Happy Halloween

2006
Giddy-up Cowboys

(notice we even have our horse-Jaden's idea)

HALLOWEENS OF OLD
(My apologies for the poor quality of some of these photos--scanner isn't cooperating)

2005
The Bat Family

2004

Jaden's sick on Halloween
(He would've been a Lion and thankfully I'd ditched the
pregnant Dorothy and Tin Man or Scare Crow plan)

2003

Dino Jaden, Captain John Smith, my niece the leopard and Grandma Witch
(Micah got out of this one)

2002
The Rubble Family

Barney and Bam Bam

Barney, Betty and Bam Bam

2001
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum

16 days before Jaden's birth
(At 37 wks., I felt much like Tweedle Dum
so we went with it--5 min. before the party!)

What's Grosser Than Gross?

(To more fully understand the reason for this post, please see the previous one)

Grosser Than Gross

While living in Bakersfield, during school breaks (spring/summer), I took care of my sister's four kids ages: 3, 5, 10 and 12. Jaden was 2. We never stayed home. We embarked on great adventures everyday, including water parks, children's museums, regular parks, other places that donned water features and on occasion grocery stores or...dum, da dum dum..... ....COSTCO!!! This was one such day. I decided to make it easy (?) on myself by also getting lunch there so we loaded up on the hot dogs, pizza and churros. To top off our meal (and keep the kids occupied) in true Costco fashion, we hit all the Free Samples along the way, which included Shrek Gogurts (green yogurt, of course). To keep a better handle on this situation, Jaden, the 2 year old and the 3 year old rode up front in the basket and the 5 year old was IN the basket amongst the goods. Easter was just around the corner, so I'd picked up an Easter basket along with a couple of outfits for baby gifts and then all my routine items--we were loaded. As we made our way to check out, my niece, the 12 year old, wanted to peruse the music section so the kids and I slowly meandered down the isles and told her to catch up. We had just turned down a new isle when all of a sudden, I heard a man yelling, "Your baby is spitting up!" Knowing that I did not have a "baby" in my cart, I turned my attention to see who he was talking to. First of all, it was NOT a baby but my 3 year old nephew and SPIT UP?!!!! That was the understatement of the year. It was full on, heaving and PUKING AND it was GREEN, thanks to that delicious Shrek Gogurt!! What do you do? I ran over, put my hands out and tried my best to catch it...until I realized I had absolutely nowhere to put it so I ditched that plan, threw it on the ground and stood him up in the cart to take him out. At which point, he began puking ON TOP of Jaden's head!! Once Jaden realized what had just happened, he did exactly what any of us would do in that situation, starts gagging, followed by his lunch AND the Shrek Gogurt. As I'm trying to finagle him out of the cart in an attempt to salvage as much of the stuff as I can, I look into the basket and see the look of horror on the 5 year olds face. I tell him to just turn his head and as I'm rushing over to rescue him, HE STARTS IN!!! And folks we ARE NOT talking a little "spit up." I mean, you can imagine what this scene would do to anyone. You should have seen the glimpses I caught of the horrified looks on people's faces. Obviously no one stopped and kept a very safe distance. One Costco employee was kind enough to THROW a roll of paper towels to me as he RAN past the isle, never slowing down. I mopped up the floor with the paper towels as best as I could and we got out of there as fast as we possibly could!!!! I stripped the kids down, threw them in the car and never looked back...for 3 months or more. It took a long while before that scar healed!!

Bishop's Pumpkin Farm

The animals were safely secured for the ride--
we were allowed to feed them through the slats

Sleepy Beckam

4 hand-picked pumpkins plus hayride: $16
(eat your heart out Bakersfield)


***WARNING***
Due to the graphic and repulsive nature of the following information,
those who are pregnant or who have weak stomachs, STOP reading NOW. right now.
*******************************

What may appear to have been a lovely day at the pumpkin patch might very well have been the most disgusting day of my life, no I've had ONE worse, but you will not believe what you are about to read!

Jaden requested my assistance in the port-a-potty because of the nature of the number he had to do there (my sister is dying right now that I'm posting this). So in we go--already this is not a pretty picture is it? Well, it gets worse, much worse. Is there anything more disgusting than your bum lingering above all that mess.........YES!!!!! Your $150 sunglasses falling into it as you're leaning over it to wipe said son's behind!

This is where I recommend you NEVER buy expensive sunglasses because it's not worth ever having to worry about rescuing them in this situation or one like it!!

You can imagine the scene, as if in slow motion, I begin fumbling them in attempt to save them from utter disaster...to no avail. I reluctantly open my eyes to face the dreadful sight before me............
Somehow they avoided Jaden's fresh creation, which I could clearly see sitting atop mounds of toilet paper
and I could see a hint of silver glistening just below the surface of the water (it was blue so I was slightly reassured). Then, before I could even contemplate what I was about to do but also fearful that if I didn't act NOW they could sink further and further down into the depths of, well....you know, I reached my hand down and grabbed them and them alone--no stragglers attached--whew!
As I pull them out, the disgust of what I've just done overcomes me and I run out in search of the nearest water as Jaden calls, "Did they land in the poop?" "NO!" "Oh, Thank Heavens!" was his reply.
Water was nearby but no soap so we make a bee-line for the petting zoo where I saturate both my hands and the glasses in the liquid hand soap PLUS sanitizer. Here's the part where you'll think twice about ever touching me again:
After a thorough scrubbing and rinsing, I dry them off and realize I must intend to wear them again after all that effort so I hesitantly put them back on--
Good as new...I guess?!

Fall Fun At Apple Hill

This is Apple Hill.

Fall Fun is in Full Swing!!

It's a toss up: Is it the tire swing or the apple donuts that keep us coming back to Apple Hill?

I never thought it was quite as good right off the stalk!!

Just look at those faces. BOYS?!

Beckam didn't manage to see the hole in the ground as he ran full speed down the hill!

I was laughing so hard, I could barely console him.
Can you find Jaden? He's in camo so look hard.

The Kern County Fair was just the beginning of the Fall Fun!

As Halloween approaches we also look forward to:

• Impossible Acres Pumpkin Patch
--with real live baby animals (chicks, pigs, kittens, bunnies, pony...) that the kids actually get to hold! They don't really hold the pony but they do get to brush and pet it

• Bishops Pumpkin Farm--home of the big slide that lands in the hay, the tractor AND train ride, petting zoo, play sets...

• Trick or Treating in downtown Davis

• The Solano Park Halloween Carnival featuring the UC Davis marching band--I've developed a new respect for college marching bands since we've lived in Davis--I never knew how ENTERTAING AND REALLY COOL they were!
  

Good Boy with Good Habits

You too can have a Good Boy (or Gal) with Good Habits. This has worked wonders for our morning routine (not quite as crafty as these that a friend of mine has done but PERFECT for me since I'm not, well, crafty). It's so simple. Jaden says, "Mom, can I go outside and ride my bike?" Mom says, "Sure, sounds great, let's just check your chart to make sure you're ready." If the chores aren't done, Jaden scurries around the house, brushing his teeth, making his bed, tidying his room, putting clothes in the laundry basket, getting dressed, etc. returning to turn the knobs as he completes each one. You can even personalize it with your own chores if there isn't a pre-made sticker. This morning, all on his own, he drew an adorable picture on his ball, then said, "My homework's done," and disappeared to go turn the knob from "Finish Homework" to "Thank You!" Later, he walked in with a tablet of paper with one letter written on each sheet and said, "Did Something Nice without Being Asked," disappearing once again to turn the knob to, "You're Great!"

Just go to darlybird.com to get your
Good Habits chart!

darlybird, is my great gal pal Rachel's own on-line business with
The Cutest, most Funky, Fun and Adorable stuff.

Here is a quick list of some of My Fav. Items, you can click on each one to see it for yourself:

• earrings
• matching adult and child aprons
• sketchbooks and stationary, kids games and activites
• baby hats, booties ands socks

... okay, really everything so just go explore it all!!

Scary!

While playing at the playground today, one of our friends comes rushing up to us suggesting we gather our kids and head inside. She was just getting home and saw a caravan of police cars and a black SUV (not a good sign) speeding around Solano Park circle. Luckily, Micah was outside with me and helped me herd the kids into the house. Upon entering the house, however, we were faced with an even more frightening scene: through our sliding glass door, across the grass were about 10 SWAT team members crouched in the breezeway, sawed off shotguns in hand, pointing directly toward our house. I hurried the kids into the bedroom and decided it would be a good time for us to all lie down on the floor and relax for a bit until we knew no bullets would be whizzing through the air. The next thing we heard was loud pounding on a door and them yelling, "Police! Open the door!...Let me see your hands, let me see your hands NOW."

We didn't hear anymore yelling after that and when we looked out our window, the guy was being escorted to the police car in handcuffs--Jaden's eyes were as big as saucers. We knew that a guy who visits his wife or girlfriend and their son two doors down was wanted for a hate crime, apparently he's part of the clan. Police officers showed up at our neighbor's door a few months ago and asked her to call if she ever saw him. Sadly (or not?) both the wife and son were there today.

We assured Jaden that the policemen were doing their job to keep us safe. Of course he had questions about what the bad guy had done and we gently explained that he had been mean and hurt someone. Jaden seemed at ease and was then ready to go the the UC Davis soccer game with Micah and Beckam. Although at bedtime, he didn't forget to include in his prayers for "no robbers to come tonight...or in the day...or to Solano Park Circle." I think he covered it.

Fun Pictures from Bakersfield

Scott and Shelli (my sister and brother-in-law) hosted a BBQ at their house on Sunday enabling all the families to hang out together.

It was so much fun!

Farewell Grandma Kippy

Myron, Micah, Kip and Darron Nilsson

(kids missing: The Elders--Adam, Amy and Dan)

Mr. John Patrick Smith III (My Beloved Pops)

Kip and Dave Nilsson

Hadn't seen the boys in awhile, this is where we found them--too cute!

Another place we found Beckam
Windsyr Maughan and Tessa
(Micah's sister Amy's little girl, visiting the Nilsson clan without Mom and Dad)
Sweet Little Evan
(Darron and Sandee's #3 of 4)
Lexi (Scott and Shelli's #4 of 4), Jaden and Bradon (Darron and Sandee's #2 of 4)
Myron and Jessica (cool friend he met this summer)
Morganne (Scott and Shelli's #3 of 4) giving rafting tours
Ashlyn (Scott and Shelli's #2 of 4) requesting a turn on the skateboard
Beckam doing what he does best
(with Uncle Scott standing guard)
My Grandma Doris, The Greatest!

Oh, Happy Day

Had I posted yesterday, the title of the post would have read very differently!!

Yesterday, was just one of those days and as I was sitting on the couch mulling it over with Micah, I remembered the BAD day I had last month when I wondered if it was cyclical and told Micah we should pay attention to the date the next time I had a bad day. Interestingly, it was the same time last month...are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Yes indeed, I think I'm suffering from PMS and it's taken me 28 years to realize it. I'm sure there are factors (1. Jaden 2. Beckam, etc.) that make it more noticeable now than at other times in my life. I'm not embarassed to admit it because I'm actually glad there's an explanation. I'm wondering if any of you share this condition with me and what you do about it?!

Today was a FABULOUS day!

1. Beckam and I were out of the house at 10 am this morning, finished our WalMart shopping trip in 45 min. and made it back to pick up Jaden from school with 20 min. to spare!
2. Beckam took a 3 hour nap today!
3. Micah came home while Beckam was napping and played Bocce outside with Jaden while I played on the computer for a few minutes and then visited with some friends outside.
4. We took a trip to IKEA after Beckam woke up. Just the thought that we have an IKEA 15 min. from our house makes me so happy! I returned some stuff we didn't use from our reunion and got a $50 credit, which paid for all the purchases I made today. I thought a $50 gift card to IKEA was a suitable reward for all my hard work on the reunion. We had a fabulous meal there, which of course included Swedish meatballs but I had something even more delish. It was a breast of chicken covered with a thin slice of fresh ham and a lemon-garlic cream sauce, along with mashed potatoes and fresh veggies!!! Leave it to FOOD to make my day! We enjoyed our meal while the boys sat at their own little table next to ours in the play area, watched Aladdin and played with the wooden train. I also found the little glass bowls I was searching for to serve my butternut squash soup in for a whopping .59 cents. I bought 15. We had $23 left on our card after we checked out so we spent the remaining balance on Swedish delicacies: chocolate tort, lingonberry cheesecake, swedish "rats," double chocolate crisps and Remi (chocolate covered wafers with mint cream).
5. We got home just in time for me to head off to Farmer's Market for Mutual tonight where I enjoyed an excellant evening with the Young Women of the Davis 1st Ward!
6. I'm so grateful BAD days are few and far between and that GREAT days follow!!
   

Top Ten Reasons to LOVE the Great Kern County Fair

10. The option to ride an elephant or pony and have your picture taken

9. The pig, turkey and dog races

8. The art exhibits from the local elementary, junior high and high schools

7. The "Lights, Camera, Animals" show staring Hollywood's best, including baboons, even a Mandrill, birds, goats and dogs. Our own Morganne Hill, World's Most Devoted Animal Friend and Rescuer was selected as the star of the show!

6. The FFA and 4H animals, especially the laboring cows that no one I know has actually ever seen give birth. I think I almost did...once...I think. (Dear Cows, I wouldn't give birth in front of all those gawkers either)

5. The self-esteem boost you receive from hanging out with the carney's and the rest of Bakersfield's Best

4. The trampoline bungee jumping thing that Jaden finally figured out how to do flips on like the rest of the Hill cousins

3. Wristbands for the kids: rite of passage to all the rides as many times as their hearts desire, including the Tilt O' Whirl (a.k.a Teacups to Jaden). Jaden was the only kid I saw climb halfway out of the horizontal rockets before it actually came to a stop. He didn't try that again.

2. It's a Nilsson, Hill, Hicks Family Affair. We had 10 Adults and 13 kids with us. You would be amazed at our coordination!

1. REALLY, it's all about the FOOD...ready?:
Baked potatos and yummy yams from the Boys Scouts of America Booth, apple
dumplings from Teen Challenge, fresh taquitos garnished generously with fresh guacomole, funnel cakes, deep fried twinkies, frozen bananas and homemade corndogs.

YES, besides the twinkie, this was all consumed, by me, in one afternoon. Our planning was very strategic so that we could fit it all in.

The good news: I didn't eat every item all by myself (with the exception of the corn dog) but I enjoyed every bite!! We also drank lots of water, which I always think helps...a little.

This should serve as proof to my family that my whole foods eating practices are not too finatic!!

Lately...

We celebrated our 3rd annual
Diez y Ocho de Septiembre
(Chile's Independance Day) with the Moore's.

We ate empanadas and the boys got to wear their manta's that Grandma Kippy brought back for them from Chile (wonder what they'll get from Africa?).

School Picture Day

Sporting a new haircut (I asked the guy, who was obviously new and had clearly never cut a kid's hair before, to keep the length and after one miserable HOUR, this is what we got. Jaden was such a great sport...mostly).
He loves posing for the camera and needs no prodding.

Jaden "reading" (by memory), his own
Crazy Color Creatures

My favorite creature: Orin Orange can dance the torange
(spoken with the finger snapping seen in Latin dancing)

Score!!

Awaiting the arrival of something I've ordered is torturous for me. I check the tracking information daily and just hope it will come early. It doesn't matter how big or small, significant or not, I'm just impatient and perhaps impuslive...and want things NOW.

Today, I scored. Two things in one day.

We've been using one of the Calder's helmets for Beckam since their little guy wasn't quite ready for it but then they moved to Maryland so we had to give it back.

That put us in the market for a new helmet. There are some advantages to being the oldest: Jaden gets the new helmet and Beckam gets Jaden's old one, which isn't too shabby. We're pretty fanatic about the fit of our kid's safety gear and the old helmet is a PERFECT fit (with the adjustable clasp to secure around the back of the head) but Jaden really likes the skate helmets that kids are using for bike helmets. I was a little apprehensive because I wanted to be sure these skate helmets were safe enough for bike riding, too.

Our neighbor has a very cool bike/skate helmet that fits Jaden great and both of our boys love to wear it. Since we didn't recognize the brand and had no idea where to find it (they got their's out of the freebie bin in the laundry room), we picked one similar to it from WalMart. No luck. The fit was pathetic and slid back and forth and all over his head. So we took it back and checked some others out at the skate shop in town to no avail.

Well leave it to the trustee internet! We found our neighbors very helmet on-line and it was actually advertised as a bike helmet!! The key is making sure helmets comply with CPSC Safety Standards, which it did!! Jaden picked it out himself and we've been anxiously awaiting it's arrival all the way from Massachusetts . It arrived today...not a day earlier than the estimated delivery date. With our kind of boys, having a good helmet is a neccesity and it serves all purposes (skating, biking, rollerblading, wearing it at the playground like Beckam did for three hours today, etc). This is where we found it, in case you're intersted: http://www.hardheadedsports.com/prclbihered.html



The other surprise was the bottle of OH! de Moschino perfume. When I was at my sister's house last, I sampled this scent and after spraying it I let out some kind of hoot and holler because I loved it so much. Today, it arrived in the mail. My husband is such a sweetheart and loves me so much!! Thank You, Micah! I LOVE you, too!

The Birds AND the Bees!!

Jaden was educated this afternoon on the playground of Solano Park (not at school) about S-E-X. And although he can't quite remember what it's called, he remembers ALL the details.

"You lay in the bed together, on top of each other, naked with your private parts touching. And that's the only way you can get children, right mom? Is that what you do?"

Me, dumbfounded, "Well, yeah, but...," trying to grasp that I'm acutally having this conversation with my FOUR year old!

It all goes back to that girlfriend situation. Some of the older kids on the playground have caught on to their "relationship" even though our kids are completely innocent about it. They hardly even play together now but the titles remain. Kaylin, "the girlfriend" used it as a threat yesterday when Jaden wouldn't let her have a turn riding the tractor:

Kaylin: "You are SELFISH! Do you know what SELFISH means? It means you have to let me ride the tractor. If you don't let me have a turn Jaden, I won't be your girlfriend anymore."

Anyway, today an older boy was teasing them saying, "Jaden loves Kaylin" while Jaden was on one end of the playground and Kaylin on the other. Then an older little girl whispers "a secret" to Kaylin with Micah watching all the while never suspecting what the secret actually entailed.

He thought the secret was that Jaden wanted to marry her...Wow, was he wrong--she skipped that part completely.

We later learned that the older girl began giving explicit instructions to Kaylin on how to carry out the act and then went over to where Jaden was playing on the bars and educated him. Who would suspect...with Micah sitting right there?!

When asked what his response was, Jaden said, "WOW!!"

It was actually a great and probably very appropriate time for us to have this conversation so he doesn't have to rely on his peers for information of this nature. We were all laying in bed reading scriptures together when it came up. Thankfully, I had been cued by Kaylin's mom so that I would have the opportunity to talk to him about it.

We had a great discussion where I told him that this is not a conversation that children should be having together. That it is up to mommy's and daddy's to teach their children about those things and not other children. We told him that if children have questions about their bodies, they need to talk to their parents.

We told him that only adults have children and explained that mommy and daddy were best friends from the time they were little kids and that we rollerbladed together, went to dances together and became best friends. Then we each decided that we loved each other more than any other boy/girl in the whole world and so we got married. After that we waited two years, until we had enough money (well--ideally, right?), a place to live and were really ready to have children and take care of them. We asked him if children were easy to take care of and he emphatically replied, "No! Beckam whines and is a lot of work."

We also explained what can happen if people have children before they're ready and how sometimes they have to give their babies to other families who can take care of them (of course we explained how wonderful it is for the family that gets the baby, which he is very familiar with because our good friends here were just able to adopt).

It all seemed to sink in and he was very interested and affected by what we were saying. We asked him to promise that he would not discuss these things with other children since it was not his job and to let the kids know that he was only 4 3/4 and didn't need to worry about it for a long time. I told him he should then run off to play.

He said, "I'll just tell them that I'm 4 and I won't run off because that would be rude."

Point taken. So hopefully we're on the same page and he doesn't do any educating about this newly acquired information. I think we'll be just fine. I did have a nice talk with the girl's parents and they were surprised but aware of when she was educated by an older boy a few years ago and so it goes....

Have you had the opportunity to have "the talk" with your kids? Were they FOUR?!!