Ephraim Turns 4

My little baby boy is four today. He told me today that it is his Family Birthday today!! It is so much fun watching him grow and learn and make friends and react and play. He loves to go on walks and ride bikes and go in the go cart with dad. He would play all day with his cars (lightning mcqueen of course), and he doesn't mind sharing with Ruby, even though he would prefer her not to touch his toys! We are sitting watching Cars 2, which he got for his birthday, and you can't tear his eyes away! What can I say, all boy!!!

He loves to spell things. He has learned everyone's names and car and cat and dog. He wanted to learn how to spell AWESOME so I taught him the cheer to go with it... A W E S O M E, awesome, awesome, totally!!! We are learning to write his name too, but he'd rather color!

Every time we pass our old house he waves and says, "Goodbye old house!" He remembers like an elephant about all those little things. He catches me calling our dog by the wrong name and he tells me things that I need to do. His favorite treat it to have lunch while watching a movie (or outside when it is warm) and since Ruby is usually taking a nap I indulge him often!! He is one of my best snugglers, and he even falls asleep in our arms at church more often than not! I love it, even when my arms go dead.

When he grows up he really wants to be Lightning McQueen (or a race car driver). I am hoping for something a little less threatening...

It is so fun having children! Love you Eph! Happy Birthday!!!

Thankful #9

I am thankful for good books!! There are so many to read and so many to study and many more to read over and over and over again. My favorites are the Book of Mormon, Anne of Green Gables, mysteries, lds fiction, most David Baldacci, What are yours?

Thankful Catchup

Days 4-8

I am so thankful for Dewey. He worries all the time about providing for us and taking care of us. I want him to know that he is doing a wonderful job! He works so hard for us and because of that we have been blessed so much! It is hard for me to have him work such long hours, but I do try to make it up to him when he gets home. And we LOVE all the time we spend together. Especially when we go on adventures together... our latest being fishing! The kids can't wait until Dad gets home, wanting to share their homework or new book or a new move with dad. They like to wrestle and tackle him, and Ruby loves to snuggle with him. For that matter, so do I! He's so comfortable! I love you Dewey and am thankful we have eternity together.

Thankful Day #3

I am thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ of Jesus Christ. Everyday I am amazed at the blessings I receive, and for the knowledge that I have a brother who loves me so much. The gospel teaches me what I am doing here and how I am to live while I am here. I am so thankful for that. A perfect guideline to follow, or an iron rod to hold onto on my path. I have a testimony of the gospel, that it is TRUE and that it is a gift from our Heavenly Father and Savior, who love us and want us to come home.

Costumes

Here are the kids in their costumes. Ephraim was a spaceman, Ben was a ninja, Joselyn as a pirate, Dewey in his guilly suit, Ruby was a dinosaur, and Willard was a soldier. We has so much fun trick or treating, first in our ward's trunk or treat, and then around the neighborhood to a few houses. Willard got really thirsty so we had to stop at a friend's house to get a drink, and Ephraim's feet got tired, so I ended up carrying his bag and holding his hand. I would have picked him up but I was walking the dog too and didn't have enough hands! It is fun as they get older to see their favorites and watch them react to things. We went to a scary haunted cemetery someone had set up in their yard, and they pointed out the spiders and the witches and the scary eyes following us.

Thankful Day #2

I am so very thankful for family. I have such a wonderful family, all those who surround me and help me grow. I am thankful for my parents and their parents for all they have done for me and continue to do. And for their examples of strength and their testimonies. I am thankful for Dewey's parents and their parents, and for the things they have taught their son and the way they raised him. I am grateful for all that they do for us. I am also very thankful for my brothers and sisters and their spouses and Dewey's siblings and spouses (who are now just counted as my brothers and sisters too) and for their examples to us and their faith in the Gospel. I am very grateful for my children, and the joy they bring to my life, and how they look up to us for guidance and love and direction, and that they are watching me everyday to see what I am doing and keeping me on that right path. I know that Heavenly Father sent us to earth in this family for a reason, because we have a responsibility to each other to love and serve, and who better to take care of us than the ones we love?

Thankful #1

I love this time of year! It is a time for me to say out loud (or type) each day what I am thankful for. Day 1, I am thankful for LIFE. It is a beautiful thing to be alive and to be here on this beautiful earth. It is a gift that each of us, as sons and daughters of God, chose. To come here and learn and grow and live. I know that if it weren't for our Savior, Jesus Christ, we wouldn't have been given that choice. Our Father's plan of salvation for us all is wonderful and beautiful and is truly a gift. He loves us so much that He, through His Son, created this glorious world where we were given bodies like His, and where we can choose for ourselves, and where we can grow and learn, and help others around us. We can live to become like Him. I am thankful for this Life!!

October Fun

We have been very busy this month! It seems like we have been playing more and keeping real busy. We went to the circus in Salt Lake with Grannie and Pop and Grandma Lillie and Jeff and Ally and cousins. We had a lot of fun and our favorite part was the tigers and the great big bicycle with tractor tires. Afterward we went to dinner at Cowboy Grub and got to play on the merry-go-round. Grandma Lillie gave us a wonderful Christmas gift she has been working hard on. A beautiful book about grandpa Grant Alvey Muhlestein.

We have been having fun going on walks and go cart rides and doing the school things. And of course there has been raking and raking and raking the leaves from the two maple trees in our front yard. We have been bagging but it looks like the tree still has 2/3 of its leaves still on the tree.

Our biggest project was painting the house. It was a huge project but we managed to paint it in five days. Everyone pitched in and helped (although I stayed clear of the ladders and only did what I could reach and down!) Ben even helped Dewey off the roof leaning over the paint the eaves of the house. We used a sprayer for the side and most of the back, which was wonderful and very fast! Here are the before and after pictures.

Before

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

A little fishing pond opened up this week and Dewey took the kids right over. Not five minutes into fishing, Ephraim caught a nice big fish. The edge around the pond was very soggy so they lost it. Dewey called and asked me to bring the net over. The kids each had fun trying to catch fish. Ben caught a small one and released it. Joselyn caught the largest one, 23 inches. It was very yummy for dinner! We caught four and the smallest one was 19 inches. Can you say FISH FOOD??? 

And since it is Halloween, we have been carving pumpkins and making caramel apples to munch on (did you know that each apple has about 350 calories?) The kids each chose their favorite thing and we carved them out, after they dug out the innards and cleaned them up. Ephraim didn't want to touch a thing, so Joselyn helped him out. The boys thought it was great, but they kept asking why we weren't saving the seeds to grow pumpkins... my brown thumbs??? 

 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!