Anderson Adventures

Monday, October 28, 2013

Pumpkin Carving

Yes, we Anderson's are celebrating Halloween; however, we're just doing it to get through to CHRISTMAS decorations on Friday. We can't wait! I told Brian that next year we should dress up our house in Christmas attire for Halloween... ;) Right.

He was on my side.

Anyway, I really do love love love Halloween and I can't wait to go trick or treating with the kids! As for carving, we're going to always buy little pumpkins. Easier to carve, yet I still didn't come away unscathed. I cut my fingers every single year.

Also, if you're wondering if my children ever have clothes on? Uh....mostly, but they love to be naked. What can I say.

Jared isn't feeling well, so he stayed home from church yesterday and snuggled with his favorite person ever. He loves his daddy!

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Pumpkin Patch

Guess what!? We actually did something as a family this weekend. It is about time! Brian has taken the last couple of days off from his paper writing and I've been in absolute heaven. Last night we were babysitting, which was awesome. The kids played while we watched some Parks and Recreation. Ah...the simple life of spending quality TV time together. :)

Anyway, we went to the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch today and had a blast! We went with some of our new friends from the ward, took lots of pictures, and had lots of fun. Claire, for the first time ever, LOVED the bounce houses. She would tell Brian, "Ok Daddy, four more times." She'd go down four times and say, "Ok Daddy, just seven more times." Then she'd run for her life up the slide and down the other side. Smart little girl. Jared's favorite thing was ambushing anyone with a dog. He would run up to the nearest dog and give it a great big hug. Good thing daddy was there to save him once or else he would have fully embraced a dog butt....right in the face.

So fitting...for her daddy.

Who could resist a photo-op with the Duck Dynasty gang?

The kids actually liked the hayride. Yay!

Jared sure loves to roll those pumpkins over and over...

...and throw hay!

Gosh, she's a cutie!

Poking my camera with straw.

Claire's efforts in pumpkin rolling were a little more half-hearted than Jared's.

Super fun! We'll be making this a yearly tradition...for however long we live here. :)

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Picture History

I am bored. Brian is writing the worst blippity-blip publication on the face of this earth and I have barely seen him in the last four weeks. We see each other at dinner time and then the next day...at dinner time. I think I may have seen more of him while he was writing his dissertation. I actually got used to it that time and when he was home more I was confused and a little lost at him taking up so much of my time.

This time I have read countless books, some of them MAJOR disappointments, others so incredible that the loser books didn't matter anymore. I have watched and re-watched the other love of my life, Ron Swanson, so many times that I miss him when the day is over and I don't have a steak dinner cooking right outside my door. I have done "bed-time" by myself that I think I have accrued time-off from that duty for the next 5 months. I have played with my kids more and more and feel so sad that he can't join in and enjoy our family right now because, my goodness, they are so, so wonderful. I have built princess castles and zoos out of legos. I have built...and rebuilt....and rebuilt....and... you get the picture...train tracks only to have them demolished in absolute delight.

Tonight I was lazy. I looked back at pictures long before I was ever married. Life was pretty darn wonderful (although sometimes embarrassing) and it still is. It's better. Even if I feel so very single and my days are filled with monster sounds and not a single adult conversation, I am so lucky to have my lovely little family.

And now I can't wait to have that husband back.

Mexico 2007

Gosh, I miss those girls!

When Brian and I were dating...the first time. Also before he told me how stupid my smile was and I have since corrected it. Jackson Hole 2007

Family Cruise 2008- Siblings, doing what we do best....ICE CREAM!

And then Brian decided that he did indeed like me and I got to wear this big white dress.

Engagements

Then he married me...even after he told me to stop talking to him before the ceremony. Apparently my small talk was making him very nervous.

Haha...this picture makes me laugh. I used to really like it, but now I look at it and see those 10 pounds of post married life in my cheeks. I must have been a hearty eater.

Claire. Beautiful. Best day of my life.

Gosh, I miss those arm rolls!

First family campout!

Jared. Second best day of my life.

Oh... my... handsomely adorable!

Red cheek cheeser!

So tiny for so long!

21 month old Claire in the hospital. First scariest day of my life.

Going home!

Lake Powell trip 2012 - Natural Bridges National Park

Can best friends move states with you? Please!? Boy oh boy, do we miss these two!

And here we are...in Texas.

And this is why life is so wonderful!

Out of the mouth of Claire

Claire was asking me about Hailey nursing. She was sad to find out that Hailey wasn't nursing anymore. She said, "Well, when I am a mommy can you give my babies milk?" Uh...nope. Can't do that. "Why mom?" Well, my milk will be gone (thank goodness) and you'll have to do it. "Oh, well, I want a big, big, BIG family. TWELVE babies! But I don't want the littlest baby to ever get big because I do NOT want one hundred babies." March 2015
Claire: Daddy, do you stink? Brian: Why do you say that? Claire: Because I can smell you. 6/18/14
Claire walked out of her room and this is what ensued: Daddy: "Claire, get back to bed." Claire: "But Daddy, my bed is being crazy!" (We try hard not to laugh). Daddy: "What?" Claire: "My bed is being crazy!!!" He went back, she tangled her blanket so her feet were getting cold. 5/15/2014
Claire asked her sunbeam teacher what "this" was, pointing to something on her chest. She thought she was talking about the pattern on her dress. Claire said, "No, no! These. They are for milk for babies." 5/2014
Eating corn on the cob for dinner, Claire turned to me and asked, "Mommy, are you going to eat some of this YUUUUMMMMYYY corn?" 5/2014
"Mommy, can you do this for me?" She hands me my eyelash curler and I proceed to curl her eyelashes. She bats her eyes in the mirror and says, "There. That's better." For the record...I have never done this, so she didn't learn it from me. 1/28/14
I was doing Claire's hair , combing through it. "Mommy, stop brushing my hair, you're making me crazy." 1/28/14
Claire has a VERY hard time going #2 in the toilet. She will hold it for days and days, so she ends up sitting on the toilet for hours sometimes. This week, she had been in there for a good two hours (and never went). Anyway, during that time she called me in several times, "MOMMY!!!! Come here!!!" And then would tell me nothing. So, after what seemed like the billionth, "MOMMY come here!" shouting, I went in to find her with the ENTIRE roll of toilet paper collected in a heap in her arms. I looked at her and gasped in frustration. I had just changed that roll! Brand new roll. Think of all that! She looked at me, giggled, and said, "Mommy...hehe....I sneezed...hehe." 1/28/14
We had our first ice storm here in Texas. I took Claire to Costco and let her walk on the ice. "Mom, I need to put on my ice skates". "Claire, do you have ice skates?" "No mom, I don't." Good point though sweetheart!
Claire always wakes me up telling me that the sun is awake. The other day, she came in, told me the sun was awake once more and then told me that she wanted some candy. I informed her that we didn't have any, but she said, "Mom, all we have to do is say Trick-or-treat!"
We went camping and I asked if Claire had fun. Claire: "I love camping, but Jared was naughty. We should leave him home".
Me: "Claire, why are you out of bed?" Claire: "Because of this..." She starts moving as if she'll pee her pants. Me: What? Claire: "Because I have the wiggles."
While at the mall bathroom, "MOMMY! YOU DID IT! YOU PEED!" For everyone to hear.
We're still trying to potty train Claire and have her poop in the potty! She says she does it, but can't seem to have it happen and will hold it for days (which is very frustrating). In an effort to get the ball rolling, I said, "Claire! Let's both push. 1...2...3...push!" At that point I did a fake push and she quickly exclaimed, "MOMMY! Don't poop in your pannies!" 7/12/13
Jared was crying and wandering around the house this morning. He popped his head in the bathroom where Claire and I were, and started to cry. Claire said, "Oh Jared, stop whining". 7/3/13
Brian and I were talking about the frustrating expenses of moving. At one point I said (about our debt), "It's all my fault." Claire came to the rescue and said, "NO! It's MY fault! My fault....and Jared's!"
This morning Claire woke up at 5 am screaming, "I WANT A COOKIE!!!!!" I went in, she repeated her sentiments. I promised her a cookie and she went back to sleep. When she got out of bed at 10:30, she jumped into my arms and said, "Where's my cookie?"