HAPPY HALLOWEEN

She's a Cheerleader (this has been her plan since 11-1-06)

He's a Ninja (it's red his favorite color)

This year Paul (Dad) took the kids to the TRUNK 'R' TREAT at church. I stayed home with the babies. They go to bed so early it is really hard to do evening activities as an entire family. . . together.
The kids wanted me to make them look SPOOKY
After trunkRtreating in the church parking lot & all the school parties, they really had PLENTY of candy. Paul wasn't home for Halloween, so sadly. . . we stayed home, so our sweet little ones could sleep. BUT, the kids got in their costumes, we lit the Jack-o-lanterns, & waited for the trickRtreaters. We had 2, yes T-W-O trickRtreaters. (2 groups, 2 knocks on the door, only 2) ~ maybe 5 children total ~(3 of them our nice friends that live across the interstate) So, it was not the best Halloween ever, but we watched Peanuts & Garfield Halloween & GOOSEBUMPS, while the kids ate TONS of candy. NOT TOO BAD. As long as they have candy, they are happy.
We can't hold it against them for wanting to sleep. Baby Paul has an ear infection & a cough, & Hannah got her 6-month shots, & doesn't feel good. Here they are in their festive onesies!

Jack-O-Lanterns

We love Peanuts & watch the holiday DVD's all winter long. My favorite part of The Great Pumpkin is when Lucy takes a big knife and slices into the pumpkin to gut it, at which point a mortified Linus says "Ohhhh, you didn't tell me you were going to kill it! Whaahh!"
Here is Paul, Josiah, & Jacque gutting the pumpkin. Neither of them liked the feeling of the inside, Jacque gave it a couple of tries. Mostly they just watched Daddy do all the work.
YEA! Thanks Dad!!!

Here is how they turned out . . .

with the lights out!

Going to THE NORTHSHORE

We live on the Southshore (of the lake) & the Eastbank (of the Mississippi River)... I know that makes no sense. Lake Pontchartrain is massive & has a 24 mile bridge to get across it. Obviously, we don't take the 30 minute trip over THE CAUSEWAY very often, but when we do, the kids think it is the coolest thing!

This lake is so big you can't see to the other side. But, you can boat & fish in it. Interesting fact: Paul & I have always lived by a huge lake; Great Salt Lake, Lake Erie, & now Lake Pontchartrain. {click on picture}

People actually commute over this thing every day. Can you believe that? The hospitals won't allow doctors to drive over it after their overnight shifts when they are on-call. {You might be able to see the BIG MUDDY, the brown curvy river.} Here we are driving, and driving, it seems like forever. Jacque thought the green choppy waves were Alligators.

We are going to get some pumpkins and go to Red Bluff Farm on the Northshore in Folsom, LA.

2nd Annual Fall Tradition

PUMPKIN PATCH

I love getting out of the busy, congested city and going to the Pumpkin Patch. We used to do this in Ohio too. So, when we moved here I immediately searched for a farm that is open to the public. I miss being in Utah & being able to go to Grandpa's & Grandma's or Uncle Ray's and seeing the animals. This is the closest thing I can give to the kids.

They watched a Jersey cow being milked & sheep being sheered.
Went fishing with bamboo sticks and a worm, but haven't ever caught a fish.
Pet baby animals, piglet, chick, lamb, and even a puppy.
They had an open-pit BBQ along with an authentic PIG {GROSS}.
There was a Tee Pee, with miniature houses, and even a real Native American Indian.

Here is a shot {this was an accidental pic} of the nice open country.
Mom & Jacque

I think something is haunting the tv in our bedroom. It was almost 9pm and I was getting ready to watch ER last Thursday night… (the only tv series I keep up with) well, it seemed like someone (a ghost) wanted to watch Without a Trace instead. The guide would come on move up and down through channels, change users, then choose a channel. We had a battle between which channel I wanted to watch and what the ghost wanted to watch . . . Without a Trace.…as I kept hitting CANCEL & RECALL when I saw something being typed in.... I finally gave up and went downstairs. But, I tried it again during ER, cause I really watched to watch it in my bed, and it was still doing it! It happened again this week, but just for a moment. EERIE. Someone in the neighborhood must be thinking the same thing as me. But I have to tell you, it was really weird.

Danielle is 13!

You are officially a teenager! We are so proud of you, you a sweetheart & you have a special spirit about you. You are a wonderful big sister and your siblings love you and look up to you. Hope your birthday is awesome. We love you so much and wish we were all together. Always CTR and believe in yourself!

ALL ABOUT DANIELLE

4 favorite movies:
-Bring it On, All or Nothing
- 2 Fast 2 Furious
- 13 Going on 30
-Tarzan
4 hobbies:
-Talking
-Drawing
-Reading
-Card Making

4 vacations:

-New Orleans, LA

-Cleveland, OH
-Bear Lake
-San Diego, CA
4 favorite foods:
-Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, W/Roast Beef
-Pizza
-Chicken Salad
-Sloppy Joes
4 places you'd rather be:
-be in MY OWN bedroom (if I had one)
-be living in Kaysville
-St. George
-New Orleans
4+1 BEST FRIENDS:
-Kourtney
-Miranda
-Jade
-Annie & Shea
PERSONAL . . .
Siblings: (8-total) Alexis, Savannah, Isaiah, Jada, Josiah, Jacquelyn, Baby Paul, & Hannah
Nickname: Dani
Pet: Leonard the Cat
Astrological Sign: Libra
Collect: Junk
Strangest thing ever eaten: Cookies missing the white sugar
Place you've always wanted to visit: Hawaii
Something you want to do: do I FLY
FAVORITES . . .
Color: Pink
Drink: Sprite & Pepsi
Subject/Class: CTE (TLC) Sewing
Number: 15
Flower: Rose
Actor: Zach Efron
Actress: Hayden Panettiere
TV Show: Hannah Montana
Fast Food Restaurant: Wendy's
Store: Claire's
Board Game: Pictionary
Band/CD/song: The Great Escape, Boy Like Girls
Smell: B&BW- Vanilla & Brown Sugar
Web Site: You TUBE
Thing to do on the weekend: Hang out with friends, play night games
Holiday: Valentines & Halloween
Sport to watch or play: Basketball
LEAST FAVORITE . . .
Color: Yellow
Food: Shrimp
Drink: Root Beer
Subject/Class: History
Movie: Happy Feet
Restaurant: McDonald's
Day: Mondays
HAVE YOU EVER . . .
Broke a bone? Right arm 2x's
Been to the ER? (other than broken bones) Dirt in eye & cut finger
WHICH IS BETTER ? . . .
Coke or Pepsi: Pepsi
Oranges or Apples: Oranges
One pillow or two: 1
Pool or hot tub: hot tub
Windows or A/C: Windows
TV or Radio: TV
Paper or Plastic: Paper
WHEN WAS THE LAST ? . . .
Time you cried: last month
Book read: Twilight
WHAT IS YOUR . . .
Most prized possession: $ my $ mullah $
Biggest Fear: Spiders
Greatest Accomplishment: Being a good girl
Greatest Talent: Talking
Who . . .
Do you think about the most: A boy I like (don't want name posted)
Makes you laugh the most: Miranda (BFF)
Is the weirdest person you know: Kyle
Is the nicest person you know: Lindsey
Do you go for advice: Yea
Do you dislike: Kotie
Knows the most about you: Parents & Miranda & Kourtney (BFF's)
Has it easier, guys 0r girls: Girls
Sends you the most e-mails: Dallin & Sydney
WHAT MAKES YOU . . .
Happy: When I have a good hair day
Really sad: that my uncle died
Really angry: siblings bug when hanging' out w/friends
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT . . .
School: It is really old, but I like it
Your friends: like all my friends
Life: Like it when I get money
ABOUT THE FUTURE . . .
See yourself in 10 years: Doctor (still in would be in Med.School)
Do you like to dream or go with the flow: GWtF

Update

D R . P A U L

Paul has about 8 months left in his Pros. residency. These are his friends, co-workers, and other dentists in his program. It is a really fun group and have been like family. (and we have 3 fellow Case grads here, 2 of them LDS; Brother Durham & Brother Liddle)
Some good news.

We are not moving. We are staying in Louisiana. Paul is contemplating working at the Dental School after he gets his certificate. The Dental School has reopened in New Orleans and he doesn't have to commute to Baton Rouge anymore. Yea!
While at the Dental School, Paul will be able to finish his Board Certification and work on various research projects he is interested in. And we will go from there. I am relieved to know our final plans. The kids can continue living in the same place, go to the same school & church. We really like living in New Orleans.

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N I C O L E

I know Heavenly Father is answering my prayers and is giving me strength each day. I seem to have the energy to go on all day, even though I never get everything done. I have wonderful friends that I love like family.

But, every now & then I fall.

I was carrying my sleepy Jacque from her bed to the van, so we could get Josiah from school & go to speech. I twisted my RIGHT ankle, then scraped my LEFT knee. (it tore a whole in my favorite jeans) Which makes it difficult to walk with either leg/foot. Jacque was OK, it bumped her leg and toe. She was more upset about her headband she was holding that broke when I fell.
So she was crying about her HEADBAND, I was on the ground, knowing I was already running late, trying to stand up. I had to clean up my knee. I haven't been that skinned up since I was 10 when I used to fall off my bike onto the asphalt. I put on a big band-aid, and went to speech with a whole in the knee of my jeans. My ankle was a little swollen and brusied. Funny, there wasn't any reason I tripped, I am just clumsy. I am fine, not a big deal. But, my knee still hurts!! I will be more sympathetic to the kids when they skin their knees.
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D A N I E L L E
Update Coming Soon
her b-day post
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J O S I A H
He collected this Cicada shell. The actual Cicada isn't in there. Yuck. He loves kindergarten and is doing great learning sight words. I am so proud of him.
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S P E E C H
I get to observe the kids during their session. I get an observation room between them. It is the mirrored window. It is so funny to watch Josiah play in the mirror. Their speech has improved so much. It is such a relief to see progress. Their Speech Therapists are so nice. They are great with the kids.
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J A C Q U E L Y N
This is Jacque's friend DARA from preschool, she talks about him all the time. She says at school they BUMP INTO EACH OTHER. Then she giggles sweetly. Her preschool teacher is so sweet. She reminds me of Paul's mom.
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T H E T W I N S
They are both doing really good. Growing rapidly. They are rolling all over & sleeping wonderfully.
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B A B Y P A U L
This little guy is doing great! His neck is looking better. The physical therapists see him just once a week now. (which has made a huge difference in my busy driving schedule) They also say that he may only need a few more weeks. We just need to keep stretching his neck at home.
He also found his THUMB. I fought this since he was born. The other kids have been OK with the teal soothies. But, not this guy. He has turned into a pleasant little baby though. He sleeps all night now 12-14 hours. WONDERFUL
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H A N N A H
She has always been a very easy baby. She puts herself to sleep & sleeps all night also. Her little personality has grown, and she is a very happy girlie. Her and Jacque see the doctor the second week of November for their hemamgiomas. They seem to be fine and not getting very big, and they don't seem to bother her.

Mission Completion

After 4 months of mom never sorting toys, kids dumping things out & NOT putting them away, the toys piled up worse than it has ever been before. (Granted, I think that I have a good enough excuse, I was in survival mode all summer, just play with your toys. . . please!)

I took the Big Toy Mountain, put it all in boxes, and then ran out of time, so I covered it up with these blankets to keep the kids out until I could sort through and organize everything.

When I was finished (it took me a week), I had 2 garbage bags full of paper, scraps, crumbs, & junk toys, aahhh.

This is what the twins did . . . "hey, don't I know you from somewhere?"
We had SO many stuffed animals. Some of them were even mine from when I was little. (that is really sad) So, I put every one of them on the guest bed. Jacque found them & was in HEAVEN. We went through all of them and gave away 3 garbage bags full.

This is the finished product. I am going to make picture labels for the containers. The kids have actually been keeping things in their "home".

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I purchased a toy box that I needed to assemble myself.
On the instructions, the first page. . . said, "CONGRATULATIONS- You've purchased a fine furniture item from Target." I thought it was so funny because furniture made out of particle board & fiber board are not "FINE FURNITURE" in my mind. I guess now I can consider 80% of all our furniture as "FINE FURNITURE" now!!!
Here is the finished product. I put all the bulky baby toys in there. Looks nice! I like it.

Baby Paul realized he could make the swing stop & go.

This is how they cut the grass in the drainage canals . . . thought the tractor attatchment was interesting. Usually I see them on the sides looking like they are going to tip over into the canals.