Catching Up

I have been such a neglectful blog-writer. But I am not a neglectful "pet parent." I have been sufficiently reprimanded by a few loved ones that I have put more pictures of our kitty on this blog than of my own human children. So, I will only add this one. Everytime I go to use my camera I find pictures that the kids have taken of little Tiger. Andrew wanted to get one of the two of us. It is true--I like her a lot. She has not required a lot of work and is so easy to love.
You will notice the pink nails. I bought "Soft Paws" because they are "the humane alternative to de-clawing." The kids call it her mani-pedi. So far they are working well.

Thursday and Friday were filled with school parties for the three oldest kids. They went off-track Friday. So that means there will be lots of this going on:

They started an "off-track club" Sunday after church. The next three weeks will be filled with happy children playing happily together while a happy mom gets to sleep in. Yeah right!

We have enjoyed the beautiful weather the last few weeks. Mike, Kiki and Bev planted tulip bulbs and Mike got the Christmas lights up.

The kids have spent a lot of time in the field. I have spent a lot of time washing filthy kids, filthy shoes and filthy clothes.

Bev had her first Daddy Daughter Date. It was a sports-themed event.

Halloween preparations are in full swing. Kiki is informing us often that he will be wearing Andrew's Harry Potter costume next year.

We like the movie "A Knight's Tale." Several times a week Kiki plays jousting in the family room.

Andrew finished up his flag football league. Mike coached and Andrew played well and had fun.

Kiki finished up his soccer league. He loves being the defender.

We visited a pumpkin patch.

I made Harry Potter and Hermine costumes. (Tiger was obsessed with the sewing machine and yes, Camille that is her butt sitting on my craft table--right there on the craft table.)

Tiger was obsessed with trying to get the pins. (Okay, really no more cat pictures--I promise.)

I finished an amazing, tragic, important book. Say You're One of Them was a hard book to read, but I couldn't put it down. It is five short stories about children in Africa. I highly recommend it--that is if you can tolerate some tough subject matter.

There's the run-down. I will write again soon.

Family Fun Time

Warning for all the cat-haters out there--this post is all about our kitty. Yep, it is true--another post about Tiger.

I was perusing the kitty product aisle at my local Target when I saw the most adorable pumpkin costume for Tiger. We (meaning the kids and I) had a great time trying to get her into it. Mike thought it was ridiculous.

That $5 costume provided some serious entertainment.

Conference Traditions

I love General Conference.

We record the Saturday sessions because Mike coaches the kids and they are either in Fall sports or Spring sports during conference. Then we get to watch those talks over the next week. We go to my parents after the kid's games and catch the last session there.

It has become tradition that then the adults go shooting. This year I was introduced to the fun of shaking a can of soda and tossing it in the air for someone to shoot--not that I can hit it mind you, but way fun to watch others do it.

Then we get back to Mom and Dad's and the boys all get changed and head off to Priesthood session together. My Dad reminded me that in two short years Andrew will be joining them. This too is a great tradition. The women folk all stay back with the kidlets and eat and fix the men a steak dinner.

Another tradition is my Dad buying Swedish Fish and other "quiet" treats for the boys to munch on during the meeting.

Sunday, Mike makes breakfast with the kids and we watch "church on t.v." I always work on a cross-stitch project and the kids do quiet activites like drawing and puzzles. This year Bev and Kiki did watercoloring. Bev made that beautiful picture of Christ. She brought it over to me and I asked her if she copied a picture. She said that she didn't, that it was "from her imagination."

One of my favorite talks was given by Pres. Eyring. He told about a gravestone of a mother and grandmother which read, "Please, no empty chairs." I can't wait to read that talk again.