Yearly Check-Ups

Our doctor was sick for awhile so we finally just had the kids' annual exams. Miles hasn't gained much weight though he is much taller - here are his two year stats:

Height - 36.5 inches (75-90%)
Weight - 29.8 lbs (50-75%)
Head - 48.5 cm (25-50%)



We asked the doctor about getting him tested for celiac disease - where he can't digest gluten. I am sure there is a more scientific definition that Betty can tell me. Miles has a rash that comes and goes on his skin, he hasn't gained much weight in a year, and he doesn't eat bread very often. If given a sandwich, he will eat out the insides or lick off the jelly and peanut butter. We thought maybe he knows he feels sick when he eats bread. We were given an order to go to the lab and have blood drawn, but I am still sort of traumatized by holding my kids down for shots... drawing blood seems a whole other level.


Claire has had a major growth spurt - my little girl who had to wear adjustable waist pants so we could cinch them in is now wearing a 5T or even a 6x in some clothes. She is in the 95th percentile for both height and weight at 43 inches and 47 pounds. She had to get FIVE shots at this last appointment, and it was the saddest thing ever. She was behind on one shot, and then a new booster was added for another so what should have been three turned into five shots. All the stickers and lollipops in the world didn't help that day. Now for the dentist next week...


Claire loves preschool, asks for homework to do all the time, and has gone from just knowing her letters and their sound to reading sight words and writing her name like she's been doing it for years, all in just a few months. My little school nerd... I love it!

I can't believe I have a four year old and a two year old now - those last two years have flown by!

Finally - Halloween!

We had a great time! We went Trick or Treating in Seven Hills at my aunt and uncle's neighborhood, living the dream... Someday we might have a house like that...

We were gone most of the night and weren't home to give out a single piece of candy. It is really more about the experience, less about the candy. I don't know about other cities, but it seemed like at least 1 in 2, if not 1 in 3 homes gave out candy - the rest were dark. I guess they could have been like us - taking their kids around the neighborhood. That being said, the kids still got a ton of candy, and many houses gave out full sized candy bars.

We are taking some of our candy to a local dentist to get $1 and 1 raffle ticket per pound of candy. The kids are more excited about the few dollars they will get than sad about losing some candy. Matt kept his favorites anyway, so he's set :)

Who wouldn't love having these little cuties come to their door?


Or these...

Trunk-or-Treat!

We had our ward Halloween party Friday night - we had a chili cook off, carnival and trunk-or-treat. And we finally got to wear our costumes! Claire has been asking for WEEKS when we get to dress up and go trick or treating. I finished my costume just in time and Matt helped make my crook out of lawn candy canes we found at Home Depot. Then he wrapped it in some pink and white polka dot duck tape that I found at Michael's. They have all sorts of patterned tape now. Betty, Jonelle and Genevieve came too - Phil was on his way back from a hunting trip, otherwise I'm sure he would have been there to see Miles use the wooden gun he made for the Woody costume.


Whenever Claire asks to wear makeup (usually while watching me do mine in the morning), I tell her she can only wear makeup on Halloween. So, she got to wear mascara, eyeshadow, powder and have her hair sprayed red to complete her Jessie outfit.


Claire expects all of the adults in her life, including the animals, to dress up (she asked what my parent's Rat Terrier named Duke was going to be for Halloween). She just couldn't believe that MeMa wasn't dressing up. Betty said Claire asked her several times a day - are you sure you aren't dressing up? Costume or not, everyone was festive and we had fun! Now to hide the candy so it's not all eaten for breakfast...

Almost Ready!

I am finishing up costumes today, just in time for our ward party. Get ready for a Toy Story-fest! My Little Bo Peep costume is coming along nicely - if it looks too homemade, please don't say anything to me :)

We carved pumpkins last night - the kids have been asking for a week and we finally got to them. We bought huge pumpkins this year! I had heard there was going to be a pumpkin shortage this year due to a frost in the mid-west, so we bought them weeks ago, but it seems there are plenty of pumpkins to go around. The kids loved the jack-o-lanterns and wanted to sit outside with them for awhile. It was maybe 65 degrees tops, and of course my desert babies needed their blankets. I, however, was loving that we finally have some cooler nights before Halloween. It's just not right to trick-or-treat in 80 degree weather.

Pumpkin Patch, At Last!

We have been getting into the spirit of October with a visit to the pumpkin patch and of course getting our costumes ready. This pumpkin patch, complete with petting zoo, is just up the street from our house and we drive by it at least twice if not more times a day. The kids fight over whether their side of the car will have the pumpkin patch for the best view. They finally got to go, and were so happy!

Harvest Festival

We crashed the South Stake's party, but we were invited so it was OK. They had a harvest festival with a great band, booths for face painting and carnival games, a cake walk and dunk tank. I took the kids while Matt studied, and luckily I had a few friends there to help me. I think I saw half of our basketball girls there. Kate saved me a rock star parking spot and took Miles around the cake walk. Marcie played tag and raced around with Claire and Miles over and over. I was tired just watching them! We had a great time!

Me and My Sis

Took a trip up to Provo last week for a conference at BYU and then up to Salt Lake to see Becky and her family. Such a nice visit and a chance to just hang out with my sister, no kids to worry about. We saw a chick flick, Transformers 3 in 3D. :) We had both seen The Help and there wasn't much else out. Our customary trip to The Sweet Tooth Fairy for cupcakes, and just hanging out. Fun times!




A trip downtown led us to this unexpected art exhibit next to the Blue Iguana Mexican restaurant. You never know what you'll find in Salt Lake.