Whew!

Well, there's a whole family of folks wearing red who are pretty happy that we won! By one point. ONE!

Half the fam went to the game and froze their long-john butts off and the other half stayed home with the little ones. Some were frozen, some were thankful for Tivo so we could actually see what the heck was going on in the game.

Pretty stoked that the Utes pulled it out at the end. And, after that blocked kick and the Boise State debacle last night, also hoping there's some kind of sucky kicker support group.

Sloane and Harper were rocking their U red. Handmade hats. (Becky is like the queen of finding these things...honestly? hand-knitted Ute bandanas AND hand-stitched U hats? wow. just, wow.) We're getting one for Nana.

Halloween, part two.

It was a Halloween shipping miracle, but yes, the costumes arrived in time! Tagg could not wait to put on his Nemo costume, and once Sloane tired of her Nemo outfit, he wanted to wear that one too. That was pretty funny. This picture didn't really do the costumes or my kids justice...they were pretty darling and actually pretty happy!

Tagg finally got the whole "candy" concept about 2 days before the big day. He's never been much of a candy kid. I've had him convinced that fruit is dessert for over 2 years. I call that a moral victory! But it was time...so he dug into some M&Ms and thought he'd gone straight to heaven. I'm not sure what prompted his love of the Nemo costume - chocolate or the actual movie. Either way! He also likes suckers. We did some trick or treating at work and he did pretty good. Speaking of work, our little marketing team (roller derby girls...luckily recycled costumes from last year) lost the costume contest vote to KISS by one stinking vote. I blame Ty. If he'd gone drag as All Beef Patty we'd have totally had it. Christi pulled out all the stops with a big giant safety pin in her nose and the faux-hawk. Now that is commitment! The red wig was so fabulous I was this close to going red...if I could have grown another 6 inches of hair, I'd have been there!

So that was Friday. Saturday morning at 9am, I was standing a few miles and a few thousand feet above Sundance Resort in sub-40-degree weather dressed as a big-bang 80s chick with Nat and Lindsay, ready to run 13.1 miles down a hill to the scariest place on Earth...Provo, Utah (the race billing, I can't even take credit for that one!). The "ready to run" is a total lie...I literally off-the-couched this one. I'd probably run a total of 13 miles since July and hadn't been to the gym in 2 weeks. Ouch. Thanks, gravity, for making it do-able! (Reality Check: Must train for next race. I could not walk up or down stairs for 4 days after, and let's not even talk about sitting.)


The weather turned out to be perfect, the scenery was amazing, and it's hysterical to run with 3000 people in costume - you never get bored! Finished with a pretty good time, got a cool medal...and then walked for an hour back to the car because the bus line was so long. The best part? Lindsay ran in a thong leotard. Like a real one. Which she got at American Apparel and the sales girl was like "oh, every time I buy one I get a medium cause they run small." Every time you buy one? Seriously?! The thong got some comments on the run, for sure, but on the walk through downtown Orem on Saturday? We thought the cops were going to show up. Or the missionaries! So 16 miles under my belt by noon and then? Off to change for more Halloween fun!

We went to Mark & Jen's for Halloween night. Scott was Evil Knievel, and if it hadn't been a torrential downpour that night (like really, really raining!) he would have rode his motorcycle up. Luckily his helmet was covered with homemade decora made from a...garbage bag. So it was waterproof. And Tagg was dressed like a fish, so good for trick or treating in the rain! Tagg made it for about a block up and down and then he was done (remember, still new to the whole candy concept).

Here's a picture of us as a devil family for Halloween. What is up with our eyes?! I am The Missing Sock Fairy. See all the socks in my hair and on the dress? Yeah, no one else did either...kids pull a lot on that stuff and wings are really tough to maneuver at a party, I found out. It didn't last long. So glad I spent all that time stitching those stupid socks on everything! I could have just come as a sweaty, sore runner and been fine. Stinky, but fine. Sloane is a little ballet kitty in this picture. It was darling! She didn't last long either but mostly because the boa fuzzies were driving her bonkers, and it was 8pm, and she totally doesn't care about candy.

It was kind of funny that all the guys took the kids trick-or-treating while the U game was on. They won but it was definitely a focus of the evening. And only one person came as a Ute fan. Next year, I really have to think about the efficient costume!

Sloane's "Squirt" costume was really adorable. It would have been perfect if she was crawling because the back was the best part. Thanks, Tagg, for picking the costumes! You did good!

He loves his Nemo costume so much that I washed it and he pulled it out of the laundry and put it on last Sunday and ran around in that, his dud and socks all night long. We put it in the Halloween box, and he found it, brought it upstairs on Tuesday and wore it all night long. Put it away again, and boom! he's got it in bed as one of his cuddlies that night. Along with all of his other Nemos and Squirt stuffed animals. I guess we're getting our money's worth!

Halloween, part one.

Reasons I hate Halloween: ordered two overpriced kid costumes (2), one was too big, one was too small, stores are out, shipping new ones overnight (2) = 40 bucks and hoping they get here in time. If not, have to plan for back-up costumes (2). Had to make a work costume, a half-marathon costume and a party costume (3) and... help Scott with his costume (1). That's TEN costumes! Where is the candy, hmmm?

Funny thing? Tagg decided they should be Monsters because that was his current favorite movie but when we put his monster costume (after a bit of cajoling, mind you) it was way, way too small. So, not so funny. Now he wants to be Nemo - no, mommy, I no cowboy, I no puppy, I no (insert whatever noun, character, etc. you like here). I NEMO! So now we have a Nemo costume and a 6-mo old Squirt (the little turtle) costume are on their way, hopefully arriving before Halloween. Luckily (I think) Tagg now loves candy and cookies, especially this gift box from Nana and Papa so he'll really dig the whole trick or treating concept this year. He'll also be on a sugar high for the next month but I guess that's okay.

This is the one photo we have of Sloane in the too-big costume. She's crying because the headpiece kept falling over her eyes so she couldn't see, and the feet and hands were so big that the second she moved they would fling off in every direction. Hmmm.

This was our ivy patch making the summer to fall transition...on Sunday. Pretty, yeah?

On Wednesday morning, we woke up to this...all white. What the...!?!?! Tagg stood at the window and said, "Mommy, it not Christmas. It not." No joke, son, no joke.

Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch tonight. It's a tradition (meaning we did it last year with Tagg). Tagg is completely fascinated by pumpkins. Isn't he the cutest thing ever?

Our neighbors are growing some in their grass strip between the sidewalk and the road (what's that called? anyone? anyone?) and he LOVES it. If we go for a walk, he wants to run - not walk, RUN! - to the pumpkins. Cowboy boots, sandals...doesn't matter. We're running to the pumpkins!

Tagg was really good with baby Sloane. He's really starting to get this big brother thing down. He only let her tip over once and didn't try to pummel her with a pumpkin so all good! Aren't they cute?

Tagg and Sloane thought the hay bales were pretty cool. Sloane loved the straw pieces. And so did Tagg until he realized they were stuck in his pants. That wasn't so good for him. But he did like throwing bits o' straw so hopefully it all evened out.

Tagg found the littlest pumpkin in the world.
His favorite. Till he figured out
that it was a lot like a little ball.
After that, it was all about throwing pumpkins.

Tagg was having a ball riding the pumpkins, doing downward dog on them (yes, mommy is teaching him some yoga poses...whatever! he was already doing them, I just named them!). He thought stepping on the pumpkins, and rolling them and pushing them was about the coolest thing ever. You'd never know it by the facial expression but I swear...he was having fun!

Sloane was not digging her first pumpkin patch experience. She cried on the way, chilled when she had some hay to play with, and then fell asleep. So she missed some of the good stuff. But she got a good nap so that's important! I'm guessing next year will be a little different!

Family photo! October 13, 2010 at the Pumpkin Patch.

43 lbs? Not so much.
The pumpkins 32...Tagg? Maybe 30.
All of them in a wheelbarrow? Priceless!

Frogs and Teeth

We had a great breakfast with Sloane's baby family at Eggs in the City on Saturday. It was, as ever, special and amazing and completely unbelievable. If you had told me that these people would become part of our family in this weird and special way, I wouldn't have believed it.

Afterwards, we met Natalie and Alek at Red Butte Gardens. They were babysitting G (Georgiana, at least I think that's how you spell it) who is 17 months and Eliza who is 6 while her dad took a photography class. It was a kind of gloomy day but we had a ball. There was red dirt. And water fountains with frogs in them. And oversized lizards to climb on. I read the sign by the fountains to Tagg - Do not throw dirt in the fountains. About 10 minutes later, he goes over and points at the sign - "Don't throw dirt fountain!" And then he threw a handful of dirt in the fountain! Well, at least he knew the words, right?

Sunday was Kayla's blessing. She was born the day after Tagg's 2nd birthday, July 27th, so she's about 6 weeks younger than Sloane. It's amazing to see how much they grow so quickly. Like if you put Sloane in between Harper who is 5 weeks older and Kayla you can pretty much see her future and her past. I know that won't last long and pretty soon they'll be like evil girlie triplets but for now it's pretty cool.

Sloane followed in her brother's footsteps, busting out some big momentous occasions with Scott's family - and the camera. She broke through both bottom teeth on Sunday (hence the fingers in the mouth) and is super close to sitting up on her own. She's just a little too weebly to let sit on her own for too long. She's been mildly fussy but it's amazing how chill she's been considering that she's teething. She's also sleeping through the night and loves to stand up! I think she'll be walking sooner than later.

Oktoberfest

Sadly there was no chicken dancing, no brats (as in bratwursts...there were plenty of kid brats), no sauerkraut. Sometimes that's the risk (or bonus!) of taking 2 year olds to an event during nap time.

It was such a gorgeous Sunday to be in the mountains. Just a little too early for the leaves to be changing but it was sunny and warm and liberating.

Tagg didn't completely freak out when we got his face painted. The shark was cool! His mouth opened and so did the shark's! Of course, by the time he sacked out in the car on the way home half the shark was rubbed off on his car seat. That was 5 bucks well spent!

Tagg liked panning for gold with mommy and Aunt Biff but mostly because there was water and rocks. We had to leave when he started throwing them. Never found the gold. Should have known better. It was free.

Sloane is a dream in the sling. It's like baby crack. I don't know if it's the swaddle effect or the warmth or the movement but it's amazing how quickly she sacks out in the Maya sling. I highly recommend it if you need to carry the baby in a hands-free environment. It even has a little pocket for money and your phone.

We completely forgot sunscreen - duh. Luckily the Snowbird gift shop had some 55 SPF for babies - for the bargain price of 17 dollars. Yes...17 dollars. I refused to wash it off her head till Tuesday just because I wanted to get my money's worth. It kind of looked like she'd been white-washed but at least she wasn't sunburned!

Deep Fried Chocolate Covered Bacon and Other Fair Stuff

Tagg and Sloane were a little too young to really, truly appreciate their first Utah State Fair. Scott, on the other hand...he really got it! Tagg loved the cows and the pigs. Scott and I were flabbergasted by the epic line stretching in front of the "deep fried twinkies, oreos, candy bars and, yes...wait for it...deep fried chocolate covered bacon."

Sloane was all decked out for her first trip to the fair. We thought that the fall weather would have kicked in so we went a little warm and then it was 100 degrees. Woops! The hat was cute though!

We realized shortly after arriving at the carnie portion of the Fair that things have changed. Back in the day, you used to actually have to spend money and exercise some skill to get that big ol' stuffed animal. Now, they just kind of ask you how much you're willing to spend and that's what you give them. I don't think it bodes well for men who really want to provide for their family by winning oversized green stuffed crayons (made in China). I have to say, never saw Scott nail so many dart shots! And the kids love that big green crayon!

The weekend before our journey to the Fair, Scott was out of town on his "Wild Hogs" Harley ride to Jackson with Dan the bday boy and the crew. They managed to dodge a lot of nasty weather. Tagg and Sloane and I had some adventures - CostCo on Saturday morning after nearly running out of diapers the night before, a major meltdown at BFC, and then a volcanic puking event which I completely blame on McDonalds. This photo is from right before the barfing began. We (whatever, it was totally me! me, me, me!) also cured Tagg of his binky addiction which added a little stress to the single-parent weekend but was well worth it!