Halloween cookies and SCARY SCARY!

Kimball playing the Dead Man...

Fun Decorating cookies!

Tedious lettering on a pumpkin cookie

Mike put his creative hat on while decorating

Our finished creations, YUM YUM!

If you haven't caught wind of the news yet, I am now back at home with my little boys, and what a blessing! I have to just tell of the new clarity that I have in my mothering, where I know now what a gift it is to be able to stay at home with one's children. I missed them while I was working, and had such a hard time leaving them. There were a few times at work where I was overcome with the longing to be with them, and I would have to step into a room alone to gather my emotions back up:) Dearest Kimball and Brandon how I love you and would do anything for you, give my life if I had to! I know that a sacrifice that large probably won't be necessary, but I will give my time, love, and smiles to you! My lap is all yours to sit in and explore new books. My arms are all yours to give you hugs when you fall down. My heart is a mother heart and you will forever be a part of the creation of my "mother heart". Dearest Mike, thank-you for working so hard while going to school, sacrificing some of your time to bring in some extra money. I know it is a bummer to have to take out loans for education, but it is worth it!

So, my family and I have been celebrating the fall season and Halloween lately. The weather has been perfect fall time weather, great for having the windows open while we watch an afternoon football game, cuddling up and enjoying hot chocolate, playing "SCARY SCARY" (A silly game where we turn off all the lights in the house except for a pumpkin lantern and a scary candle and whisper "Scary, Scary" while we read a Halloween book) and my childhood favorite "Dead Man, Dead Man", and of course the Matusek tradition of making silly Halloween sugar cookies. Of course, there are the outside decorations, and of the four Halloweens that Mike and I have spent together, I believe that this will be the most decorative. I will definitely post pictures of our decorations as they will be finished soon...

I am looking forward to a few things over the next week and a half. This weekend we have another football game, go fighting Irish! After last weeks loss to USC, Mike was upset, but there is always next year to beat USC, perhaps their greatest rival. We might do something else this weekend, perhaps go to the I.F. Zoo or the museum, perhaps a movie, or skating, or bowling, a family favorite! On monday we have a Moore family get together at my Grandma's house. We don't yet have costumes for me, Mike and Kimball, but as is our tradition, Brandon will be our baby pumpkin! Hopefully I can round up some good costumes to use by Monday, if not then definitely by Halloween. Carving pumpkins will be awesome, as always! Mike is going to go all out on his pumpkin because there is a carving contest at our Ward party. Last year he did Gollum from Lord of the Rings, we'll see what he does this year:) On Halloween, we have a Ward party like I just mentioned, complete with a trunk-or-treat. Anyways, I hope that everyone is enjoying the fall time, soon there will be snowy weather!

Broken down car...

Our car broke down today, kind of a bummer for us. We just bought a new battery, and we weren't aware that with Ford Freestyles that you have to "teach" your car how to idle and run properly after a new battery is installed, go figure! I suppose that is why you read the manual when to your car when you do work on it, just to double check if you have to teach your car to do something. So now we are faced with some potentially pricey fixes:)

On the up side of things, it is the fall time and that means changing colors, growing anticipation for the first snow, excitement for fun holidays coming up, yellow buses driving down the street, and probably best of all for my husband at least, College Football! Our summer truly has been enjoyable, but I do have to admit that the changing of seasons is definitely refreshing for me. I suppose that is one of the reasons that I love Idaho so much, for its vivid contrast between seasons, from the chilly white winter evenings, to a beautiful spring morning, soon followed by hot summer days and last, a peaceful fall afternoon.

Mike is currently taking classes, 12 credits to be exact. They are pretty challenging but I suppose that is the best way to learn. He is double majoring in Math and Physics, and will be done with both in May of 2010, 3 semesters after he finishes these 12 credits this fall. I am working currently, "part-time" which works out to 35 hours a week currently, practically full-time. I work at the plasma center, Biomat, here is Pocatello as a Donor screener. I get to prick peoples fingers (he he he!), take vitals, and ask 14 questions verbatim about 40 times a day. I enjoy the work so far, it is somewhat related to my degree, which was Health Science. I do have to say, it annoys me when, upon finding out that I have a degree, I am asked by donors what I am doing at my job. Trust me, if there were jobs in the Health Science field that I was qualified for in Pocatello, I would be working there...

The children are doing great with me being at work. My schedule only overlaps with Mike's for an hour or two Monday through Friday, and a friend of ours is watching the boys for that short time period. Other than that, they are with me or Mike, or both of us. Kimball is an amazing little boy, so keen and perceptive to the seemingly smallest of details. His perception is deep, it is an adventure to be with him everyday. Brandon is so incredibly curious, this little boy is everywhere and into everything that he can get his hands on. And did I mention that he is like a bullet, especially when he is going after something that he wants? The two play together so well! In fact, we couldn't keep Kimball out of Brandon's crib tonight, I swear we went in there about 20 times to put Kimball back into his own bed!

I'm sorry I didn't take the time to comment on the past 4 posts, hopefully they pictures were enjoyable nonetheless. I will be on to write soon, hopefully about the double date we are going on with the Baker's friday night? If not, definitely about the Moore cousin's reunion that we have on Saturday night... that is if our car is repaired by then:)

Florida

I have had 4 drafts for new posts just sitting around, waiting for me to write stories and what not. However, I am not going to do that, because I honestly don't know if I will find the time. So here are pictures of our FL vacation......

Happy 23rd

And pics of my birthday and the parade that we were a part of for Pioneer day in Pocatello.....

Haircut

And pics of brandon's haircut (before, during, and after).....

Illinois

And finally, pics from way back in July of my trip to visit my parents and family out in IL......

What does warm weather call for?

When warm weather comes a knocking, there are a few things that you just have to do. First of all, it is necessary to get out of doors and enjoy the creations of God, and you don't have to look hard to find them! We went hiking this summer as a family of four... Kimball donned his tennis shoes, as well and mom and dad, and with Brandon in the handy baby carrier we set out to enjoy Mink Creek in Caribou National Forest.

Warm and sunny weather calls for a little ice-cream, so when you hear the familiar songs of the ice-cream truck dig in your wallet and couch for some extra coins... which is exactly what we did for Kimball. He enjoyed buying the cold treat with his daddy and then had an even better time enjoying it on the front stair!
Summer time brings more opportunities to spend time with family and friends, and what is better than riding a four wheeler with another 2 year old... oh the trouble these two boys get into together:)
At least if you are a kid, summer means time to play outside.... yes, in the dirt!! Growing up I used to make dirt cities with my brothers. We would create rivers, islands, and all kinds of things with old kitchen utensils, and then pour water at the top and watch as it filled up the rivers... oh I used to get a kick from that! I can't wait to make dirt cities with my kids, and as you can see, Kimball has a head start!
And last, but not least, summer time is when you just let your hair down and chill... Brandon is the KING of chilling!

Freedom Celebration

A well known tribute in song to our beloved country was written and sung by Lee Greenwood, namely "I'm Proud to be and American". I have very vivid memories from my childhood that are tied to this song. All I have to do is listen to the song and I go back, I can picture it now...

It was early evening after dinner, and I was in the backyard of our home in Elko, Nevada. I must have been around 7 years old at this time, and I loved to listen to a certain song, the same listed above. I knew the words from beginning to end and would belt them out at the top of my lungs. On this particular evening I had my headphones on, listening to my walkman while swinging on our backyard swingset. As I listened to Lee Greenwood's classic tribute to our nation, I swung as high as I could, trying to touch the clouds with the tips of my toes, belting the words:

"From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tenessee, across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea. From Detroit down to Houston, from New York to L.A, there's pride in every American heart and it's time we stand and say...."

I'm sure that you can finish the chorus, come on now belt it out! My young girl heart didn't realize the full extent to the freedoms that we enjoy in the United States, but my heart rejoiced nonetheless. Looking back now on the celebrations of our country that I have participated in, there are a few in particular that stick out in my mind.

When we lived in Idaho Falls, what seems like only yesterday but in reality was about 18 years ago, we would celebrate the 4th near the Snake River, at the Freedom Celebration hosted by Melaleuca. It must have been either 1990 or 1991, when I was 3 or 4. I was running around Freeman park in the pre-firework celebration on the green grass. I guess this memory is so vivid because of the excitement of the occasion, all the people, the music, and of course that familiar love for country. Whatever the reason for the vivid memory, it is etched in my mind, running free around the park on the 4th of July.

A few years later while visiting my dearest Grandmother Moore in I.F. one summer, we attended the same celebration at Freeman Park. Being a little more mature, I experienced it in a different light. I remember thinking how magical the fireworks were coreagraphed to music. When my favorite song came on, by Lee Greenwood, I just knew that we were so blessed to live where we live and to enjoy the blessed freedoms that we do. Every 4th of July celebration since then has taken on the same meaning in my heart, and I am indeed proud and grateful to be an American!

Please comment on this post and share with me your favorite 4th of July, I would love to hear about it!!!

Father's Day

This post is dedicated to my husband, Mike. The top ten unforgettable DAD moments for him (in my perspective) told through pictures, in no specific order (except for the number 1, because lets face it, that is #1!):

10. Teaching

9. Making sure that his boys get a good haircut

8. Passing on his love of Halloween and the fun we can have!

7. Taking his boys to experience new things
6. Playing on the floor with his boys

5. Just being plain silly


4. Being there when his boys get hurt or are sad
3. Passing his love of good food and cooking on to his boys
2. Making sure to cherish every moment with these two precious boys, Kimball and Brandon

1. Witnessing the birth of two precious boys...

Brandon
And Kimball

Mike, you are such a wonderful father and I love you so much more with every day, every time you hold our babies that love just grows. Thanks for showing your immense love for them and me with your hard work and dedication, your perseverance through all that comes your way in life, no matter how hard! Happy Father's Day, I hope that you enjoyed our celebrations we had this weekend, which also continued into Monday with the AWESOME steak we had for dinner followed by the beautiful hike and the warm campfire with the gooey smores. WE LOVE YOU!