Oh my!

I totally love The Amazing Race. It is hands down my favorite reality type show out there. I want to go all the places they go, do all the crazy things they do, and travel at break-neck pace around the world. Last night the teams headed out to Moscow, and the level of envy and jealousy rose in the Miskin household. We all watched on the edge of our seats to see if Nate recognized any of the places they went. He also had to listen carefully to make sure all translations are correct. (I love watching movies with Russian speakers in them, he can always tell if they are real Russians or not.) Anyway, the teams had to either learn to march with some soldiers, or serve borscht to some soldiers. I have no idea how the Dandrew team got so far with the level of coordination they possess. And they continually don't read the instructions they are given time and time again. And they left their shoes behind and started out this leg of the race wearing slippers. We all laughed at this poor guy-can he really be having to try as hard as he is? Can he ever live this down? The Russians can't even contain themselves. And his teammate is just mystified. Fabulous. Next week it looks like they will have to learn a dance, can't wait for that!

Week In Review

Monday=Football Banquet. I am really glad I got to go and see the kids and coaches Nate spends time with. I hear about them all season but never know who anyone is. I love that he gets to coach and has so much fun doing it. I think he is already ready for next season! Last season had some struggles, and with BYU losing yesterday, he just wants to get on with winning some games.

Tuesday=Young Women In Excellence. As many of you know, I was recently called to work with the Young Women in our ward. Tuesday night their parents had the opportunity to come and see some of the things the girls have worked on this past year. The girls could perform a talent, speak, or display things they have done. Everyone did a great job and watching them helped me get to know them all better. And there was a chocolate fountain. Nuff said.

Wednesday=Beauty and the Beast. Lehi High put on a production of Beauty and the Beast. I took Bella to see it a few years ago at Hale Centre Theatre a few years ago. She loved it and was terrified at the same time. This time Nate and Jack tagged along as well and everyone really had a good time. We sat by one of Bella's friends, which made her day. And she dressed up in her Belle dress and felt very excited about that. I wish I had a Belle dress, I would have dressed up as well. A friend offered to watch Sophie for us and as the performance ran longer than we expected we darted out after the curtain call rather fast. We must have left just as the cast came down the aisle because Bella encountered Belle in the hall as we were darting out. It was hilarious to see them stop abruptly and stare at one another. Teenage Belle was startled to see a little girl all decked out I think, but they both smiled and we told her what a good job she did. And they did do a good job-but why no orchestra? When I was in high school we always had live music, I think it makes it better.

Thursday=Good Wood BBQ. Dinner with some great friends. I had some yummy ribs and we stayed and talked long after dinner. It was nice to be together again, schedules have been so busy lately. Though we did miss a few of our pals that have moved away.

Friday=Twilight. Shelly's sister rented out a theater and so we went! Our seats were reserved , which was so nice as I got there about five minutes before the movie began. Okay, the special effects were so bad, hilariously bad. The cheerleaders sitting behind us were so funny, really I am so glad they were there, their whispers, gasps and squeals made it all the more fun. And the movie was really funny in a lot of places. I felt a little confused because I have read the book and kept being distracted by things they added and things they missed. I think if you haven't read the book all of the movie may not make sense. I myself need to see it again just without my mind filling in the missing pieces. I always feel a bit disoriented seeing movies based on books I have read. But Shelly and I laughed a lot and I was really glad to go.

Saturday=The O.G. Lunch with my primary buddies . I hadn't been to the new Olive Garden yet and we all planned to go when Hollywood returned from the continent. So we finally coordinated schedules and made a date of it. So far as I can tell, our husbands were insanely jealous. Nate said two of them said they should go together. And one accused us all of reeking of garlic. Silly, silly. It was good times, nice and relaxing.

It felt like a busy week, but it was all stuff I enjoyed, so busy in a good way. Now all I have to do is get organized for turkey day and plan some things to do with the kids while they are on break.

Blond Wolverine?

She managed to keep her pigtails in most of the day today. Then she took them out just before her nap.

Do you suppose Wolverine does the same thing? I think with a little gel, they could be twins. You see, she also has massive claws that appear every few weeks. She uses them to scratch our cheeks. Thankfully, they aren't as lethal as his.

I love that little smirk, who wouldn't be pleased with all those toys. Maybe this is a sign she is going to start posing for pictures when I take them.

And I didn't even cry

Nor did Bella for that matter. I was worried for a moment, but then the stylist asked her if she wanted to cut off enough to donate, and she perked right up. I am sort of secretly relieved to have less hair to brush and style everyday. She said she feels light as a feather and has told everyone we encountered about how her hair was long this morning. She is a little concerned no one will recognize her tomorrow. Now we anxiously await Dad's reaction. She thinks if we don't say anything, he won't notice. Silly girl.

LOST

One pair of glasses. In the field behind the school during the first recess. Search time so far-30 minutes. Search time expected-a bazillion hours. When can this boy have a contact. Better yet, when can his eye be lasered. I will ask/plead for those solutions again in January. In the mean time, I will be searching. I mean, I can't just leave them out there.

I am over here!

We went to the pumpkin patch earlier in the week. I of course brought along the camera to take pictures of the kids picking out pumpkins and posing with the funny little cut outs and things they always have there. However, I was the only one who thought pictures was a good idea. And I quickly gave up, alas, these are the best of the bunch-no the bunch wasn't small, but there was a lot of blurring going on.


Now, I can understand Sophie looking away, but what on earth are the other two looking at?!?


We let the kids carve all by themselves. They loved it, but they wouldn't look at the camera. Too focused on what they were doing.


There is a lot of posing going on in this shot, and I will say it was pretty dark. This is probably the most direct of the Halloween shots I got. Jack carved his pumpkin to look like a Clone Trooper, you can see it once you know what you are looking for. He did a great job. Bella just wanted a scary face with cheeks. And I did carve Sophie's ghost, we aren't so foolish and lazy to let her have at it yet. Maybe next year.



Here is the best shot pre-trick or treating. It was the first Halloween in my memory of living here that it wasn't snowing or freezing. In fact, no coats required, and I couldn't even bear to bundle Sophie in her ladybug too much. And she wouldn't wear the hood No. Matter. What. But still in this picture, none of them would focus on the camera. Jack and Bella were too excited about their impending sugar rush.


So, today we went down to BYU to wander through the bookstore and be nostalgic for a little while. I made the kids sit down together in some lovely fall scenes and still, in every shot they refused to look at the camera! My best guess is that they were looking at Nate trying to make Sophie smile. And Sophie pulled the rubber band out of her hair causing that jaunty style.


So after a long crazy week of last minute sewing(Bella), volunteering for class parties(Jack) and having a nasty 48 hour cold, I settled down to have a hard earned mug of ice cream. As I flopped the lid on to the table, I noticed someone looking right at me, finally, so I took a picture. Even smiling, lovely.


Do you think this means snow soon?

Sweet Relief

You know that movie Parenthood with Steve Martin. Remember how he coaches his sons baseball team and at the end of the season his kid catches the ball and Steve celebrates more than any grown man should. Well, I almost did that today, I think the cool weather contained me (along with the nursing baby). In the movie, the kid isn't all that interested in the sport. That is not the case with my kid. My kid is obsessed with the sport. He lives and breathes football 24/7 these days. He doesn't need fantasy football because he has created his own league entirely. It has 64 teams so there is at least one for each state, and the be all end all tournament can be single elimination without leftovers. I think he is anti-BCS. He wants a champ.

Anyway, back to the celebration. This kid has been yearning all flag-football season to get his hands on the ball. He has had chances and done great stuff all season, but nothing up to his expectations. He sets the bar a little high for himself. But today, the last day of the season, expectations were met. He scored not one, but two touchdowns. And a PAT. I just wanted to roll around on the ground and cheer for him. I mean, he cared soooo much and no matter what good things I pointed out all season, he wasn't going to be satisfied. Now, we can all breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate.