Picking Pumpkins

Our clubhouse had pumpkins for the kids to choose. Since Kiersten had chosen "her pumpkin" the day before on our fieldtrip to a farm with a pumpkin patch, I told her that the pumpkin we chose this time would be Tanners. Since it was going to be Tanner's, Kiersten was very insistent that we choose a smaller one than she chose the day before! And since we'd walked to the clubhouse with the kids in a stroller, I was only willing to cart home one pumpkin.

She was pretty funny that morning - she wanted to pose on all the different pumpkins. Tanner, on the other hand, didn't want his picture taken at all, and was only happy when we left him alone to do his own thing.

A Brave Girl

We've been taking Kiersten to the dentist with us since she was about 1 year old. When she was 2 she let the hygenist look at her teeth (from the safety of mom's arms, of course), when she was 2 1/2, she sat in the chair and got as far as letting the hygienist put the "necklace" around her (the napkin on a chain) neck before she was done. At 3 she let the hygienist take some x-rays of her front teeth (she'd done a face plant on the tile not too long before that!) with no "necklace!" At 3 1/2 she let the hygienist polish 4 teeth before she was done. And finally a few weeks ago she let the hygienist scrape the plaque off all of her teeth, but no polishing, while sitting on mom's lap in the dentist's chair. We were so proud of her and how brave she was.

Of course, it helped that we'd gone to the store that morning and she'd spent (what felt like) hours going up and down the isles trying to choose the perfect "reward" (not a bribe, a reward!) for being brave at the dentist's office. She finally settled on a Snow White doll with several dresses and shoes to change. When she got scared and was ready to be done, we talked about how we would have to take the Snow White doll back to the store, but if she could just be brave for a few minutes more she's be able to open the doll and play with it on the way home. Thankfully it worked, and a very patient, wonderful hygienist managed to clean all Kiersten's teeth. Thanks, Ms. Valerie!

(Oh, and just in case you're wondering, Kiersten added the headband after I'd done her hair and hairbows!)

Father's Day . . . in September

For Father's Day one of the things we gave Nate was a family camping trip. Now, those of you who know me, know that camping is pretty far down on my list of 101 favorite things to do. It's not that I hate camping, it's just that there are so many other things I would rather do, that we never make it far enough down the list to go camping!

However, Nate really enjoys it, and hasn't gotten to do much since he was released as the Young Men's president a couple of years ago, so I figured it was about time to brave it! Thankfully the kids really enjoy camping, even if they don't sleep all that well! Unfortunately with how busy we've been we had to settle for an over night trip in Madera Canyon (and no, we didn't see any illegals and yes we felt perfectly safe.) in September.

Kiersten felt like a pretty big girl because we put Tanner to bed and she got to stay up and watch Dad build a campfire (for roasting s'mores). And, while we waited for the campfire to get just right (I learned you don't roast marshmallows over the flames but rather over the red hot coals that come after the fire has been going a while. Who knew?) she got to play a card game with Mom and Dad by lantern.

As soon as Tanner woke up the next morning, he went straight for his shoes - he was ready to start exploring again!

The view from our tent!

Kiersten and Tanner enjoying Dad's yummy breakfast of blueberry pancakes, eggs, sausage and hot chocolate. Why is it ok to eat like that when you're camping? I'd never make that much at home on a regular Saturday!

After we cleaned up camp we decided to hike a little bit before heading back home. However, things weren't looking good for our hike when we had to stop for our first break after hiking from the car to the trail head! To keep Kiersten entertained and willing to go on (she wanted to stop about every 50 feet!), we stopped at each and every sign posted along the way and had her read the letters and try to sound out the words. She didn't get too many of the words, especially when there are abbreviations, but she did a fantastic job with the letters.

After completing this "rigerous" 1/3 mile we decided we had had all the fun we could handle. The trail was supposed to get quite a bit steeper from this point on, and Kiersten just didn't think she could make it any farther, she was just so tired (oh the drama!). So we turned around and headed home.

It was fun, and VERY nice to spend some time as a family before Nate started back to school! Kiersten is already trying to plan our next trip, so I doubt I'll make it another 5 years before I go again!

Halloween Happenings

I had decided I wasn't going to do much for Halloween this year. Kiersten had plenty of dress-ups and old costumes that she was sure to find something she liked. And, I had this cute pumpkin costume that my aunt had sent me for Kiersten when she was about 18 months (but we'd never used because I'd already made her a bumblebee costume) that was going to be perfect for Tanner. But then I got this really cute Halloween scrapbook page that was titled "Pumpkins and candy" and I thought it would be so cute to make Kiersten a candy corn costume. So we got looking at pictures on line, and she decided it needed to be a Candy Corn Fairy, complete with wings and antennas. And of course, it had to have a tutu, because as far as Kiersten is concerned, it can't be a Halloween costume without a tutu!

Halloween seemed to last almost a week and a half this year at our house . . . We picked out pumpkins on the 22nd and 23rd (don't worry, there's a post and pictures to come on that!), Nate and Kiersten carved their first pumpkin on the 23rd for our Ward Party and Trunk or Treating the next night. They did a great job and carved Snow White's face. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of it! They even won the pumpkin carving contest at our ward party . . . it helps when you're the only entrant!

Here they are getting ready to leave for the Ward Halloween Party and Trunk-or-Treating. Nate had to hold Tanner's hands so he wouldn't take off his hat!


Then on Tuesday Kiersten got to dress up again, for her Halloween party in dance class. Aren't all those princesses, witches and fairies so cute?


Then on Wednesday they dressed up for trick-or-treating at the Library for Storytime.

Thursday was the Halloween party in preschool, which we moved inside the church becasue it was "so cold" outside (it was "only" in the mid 50's!); that's also why Kiersten has a long sleeved shirt on - she didn't want to get cold!
One of the many fun activities at our Halloween party in Preschool was a donut eating contest, but they couldn't use their hands. Many of the little girls had seemed to have a problem grasping the concept, but not Kiersten - she just dived right in!


Then on Halloween, since we had another pumpkin that needed carving, Nate and Kiersten decided to carve a second pumpkin. This time they just did a cute face on it. Kiersten loves to help and poke the holes so that Nate has something to follow when he cuts out the design.
Tanner just loves to poke and touch everything!

And finally it was Halloween night and they got to go trick-or-treating. We went over to our friend's house and went with them. Their daughter, Savannah, borrowed Kiersten's bumble bee costume.

Soccer MVP

Earlier this summer we signed Kiersten up for soccer. Nate was delighted - he's hoping that soccer will counteract some of Kiersten's dancing-princess-dress-up-girlishness. I don't think there's much hope for that, but figured that soccer would be fun and entertaining for us! I figured that an activity where her mom isn't the coach would be good for her.

For her age the kids play 3 on 3, with no goalie, they don't keep score, and only have 30 min games (their weekly practice is supposed to be the 20 min before the game). The first week they must have played the best team in the league - a team that will go after the ball! There wasn't much action from our girls. If I remember right, Kiersten was the only one who scored a goal for our team, and she kicked it in the other team's goal!

But, our girls did do pretty well with throwing the ball in. The other team had to have their coach hold their feet down so they wouldn't move when they threw the ball in.

However, in the last few weeks we've seen such a change in Kiersten. Three Saturdays ago she was so proud of herself for scoring 2 goals. We didn't have the heart to tell her that to actually score a goal she had to kick them through the yellow goal cones, and not the flat orange out-of-bounds cones. Then the next week she scored 3 actual, real goals, which I missed because I was at the cannery. So we'd talked about it all week and she told me she was going to score 3 goals again this week (the Saturday we just had) so I could see her score a goal. She was on a roll this past Saturday, not only did she score the 3 goals we talked about, she scored 5 of the 7 total goals of the game! We're really not sure what happened to her, but she was unstopable!


Today she told me she wants to score 10 goals next time because "it's fun to score goals." That being said, she also still prefers practices to games because "there are too many people at the games." Of course, now that she has discovered how to score goals maybe she'll decide that games aren't all that bad.