Whose your mummy?

Zach had his last pack meeting before turning 11 and becoming a boy scout.  He got to be part of the flag ceremony and did a great job.

 Zach earned lots of awards:

Webelos Badge

Religious Knot

Fitness, Handyman, Outdoorsman, Readyman, and Traveler Badges

Citizenship and Tennis Belt Loops

Compass Patch

 After the awards the boys got to turn their moms into mummys.  What boy would not love wrapping his mom up in toilet paper?

 

 

Ice Skating

Connor was invited to a birthday party at the ice skating rink.  None of my kids had ever been before, so I decided to take them all (except Landon) and pay to do the free skate while he was participating in the party.  My awesome friend Jessica (birthday girl's mom) called to say that there was plenty of room available in the party lessons, so all of my kids got a lesson as well.

 It was fun watching them come out on the ice for the first time.  I was actually amazed at how well they did.  Jacob was skating really well after only 5 minutes or so.  Zach spent half the time on the ground, but picked himself back up every single time and wanted to stay all day.

 The sweet birthday girl

 There was plenty of pizza and donuts, so all of my kids got to join the party.  They were thrilled of course.  Connor LOVES giving gifts at birthday parties.  He gets so excited when they open his present.

 

 This is the best picture I got of Jacob.  He was always just zipping past me.

 

 Connor did not want to stay with me, but go off on his own.  He was so cute to watch because he did exactly what the instructors told him to do.  "March, march, bend your knees.  March, march, bend your knees."  He looked like a little robot circling the rink.  (See video below)

 Zach stayed near the railing the whole day, but after 3 hours he still did not want to leave.  Ice skating was a hit and Connor already wants our family to go again for his birthday!

Here are some videos for Grandma:

The "Ponkin Catch"

Landon has LOVED all of the Halloween stuff in the stores lately, but especially the "ponkins."  I promised him if he was good on a really busy morning of running errands that we would stop at the pumpkin patch to get him a pumpkin.  I knew he would love the tiny pumpkins.  He was in heaven the second we got there and would not even look up for a picture.  He could have stayed there for hours.

 "Ugh!  It's too big Mommy!  You get it."

 

 The perfect Landon pumpkin

Chalk Walk 2013

Our family went to the Chalk Walk in downtown Round Rock and had a fun afternoon.  This is the 3rd or 4th year I've taken some of the kids and they always love it.  This year we brought our whole family.

Connor loved the snake drawing...of course.

There are various activities for the kids to do and Savannah always rocks the hula hoops.

 One of my former young women from church was doing a piece.  We saw it when it was pretty close to being finished.  Great job Jamie!

 

 All of the kids except Landon tried out the drums for a while.

 The chalk artists can choose to use either the street or a special board.  This way the chalk art can be sold at the end.  My friend Becky is an amazing artist and I loved her "Round Rock version" of an old Norman Rockwell painting. 

 The kids can do a small square for $3.  Savannah has always wanted to but we've never had time before.  I promised her she could do it this year.  She was really bummed that her best friend was out of town, because they wanted to do it together.  But luckily Daddy filled in to help.  She didn't have a plan before hand, she just started drawing.

 She ended up with an apple tree and some fireworks in a beautiful sky.

 Our friend and bishop is the one who started the chalk walk.  He is an artist and owns art schools in the area.  We got to see his work in progress, but he was gone coaching his daughter's soccer game.  The artists have 2 days to complete their work.

 At the end we listened to a steel drum band for a while before heading home.  It was a fun afternoon!

September Tidbits

Jacob made this game in his technology class, when they were learning how to use the tools in the wood shop.  He loves that class and I'm excited for all the fun things he'll get to do this year.  They're learning the Inventor design program, making CO2 cars in the woo dshop, learning to program and do robotics.

LANDON IS POTTY-TRAINED!!!

I'm seriously excited about this little tidbit.  He started sort of potty-training himself back in May, but we had so much going on that I just had to put it on hold.  I could tell back then that it would still take a while.  We finally had a week where we didn't have to go anywhere, but he had regressed a ton so I figured it would take quite a while.  Four days later he was pretty much done.  FOUR DAYS!!!  That is a serious record in this house.  He has been in underwear ever since and is doing great, even at night and naps.  This picture was on Day 2, where he went naked except for this old basketball jersey.  It didn't really help so we only did it for a day, but he sure looked cute.  

I paid my dues with Zach (who was 4 1/2 and took a year and a half to potty-train), so I'm feeling blessed it was so much easier this time around.

Last tidbit:

One day I was helping Zach comb his hair before school (because he could care less if it's sticking in 14 different directions, and I actually care).  His hair is getting pretty shaggy so I was trying to comb down the sideburns.  He shrieked and said "Hey, you just pulled out one of my manly hairs!"  

Manly hairs = sideburns

Sleepover

Our kids don't do regular friend sleepovers, so Savannah was SUPER excited when we had her best friend come stay the night while her parents were out of town.  Our kids have stayed at their house a few times when I've had a baby or Dallin and I have been out of town, but this was M's first time staying here.  They played, giggled, watched movies, and had a great time. 

 I had to warn M to not sleep right next to Savannah's bed in case Savannah decided to sleepwalk (which happens occasionally), or she might get stepped on.  She thought that was hilarious.

Tennis Belt Loop

Zach has had awesome Webelos leaders that have worked so hard to help him finish everything he needs for his Webelos badge and Arrow of Light, before he turns 11 in December.  I am so grateful to them for making it fun and enjoyable for him at the same time.  He may grumble about going, but he always comes home happy and glad he went.

A guy in our ward instructed them and helped them earn their belt loop.  His name is Huy Nguyen (pronounced "We Win"), which the boys thought was so cool since they were playing tennis.  He was so patient with them and by the end Zach did not want to leave.

 

 Learning the rules and how to score the game

 

 This was definitely Zach's favorite part.  All the boys went up against Huy, who used 4 rackets "General Grievous style."  They had tons of fun!

Zach's Braces

Zach got braces!  He had an expander put on right when school started, and now they added braces to just his top 4 teeth.  He still has a bunch of permanent teeth growing in, so they will add more brackets on the top as those teeth grow in, and then eventually on the bottom as well.  He will have them on for a total of 2 1/2 years, but this should be the only set he'll have, instead of two separate sets like Jacob.