Crafty Cathy

Here are a few of the latest projects I busted out.

WICKED!!!  I love this piece of Halloween decor.  I hope it lasts me F O R E V E R.  My mom, Angela & I got together at Ashley's house & we all made one.  It was fun - and slightly stressful!

This next project was kind of a failure.  I can't decide how much I love them....or not.  My mom & Aunt Julia collected a ton of leaves at Tony's Grove and pressed them out & then they came over, along with Ashley & Eva, and we mod podged the dry leaves over the  jars.  I really like them when they are lit up.  They probably like being lit up also - who doesn't??? j/k...j/k :)

A cute table for my kids!  I got the yellow/orange table from someone on KSL for $10...bought some fabric, some vinyl & some spray paint & made it to match my kitchen!  There is no longer 2 high chairs in there!  My babies have grown up way to quickly.

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving was on November 22nd this year - so here are 22 things that I am thankful for.

1. My home. It isn't huge & it isn't top of the line...but memories have been made here & I wouldn't change them at all..
2. My kids. They are adorable, exhausting, hilarious, trying, loving, & fun.
3. Running water. 'Nuff said.
4. Casey.  He is a great dad.  We butt heads on occasion, but we also seem to get along with each other.
5. My Mom.  She is helpful, kind, & freaking funny.
6. My Dad.  He is helpful, kind, & freaking funny.  I have awesome parents.
7. My siblings.  They are all so different & so easy to love.
8. The gospel.  I'm not the churchiest person out there, but I know what is true & it gives me comfort knowing the things I do.
9. Music.  I love music.  All kinds - but country & jazz tie for last place.  I think my life would be complete if it was a musical.
10. My health.  I don't have many ailments & I hope that I take care of myself for a long, long time so I can continue to feel good.
11. Veterans.  For all who so selflessly and courageously served and protected our country - and for those who continue to do so.
12. The opportunity I have to stay home with my kids.  We may not have all of the money we want at the moment - but by my staying home I get to enjoy my children. 
13. The seasons.  I am grateful that I get to live where seasons are present.
14. Babysitters!!!!
15. Casey's job.  I am thankful that it is close to home & that he has the opportunity to advance in the company - let's hope that happens soon :)
16. My mother & father-in-law.  They are always there to help for whatever, whenever. 
17. My senses.  They sure get taken for granted.
18. My SMALL English knowledge.  I'm glad I know the difference between your & you're...their, there, they're...granted & granite...I'm not a scholar by any means - but I do know a smidge.
19. Pictures.  I love taking them & looking back at them. Time goes by so fast & having the memories to look back on is priceless.
20. Our vehicles.  They are paid for and the haven't had any major issues (don't worry - I knocked on wood)
21. Our (my) dishwasher.  I have only been using it for 21 months & I don't know how I survived without it.  I love that thing.
22. Technology.  As I am writing this I thought I would check my email.  I had the opportunity to have a mini chat with Dylan!!!  AWESOME!

Casey had to work on Thanksgiving this year.  What a total bummer!  He did get to enjoy it with his family though.  It was my family's turn to enjoy our company this year and we ended up going to my Aunt Sandra's house.  It was a delicious meal!  I recommend trying a smidge of my mom's cranberry sauce on your turkey.  I'm growing quite fond of the stuff.  We stuffed our faces, danced like fools to an XBOX Kinect game, played Apples to Apples & Mad Gab.  GOOOOOOD TIMES.

  One highlight of my day was watching Taylor play with Monte (Amber's dog). 

 

Caleb's plethora of November crafts!  His hand turkey above his head says that he his thankful for his kitty.  Ahhhhhhh :)

 

Happy Halloween!

Casey had to work on Halloween night so I decided that I would take the kids out to Tremonton on the 30th so that I wouldn't have to try to fit all of the visiting in AND the trick or treating in  one night.  We stopped at Casey's parents house first & visited for a while.  Mona had treats for the kids & a fun Mickey Mouse Halloween movie.  Bothwell park had put together a little Halloween celebration and I thought my kids might have fun.  Caleb stated getting sick so he wasn't having any fun at all.  He ended up going to Grammy & Papa Don's and watching Thomas.  I ran into one of my friends Megan Call...we didn't really have a minute to talk, but I wasn't going to get away without a picture of us!

Oh Halloween night.  We had plans to go trick-or-treating with all of the kids that I baby sit & their families at 6.  Caleb fell asleep on the couch at 4:30.....I woke him up at 5:30 & gave him some Ibuprofen.  I had the girls all ready to go & asked Caleb if he wanted to get ready & he was not interested in going.  He said that he wasn't feeling good.  As you can see from the picture - he wasn't lying.  He was watching his Halloween movie from Mona & Brad & holding his sweet helicopter toy from my mom & dad.  I am glad he has such fabulous grandparents!

Around 6:30 Caleb changed his mind.  He said, "Let's get my costume on & go get some candy."  I guess the medicine took about an hour to kick in.  Should I be concerned that he wore this vampire costume 2 years ago & it still fits?????

2012

2010

The weather was perfect for trick-or-treating.  Taylor & Rylee were good sports in their stroller.  They got  a little bored, but some M&M's fixed that!

After we went to 4 houses Caleb said, "Okay mom.  I'm done."  I told him that we should go to 10 more.  He sighed & said ok.  The one thing he had to eat as soon as he got it was a vanilla tootsie roll.  Y U M.  I wasn't counting houses after my comment....but I guess he was!  After a little while he said, "Okay mom.  That's 10.  Let's go home."  We did...and the sweet little thing didn't even eat any candy when we got home - he just wanted a banana.

He got some awesome vampire teeth - so we modeled of course!

Caleb & Allie went to a Halloween party earlier this month.  They were so excited!  Caleb's mask was a little bit to big & when I took the picture Allie decided to start flying like a bumble bee!

 At Halloween time crafts area  must!  A cute witch that Caleb made at preschool.

 Caleb made the jack-o-lantern at pre-school & the ghost & witch with me.

.........Until next year my spooks.

Pumpkin Carving Party

It was my year to host the Anderson pumpkin carving party this year. It was a success! I made cheeseburger soup, Angela brought a veggie tray, my parents brought rolls, & Ashley made a pumpkin cake. 

 

I think that we have been watching way to much Dexter. (sounds impossible - I know) I love Dexter.  I think I even have a mini crush on him.  What does that say about me??!!  I should probably see a therapist.

I had a couple of tables out & lined them with garbage bags & my dad said that it looked like I was setting up a kill room.  Angela also said that she had a foul mouthed sister just like Dexter does....I just told her that I didn't know what the f*** she was talking about. :)  My bad.

 Angela & her girls.  She loves them all so much!

 Angela & her boys.  I'm pretty sure she loves these guys also.

 I hate watching my parents get blinder by the second.  This photo of my dad is so freaking sad, but so freaking funny at the same time.  I only wish he had packed my mom's faux diamond studded glasses.  Those are my favorite on him.

 Casey was so nice & let Caleb pick out his jack-o-lantern pattern this year.  Caleb chose a vampire.  They seem to be one of his favorite things this Halloween.

 Carving it up!

 The whole family (minus my mom - she was feeling a bit under the weather)!  Even Dylan made it to the party - can you see him?

Brittni - Monster .....Dad - Witch.....Derrick (aka Derrika) - the spewing pumpkin.....Casey - vampire.....Blake/Angela - skeleton.....Jordon - Scar (from The Lion King).....Griffen  - Flaming jack

Up close & personal with mine & Casey's works of art.

The Kids

Caleb bo Baleb.  He is almost 5 years old!  I can't believe it.  I wanted to get a couple of things in writing before I forgot them.

He has a hard time listening.  SEVERAL times a day I will say something to him & his immediate reply is "what'd you say?"  The way he says it is quite cute.  He will say it very fast & look at me like, ."Hey lady, are you talkin' to me?"

Every time he goes #2 he will scream at me from the bathroom (I mean SCREAM), "MOM??!!! Do I have to wash my hands?" Yes Caleb - Every. Single. Time.

I dont' know why - but I always say "Jiminy Christmas!"  I know it's lame.  I don't even know why I started saying it.  Probaby to refrain from swearing in front of the kids :)  Casey always says "Judas Priest!"  Again - probably to refrain from swearing.  Well - Caleb has his own made up version....if he is frustrated or needs to vent he will say, "Judas Christmas!!!"  CUTE!

When he trips or wants to wrestle he calls it 'tripping over' instead of tipping over.  He will say to me, "Hey mom.  I am going to run into you and you are going to trip over okay?"  It's adorable.

He is so particular about animals that it is insane.  He recently saw a picture of some opossums.  So - whenever we come across this picture he'll say, "What is that"  I reply "It's a possum"  He says, "He is a member of the rat family"  I reply, "Okay Caleb."  I said something the other day that daddy deer had antlers & mommy deer don't.  He said, "They are called bucks mom." 

Every night he will tell me "Sweet Dreams".  For some reason he thinks he has to make his voice register as high as possible when he says this.  It's actually quite sweet.

He is loving Halloween. HOORAY! He asks me daily if he can hold the yellow skeleton that I have hanging outside & every day I tell him no. You would think he'd get it by now. He has asked me for 29 days straight now. I won another big skeleton at bunco this week & he is obsessed with getting his hands on him, so I caved. 

Here he is the other night with the brown one & he LOVED the yellow one when I first got him in 2009.  The picture of the old scary couple is funny.  Caleb was studying it earlier this month & said, that scary guy is going to roast 3 hot dogs!  LOL

Taylor has mastered the stairs!  I know that most kids have this skill mastered before 18 months or so - but it is hard to practice going up & down them when 2 of them are needing assistance!  There was a lot of foot to face action on their part.  They survived though.

 Rylee followed in Taylor's footsteps about a week later.

 A couple of weeks ago Caleb asked if they could eat lunch outside.  It was one of the last nice days that we had before this past series of cold weather.  They were adorable.  I think Caleb even had a worm friend eat with them (it's near his plate).  I am glad no one accidentally ate it..

Caleb LOVES helping his dad.  Here they are putting some fabulous new tires on the stroller.

 Caleb had so many questions about Casey's deer!  It was almost overwhelming. :)

 HOW CUTE IS THIS NEXT PICTURE??!!!  I took about 10 pictures before I managed to get this one.  One of them would turn their head or try to stand up or shut their eyes.  It was quite the process, but I am glad that I didn't give up!  (Rylee has the boat, Taylor has the blue toy)

Gardner's Village

I know I mentioned it in an earlier post - but I love traditions!  I love the old ones & I love the newer ones as well.  Our Gardner's Village trip is a newer tradition that I love.  We had a couple of newbies this year too!!  This year we added little Eva & Chantel was able to enjoy the festivities this year also.  I hope we didn't scare her off.  We started our afternoon/evening at Sandra's with some fabulous soup, Maddox rolls, PEPSI & Halloween bark for dessert.  Y U M

 

Here are my lovely little ghosts.  Taylor has her hands up.

 Isn't this the cutest little witch you have ever seen?!?!?

 Angela was the only one that dressed up.  She hangs with a bunch of fun haters!  I need to get my act together & create a costume.  I have a hat & a cape & funky socks...but I don't know what shirt I would wear & I don't think anyone would appreciate me going topless. 

 The whole group!  My mom was helping my dad in King Creek - next year she will be coming with us!  We went on Witch's Night Out this year & I don't know if I want to do that again.  It was fun to see all of the witches...but there was plenty when we went last year on just a normal weekend.

 Angela & Amber have had their faces painted the last couple of years.  They always look stunning!

I think that Rylee was exhausted.  She would just stand with her face smashed into Amber forever!  She was NOT moving!

 Sandra & her girls.

 I adore this picture of Ashley & Eva.  Ashley purchased the fabulous jacket she has on.  It fit her perfectly!  A meant to be purchase.  Those are the best!