Pumpkin Patch

Well, I was beginning to doubt that there was a pumpkin patch in Los Angeles but I was able to find one fairly close to our house. The kids had fun picking out pumpkins, taking a train ride, jumping in the bouncy house, and seeing the animals in the petting zoo. The best part of it is that we had perfect 75 degree weather. I keep hearing about all of these other places getting snow and it makes me really happy that I live in southern California. Which is good, because I need something to get me to like this place!

On a more positive note. . .

Due to the negative tone of my last post I feel like I need to make a more positive post. Last night I got to sleep through the night for the first time in a week and a half without being woken up by one of the kids. It was great! I think we are all on the mend now - knock on wood! Also I got to clean my house yesterday from top to bottom to get rid of all of those sick germs. Since our apartment is so small it is a lot easier to keep it clean. It is truly amazing how much your mood and attitude change when you focus on the positive! I should do it more often!

A Moment of Quiet

I am finding myself in very unusual territory right now. Luke is sleeping and I walked into Ben's room and found this. He had fallen asleep on his floor. For the last 7 days I have been taking care of sick kids with the stomach flu that just doesn't want to go away. I got sick myself last week but luckily it only lasted a few hours and then I was back to normal - because moms just can't get sick - right! I probably should be doing something a little more productive with this time like reading my scriptures, writing in my journal, cleaning the house, organizing, folding laundry, planning a lesson for FHE, catching up on phone calls, exercising, or working on home made halloween costumes but instead I think I will just waste a little bit of time on the computer. There are some days when I just don't want to be a responsible adult. I would just like to going back to being a kid when all I had to worry about was which toys I would play with or whether or not I would have lucky charms or fruit loops. Life was so much more simple back then. In case you can't tell my brain is a little fried right now and I am slightly exhausted so please forgive my ramblings. I think I will just bag everything else I was going to do and take a nap and dream of the time when life was so easy and care free. Sweet dreams!

UPDATE: No nap for me, 5 minutes after I posted this Luke woke up, and then Jimmy came home from school sick with the stomach flu. He was the last one to not be sick, but I guess it was to good to be true.

Luke's walking

About 3 weeks ago Luke started to walk. I really don't think I am ready for this. He is getting into everything! He is really turning into a little Jimmy because he is so curious about EVERYTHING. Watch out! I got a kick out of Ben too. He wanted some attention in the limelight too so he showed me how he could walk across the rug like a big boy. Always wanting to be the center of attention! He definitely does not take after me in that respect!

He also had his 10th surgery a couple weeks ago. He is doing pretty good but the hemangioma is still actively growing so we will have to go in for another surgery at the end of October. We'll keep you all updated on his condition. I just had to include some of these pics because they were so cute. The first 2 are before the surgery when he was still happy.



This one was taken after the surgery. We had to stay overnight at the hospital - not very much fun at all! They put a diaper over his hand to cover up his IV because he kept grabbing at it. He was not liking it at all. We were both glad to go home the next day!

Look at me mom!

Yesterday Ben came out of the bathroom looking like this. He got the shorts on right but had some struggles with everything else. I don't know if you can tell from the picture but his shoes are on the wrong feet, his shirt is backwards and inside out, and his bright flourescent green halloween socks really add the finishing touch to the whole look. It took some convincing but I finally talked him into changing into some white socks and tennis shoes instead.