A wonderful Surprise

Here is a recent picture of Max and this goes perfectly along with this post.

Bryant and I went into our room tonight and found under each of our pillows a white bag with a note, candy, toys and a dollar in each one.

Here is exactly what Bryant's said " Dear Dad you are so cool you are so very nice and yor so very fun and funny. Love your son Max (with a heart)"

Here's mine "Dear Mom you are so very nice you cook so yummy foods and so swet and cyook. Love your son Max (with a heart).

This has been the best way to end our day. Both of us had trying days - Bryant at work and me at Church. Max is our lover boy and one who loves to write us notes that we will always treasure and remember when he is not being as cute!

Max, we love you you are so very nice and you are so cool!!!

Halloween - Part 2 - The Candy & Trick or Treating

Madi - the pirate! Our ward has a Halloween Party at the park where we eat dinner and the kids get to play games. After the party...

Our friends pulled a hay "wagon" behind their truck and drove the kids around trick or treating. It was the first year that my kids have done it. They loved every minute of it. Maya on the left was a ballerina! There were 6 families on it. Much quicker and easier than walking all around the neighborhood.

Me and my friend Elizabeth - they were ones with the truck. She was a witch and I was a runner (I just wanted to wear comfy clothes)

Max as a skelton, loved running from house to house!

Bryant came with us too! We had a great time! Maya loved sitting with him.

Sunday morning - the candy counting began. When I woke up and came upstairs - this is what I saw. Notice the nice neat lines. They had also made a pile of candy that they did not like.

Madi's stash! They loved it!

Maya had the most variety, which made her line graph the longest. She also won 7$ at the ward party in plinko.

It was a lot of fun and I loved to see the excitement in their eyes as they were telling me over and over what they did. Maybe it was not excitement but more of a sugar rush! Can't wait for next year.

Halloween - Carving Pumpkins!

Here is Maya with her very scary face and hair along with her pumpkin done.

Bryant and Max carefully carving the teeth for Max's pumpkin.

Max loves to design his own face - no patterns for him.

Bryant looks a little too eager to be stabbing oops I mean carving the pumpkin.

Madi and Maya getting the goop out of their pumpkins. For dinner we had purple soda which shows around most of their mouths!

We carved our pumpkins this year and the kids loved it. They had a great time and are getting more and more involved each year. Sorry no pictures of the end products.

October Break

Bryant and the Kids at This is the Place Monument. It was cold of us AZ people. Max was sick and this picture tells the story of the vacation - Max off by himself not feeling great and the rest of us doing okay.

Madi and Maya on the bridge at the resort. It was sunny and beautiful!

Rapier Cousins - lots of fun sliding down the stairs!

Maya posing at the park. There were other kids playing too, but none of them had sweatshirts on.

The week of Octber 12th thru 16th, we had October break from school. So on Saturday the 10th, the kids and I drove up to Utah to spend a week at East Canyon Resort. It is up in the Mountains behind Salt Lake.

Bryant flew up Monday night. We saw my parents and his parents on Tuesday night when we all had dinner together. Thursday we went into Salt Lake and met up with our "cousins" and played Frisbee golf and had dinner at Hires. Thursday, Bryant took Madi fishing and they eve caught soon.

We went home on Friday and we glad to be home and sleep in our own beds.

Max is 7 and I can't believe it!

On October 2nd, Max turned 7 years old! I can't believe that he is already 7. It seemed just like yesterday that he was born! What a joy he has been in our family and we love him!!!

Bryant made Max a baseball glove birthday cake! We had a family party and Max had lots of fun.

Here is a better picture of the cake. Max did say the funniest thing - I asked him how it felt to be 7, he said - not much different, maybe I will feel older tomorrow!

We love Max and love his smile, laugh and love of life!!!

Scuba Anyone?

Madi has now done something that neither Bryant or I have not done. She went scuba diving for a birthday party. Here she is under the water and loving it!

She freaked out only once when they first started. She is getting help from the instructor.

Getting much more comfortable under the water. What a fun way to celebrate your birthday!

Another picture - she is in the back just kind of hanging out in the water.

Swimming around with the birthday boy - a son of one of Bryant's coworkers

Madi had a great time and asked Bryant if she could do it for her birthday in June. We are so glad that Madi got to do something fun and new! She had a great time.

Boys.......

I have been a mom for more than 8 years now and I have just come to really understand how truly different boys are from girls.

My son has learned things lately that Madi never has even thought of. Max is acting up in ways that Madi never has. He knows what is right but sometimes forgets immediately after I tell him.

I love Max. His smile makes me smile, he can make me laugh easier than anyone. He is sweet and caring and loving...

But he also knows what my buttons are and how to push them the quickest when he wants to.

If anyone has any suggestions in how to encourage a very active almost 7 yr old boy to behave- I am open for any and all.