Home Sweet Home!

WERE HERE!!!

Colter and I are so excited to be back in Utah. The plane ride was a little tough, who am I kidding it was AWFUL! First 0f all I am not a big fan of flying. In fact I HATE IT, but I didn't care being we were going to get to see our families. Colter was pretty busy and active. He did pretty good, but its hard to keep a three year old occupied and confined for 4 hours the first flight and another hour on the second. I tried to have a bunch of different things for him to do, but between me puking my guts out and him changing every five minutes what he wanted to do, it was crazy. I got off the plane and there my Mom was standing and it made it all worth it! I am THRILLED to be back here. I only wish Darin and Demps were with us. I can't wait for Darin to come on Saturday, but at the same time I don't want to wish my week away. All of my family met at my Mom's last night and we had dinner and visited and just seeing them all was awesome. I could not let go of my G-ma Joker and Tess loved me, it was great!

I am so thankful for our families and have always been, but being far away and not getting to see them all the time, you really treasure the relationships you have with all of them. Darin and I are really lucky to have each and everyone of you. We love you!

Santa

I took Colter to see Santa. He waited in line with the biggest smile on his face. When it was his turn he ran up to Santa and gave him a huge hug! He told Santa he wanted trucks, tractors and boxes. I told Colt that he already had trucks and tractors, and should ask for something he doesn't have and he says "well then, I want boxes and stuff!" I guess it'll be easy for us this year! Colter and I are going home for Christmas. We only have TWO more days! We are so excited. The Bloomfields came and spent Thanksgiving with us and it was great. We were so excited to have visitors our way. I seriously can't wait to be back in Utah. Close to our families and even just the Utah mountains. I however am not looking forward to the nasty plane ride with a 3 year old, but as soon as we are off the plane, it will all be worth it! Darin will be coming out a week after me. He has to stay and finish his finals...and stay with Demps so he doesn't have to be kenneled for as long. I've sat down and had a long talk with Demps telling him we had to make some serious sacrifices to even bring him with us to PA, so he needs to return the favor and be strong without his familia for 2 weeks, hopefully he listens?

We are very proud of Darin and all his hard work and dedication to school and to us. He has done really well in school this semester and we are so lucky to have him. Keep up the good work babe-and we'll see ya in the west!

Gobble till you Wobble!~!!

I've been trying to come up with fun little crafts and activities for Colter and I. He always wants to watch t.v. and I hate it, so I thought we needed some fun little things while the weather is cold. This is the turkey hat we came up with! Ha ha. Colter thought the ribbons were a necessity!

Delicious!!! I made toffee and it was sooo good. I usually try and make it once a year around the holidays and it never ever turns out. It usually is too soft and this year Wall-La! I always think its done and turn it off a little to early and this time I thought it was done...so I waited just a minute longer and PERFECTION!!! I'm gonna give my Mom a run for her $$$ with this batch. Ha ha.

"UP"

So anyways I have been on the count down for the movie "UP" to come out. So the morning of we were all sitting at the breakfast table and I all excited start chanting U-P, U-P, U-P. (I spell things out around here so curious little ears don't get it yet.) and Colter gives me the funniest little look, his brows are all down and furrowed and says, "Mom, I did not!!! and I just burst out laughing. I was bawling I was laughing so dang hard. He thought I was accusing him of peeing. Ha ha. Then he proceeded to get mad at me and told me not to be dunny! (funny.)

GOBBLE-GOBBLE!!!

I am the Enrichment Leader out here and we had our November Enrichment and we did a fun getting to know you activity and then we had refreshments. I made these "special" turkeys for the night. I saw them on a website and they looked soooo cute, so i decided i would make them. for the love of pete, these suckers took along time. I have no idea how these people on the Internet get these cakes, brownies, candy & cookies to look so dang perfect. So these are how they turned out, pretty cute but definitely special!!!

Story time with Mrs. Janie

I signed Colter up for Story Time at the Library on Tuesday mornings. It is a really cute class. They read a story and watch a little movie on the wall and then they make a craft and have snack time. This weeks theme was mice and they made these funny little mouse ears. CUTE!

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

Last weekend we went to the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium. It was a really cool zoo. They had the cutest baby elephants and tons of little things i've never even heard of. They had this awesome indoor aquarium. Colter's favorite thing was the sharks. He could not wait to see them. It was the best day to go to the zoo, it wasn't too hot and it wasn't very crowded. We told Colter we were going to the zoo that morning and he says, "oooh and Jack will be there!" Right before we moved out here we went to the Hogle Zoo with Amy and her family and Colt was excited because he thought Jackie was going with us.

Don't feed the ducks!

We took Colter to go and feed the ducks and geese at a local park. Colter loved it. I've never seen so many geese in one place. I bet there were 50 or more. My Dad would love to see them all. They fly over our house all the time. We took some bread and let Colt break it off and give it to them and when we were all done we saw a sign that says "Don't feed the ducks!" oops. Oh well we're from Utah; out here in a foreign land... ha ha what do you expect!

Happy Halloween!

We went to the Henrie's and we had homemade chili in bread bowls and then we got the boys in their costumes and we went trick-or-treating. We had a blast! The boys loved it. They were so cute and polite. They told everyone thank you and then when they were leaving Braden would yell "Happy Halloween". Colter wanted to pull Braden in the wagon almost the entire time, Katie would help him push it up a hill and Colt would get a little angry and say " no, I can do it". Katie and I had almost as much fun as these little jammers. People out here in Pennsylvania don't mess around on Halloween. Colts bag was so full, people were giving these little three year olds hand fulls of candy. When we got home we went through the bag and there were tons of the big size candy bars. It was crazy! We live close to a steep hill and when we were headed home a lady from the top of the hill comes down and says "no one is coming up the hill, so I'll bring the candy to you!" It was such a fun night. We got home and Darin and Kameron could not believe the amount of candy these kids got. We ended the night by the little boys painting and we made sugar cookies. It was a lot of fun. Colt was a little mad at first because I had to go to the store to get some kidney beans for the chili and he thought I said "Kenli beans" and he thought we were going to get Kenli and she was going to trick-or treat with us, but we had to remind him that we live too far away, but we will get to spend lots of time with our cousins at Christmas! (Once we reminded him we're going on a big plane to see everyone it was okay!)

These are the Missionary's Elder Brown & Elder Worthlin that come and visit us and the Henries all the time. They love Katie because she feeds them all the time and they love me because I give them free haircuts. They are really cute guys! I gave Elder Brown a haircut the other day and Elder Worthlin entertained Colter while I did the haircut and when we got finished both Colter and Elder Worthlin were sweating like crazy, Elder Worthlin's tie was hanging low and his shirt was tucked out in the back. (I think Colter gave him a minor workout.) Elder Worthlin said Colter made him his little puppy dog!!! Ha ha. I laughing as I write this I guess you just had to be there, but by the time the Elders left I think Elder Worthlin was ready for a nap. We really enjoy these guys and are proud of all the work they do.

Happy Halloween

Colter is a "dinosaur-dragon" for Halloween this year! Bama Pam made this cute "little" costume for him. He was so excited when he got it in the mail. He opened it up and put it right on. Being that we live clear across the world right now, she could not measure him and he is growing like a weed right now, its a little snug, but its still so cute. I tease that his little "camel-toe" if you will, is going to make him squeak like a little girl all night. Ha ha. We went to the Library for our weekly activity and he dressed up as a skunk this time and the the teacher Mrs. Janie asked each of the kids to stand up and say what they were and what they liked about their costume. Colter got up and says "I live in the woods and I'm gonna eat all the animals". It was so cute and then his little friend Braden gets up and says I'm a pirate and for all of you that have little kids right now and watch mickeys clubhouse and know the "hot dog" song, Braden starts shakin his hips and says "hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog! They are so CUTE! It is so fun to watch these kids grow and develop their own little imagination.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Last night we went to the Henrie's house to celebrate Braden's 3rd birthday! The boys a had a lot of fun. The played pin the tail on the donkey, sat on balloons to see whose would pop first, played one potato-two potato had carmel apples and cake and decorated a Halloween House. Colter's teeth and mouth were black with all the frosting he decided to down! They had frosting EVERYWHERE, all over their faces, hands and on every side of their shirts. It was funny! I didn't take my camera, but their little house was really cute! They did a good job.

Licorice Carmels

Ooh the infamous black licorice carmels with "ANUS" oil! My mom makes these every year for Halloween and since we won't be there this year I took matters into my own hands...Let's just say they look a lot better then they are. I didn't think about the difference in sea levels, so I didn't cook them long enough. The flavor was really good...but they were pretty mushy. Next year they'll be better because my mom will be sending me some. Right Mom???

Schramm Farms

We went to Schramm Farm to a pumpkin patch. It was so cute for the little kids (well us big kids too!) We went through a corn and a hay maze, Colter got to ride a pony named "Rocket". They had a gigantic pumpkin patch for the kids to pick any size pumpkin they wanted. We went to pick out our pumpkins and Colter wanted the biggest one he could find, so we ended up getting a wagon and we got a 38 lb. pumpkin. The sucker is huge!!! Then the day wasn't complete until we got hot dogs, snow cones and carmel apples. It was a fun little place!

Oh what poor Pennsylvania has done to Colter. Ha ha. We were going to the park and I told him to grab shoes and socks and this is what he came up with. (I guess we'll fit in at Walmart). I figure I don't really know to many people out here yet so why not? Ha ha.

I put Colt in the bath before bed the other night and he wanted to bathe in my tub with the jets, so I let him and of course we had to have the "Lighting McQueen" race car soap and holy crap bubbles galore. I had to take a picture of ALL the bubbles, it was crazy. Let's just say when he was done bubbles were everywhere and the floor was anything but dry!

We went out in our front yard to let Colter drive his car and Darin asked him if he wanted to drive fast? There is a little screw that you can take out of the gear shift to make it go faster. I did not know this, we've had the dang thing for over 2 years, but its a good thing that I didn't know because this thing hauled butt! Colter's face was so funny. We have a little speed racer on our hands. Needless to say Colt will not be letting us put that screw back in!Dempsey-Doo

This would be the face!

When we went to Washington D.C. we left Dempsey at a "pet hotel" for the three days we were going to be gone. I was really nervous about this, but then I figured it was for only 2 nights and then we would be home. I called everyday on him and they said he was good, nervous, shy and a little growly, but doing okay. The pet hotel closed at 7 p.m. so I had Darin race home, so he wouldn't have to stay another night and I got a bucket of chicken to spoil him with and then I told him he had to have a bath...this is where I found him. Hiding underneath the computer table hoping I would not find him.

(what a BABY!) He thinks he is so smart! Ha ha.

Washington D.C.

We decided that since Darin starts school on Tuesday that we would take a little family vacation. We invited our neighbors the Henrie's and packed up the car and we were off. It is only four hours from here, so it was not a bad drive at all. The first day we spent the day at Arlington. Wow... That was unbelievable, no words could describe the feelings in that cemetery. On our tour bus they told us that they have on average 27 funerals a day there. Day two we went to all the war memorials. We spent a lot of time at the World War II Memorial; I think just because we were more familiar with that one and that being the one that both our grampies fought in. We went to the Tomb of the Unmarked soldiers. That was really cool how they do the exchange, so respectful. Then we went to a couple of the Smithsonian Museums. That took up our whole day. There is soooo much to see in those places and then on day three I said to everyone that we didn't get to see the Iwo Jima Monument, so we took the metro to Arlington and went and saw that statue. That was my favorite thing we saw. Then we went to the Holocaust Museum. That was my least favorite thing we did; just because the pit I had in my stomach the WHOLE time we were in there. I cannot even imagine going through what those people did. I tell you what after this trip I've learned a few things:

1. I am very thankful for my freedom.

2. I am very thankful for my freedom.

3. I am very thankful for my freedom.

We had a great time. It was really hot and we walked a lot, but it was fun do go and visit Washington D.C. There is so much to see, you could spend a month there and still not see everything. It was neat to learn and pay our respects to all the men and women and their families that fought for all of us!

Rain, rain and...a little more rain.

I don't know if you can tell very well from this pic, but it is CRAZY weather out here. We will just be sitting there and all of a sudden rain like you've never seen it. I took this from our deck hence it was bright and sunny all day and then it rained for about 30 mins (down poured) and then it was hot and sunny again. I guess i'll be buying an umbrella in the near future!

Twin Lakes

Darin was getting a little stir-crazy the other day, so we decided to pack a picnic and go to Twin Lakes. It's a walking trail out here about 30 minutes from our house. It was so pretty. Out here everything is so green. Of course we weren't there only but maybe 1 minute before we made the mad dash to the pavilion before the monsoon rain came down, but we lived to tell about it. You can tell by my hair-do that I am totally in love with the humidity out here!!! Colter got to feed the ducks and play on the toys surrounding the lakes. We also saw a baby turtle; Colt thought that was pretty cool.

We saw this sign when we first got there and we got a big kick out of it. Only in Pennsylvania.

This is a pic I took, I was under the pavilion after it had just rained and look how freaking pretty, it almost doesn't look real.

Clampets are back again!

Lets just say Darin and I are up to our old tricks!!! Our families are the only ones who will understand this. HA HA HA. This would be one of the thousand reasons why when we are finished with school that a truck will be one of our FIRST purchases.

Our carpet in our townhouse is so light, so we wanted to get a couple of big rugs to cover where we are going to be most and giant rugs are so expensive, so we went to Home Depot and got an "enormous" carpet remnant. Let's just say that I am SO glad that we were not in Utah when we were driving home with this blasted thing on the top of our explorer.

These are just a couple of pictures of us on our way from Utah to PA. We didn't stop to site see very much since it was a long trip, but a few stops we did make were fun. First Colter loved the big yellow moving truck, so we let him ride in it for a couple of hours. He DID NOT want to give it back to Penske when we were done.

We stopped in Nebraska and had lunch at this World War II Veterans Memorial. WOW, that was humbling. I don't know if it had anything to do with my G-pa Joker, but when we were there, my heart was just so filled. I am so thankful for the men and women who fought for our country.

Colter loved this. We got to go inside an actual railroad car. He thought it was so cool that he got to turn the wheel and be the driver. We also went to Winter Quarters where the pioneers settled in Omaha. They had a statue that hit me like a ton of bricks...it was a mother and a father huddled in a blanket getting ready to bury there child who did not survive the winter. I looked at it and instant tears were in my eyes. I could not even imagine. I would have taken pictures, but having a three year old in this kind of a place that was extremely tired of being in the car, I forgot, but it still was for the most part an enjoyable place to visit.