The Princess and the... Hay?

So A had a field trip and I was priviledged enough to go. It IS fall so, of course, they went to a pumpkin patch.  The hay ride, pumpkin, hay jump, playground and the "not so" Creepy Tunnel...the kids had a great time and it was a long day!!

P.S. Thanks for the great pictures Katie!

We also had A's Parent Teacher Conference. I have to say I LOVE her teacher. Ms. Howard is the perfect combination of discipline and fun. It's always great to sit and talk with someone about how wonderful my daughter is!!! I could be a little biased but she really is doing great at school. A is at the top of her class in all criteria...I am so proud. They have her in the top reading group and the new para in class will be an opportunity for her to stay challenged in math. She does need to do some practice on her handwriting. I was slightly concerned about her socially (just given her experience at school in Topeka before) but that was for naught...she apparently is the same happy, talkative girl there as she is at home. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful daughter. I just hope that we will be able to keep up with her!!

A Moment

Well, I just feel like I should post something and I had a really great moment today that I just have to share. Today started as a chilly overcast day, the two-year-old woke up sick and John had a normal work schedule today. The boys and I did absolutely nothing except watch movies (good Mom, I know), snack (even better), and rough house. Oh, I did some on-line Christmas shopping/browsing. After A got home from school, her and J went over to the neighbor's yard to play. When dinner was almost ready, I walked down the driveway to call them back home and I was simply over whelmed.

I have the knowledge of the gospel and, with that, a living prophet. This wonderful man, President Thomas S. Monson, instructed us a few weeks ago to live more grateful. I had a moment of true peace. That peace came from recognizing all that I have been blessed with. I am so grateful for my family. I have four healthy, beautiful, wonderful children. I have a husband that is loving, supportive and hard working. I am incredibly grateful to live in my home...that John and I live together in our own home. I know what a blessing it is that John has a job that can support our family. I am grateful to live in a place where we can enjoy the changing of the seasons. The fall is just so beautiful.

It was such a small fleeting moment where all of those things came to my mind, and tears came to my eyes. I am going to try so much harder to have more of those moments (maybe not the tears) and live more grateful.

Cute baby....or so it would seem.

I always get the kids picture taken at their birthdays. I decided since I have a fancy-shmancy camera now that I would try to take some of the one-year-old myself. Great idea, right? Oh. My. Gosh. I think maybe he just skipped a year and is really two. What an ornery boy he was!!!