Gabe Turns 1

I can't believe so much time has gone by and Gabe is turning one today. Time flies. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON!!

Pumpkin Walk

Madi and I went to the pumpkin walk last night. There were different scenery sets around the path and all of the characters were made with pumpkins. The pumpkins were painted or carved by different people and/or artists that donated them to the walk. The weather was nice. Madi didn't want to leave, she really enjoyed looking and talking to the pumpkins. I finished my recipe layouts for the recipe exchange. It took me all day to finish two pages, but I think they turned out OK. My recipes were for Almond (cherry) Bars and Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip.

Good News

Good news.... Madi is not an elephant. Yesterday grandpa and Madi were discussing a coaster box with an elephant on the front. Grandpa: The elephant has a big nose. Madi: I have a nose. Grandpa: It has big teeth (tusks). Madi: I have big teeth. Grandpa: The elephant has big ears. Madi: I have big ears. Grandpa: Madi, you must be an elephant. Madi: No grandpa, I have a little nose. Gabe is going to be one next week and to our surprise he's going to have teeth. I thought he would never have teeth, but this weekend one came through and two are coming in on top. Having no teeth has not inhibited him in anyway from eating. He eats anything as long as it isn't baby food. Evenings have been fun at our house. It is so fun to watch Gabe and Madi role around wrestling and laughing. Gabe loves his sister and Madi loves her brother. Madi is the sister a baby would dream of having. She is so good with her brother...she lets him pull her hair. I'm talking about chunks of it...and she doesn't hit, scream or run away. She's AWESOME. Since the day he was born Madi has helped take care of Gabe. She talks to him when he's crying in the car; holds his hand when he's upset at home; gets the wipes and diapers; and freely gives her brother loves and kisses.

Last night we carved pumpkins. Madi chose the pattern but didn't help much. She wasn't that excited about cleaning out the guts of the pumpkin, but she did like the slug that came inside with them. Tonight is the first state football game in the Dome and it's going to be a fun late night.

We'll Miss You

Curtis is off to flight school in Alabama where he will be learning to pilot helicopters for the Idaho National Guard. GOOD LUCK CURTIS, We will miss you(especially Gabe). He is definitely a great uncle, brother and son. Love you. Last night we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner to say goodbye to Curtis. It was nice to be with my family. I just wish my sister and other brothers could have been home. It has just been so long since we have all been together. I just thought I would make note of something Madi has been saying this summer and something she said the other morning in the car. - The sun is in my eyes....turn on the air conditioner. I can't believe how well she talks. She is one smart cookie. Just ask her, she will tell you. If you ask her what her daddy teaches, she will tell you 'Psychology'. Here are a couple of pictures of Gabe and Madi playing in the leaves yesterday just before we left for dinner.

A New Arena

Here's a look at my very first digital layout. I think it turned out OK but I still need lots of practice. A little bit about the pictures - Madi loved looking at the animals in Yellowstone and luckily, we saw a lot of them. Madi was insistent that the buffalo wanted to kiss her and wanted her dad to find more animals on her side of the truck. I was surprised at how well Madi and Gabe did in the truck the four hours we drove around Yellowstone. Grandma Great and Grandpa Great (Johnson) are here for the weekend so hopefully I will have some pictures to share. Let's hope for great weather.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Dad!!!! Just wanted to wish my dad a very happy birthday. I wanted to let everyone know that my dad is the best father and grandpa in the world.

Snow

This morning we woke up to sounds of crackling and popping outside. I wasn't sure what it was at first. The culprate....SNOW, heavy-wet snow. Since the trees have not lost their leaves, the snow was too heavy for them. Branches were braking and crashing to the ground all over town.

We decided to go to grandma Valerie's and cook breakfast. We bundled up the kids, headed out the door and loaded the kids in the truck. The neighbor was outside assessing the damage to one of her trees and while were all looking around, one of the limbs from the tree fell on our house. No damage done, thank goodness.

When we arrived at grandma's, I noticed we forgot the diaper bag (a necessary item with two little ones). Mike and the kids unloaded and I went back to the house for the bag. On may way back to grandma's I drove by my parents house. It looked like the tree in their front yard was half gone. My parents were outside so I stopped to chat. The tree limbs were blocking the drive and dad was trying to clean it up so they could go to Idaho Falls.

I headed for grandma Valerie's and sent Mike to help my dad. When he was finished we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast.

Jeromy, Carol and the kids came over to grandma's a little bit later so the kids could play in the snow in the back yard. Madi had a great time with her cousins and grandma building a snow man.

Improving blog rage.

I want to be a good blogger. I've set a goal to blog at least once a week, but am hopeful to post more regularly. In the past I have had blog rage - if you don't post daily, I get upset. I'm getting better and since I will be working on keeping this blog up to date, I'm sure the blog rage will improve.

My mom forwarded me some of my nephews baptism photos. Christopher is one this month. Isn't he a cutie. My brother Shawn and his family are currenlty stationed in Spain. Christopher and Gabe are only one month apart. Christopher was born six weeks early. Luckily everything was fine - he was just super tiny. Gabe was born four weeks early but weight in at wopping 8lbs 2 oz.

Madi and Gabe love bath time. Last week we were at Grandpa's and Madi wanted to take a bath in the big bath tub. Grandpa started up the bath and Gabe heard the water running and came crawling. If anybody is in the shower/bath, you can't keep that boy out. Needless to say he had to have his own bath and since the big bathtub is just too big for Gabe he even had his own bathtub. Gabe's favorite part of bathtime is playing in the water while it's running.

I'm so glad it's fall. I love this time of year. I feel the urge to cook, clean, and craft in preparation for a winter inside and for the holdiays.

You can find a couple of cute pictures of Gabe online here: http://www.idahosports.com/otr/lindalemons/football/Shelley_SugarSalem_9_21_07/photos.asp picture no. 7331 and 7332

Note: When my husband read my first post, he told me that he did not call me Snotts because I'm spoiled. Apparently, it's because I cry alot and his shoulder gets goobered (if you know what I mean).