirts for next year. So, I had to make a run to JCP to buy her some 3T shirts. Her pants were all ok I had bought because I bought those 3T, knowing she was a tiny little thing.

And, thanks to my mom---1 trip to a store means at least 2 trips, because you buy the first trip and then you take some back the second trip! Thanks mom for teaching me and about buying and returning!! Then, what happens is when you retun on the 2nd trip, you buy a little more, only to then need to return on the 3rd trip. WOW!!!

This day I just LOVED her cute little outfit. LOVE the TALL socks. She has several pairs: stripes, pink, and brown. And, we may be looking for more :) so cute!!

And, speaking of Paige....

She decided to CUT HER HAIR this past month!! URRGHHH!!!!!

She had such cute hair.

On the right side, she cut about 5 inches off the side/top.

So, I tried to even it out and gave her bangs. It's pretty cute when it's all done up, but when it's just hanging, not so cute!!

Paige with bangs!! Not by choice :)

And, Tyler lost his first tooth this past month too. Oh, was he ever EXCITED!!! The tooth was only loose for a week or so. I think he spent every minute at school wiggling his tooth with his tongue. He wanted it out, so I told him to bit into an apple---thinking he would NEVER do it. Two bites and out the tooth came. The bad news--It fell in the shag carpet---and it's still there or in the vacuum by now!! Yes, we never found his tooth. So, sad. Tyler had to write a note to the tooth fairy telling him (or her) that he lost his tooth in the carpet. And, we did look long and hard in the carpet. Dad got a flashlight and everything. But, that tooth was TINY!!!

SO--now we're caught up on our past month!

Soccer is a few weeks away from being over. But, Basketball for Tyler starts this Friday! So--yet another season of practices and games. We are excited to have Tyler in FunBall this year for basketball. It's a little more competitive. At the YMCA and Upwards b-ball through church, they don't keep score. We are excited to keep score !! Funny huh!!!