We are enjoying our conference weekend with our two nieces here, Kayla and Brynn.  I don't think they enjoyed spending Friday weeding the garden with me or teaching art to the 1st and 5th graders or even watching everyone get their flu shots.  But we have been having fun ever since.  Friday evening we went up to Gardner Village along with Allison's friend Evelyn to do a witch scavenger hunt.  They have witches set up everywhere and we had to find a specific 15 of them.  We knew it was going to be a good time when as we were waiting for a parking spot, a fully dressed up fashionable witch knocked on our window and asked if we were waiting for the parking spot.  When we told her no, she replied "oh thank goodness!  That is where I was planning to park my broom"  Kids ran around in the nippy air laughing at all the witches.  Robyn's favorite was Witchy Poo once the joke kicked in, she could not stop giggling.

Boys refused to cuddle in for this photo

 After a little over an hour of fun we were ready to go claim our prize cookies and head home when we noticed people gathering along the sidewalk as if a show was about to start.  So we thought we would wait a minute to see.  Big mistake.  Ten minutes later we were swarmed by 1000+ zombie dancers doing thriller along with their parents and friends.  Kids were trampled, we couldn't move literally for 30 minutes.  Then to get out of there ended up taking a long, long time.  So kids watched a movie on the way home (which is usually a 30 minute drive) and were grateful for Jeremy having pizza ready for a late dinner - along with yet another movie.  So everyone went to bed tired and happy.

Saturday kids were waiting for waffles as soon as I returned home and we got to enjoy a day of conference and coloring books with jobs getting done in the breaks.  That night Melissa came to stay with Taylor and while Spencer and Jeremy did their priesthood meeting and obligatory manly dinner after, the girls and I headed for a night out.  We hit the creamery for corndogs and ice cream and then went to the Peaks for some ice skating.  A perfect night to ice skate as without all the dates and BYU crowd, the ice was practically empty.
Robyn was thrilled that she could still remember how to skate and was busy showing me her tricks.  Allison has become Brynn's second mother this weekend and took her on endless laps - along with doing her hair, teaching her how to spell, helping her get dressed and doing a great job of taking care of her.

Robyn was very concerned that I was posting this picture as she wanted everyone to know that she was getting the cones for Brynn - she did NOT need them

 And then today girls were up jumping around waiting for cinnamon rolls to rise and having a hard time getting still.  Jason, Kelly and Garion return today from St. George where Kelly spent yesterday running a super fast marathon - next stop Boston.  My girls are going to miss their ready made playmates and sleeping buddies.

Tomorrow I go to the dentist for I am afraid a third root canal their year and a fourth crown.  This week we had two early morning visits to the dentist as Spencer broke his retainer and then they had to make him a new one.  He likes his new one better as its removable.  The dentist just smiled at me and said now you have two retainers that he can loose - they recognize Spencer by name in that office, not a good thing.  Spencer was overjoyed Saturday morning when he realized that he had grown an inch this last week to now be 5'10", he only has 1/4" left to be equal with Jeremy.  I think he is stretching himself at night to get to that mile stone.  And then to hear it announced that he could serve a mission in 4 1/2 years (and Allison in 8) just set my heart racing a little.  How on earth will I have him ready in 4 1/2 years.  I keep reminding myself that that sentence needs to read that we and God will have him ready in that time, but my heart isn't fully believing that yet - definitely something to work on.  They are having skills classes at school that you or a teacher can sign your child up for.  I signed up Spencer for an organization class which he really, really didn't think was necessary.  But he has been spending this week cleaning out his back pack and organizing his locker all things which just make me happy.

This week has been full of a lot of little things that just seem to fill the days up.  I went to Home Depot and bought my first hedge trimmer.  I have gone a little crazy decapitating bushes in our yard.  Its amazing how fast you can trim bushes with that thing.  Fall weather hit so we have been having hot chocolate and picking our pumpkins.  Our yard is full of plants to pull and things to trim.  Our truck was finished this week after undergoing some body work after my run in with a pole in August so now I can make trips to the green waste dump again.

I had my second Just Desserts get together here.  Had several women friends come over and visit and eat apple desserts.  No idea why my jeans are getting a little tight at the waist!  It is so nice to be surrounded by women I admire and learn from but hardly ever get to spend time with so it was a great morning.  I also got to go with Allison on a field trip with her new 11 year old Activity Days group.  We went and toured the bishops storehouse and then spent an hour stocking the shelves.  Those girls were so excited to do service that was meaningful.

This is a short week for us as there are only three days of school.  On Thursday the kids and I are taking a short trip out to Colorado to see my brother Daniel's family.  My kids have been counting down the days!