Give me my hair!

There are around 383 operating drive-ins in the good ol' USA, and we have been blessed to have one of them in Lubbock Texas!  Even more fun, our Drive-in is open year round, so you can enjoy your favorite movie as you slowly freeze to death.

Last night we decided to have an adventure to top off our fun-filled thanksgiving weekend.  Since there was a Tech game last night we were confident the drive-in wouldn't be too crowded, so we loaded up the car with snacks and blankets, donned our pajamas and headed off for the 7:20 showing of Tangled.  At the theater ($6 bucks for all three of us to see a double feature -- can't beat that!)  I moved the babies' car seats to the front two seats, and snuggled into the back seat with the snacks, doling them out as I saw fit.

The kids did great!  Everyone loved the movie, we stayed relatively warm (turning the engine on every 20 min for a quick reheat!) and we got to eat as much popcorn and dry cereal as our little tummies could hold. During the intermission we took a quick potty break, buckled the babies back into the back seat, and I sat upfront to watch Secretariat (ye old horse movie).  The babies fell asleep and my movie was over in time to go pick Brett up for work.

All in all a very successful evening!

As we were driving home from the airport Juliet roused momentarily to exclaim, "Give me my hair!"  I'm taking it as a sign that she enjoyed the movie!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a great visit with Marsi and Quinton and LaRae and Hendi this week!  They drove the 6 hours from Moore to spend a great Thanksgiving with us.  All the food turned out great, and the company was fantastic.  So glad you guys came!

10 points to whoever can correctly identify the slideshow music! (Or at least what it's from)

Not for Nothing

Bedtime at the Foutz home consists of a lot of running around, cajoling, pleading, some tears, ingested tooth paste, and very occasionally, sleep.  We have tried different bedtime routines to try and get the kids to settle in and calm down, and unfortunately haven't had a lot of success.  Our most recent attempt are hymns and primary songs.  Right around 8:30 Mom starts to sing.  I sing as we pick up the front room, I sing as we get teeth brushed, I sing while Juliet uses the potty one last time, I sing as Bensen escapes once more down the hallway to hide in some random closet, and I sing as kids are once more captured, kicking and screaming.  I sing a lot right before bed, and sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't.

The days it doesn't help are the worst because honestly, I don't feel like singing.  It seems pointless to continue on with "Teach me to walk in the light" when two kids are running up and down a darkened hallway.  "Do as I'm doing" seems a little silly when one child is jumping on a bed, the other is pulling out blocks and I am alone in the bathroom singing at the top of my lungs as I brush my teeth.  "I have a family here on Earth" seems a far stretch when my two sweet hooligans are screaching in a most unearthly tone.

I was feeling just that way.  I was sitting alone in the living room, singing "I am a child of God" to myself waiting for my kids to file in for family prayer (hopelessly waiting) when the most awful wave of pointlessness washed over me.  Why sing?  My kids were as wild as usual, it wasn't particularly making me feel better, and it was probably making the neighbors crazy.  So, with "parents kind and dear" barely whispering past my lips, I sank down to the carpet in silence.  I was done singing.

My children, who had been playing at who knows what in the bathroom sink, suddenly stopped chattering.  I saw Juliet peak out the bathroom door at me down the hallway, making sure I hadn't mysteriously died I'm sure.  Convinced that all was well, she disappeared into the bathroom again.  All was quiet.

Then, belted on a small, yet piercing voice I heard "LEAD ME GUIDE ME WALK BESIDE ME HELP ME FIND THE WAY!" echoing through the bathroom and down the hall.
I had no idea she knew the words.

What a sweet and gentle reminder that not only can my children hear me, they are listening and learning.

So now I'm back to singing again.

Guess who doesn't do well in Nursery?

ME!!!!

Nursery was a little shorthanded today so the Primary Prez. asked if I would help out.  Can I just express how grateful I am for those wonderful souls who work in the Nursery every week?  I make an effort to thank them every time I drop off and pick my kids up from class, and it has always been entirely heart-felt.   Well now it will be heart and soul-felt.  And mind and body!

This was Bensen's second week of nursery and he does not like it. It doesn't help that it is during nap time! Even if I am in there with him he is always hanging on me and half crying.  Can I really blame him?  I felt the same way!!!

"Okay Juliet-- look frazzled!!"

My conversation with Juliet

Me: do you need to go potty?
Juj: I went stinky
Me: you need to go stinky in the toilet?
Juj: no, I went stinky on the ground.
Me: what? Where??
Juj: I put it in the toilet.
Me: you went stinky on the ground and then put it in the toilet??
Juj: yeah with my little hand.

At this point I proceeded to smell Juliet's hand.  It smelled like soap! (thank goodness!) Brett had recently washed it. 

We are still unsure to the accuracy of her account, and could not pinpoint any spots where poop may have been.  But really, we don't want to know.

More Midnight Mayhem

Instead of staying in bed Juliet decided she would rather floss.  

Happy Sad Halloween!

Well, just like every year, I put halloween off a little too long, was unable to fulfill my dreams, and was a little disappointed with our outcome.  Someday my love of Halloween will trump my tendency to procrastinate, but not this year!  The biggest disappointment was our Stake's lack of Cult Classic Culture.  I thought at least 3 people would recognize Bensen and me, but to my utter dismay, not one single soul knew what we were shooting for.  Oh well, I guess next year we will have to think of something even more cryptic and baffling to other trick or treaters.

 Bensen as Captain Hammer and (a mega weird picture of) me as Dr. Horrible

Juliet begged to be a robot, so the day of our Stake Trunk or Treat we spray painted some boxes silver, realized it wasn't working, and dug up an old tutu.  She was a little bummed but got over it.

We stayed in on actual Halloween, excited to recieve some trick or treaters.  I set up my mad scientist lab in the front window, turned out all the lights, and waited for our first victims!!!!  .............  Not a single trick or treater this year.  So mega sad!  So we painted each others' faces instead.  The kids were happy, I was the only disappointed one of the bunch.

Well, at least we know now for next year!  Stay tuned for our mega awesome trunk that we will be contributing to next years trunk or treat!!