So, Craig doesn't believe me but I swear on my life that I didn't teach Vash and Rhyla to ask to go to Disneyland on a daily basis. (No crossies I promise!) Truly, my kids just love it like I do and now that Vash has seen video footage of the giant Mickey pumpkins, it's just what he wants more than anything now. "We go for my birthday to the castle and get cake, Daddy?" He asks, then Rhyla echo's "Yeah castle!"
Did I mention that Vash likes to carry all his favorite things around in a lunchbox? Well, he carries cars, craft projects, and other things in a Toy Story lunchbox and the other day we lost it at the mall. Horrifying. Tears, panic attacks. Not pretty. Anyhow, lucky as we sometimes can be, my parents went back to the mall and were able to find it. The woman who was about to steal it for her son decided to turn it in after an hour or so of letting him play with it. (Thank goodness some people still have consciences.) Before we knew we were getting back however, my parents made a point to replace Vash's favorite treasure. A small collection of miniature cars. He only had 5 previously, but because of Me-ma and Pe-pa's efforts, they multiplied to 15 that day. LOL. Why are kids spoiled? No body spanks grandma. *Joke*
These are my kids trying to be couch potatoes. Rhyla even has the dull expression going on. Decided to put a stop to that and started taking them to the park every morning. Now that it isn't a billion degrees outside, that's an option.
You wouldn't think a girl as pretty as this would try and eat dog treats, would you? Ahh, but she did. Duck and sweet potato sticks for dogs. Cried when we took it from her and gave her oatmeal and strawberries instead. Things that make you go "Beh...."
Rhyla's favorite song right now it "Popcorn Popping". For those of you outside the Mormon culture, "Popcorn" is a silly kid song that doesn't really make sense, but is a lot of fun. We sing it while we swing on the tire. "Oh, I looked out the window and what did I see?
Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.
Spring has brought me such a nice surprise,
blossoms popping right before my eyes.
I could take an armful and make a treat.
A popcorn ball that would smell so sweat.
It wasn't really so but it seemed to me,
Popcorn popping on the apricot tree."
Speaking of nonsense and apricots, Vash saw a short and fat palm tree the other night on our walk and declared it was a giant pineapple. Then he asked if next year for Halloween he could be "Strong as a pineapple." We laughed. I'm sure that can be arranged. But I guess that means we're going as fruit of the loom.
I was having a rough day last week and even though it wasn't a big deal, started to cry because it was the straw that broke the camel's back, type of thing. Vash comes up to me and pats my back. "It's ok. Daddy will come home and give you hugs, Mommy." *Big grins* Is this not the sweetest boy in the world?
Rhyla usually hates having her nails clipped, but for some reason didn't mind so much when Craig trimmed them this week. In fact, afterwards, she started scratching his shoulders and saying "See!" Like she was saying, "See how nice daddy, no more scritches!" Yes Scritches not Scratches.
So we just found out this year that the Disney Store does a free Halloween party on select days of October. Couldn't very well miss out on that, could we? So we dressed up the kids and took them over Friday evening. Vash makes a very handsome Jake and he was the only boy there not dressed as an Avenger!
Ha ha.... Had to do it. She looks just like Snow White, and she was also the only one there. Lots of Jasmines and Rapunzels though. People kept stopping us to say how pretty she looked. I'm always just grateful that the kids are healthy, but it's definitely frosting on my cupcake for them to be cute as well.
The first stop was to make Mickey trick or treat bags. Then there were three proceeding stations where they gave out Avengers stickers, apple crisps, and Frankenweenie trading cards. Vash corrected people every time they called him Jake. "I'm Vash dressed as Jake!" Rhyla just smiled when they called her Princess. But trust me, she won't be one of those girls. She's too sweet and kindhearted naturally.
Mirror Mirror.
The mirrors respond to certain merchandise. If you wave an Aurora wand in front of it, they will display her picture and she'll tell you something about her story. It's pretty cute. Obviously the kids liked it.
Vash asked me to take a picture of him being studious. He likes to sit by Craig and "Do homework." I can't remember how it got started but Vash was singing I love you the other day and he did the strangest thing.
"I love you, you love me,
we're a happy family.
With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you,
*Gun shot noise*
Wont you say you love me too?"
I couldn't believe my ears. Laughed until I cried. Random gun shot noise in the middle of his song.
As for the grown ups, Craig is adapting well to his new job. We're excited to have a regular paycheck and are actually going to be moving into our own place in a few weeks! Yep, we found a nice apartment in the area and can't wait to have our own room again. We think the kids will like having all their stuff back too. Also, this weekend was General Conference. I'm always inspired and uplifted by the talks and amazed when I hear the ones I feel are just for me. We call those Conference Miracles. Craig and I have not had an easy last six months. Finishing school, things not turning out the way we thought they would, politely being shoved from our home, and other things have worn on us. But we are still significantly blessed and I know the Lord is mindful of us and is directing our lives, even if we can't see where He's directing us to yet. I'm reminded of the story of a currant bush from a talk by D. Todd Christofferson.
"God uses another form of chastening or correction to guide us to a future we do not or cannot now envision but which He knows is the better way for us. President Hugh B. Brown, formerly a member of the Twelve and a counselor in the First Presidency, provided a personal experience. He told of purchasing a rundown farm in Canada many years ago. As he went about cleaning up and repairing his property, he came across a currant bush that had grown over six feet (1.8 m) high and was yielding no berries, so he pruned it back drastically, leaving only small stumps. Then he saw a drop like a tear on the top of each of these little stumps, as if the currant bush were crying, and thought he heard it say:
“How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. … And now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me. … How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.”
President Brown replied, “Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down.’”
Sometimes it can be hard to see, but I know the Lord never "cuts us down" without the intention of making us better than we were before.
Anyhow, here's a fun Halloween song for you all. Enjoy!
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