Halloween 2013

The boys have been on a Mario and Luigi kick so they really wanted to be them for Halloween. I wasn't about to spend $35 a costume so I got creative and made the overalls myself ($10 and $5). I found red and green long sleeve shirts at Wal-Mart ($2 and $7.50) of all places and then we got the hats and gloves off of Amazon ($5.67 and $2). Making those overalls was well worth saving half of what it would of cost to just buy those flimsy costumes.

 Evan's class threw in a little curve ball and asked that all students come as a fairytale character out of a book. I had to put on my thinking cap for something that was cheap to do. Luckily my mom did all the thinking for me because I remember my brother going as the wolf in the wolf's version of the Three Little Pigs. I couldn't find any fabric for the jailbird outfit so I had to look for one already made. Luckily I found a cheap one off of Amazon a long with the tail, nose and ears. He just used a plastic measuring cup I use for laundry for the sugar. He was so cute and he had fun with it even though he was bummed he couldn't go as Luigi.

I was asked to make a healthy snack for the 17 kids in his class for their Party. Thanks Pinterest! They're healthy with just a little sugar. After all, it is Halloween and they were a hit.

 After the boys got home from school we went to visit Matt, or the scary guy, at work.

 First round of Trick or Treating

 Later we Trunk or Treated at Matt's Parents ward. That beat going door to door.

Laura took Alex around with the scooter while Evan ran ahead of us.

Preschool!

Alex started his first year of Preschool!

 I'm excited about this because he gets to socialize with kids his own age, which he needs and someone more qualified teaches him. I've been trying on my own like I did with Evan but he hasn't been interested. I dropped him off his first day but he gets to ride the bus to and from school. Evan and Alex are in school at the same time so this gives me a few hours to myself twice a week :).

Our Closet is a Solar Oven...Not really

This may not be exciting to some but it's exciting to us because this closet down in our basement has been the biggest problem. Not really. It was only a problem when you opened the door because of the horrible mold smell because the concrete walls would sweat the most during the winter because there's no ventilation. Luckily our tenants have been really good about it and didn't use it because we had no idea how to fix the problem. It's a great space for storage so we really wanted to get it fixed.

Our last tenants moved out at the end of July and we had new ones lined up for the 15th of August. We decided to call the guy that finished Matt's parent's basement to see if he could do anything. He thought to just add insulation and then cut to holes for vents on the door so air would circulate. I bleached the heck out of the room before he set to work and he did a great job and it didn't cost as much as we thought it would :)! It looks like a solar oven but who cares.......we can use the closet!!!

 

Singing in the Rain!

Kindergarten!

I can't believe our little Evan is in Kindergarten! He was so excited about school so this day couldn't come soon enough for him.

He was accepted back in January to go to Freedom Prepatatory Acadamy and we couldn't have been more excited about it.

A few days before the big day we got to meet his teacher. She's new to the school and this is her first year teaching but I can already tell she is going to be a great teacher. Her name is Miss. Wall. The TA for the class is Mrs. Bowers.

 

On his first day of school signing K for Kindergarten.

 Can you tell he's really excited?

 Alex wasn't at all thrilled to leave him behind. He was so sad the rest of the day, asking to go pick him up. Alex just loves his brother and can't stand being away from him. I'm looking forward to him going to Preschool so he has something to keep him busy.

 

Woodbadge

At the beginning of August I got the opportunity to experience Woodbage. It's a Training for Adult Scout Leaders. I don't have a calling in the scouting program but after being at Philmont last summer I wanted to help in the program where I could. I also wanted to know the program so when my kids are scouts, I know how I can help them. I volunteer on the Cub Committee. This training was great because I get to use the skills I learned in my calling in the Young Women's.

I was in the Bear Patrol :). I loved my group!

 

 A few great things about this course beside learning and having a fun week, is that my Stake put this on and Matt was one of the of the Patrol Guides. He had a lot of fun as well and I loved that I got to experience this with him.

 It's a small world when you end up being in the same patrol with a cousin. We share the same great-great grandfather on my mom's side:).

 

July 2013

We had the Thompson Reunion up in Mt. Lassen in California. We stayed at a beautiful cabin where we enjoyed being with our wonderful family and exploring.

 

 We went on some beautiful hikes. This is Burney Falls

 We spent one of the days exploring Lassen Volcanic National Park.

 What's a family reunion without walking through a lava tube?

The rest of the time we visited different lakes around the cabin to swim and kayak in.

After the reunion we stayed in Reno for a few days with just our family. It was fun walking around downtown where we were staying with the boys. We visited Circus Circus and played in the arcade. The boys toughly enjoyed winning different stuffed animals or toys instead of getting tickets to get silly gadgets like most arcades give that are rip offs. We had some amazing food while there and we played at the pool a lot. I think the boys enjoyed the pool the most. 

We visited the Reno Temple.  

 The boys had fun seeing and going after the little rabbits everywhere.

We got to spend most of the one of the days at Lake Tahoe. We got there at a great time because we had the beach all to ourselves for a long time.

 So pretty out there.....

And relaxing!

 After the Lake we spent the rest of that day in Virginia City. We walked around exploring down town and then the entire city by train.

The boys had so much fun staying in a hotel that they keep asking to go back. They named their top bunk bed 18, the floor we slept on, and the bottom bunk 7, where the pool was.

Since the Reunion was in Northern California, we did get the fun opportunity to visit our Haymore side of the Family before the reunion.

It was fun going out to dinner with just the girls, kid free while our husbands watched the kids and ordered pizza.

We were taken to a fun pizza place the next day. I wish I remembered what it's called because it was good food and had a great fun center.

 

 

 

Through the Years Part 2

 

On the 18th of June I got one of those calls from the High Council to have me and Matt meet one of the Presidency members. I knew it had to be because of me because I knew there was no way that they will let go of Matt being on the High Council. My suspicions were right and I had a feeling it was due to girls camp so I was ready to tell them my answer (for sure!!). I just didn't know what they wanted me to do haha.

I was asked to be an assistant cook with two other women. I was amazingly excited about it even though I really don't have much experience with cooking in the great outdoors and cooking for a large group of people. It turns out that I was only cooking for the Stake Staff and YCL's. We only had one night to cook for everyone that went to camp. All other nights the wards cooked their own food. It's much different how things went when I was a YW.

Six days later, I had my bags packed and off in the mountains for a very uplifting week. It was hard work but so worth it. I was up a little earlier then most and stayed busy most of the time. I was still able to enjoy the camp experience by attending the different activities and down time (It was really needed). I was enjoying myself so much that I didn't take any pictures. I know I'm lame! I got to know people a lot better and even formed new friendships. Best of all I was able to watch the YW grow in their testimonies and bond with them.

At home the boys were having fun with my mom while Matt was at work (Thanks Mom!!). In the evenings Matt was spending his time doing things around the house to keep him busy. He went as far as planting beautiful flowers out front and planting a cherry tree in this crazy heat wave! I love him so much!!! I've wanted a cherry tree forever but only recently talked to Matt about it. I wasn't expecting it at all because I asked him to promise me to plant one in our next house lol. They also got to do other fun things like going out for dinner and going to an Owlz Baseball Game.

I wrote a blog post about our house Through the Years with pictures of our home at different times. Matt found these pictures online through the city and we thought it was pretty cool seeing the history of our home through different pictures. Here's more pictures after 3 1/2 years.

 Up close of Matt's hard work. We just need to add rock but what we want isn't available because the state of Utah bought all the rock for the year. All flowers come back every year :).

Little Monkey Turns 3!

Alex turned 3 on May 11th, finally!

The cake made by me

 Birthday boy excited for his party

 Two little Monkeys

 He was so ready to get that monkey opened

 Some pictures opening presents

 "It's a bike!"