Do I remember it all?

All right for the past few day there have been things that I was wanting to remember for this post. WILL I REMEBER IT ALL? I don't really know.

Ok so obviously I haven't taken the time to figure out how to show off our pile of leaves yet... COMING SOON!!!!!!!!! In the mean time. Saturday night after V was in the tub and M was having me help him cut his hair we decided that V needed one too. So we pulled him out of the water that he had actually drained out by that time and plopped him on a chair buck naked. He was ok with this for a time. It was also interesting to watch M use V's baby comb and some dull hair cutting scissors to trim his hair. We had to move on to clippers. That made it go by faster but not super fast because every single moment of that hair cut V was turning his head as M put the clippers to head. I'm just glad that M didn't draw blood.

So now V's hair is the shortest it has been in his entire life and maybe his next hair cut will be next year. I am seriously keeping my fingers crossed on that one.

The weather has actually been nice up here the last couple of days and so we played outside some. It wouldn't be so bad if we had a fence. But because we don't this is how outside play goes for V!!!!!

Down on hands and knees inside the door. Crawl backwards on the porch to the steps.

Go down the steps.

Run to the back of the house to the other side of the house.

Go around the back of the trailer next to us.

Run back.

Run across the grass that is not part of our area.

Run back.

Think about playing on the slide.

Dive into the pile of leaves.

Chase Adolf to the front of the house toward the road. Send mom into a panic. Pick him up as I spot a car on the road.

Put V in his wagon to sit while I continue to rake up the endless leaves in our yard.

While he is in the wagon go to the end of the street and check the mail.
He definately keeps us on our toes. M continues to work and that is pretty much all we do. Last week I was invited to a party given by a girl in the ward. It was out on base. I got to get a voucher to go on base. They had to check the car for bombs. It was really nice to get to know some more girls in the ward. It is amazing but I already almost feel at home in this ward. Today V and I went to lunch with the "Lunch Bunch" group in Relief Society. It was lots of fun. V was fascinated with something in that restuarant that I'm still not sure what it was. Either the waiters or the parrot that he could see.
Now that I see it is late. I'm cold, and my contacts are starting to say "take us out." I am going to go to bed.

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

To start Saturday we tried to take V trick-or-treating and that didn't go so well. He was dressed as a farmer with a hat, wrangler shirt, over-alls with a rag hanging out his back pocket, and his trick-or-treat bucket. We missed the mall trick-or-treating. Which would have been the place to go because he would have been indoors and could walk around and be supper cute without a coat on. Instead we tried to find a nice neighborhood around that we could go to a few houses. But it was the end of trick-or-treating so we didn't even get out of the car. When we got home we put all of our candy in his bucket and took pictures. Oh well. Next year will be funner any way. He will know how to say trick or treat.

And for some reason I'm not going in order so we will do Friday now.
We did go to the mall after M got off work on Friday. He needed a new wallet really bad. In Barnes and Noble we let V out of the stroller and he listened to music. He danced and he waved his arm around like he was conducting. When he got bored with that he decided to push his stroller around. Mommy helped stear. He didn't want to push it any more so we walked around the shelves of books. He knew where he wanted to go and he didn't pull anybooks out of the shelves. He behaved very well. We found daddy. We passed daddy. We went and looked at little kid's books. We played on the story time stage. We got tired. We got stuck back in the stroller. Mommy looked at a Wizard of Oz picture book companioning the movie. We didn't fall asleep until 11:30.

He actually sort of behaved in Church. As much as a 14 month old can be expected to behave. He did have a little trouble falling asleep for a nap.
Waking up from a nap was quite the adventure. He had taken of his dirty diaper and there where brown spots all over his crib sheet. *sigh* So he got a bath. And his bedding is being washed. So are his clothes.

He is such a busy body. He knows how to get undressed and he knows how to help put on his coat.

He has rescently started to walk backwards. I don't know where he learned that from.

He thinks he is helping when he shakes the dirt out of the rug at the door. He leaves it in a pile right there too. So of course you are going to trip over it if you come in or go over to the living room.

Why are his favorite things buckles? Car seat buckles, high chair buckles... just buckles.

Suprises

It is only noon and already there have been a few suprises in the Harper household.

1st. V slept until 10:00! That is about 12 1/2 hours of sleep. And because he slept in we did too!!!!!

2nd. V got stuck in the floor heater vent. He knows how to take them off and then he gets down in them. He can fit both legs. But this time around he got all scraped up and it was hurting him. You would think that he learned his lesson. But he didn't. After getting hugs and snuggles he went right back over to it and was lifting the top off again.

3rd. V has officially learned that he can take his diaper off. Maybe its because he didn't the one he had on. It was one that I had left over of a different brand I had been using that I just didn't like any more. Apparently neither did he.

M says he way too smart. Last night I had to get into the dresser but there was a laundery basket in the way. I moved it to where V could get to it. Well it has a lid and he took it off. He placed it on the floor and was going to start taking the contents of the basket out. Fortunately it was time to put the basket back where it was. Out of his reach. I then asked V if he could hand me the lid that was still on the floor. I didn't point I just looked at him and asked. He turned around, bent over and picked up the lid. He didn't exactly hand it to me, but he did pick it up cause he knew what I was asking. M was very impressed with this.

He has always been way too smart and way too strong.

But we love this little bundle of boy. And he is all boy. He plays rough, he loves hard, and he screams loud. He is a quiet observer of everything. He doesn't want to miss anything that he might learn how to do. Unfortunately one of his teachers is Adolf his cat. He will bite you because that is what his kitty does.

I don't like to discipline the little tike but if I don't he will think that he can do anything. He already thinks its a game to climb on top of the freezer and see if mommy will come take him off. But he is just so dang stinkin' cute with those faces he gives. Or the noises he gives that are so originally his.

Ok if I can figure out how to do this. I have a few pictures of our front yard. Completely layered in fallen leaves. You can't see the grass because of it. So if I get it to work I will post some of those.

I have been thinking and there are a few things I want to do.

I want to learn to take better pictures.
I want to take a cooking class.
I want to take a creative writing class.
I want to sew with a sewing machine.
I want to be good at making blankets.
I want to get picture frames for our family portraits back when V was a
month old.
I want to go clothes shopping and get three pairs of pants and 5 shirts
and 3 knew dresses.
I want to fly home for a visit. I miss Nevada in the fall. All the changing colors.
I want to explore Minot with M and V.

Man what a list. I guess I should get started on that.

Jam

V is a very silly boy. This morning we had cream of wheat and toast for breakfast. V loves toast. But this time around he was licking the jam off of daddy's toast. He has a jam mustach.

Saturday was our bi-ward Halloween party. V went as a farmer/scarecrow he wore a wrangler plaid shirt and striped overalls with my palm hat. Big rimmed and too big for his head. He was so cute. Well all he wanted to do was run around and take all the other kids trick-or-treat buckets. He loves buckets. Every day he has to bring me the mop buckets. He also puts various things in them.

The other thing that he loved at the party was the pumpkins that people had decorated. So now he can sort of say pumpkin. Although his favorite word for now is appo. Apple. We had to go look at them several times.

All the leaves have fallen off the trees here. And yet it is still green. I think the wierdest thing is that even though it freezes at night there is no frost on the windows in the morning. What is up with that?

M was able to get new headlights for his car. Now they don't bounce around when he drives and they don't point directly at the ground. He can see when he drives at night.

I have been staying busy cleaning and baking the things I love. Brownies, cupcakes for the party, breadsticks. YUMMY! On pay day I have plans to get some vanilla ice cream and making brownies so that we can enjoy brownies with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. I have plans to make waffles for dinner tonight, I have to go to the store today for animal chow, maybe I will get strawberries and whipcream. Ooohhhh that sounds sooooooo good.

Minot is the coldest place on earth

Being from Nevada has some definate lows, but for the most part it is a great place to live. Unlike here in Minot. We got snow on Monday! And this is just the start. Everyone up here talks about how the -25 degrees is barable, its the extra -15 degree wind chill that will get you. And the blizzards. Church is actually let out early for the men so they can clear sidewalks and cars because of all the snow that falls during church. Oh and I get to have a block heater put on my car so we can plug it in at night to keep the fluids from freezing so I can start my car!!!!! I wanna come home. (Yes that was a little whine!)

With the snow comes something good and bad at the same time. M's work is supper busy. He has been told to come in to work half and hour to 45 minutes early for work so that if its busy they can just jump in and help out. And then plan on staying to close no matter what time you started. We aren't sure if he will be able to have days off anymore. He didn't this last week. So while we may not get to see much of our husband and daddy we sure do appreciate his hard work and the income he provides. Which is ladden with overtime hours. So it is going to be easier to make ends meet.

Wednesday night the bishop called and asked if I would be willing to be on the Halloween party commitee. He called at 7:30 and said the meeting was at 8. I was in the middle of dinner and mike wouldn't be home till almost 9, I told him I would and they will let me know what I am going to be in charge of or help out with. I definately think the Lord doesn't want me to be lonely up here.

Oh I have to add this little story. Last night in bed M and I were talking and he said that he had been praying that he would be able to make ends meet and that we wouldn't be stuggling with rent and things. He said "the Lord really gives us what we need and not what we want." He was hopping it would be in the form of a better paying job with regular hours. Not the same job with a lot more hours. So true.

V is as big a stinker as always. He climbs on everything. Last night he thought it would be a good idea to smack his daddy on the face. He was a little suprised when daddy didn't find it cute or funny. He also didn't like that daddy wouldn't give him hugs and loves because he was crying. He has been way to cute for way too long.

He is cutting another tooth on the bottom.

He has learned to run.

He loves it when he thinks he is going out side. He will try to sneak out when you let the cat or dog in or out. If he sees I'm going outside for any reason he wants to come too. Even if he is only in his diaper and there are a few inches of snow on the ground. He will get downright mad about it.

We think he swallowed M's wedding ring.


Love to all our friends and family

sad things.

I was planning on giving everyone an update for our little family... But instead I want to express my feelings about things that have been happening to my friends and family.

First to my cousin and her little girl who was diagnosed with diabetes (and I know I spelled that wrong). I can't imagine how upsetting and scary that must of been. But I am so glad that she has all kinds of family close by for support. You even have family far away who is thinking about you and praying for Caylee. We love you guys.

Second of all. One of my closest friends just lost her little sister to lukemia. I feel horrible. I feel that she needs me. She was there for me when I was terrified that I was pregnant and didn't know what to do. She helped get us enough food when we needed it and was there when I had worries and concerns. A truely awsome friend. Now she needs me and I am so far away and have no way to get to her. This is soo different from the "aww I'm so sorry for your loss. Tell me if there is anything I can do" kind of sympothy. This is the "Your my friend and I'm hopping on the next plane to be there for you" kind of sympothy. And I don't have the means to get there. So anyone out there reading this who knows them please be what I am unable to be for her right now. Give her a hug, take care of things she needs without her asking for it. Let her grieve.

How hard to lose a sister. So call your sisters and tell them you love them.
I'm thinking of you Jess and Family.

Two weeks

Life in the Harper house for the last two weeks!
So about two days after we got the internet connected I took our computer tower in to be cleaned of all viruses. I was unplugging everything when I came upon the last cord. I pulled and tugged and wiggled and tugged but it just wasn't comming out. So I pulled harder. Why wouldn't it come out?

Because it unscrews!

Well I completely bent the plate in the back. The guys at the store kind of make fun of me for it. And then I wait for them to call to tell me what they have done to it and how long until I can pick the computer back up.

8 days!!!!!

That is how long it took them to finally call and tell me that they had cleaned it up and replace the video card that I bent out of shape and past all workability.

So I go to the bank to make sure that there is enough money in there to cover the cost. There isn't!!!!

We have to wait until Payday to pick it up. So instead of it being gone for a week it is gone for two weeks because payday was a whole nother week away.

In the mean time M comes down with a cold. Runny nose, sore throught, coughing. Poor M I'm helping him feel better when he isn't at work.

V has this wonderful habit of throwing his covers off when he sleeps. Well the temprature is cooling off because it is fall. We stack those blankets on him while he sleeps. Hopefully that will keep him from waking up in the night cold.

I get called to Relief Society choirister. wheew at least it wasn't primary. I think 6 years of various primary callings is enough.

Friday: V breaks my phone of 2 months in half! Payday!!!!!!!! Get the check, less than what I was expecting. So we cash it go pay for the computer and head over to the Verizon store. Luckily I get a free phone that has a cracked face, but its free.

Next grocery shopping. Can't forget to pay rent. Ok now we need to take the remaining money and make sure that Mike can get gas, I need gas, V has a car seat waiting that is a donation for $25. Well that leaves $40 for the rest of the next two weeks. Have to save that so I can buy Milk for V. I think we POOR.


Now this morning! V can climb up onto the kitchen chair. When did he learn to do that? Oh and he pulled his high chair out from where it is stored out of the way and tries to climb up it while is is still folded up. hahahahaha silly kid.

Words he now says: Apple, juce, hi, bum ba (bottle)

I can't wait for him to get a little older so I stop pulling my hair out with him.

OH he loves to ride in his wagon.

This week the weather isn't supposed to get up past 45 degrees. Possible snow fall tomorrow. What kind of Fall is this? Oh well I don't mind the rain. It definately does it more here than in the Nevada desert.