Election Day!

Today is one exciting day! Its voting day for our next president. I have decided to early vote with a take home ballot last week so I'd have the time to sit down and really study what I was voting for. I kind of missed the excitement of the voting process but with my kids and everything it really did make it so easy to vote at my leisure.
This year it was really hard for me to make a decision. Not because I liked them both but because I didn't feel good about either one of them. I ultimately narrowed it down to McCain. I just don't trust Obama. The tie breaker was definitely Palin for me. She is smart and really can do some good for this country. If McCain has her by his side I really think it will be a good thing. I know politics are a very personal thing but I just wanted to post about how blessed we are to live in this Country! I'm so proud to be an American. Get out there and vote today you guys!!

Parent Teacher Conference...

Today I had my first parent teacher conference for brook. Brooklyn's teacher was so nice. She genuinely cares about the kids. Brooklyn sure has come a long way since she started school. I tried to teach brook at home for a while but I just broke down. She has really blossomed in a social setting. Her teacher says that she is a good listener and raises her hand. Brook is the first one to get up and try new things. She is Miss Jen's little Ice Breaker. Brooklyn gets so dramatic about things that the next thing she knows the whole class gets up and wants to try too. It made me so proud of her. I really feel lucky to have her amazing personality in our family.

Brooklyn now knows how to write her whole first name. This is a huge deal to us since for the longest time she only wrote Broo since her name was too long. haha
She knows all her colors and shapes. She knows the sounds of all the letters and needs more time to connect the sound with its shape.

Today has really shown me how grown up my little baby girl is getting! I'm so thankful for my daughter. She is the light of my life. She has brought back to this earth a little part of my mom that I lost when she died and now I know that if she ever wants to get to know her grandma someday all she has to do is look in the mirror and she is there. I love you brook. Keep on growing and let your amazing light shine for everyone to see hun.

Another Move!

So this would be move number 7 I think? Who would have thought. Definitely not me. I was hoping we would find our permanent home several moves ago. I guess it just proves that we are never in control of our lives. I thought this move would be back to Idaho too!

The house is only one street up from us. Its a small 940 plus sq ft house with 4 bedrooms. They are tiny rooms but hey my kids will finally have their own rooms. That is going to save me a lot of heartache. I am really excited about getting into a bigger house. The rent is only 25 bucks a month more and we'll have to pay electric and gas. I told Jer that it would be so worth it to have 2 extra rooms and a dishwasher! We've agreed to clean up the yard a bit but that won't be a problem.

Jer and I are getting our numbers crunching and getting rid of expenses we don't need like dropping cable to the bare minimum and getting rid of our land line. Its going to be tight but I'm sure we will make it work.

The owner is painting it, buying a new fridge since the last renters stole them and he's replacing the carpet! I really think that if we are going to be stuck here for another 2 years we might as well make it bearable.

We are giving our 1 month notice on this place and fingers crossed we'll be in the new house my December 10th!

Happy Halloween!

October 31st started off just like any other Friday, then reality hit... That morning a friend of mine invited us over for a visit. It was so nice to sit and talk while our kids played. I left her house around noon and just in time too since the rest of the day was one big whirl wind. I got the kids home and made them some lunch, then I got all their Halloween stuff together to take to Grandma and Grandpa Mo's house. We stopped by Walmart on the way to get film for my camera. I got the kids dressed and ready just in time for Aunt Courtney to come home from work to help me take them around Sterling to all the shops. Thank goodness for her too since it was crazyville. She and I took them to the sterling wreck center and it was really cute. They had a Olympic swimming theme. After that, we took them to burger king for some dinner. That was a mistake since the line in that place was like waiting in line for a water ride! The last place of the day was our church's trunk or treat. I only stayed long enough for the kids to see their dad and play some games then left. I was pooped! So were the kids until they hit their sugar high! Ahh

Mason was too cute in his chaps and cowboy garb. Jer's mom got the material and pattern. I sewed the vest and ties to the chaps. I'm proud of it if I say so myself. :o)

Brooklyn was so excited to be Jasmin this year! This was Jer's sister's costume growing up. It only needed a few stitches here and there to fix some holes. I added a little sequins to the neckline and a silver belt around the waist. Brook was adorable! She told me after she got dressed that her name wasn't Brooklyn anymore it was Jasmin. haha!

Here they are. Its so hard to get them both to smile at the same time let alone look at the camera. ugg.

Jacks of all shapes and sizes...

Thursday we broke out the pumpkins and decided to carve em. Brooklyn picked out her own and I started it. It was a very detailed cat that Brook wasn't able to carve at all. I ended up drawing a face for her and she carved her very own pumpkin all by herself. She is so proud!

Mason sat there looking at the pumpkins with a horrified look on his face. He kept saying "It's Gross!" and wouldn't dare touch the pumpkins at all. What a turkey! Of course the next day he ripped the cat off of my pumpkin that I slaved for half an hour over! Stinker!

These two are jer's pumpkins.

Here is Brooky's pumpkin she did all by herself and my witch.

This is the poor cat that Mason destroyed.

Jer carving it up.

Here is Brooklyn!

Snakes in Trees!

Today Mason and I took Brooklyn to school at 8am. I took Mason to the Dr. for his 2nd flu shot at 10:30am. Afterwards he was a little rattled like kids always are after a shot so I thought it would be a good time to take him for a walk around the Akron Fair grounds. A perfect time to check them out. A lady here in town told me they are about 8/10 of a mile so I bundled Mason up and we started walking.

I thought it was funny cause Mason looked up at the trees and thought there were snakes in the trees. I showed him it was part of the tree and they shake. Mase had fun after that shaking the little snakes. :o)

Here is me and the bug hanging out together.

Peek a boo! It was pretty windy so I bundled him up good.

Here's what the path looks like. Its actually pretty nice. I was pleasantly surprised.