Costco....love hate

So they have two places for toddlers to sit in the shopping cart and I would be lying if I did not say that's 80% of the reason I go there. It's become shall I say easy to take my 4 kids there but have to admit to always being some kind of spectacle for everyone else. Jackson typically hangs off the shopping cart while Austin plays go fetch for me. We know we're done when everyone is carrying something and items begin to fall off the cart. The strategy is less keeping things from getting smashed(eggs, bread, etc.) and more keeping things the girls can and will eat out of reach...today it was the strawberries, before I could get to them they each had a fist full. It's always exciting to see the checker outers trying to put everything back into the cart. Today after we checked out Austin asked me if that was our "highest score ever." Now the most fun happens in the parking lot, I don't think I have ever made it to the car without having something fall to the parking lot and subsequently block traffic while I try to herd my children to the car. Now those of you who know me and what I drive will no be asking how with so many kids and so little space HOW do you get everything into the car. Simple answer, magic. That and we eat about 20% of the food on the way home.

Austin Quote

While driving through down town SF Austin asked "why is there so much bad guy writing here?"


FYI "bad guy writing"= graffiti

Photos by Jackson

Jackson LOVES to take pictures with the phone, camera, and whatever he gets his hands on that can take a picture.
These are a few samplings of his works.

In sickness and in health

So we all have(except Todd who's never sick) what I believe is H1N1. Austin got sick Sunday and has been a friend of our couch for the last 5 days and the girls got it yesterday. Jackson seems to be unaffected though there's no way he has not been exposed so hopefully he'll not get it but I'm just waiting for it.

Jackson went on a field trip to the local bakery this week and came home with fresh bread....it went well with the chicken soup.

Halloween

Trick or Treat?

The making of a ninja turtle. So like so many things I thought a month ago, sure no problem I'll make a ninja turtle costume for Austin complete with his list of accessories. Well like so many times before the day before Halloween I was frantically searching for the glue gun because I can glue faster than I can sew. But after staying up with a fever of well over 100 degrees I did as promised and delivered the ninja turtle costume...and Austin was happy.

Jackson, like always was less demanding. He simply within 15 seconds of costume shopping had decided on Darthvader. A character with which he shares not one recognizable

personality trait. It was a hoot to see Darthvader getting onto the school bus. Jackson was cute trick or treating as he was yelling back to everyone as he darted away with his candy "Thanks, Happy Trick or Treating!"

Hannah and Sierra were Cinderella and Snow White. Hannah, always the princess was quite enamored with her huge dress that lit up. Sierra was fine with it as long as it did not slow her down. They lasted about 20 minutes into Trick or Treating before Todd (more than happy to volunteer) took them home and put them to bed (in their dresses.) It was fine as those things happen here frequently but Hannah woke up in the middle of the night freaking out as her dress lights up and it looked like a disco in the room as her dressed sparkled in the darkness, she may never wear lace again!

Grandma's Visit -

We were lucky to have my Grandmother here for a visit. She came down on the train and we picked her up at the train station in San Jose. She stayed here about 10 days and it was a delight to have her. I realized today that it had been about a week since I touched a dish...and they were all clean! We had the privilege of being with her on her 84th Birthday! My brothers Daniel and Jordan as well as my cousin Joel and Candace and Joel's new girlfriend went to Lake Anza in Tilden Park for a picnic.

Grandma also walked with us to the Farmers market and go

to see the kids Halloween parade at school.

We took her to see "Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs" in 3D, not sure how she felt about that experience but we enjoyed having her there and seeing her in 3D glasses was a treat.

I know we all us grand kids felt blessed to have had such an idyllic "grand-childhood" and we all feel lucky to have such an amazing woman in our lives.

We love you Grandma-Thanks for coming!!