Fall Fun

I love the Fall! I think it's Matt's favorite time too. For FHE he made caramel apples (definatly a new craving and prego favorite for me!) and last night he did his annual Pumpkin Carving with the kids. There was much discussion about the seeds and what we could do with those as well as interesting drawings done by the girls as to what they wanted their pumpkin to look like. Sammi's was "scary" while Maddi went with a more classic look. Keith just wandered around and tried to grab the knives. I kept him out of the knives and took pics. Fun stuff!

Good Times, Great Talks....General Conference

Another General Conference Weekend has come and gone. *sigh* Ever since college days (remember Conference Andrea?! I still make your stew!!!) I've made Conference Weekend a big deal: lots of good food that we make "just for" Conference, snacks and note-taking supplies. It's a good time. Matt says it's like my version of the Super Bowl. :P My mom always made Conference a big deal too - complete with a Quiz Bowl at the end where we had fun prizes.

As I've carried that tradition on, it's been fun to come up with different activities my kids can do during Conference. And YES! They watch it! Even Keith stayed in the room with us, wandering around with his hands in his "pockets" pulling them out to sustain and pray. And sing along with the hymns. He cracks me up.

Last year I came up with a theme song for Conference Weekend. I was just being silly (it's complete with a dance) and everyone laughed at me but, I'll have it noted that Sammi memorized it AND the dance in a matter of minutes and my siblings too found themselves singing the catchy tune. Anywho, it made my day when a few weeks ago I told Sammi we wouldn't be going to church because of Conference Weekend, and her eyes lit up and she burst into the Conference Weekend theme song and dance. Matt laughed as I threw him a triumphant grin. He thinks I'm a cheeseball but hey - you can't deny the results. I love that my kids love Conference! :)

More Than Halfway There!

21 1/2 weeks! Wohoo!

Linder Farms - a.k.a. "Good Mom Moment" - and it's documented!!

Last week while Matt was out of town, I took the kids to Linder Farms. They have a deal where you get to go through a straw bale maze, go on a hayride, and pick a pumpkin out of a pumpkin patch. So..we did! It was tons of fun and the kids loved it. The weather was perfect - a bit overcast bit not cold. AND I was excited that I was able to document a "fun time" with my kids and I. It seems, as I look through old pictures, that I am often not in them...I'm usually the one taking them. So, I made sure to have one taken with all of us. :)

THE NAME...Has Been Chosen

Yey! Boys names are SO hard for us to decide on! Keith was simple, because I knew since Sammi that that was what we'd name our son. But now with son #2 on the way, we had to do some thinking. Max was our choice for awhile, but, due to some interesting "nickname" suggestions and the realization that "Max Swenson" sounded like "Mac" Swenson, it soon lost it's savor.

I then moved on to Harrison. I like it, I like the nickname Harry. I think it's adorable. However, Matt had issues...he said he thought of Harry and the Hendersons. Whatever. I'm a little bitter because Matt ALWAYS ends up choosing the name...it's usually something I've had some insights or say in, but it's never what I originally wanted. What's frustrating is that I mull over choosing a name, and think and think and share my thoughts and in a matter of seconds, he's made it better. Hmph.

Anywho, I had mentioned awhile ago that I liked Eli (pronounced "Ee-lie" rhymes with "eye") but it was ignored with the whole "Max" frenzy. While I was pitching the "Harrison" angle, Matt interrupted with "I like Elliot and we could call him Eli for short." I stopped, mid-sentence, and fuming, got up and left. Matt was like "What? You don't like it?!" I stormed back informed him that YES I liked it (I loved it actually) and that I was miffed that he'd done it, yet again. Mr. Perfect Name-Picker.

And so, that is the name....Elliot Russel Swenson. Eli for short. Cute!