BYU vs San Jose

The weekend of November 7th, Ethan met Jake Morris, Dallin Salmon, and Mark Apker in San Jose for the San Jose BYU  game. Because I feel so sorry for myself when ever Ethan's not home, the girls and I tried to party really hard to forget that dad was gone. It was literally less than 48 hours. I'm just a really big wuss.

Before we went to get Ethan, we sat outside all day long watching golfers. The course was closed for reseeding and reopened that day. I didn't realize how much I missed the golfers until they were back. I LOVE them! I love watching them drive by, I love hearing them talk, I love finding golf balls in my yard, and I love the occasional people who actually talk to us. I love the golfers.

Madison is melting hearts by learning how to blow kisses. It is my favorite trick she does right now.

We dropped Ethan off at the airport and then started to drive home. Both girls were asleep so I was thinking of what to do. I originally planned on going to the state fair, but traiffic was so terrible that I couldn't make the exit. No joke! I decided to just go home when I passed this sign for Tominash Farms in Tolleson which is really close to our house. I decided to stop there instead and I'm so glad I did.  To say it was a farm is really generous. It was more like a harvest playground. There was so much to do.

A petting zoo, corn maze both small and large, train ride, a corn-pit for babies, water races with old water pumps, slides, tractors to climb, bounce houses, bikes to ride, a rope swing, and one of those trampoline balloon things. To say we were entertained is an understatement. Since we went the weekend after Halloween there was like no one there either so we didn't have to wait for anything. It was really a lot of fun.


 Lets play a game... which one was awake when we got there and which one did I have to wake up?

And then she saw a horse. Life was hard at first

 After the farm, we went to the splash pad aka my shower, talked to dad, and watched Pirate Tinkerbell with popcorn. It was a great evening.

We didn't hear much from Ethan because he was at the game, but I just knew he was having an amazing time being with his buddies again. Later I did snag some pictures from Jake Morris

I knew Saturday would be long if we didn't do something fun so I decided last  minute to have a picnic at the Mesa Temple. While we were there they were setting up the Christmas lights AND there was a car show across the street. Again, another great day.

 I absolutely loved the cacti at the temple. The girls, not so much, but still a great picture

 Sorry Madison. I promise its out of love...

The car show was completely free and completely awesome. People just brought their old cars and opened the hoods for other car buffs to look at. We didn't really care about that, but what we did care about was the train, bouncy houses, and live music.

On Saturday Ethan went to Pepple Beach golf course and to the beach. This video pretty much sums up the amount of fun he had with his buddies. We miss those guys for sure.
Also lets take a minute to acknowledge that Ethan is swimming in the ocean in November with no wet suit. And we wonder where Madison's water love comes from.

 

 He's not actually golfing. They hopped a fence for a fake picture. If you look close you can see he is holding nothing.

Ethan came home after church on Sunday and we enjoyed the afternoon outside. Everyone was really excited and really tired! 

 We asked Kels to take a picture of the two of us and after 23 attempts we got these two pictures. All the others are of the grass or her hand. Good effort Kels

This one is actually awesome

Halloween

Halloween was awesome. It was on a Saturday and it was warm. We were able to do what ever we wanted. Trick or treating really is so cool when its 75 degrees outside.
Our neighborhoods is one that people drive to so there were people EVERYWHERE!! My favorite part about the whole thing was how people handed out their candy. Not all, but most people just sat outside on their driveways with tables set up. Some neighbors sat together and had little parties, some set up haunted houses, some were having BBQs, but no matter what they were doing, they were sitting outside. We rang some doorbells, but mostly we just walked up to people's driveway parties. It was really different and really fun.
If we are here next year I really think I want to set up a table on our driveway and just watch trick or treats.

Obviously we trick or treated with the Randells and the girls RAN from house to house. Each girl tripped at least once and they ended the night being pushed in Rich's wagon, but over all it was a giant success. Phyllis had little goody bags for each of them, including Madison, and Lorene gave them each king sized bars. Its so fun to have great neighbors.

After we played with the Randells and handed out candy for a while, we went and sorted all the candy. Halloween in Arizona really is the coolest.

Three

I don't really know what to say other than this: "Is there any age better than three?!" Holy cow! Kelsey is hilarious and awesome and funny and kind and smart and courteous and helpful and obedient and everything else. I love having her around! She really does need to stop growing up though because its making me sad.

 

 

 

 

A quick Kelsey story or two:
The other day it was raining so we had to pick Ethan up from work. I opened the garage door and went to put Madison in her car seat. All of a sudden I hear a panicked MOM!!! I look up and Kelsey is hanging from the garage door as it is going up. She is hanging on for dear life and her legs are curled as she is processing that this wasn't necessarily a great idea.
"Kelsey. Do not let go," I call out as I grab Madison and try to run over before Kesley reaches the curve in the door which will smash her fingers if she does. I run under her and since Kelsey is probably the most obedient person I have ever met, she does exactly what I ask when I ask it. As soon as I get under her, I notice her fingers are about to get pinched as the door is bending and I yell Let go now! Kelsey lets go and comes flying off the door, sending us all to the ground.
Obviously I was mad for so many reasons and obviously I was scared for so many reason, so naturally when I got her on the ground I just started to laugh. I laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed. In fact I'm laughing writing this because the image was that hilarious. I laughed so hard that I started to cry and then I really couldn't express my true emotions. She thought I was happy, then sad, then mad, then happy again.
I explained it wordy but it happened in a matter of 10 seconds and the image that it left is priceless .Just imagine Kelsey hanging from your garage as its going up, with curled legs clinging to the garage like a wet cat holding onto a branch in a river.  When She looks at you, she has a look of terror/this is fun/what now all mixed into one. It was hilarious!

The other day I mentioned that Kelsey's room was a mess. Without being asked, she started cleaning up. It was so cute to watch her go from room to room putting peoples things away that happened to find their way into her room. 

We were at Sam's Club and Madison was playing with my keys. She dropped them under the cart and I just thought that I'd get them latter. Next thing I know Kelsey is stuck under the cart. She climbed under there to pick up Madison's keys for her because she knew she'd be sad without them. She started to cry because she got stuck, but it was such a cute little sacrifice in her small way.

The other morning Kelsey woke me up to go potty but in her hands she was holding her box of Legos. I asked her why she was holding her Legos and she said that she thought I might want them :) It was hilarious. I'm pretty sure she wasn't fully awake.

Halloween Party 2015

We decided to throw together a Halloween party very last minute. We were pretty burnt out from the Ward Halloween party but we made it happen none the less. I spent the day decorating, but everything else was very lack luster.

There was another ward member throwing a party that same night and so most people couldn't come but we had a fun time any ways. If we would have known we wouldn't have done a party :) Regardless it was a party. Not our best, but still fun!


The Bunns and Browns

Prince Charming rescuing Cam-e-rella

 Madison was in bed and Kelsey wasn't allowed at our party so we gave her all the treats she asked for and 2 movies. We didn't see much of Kelsey.

 The house was fun and went up really quick. Its nice when you already have all the stuff. (I love the day after holiday sales!!) I really wish that more people would have come but there's always next year

Halloween Snacks

The week of Halloween I had all these plans to do a Halloween craft every day to get Kelsey excited for trick or treating. That didn't happen, but instead I did turn lunch time and snack time into really fun "Halloween Treats" as we called them all week. I got some of these ideas on line but some just came to me. Its fun to mix things up every now and then.

 The week started off with a picnic with the girls. I can take no credit for this. Edie did everything. It was so much fun and completely Halloween themed.

 Carrot pumpkins

 Ghost Banana

 Pumpkin orange

 Candy corn

 Ritz Spiders

 Monster mouths

 Grape snake

Ghost popcorn

I know it looks like Kelsey helped with most of these, but she didn't. I'm just that talented at themed food