Spooky Woods

Tonight Gage and I went with some of my classmates to Spooky Woods for some good ol' Halloween fun! We had a great time and Gage was so brave! First, we went through an old creepy house. Then we went through the haunted woods where Gage led the way. He was chosen to be the leader by the attendant and given the flashlight to hold because it was totally dark and at times the flashlight would even go out!! Creepy! Gage was very brave though and seemed more amused than scared. Then we went through a haunted corn maze and last was the haunted castle. I love haunted houses and Blake isn't really into them so I was very excited that Gage wanted to go and I don't think he'll hesitate the next time the opportunity comes around!

Carrie's husband Neil, Anne Marie, Carrie, Kathryn and her husband Glen, Jim and his son Toby, Gage and me.
Toby, Beetle Juice and Gage

Webelo's and Skateboards

Gage is now a Webelo in scouts, WAY TO GO Gage! He also had his very first skateboarding accident. It was a pretty good one too! He was pretty scraped up all over. My friend Christi Dieckman (whose husband Jim is also in the nurse anesthesia program and happen to live one street over from us) bandaged him up pretty good for me, thanks Christi! Gage was over on their street skateboarding with their daughter Arielle when he decided to go down a hill. He got going too fast and had a wipeout! Thank goodness for Arielle because she felt very strongly that he should wear her helmet and luckily he listened because he said he landed head first. I am very thankful for those promptings!! Here he is with all of his scrapes. The pictures don't quite do them justice, they actually looked worse than the pictures show.

Ward Campout at Hanging Rock

This weekend we went on the ward campout, which was really fun. I was a little leery at first because I thought it would be too cold, but it was perfect. I guess I keep forgetting where I am. I thought, October in the mountains - too cold! I was wrong though, the weather was great. I had on a light sweater and was way too hot. It was just overnight, we think camping is a lot of work for just one night, but it was still worth it! We had a great time with family and friends! Our good friends that we met here, the Crowther's, went also so we camped along side them and went on a hike with them the next day. A few weeks earlier Blake and the boys went on the Father/Son campout and had a great time. Unfortunately, Blake didn't take the camera to capture the bonding moments, but they played football, roasted marshmallows and all kinds of fun guy stuff!

Alyssa, Brendan, Gage, Zack, Eliza and Max
Me and Melissa Crowther and their adorable baby girl Abbey.

Gage decided to get in the water and wanted to take his shirt off so it didn't get wet, but them dunked it in the water anyway!! He felt a little silly and we all had a good laugh, including him! After that he decided he might as well just put it back on.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Today was my 33rd Birthday. It was simple, but perfect! It just so happened that I had the day off from school so Blake and I went to Five Guys Burgers and Fries for lunch (love that place!!) then rented a movie and watched it while the kids were at school. Then later that night while I was studying, Blake and the kids made me a delicious birthday cake - so sweet! Max, always so sweet and considerate, made me a tender birthday card that I LOVED! It was complete with little cut out hearts and flowers - so thoughtful. He knows that I love them because I always draw them whenever Eliza asks me to draw something. I LOVE that he pays attention to all the little details of all of our likes and dislikes. We all had a wonderful night together. I LOVE this sweet, little, happy family!! I feel like the luckiest girl in the world!!

More Scouts Awards...

Last week at scouts the boys made survival pouches. They were supposed to put things in them that they could use out on a hike and show what they put inside to everyone at tonight's Pack Meeting. Gage had a wallet in his and Max had a flash light and a camera. Maybe, not Man vs. Wild quality, but sweet boys nonetheless!! I love these two adorable guys!

Tonight Gage and Max received a few awards. Gage received his Bear award and is now a Webelo. He also got another BB shooting and Archery belt loop as well as his first Geology belt loop. Max earned the BB shooting, Archery, and Geology belt loops and two yellow beads.

Max is trying to look very proper, standing straight and tall. He's sooo funny! I'm noticing how badly he needs a haircut, but he won't let us touch it!








Blake making crazy, silly faces for the photographer - Eliza.
Max performing a great magic trick!

Nurse Anesthesia school fun...

I had to go get an ear piece made for when I start clinicals. We use them to continuously listen to our patients heart and lung sounds during the surgery. Anyways, when I got it done the lady was ramming the stuff into my ear and telling me that I have no pain tolerance because I was telling her she was putting it too far. I was thinking...oh no she did not just tell me I have no pain tolerance, I have had three kids naturally! Well when the mold had set up, her assistant took it out and looked in my ear and said to the original lady, "Um...can you look in her ear, her ear drum is scratched?" Ha!! I knew it! I felt a little vindicated in my complaining. It all turned out fine in the end and my earpiece fits just fine, and it's pink of course! Can't wait to start using it.

Gage's Birthday Party

So we finally had Gage's birthday party. It was the same dilemma we always have - when to have it. It's hard, especially having just moved, because the school year is just starting and he is making new friends, but it is awkward to hand out invitations on the first day of school. So we decided to hold off a week, but then after invites were out we realized it was Labor Day weekend. My brain wasn't functioning in it's normal party planner mode with all of this school girl business I guess. I felt bad because only four boys were able to come, but Gage had fun and didn't seem to mind. He wanted to have a swimming/sports party this year. So we had the boys over and BBQ'd hot dogs and went swimming (the boys played HORSE and water football), then the boys played golf and baseball. It was a great time and when a couple of the boys fathers came to pick them up they actually had them come back later to pick them up. All in all I would say it was a great party even after being scaled back, ALOT, from what I normally do.