Fall is in the air.

I love fall. I love everything about it. The colors, the cool temps, wearing sweaters, having a red nose, but warm hands in your pockets. I love the pumpkins that start to appear at the stores and on neighborhood porches. This year it is fun to anticipate Halloween and know we get to dress our little Blue up in a costume. We'll probably save trick or treating for next year. I love the feeling of Thankfulness that starts to be present and continue strong through the holiday season. This picture of Chloe just makes me happy. If you look close you can see her 2 teeth. She cracks me up the way she loves the camera and, well, pretty much any attention she gets! My Brad. I filled the gum ball machine with candy so that if we wanted a little sweet treat we would have to actually put in a little effort to be rewarded. Finding a penny and turning the dial is a little bit more difficult than just opening a drawer. Anyway, we ran out of pennies around the house and so Brad just opened it and dumped all the pennies out. Now we have our bag of pennies next to the machine and the candy is coming plentifully now. Kindof against the fact, huh? I love the fact that Brad is soooo easy to please. He is happy with his treat drawer full (thanks for the tradition Ruthie) and spending time on walks with us. He is doing really really well in school and is loving the fact that he is on his way to becoming what he wants to be!!
Chloe's first mess. She cruises around in her little walker and she has recently discovered the food shelf. She dumped her out cereal all over her and the floor. How am I ever going to discipline this child? She is just too cute. He is definitly not starved for attention, that's for sure.
A while ago I went with my photographer friend out to the country and saw some neat places as she took photos. Missouri is really a gorgeous, gorgeous place. This was a neat little road sign we came across. You can see a pointer that says Kirksville on it.
I figured out how to video and thought you would like seeing Chloe as she discovers Peek-a-Boo. I thought my child was some kind of phenom, but then realized that it is fairly common for babies to pick up Peek-a-Boo on their own at this age. I still think she is something pretty special, though.

2 stories.

Story number 1:
Yesterday, I let the dog out front as I went out to get the mail. He usually zips away straight for the backyard and squirrel heaven, but not today. Today, he kindof stayed by this bush we have in the front. I was worried because a couple of days ago he had a run in with a cat and his paw and a near eye loss. So, I just watched him and saw him run in and out of the tree. He was clearly trapping something in there. Finally, He dragged what he caught out. A bird. Oh, big man starsky killing poor defenseless birds. I was mad at him and I told him to leave it. The bird just lay there and we went up to the porch and the dog just sat by my side. Next thing I know, the bird was gone. I think he played dead. I let the dog back down on the grass and he just kind of sniffed around and played. And you guessed it...he found the little bird hiding next to the stairs;hidden in the bushes. I grabbed the dog, but not before he got a mouthful of my poor defenseless friend. As I grabbed starsky the bird waddled off. He waddled across our whole front yard, into the street, across the street, and up the hillish yard of our neighbor...Safe!! The whole "walk" took him about 5 minutes, which is a long time for birds, I'm sure. I didn't know how to help him. After about 20 minutes I let the dog go and you guessed it, he ran straight for the bird (this is the dog that can't manage to track the sent of the tennis ball when he knows the direction we are throwing it) and he tracked it along its exact route. Thankfully he didn't come back with anything and I think my little bird friend survived.

Story 2, which will probably make you laugh more than the "tug-on-your-heart-string-story 1:
Brad woke up the other day and his left eye was kind of, how should I put it, droppy. he described it as the "nerves in my eyelid don't feel like they are working". So he has been nursing this "lazy eye" for a couple of days, although it doesn't hurt him and he can see fine. Today, Brad went on a bike ride. He came home pretty early and he said he just didn't feel well. He took his helmet off and something feel out of it and hit the ground. It was a tiny tube shaped object, resembling a crayola marker lid, but clear. He said, "that figures" and kind of scoffed at it. So, I asked him what was up. He said as he rode he felt this tremendous pressure in his head just above his left eye (remember that is the eye that droops) He said he started to think he might have a tumor or something creating this tremendous pressure. He kept riding and riding and felt sicker and sicker to the point of throwing up. He just couldn't figure out why he hurt so bad. ANd he figured this pain must have something to do with his lazy eye. Turns out, bless Brad's heart, that this little clear tube was stuck in his helmet and he didn't know it. I started to laugh, really hard, and Brad just kind of was relieved that he didn't have a serious brain condition. He had a deep groove in his head for about an hour where the tube was. I am still chuckling about it. And...no need to think I am heartless, he gave me permission to write this. It was just too funny.

I love reading these on other people's blogs. So read this one and then take a minute to fill one out for yourself. They are the most fun if you just go with what you are thinking right at that very moment.
10 years ago: I was just livin it up at good ole Olympus High. I think I might have been one of the few seniors who actually took 7 classes, in addition to early morning seminary. I was just too interested in soooo many things that I still wanted to take stuff in school. I think 2 of my classes were art studio and a commercial art class. I used to think I would be this famous artist one day. Now I am just content with doodling and creating on the side and being 100% satisfied with how I spend my time as a mom and a wife and a friend.
5 years ago:I was a missionary serving in Manhattan, Kansas. The town was amazing. It reminded me a lot of Logan. It is a college town. The town was everything you picture Kansas not being (does that make sense) It was hilly and full of gorgeous colorful trees, because it was the fall. I loved loved loved Manhattan and the mission in general. Loved it.
1 year ago: I was on the plane, heading for Chile (thats in south America, ya know) The plane ride was long for a little pregnant girl. We were going to visit my missionary mom and dad and we had the surprise news of a baby girl on the way due April.
Today: is a crisp Tuesday afternoon. I am sitting on the computer with our little angel Chloe on the floor beside me. I used to feel bad letting her play on the hard floor without a blanket, but now I think she really likes how it feels. She is sitting right under me and has her legs straddling the chair leg and her arms wrapped tight around the top of the chair leg. What a blessing she is. I plan on making a fabulous dinner, read an entire book, and do some goodwill and service projects while I'm at it. Ahhh! But in reality, I will most likely cuddle and tickle Chloe, read her an entire book, and make a mediocre meal, but one that Brad tells me is the "best meal he's ever had" and then go to bed feeling terrific and happy and complete.
5 snacks I like: I have been eating those peanut butter sandwich crackers, but I add a huge amount of peanut butter to the top, homemade chocolate chip cookies. If it was socially acceptable I would probably just eat the dough and forget about the cookie, a handful of cereal, strawberries...I don't know I'm more of a eat at meal time girl.
5 things I would do with a million dollars: I would pay of Brad's school first. Next, I would go on my dream vacation to Ireland and scotland and probably tour the countryside on a bike with my brad. Next, I would take both families on some fabulous all expense paid trips. I would definitly buy the sweetest mini-van on the market. Yep, we want and can't wait to get a mini-van. I would also get my mini cooper, black subaru and Brad's dream road bike and then, I would do whatever I have to make sure that the rest of my million would continue to make me money for a long time down the road.
5 places I would run away to: cabin in the mountains to feel the crisp air and hear the wind rustle the leaves, back to Utah because it's just so "familiar", anyplace with family and friends. And to make my Brad's dream come true...a warm ocean.
5 favorite TV shows:Jeopardy, Millionaire (cuz it's on before Jeopardy) If I had filled this out 3 months ago I would've said Price is Right, but Bob decided to leave the show and his replacement needs to grow on me, if I even give him a chance to grow on me. It's just not the same without The Bob. I still always laugh at Seinfeld and yes, I love Survivor.
5 things I hate doing:cleaning the toilet (that's B-rad's job), emptying the big trash to the outside can and then replacing the can with a new bag. Changing the sheet on Chloes mattress. Those suckers are hard to get in an out of the crib. Going to the store if it is more than once a week. Filling the gas. Thankfully, my cute Brad usually does that.
Biggest joy in my life at the moment:My Brad, little Chloe Blue, and yes...Starksy.

I love flowers. I know a lot of people think buying flowers is kind of a waste because they die and they're expensive ya da ya da ya.. well, I love flowers. They're cheerful and colorful and happy. Someday I would love to deliver flowers or own a sweet little flower shop. I bought these at the local farmers market for 2 bucks. Gerber daisies are some of my favorite to see in a bouquet. (took this from the internet)
Once we went to the tulip fields in Washington state. Absolutly amazing. I would love to go to the Netherlands and see the dutch tulips.
Forget me knots are the perfect, simplest flower.
A classic field of sunflowers is on my list of things to see one day. Somehow we missed the sunflower fields when we went to Europe.
And that is my little ditty on flowers. Hope you smiled a little more after looking at it.

Chloe is 6 months old.

Happy 6 month birthday to little Chloe Blue.

Starsky

Anyone wondering about Starsky and how he is adjusting??
**This is Starksy during his mid-day nap. He really acts like we are intruding when we walk by.
Starsky and Chloe are good buddies. Atleast she has finally learned to turn her head when he licks her instead of just opening her mouth and grabbing his face and getting a face full.
Starksy can sit at the base of the trees for hours. He is making sure a squirrel doesn't get down. He does this everyday. I get a real kick out of watching him. Brad's theory is that when Starsky is tied up the squirrels get real close to him and taunt him and then when we let him off his leash he tries to retaliate and show them who is boss. I'm not sure he could ever catch one, but he looks fierce doesn't he?

...and this is what I almost stepped on while walking to church a couple of sundays ago.