Ev
ery morning th
ere is something new that Cody has created with his Legos the night before. Here are just a couple of the creations that I actually stoped to take a picture of. I need to do better at taking time out like this to take a picture of these amazing set ups. So who do you think will win? Monster Trucks or Legos??? I don't know??? Imagine what could happen when you mix Star Wars, with Buzz, Woody and Sponge Bob.
visit. They were our first visitors since we have been in Arizona an
d it was great to have time with them. Time being the key word. I hear of a lot of grandpar
ents ju
st spoiling their grand kids to the max 
and I mean max being over the top ridiculous. I am so grateful for our parents, because they know what true spoiling is about. It is called time. 
Time to read a book, or play a game, time to ride bikes, or listen to a song, time to fix a special treat together, and always time to stop for a hug and a kiss. My kids never doubt the love that Grandma and Grandpa have for them. It was so fun for the kids to each go on a Grandma and Grandpa date.
We miss them being close enough to come to soccer games and school programs and primary programs. We had a blast with them the w
eek th
ey were able to spend with us over the mid week of October. We went to a local pumpkin patch, they had all sorts of fun activities. We were bumbed that there was not a real pumpkin patch like we are used to, but there were still lots of fun things perfect for Cody and Elena's aged. One of our favorites were these cool peddal bikes and a barrel train ride. (Matt was a maniac on the bikes and had Elena on his lap. check out the video at the end of this post.)
also went to the "Train Park" with Grandma and Grandpa and road the Merry-Go-Round and of course the train. We also did a lot of 
swimming in the pool, but I am not sure if Grandma and Grandpa really want 
to be posted in their bathing suites all over the web, even though we got a cute one of them with the kids. We c
an't wait until the next time they come and visit again.
So, do these Halloween Costumes look familiar? 
Yep, that's right! This is the 3rd year my kids have worn these costumes. (Click here for California, click here for Utah) We have lived 
in a different state every Halloween, so know one knows they were the 
same thing last year....and the year before. Ok, so everyone who reads this blog knows, but I don't care. When I was little I wore the same clown costume that my oldest brother (16 years older then I)
wore when he was a baby, and I think my nieces and nephews wore it as well. Then I wore this black cat costume for the next several years, that is just how it was and guess what? I still got lots of Candy!!!! And this was no different for Cody and Elena, who raked in a hoard or Candy!!!
Well I did my annual Mom and Tot's Halloween Party....it was ok, not my best party ever, but it was fun. It seems to die more and more each year. Maybe it is just me having higher
expectations of people or mom's getting involved more with their kids. Later that day we cranked some Halloween Music on Pandora and frosted cookies a
nd carved pumpkins. Somehow I neglected to take pictures of the finished product. ( I hate it when that happens!) Also for Halloween we had trunk-or-treating at the church (where I used my bean bad toss again) 
and then the best part......the real trick-or-treating! Let me tell you, trick-or-treating is awesome here in Mesa. Wonderful warm night, everyone is out on in their lawn chairs in their driveways handing out candy. Some people had cotton candy machines, donuts, bounce houses, you name it. totally a night of bringing the neighborhood together. It was SOOO fun!!!!!
have neglected painting Elena's room long enough....only 3 houses and three years later and we finally did it! I bought this bedding set a couple days after bringing Elena home for the first time. When I bought this set, I also bought a couple rolls of
wall paper that goes with it,but never put it up. Elena wanted her room to be pink and purple, but 
as you can see purple would not have matched the blessed wall paper boarder. So I sweet talked her (not an easy task) into Pink and Gree
n. But....we also painted her closet purple to appease her little heart. I am sure someday when we go to sell, buyers will walk through and say...who in the crap paints the closet purple? And we will be the happy ones that say....It was us, the Mom and Dad of our sweet daughter Elena. Some day I want a cute white bedroom set for her room, but this piece of cheep wood will have to do for now. Oh, but I imagine that it is a white bedroom set and it looks SOOO cute!
I wanted to pierce Elena's ears when she was a new born, but there were those who talked me out of it...saying, oh wait until she is older and she can choose if she wants them or not. I can honestly say....if Elena could talk when she was an infant, she would have said 
"I WANT POKEY EAR RINGS!!!" So... since I didn't get them pierced when she was an infant, now came the question of at what age is she responsible enough to have pierced ears? I still don't know what age that is. Any one can tell you that 3 is really not considered the age of being responsible, but that is what I am here for right? So we struck a deal with Elena. When you are potty trained you can have pokey ear rings. We started to try to accomplish this oh...a year ago, but we were not consistent. Then after we moved we got serious 
and tried again. Elena tried to convince us that since she was sitting on the potty, that she was potty trained (even though her pants were soaked) But the day finally came when she started doing thi
ngs on her own, having less reminders and very few accidents. The other day, I crouched down beside her in the bathroom and told her... I think you're potty trained. Her immediate response was.... I get pok
ey ear rings???? So on Friday the 15th, I did it, I took her to get them pierced. I didn't tell her until 
we were in the mall. I said lets go look at pokey ear rings and she just stopped mid step and smiled, she was speechless. Smiling and speechless. She picked out some cute white sparkly flowers and sat up in the chair. Then the guy put on latex gloves and I could see her smile fade to a fearful strait face, b
ut she was still determined. Then came the moment of truth....the POKE!!!! and what happened after...nothing, no tears, no screaming, no crying.....just shock and happiness. Then the guy lined up the second one and POKE!!! it was over. She did great! She was on cloud nine and so proud of her Pokey Ear Rings.
