Pumpkins!

We took a day trip down to my grandpa's pumpkin patch with my parents. We had a lot of fun! The kids did great in the car.

We stopped in Nephi for lunch. I didn't order a frosty, but somehow P1 still ended up with one.

When I was growing up, we would go down to the farm every October and pick lots of pumpkins. We were quite spoiled and could basically carve as many pumpkins as we wanted to. I haven't been to pick pumpkins for about 10 years, and I forgot how much fun it is!

 Photo-op at the farmer's market:

P2 would put her head down and pout whenever we tried to take her picture. And when we were at the farmer's market, she stopped and put her head down on the nearest pumpkin bin and pouted because we walked away without her.

The kids had fun in the pumpkin patch, but after they helped pick a few of them, they were content to sit and play in the car.

At the pumpkin patch, they plant 150 acres of pumpkins. It is amazing how many pumpkins they have. This year they planted 74 types of pumpkins, and also many types of squash. It is simply amazing! So many fun and beautiful pumpkins!

Fall Leaves

I don't know why, but I've been really excited about fall this year. I am enjoying the changing of the seasons. The other day I took the kids outside, and P1 started raking up the leaves with a stick. So I pulled out a real rake and made some piles for them to jump in. P1 surprised me by asking me to bury him in the leaves. P2 thought it was hilarious. We had a great afternoon outside!

We tried to recreate the fun on another day, but that didn't go as well because I had to rush the kids inside 3 times for P1 to use the bathroom. Oh, the never-ending joys of potty training!

 

 

Random Pictures

Exhausted from potty training:

The pumpkin plant that took over our stairs:

15 Months

P2 had her 15 month check-up today. Here are her stats:

Height: 32 in (90th percentile)

Weight: 22 lb 5 oz (66th percentile)

She is our sweet little monkey. She has a very independent nature and a strong will. Thankfully her tantrums are short-lived. She loves to "play" with her brother, which of course involves stealing his toys and making him chase her. She still loves to make faces at us, especially during dinner time. When I tell her to stop doing something, she will glare at me and then hide her face behind her hands. All in all, she is sweet and adorable, and makes life so much more enjoyable.

Sleeping in the truck. P2 still takes 2 naps, and sleeps well at night.

Dancing at the shoe store: 

She loves her sloth, and loves to join us in the bathroom for P1's potty training.

She enjoyed the toys at the doctor's office. She did very well for the doctor, and she took her shots like a champ!

Chilean Day

We had another very successful Chilean Day celebration this year! It's always so good to see our college friends. Life gets busy, but we're glad people keep coming each year so that we can stay in touch. We missed our friends that have moved out of state, or out of the country!

We made beef and cheese empanadas. This year we baked some of the beef empanadas and they turned out well. We had completos and mote. And for dessert we had jello with sweetened condensed milk. We had 13 adults and 7 kids (ages 1-6).

I bought 3 bags of hot dog buns (6 ct), because once again I didn't think 2 would be enough. But once again, we had 2 bags leftover. We cooked 2 lbs of beef, and that was perfect!

Next year I need to buy some avocados the day before, so that we have some to eat with our leftovers!

I always forget to take pictures of the food, until most of it is already gone!

We had lots of little girls running around. The 2 boys were definitely out-numbered. P2 made friends with one of my college roommates. P2 went right up to her and let her hold her and everything.

Thanks to everyone who came! Hopefully we'll see you next year too!

Addiction

I heard this month is National Addiction month. That, and a few other things, have reminded me of this article that I read a while back. I found it fascinating, and I think there is truth to it. I really recommend reading it if you have the time. Here is my favorite part:

"We should stop talking about 'addiction' altogether, and instead call it 'bonding.' A heroin addict has bonded with heroin because she couldn't bond as fully with anything else. 

So the opposite of addiction is not sobriety. It is human connection." 

Human beings are bonding animals. We need to connect and love... But we have created an environment and a culture that cut us off from connection, or offer only the parody of it offered by the Internet. The rise of addiction is a symptom of a deeper sickness in the way we live -- constantly directing our gaze towards the next shiny object we should buy, rather than the human beings all around us."

I saw a post from a mom who says her kids will come home sad or crying because their friends spend all their time on their phones and hardly acknowledge each other. I think that's really sad, and a little scary. If these young kids never learn to connect and bond with people, where are they going to turn for bonding? Are we creating a huge new wave of future addicts?

A while ago, we watched the first couple episodes of "The Last Man on Earth". The show wasn't really that great, but the idea of being the last person on earth really made me think. I kept wondering what would I do with all that time to myself? And the more I pondered it, the more I realized that our relationships are truly the only things that matter. I could keep busy for a while, catch up on all my hobbies, learn new things, but it would all be meaningless. Things don't matter, people do.

The Book of Mormon teaches us that all things will fail, except for charity which is the pure love of Christ. All things will fail, except for the love we develop for those around us.

Moroni 7:46-47:
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

I think we all have addictions to one degree or another. We turn to things to find comfort, satisfaction, or fulfillment. Whether it is drugs, pornography, and gambling; or ice cream, shopping, and Facebook. Cookies have always been a favorite of mine when I'm having a hard day. I bought a huge box of Oreos when P2 was born, so that I could have something to get me through the sleepless nights. When I had to cut out sugar for health reasons, I turned to shopping on Amazon. Getting packages always made me feel better. But it was always fleeting, which I think makes it addicting. It doesn't last, so you go back to eat or buy more.

All things will fail. Except for charity. Nothing else will bring us the happiness and satisfaction we crave in this life. So when we seek for something to help us feel better, don't turn to things. Turn to people. Create real, meaningful relationships with those around you. Look people in the eye. Turn off your phone. Be with people, not just around people.

Potty TRAINing

Our second attempt at potty training was over Labor Day weekend. And we have learned a lot. I have learned that while I am capable of many things, potty training my child is not one of them.

Well, that's not quite true. The truth is that I was already spent from a VERY long Thursday, and I did not have the energy needed for an intensive potty training weekend. I had already spent all my spoons when I really needed to be saving up some spoons for potty training (see Spoon Theory if that doesn't make sense to you).

I tried the 3-day potty training thing where you are supposed to constantly be at their side and just have them in underwear. We made it about 1/2 a day before I gave up on that method. I resorted to pull-ups. And yes, they are a crutch, but some people actually need crutches to walk.

PE was the one that finally got the ball rolling. After a lot of time, water, and stories in the bathroom, we finally had a success! Things went a lot better after breaking that barrier.

We tried treats as rewards, and that sort of worked. I ended up getting some Thomas trains as prizes, and that has really motivated him! Sometimes I think it has motivated him too much, because he keeps trying to use the bathroom so he can get more trains!

P1 is doing a great job, and I am super proud of him! He is really good at telling me when he needs to go now. The only things left to figure out are how to use public restrooms, and how to keep him dry during the night. He hates public restrooms, and will not use them. And really, the toilets are ginormous! How is a little toddler supposed to sit on one without falling in?