Black Island Farm's/Firestation... Jacob's Field Trip

Last Thursday, I volunteered to help with Jake's class while they went on there field trip to Black Island Farm's and the Fire Station in Syracuse. Blake's class went also, but I mainly was with Jake. It was a nice day, better than I thought it would be. Just because it took all day. But, there were some ladies from our old neighborhood that were also there volunteering and so it was nice to be able to talk with them while the kids did there things.

My group of guys that I had... It's always fun to have your own child

The hayride..

Our guide driving while he's sitting on the steering wheel facing backwards. I think he was trying to impress somebody..

Picking there pumpkins..

We had fun running through the kiddie corn maze..

The Fire Station...

Jake's class and teacher..

Volleyball Fun....

Journal memory... I got to have a little fun lately and make this book for Joe's Niece. She plays Volleyball in High School and was picked by a Senior to make a memory book. They knew I did these kind of books before (chipboard book), so they asked if I could put one together. I haven't been able to craft since we moved so it was fun to be able to do something. I think it turned out pretty good... hopefully the girl will enjoy it.

Up, Up we go....

We have been hearing a lot about the "Up" house (from the movie) that they built down in Herriman, UT. They had advertised it as something you could come down and check out for free before they sell it. So, we decided before it's too late to head down and check out this famous house. We had all seen the movie and actually own it because it was the boys favorite and mine (except for all the crying I do during it)... So, they were so excited to be able to go and see inside all the things just like in the movie.

It was a great house, very cute! The builder did a great job with it and inside capturing all the little details from the movie. We talked with the guy who was there representing the house and he gave us some information on it. It is just under 3,000 sq. ft., there is really no backyard a little front yard and they plan on selling it for $460,000 fully furnished. Thats nice to get everything with it, but wow that seems like a lot for this little house. The laundry room has to have stackable's in it because its so little. But you have to think of what type of house it is and actually they were given permission from Disney to build it, so its a special house. I am sure they won't have any problem selling it, even at that price.. What a fun day with the family.. I love these moments!

The front room, like in the movie with the famous painting over the fireplace

Their chairs..

The kitchen was really nice and was so cute with all the retro, but new appliances

My favorite picture and scene from the movie

The babies room

Nice claw foot tub, but modernized..

This was at the top of the stairs. You thought it was a bookcase, but it opens up into a secret little room that the kids would love to play in..

Another picture I love from the movie and so being goofy me and Joe tried to recapture it..

After our tour of the house we saw a movie and then went and had dinner at the Blue Iguana in Salt Lake. In front of the restaurant are these poles that I thought were steel but they are actually plastic piping that you can bend and run through.. pretty cool Art..

Waiting for our food and then were all amazed when Joe's burrito came out.. Let's just say he had lunch for the next day too..

Remembering Halloween's Past to Present.....

This year as I got out the Halloween Decor and started decorating outside it made me stop and think of all the Halloween's over the year's and when I was a kid. It's always been a pretty big holiday for me. I remember my mom making it a big occasion with decor and treats every where and no matter what making sure we were something for Halloween... even if she had to create our costumes out of sheets. Which one year it happened.. but those are the great and fond memories I remember.

I have been trying to do the same thing with our boys, pretty much with all holidays just doing the little things that will last a life time with them. I decided to go through some of our photos from the past and share a few memories from past Halloween's. It's fun to go down memory lane...

Our house in Vegas..

My brother Tyler on the front porch one year, pretending to be a stuffed scary old man. But, when least expect it he would move or say Boo to the kids.. It was funny to hear the screams from many kids (not the little ones)... We didn't give out much candy that year..

Patrick as a Ninja Turtle

The twins first Halloween.. Jacob was a pig and Blake the devil..

House in Utah, when it snowed for Halloween..

The year Joe made all the costumes..

The year I tried to get my Martha Stewart on.. didn't really work

The Transformer phase..

Last year the boys were Dracula, Ninja, and Black Spiderman..

Our porch this year...2011

Fall is in the Air.....

So, Yesterday I ended up having a day with not much going on.. which if I can get them I will take it. So, I decided since it has been feeling a little like Fall that I would bake some things. First I started out with my super quick and easy blueberry muffins and then I moved on to my super easy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and then lastly I made a quick and easy recipe of granola... So to say the least I was busy but since it was all easy, it was quick. Now we are enjoying all the treats and also my boys are wanting more, so its a good thing Fall and Winter are here cause this is the only time I really do it. And maybe I'll do it more often this year... Happy Fall to Everyone!

Fast and easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.. most of you know this recipe, but if you don't then all it is, is a box of spice cake mix, a can of pumpkin and chocolate chips. Mix the cake mix and pumpkin together thats it don't add anything else and then stir in the chocolate chips and bake according to box (which is 350). They are easy and delicious and super moist, which is what I love in a cookie.. I doubled my recipe so that is what I am showing here.

Easy and REALLY DELICIOUS granola (Thanks again Shelli for sharing!)

Just a Glimpse.....

So, in this post I am going to combine a couple of stories. Friday Joe went up with the Boy Scouts and Patrick's first camp out overnight as a Boy Scout. While up there he was talking with another dad that is a huge sports fan and mentioned that the new Dick's store was going to be opening on Saturday and that Jimmer Ferdette was going to be making an appearance. So Joe calls me from up camping and says look into this that we should go down and check it out. I look up the info and he is going to be there from 10:30 am to 12:30, so just a couple of hours. Well by the time Joe and Patrick got home and we got ready it was 10:30 by the time we left the house and when we got there we found out that you had of gotten a wrist band and then you could stand in line and the girl at the front said that they were out and all the people were already in line that were going to be able to see him.

A little bummed, but she said we could go back and sneak a peek at him though. So that is what we did. I wanted to just get a glimpse of him. After getting a few shots and finally getting the setting right on my camera to get a picture that wasn't blurry, so we moved on. We ended up running into some people that were in our Ward in Jensen Park. They had gotten there early this morning and got wrist bands and were still in line. He mentioned that people slept outside the store in the rain just to be the first in line to see him, crazy... Our friend had gotten there at 9:30 am and got a band, that's more like what I would have done if we had been better planned for it. Even though we didn't get to meet him it was still neat to be close enough to see how he is and take a picture..

After all that excitement we went out to the parking lot were they were doing other activities for the family and giving away free stuff. So the boys got a few things and also got to try out there basketball skills.. all in all it was pretty fun.