Trunk-Or-Treat

W had our Fall Festival and Trunk-Or-Treat at church. Brayden's friend, Kyle, and my friend, Kira, and her son Zane came with us. The first part was games and hot dogs and chips and a pie contest. When it got dark....well, the kids went crazy going from trunk to trunk getting SO much candy! Molly loved the cake walk...she didn't even like the cupcakes...she just kept walking and although she won about 10 times she only wanted one cupcake and didn't even it! She also loved trick or treating. She said "thank you" at EVERY SINGLE CAR. It was so sweet and of course she looked so beautiful in her "pink princess fairy" costume. Carter was Frankenstein and Brayden was a mummy. Kyle was the Joker and Zane was a spider. I mean, serously, this litte girl pretty much melts my heart.

And her daddy, well, he melts my heart, too. I am so happy that he loves and plays with his kids and that he does not consider it a chore but an honor! This little girl LOVES her daddy and those little eyes....they can get her out of ANYTHING.

Robbie's mom and dad were there. It is so fun having them in our ward and being able to have fun with them at church things. Zane loves Judy. She looks a little like his grandma and I think she just has that 'safe' grandma look. She is so sweet to hold and play with him!

Molly was thrilled to be able to wear some blush and lip gloss and lots of glitter!!! She is PRECIOUS.

I asked the kids to just stand normal for a second so I could get picture and this is the best I got. The were being so silly.

Pretty Princess!

After the Fall Festival, we ran to the store and got stuff to make smores. We came home and went through almost 3 Tombstone pizzas and had fun looking through all the candy and prizes. Robbie made a fire in the fire pit and the kids and Kyle had so much fun playing. At about 9:30pm Robbie's friend Corey and his wife and my friend Kira came over. We hung out by the fire and talked and ate smores until almost midnight. We especially appreciated an impromptu performance by Kira. "Mrs. Harlow, they late! Mrs. Harlow they late!" That girl is SO fun.

My Man

No pictures and few words. I know...WHO AM I? hehe. So, we share a cell phone plan with my dad because we get a super awesome deal. (we have 3 cell phones....me, Robbie, and Carter). A few days ago I decided that I wanted to surprise Robbie with an internet phone with a data plan. He was currently using a flip phone. Yes, I said flip phone. Like, the kind that when he texted he had to push the number key 1, 2, or 3 times to get the correct letter. Anyway, my dad had a Blackberry that he said we could use to try out the data plan and see if it is something that Robbie would like. After a weekend of trying to figure out why the internet wouldn't connect and then 2 trips to the at&t store yesterday we learned two things...(1) that the Blackberry is not a 3G phone (whatever that means!) and even if it did connect to the internet it would take like 5 minutes to connect to a single web page...and (2) that the sim card that was transfered from the flip phone to the Blackberry was (in the exact words of the at&t representative) "GANGSTA". So, we were back to square one. I asked my friend's husband (who is an at&t employee) how much a 3G phone would cost so that I could get my guy hooked up with some internet. He said that if the plan is not eligible for an upgrade it would be about $300. So, the reality of going back to old flippy was looking like the answer since we just got Carter a phone using an upgrade and I got one not to long ago as well (not internet phones). After some texts back and forth with my dad, he told me that on November 4th one of the phones on our plan would be eligible for an upgrade and that Robbie could use it and get an IPHONE!!!!! The upgrade will be available, technically, for my mom's line, although it could be used with any of the lines. I texted my dad back and told him that we wanted to be sure that is ok with him. That Robbie would love it, but that we wanted to make sure he was ok with it. He texted me back the SWEETEST text. The reason for this post. So I will remember forever. It said "Totally! I'd walk across a bed of hot coals if Robbie asked me to!" Thank you, dad, for reminding me what a gem I have in a husband and friend! I tell people all the time how great Robbie is but I think that they are usually like "yeah yeah yeah, whatever, you are his wife so of course you are going to say that" and I feel like I just cant scream it loud enough that he is just the greatest person! Just a really, really GOOD person. So, that's all. This blog is for me, to journal the things that are important to me, and to share that with anyone who wants to read it. I love you, Robbie. I love you, dad.

Brayden

Brayden seriously has the funnest sense of humor. He makes us laugh every day. He has mastered a British accent and can pretty much get out of any kind of trouble when he uses it. He loves to make noises and we always know where he is in the house. When he was younger he literally couldn't play with out making noises. We would ask him to be quiet and he would stop playing and just sit there until we told him he could be noisy. He makes car and airplane and train and lawnmower and tractor sounds like nobody's business. :) I remember when he was about 2 and he would pretend that a paper towel roll was a weed eater and would walk the edges of the yard right behind his daddy and weed eat. All while making a weed eater sound. He is his daddy's shadow. He is also a mini Papa Ostermiller. He LOVES gadgets...pens, paper clips, staplers, folders, post it notes, tape, sharpies, pocket knives, pencils...everything that would be considered a gadget. He has a huge collection of gadget-type stuff. On wednesday night when he got home from scouts he had on his wrist a camo bracelet of some sort. He told me that a friend from church gave it to him. This friend is one who in the past he has kinda clashed with and not really got along with. I just told him that was great and that it was a cool bracelet. The next morning we were on our way out the door for school and he ran in the house and got the bracelet and put it on for school. Then he said "mom, I am not sure if me and (boy from scouts) are even really friends or not" and I said that surely they are if he gave him that super cool bracelet and that he just needs to be nice to him and that they would make really good friends. Then Brayden said "well, even if he doesn't want to be friends I am going to pretend that we are because his dad works at a DUCT TAPE FACTORY...um, HELLO!!!!!!" Of course I called Papa Ostermiller and told him this story, and yes, he was oh so proud of his little sidekick! Brayden told me a few months ago "mommy, I sure hope I am just like Papa Ostermiller when I grow up, but I am going to have to try really hard because he is really cool."

My Carter

Here are two things I have found in Carter's school work recently.

#1 Dad

Loving,

Smart,

Trustworthy,

Wishes to have a camaro,

Dreams of living in a mansion,

Wants to have a happy and loving family,

Who wonders when God will come,

Who fears of his kids getting hurt,

Who is afraid of snakes,

Who likes his job,

Who believes in God,

Who loves basketball,

Who loves his family,

Who loves church,

Who loves watching movies,

Who plans to work hard for his family,

Who plans to pay for our home,

Who plans to someday retire,

Who's final destination is Heaven.

And...

C- Craves chocolate fudge ice cream

A- Arrives at school ready to learn

R- Really likes to go to the beach

T- Tries his hardest

E- Enjoys playing basketball

R- Really loves his family

C- Can do anything he puts his mind to

O- On time for everything

O- Offers to help others

T- Trains for contests

S- Scored the buzzer beater at a basketball game

I love finding treasures like these. It warms my heart to see the love and adoration that Carter has for his daddy. I realized after reading the poem about his daddy that he really does know him! He knows his likes and his dislikes and his hopes and fears. I love that! Robbie is a really, really good daddy!

What really matters...

I had to post this picture of Grandma Judy and Papa Coots for a few reasons. One reason is that I really, really love them. They are such a special part of our every day lives. Molly and Judy are such great friends and seriously see each other every day. Today Judy told Molly that she and Papa are going on a trip this week and that they would be gone for four days and Molly said "but Judy, that is a really long time!" They live super close to us and we love it. They are an awesome example of love and unselfishness. Ok, so the other reason I had to post this...um, GO BOB-ALISHIOUS!!! Today is the first time EVER that I have seen any PDA out of these two! Robbie's friend, Corey, came over to visit and Judy asked him to take some pictures. I commented that this picture is for their night stand! hehe! I have NO doubt that these two love each other. Their marriage is an example to me and I am so thankful for them! My kids had to get in on the photo session and they were so silly. I was not even outside when all this happened. They seem to pose and smile better when I am not around. I think I was inside cleaning up the dinner dishes. The kids make me so happy. Being a mom is, well, really hard sometimes. I often feel overwhelmed with such a responsibility to not only teach but be an example to these kids and to prepare them to be grown ups! I hope they know that I love them and that I want them to be happy. I would do anything for them. The kids have been on Fall break this week and we have squeezed in some fun things. We went to see Dolphin Tale and went shopping at Target one day. Carter got the new NBA game for his PlayStation3 and Brayden got Legos and Molly got a bath tub for her baby dolls. On friday night the kids got to go spend the night with Nana and Papa Ostermiler in Nashville. I have the boys some money for Papa to take them to the Bass Pro Shop and they had so much fun. Molly and Nana did the girl thing and went to Target. I was so happy to have some alone time with Robbie. This past week has been a doozer and I SO needed a little break from the normal day to day stuff.

These kids really do love each other and it warms my heart when I get to see little glimpses of that. They are for sure normal siblings. They don't always get along. But, I am pretty certain that they would stand up for and protect each other. These boys love their little sister. Carter especially is going through a stage where he seems to just adore Molly. I love to watch them together. A few days ago I heard one of the boys say something ugly to the other. I quickly told them that I do not allow that in our house. I feel so strongly that home is where we are supposed to feel safe and happy and accepted and free to be ourselves. There is enough evil and rude and mean and sad in this world...even at school...that when they are home they should not have to have their guard up and have any worry about that yucky stuff. I remember when I was younger, my home was (and still is!) a happy and peaceful place. A place where I feel loved. I still feel that when I go to my mom and dad's home.

This is Mamaw Allen. She is 88 years old. She is Robbie's grandmother on his mom's side. We love her! It is so sad to see someone age. And forget who we are. Some days she knows me, and some she doesn't. Just today she pointed to Brayden and asked "who's boy is that?". I said "mamaw, he is mine, that is Brayden!" and she said "well, I didn't know you had kids!". It is so fun for me to watch Molly and mamaw together. They color and play together like they are both 4 years old. They even argue like they are 4 both 4 years old! hehe! Molly will grow up remembering her great-grandma and that is so special. Papaw Allen is in the nursing home and we enjoy going to see him. Robbie and I went a few days ago and I enjoyed sitting with him as he told me the story of when he and mamaw met. He remembers in detail exactly where she was sitting and what she was wearing. A true love story. He also told me stories about when he was in the service and how a cup of coffee saved his life, and how he rode hundreds of times in the plane that evenually dropped the atomic bomb. I cherish our visits and savor every story he tells me. I am lucky to be a part of his life and I love him. He is a good man.

My silly hooligans with Judy and Papa. Yes, my kids call Judy by her first name. Mason, the oldest grandchild started it and now all of them call her Judy. My kids sometimes ask me what Judy's real name is. They know that Nana's real name is Joyce and just can't understand why Judy doesn't have a real name.

I know one day when I look back at this I will not remember what a crummy week I have had. I will not remember the stress and the craziness of this week. What I hope to remember, rather, is what is really important. And that is family. I have the most amazing and loving and supportive husband who I know with no doubt loves me. I have three healthy and happy children who I consider such miracles in my life. I have a mom and a dad who have taught me by example the things I need to do to be happy. And I have the best Judy and Papa who raised Robbie the same. Together, we are building our own family. We are building what will be our eternity. And I am determined to keep everything out of our lives that are not going to make it happy. :)

A Sweet Reminder

This post wont have any pictures. Odd for me, I know. On saturday night when Robbie was at the Priesthood session of conference I took all three kids with me to Kroger for a big grocery shopping trip. I was a little nervous and even thought about waiting for Robbie to get home. I knew he would be tired and it would be late, so we just went. As soon as we got there the boys were off! They said they were going to look around and that they would be right back. I seriously heard them playing from afar as I strolled down the isles with Molly in that HUGE HUGE HUGE car buggy thing. I pretended I didn't know them! hehe! They weren't being bad or running around or anything...I could just tell by the giggles that they had found something very fun. A little after the meat section, I turned around from trying to decide which Oscar Meyer lunch meat to get, and about jumped out of my Sperry's! Carter and Brayden both had on the most hideous Halloween masks. Molly, of course, became very dramatic (I know, imagine that!) and started to pretend scream...which sounded like a real scream...which, if the masks hadn't already, cause a little more attention towards our colossal buggy than I would care to have on a normal trip to the Kroger. I decided well, they aren't really doing anything wrong. And that Halloween isle is obviously there to attract such hoodlums. So ,I just stopped with the buggy, let Molly out, and let them play. And I stood there and watched and commented on which mask I thought was the most scary. Even Princess Drama joined the scary mask fashion show. As I stood there watching them I noticed an older, very classy and beautiful and well dressed lady a few feet down the next isle over (the chip isle!). She was stopped in the isle, looking right at us. She was not looking at chips or sodas that were on that isle. I thought to myself oh no this lady is irritated with my little Coots show and is going to march over here and tell me how bad of a mother I am and that I need to control my kids and that back when she was younger she would have been heat with a switch behind the outhouse for that behavior. I was all ready for her approach with a plan in my head to smile and say that I am sorry we interrupted her shopping and then gather up my chicks and hang out heads low and head to the dairy section. But, that is not what happened. She did approach me. Rather swiftly, actually. She came very close to me and said, with tears in her eyes, "honey, please forgive me for crying, but I have been standing there watching you and those sweet children and I was prompted so strongly that I couldn't stand still to come and tell you something...please enjoy every second of this because I promise you with all my heart that you are going to miss this...you are really going to miss this...my boys are 27 and 29 and I would give anything to have back what you have now...it goes so fast, their childhood does...so please promise me and yourself that you will enjoy every minute...let them play, let them be kids, and love on them like there is no tomorrow!" I thanked her for her kindness and told her how much I love my kids and she continued down the chip isle. I will NEVER forget that. Ever. I wanted to put it on this blog and have it forever. So thankful for special reminders...even when they are right past the meat section at the Kroger.

Family, Fire, Fun, Friends

This morning Robbie and the boys did some yard work. The boys love to drive the lawn mower. Robbie is so good at keeping the outside of our house pretty. Yard work is not my thing. I do the inside! :) After they mowed and raked the boys played. Brayden was practicing kicking his football, while Carter went on a little joy ride. Something so sweet that Carter said...the boys had come in for a minute and Robbie was still out back working. Carter looked out the french doors and saw that his daddy was woking still and said "oh, I am going out there to help dad, he doesn't deserve to do that all by himself." I thought that was so sweet and unselfish of Carter.

While the boys worked, Molly and I hung out inside. Molly loves to watch Caillou on Netflix on the computer. She was content to sit on the blankie in her jammies and relax while mommy cleaned up the house a little.

Last night was our church social held at the farm of some members of our church. There was a huge bonfire and they had the Alvaton Fire Dept there with the fire truck. The kids loved to get inside the truck and play and enjoyed the little fire hats that they gave them. Brayden would have stayed in that truck all night. He thought it was so neat. Molly, on the other hand, did not like the fire truck. When it first pulled up she started freaking out and we thought it was just for attention. Then we realized it was real. And remembered why. Molly was alone with her Nana when her hip replacement dislocated. Molly had to give nana the phone to call 911 and was there when the paramedics and firemen stormed in the door to take care of Nana. She was so brave but very very scared. We realized last night that the experience she had is still pretty fresh in her sweet little mind.

My friend Kira, and her sweet little Zane came with us and we were so happy! Kira is SO funny and keeps Robbie and I laughing. Zane reminds me SO much of Carter when he was a baby. I always tell Kira that if he grows up to be at all like Carter she will be one lucky mamma!

Zane was like "um, mom, that is MY hat!"

Molly Mae, you are so dramatic and funny and sweet and pretty. Even when you are cranky. Kira and I call Molly "the goose" because she "hisses" when she is grouchy!

Me and Molly and Kira and Zane. I sure am thankul for good friends and being able to just laugh and be myself with them!

Brayden the fireman! He LOVED it when they turned th sirens on.

This boy...I love him. It is not easy being the middle child, buddy, and mommy totally understands. I want so much for my kids to be happy. When this kid gets on a roll and starts telling jokes or talking in a British accent...I feel so happy! I want my kids to always know that mommy loves them NO MATTER WHAT. That I am here for them for the good things and for the not so good things.

This fire started out SO huge. I was like good thing that fire truck is here! The boys are in the background playing the funnest thing....it included a bike pump and pvc pipes and a 2 liter soda bottle. That bottle flew SO high. The boys loved it!

I love that our church offers opportunites to get together outside of church and have fun together. I think that is really important. There are so many people at church who are the best examples to my kids. We had such a fun time. We didn't get home until almost 10pm. Little Zane was a sleepy boy- but I think he had a great time!