It's official. We have a child old enough to mow the lawn. One less job for us to do. Now we can sit back and relax. Actually, we'll just have more time to do MORE jobs. 
Does she look like a pro, or what?
This was her first time and her mom that gets a little "OCD about the direction of how the long gets cut was pretty impressed with how straight her lines were, not to mention they were going all the same direction.
Olivia has become such a good student. She loves science and is doing so well at math. She is in a group that gets an extra math homework sheet to try at home called Super Star Math. She is loving that and I think it is building her confidence in knowing just how capable she is. Everyday after school she goes straight to her room and does her homework without even being told. She is taking after her big sister and LOVES to read. Olivia also has a quirky side to her. She's not like all kids when it comes to food. She isn't one to like fruit snacks or fish sticks. She likes the real stuff, especially her daddy's cooking. She wants the real Mahi Mahi. She likes tomatoes and doesn't want the Ranch dressing - she likes the vinegrates or anything new. She is willing to try any type of food and really takes her time tasting it to see if she likes it. She is a good big sister and is always trying to do her best. 
Since Livie's old scooter got "lost" in the move, she got a new one for her birthday.
I am sure that you all have seen a lot of news about the protesting of Prop 8 in CA. I just saw this on another blog and thought I'd post it. It is amazing to me that those that want tolerance have so little of it. These people are so hateful. I'm sure not everyone that voted No is this way but with all the protesting going on, it makes me wonder.
The one thing that I have noticed and don't like about the south is that there are a few men who are a little chauvinistic. I noticed it in AR and I notice it here. Don't get me wrong, I think men and women definitely have different roles in this world. I feel like my role is to be a wife and mother and to take care of our home and raise my children the best I can. Tim's role is to "bring home the bacon." and fix things I can't around the house. And treat all us ladies like the ladies that we are. There are just some jobs that I don't think women should do i.e. sports announcing, construction (The house that was being built behind us was framed by 2 women and it took almost 3 months to do.) President of the United States (although in 4 years I might have to change my mind depending on who's running.) just like I think their are jobs men shouldn't do. (preschool teacher, hair dresser, President of the Women's Republican Committee.) I guess some would call me chauvinistic. The reason I bring all this up is that although I may be a woman, a stay at home mom at that, doesn't mean I don't know anything.
The other day our 3 hall lights that are hooked up to a 3 way switch stopped working. Tim and I tried the switches and concluded that there was something wrong. I called the electrician who wired the house and told him that our hall lights weren't working. Here's how the conversation went:
Casey: Hi! We live in **** and you did the electrical work for our house. Our upstairs hall lights aren't working.
Elec Guy: Did you check the light bulbs?
Casey's thoughts: Are you really asking me that? Do you think I'm an idiot?
Casey: No, but I don't think that all 3 light bulbs would go out at the EXACT same time.
Elec. Guy: Did you check the breaker switch because sometimes the switch might trip.
Duh! Like I don't know that's a possibility.
Casey: No, because wouldn't there be other rooms or lights attached to that same switch and wouldn't those not be working either? Everything else works.
Elec. Guy: Not necessarily. I don't know if there are other rooms attached to that breaker.
Casey: Well, I'll go check just to make sure. (To my NOT surprise, it wasn't tripped) There are 3 other rooms attached to it and no it's not tripped.
Elec. Guy: Is there a GFCI switch in the hall bathroom upstairs by the hallway?
Casey: I don't know, I'll go check.
Casey's thoughts: You are making me go all the way upstairs to check the GFCI switch in the bathroom where everything works. Of course, it's no the switch because the only thing not working is THE HALL LIGHTS!!!!
Casey: No, there is no GFCI switch in this bathroom.
Elec. Guy: Oh! Ok. Well, let's see, we'll have to schedule an appt. to come out.
Casey's thoughts: I could have told you that 5 minutes ago before you made me hike all through the house checking everything.
Elec. Guy: When did you close on your house? Is it still under warranty.
Casey: Yes, Dec. 27.
Casey's thoughts: Would I even be calling you if it wasn't under warranty. I'd fix it myself.
Conclusion: Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I don't have any common sense.
I want to hurry and get this down before I forget. I want my girls to remember this. Tim has been out of town, McKenna has been sick, I've been trying to catch up and figure out my new calling and we have 50 people coming to our house for an EQ social on Saturday night. Needless to say, I almost skipped out on reading scriptures with the girls. I was busy getting some work done and was about to tell Livie to brush her teeth and go to bed when out of my mouth came, "go get the scriptures and why don't you guys read to me while I am finishing this up?" So that's what we did. I finished my task and then sat down with them to finish reading. We were reading in Doctine and Covenants. The girls had read about three verses and I have to admit I wasn't paying close attention. When I sat down I tried to hurry and read through what was read to "catch up" with them in case they had any questions. During the short pause Livie started asking me a question. Now, if you know Livie, her questions could be about anything. And usually not what we are talking about. I listened impatiently ready to push the question aside. She asked, "Do you HAVE to go to Achievement days?" Here we go, I thought. Let's just get on with this so you can go to bed and I can get back to work. But instead I said, "Why do you ask?" (It's amazing how the spirit can guide me to be a kinder, gentler mother when the impatient one is right inside.) She proceeded to tell me how her friend that will be turning 8 was asking and saying that she didn't really want to go. I told her, "No, she doesn't HAVE to. We don't HAVE to do anything. We DO those things because we have a testimony of them and we love our Heavenly Father so we DESIRE to do the things that are asked of us. We don't HAVE to go to church, but we do because we love the Lord and we want to choose the right." Alexa pipes in, "So we don't HAVE to go to school if we don't want to?" DING DING DING!!! All of a sudden everything became clear. All the things that we had been trying to explain about the election and trying to undo what they had been told at school about the election, all related to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Since socialism as been such a big topic in this election we were using so many examples and trying to teach all of this to the kids. So as we sat there, We discussed what Satan's plan was to make everyone be righteous, no choices at all. Then we talked about the Saviors plan that he would suffer for our sins so that we could make our own choices and make mistakes and then Livie pipes in, "and then we can repent." (They do listen.) I told them that the Government makes laws and we HAVE to follow them. We HAVE to pay taxes, we HAVE to stop at the stop lights, etc. I told them that is how socialism is, the Government makes all the decisions for us and we don't get a choice. I explained that when we have faith and we have a testimony of the Savior and the Atonement, we WANT to do the right thing and we WANT to go to church. We WANT to go to Achievement days. After a few minutes of this we started reading again. And as we read I realized the chapter we were reading was all about AGENCY. Every verse we read led us right back to what we had been talking about. So not only did we have a great discussion but as we sat there, we had the scriptures to testify to us all that we were talking about. Thanks to Livie and her "random" question and the Spirit keeping me from being impatient it was one of the best teaching moments a parent could have. They seemed to really get it. And yes, they got to bed 1/2 hour late and I am again behind on my chores.
Did you get out and vote yet? We sure did - at 6AM. Can you tell? Lucky Tim took the picture so he doesn't have to be in it. Dave thinks I'm a little blog crazy but you know he loves to be documented on here.
Even thought this election has been so stressful and frustrating I still love the feeling I get when I walk up, sign my name, get my ballot and start voting. I get butterflies in my stomach and love the feeling that I am a part of something big - that my opinion counts for something. I actually feel patriotic (even more so than when I pay taxes.)
Livie - Little Red Riding Hood
Alexa - Our very own Sarah Palin look-a-like. We figured the dems would take away her candy but the Republicans would giver her extra. Well, no one took her candy away but she did get some extra from a few people (surprising since those republicans are so selfish.)
On Halloween night, we were invited over to our neighbors behind us for a little Halloween party. He is a chef so you can imagine how good the food was. We then went trick or treating and then back over to their house for a few games and some s'mores. Fun filled night for all.
Our ward had a Trunk or Treat last week also. They had a cake and pie contest and Alexa won one of the awards. Here's her certificate.
I forgot to take a picture of the cake before it was eaten. But here it is. She made a pumpkin cake out of two bundt cakes and then used Toblerone for a jack-o-lantern face.
Sarah and the clown
The turtle - not so slow. Do you see the hand to McKenna's left? That is a little baby that is younger than mcKenna but about the same size. McKenna screams everytime she comes near her. Little does she know that in about 2 seconds she will not be this cute turtle anymore, she'll be screaming again.
I just realized I never posted this. (Story of my life these days.) McKenna started walking at the ripe old age of 15 months. No matter what we tried, she refused to walk. She took 4 steps at the most for us. One day I was working at the computer and turned around to see her walking all on her own. It just had to be on her time, I guess. She hasn't looked back since. You might notice that she was walking a little sideways. She did that for a few weeks until she figured out it was easier to walk with one foot in front of the other. (sorry about the recording, I can't ever remember to hold the camera right.
There is no reason why I am posting these pictures together except to document them. Tim took them and so I will post them. Dave borrowed a mattress from us. Who needs tie downs when you have Brenden?
My favorite thing is to watch my babies sleeping. I realized that McKenna is 17 months old and I have yet to take pictures of her sleeping. Does that look comfy or what?
