Meridian Temple

Yesterday we went to Meridian to attend the open house for the temple that was just built there. The kids were too young (or not born) for the Twin Falls one, so it was nice to be able to take them through this time to see it and hopefully remember it more. 

 Emery was really excited to see her cousins and spend a few hours with them. 

 The whole group that was able to come. 

 The Temple was beautiful and big. It was 3 levels, so a lot of floors to walk up and down. 

Not an easy task, but we all made it in the photo. It was a quick trip but a very good one. The kids loved it. 

This Past Week of Fun

On Monday Jacks started to do his homework. I wanted to read while I helped him (he will usually do it alone and just ask for help to spell a word every once in a while). He wasn't saying much and when I looked up I saw him like this... I was some hard work apparently. 

 Friday was Disney Day for the boys at school and Camden dressed up as Carl from "Up". There was a contest for the best dressed and he won! He got the idea because when we went to Disneyland he bought the Grape Soda pin. We thought it was a good idea. 

This past month I have been filling in for a coworker who was out which meant I works 40 hours for 4 weeks. Kudos to the moms who can do that all the time but no way I want to do night shift 40 hours again. It seemed like I never saw Brad or the kids. So since Friday was my last day of this schedule we decided to have a family day Saturday and just have fun with the kids. We went to lunch first then finally tired out Putters Mini golf. It as actually a lot of fun and the kids did great. Jacks would get mad when his ball didn't go in the hole and Beck got kind of competitive and wanted to win, even though there wasn't a prize for winning. After we came home and played Exploding Kittens and Clue and made nachos for dinner. It was a fun day and we're all most excited for my work schedule to get back to normal 

 This is a prime example of how 'fun' it is to take pictures with kids. Either they all aren't looking or their looking but ones eyes are closed or someone is making a lame face. After 4 tries I gave up. They are still cute kids though.

Leaves and Costumes

 It's fall and that means that the leaves are falling. We don't actually have a tree in out backyard, but we get a LOT of leaves from our neighbors tree. Camden and Jacks are either best friends for a day or non stop fighting all day, there is no in between and thankfully today they were friends. Cam made a small pile of leaves for them to jump and play in. They both had fun doing it and the best part, no fighting.

 Emery went to a Halloween party at a friends this weekend. Instead of going in the costume she bought for Halloween she had to make up a new one. I guess she didn't want her friends to see her in it more than once. This idea took a good 30 min or more for her to decide on, it's a soccer player. She is going to be such a fun teen girl. 

 The boys went to Trunk 'r Treat with Grandma and Grandpa Arrington this weekend. Jacks was so excited to finally wear his costume. He is a Ghost-buster and Brad made his proton pack. He asked for a mustache as well. 

One of the kids there was a ghost, so Jackson took care of him. He thought it was so much fun to use his pack. 

Pumpkins

Sunday we carved/painted our pumpkins. I have to admit that I really don't like carving pumpkins and I'd much rather paint them but this year the boys wanted to carve. I old them they have to do most of it on their own. Jacks didn't like the feeling of the guts on his hands. 

They turned out great. 

 Brad and Emery's, she did a Minion. 

 Jacks', Cam's, Beck's and mine. We did help Jacks cut and cut the tops off all of them but the boys did the rest on theirs. No cut off fingers so we are good. 

Update on Beck's goal to a rabbit. He actually kept his room clean all week and did all the chores he needed to. He was excited because he got the money they earned from growing pumpkins and told me how much money he could have in 6 months if he earned the same amount each week. Too bad he won't earn that much all the time, but he is still motivated.

Fun Weekend

This weekend was a fun one. Brad, Cam, Beck Teresa ,Greyson and I went to Utah for the Imagine Dragons concert. We were a little worried because it was at USANA, which is an outdoor theater, but it wasn't too bad. It was cold, but once the main band started and we were on our feet dancing along it wasn't bad. It was sold out, so there was a lot of people and cars. They put on a really good concert and played about 20 songs, so it was so worth any cold there was. 

This is Beck's favorite group, so he really got into it. He sang and danced to all of the songs. 

The next day we did another escape room which was a ton of fun. 

While we were gone Emery and Jacks spent the night with Grandma and Grandpa Barnes. Emery has fun delivering pumpkins and going to DQ. Then the next day they went to Grandma and Grandpa Arrington's and went to a petting zoo at CSI. 

They planted herbs. 

And painted faces. 

They even shot arrows. Emery was proud her's made it in the hay. 

Jacks had a hard time pulling the bow all the way.

We all had a busy fun weekend even though we weren't all together. We did spend Saturday night and Sunday just hanging out as a family. 

Band Concert

Last week the boys had their first band concert. I'm pretty sure all of the teachers do the same thing with this concert. They first all played how they played day one... a really sour loud bad note. Then they got better and better. They have practiced a few times at home and since they have done that, they have gotten a lot better. Their teachers is the conductor for Stuart and Canyon Ridge, so you really were able to hear how good one day they will be. I do hope they stick with band throughout school. I think music is really important for them. 

Beck made a funny/cute face as he played his oboe. I assume that it will get easier to play as he goes along, otherwise he may pop a vein in his head. 

Pumpkins and Goals

This year the boys and their cousin grew a garden with their Grandpa Barnes. I know our boys love it. They like going out about once a week to weed and help with the things they are growing. Each year they also enter into the fair, but the only thing bad with this year we were at Disney, so I'm really not sure how they did. No matter how they did, they had fun growing it. Usually after they work in the garden, Grandpa will take them out for a $5 meal at DQ. These are the things they will remember as they get older and that's what matters most. One part they also look forward to is their pumpkin sell. This year we picked about 120 more or less and I'm pretty sure they sold almost all of them. 

It was a good weekend for Beckham. It was his last football game of the season and the finally WON!!! They only won one game but ending on a win made Beck excited to do it next year. At least next year it will be for the school and hopefully a coach that is more into coaching. 

Yesterday we were talking about pets and the boys keep wanting more pets. We were talking about how I had a rabbit and how much I liked them. I made the mistake of saying that I'd get another one over almost any other pet. That made them both excited but what they don't ever get it how much work and money they are. They aren't that great with the dogs and remember their chores that they have right now. We told them (and we have told them this a few times) that maybe once they show us they can be responsible and remember the pets they have now and all of the other small chores they have that we'd consider another pet. I told Beck that if he can be responsible for 6 months and save we'd think. So yesterday he spent cleaning all of his room, that included under his bed and the baskets he has, which never get cleaned out. He also made a goal trail and what to work towards. He seems motivated right now and we really hope that he  sticks to it. Maybe around Easter Beck will get a rabbit. 

To end their fun weekend the boys went to the symphony with Grandma and Grandpa Arrington. Their band teacher is in it  and they wanted to go. Thankfully my parents were already going and able to take them. They both loved it. 

This Week

Last Friday Camden and Beckham had a social at school. They both were excited to go and dance. The theme was beach luau and this was as dressed up as they got. 

 On the way Beck had to take a selfie. He told me he did it so when he goes to college that I'll remember him. Not sure how the kids who grows like a weed thinks he'll remotely look the same in 6+ years when he is in college. They just stuck with their friend and didn't ask anyone to dance. Beck said it was too hard. 

 This weekend we took the kids to Gertie's for lunch and after they eat a few other things they can havae dessert pizza. Jacks loves them and when 2 of his favorites came out at the same time he ate them both at the same time. He thought it was pretty smart to do it this way. 

 We have a few shows we watch as a family, most happen to be cartoons, but one that makes all of the kids excited is only 4 weeks and once a year. This past week Halloween Wars started and the kids were excited to watch it. I told them if they want to watch it before bed we need to but away games and start, and they all happily did that. They all get into it and choose their favorite displays and group.