Random pics

I know these pictures are way past season but since I've got my camera back I decided to post them anyway.

When we walked outside to leave for Trunk-or-Treat, we were greeted by this rainbow. I thought it was ironic considering our costumes.

I got the idea for these ghosts from Family Fun magazine last year. They also get lots of comments and are an easy cheap decoration that you don't have to store year after year.

Jacob eating his first ice cream cone- which he thoroughly enjoyed!

The girls dressed in dark hoodies to deliever goodie bags as phantoms.

A long lost friend

I lost track of a friend a while back. I missed my friend so much. I longed to be reunited with my friend. I had another friend who was very similar to the lost friend, but it just wasn't the same. The second friend could not replace my lost friend. I thought about my friend all the time. I wondered what my friend was doing? Had my friend made a new friend, had I been replaced? I even tried to get a new friend myself, but I just couldn't bring myself to make that leap. My heart was not ready to replace my dear friend just yet. But my patience and loyalty paid off in the end. Tuesday afternoon I was reunited with my friend. It was a sweet reunion. It made my otherwise bad day a wonderful day. I could hardly wait for Jared to return home from Baltimore so he could see my friend to. I missed you dear friend. I'm so glad you have returned, you're the best camera ever!!

I don't want to be strong

Last night I tried a penne pasta recipe from the Kraft magazine that had spinach in it. Xandy asked what the green stuff was. I told her it was spinach and would help her grow strong and beautiful. Xandy and Katy started to eat. Bella looked at it warily but didn't say anything. Then I started to dish out the mixed veggie side dish. Apparently this was the straw that broke the camel's back. Bella pushed her plate away and declared "I DONT WANT TO BE STRONG!" Jared got a good laugh out of that one.

I am a Child of God

We had our primary program on Sunday. I've noticed through my different primary callings that no matter how disorganized a program can appear doing the Sunday before practice, it always turns out beautiful. So many times I've thought "we need several more practices before the kids are going to be able to flow smoothly" but it always comes together so well. It was a beautiful and touching program. My favorite part (but I would be incredibly biased) was the song "I am a Child of God". Katy, Xandy, and 5 other girls sang the first verse in Spanish. The second verse was sung by a mentally handicapped girl in Katy's class. In the third verse the senior primary sang the descant accompanied by a flute. The fourth verse was sung by 4 brothers. It was beautiful!

Halloween Pics at Last

My neighbor took some pictures of us on Halloween. After a crazy two weeks she finally had time to download them. Enjoy

New Series

Reed Family vs Pavement Part I- This episode is a comedy the whole family will enjoy. The main subects are the clumsy mom, the sidewalk, a pot of soup, and a new pair of jeans. Aired Tuesday evening in a neighborhood in Illinois.

After spending the afternoon cooking at a friend's house, Terra and her children prepare to return home. Stocked with many meals to fill their freezer, it takes several trips to load the car up. On the last trip, her friend carries the baby to the car while Terra carries a pot of soup, and a skillet of Pistachio Lime Chicken. It is dark and Terra is hurrying so she wouldn't be late to pick up her daughter from gymnastics. As she rushes to the car, she trips over an uneven bump in the sidewalk, sending the soup airborne. She tries to catch herself without luck. With the epitome of grace and elegance she crashes into the driveway, only to have the soup come splattering down over her. Soup is in her hair, all over her face, covering most of her clothes, and splattered over her shoes. As she stands up, she is oblivious to the pain in her knees, the concerned questions from her friend, and the soup she is now wearing. As she struggles to gain her balance she is only focused on one thing: her new jeans!!! Are the okay? Did they survive? With horror she glances down to find a giant slice across the knee. "NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT THE JEANS!!!!!!! "she wants to cry out. Stunned, she calls her husband to pick up her daughter and returns into the house to clean herself off.

Pavement: 1 Reed Family:0



Reed Family vs Pavement Part 2: This episode will pull at your heartstrings. It features an adorable little boy, a new winter coat, and a driveway. This episode aired Wednesday morning in another neighborhood in Illinois.

The Reed family is preparing to leave for the bus stop. The older girls decide to wear winter coats so that they can stay warm at recess. Mom decides to pull out winter coats for the little two also. They all don their coats and head outside. Jacob's coat is bulky and he is not used to walking in it. He takes two steps and falls on his rear. His mom picks him and gives him a reassuring hug. He squirms to get down. This time he manages to steady himself and takes off walking. Suddenly, a rock catches his attention. The rock is fascinating in his mind. He must have this rock. As he bends down to retrieve the rock, the bulky coat gets the better of him. He smashes into the driveway. His mom quickly picks him up, but the damage is done- one bloody nose and a goose egg on his forehead.

Pavement :2 Reed Family:0

Photo compliments of my camera

Horrible Mother

Last Thursday I woke up with a bad case of the stomach flu. As I stumbled through the morning routine I remembered I was supposed to chaperone a field trip to the Arch for Katy's class on Friday. As the day wore on, I tried to convince Jared to take a day off and go in my place. Just my luck, he was training 2 new payroll assistants and had to be in the office. Friday I awoke feeling much better and ventured off with the second graders to the Arch. All in all I felt pretty good considering that I wanted to curl up and die the day before. By the time I got home though I was EXHAUSTED. I put the two little kids down for a nap and curled up under my covers with a good book. Hoping for a little rest before the older 2 returned home. At 3:20 the phone rang. It was the school nurse. She informed me that Katy was in her office for the second time. (I had only left the school after returning from her field trip an 1 1/2 hour ago. I had noticed she was clingy during the excursion but this was ridiculous!). The nurse continued to say that Katy didn't have a fever but was complaining of a stomach ache. Katy had requested that the nurse call me so I could pick her up. I looked at the clock- school was over on 10 minutes. I thought about my options. Option 1- Be the nice mom. Drag my tired aching body out of bed, wake up the little kids, load them in the car, unload them to go in the school, reload them after getting Katy, bring Katy home so she doesn't have to ride the bus, maybe beat the bus home (though it would be close), and then have the privilege of dealing with two grumpy, whiny, nap-deprived children all evening OR
Option 2- Let Katy sit in the nurse's office 10 more minutes until she boards the bus for the short trip home (we're one of the 1st stops), stay in my warm bed, let the kids sleep longer so we can all have a peaceful evening later, and HOPE that Katy really isn't sick and that she won't puke all over the bus. Decisions, decisions. I heard myself asking "will I be the worst mom ever if I don't come get her?" To which the reply was "No, I think she'll be fine" "Okay just put her on the bus then" I answered.

Twenty minutes later I heard the groan of the bus brakes. I opened the door to let the girls in to find my 5 yr old staring at me with a disgusted look she is famous for, and no 7 yr old to be seen. But then I heard her! Xandy stepped out of the way just in time for me to witness Part 2 of Katy puking all over the front porch. When she finally stopped she looke up, glared and me, and sobbed "thats why I needed picked up!". I felt like a million dollars. Aren't I the best mom ever? People are lining up to give me awards for my selfless acts of motherhood. I helped her inside, brought her a change of clothes (comfy sweats even), made her a makeshift bed on the couch, retrieved her Slider Kid's meal pail aka the puke bucket, and turned on "Twitches". Now it was time to be a great wife! I picked up the phone, called Jared and said "you might want to come in through the garage when you get home. Oh, and by the way, Katy left a present on the porch that needs cleaned up when you get here" With that, I got the other kids settled playing in the toy room, drug my tired body up to my bed and slid under my warm blankets, hoping no one would drop by to visit until after Jared got home.
Bet you are all glad I don't have a camera anymore!!