Halloween Party

Our church had it's annual Halloween "Trunk or Treat" party tonight. It was with three other wards which makes it more fun for the kids with lots more games and friends and tons more trunks to gets treats from.

Kyle ran around like a fool all night with his friends and we barely saw him so no photos of the boy. Abbie and Daisy let us take a picture all spiffed up. Daisy pretty much hung out with her Daddy but Abbie loved going to each car for a treat and said after each one (and I mean each and every one) "Do we have to go home now?" I think because it was dark outside she was afraid we were going home. We went inside for games and she had fun bean bag tossing, dart throwing and getting a tattoo. We decided it was best to bypass the Spook Alley. Kyle won a cake in the cake walk. I volunteered to make a cake and used some pink frosting I'd been wanting to get rid of. Kyle, of course, picked a pink cake to bring home. So one goes out and ones comes back...just my luck.

All in all, it was a big hit. Abbie and Ruby can never do their posing in unison. The Butlers probably have a photo of Ruby with a big smile and Abbie looking off somewhere.

A New BFF

Abbie and Daisy have found a new best friend. Kramer used to hang out with Reggie and since Reggie liked to knock Abbie and Daisy over all the time, they didn't see each other a ton. Now Kramer is with us 24/7 so the girls are getting used to being around him all the time again. It's been a little slower transition with Abbie than with Daisy but Abs is definitely getting better. She likes to feed Kramer (need to find some new chores for Kyle) but tonight insisted on actually feeding Kramer, kibble by kibble. At first she was putting each one in his mouth but when Tripp went to take a photo Kramer left the area. They started again but this time Abbie just put each piece on the floor for him.

She thought he needed some pizazz last week and decorated his fur with stickers. Luckily nothing got stuck. So marks the beginning of a beautiful friendship..

GROSGRAIN MINI STORE OPENING NOVEMBER 6!!!! AND BIG PREVIEW GIVEAWAY!!!!

GROSGRAIN MINI STORE OPENING NOVEMBER 6!!!! AND BIG PREVIEW GIVEAWAY!!!! - I'm thrilled that she is opening an online store. So marvelous that she is following a dream. Maybe I will win this fabulous set in the meantime. If there is something off this site that I've really hoped to win for girls, this is definitely up there. Plus, I could even give one to a friend (look out Ruby!!!!)

My kids are funny...

My kids are so funny...not ha ha funny (well that too sometimes) but more in an amusing way.

I literally kill myself every day to get Kyle to do all his homework, practice his piano, brush his teeth, wear his glasses, etc. Don't get me wrong, he isn't throwing fits or yelling at me but it takes an amazing amount of energy just to keep him on track and to any of the above mentioned tasks fully completed...not to mention all of them (and more). He is so distracted by everything around him. He would rather do just about anything than homework, piano or brush teeth.

Abbie, on the other hand, is dying to do those things. She is constantly wanting to brush her teeth and loves to sit at her table and do her homework. This morning I kept asking Kyle to finish filling out his reading log. Abbie was at her table and kept telling me "I'm doing my reading log, Mommy." She had her little pencil and paper. She loves doing homework like Kyle. It usually involves a paper, pencil and stickers but it is homework, just like Kyle's. Later, she told me she was taking her piano lesson. She made Kramer sit and listen while she played the piano (with the book open of course). Kramer was a good sport.

Then there is Daisy. She really just likes to play with toys or walk in her stroller. Our morning walks around Kyle's JAWS track at school are among her favorite things. I often wonder what she will be like when she can talk and really tell us more about what she wants. For now, she just crawls around and tries to play with or eat everything.

I guess they will always want what they can't have, try to be older, envy what the others can or don't have to do, etc. but hopefully I'll just continue to be able to find it amusing.

A Special Day

Yesterday we had the pleasure of attending the wedding of one of our favorite young women in the entire world. Mallory Clark was sealed to Josh Evans in the Las Vegas Temple Saturday afternoon and we are so thrilled that we were asked to be there.

We met Mallory when she was a junior is high school. She was in Tripp's Sunday School class for two years and every time Tripp asked the class if anyone wanted to babysit, Mallory would volunteer. But she quickly became much more than a babysitter, she watched the dogs while we were out of town, took care of our house and best of all, became a good friend.

We were so excited when Mallory left Vegas to attend BYU Hawaii then later BYU Idaho. She told us of her plans to find an internship in England and we couldn't think of a better spot for her. Little did we know that finding that internship in Liverpool would lead to discovery of Josh and her perfect life away from all of us. Honestly, we can't think of a better place for Mallory...England totally suits her and her husband is darling but we will miss her dearly.

Mallory is the kind of girl we hope ours will grow up to be...beautiful both outside and in, incredibly smart, talented, kind, responsible and resourceful. She has her own style and has never been afraid to be a little different. She always stands up for what she believes in and is a shining example to those around her.

She was so cute and asked Abbie and Daisy to be a part of the reception that night by wearing special dresses of the wedding party. I think in their little baby hearts, they knew something really special was going on. As soon as Abbie saw Mallory she ran up to her and gave her the hugest hug.

We wish Mallory the very best. Tripp is already working on a mental agenda for our journey to visit them (wishful thinking I'm afraid).

This is Abbie cutting a rug...which she insisted on doing the entire time we were there.

Daisy turns 10 months....

Daisy turned 10 months old a week ago. She is getting to be such a big baby girl. She: has three teeth with a fourth just starting to poke through, can crawl but still likes to tush push around the majority of the time, is getting tired of baby food but doesn't like the texture of all normal food so is a real challenge to feed (although she will eat an entire Cafe Rio children's quesadilla without a problem), has tiny feet that don't fit into 6 - 12 month shoes (they are like boats on her), likes to sign "Milk" while she is drinking her mik, has the chubbiest love legs around.

She still looks like such a baby that we can't believe she is closing in on her first birthday. Sam bought those boots for Abbie and I think they are a size 3...they are still a little big on her feet but are tight on her chubber legs. Abbie never got to wear them so despite the warm weather, Tripp put them on Daisy today so that someone would give them a whirl. Her feet may not grow out of them by the time winter arrives but her legs definitely will!

Still no bows for her hair. It is getting thicker and wavier in the back and on the sides but remains old man thin in front. O'well...someday she will look like a girl.

Piggies...We've Got Em!

That's right...Abbie's hair is finally long enough for pigtails. She is almost three but whatever. They are a little too small for ribbons still (I think) but a change of pace is nice. Remember the difference a bow made (check out Fro with A Bow if you need a refresher).

So today, the first day with big girl hair. Let's just hope I don't shoot my eye out with the super small elastics like Nikki did.

Playing Catch-up

I'd be lying if I said we spent the weekend playing catch-up. Franky, we are so behind with so many things that I wouldn't even know where to begin. Luckily, this form of catch-up was way more fun....

I'd say that I have four friends from college that I truly attempt to keep in contact with and will care about for the rest of my life - Kelly Moore Williams, Christen Hanna, Amy Crouch and Tracy Keller Oxtoby. Lucky for me, Amy was in town for the weekend at a company retreat and Tripp and I got to spend about 90 minutes with her Saturday night catching up. It wasn't enough time to find out the intricacies of her life; what she was up to last week, what she will be doing next, but I do know the most important things...her family (two sisters and a mom - truly delightful people) are all well, her husband is healthy and doing well and they are still very much in love and that she is healthy and very happy (expecting a baby next year!). Amy is a really cool chick, someone a lot of people in college wanted to know and that I always felt blessed to count as a friend.

I don't get to see my college friends much at all. I guess that's what you get for going to school in Missouri. But I'm happy to say that even with our incredibly busy lives, I'll always feel blessed to have even 90 minutes to catch up with any of those women. Love you guys~

Oh ya, and I meant to take a photo - had a camera with me even - but in true Ali fashion totally forgot.

Babe in a Bag and other photos to share...

Nothing new, just some photos to share. Kyle's soccer practice recently moved from 6:00 to 5:15...great for getting the boys home earlier but horrible for dinner. We really try to eat together so I've been making dinner prior to practice, feeding Kyle, then packing up everything else and feeding the girls and Tripp at the park. Last night after dinner, Tripp put a squirmy Daisy in Kyle's soccer bag. Everyone thought she was so funny so we took a few photos of her adventure.

Of course Abbie had to get in on the action too. Yes, that is her tutu from ballet sticking out. She wants to wear her dance clothes all day on Monday and I'm tired of fighting her about it so she walks around town every Monday with a leotard and tutu on. It makes for an interesting day.

Nikki B. and I have been punching JAWS cards at Kyle's school Thursday mornings for the last few years. By the end of last year, with two squirmy girls, I'd had enough of the morning. This year, we are punching Tuesday at the kids lunch hour. One of us watches the girls while the other goes and takes over JAWS. We decided to have a mini-preschool that day for the girls since we have about 1 1/2 hours of time. Today was the first week of JAWS and my first week with the girls. We talked about and decorated the number one. Below are the girls working on decorating their ones.This is Daisy wishing she was a big girl too.

Abbie has been participating in story time at the library since she was 6 months old. She was so excited to find that Ruby signed up for her same session this time! She has to sit right next to Ruby while playing the games and listening to the stories. Ruby may not want to sign up for story time again.

Getting Ready for Fall

We are getting ready for fall at the Thompson house. That means working on gathering Halloween costumes (see Abbie trying hers on), putting up the decorations (check), a little yard work (tore out our entire backyard on Saturday - two scorpion stings to prove it) and the beginning of birthday season (although the pre-event was in August with Kyle's birthday). The weather finally cooled down a bit so and we are super ready for fall. So much so that I made my first batch of soup this weekend (since last winter)...Tripp and I enjoyed black bean soup all weekend long. I usually give some away and freeze some for later but we ate the entire pot this weekend.

Kyle hasn't decided what he wants to be for Halloween yet but the deadline is tomorrow because I need to start getting costumes in order. I've had a couple enquiries into what Daisy will be. Those of you who know me well know that I saved every stitch of Abbie's clothing which Daisy has proudly worn the last almost 10 months. Daisy will be wearing the butterfly costume Abbie wore on her first Halloween...in pristine condition I might add. We've been decorating the outside and inside of the house since Oct. 1 but of course Abbie is in love with the pumpkin Grandma Marz gave her today. She wants to put it in her room (tough luck Chuck - it's sitting by the front door).

All of our birthdays are in the second half of the year...starting with Kyle's in August then ending with Daisy in December. Below is the photo from Tripp's pizza birthday dinner at our house a couple of weeks ago. Abbie & Daisy's parties are in the works (don't worry Sam, I killed the balloon idea - you're off the hook).

Little People

What makes Little People so stinkin fun? I'm not sure but I remember liking them when I was little and my girls total dig theirs as well. We have the LP Farm, the LP House, the LP Zoo and the LP Pet Shop and the girls love them all (each one was a gift by the way...thanks everyone!). Ruby was over this afternoon and she was so thrilled to find our LP bucket. She kept saying, "I've never seen these before!" - meaning our stash, not LP in general.

I've got my eye on the LP Halloween and Thanksgiving sets featured on the Fisher Price website. There are some fun ones for Christmas as well but we'll see if I pony up for Halloween and Thanksgiving first.

Too Much Little People

Red Riding Hood Jacket GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Red Riding Hood Jacket GIVEAWAY !!!!!!! - So cute! I think Abbie (and later Daisy) would love this. And we already have the Gap dress!!!! I got it for $2 the other day so we are set. Once my life settles down, I'm going to try and morph into this darling seamstress.....