We carved pumpkins tonight. I think Grant had the most fun out of everyone. The kids decided they wanted to take photos with them doing the same face as their pumpkin.

So one of Harry's more frustrating habits is that he uses his hair for a towel when his hands are dirty. This has been especially challenging with all the icky, gooey, chocolaty candy around our house right now. Every time he gets something on his hands he rubs them on his hair no matter how many times I tell him not to. I guess that it's better than what Paige does. I STILL catch her cleaning her face off with her shirt!

Paige is in a play and is loving it! There are about 50 kids in the play and she has been able to make new friends and do what she really loves.
Tonight she found out that she got a solo for the play. She is singing It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. There were only 3 solos given out so she was very excited. The play is "The Christmas Carol" and will be the week before Thanksgiving. Way to go Paige!

So, I hate scrapbooking (the regular kind). Hate, Hate, Hate it. It's messy, costs a bunch of money, and to be honest I was horrible about it. I would spend a bunch of money and time and end up with something that looks horrible. So I gave up on it long ago.

I wrote this and put on my other Prop 8 blog but wanted to put it here too. Bare with me....there is only 7 more days until we vote!

A friend (Susanne) told me yesterday, "No matter what the vote is in a few weeks, the people you most touch are your children. Your children will never forget the examples you are setting for them right now."
This really got me thinking about what has happened the last few months. Don't get me wrong, I really want prop 8 to pass. But if it doesn't I am still thankful for all the blessing that have come from fighting this fight.
1) We have all set examples for our kids that even when people don't agree with you, you still stand up for what you believe in. I have had SO many conversations with my kids as they have had questions about what Prop 8 is and why I am doing the things that I am doing. It has given me many opportunities to explain to them that doing the RIGHT thing is not always doing the EASIEST thing.
2) Many different religions have come together and found a unity in our community. As watch on the news or read online about all the different organizations and churches that are getting involved it makes me realize that maybe we have a lot more in common then we previously thought. We can also do a lot of good when we ban together and work towards a common goal.
3) Seeing all the YES on 8 signs makes me realize that I am not alone in my beliefs. The opposition does such a great job making me feel so isolated. Speaking out in support of traditional marriage has become so politically incorrect that after awhile you start to feel like you are the only one. You are branded ignorant, a "hater", intolerant, or a bigot if you take a position against gay marriage. Seeing how many signs have gone up and reading about how many people have donated money makes me realize that there are a lot of people out there that feel exactly the same way I do. Maybe now that we are all speaking out it won't be so scary anymore.
4) When you do what is right you will always be blessed. No matter if Prop 8 passes or not I truly believe that the Lord will recognize our effort and bless us for them. Who knows how many blessings will be bestowed from above when all is said and done.
Amanda

Here is the video I made for my YW for YW in Excellence. It is photos of the last year.

Pause my music below before you watch.

It's tough being the youngest brother!

Anyone else have a hard time getting a family photo? Seriously! Getting all six of us to look at the camera is nearly impossible!

We have a lot of Props to vote on this year in CA. Sometimes it is helpful to have someone guide you in all of the heavy reading you have to do in order to know how to vote. McClintock is someone I really respect in Politics because he is a true conservitive. He is usually right on the money with how I feel about issues and so I look to him to guide me in voting. If anyone else is interested in what he recommends you can read it in his blog here:
McClintock Blog

We were advised to take in our Prop 8 sign at night because some of them were being stolen. So last night at dusk I took my signs out of my yard.
This morning Matt put them back up as he left for work. Well, when I looked out the window around 8:00, an hour later, our Prop 8 sign was GONE! Someone had stolen it. They didn't take my other signs, just that one! GRRRRRR

This makes me so mad and it is just wrong! If you don't agree with me then fight back. But fight back the right way. Put your own signs up, wear a t-shirt, go to a rally, put on a bumper sticker, volunteer and get involved. Fight against me in the polling booth! But don't STEAL from me.
I am happy that I had 2 yard signs so I just put another one back up right away. I will keep doing that too until Nov 4th!

We are moving! We signed the papers today. It is still in Turlock and still in 4th ward. We will be moving in about a month! Anyone want to come pack for me? (j/k)
But, I seriously want to get a dumpster and throw away half of what I own!

I don't have any inside photos for you guys yet. We are going on Saturday to look at the house again and I will take some then.
Because it is a forclosed home the outside needs a lot of work. The home has been empty for a while. But we are lucky that the inside has no damage and doesn't need any repairs like so many forclosed houses do.

So when Mitchell got home from school today he gave me a hug. My face was near his armpit and I smelled B.O. I said, "Whoosh Mitchell your armpit stinks!" He got a huge smile on his face like I had given him a huge compliment. I then told him his body is changing and he is going to need to start taking more showers and we might even have to go get him some deodorant. He was very excited about all of this, and was even jumping up and down. Paige was in the other room and shouted to him, "CONGRATULATIONS MITCHELL!".

I have always thought getting older and changing and growing is a good and happy thing. I never told my kids that they are getting too big or that I miss them being babies. I tell them often that getting older, changing, growing, and learning is exactly what Heavenly Father wants us to do and we should all be happy when we go through these changes. So as a family we try to embrace and celebrate getting older and not look at it as a bad thing.

Although, I think Paige learned her lesson that some changes you probably don't tell your friends about. A few weeks ago she was standing around with a group of friends and one of them made a comment about how tall they are all getting. Another friend said something about how they are all getting older. Then Paige lifted up her arm and pointed to her arm pit and said, "Yes, and some of us are shaving our armpits now!" I guess at that point all of her friends were grossed out and told her that she was the only one doing that. Paige was a little embarrassed but mostly just proud that she was growing armpit hair faster than anyone else.

Speaking of changes:
Grant is now jumping with both feet off the ground. He has also started jumping off of the couch, although I try and discourage it. He still doesn't talk much but makes his wishes (demands) very well known.
Harry has become obsessed with his letters and numbers and has them mostly all down. I think he is going to be my earliest reader because he is interested in reading a lot sooner than then others.

I am so grateful that Heavenly Father has blessed me with four unique, healthy, and happy kids that I get to watch grow up!

Watch this!

I was outside in the backyard playing with the two boys today. My phone rang and I ran inside to go get it. (Isn't this how all horrible stories start off??)
So I picked up the phone and it was Matt. After a couple of seconds I turn around and Grant was there with a huge smile on his face holding a HUGE, DEAD, NASTY rat in his hands. I started screaming which made him drop the rat and run to me because I scared him so bad. I picked him up and ran to the kitchen where I coated his hands and arms in anti bacteria soap. I was still freaking out trying to wash his hands with Matt wondering what the heck was going on. After washing his hands I then had to scoop up the rat and take it outside to throw away.
On one hand I am very thankful that Joey found the rat and killed it. (He tends to kill any thing that moves in our backyard) I just wish Grand hadn't found it, picked it up and brought it to me!