A stubborn princess

This year a Halloween costume was put on on the back burner.  Like WAY on the back burner.  Mainly because I wasn't feeling well- I was completely unmotivated.  And also because I kept remembering last year's costume experience where our stubborn child would not even consider wearing her costume. 

So this year, I tried to let Alayna choose what she wanted to be, in hopes to make sure a certain little girl would wear her costume with no fuss.  But she still just didn't quite get the concept of what I was asking her.  So I decided to show her some pictures of costumes online.  I had two or three ideas of what I thought would be cute, and she shot me down on every one.  Although, she did give me a hint, every time I would ask her about what she wanted to dress up as, she would say, "I want a pretty dress."  I figured I could make that happen.  So, a few days before Halloween, we had her go through the dress up barrel and choose which "pretty dress" she wanted.  It took some MAJOR convincing, but we finally ended up with a "pretty princess"....or a pretty STUBBORN princess.  Heaven help us if every Halloween is like this!

So, here's our stubborn princess before our Ward Halloween party.  The gloves and the crown came off almost right after the pictures, but I am just considering it a success that she wore the dress.  We told her if she wanted to go see her friends at the party, she had to wear her dress.  Thank goodness she loves her friends!

Here she is before we went Trick or Treating.  Can you you say attitude?

This is what she did when I said, "Say cheese."

Finally, the attitude has disappeared...somewhat.

The gloves again came off right after the pictures, but I somehow convinced her to keep her crown on.

We went Trick or Treating with our good friends and it made all the difference for Alayna to watch the older kids and follow along.  Holly and I took the kids around the neighborhood and the men stayed home and passed the candy out. 

It was Alayna's first experience Trick or Treating door to door.  She started out shy, but had it down by the end. 

Oh, and I have to add that we Trick or Treated outside (in the upper 60's low 70's) without a coat....or a jacket....or snow!  I think that is MY first time trick or treating under such wonderful weather conditions.  And you could tell that I am a bit of an amateur considering I didn't even think about bringing a stroller/wagon along.  We had to borrow/share Holly's.  Where I'm from, you ride in the car from house to house because it's too darn cold to walk.  I'll be sure to be better next year. 

Here we are trick or treating at our house. Not the best picture, but this was our last stop and I think the kids were tired.

Alayna: princess
Nate (whom Alayna calls "Mate"): gnome
Carter: mad scientist
Gabby: hula girl

I just had to add a picture of this guy.  Isn't he the cutest little gnome?

Suzy Homemaker

These past few weeks I have been busy canning.  If you remember, last year was my first canning experience and quite frankly, I am hooked. 

Our good friend Roberta gave me a refresher course on how to can chicken and I even did a few batches by myself. 

All in all I canned about 30 lbs. of chicken, 16 jars of beans, and I even tried my hand at canning peaches this year (A totally new experience for my friend Holly and I).   And I think it's safe to say we could definitely do it again....and maybe even try a different fruit to change it up a bit. :)

So now, you can just call me Suzy Homemaker.  HA!

Our first, but certainly not our last

Tea party, that is.

I mean, what girl doesn't love a good tea party?  Alayna, had her first official tea party this last weekend and I think it is safe to say, she is hooked. 

And who wouldn't be with a miniature tea set like this.  Because everything is better miniature.  Or cuter, at least.

And when you have miniature snacks to go along with the "tea", life just doesn't get better.

I think Alayna filled up her cup no less than 10 times.  She couldn't get enough.

Notice her outfit.  There are a couple of rules when you have a tea party.  One must always get dressed up to go to a tea party.  A tinker bell dress, high heels, three or four necklaces, and a hat were worn on this occasion.

And, it's best to invite friends.  The more the merrier.

Tangled

After debating whether or not Alayna was actually "old enough" to go to the movies, I decided to take the plunge. I swore I wouldn't take my kids to the theater 'til they were at least three, but we just made some new friends and they invited us to go, and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to hang out with our new found friends, Kelly and Gwenna.

Plus we were going to a movie that I heard good things about from several people and it was at the cheap theater....if you can classify $4.50 as cheap.  But the $1.50 smoothie totally made up for that.  Seriously, they had the.best.concessions.ever!  And I am not one to even buy anything to eat at the theater. 

So anyway, despite all my fears of my child whining, crying, getting up and walking around, and just plain, not lasting it through the movie, we went.  And it was a huge success!  Alayna was immediately captivated by the movie.  As soon as the movie started she turned to me with big eyes and said, "A moomie (movie)!"  It was darling, to say the least.

She LOVED the singing!  This really was the perfect movie to keep her attention because we all know how much she loves musicals.  :)  I was worried that she would be so enthralled with the movie that she wouldn't tell me when she had to go to the bathroom, but turns out I was wrong.  Why did I ever doubt?  Part way through the movie, she turned to me and said, "Potty."  So we went to the potty.

Oh, and I can't forget to mention how funny it is to listen to little kids in the theater.  They have no sense of whispering or censoring what they choose to say out loud.  Everything Alayna would have said at home, she said at the theater.  "Horses!  Mommy horses!" At volume 20.  Or "Swimming.  More Swimming?"  To which I responded, "No, Alayna, I can't rewind the movie. They're done swimming for now."   The people sitting behinds got a kick out of her.  After she would say something, I could hear them chuckle.  Ah, kids.

The movie was darling.  I loved it.  Alayna loved it.  And our friends loved it.  You can't ask for more than that.  I guess the only thing that could have made our experience even better was if Kelly and I noticed the booster seats sitting outside of the theater.  Then maybe our kids' necks wouldn't have been so strained and they wouldn't have had to sit on our jackets.....  Oh well.  Live and learn. :)


Here we are after the movie.  I think it's safe to say, we had a good time.

And here's Gwenna and Kelly.

And the two cute girls together.  Despite our best efforts, they would not look at the camera at the same time.  

I think some more Mommy/daughter dates are in order!