Witches and Wizards and their cat & owl too

Bailey as "Hermoine Granger"

Megan "the witch" and her "black cat" Jenny

Harry Potter (Josh) and a dark wizard " he who should not be named"..

(really I dont think he had an offical name)

Zane as "Hedwig " Harry Potter's owl

The girls haul

and the boys

This Halloween we went down to Brian's and went Trunk or treatin' with cousins. We only went up for the day so it was short but VERY sweet!

Lottery ticket

It's here. Our ticket to move North. The question is.... do I (we) want it? When we joined the BP we thought we would only have to be in Arizona for 3 years max and then we could transfer to a BLM job back in Utah or go to Washington State where I begrudging left as a junior in High school and ALWAYS wanted to go back. 

Not so... we have applied and applied but nothing. We have now been here in Arizona for 7 years this month. I have gotten to really enjoy the weather and found  good friends, finally gotten the kids into a wondferful school that I really dont want to leave, have close cousins just two hours away and there are so many things we havent gotten to do and explore here yet.

 I DO like living here.... But... We have always half- heartly lived here  and thought of it as meerly a stepping stone and I am done feeling that way. I want nothing more then to feel  SETTLED!  It scares me the thought of completly starting over someplace even though that is what and where we have always dreamed of going and doing maybe I'm not as adventurous as I once was.
The transfers have opened again and Jake is going to put this name for some washington stations, Idaho and a montanta station. This is it though our last chance If we get passed up  again we are done and we are going to  SETTLE DOWN AND BECOME REAL ARIZONIANS.. with both feet in the state :)

I'm excited for the answers that are coming.

Road Trip

Grandpa manwaring telling storiesb

grandkids listening.....hopefully

                                          

Me and the kids tagged along with Bri and Shan for fall break to my dad this last week. It was a looong drive. We wimped out and stayed in a hotel each way since it was over a 1000 miles each way. I checked into a hotel all by myself a first for me ... well, Brian was next to me and the hotel lady thought we were married but whatever I still did it and stayed in my very own hotel room all alone with all the kids. WE helped dad shovel dirt outta his basement and played with cousins and enjoyed being together.. you know after I got my keys back from locking them in the van at a burger King in Kingman, AZ and kids throwing up in hotel rooms and having to get two new tires went I got home... and two kids home with sore thoarts and fevers (a possiable strep watch.. we still love you kim)   It was still a really good time. :)

Long Distance Dad

Jake's fridge in Roswell covered with all the cards and letters we have sent while we have been home..

i think he misses us too.

I have done pretty good while Jake has been gone, I miss him like crazy and can't wait he is here to help with  the fanastic four. But it has been a learning experience as well for me. I have a wonderful, wonderful husband that does sooo much for me. While he has been gone I have had to pick up his slack like you know take out the trash, :) (well, I try to make Josh do that one), feed the dogs and take them on runs, change the fire alarm batteries (which I have NEVER done and it only took me like 6 hrs to get them all changed and stopped beepin), even taking Z's carseat out and harnessing back in. all simple things that my hubbie does without me even asking) The other things I have had to do alone that were a little harder were bullying issues with Josh and another boy at school, red spots somewhere he didnt want to show me and I didnt wanna look ... Jenny crying and wanting her dad and our family back together hysterically. Two bunnies dead.. (died while we were in NM) 3 book reports, homework, homework, homwork, fighting, fighting, fighting, a crying baby.. going grocery shopping with all four children and the looks of pityand hatred of other shoppers. I have SURVIVED!!! Yeah, but this week I broke down. I had put the baby to bed and remembered something (wont tell u what but COULD NOT go with out) I needed a the store. It was past 8pm and I decided to leave Josh in charge and run quick.. so I gave Josh instructions and made him PROMISE to keep the girls quiet and left. I wasnt even gone 5 minutes when I remembered my purse at home. So I turned around to go and get it.... I walk in the house and Josh was sitting on top of the girls in a dog pile and they were screaming (happily but screaming) I had HAD IT. I told Josh he was fired and I picked up the phone and called Jake put it on speakerphone and informed everyone Dad was babysitting while I was gone and to be quiet!! so thats what they did.

DONT WAKE THE KITTY

We got a kitten this week. Yep, another animal.. have you lost track in how many we've had cause I have. The bunnies died while we were in New Mexico. Seems our bird dogs are also bunny dogs as well. : (  So we are trying a kitty this time. (An INDOOR kitten) So far is going good and the kids are loving it and taking care of it and it is litter trained so thats a plus and Zane hasn't gotten in the kitty litter either so  EVEN BETTER!!! But yesterday morning Jenny woke me up at 5:30 am  asking if she could use my bathroom (cause the kitty is in hers) cause she didn't want to wake the kitten up... so I sleepily nodded and remembered that Zane can hear the toliet flush from his master closet bedroom and just as I tried to warn her not to flush "MAMMA!!! " WAHHH!!!! So I have now explained to the kids to "forget about the kitty, dont you DARE wake up the baby! BTW we named it Scout (notice I have been refering to it as it cause we don't know if its a boy or a girl yet)