Halloween!

It was easy to get excited about Halloween for Cannon but I was worried about Colton getting a lame Halloween costume, Cannon got to be such a cute little Lion  (See here) his first Halloween, and big bird was kind of a big deal last year but I found myself thinking "Maybe Colton could just be a pumpkin." But it was so lame and I felt bad. Anyway,  as I settled on "Monkey George" for Cannon and realized we could pull off Hundley (a weener dog is hardly Colt Man's shape) but anyway, I ended up pretty happy with little Mr. Hundley! So that was fun.

When Cannon and Isaac were out looking for equipment one day they found a flea market that is only open Saturdays and Sundays, I love myself a good yard sale (between Grampa Cottam and Grama Frei I was doomed, it's in my blood) anyway because I love good yard sales I thought it sounded fun (but really I had more of a swap meet in my mind) We didn't go that weekend because we read on the website and it said if you went this last weekend and your kids were dressed up you got in free and they got to trick or treat at the booths, it sounded great and it would mean I got the costumes done in plenty of time for the ward shin dig and Halloween. So I'd been playing around with them but I really turned it on Friday night and Saturday-most of the day. Hundley's feet didn't get done but we pulled off pretty much everything else. The putting them on...

And it was off to the flea market. Yuck, it kind of gives me the creeps just thinking about it again.
The flea market ended at 5, we got there at 4, and as it turned out, that was about an hour sooner than we needed to be there. UG! It was nasty, like a horrible hoarder's yard sale. But not only that NO ONE was dressed up (we saw one other little girl) but the people were like "Have ya'll been to a party?" And we smiled and said "We thought this was the party." Or they'd say "Ya'll should come back tomorrow for our party." So I guess what happened was the Flea Market organizers put it on the internet that it was Saturday and Sunday but when they gave the flyers to their vendors it only said Sunday. Anyway, it was super lame, but still a fun day as a family, it was fun looking forward to it, and Isaac was such a sport and humored me and totally played along and got Cann Man excited too. He stayed in his Monkey Suit all evening :) We topped off our family day with Pizza afterward. The flea market experience was so lame, and so different that I expected but I'm still happy with the day!
Monday we hung out with and tended our new friend in the ward Jeremy, he's a year younger than Cannon but we're so glad he's here! I was nervous cuz sometimes I can't handle two, but he and Cannon played so good, it really wasn't too bad and especially easy when Colton was asleep :)

Wednesday night for the trunk or treat I stole Isaac's costume because he had class he couldn't miss, and really, why would Professor Wiseman show up if the man in the yellow hat wasn't there? Comparatively no one knows who she is!

I made the little fish pond because primary was in charge of that and I had to help ahead of time. ( I stole my idea for the fish here.) Cannon loved fishing!
That little fur dog suit was miserably hot, not a good Mississippi costume,  so Colt spent all of his time looking like this: (unless we were taking a picture)

At the Trunk or Treat Cannon was most concerned with keeping up with his new friend Jeremy, who was far more motivated by treats, but when Jeremy had ditched him and we had been around the parking lot we were headed  back to Glenda's car (who was tending Colton and handing out our candy for us) I got the "Holds me, Holds me..." whine. I caved and picked him up and asked "Why do I have to hold you?" To which Mr. Smarty Pants replied "That's what  man in hat do's." He so funny.
Thursday, because Cannon's two and we'd already trunk or treated and we could get away with it our plan was just to take some cookies around for Halloween. We did, but then the Turners also invited us up to a little Halloween party at their house. It was a blast and super fun (she went to sooo much work!) It was extra cool though because Bro Turners dad was our neighbor in Ivins and kids always love to trick or treat at his place, he always gives out the best treats :) just a fun connection, but we had a really good time.

 

A little Google Image search to show you what we were supposed to look like. I forgot my "lab coat" and Isaac forgot his tie for the family pic but oh well we took it. (AND I'm not going to lie I'm glad Hundley's little tail showed on my lap, It doesn't curl like the "real" one but I loved getting as much detail in as I could! It's just fun for me.)

Just a couple more pics I want on the record :)

Monkey George (and the Man) LOVE Excavators. We had to swing by the CAT dealership after the flea market was such a flop. (Actually Cannon asks to go regularly.)

Not a great picture of Colt but the only one that showed his little feet-I did get them done!

I had fun coordinating Halloween and Isaac was a such a sport....and it reminded me of the first time we coordinated costumes, a little throw back from when we were dating. He was Kramer and I was Elaine from Seinfeld :)

Really Halloween was most of the week! But there were a couple of other things. Last weekend Isaac decided it was time to be done with the silkies except at bed time. I agree but...maybe it was my crutch too. He's also weening Cannon of one of us having to lay down by him when he's going to bed, he just tells him he can have one of us, but then NO silky and instead talks him into laying down, with a silky while he gets "real tired" then we'll come in, but...he falls asleep and we don't have to go in. So far its working. He's doing good though, he wanders into his room just to lay down (and have a silky occasionally, but still doing good)
In contrast to the days when I'm certain I'm the worlds worst mom, I do have some great days too where I just sit back and realize I'm living the dream. Sure, I'd change some things, if you read my blog much you can probably guess what, but I love these boys, I love their dad, I have a lot to be thankful for!

 

I like to make collages because somehow I think it minimizes the picture overload but...it takes time and the missionaries are coming for dinner so, deal with the overlaod :)

Cannon is such a good helper he assured me he could tend (hold the bink in) AND watch the tablet. Then in the next one he wanted Colt to lay down by him, then I got invited to leave. When I checked back Colt was asleep.

 

And these last two are just playing and singing "I am a child of God" to him. So cute.

Some days I think the fact that I made it to Friday and get to blog is a victory in and of itself. Monday was the worst day in my stay at home mom career so far. Really, I'll spare you the details but good heavens I never thought I'd be "THAT" mom and I am, or I was, I'm not going to be! Tuesday not wanting to be like that I just tried to just embrace the mess and love my kids. It doesn't mean I love the mess, just that it, nor the 2 yr old things like running from me when I grab a tissue and wiping his nose on the couch instead are not worth constantly riding my broom around for (maybe for a minute though right?) I feel like I made progress-not perfect but anything is better than Monday.

The pics:

Isaac had a blast tinkering with my sewing machine that needed oil. He said "I didn't need to buy that jet ski, I could have just played with this" funny guy! I really wish I would have got a picture when he had a big grin on his face.

 

(Ps he loves those orange work shirts that he's wearing in 95% of the pics I take. I however...DON'T)

These are the 2 looks I consistently get from Colt when I try to get a picture of him smiling...

The closest I've come:

 

I do however have a great picture of the wall/changing station that has a great smile in a TINY little corner of it, oh well, we'll go with the blurry/goofy angle ones-

This weeks antics we'll call Cann-tics: "Because" I mentioned a week or so ago about having to answer "how come?" a thousand times a day- well I've learned that I always start my answer with "Because" because that's all I hear back these days. I'm pretty sure he only hears that one word, admittedly I spit it out quickly then try to formulate the rest of my answer, oh well. The other thing I've noticed I'm mimicked on is adding to prayers, I get little reminders in the middle of prayers of things I need to say all the time too.

That might be it for this go around of a Friday post...seems a little weak but oh well, so was the week! Plus, we have Halloween to look forward to next week and if I'm going to get costumes done I better get on it!

Oh wait, here's what happens to Colt while I blog, Cannon is "sharing his toys" ...poor Colt, and my bad on paying more attention to the blog-whoops.



Saturday was just a nice peaceful day, oh I'd take another one right now! Well, except that Cann Man was sick, Sunday we kept him home from church so Isaac and I did a switch-a-roo. He went the first hour and I went the last one.
Silky quilts on a sick Sunday morning...

 

I mentioned Colton smiling last week. I still don't have a picture :( I miss the one on one time that I got to have with Cannon, he's smiling more and more and it's cuter and cuter, if it was Cannon I would have at least of handful of pictures of it...(and have taken a few hundred) but such is life. I don't love him any less, even if I have far less pictures.  Trust me, its a cute little smile!
Cann Man has been giving me a run for my money, that's for sure! Everything is a crisis but...what do I do? (Often times my sanity is question)
As he's started talking more and more I recognize things that Isaac says such as "Lets do it!" and "What's that all about?" but its not just Isaac he's picking up on. I sent him to time out the other day and he said "talk about a slow news day" as he stomped off. That is a line off of one of the Curious George episodes. And then the kicker- we were in the Grocery Store Monday looking for muffins, we had different opinions on which ones we should get and Cannon in an exasperated voice said "I don't want to play your games" I stopped and looked at him and said "What?" and he exhaled a big sigh shrugged and said "I'm just frustrated." Hmm wonder where he's heard that? I busted up laughing then leaned down and kissed his head. So funny. He's just a character, sometimes he calls his dad "Isaac" Why not? Everyone else does. Colton's little bouncer chair is "Our most valuable piece of furniture" according to Isaac, so when Cannon was stepping in it the other day Isaac was trying to explain we don't want to break it we'd have to buy a new one and that costs money, and so on. So when we were getting out to go into a store I told him he couldn't bring his notebook, he looked up and said "It costs me money!" 2 year old reasoning, I don't really get it. When Colton spits his binky out Cannon will say "Maybe he don't want that bink!" all matter of fact-ly ... but I DO want him to stop crying!
Oh the list goes on and on....
We went to Seth's football game for FHE. Seth is one of my primary kids, Sage cheerleading was a bonus I didn't know we were going to support :) but it was cute. I serve in the primary presidency with their mom Ginger. We had a good time, it was fun, they are great people. Ginger's dad is "Bro Blalock" that Isaac serves in the bishopric with, he and Sister Blalock were there too. I really feel like the Blalock's are the backbone of our ward, it was fun to support Seth and Sage! and visit with everyone.

We've been working on Halloween costumes whenever I can squeeze a spare minute in, its pretty fun, I do love getting my craft on~what we're shooting for...Cannon is going to be Curious "Monkey George" Isaac, the man in the Yellow hat, Colton, the doorman's dog Hundley and me Professor Wiseman :) We'll see if we can pull'm off. I'm sad our ward shin dig is on a Wed night be cause Isaac will have his late class, I'm most excited about Monkey George and The Man, but Colt and I will play along too.
Thursday we made it out to "pre-school" pretty sure we just need playgroup, but, its what the gals in my ward are doing so we went for it. The place we met (was awesome, wish I'd known about it for family pictures) but they had decorative rocks-the size of baseballs-yeah, it was constantly the brink of disaster, so good for us to get out of the apt but, so stressful trying to make sure no one was headed to the ER for stitches. Time out here at the house is less than effective, time out on a park bench...I wonder why I try. BUT, It was good to talk to my friend who told me her transition from 1 kid to 2 was the hardest because...I used to think I did ok in the mom dept, and now, not so much!
It had been a while since we'd fed the missionaries so we went for it. Cannon still gets so excited they are coming and talks about it all day long...however cooperate for a picture? Not a chance. Actually I saw a lot more of him pulling that face in a similar fit this week than I care to remember.

Oh well we tried. And this morning, we took Colt buddy to the Dr. for his (almost) 2 month apt. Shots, I have to do that how many more times? I hate when they have to get shots, not as bad as Colt hates it. Yikes.

He's our little 90th percentile and up boy. He weighed 14.3lbs (91%) Head Circumference was 99% and he's 25 inches long (99%) no wonder I had to move the straps up in his car seat already.

 

Isaac is swamped at school, its like there's always tests and papers and presentations and so on. The 2 extra accounting classes are really making a difference on how busy he is, so we appreciate days like last Sat when we get them!

Cann loves to help



The Mecham's came to visit!

Saturday was loaded with good things, Home Depot day and the start of General Conference. I have some friends that do such great job of sharing their faith via the their blogs, I would like to do better but then again I'd like to keep my head above water! Oh wait, one of them is a gal I played HS basketball with that has 3 kids under 2! And I dare complain? Not really, she's superwoman though-and all of our challenges and blessing come custom made, right?! Anyway if your inclined to be inspired by my friend Lizzy click here where she (and her friend contributors) post good stuff :) that reminds me to try a little harder to be a little better.
Home Depot just keeps getting better and better for us. The fire engine was there, besides the little project they gave us a pumpkin to paint. So fun.  (PS they might be round and orange but pumpkins do NOT bounce like basketballs...we tried though and that was the end of that.) Cannon wouldn't crawl up in the fire truck :( so we sent dad and Colton :)

  

 

The crib construction was the boys Saturday conf project. Cann was so excited brothers bed had a fence!

How Come?

"How Come" was almost the post title, good grief with the flip of a switch I started having to answer that question about 2000 times a day. At least he wants to learn right?

 The highlight of the week was my cousin Sarah coming down to visit from Memphis. We didn't "DO" anything but we had a BLAST! Its so fun for Cannon to play with the older kids, there's definitely some learning that still needs to happen too though. We spent a fair amount of time in time out. Mostly because he like to jump over or try to ride baby Drew. Oh brother. But they played baseball and football and "Mr. Incredible" and rough housed and wrestled (and fought) and so on. But it was SO FUN! We had a great time.

 

 

 

Other things from the week. Cannon took this little project of arranging pictures on the magnet board upon himself. Then he'd step back and inspect his work and say if it "looked good" or not.

 

 

That picture of Colt, I have cuter ones but check out those cheeks, I'm not starving this boy! :) Cann reads to him about every morning, its darling! (And yes we're trying to indoctrinate him to be a Cubs fan already!) And I thought Cannon staying asleep when I transferred him to the shopping cart from his car seat was pretty impressive...then he fell asleep in the time out chair when they Mecham's were packing up. The poor kid is tired!

He and his dad found equipment loading WHOLE cars into a crusher this week. It was so cool they want to take me back to see it. (OH goody) it was at a recycling place but wasn't running when the Mecham boys were here :( bummer.

And finally, we are so far away but its so important for me to have my boys be close to their cousins, so when I got this text from Ky this morning it made me smile.

  

The silky in the above picture is ridiculously close to Colton's mouth...like Cannon has been teaching him his tricks, its not really in, but when I saw it of course I took a picture.

And wait, I got a real smile from Colt Buddy yesterday that was fun and cute as could be so I'll be trying to catch that with the camera.

 

Blessing Weekend

 

 

So we might not be the best at entertaining guests...

But it was so fun from the second Chip and Ky walked in the door we were visiting and laughing. It made me  miss  family Sunday dinners (which got to be too chaotic and they don't do anymore anyway) but just that chance to visit and laugh together--sometimes we are a little too negative  - shrug - but we sure have fun. Unless Klint or Kyler starts talking politics then have mercy, I'm out, but we avoided it this go around:) Friday the only thing I would have done different was send Ky to Vicksburg! As it was they stopped by Saturday but he could have easily spent a whole day and loved it. It was a little tricky where we didn't all fit in one car but we should have made it work, oh well, a reason to come back!

Saturday-wait! Last week (I have to keep up on the blog I forget to go back and add like I think I will) anyway last week as part of family home evening we invited our neighbor Miss Suzanne to Colton's blessing! It went well and we were excited she said she would come :) Anyway back to Saturday

We started out the day with family pictures. Oh boy did Cannon have an opinion about that! Just try and get the boots off him when Grampa is around!

 

 

And that nose pick-classic. Isaac is the most patient guy ever, even he has a limit :) I love these, I usually run out of patients so much quicker than him.

Anyway, we have a couple, they aren't as good as the professional photographer took (obviously) in Salt Lake while we where there in July, but oh well, Colton is on the outside of me and we LOVE that!!!!!!!!!

I have had that stacked look in the top one all dreamt up for a long time, its what I wanted but... I think I ended up liking the down the slide pictures better.

Then the boys (Cannon too) went on and adventure to West Monroe. My family (but especially my brother) are pretty big Duck Dynasty fans, and the Duck Commander home town is only about an hour and 45 minutes from us. (We drive by all the billboards every time we fly out of Shreveport) but anyway, away they went.

And hey, not just any mom can say her kid has peed on the Duck Commander warehouse floor. Whoops. We had some accidents, that day, I think he just gets have'n so much fun...Anyway, it was a long drive to see a warehouse and basically the Duck Dynasty display they have at Walmart but hey, they can say they've been! (That's a fact Jack!) And I think they had a good time visiting and such. And Ky has an official "Uncle Si" Duck Commander Duck Call to prove it. :) Then they stopped at Vicksburg on the way back, they didn't get to see much of the National park but...that's that next trip :)

My mom Colt and I just hung out here (looked at all the pictures we'd taken) and went to lunch and such. Then that evening sent them up to the Hotel swimming while we watched the RS Broadcast.

 

Sunday morning when I told Cann he was going to wear a tie like dad's he immediately went in to shave, like dad! And of course he had to show Poppa the horses across the street from the church. 

Isaac gave Colton a really nice blessing. I was tempted to try and write things down but we did have Miss Suzanne there, so I wanted to be "normal" (or as close as I can pull off) and reverent with Cannon, anyway some of the things I remembered (and wrote down later that day) are that he would:

~Be able to feel Heavenly Fathers love for him and help others feel of His love for them

~Body develop and grow strong.

~He would be and instrument in the hands of The Lord

~Feel Happiness and Joy

~Live by the Spirit

~Be Best Friends with his brother

Isaac didn't remember much and asked Bishop if he'd actually given him a name because his cute little satin outfit was just slipping out of the blanket, all Isaac could remember is trying to slide him back up and not drop him. It really was neat though. Colton might have had enough of the sliding himself and started screaming toward the end. Bro Blalock was conducting and cute though afterward he said "He was just trying to help his dad know what needed to be said" :) 

Then it was the primary program. Happy that is done :) and then Alas...more family pictures. I love to document!

 

After church my folks and brother got to experience the linger longer. An experience in itself. It was totally one of those (more common) times when there is hardly anything to eat. We'd taken a bunch of sloppy joe stuff and a dessert and there were...a few other things. Of course the Hot and Ready Pizza's made there appearance. Kyler said "Only in the south." I smiled and said, "Bout every time." Anyway after church we napped and visited and new doomsday was just around the corner. We tested out Ky's new duck call on Ayla's ducks...

Cannon definitely entertained us with some baseball. He had Poppa pitching his dad catching grama was the fan when I asked what position I should play he said "Boy Bat" (aka bat boy) but had us rolling after a hit and running the bases then stood, folded his arms and looked as me as to say seriously, don't you know your job? And demanded "My bat!" Oh the kid is a wild card.
This blurry phone pic of Grampa trying to tag Cannon out led to us getting out the good camera and trying to take a few more. (maybe I'll post later-if they turned out good enough, doubtful though as mentioned at the beginning of this post)

It was So so So fun, thanks for coming!
 

Monday Cannon got up on his own at 4:00am so he took them to the airport with me....and my little heart broke. It just never gets easier for me. A lot of tears, and when Cannon whined or whines for them stilI, I think: me too buddy. Me too.

Monday we survived. That's about it. Boy do we  miss our Grama! Cann stopped playing football just long enough to sing a little "If you happy and you know it clap you hands" with brother. And the video of video's I missed this week was him singing I am a Child of God to Colt.

Tuesday we braved walmart. (So where do you put the not as important cargo?)

Tuesday we also found out Grandpa Ison was in hospital in Ohio with a sore on his foot that wouldn't get better. We are thankful they are there with such good medical care so close and keeping him in our prayers!
Wednesday is long because Isaac has class until 9:00pm, Thursday is long because he has an early class (but he didn't sneak home that afternoon) and now its Friday, slowly we're figuring things out.

 

Other things from the week.

Last Friday my stink'n cute and awesome husband came home with a new computer in his hand for me, so nice! I love that guy! And love to blog...I don't know why but I just love it. So its a hobby I'm stick'n too for now. The computer is nice for other things too though.

Grampa has the magic touch and had Cannon eating all kids of things. Don't be fooled though, Cannon's got Poppa's number too, after SEVERAL accidents Saturday when they were headed to Walmart I made Cannon use the bathroom before he could go with them. As soon as they got there he was convincing Poppa he needed a prize for peeing in the potty. Grampa said you Peed in your pants twice! And Cannon said "I Peed in the Potty!"....he came home with a new truck.

 

Cannon all the sudden started pronouncing C's and G's. My mom was "Mamaw" and all the sudden became "Gwwama" I guess they grow up. We'll keep her Mamaw for a Colt Buddy for at least a couple of years :)

 

Ky told me this warranted the a mention on the blog: This is the top shelf of our bookcase. While this one is staged it did really happen. I asked Cannon where his bat was one day not long ago, and he said "Jesus is hold'n it."

Colton has a temper ... And he probably didn't get it from his dad. But he's a great little sleeper.

Sometimes Cannon gets right in his face and says "you hair long!"
That's about all I can think of though!