My Phone/The Golden Gate Bridge

After I posted on facebook that my phone did not come home with me I got a bunch of people asking about what happened, so I figured I'd start with that story first. We were on our way out of town and the last stop was the Golden Gate Bridge. Most of us decided to walk across to meet the car with the non-walkers on the other side. What we didn't notice at the beginning of the bridge was the sign that said 'sidewalk closed', which meant we made it nearly all the way across with no idea we couldn't make it to the car. We turned around, some bladders very full and started the long walk back across the bridge. Feeling pretty good I agreed to running back for a change of pace and muscle usage, as we'd been walking all over the city since our arrival. I handed over my camera and water bottle to Jer and started jogging in my flip flops. After a few minutes I felt it. A wiggle. Rolling down my leg. Yep my phone was in my very shallow pocket well actually it was bouncing on the sidewalk and then falling through a very small slit and I watched it go all the way down into the water! After laughing, and staring in disbelief Amy and I took off running. I was so mad. Mainly because we just bought the phone and I hate spending money. But at least I can say my phone fell into the water beneath the Golden Gate Bridge while running across!

Before all of that, it was the perfect weather and the only time there was no fog whatsoever!

So very bright

Walking across the first time

 A sign in the middle of the bridge that reads "Emergency phone and crisis counseling"

The other cool thing that we saw while walking across were some dolphins and one shark. I had this really awesome picture that I took on my phone of the shadow of the bridge on the water with three dolphins swimming around, but that is now gone forever. I'm still really glad we spent the time to do it, hindsight is just that I would have handed Jer my phone too.

Heart Overflowing

It was one of those trips where you couldn't have asking for things to come together any better. Well maybe not having dropped my phone off the Golden Gate bridge, but that's the only thing I can think of.

Back in the swing of things, school, little kids, laundry, coffee, errands, cleaning, feeding, and all that jazz. But...there are stories to be told and my camera got full of memories so don't worry, those posts are coming.

Right now my heart is overflowing!

Adding some greens

I meant to post this right when it happened.

These are my new friends...

And I will try not to kill them!

Poor Lincoln!

It's unfortunate for Lincoln, but his strong emotional reactions to life are blogging gold.

I walked downstairs just now and Linc was blubbering laying on the floor while Payden was rubbing his head, consoling him. It took a minute for me to figure out what was going on but my always informative oldest child is ever eager to fill in the gaps when she holds all the pieces to the puzzle in her well articulated head. They popped in a dvd of Planet Earth, they haven't watched it in a while and love animals a lot! Well Lincoln is still crying about the scene where the wolf catches and kills the baby deer. He is just distraught! "It was my favorite baby" Payden tells me that 'I feel bad for Lincoln, I mean I'm kind of sad too that the baby deer thing got killed but I'm sad for Lincoln cause he is just really sad because he doesn't like it when the babies die' No one does sweet heart, no one does. Payden has now been running in to inform us of how he's doing, and Hailey is the alerter for when he need his big sister to comfort him.

Oh I love these kids, and how different they all are!

I pinned it, I did it

I don't even know what blog it was that I saw this on but I thought it was clever and since I've been crafting away at some things, I thought I'd add that here. Have you discovered Pinterest? Who am I talking to when I do that? Jammi, have you? Gina, have you? April? It's super addicting, but it's got my creative juices flowing. As I complete some clever little crafts I'll give credit where credit is due and say, I really didn't come up with this on my own.
This was part of the inspiration for the wreath I made a couple weeks ago...here's the pin


and here is my finished wreath of my very own

I love it! And I love that I can change it up from season to season.

Smart kids

The constant asking was getting old and I was curious what they would pick so I let each kid pick any candy from their trick or treating loot and wouldn't you guess this is what they picked...

Eye's wide with excitement for one of his regular...not fun size...cookies and cream candy bar.

Taylor of all things picked a  regular Hershey's bar

And Payden and Hailey picked Reese's Peanut Butter Cups...regular size of course

No fun size for these little smarties...when given the choice they go for the big stuff!

The New 'Do

I almost forgot to document the occasion. Taylor was being so cute, she wanted me to hold her hand or just close enough so she could lean on me the whole time...she was a little nervous. But the smile wouldn't show it!

Getting there, that one snip sure made us go short...

Trying to distract her with some video's...it didn't really work

Pile of hair

Short haired girl

And she's still cute as ever!

A Knight to Remember

And a night to remember it was! 

The whole idea for this started after a little party that Ken and Lori threw about a month ago when Ken and Jer started talking about doing something big that we can invite people in to, it began as a costume party the weekend of Halloween, that quickly turned into the night of, that morphed into this thing that included turkey legs for the weary parent trick or treating with their kids, that's when I kind of checked out. I was overwhelmed at the idea of a big party...at our house...not long after the twins birthday party...on a school night...in between days working at the coffee shop...That's when the 'A Knight(pronounced KuNight) to Remember' started. Our home community jumped on board, as did the rest of the church and over the course of the last month we had a couple trees cut down (pretty convenient for seating in the peasant village), Jer scoured Craigslist and found the free hut, Ken and Dave spent hours on their costumes and the castle facade and other decorations, Wendy lady outfitted I don't know how many people (it was a lot), Goodwill's throughout the land were picked over to complete dresses, knightly garb, the friar look, and people got creative. There was a bounty too let me tell you! We had apples overflowing, and the kicker? Those turkey legs that sent me over the edge. Amanda transported too and fro, seasoned, baked and smoked those turkey legs that were as big as Jer's head. It was pretty epic, and the most gratifying thing was seeing neighbors 'welcomed to the kingdom' and all of the time, and love and thoughtfulness that went into the evening by so many people. So sit back and enjoy these pictures ladies and lads!

The fire pit came in handy as the evening got colder...and colder!

Some decor was borrowed from Tadmor

Lady Lori looking beautiful as always

I loved Payden's hair

The scene was set and the knights, and friars were gathered.
We even had a knocked up medieval pricness (Steph)

Lady Lori and Knight Ken

Family picture. Once Lincoln got home from school he put his dragon costume on immediately, because of all the rain he felt overwhelmed and then couldn't recover. Dad gave him a fur vest and he felt like he could be Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon. The lightsaber may not fit with the theme but there was no changing his mind. Notice Taylor's short hair, the reason it's that way? Cause we were making fire for Lincoln THE DRAGON...sigh, if only I'd known.

The old man holding up the castle is my lovely, hilarious Grandma! In my dad's suit and Grandpa's hat. I had no idea who it was when she first got to the party, it was hilarious...and just like all the stories of her I've been hearing about!

My fam minus Princess Hailey plus my Grandma

Hunchback Tony begging for copper for the poor...
curious children looking on

Epic

My knight in shining armor

Later on that evening one of my favorite quotes happened, James look

ed at Jer and said 'If I had to create a Halo character it would be you'

Our town Wizard

Amanda and her petrified princess

Friar Meeting

 

We take care of hunchback's here

Princess Mia enjoying a Turkey Leg

Grandma fooled Tammi, she had no idea who she was
taking this picture with

Nat Grandma and Hailey 

Caramel apples...galore!

Wench Amy went all out...
the tooth didn't last all night

Tay Tay and Grandma

The Mullen family

Trick or Treat

Protector Isiah

Add caption

Erin and Hailey had nearly identical dresses

Me and Some Creepy Old Guy

Fair maidens

Tabitha and her Dark Knight

Purple Ladies

Do not be fooled by the beautiful smile...

For within is a fierce warrior

This face says 'I'm done trick or treating but don't want
to miss the party'

Friar Jeremy and Princess Dea

Ladies in waiting with little ladies

The ladies

The whole crew, that was left anyway, and a stray trick or treater who hung out to watch Monty Python that we had playing all night...and he brought friends.

Taylor Jo enjoying and apple from the bounty

Knight Ken trying to figure out how to drink
with the helmet on...I think he figured it out.

The Bennetts

Just hum to yourself 'All the Single Ladies', when really he was
realizing the limitations of the suit of armor.

End of the night smiles

Jer and the hunchback meeting some neighbors

Everyone who stopped by asked if this is something we do every year, and it looks like we might just have to continue the tradition because it was quite the success. Thank you to everyone who built, created,  contributed and participated in the fun!