Halloween

Here's some pictures of our halloween. Scott helped David carve his pumpkin, and I carved the mean one thursday night while we watched the first Indiana Jones. This after noon I got the kids to take some pictures. I'm not a huge costume person. I figure we'll do more when they actually go trick or treating, but their clothes do have to do with Halloween. If you didn't notice already there are ghosts on Davids shirt, and Sydney's wearing that "I love my Mummy" shirt again. David had so much fun holding Sydney. He was so cute about it. The background on them isn't consistant, but oh well. I'm too lazy to fix it right now. After the kids went to bed we watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and ate junk food. Scotts sister and her family also stopped by for a little while so that was fun.

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And here's finally a video of Sydney. She loves to talk!

Terrible Twos?

David finally threw his first tantrum today. He's screamed before but never really thrown his body around or gone on and on. He's always been able to calm himself down pretty fast. This morning, 20 days before his 2nd birthday, he throws his first tantrum.....................good thing I am in a good mood! I even managed to get a picture of the beginnings. Poor guy.

This was him before we left the park playing in the leaves with his friend Tanner.

No plans for Halloween yet, though I'll post pictures of our pumpkins later. I don't want David to go trick or treating yet. I don't know what's happened to us. Ever since Sydney was born we don't make plans to do things like we used to! We're such bums! I hope all of you guys atleast have a great halloween! We might just end up watching "Ernest scared stupid" or something. lol.

Family fun from the weekend

We had so much fun with my family this weekend! We enjoyed seeing J for the first time since his mission, movies, games, and good laughs(thanks Julia!). It was hard for me to say goodbye. David in particular we will not be seeing for 2 years because he is leaving on his mission. We will miss him but know he will make a great missionary as his brother did. Here are some pictures of the fun. None of the main event yet though (sorry Annalise! I'm getting the pictures Wednesday evening!).

The place where we stayed had internet so some of us had fun watching funny videos that have been emailed to Scott, or from You Tube.

Sydney with Auntie Annalise

We played Mormon Bridge (or Oh Heck, or Fingers, whatever you wanna call it) and I did really terrible. Usually when I play I win or come close to it, but this time I was having troubles. Not in the zone I guess. It's been a while since I played with my family too so maybe I'm not as good as I had come to think. =) Dad, Rosalee, Julia, and David also played even though they're not pictured.

Julia and I on the way to the open house.

I snapped this picture just before I hopped in too.

Scott fell asleep reading to David after David had been in time out. So cute!

Sydney with her Grandpa. The shirt she's wearing says "I love my Mummy" and the mummy head glows.

Julia making sure David doesn't run into the street while we take the next picture below.

My brother David posing in front of the MTC.

Afterwards we ate out at Tucanos. J and I were the only ones who had been there before so we're so glad we convinced everyone to go. I've been telling Scott about this place since before we got married so it was fun to finally go.

David loved their rice! Rice has got to be one of his favorite foods!
This picture was set up on a railing post and set on timer by Scott just before everyone climed in the car to go home. David was not cooperating!

Tagged by Rebecca

Ok, I'm normally not a huge tagger but I felt like it today for some reason. So here ya go!

8 tv shows I love to watch…

The Today Show

Project Runway (Bravo)

American Idol

The Price is Right

Anthony Bourdain-no reservations(Travel channel)

Bizarre Foods w/ Andrew Zimmern (Travel Channel)

Divine Design (HGTV)

Designed to Sell (HGTV)

8 favorite resturaunts...

Tucanos (HEAVEN)

Johnny Carinos

Cheese Cake Factory

Gandolfos

Stockmans (all you can eat steak in Rigby)

Backyard Grill (Best fry sauce I've ever had!)

Applebees

Dicks (best burgers in Seattle!)

8 things that happened yesterday...

Said goodbye to my family

Drove home from Utah

Listened to the Lord of the Rings Return of the King soundtrack

Kids slept most of the way

Unpacked the car

Took a nap with Sydney on the couch while Scott napped on Davids bedroom floor as he tore apart our food storage shelf =)

Watched "On Sacred Ground" by Truman G Madsen

Started editing pictures from the weekend

8 things I love about this Fall...

The sunny weather

Crisp air

Thanksgiving

Annalise's wedding

J coming home from his mission

Watching David enjoy the leaves

Prince Caspian being released on DVD

Apples

8 Things on my wish list…

Finishing my book

Sydney sleeping through the night

Fixed teeth

Being a better Photographer

A grand piano

A garden

David already toilet trained

A digital SLR

8 Things I am looking forward to…

Getting my book published

David being toilet trained

Sydney sleeping through the night

Christmas

A vacation without the kids

The last "Wheel of Time" book

My brother coming to Rexburg

The 6th Harry Potter movie

8 people I tag…Camille, Tiffany N, Annalise, Melanie, Janel, Amanda, Sam, Stephanie K.

Pumpkin Patch

Wednesday we decided to stop at a pumpkin patch in Idaho Falls before going on to Utah because we knew it was the only time we'd be able to go before Halloween. It was just a cute little place with a little hay maze for kids and a cute red barn. My friend Tiffany and her son met us there and she was so nice to let us take pictures with her camera since our batteries were dead. I ended up taking care of a screaming Sydney for most of the time, but David had fun running around with Daddy and in the end we found a cute little pumpkin for David.
A lot of pictures to come from our trip to Utah for Annalise and Steve's wedding!

A Daddy's Love

“Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad.” -Anne Geddes

I know it's not Fathers Day or anything but I thought this would be a fun post. Scott certainly has a way with the kids. =) They love him!

Fun Fall Leaves and a Cute Baby

Today we went for a nice family walk and had fun playing in the leaves! David had fun getting both Scott and I with leaves and enjoyed it when we got him. We have loved the weather this weekened. It's been in the 60's! I think I've decided that fall is one of my favorite seasons as long as it's a pretty dry one. =)

Scott did a good job taking photos of David and I.

A week ago I took baby photos for this really nice couple. You can see the rest of the pictures on my photography blog. I've made it easier to go to the different categories there too. Isn't she so cute?

Surprising Signs You'll Live Longer

For those of you that like to read this kind of thing. It's an article from msn.com that I found very interesting. I know it's long but it's very interesting. And don't just read the bold. Find out why! I love to read about this kind of thing. Some of these things I'm great with, but there is one in particular that I'm not so good with. Burgers anyone?

What you're doing right, and how to do it better
Consider this: In the 20th century, the average life expectancy shot up 30 years—the greatest gain in 5,000 years of human history. And this: Centenarians—folks who make it into the triple digits—aren't such an exclusive club anymore, increasing 51 percent in number from 1990 to 2000. How to account for these dramatic leaps? Advances in health, education and disease prevention and treatments are high on the list, and that makes sense. But what you may not know is that seemingly unimportant everyday habits, or circumstances in your past, can influence how long and how well you'll live. Here, the latest research on longevity—science-based signs you're on a long-life path, plus tips on how to get on track.

Sign: Your Mom Had You Young
If she was under age 25, you're twice as likely to live to 100 as someone born to an older mom, according to University of Chicago scientists. They suspect that younger moms' best eggs go first to fertilization, thus producing healthier offspring.
By Sandra Gordon
-Sign: You'd Rather Walk
"Fit" people—defined as those who walk for about 30 minutes a day—are more likely to live longer than those who walk less, regardless of how much body fat they have, according to a recent study of 2,603 men and women. Similarly, overweight women can improve their heart health by adding just 10 minutes of activity to their daily routine, says recent research. So take a walk on your lunch hour, do laps around the field while your kid is at soccer practice—find ways to move a little more, every day.
-Sign: You Skip Soda (Even Diet)
Scientists in Boston found that drinking one or more regular or diet colas every day doubles your risk of metabolic syndrome—a cluster of conditions, including high blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, and excess fat around the waist, that increase your chance of heart disease and diabetes. One culprit could be the additive that gives soda its caramel color, which upped the risk of metabolic syndrome in animal studies. Scientists also speculate that soda drinkers regularly expose their taste buds to natural or artificial sweeteners, conditioning themselves to prefer and crave sweeter foods, which may lead to weight gain, says Vasan S. Ramachandran, M.D., a professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and the study's lead researcher. Better choices: Switch to tea if you need a caffeine hit. If it's fizz you're after, try sparkling water with a splash of juice. By controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels, preventing diabetes, and not smoking, you can add 6 to 9 1/2 healthy years to your life.
-Sign: You Have Strong Legs
Lower-body strength translates into good balance, flexibility, and endurance. As you get older, those attributes are key to reducing your risk of falls and injuries—particularly hip fractures, which often quickly lead to declining health. Up to 20 percent of hip-fracture patients die within one year because of complications from the trauma. "Having weak thigh muscles is the number-one predictor of frailty in old age," says Robert Butler, M.D., president of the International Longevity Center–USA in New York City. To strengthen them, target your quads with the "phantom chair" move, says Joan Price, author of The Anytime, Anywhere Exercise Book (Adams, 2007). Here's how: Stand with back against wall. Slowly walk feet out and slide back down until you're in a seated position, ensuring knees aren't beyond toes and lower back is pressed against wall. Hold until your thighs tell you, 'Enough!' Do this daily, increasing your hold by a few seconds each time.
-Sign: You Eat Purple Food
Concord grapes, blueberries, red wine: They all get that deep, rich color from polyphenols—compounds that reduce heart disease risk and may also protect against Alzheimer's disease, according to the new research. Polyphenols help keep blood vessels and arteries flexible and healthy. "What's good for your coronary arteries is also good for your brain's blood vessels," says Robert Krikorian, Ph.D., director of the Cognitive Disorders Center at the University of Cincinnati. Preliminary animal studies suggest that adding dark grapes to your diet may improve brain function. What's more, in a recent human study, researchers found that eating one or more cups of blueberries every day may improve communication between brain cells, enhancing your memory.
-Sign: You Were a Healthy-Weight Teen
A study in the Journal of Pediatrics that followed 137 African Americans from birth to age 28 found that being overweight at age 14 increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood. Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease than those without the condition, according to the American Heart Association.
-Sign: You Don't Like Burgers
A few palm-size servings (about 2 1/2 ounces) of beef, pork, or lamb now and then is no big deal, but eating more than 18 ounces of red meat per week ups your risk of colorectal cancer—the third most common type, according to a major report by the American Institute for Cancer Research. Colorectal cancer risk also rises by 42 percent with every 3 1/2-ounce serving of processed meat (such as hot dogs, bacon, and deli meats) eaten per day, the report determined. Experts aren't sure why red and processed meats are so harmful, but one of their suspects is the carcinogens that can form when meat is grilled, smoked, or cured—or when preservatives, such as nitrates, are added. "You can have an occasional hot dog at a baseball game, but just don't make it a habit," says Karen Collins, R.D., a nutrition advisor at AICR. And when you do grill red meat, marinate it first, keep pieces small (kebab-size), and flip them often—all of which can help prevent carcinogens from forming. If you're baking or roasting it, keep the oven temp under 400°F.
-Sign: You've Been a College Freshman
A recent Harvard Medical School study found that people with more than 12 years of formal education (even if it's only one year of college) live 18 months longer than those with fewer years of schooling. Why? The more education you have, the less likely you are to smoke. In fact, only about 10 percent of adults with an undergraduate degree smoke, compared with 35 percent of those with a high school education or less, according to the CDC.
-Sign: You Really Like Your Friends …
"Good interpersonal relationships act as a buffer against stress," says Micah Sadigh, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at Cedar Crest College. Knowing you have people who support you keeps you healthy, mentally and physically: Chronic stress weakens the immune system and ages cells faster, ultimately shortening life span by 4 to 8 years, according to one study. Not just any person will do, however. "You need friends you can talk to without being judged or criticized," says Sadigh.
-Sign: … and They're Healthy
If your closest friends gain weight, your chance of doing the same could increase by 57 percent, according to a study in the New England of Journal of Medicine. "To maintain a healthy lifestyle, it's important to associate with people who have similar goals," says Nicholas A. Christakis, M.D., Ph.D., the study's lead researcher. Join a weight loss group, or train with a pal for a charity walk.
-Sign: You Don't Have a Housekeeper
Just by vacuuming, mopping floors, or washing windows for a little more than an hour, the average person can burn about 285 calories, lowering risk of death by 30 percent, according to a study of 302 adults in their 70s and 80s.
-Sign: You're a Flourisher
About 17 percent of Americans are flourishers, says a study in American Psychologist. They have a positive outlook on life, a sense of purpose and community, and are healthier than "languishers"—about 10 percent of adults who don't feel good about themselves. Most of us fall somewhere in between. "We should strive to flourish, to find meaning in our lives," says Corey Keyes, Ph.D., a professor of sociology at Emory University. "In Sardinia and Okinawa, where people live the longest, hard work is important, but not more so than spending time with family, nurturing spirituality, and doing for others."

Kyle and Amanda

The weather finally cleared up so I could take their pictures yesterday afternoon. This is a shoot that's been in the making for several months now. We were just waiting for fall colors to show. And just to clarify, these are not engagement photos. This lovely couple has been married for a while now and just wanted some updated photos. Glad I could help! Go to my photography blog ot see more of them!