Halloween 2009

The kids and I before the trick or treating began. That's my niece, don't you love the ears-hilarious! Bella is wearing the Tinkerbell costume Bella wore when she was that size. Jack is a Jawa, I thought about painting his face, but he wasn't really wanting me to.
After all the trick or treating. Jack and Bella still had a lot of energy. Sophie was pooped. She began the night running up to every door and yelling trick or treat before anyone answered. Then she whispered it once some one answered. She did always say thank you, so that was good. Bella wanted to be a peacock this year. I made a colorful dress and attached a bunch of tulle to the back. She was very excited about it. But what made the girls really excited, was the makeup. Bella had a painted peacock mask, and they both were covered in glitter powder.
The kids carved their own pumpkins. Bella's has the big nose, Jack's is on the top step. I had fully intended to make a witch's has for the greenish one. But I ran out of steam. Maybe next year. Jack's candy is over half gone. He has a bit of an upset stomach, but claims it was worth it. Bella will have candy for months to come. And Sophie's got all sorted, we didn't take stuff we knew she's like out, just stuff that she would probably choke on like taffy and Werthers and the like. She got some temporary tattoos and really loves those. Also a hit was the mini cans of play dough.

Football

Jack took this!

From May to November, our lives basically revolve around football schedules. We have high school football practices, passing camps, and scrimmages in the summer. Then we go into flag football games, for both Jack and Nate. We have sophomore and JV games on Thursdays, and varsity games on Fridays. Then regular season college and NFL games begin, and we have regular entertainment on TV. This year, Jack and Nate are even doing some fantasy with Roger. If my daughters don't understand football by the time they are grown, it will be because they aren't paying attention.


All this football creates a very emotional atmosphere. People go from the high of highs, to the low of lows. If Jack has a good game, makes a few catches and pulls a few flags. We have a good week. If the high school teams struggle, I ready myself to administer no small amount of therapy. If BYU does badly, the whole household is sulky. And if the Colts lose, well, they have had a good season thus far. Thank you Colts, keep it up! But all my sympathy and interest ends when it comes to the fantasy league. I mean really, I am just too spent to be worried about the Jet's entire defense on a weekly basis.


The team Nate plays on with our ward did win it's game on Saturday, making them Stake Champions! A few of the players commented they heard me laugh quite a lot in the game. You see, these games don't draw a very big crowd, and I hadn't really watched one before. It was amusing to see these guys play like they weren't going to be terribly sore and really pay for it the next day. But now they are going to regionals! Who even knew they had regionals? Here in the Miskin household, we are very excited about it, this week is one of the high of highs.

Sophie's Birthday

Sophie had a birthday a while ago. Poor thing, doesn't get a post on her birthday. My excuse is that is was a very busy day. A very busy week in fact. Her grandma and great-grandma were visiting, so there was a lot of shopping and going out to eat. I got released from Young Womens. Bella had primary program practice. Jack had a football game. Nate and Jack needed a ride to the airport. Her grandma and great-grandma were visiting. Really, it was quite a busy time.

For weeks and weeks she asked for an Elmo Cake. She, like her sister before her, is a huge fan of Elmo and all things Sesame Street. Luckily for her, I already had an Elmo cake pan. She loved it, despite the hacking into Elmo moments after this picture was taken. She didn't get the whole blowing out the candles thing. I had to do it for her. Maybe next year.

She got everything a two year old could really want. However, in the picture above she is clutching her two favorite gifts, a pack of tic-tacs and a bag of marshmallows. I am going to just get her assorted mints for Christmas, really, she would be pleased as punch. After the tic-tacs and marshmallows were gone, she gained more interest in her other gifts. She carries the backpack around a lot and really tries to get money out of the Cinderella bank.

She tolerated her brothers football game pretty well. She told a lot of people it was Sophie's Happy Day. In fact, over a week later, she keeps telling people that. She's a busy kid lately, into everything and leaving a path of destruction like a whirlwind. She is really trying to assert herself and find out where her boundaries are. She talks a lot, most everything is understandable, but still some gibberish. She is finally starting to get a little taller and stretching out. She does not want me to do her hair under any circumstances. And I am not willing to risk cutting it yet. I can't believe how fast the past two years have gone!

Jack's Life Rocks

He and Nate went on their dream vacation this weekend. They had a great time and made it through a Cardinals game wearing Colts gear. The Colts won, they had great seats, and they got to fly to the game. Really, what more could two football enthusiasts ask for.

Bridal Veil Falls

A few weeks ago, we went up the canyon to Bridal Veil Falls to have a picnic. We try and go every year but must have missed the past few because both the kids seem to have forgotten about what it looked like. I was surprised to see how green and lovely everything was. The river was really really high and seemed to be running pretty fast. Nate proposed right near here, so it has significance to us because of that, I can't believe 12 years went by so fast (our anniversary was in August).

The kids now want picnics every week, and I need to find a few more spots before fall comes and gets to cold. I want to do better and taking advantage of the things around here that we never do or see.

Grandpa Goo?!?

Sophie has always been a fan of the magnadoodles. We have four or five of varying sizes around here and one of her favorite games is when we draw something and she guesses what it is. She's really good at it too. Until this one that is, I was drawing a muppet, she looked a without hesitation said "Grandpa Goo!" Sorry Brad.
Here is a picture of Grandpa Goo, just to dispel any ideas that he may actually resemble the about photo. It's about a year old, but let me assure you, he hasn't changed that much in the past year. And yes, the moustache is kind of spectacular. But he certainly doesn't have googly eyes or a big round nose so far as I can see.

First Day Of School

It was a couple of weeks ago, but it still feels like summer and we shouldn't be back yet, so I kept delaying this post. But here is what the kids looked like. Sophie is convinced that Bella's lunch box is her backpack and gets very angry when Bella needs to take it for lunch.

School has been going well so far. Jack is determined to have no homework this year, so far he is succeeding, he just does it after he finishes his work during school. Bella is doing good going all day. She isn't great about getting ready efficiently in the morning, but we are working on that. I guess that is a result of afternoon kindergarten last year and a love for sleeping in.