I officially have man hands.

 After 40 minutes of the punching bag. What was I thinking? Dang it.

It's my own fault so I have no right to complain, but typing this blog hurts.

Saturday was Emily and Shane's last weekend being zipline guides up Provo Canyon so we thought we better hurry and take advantage of their offer for a free zip down the mountain.  Linc was too little so he and I ran errands in Orem while James and Koby met up with Em and Shane.  

They had so much fun! Linc and I showed up to see them zip down the last part.  It looked awesome.  There may or may not have been a daredevil going upside down too!  

 

Well it was just a Finch kind of weekend.  Sunday, Shane and Em came over and carved pumpkins with us again.  It was a fun night.  

Shane brought a ginormous pumpkin and we all couldn't help but crack up when he pulled the top off and realized just how thick it was and how challenging it would be to cut.  Haha.  He accomplished the task using the largest knife we own. 

Using the smallest knife, Em did a very intricate tree.  It was very cool.  And thankfully I didn't have to compare it to my usual kindergarten looking pumpkin.  

This year I got to carve Koby's pumpkin.  He drew the face and I carefully followed all the little squiggles.  Isn't it the cutest.  I love that he is starting to draw actual pictures.  Last week I told him to draw people for the first time and I was very impressed with his skills...

I love his little handwriting too.

James is last on the blog because, well it took him FOREVER to carve Linc's pumpkin.  He had this 3-D idea, that he realized soon after starting, wouldn't be a quick job.  Haha...He widdled away well after the rest of our pumpkins were done.  It is pretty darn cool though...

Grandma Takako sent the boys some Mr. Patato Head parts for pumpkins too...So much easier than carving:)

... They make us laugh.

Bring on Halloween.

And I just have to add a picture of this little Mr. who is getting so big.

A whole lot of everything

We have not been good bloggers lately and for good reasons.

For the past few weeks James has spent pretty much every night working on essays for grad school applications. Lucky me, as his wife, I get to help. James, of course, does most of the work. I just swoop in after the first drafts are done and we work together to revise and polish them.  Last week there was a night we stayed up until four in the morning! When I set an alarm for James it said he had 1 hour and 35 minutes to sleep. Sick! I was fortunate to get about an hour and a half more than him. Wednesday his last application will be submitted! Just in time too, the guy is starting to look like a zombie...

Another reason was we had more car drama. Story of our life. Our car hydroplaned on the freeway in heavy traffic during James' commute to work. Thankfully nobody was hurt. That was not the case for our trusty explorer. Our car was totaled. I have to mention this car wreck was just one day before James had to fly out to New Hampshire too! I was almost stuck home for two days with two kids and no car!

It all turned out to be ok. God always blesses us even when we don't see a way. We ended up finding a great new car for our family- a 2008 Ford Edge. I highly recommend this car. It is so roomy, gets way better gas mileage than our explorer, and it's pretty:) It has no problem fitting my double jog stroller in the back too!

Exhibit A...

Rach and Sean came into town this last weekend and made our weekend fun. Friday we went to the Mitchell's with the Quigley's and the Finch's. So glad Crystal is friends with all of our family! The kids had a blast playing together. It was really fun to see cousin Charlie. The little guy is so fun to play with. I wish my boys had cousins close to play with more often. Someday.

Saturday night Joanie and Bruce hosted a fun Halloween Party. James and I went all out (for us anyway)... we dressed up as a zombie bride and groom. I am proud to say my wedding dress is way too big, but I can still fit into my prom dress I got when I was 16! (Just threw on an undertee and it looked close enough to a wedding dress). Anyways, if you know my sister, Rachel, you know she loves LIVES to tease me. I was nervous all day. I just knew she told us it was a dress up party and we would show up and be the only ones in costume. Thankfully, this was not the case! It was such a fun party and everyone dressed up!

Here are Big Luigi and Little Mario...

Sean is rockin' some size 20 Women's Capri's! Rach claims they were the only ones in the thrift store, but we all know her better;)

I wish I had a picture of everyone, but as always our kids were too crazy for us to watch and photograph it all. Rach did rock her pregnant batman costume though!

Joanie and Bruce, or "Broanie and Juice" as Koby calls them, had several fun activities and games for us. The boys loved it.

We turned each other into mummies...

We ate donuts...

Sean and James kept getting a little too close for comfort.

We bobbed for apples...well maybe just reached in and grabbed one.

As well as many other fun activities. Thanks for the invite to a great party Quigley's!

James had to go straight home and do essays all night, so Amy and I went out for a girl night. I am glad I have such a sweet friend who was ok taking out a zombie. I did not have time to go home and clean up...we got a lot of stares.

Mr. Sass

Who would have thought reading books to Koby would teach him so much sass.

Anytime I show the slightest frustration and tell him he needs to obey, he replies in an angry voice,

“If you be mean to me mommy, I am just going to run away!!”  Then he storms off in a hustle.

(Thanks Mercer Mayer)

Also, thanks to a good manners book…

K: “Mom do you want a headband?”

M: (busy driving…) “Um, not right now.”

K: “Mom that is not polite! Do you want a headband?”

M: “Not right now, thank you.”

K:  “No you say, no thank you Koby! ... Mom, do you want a headband?”

M: “No thank you Koby!”

K:  (Clapping his hands...) “Mom, Good job that was so polite!! I am proud of you!”

The little stink;)