Pumpkin Patch

Last week we went to the Pumpkin Patch. We had a great time with Little Man's Preschool. We did all sorts of great things. We watched a big race, participated in a duck race, and lots more fun things you will see in the pictures. I took lots of pictures and had to share them!

Also I proceeded to break my camera that day. I fell on it. Yes I really fell on it. Trying to climb the Straw Bale Pyramid I lost my footing and landed on my camera. My friend's husband was like how did you fall on it? I promptly showed him by falling to the ground, and said like this. Back to my camera, so it is being repaired. I knew there was a good reason to by the extended four year warranty!! So it should be back in a couple of weeks. So Halloween pictures of my kiddos in their costumes will have to wait. *sigh* I did get pictures of them with my 35mm camera which I AMAZINGLY had film for but I haven't taken the whole roll quite yet. So for now I leave with all of the Pumpkin Patch Fun!

Little Miss watching the pig races! She was so excited to be there!!

Little Man and one of his good friends. They were to stick together so they wouldn't get lost. Too bad my kid likes to run all over the place and doesn't really like to listen. Little Man's friend, Alli's son is so obedient. I am hoping it rubs off on my son. Maybe he will want to obey the rules more? One can hope right??

The 12 day old Holstein Bull. He was so cute and sweet!!

The kids and I on our Hay Ride out to get the Pumpkins!!

Little Man with his Big Pumpkin. He was proud of how big it was!

Little Miss with her Pumpkin, she was so pleased!

All of the boys on top of the Straw Bale Pyramid.

Yes I realize this is a really weird picture, but my friend Alli sent it to me after her husband pointed out it looked like I was taking a dump. It cracked me up. I thought I should share it with everyone! We were on the Hay Ride and the sun was in my eyes, and who knows what my deal was??

Took a Time Out!

Sorry it has been two weeks, that is a little long! Life has been busy!

This weekend I took a time out. Time out from being the Mom, wife, and the house. I did it with two great ladies! Alli from my previous trip and Kim. (She doesn't have a blog, bummer!) The three of us (AKA Charlie's Angel's) had an awesome time!

We had quite the adventure, we left Friday afternoon and about two hours into the drive I realized I left our tickets for Time Out For Women at home on the fridge. I about cried right then and there. I quickly found the quickest exit and turned around to drive back. I called my Dad, the great guy that he is, he agreed to meet me with them somewhere along the way. I still felt like a complete idiot and so I called a friend and then decided to call Deseret Book. I had only driven 15-20 miles by then and I found out I didn't need the tickets after all they could look up the information. *phew* So back on the road. We still made it in good time and we went to Ikea. Alli had been there so she knew the ropes, but Kim and I were Ikea Virgins! It was great!! We had so much fun and there was so much great stuff there, I am definitely going back and I am going to be spending a lot of money the next time. So after staying until 15-20 minutes past closing and having them threaten to have us spend the night we were on our way to the hotel.

Normally I have a great sense of direction, I don't get lost easily and can find where I am going. This trip was not the case. I seriously wanted to cry after a little while I felt like an idiot once again. Thankfully I can laugh in these situations and blow it off, for the most part. Finally at 11:00 PM we found our hotel. We got settled in and decided it was a great time for a photo op. Finally a chance to get the Charlie's Angels in a picture. I think we finally got to bed close to 1:00 AM.

Being neurotic like I am and liking to be on time, and if at all possible really early so I can be up close and personal we got up at 6AM. Yes that is right, no kids, no hubby, out of town and up at 6AM so we can be among the first people there. (I blame this on my Dad, we used to get to Stake Conference 2 hours early when I was a kid so we could be in the first five rows of the Chapel. I swore I would never do that, and I lied I have already done that to my kids, okay not 2 hours, just 1.) We arrived at 7AM at the building there was no one there and no where to park and we were like wow.. I guess I was a little early. But I was really confused why no one else was there. After sitting there and waiting we finally realized we were at the wrong building. Yeah so 7:3o we get to the right building with a whole bunch of other crazy LDS Women who need to be in the first five rows also. It started at 9 so we were still early!! We waited, got our tickets, it was so easy to do!! And then we were standing there and realized it was Mary Ellen Edmunds in front of us so we talked to her, got our picture with her and had a great time. She is hilarious!! Love her!!

Finally the doors open and we get in and get seats. Guess where we were? That is right row 5. My world was okay we were close and it was great. So we had time to look at books that were being sold and just relax.

The day was great. We were spiritually fed and uplifted. I felt like I could go back to my life go back to being the Mom and do a better job. I had great friends that I was able to bond with more. They are wonderfully and great cheerleaders! It was nice to feel like I am not the only one going through the struggles on life, of being a woman, a mother, a wife, and a good LDS woman while I am at it. This week has been easier, I had a chance to renew my Spirit, to be encouraged. I have two great friends I shared this weekend with. We talked for hours and I came away loving and respecting them so much. I don't feel like the judge me. I am okay to be me, and they still love me. You don't find great friends like that too often. So thanks girls!

If you get a chance to go to a Time Out For Women, Couples or Women and Daughters I suggest you go.

The Crazy Fun Weekend!

Last weekend my friend Alli and I decided we would get out of town and go have some much needed girl time. Well the guys had already left on their trip so we figured we might as well have some fun too!!

We spent a couple of nights in a hotel with our two kiddos. Little Miss showed her attitude and that she isn't exactly fond of babies. Alli has a 6 month old ADORABLE little boy. Little Miss would throw fits if he looked at her too much. Mommy baby look at me! We heard that a lot. But slowly she started to warm up to him, and I think she likes him a little now.

We went shopping all Friday and enjoyed a fun trip to the outlet mall. We had so much fun looking for clothes and seeing all the great deals. It was hard to contain ourselves!! All the great stores, it would be even more fun to go back in a few weeks, the Gymboree Outlet will be open then. We pulled up and I saw the sign and it was all I could do to keep from jumping up and down and screaming, (Okay I did jump) but then I saw it wasn't open, it was so sad!! But there were so many great stores to look at I quickly moved on and we went to Banana Republic. I tried to withhold the urge to buy anything or look at stuff, I was looking for things for my kids, but after a while of watching Alli try on stuff I gave in to temptation. Just a little but though. So we shopped at a lot of stores, and then we went to a regular mall for more shopping and dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. My first visit ever.

Saturday we did something great! We did our Lupus Walk. I was so excited and I am proud to say I raised $225 for it in just a couple of days. Thanks to everyone who donated. And thanks Alli for being so willing to do this with me, and for being such a great sport!!! We walked 2.5 miles and we had a great time. Over $25,000 was raised that day. I know if we can get more people aware and more people involved we can raise more than that!! Little Miss was a great sport riding in her stroller some, and then deciding she was too big and had to walk. She was also up for any photo op she could find. That is my girl! So here are the pictures of us, and yes I am really that much taller than Alli. I swear I look like a giant. We joked that getting pictures together it would emphasize my height and hers!! Oh yeah so you don't think she is like 4' tall, I am 6' so I am just really tall!!

I am excited to report that I am working with the LFA on getting a walk organized for here next year. I think the more we can get the word out there the better. I want to become a bigger advocate for Lupus awareness, so I am really pumped about this!

Aaron (Alli's husband), and their son, and Randy and our son, this was on their man weekend on the Rubicon Trail. They had a great time off roading, and my Little Man thinks we should go off roading in our minivan. Sorry little dude, it isn't quite like a Hummer.

Urgent Care!

Today while enjoying my chill time with both kids at preschool I get a phone call.

Nurse: Hello Mrs N, this is Ruth from the Preschool, I am the school nurse. Your daughter Little Miss hit her head and I think she should go to the doctor.
Me:(Thinking, she hits her head a lot, she always gets a goose egg, I will look at it though.) What I said: Okay.
Nurse: I am thinking she might need stitches.
Me:(Again thinking, umm that isn't just hit in the head now is it??) Oh a cut, I will be there right away.
Nurse: We were hoping you would come and get her.

So I get in the car and I am thinking oh crap, now she has a cut on her pretty little face, and stitches on it. Darnit, hopefully it won't be too noticeable. I call Randy and we chuckle, our kids are dare devils, this will be the third trip to urgent care, so we find a little humor. I get there and she is laying down with an ice pack and I realize it is on the back of her head. *sigh of relief here*. Apparently she fell off of the swing, and they showed me the split in the back of her head. (I need to ask a few more details, I saw her head and we kind of jetted out of there.) I was like YOU THINK she needs stitches? They were good and calm, so was I but I had NO DOUBT she would need stitches. So off we go to get Little Man from school because I couldn't get a hold of anyone to pick him up, and then to urgent care. Thankfully I got a hold of my Mom to meet me there so she could take Little Man to her house.

We get there and we wait. Don't you love that, bleeding kid and I have to wait, but whatever. I was a little worried she seemed a little tired, but I was like I am sure she is fine. The poor kid has whacked her head enough times and been just fine, this one should be the same right? Thankfully we didn't have to wait too long. My Mom and Little Man hung out, he wanted to watch. He remembered his stitches and was telling her how brave he was and how it would all be okay. Way to go Little Man!! But he was getting a little wild so he decided it was okay to leave with Grandma so he could get some ice cream.

The doctor came in looked at it and said, well we can tie her hair shut and glue it, but we will have to cut the glue out so we'll have to cut some of the hair short, but it won't be traumatic or painful. I am sure I had a horrified look on my face, her hair is finally getting long and so pretty!! He said or we can do stitches, but it might be traumatic for her. I asked which is better, he said stitches, and I said she is tough stitches it is. Like I wanted to let them cut her hair!!! He asked if I was sure, and I said yeah she is tough. She hadn't even whimpered since I picked her up. So he thought for a minute and said if she is really that tough let's staple it, it will be done quickly and it will be neat and it will be okay. I said you are the doctor go ahead. So he did. I am pleased to say my daughter did not cry, my three year old Little Miss said Ow, not nice, in a little voice. She shook her head when it was done, and we left happily with a yellow sucker and two staples in the back of her head. I was so proud of her, and she has informed everyone her head is all better the doctor fixed it. She is a brave little girl!

October an Awareness Month

It seems like October is a big month for Awareness for different health issues. They are all so important, but I want to post about one that is important to me, and to my everyday life.



It is Lupus Awareness Month. I know so many people who want to know what Lupus is. I found this great video that really explains it well. Thank you Good Morning America, and Lupus Foundation of America! It is a great way to get a quick explanation but in a way that is very understandable. I was diagnosed over eight years ago, I had symptoms for over a year before I got my diagnosis. I had just turned 18 when I was diagnosed.



I am really wanting to help people to understand the disease, to know what all it entails. I know people who think just because I look fine that I must be okay. I struggle with letting people know when I need help, or that I am having a hard time. I don't want to appear weak, or like I can't do something on my own. My wonderful husband is ALWAYS there to tell me to slow down, or to help me. The thing about it is you have good days, and you have bad days, and they can be back to back, or they can last for months on end either way. You never know, you can't predict this disease.


Even though there are times that I don't want to admit things aren't good, I want the word out there. It is not fun to go through this alone. I have friends who have it, and I feel a bond to them, I know they get it. They get that some days just suck, and it is hard to explain. They get that you are trying your hardest and that sometimes you feel like you got the short stick. But they also get how much you learn and how much you realize you are strong and you can do this.

I hope I can be an advocate to help others to learn about this disease. As my kids grow I really want to start working on fund raising for the Lupus Foundation of America. Also I know there is a chance my own kids and grandkids might get this disease, I want to help to find a cure, and get better drugs out there. There hasn't been a drug created specifically for Lupus in 40 years, that is too long!! If you are interested in supporting the LFA you can buy the bracelets posted above, "Someone you know has Lupus" for $1.00. I have them, I have given them to my friends. Some wear them, some don't. But they are part of me. It helps me to get the word out. And my friends that wear them they have no idea how much it means to me.


There are lots of things to be aware of this month. Support your cause, or a cause that touches you. It just might save a life.

Edited to Add: I am doing a Lupus Walk this weekend, if you would be interested in donating, please go to my page. Thanks so much! I am hoping to raise $200.