Month: November 2010

Right before Halloween we had a crazy little storm, that dumped like 3 inches of snow down during the night, Truman woke up the next morning and said ‘I thought it was supposed to be Halloween not Christmas! I have to get a hold of Santa.’


Here are Eli and Tru playing in the snow,

Elliot really enjoyed walking in it. Truman loved making the snowballs. And Tucker worked all recess long at school on a fort, that was melted the next day.

October Snow from Christopher Phillips on Vimeo.

And of course, we had to warm up with some hot cocoa afterwords.

No we didn’t have baby sister yet. 🙂 But we do have a new pet (sometimes I feel like we are running a zoo! Chickens, fish and now a HAMSTER!)

Hammy was given away in primary, and now after about a month and a half, I think I can say Hammy and the kids have settled in nicely with each other. It was a bit of a rough start, Hammy hadn’t be held/handled at all, so it probably was a bit shocking to him to enter our home!

Now, they play together pretty well. It takes me back to my days of hamster rearing days…We had some great hamsters back in the day!

A great Halloween for us this year!

Especially because Christopher and I were able to get away for a couple of days before. A HUGE thank you to Toph’s parents who watched the kids while we were away for a few days, and managed their crazy halloween parade/wrestling/birthday party schedules! I did not take one picture of Toph’s and my get away, but it was full of lots of yummy food, relaxing, and enjoying each other!
The kids had a great time with Grandma and Grandpa, they even got to carve their pumpkins with them. No easy task with 3 little kids!

And what is Halloween, without costumes…here are the kids:

Tucker the Ewok

Truman the Ninja

Elliot the Sock Monkey

And all Three

(This picture makes me laugh, look at Truman’s 1/2 an eyeball sticking out!)

We did the trick or treating on Saturday Night, and it was POURING rain. Toph was a good sport and took the kids out. They were soaking, and 1/2 way thru the night the big kids came home and switched costumes!

I love seeing these cute boys all dressed up!

Elliot got his first big hair cut last week. (I didn’t take official before/after photos) His hair was just starting to get shaggy, and at 20 months, it was time for a hair cut! 🙂

I was hoping if we kept a little of the length, we wouldn’t loose his baby curls. But we did.

He still is a handsome boy, but I won’t lie, I do miss those big curls!

Lunch time from Emily Phillips on Vimeo.

I told you we love Ramen Noodles. And in case I haven’t said it before, I do love my boys. 🙂

We usually go to at least one pumpkin patch, and most times two or three, but somehow that didn’t happen this year! 🙁

Thankfully, we have a cute neighbor down the road who sells pumpkins.

We made a stop on by Shirleys, and choose out some good ones.

The boys were really excited about their choices, and I love this little video clip of them. (mostly Elliot, trying to sit on the pumpkin!)

Untitled from Emily Phillips on Vimeo.

The car seat got brought down from the attic, washed, reassembled, and set next to the door so it’s all ready for baby sister.

BUT, Elliot thinks it’s his, and spends quite a bit of time sitting in it. When I tell him he can play in it now, but later it is going to be used for baby sister, he calmly replies, ‘no it Elliots’.

Poor kid, he has no idea what’s coming.

Reflections 2010
Together we can….

Tucker and Truman both entered in two categories..

Tucker sewed these guys ‘pokeys’ from the game back yard monsters,
(Together we can be a pokey family)

and took this picture.
(Together we can take care of the earth)

Truman also took a picture
(Together we can take care of Elliot)

And drew this art
(Together we can make rainbows)

Our school had their awards night, and Tucker received and honorable mention for his picture!

Tucker was excited, and it was neat to see all the kids work on display, here is Tucker with his Pokeys…

Truman had wrestling that night, so he didn’t come, but received two participation ribbons for his art and pictures.

I think this is the end of our Reflections Journey this year, and it was a great night!

There is lots to do with a new baby coming. When Elliot arrived a month early, I was NOT prepared. (No crib up, no clothes washed, nothing.) I did not want this to happen again, so I have tried to do a little bit each week, to make sure it didn’t happen again!

We have been given so much! We are very blessed! Here’s a pile of things I began sorting through one day, to put away.

And the funny thing is, it took me like 3 hours, and the boys sat almost the entire time playing right by my feet, reading books, and playing race cars. It’s not a big room, and it made me laugh that of all the rooms/spaces in the house, they wanted to be right in the same room as me. I’ll take it though, I know it’s not going to last for forever!

Did not happen very much this year.

I did do pears, tomatoes, pickles and grape juice. But not much compared to last year. Hopefully next year will be a better year for canning, when I am not pregnant!

It is always amazing how it does happen. Here are a few pictures from picking grapes for grape juice. (The big kids were in school, and Truman was a huge help this year!)

Grateful for the knowledge, produce and the ability to do such an amazing thing!