Oh man...behind again!

I think it is safe to say....I am behind on my blogging!
It seems like life is just passing me by so incredibly quick and I can't seem to stay up on it all.  I am really angry with myself about it, but I am going to catch up and going to stay up on it.  I wanted to do a blog book, so I have lots to catch up on.  I am going to put a bit of time in every week to updating until I am caught up.  (Plus, I can't find the camera dowloader cord thingy.  Hmm...)  But here is a small, quick update on our life until I get it all done:

Steven:
I keep calling him my baby and he keeps reminding me he is a big boy.  He is pretty much potty trained, although when we have a set back it seems to be a big setback.  We finally have a rewards program set up that I think he really responds well to.  I was super duper excited that he went poopoo in the potty at the store yesterday!  Hallelujah!  I am so stinkin proud of that boy! 
He works so hard at being so good, but sometimes he just has a rough time with it, especially with Cousin Emmett.  We are working on making good choices and being like Jesus. 
He loves trucks and trains and enjoys playing outside in the mud and dirt. He LOVES reading books and singing.  He is such a great helper.  Usually, if I ask him to do something, he does it willingly and happily.  Steven makes me world so worth it and so happy.  I never miss an opportunity to thank my Heavenly Father for the sweet spirit of him in my home.

Matt:
Matt still works in the HR department at the University.  There will be 2 positions opening up soon and we are praying he gets one.  It would be double/triple his salary which means I could let some of my obligations go.  What a blessing that would be!  He serves as the Scout Committee Chair and really loves that.  My favorite times are watching him play with Steven.  He loves his little boy desperately and we LOVE when we can spend time just the three of us.

Brandy:
There is never a dull moment in my life.  Seriously.  I have Steven full time and Emmett most of the time.  I also watch my friend's little girl a couple of days a week.  Nothing like three 2 year olds to keep you busy and on your toes.  I have 7 piano students (2 more starting soon) and that in itself if a job.  I also still teach some nights at the school.  Sometimes, I feel like I just can't breathe I am so overwhelmed.  I feel like the more things that get scheduled into my life, the more my OCD tendencies show their ugly little heads.  My house needs to be spotless, my yard needs to be perfect, etc.  I feel like i am failing at all facets of my life, but I am praying and trying to stay on top of things the best that I can.  Being Steven's mother is my first priority so I have to find a balance!
I teach the 7-8 year olds in primary and I love them.  They are a rowdy bunch, but they sure have a strong spirit about them.  I am grateful for the primary program our church has and I consider myself blessed to have the opportunity to learning from these sweet spirits. 

So, there is a quick update.  I am hoping to download and begin uploading things soon.

Fall Festivies, Part II

Boo at the Zoo

Steven is obsessed with Thomas the Train.  Of course, I turned to my handy dandy frien-emy, Pintrest, and found this super cute train/wagon.  I begged Matt about two months in advance to start working on it, as he is more techinically minded than I am.  I begged him weeks before to start it.  I begged him days before to start it.  And sure enough, midnight before Boo at the Zoo we were out in the garage finishing it and painting it.  Sigh.  What can ya do?  We had Steven the Train Engineer and Emmett the cowboy.  Let me tell ya, as much of a pain as it was, the wagon train was the hit of the zoo.  We got sooo many comments and oohs and ahhs about it.  I know Matt felt proud of his work.  He did do a fabulous job!!!  

 Steven wanted to pull the train more than he wanted to ride in it.  And with the train on, there was only room for one boy to ride. 

 Of course, it wouldn't be a trip to the zoo without a ride on the train.  And he is the train engineer after all!

It is always a crazy day at Boo at the Zoo.  You don't really go to look at animals because there are too many people.  And you don't really go for the candy because I don't want to stand in long lines for candy.  I ask myself why we have gone two years in  a row and I just can't help but not be there.  THere i something about the excitedment mixed with animals and candy and kids and parents.  I crave something about it.  We try to get there early and leave early. 

Unfortufnately, our ward truck or treat was the same day.  Emmett fell asleep in the wagon on the way out of the zoo.  STeven and I hung around a bit while Matt fought the crowds downstairs with the great big train.  Then we headed tot he church to eat our picnic lunch and have trunk or treat. 

 Steven's best friends, Emmy and Lydia. 

 Baby Spencer

Man, I love this little boy!  He makes my heart so happy!  He helps me know and understand the important things in life! 

I don't have any pictures of actually trick or treating because I had to go to work that night.  Sad day!  Steven had such a great time though.  He was so excited about saying "Trick or Treat."  We live in an amazing neighborhood so we felt safe going to a few houses.  I was able to go to a couple with him and he was all into it.  Matt said he had a blast ringing the doorbell and saying  "Trick or Treat."  He would have went all night if he could. 

Pumpkin Carving 2012

I love love carving pumpkins.  Well, I should say, I love after they are carved.  I really have a hard time with the pumpkin guts, but I am getting better.  Steven is much like me, he really doesn't enjoy getting his hands dirty.  But I was proud of him this year for at least trying.  

 He wanted to help daddy with the "sharpie."  Of course, he was very careful!

 Cleaning out the pumpkin guts!

 It didn't take him long to lose interest in carving pumpkins.  We bought him a little pumpkin to paint.  He loved that, until.....


 I told him last year he was sitting in his highchair and Daddy and I painted his belly. He thought that was pretty funny and he wanted to do it himself. He is becoming so independent. I think he did a great job

Sure love that boy!  I don't know why we didn't get a picture of the finished products, but I am sure they were fabulous!!

Fall Festivies

Fall is, hands down, my favorite time of year!  I love that I can put my sweatshirt on and eat pumpkin.  Man, October 1 hits and usually by the end of the day, I have baked more than a couple of yummy pumpkin treats.  I love the smells, the chill, the fun that the Autumn time brings.  Our first  fall fun was the Pumpkin Festival at Four Mile Park.  They have hay rides, scarecrow stuffing, lots of yummy fall food, trappers, and other mountain man stuff going on.  This is the second year we took Steven and he really loved it (except for the fact that it was way too cold.  Our first snow happened just before this).  

 Here he is sitting with the driver of our hay ride.  The horses were named Black and Decker. 

 We have the cutest family ever!! 

 Trying his hand at a pair of stilts.  He did a pretty darn good job!

Our next Fun Fall Festivity was at Nick's Garden Center.  They have a pumpkin harvest festival every year with a hay maze, corn pit for the kids to play in, carved pumpkins and about a billion pumpkins you can buy.  I took Emmett and Steven and I think we had a good time. 

 Steven wanted to show me every baby pumpkin and take pictures of all of them. This was just one. 

 Those boys loved the little gourds. 

 Steven thought it was fun to pretend to eat them. 

 Playing in the corn pit.  I think they would have stayed here all day if they could.  Corn, shovels, HUGE dump trucks....a little boys heaven on earth!

 Washing the pumpkins.  He got a kick out of this and thought every pumpkin needed a bath.

 Hmm, he sticks his tongue out when he concentrates really hard.  Must be genetic because I do it too. 

Family Reunion, Part I

October 18

We had an awesome family reunion this year!  It has been awhile since we have all been together having fun and let me tell you, it was a blast!  So much so that I will be doing several posts trying to cover everything that went on in such a few short days.  Let me tell ya, the Anderson's know how to throw a party!

Day 1: Amber and David had not arrived in town yet from Missouri, so Ben and Angela's family, Carolyn's family and Steven and I went to the zoo.  Oh man, it was fabulous!  I LOVE seeing the babies play together.  I cannot believe how big everyone is getting!  I am in complete and total denial!

Reagan, Carolyn, Hannah, Steven, Emmett and Taylor.  They are sure ridiculously cute!!!

My Steven sure loves his older cousins.  He was hanging around these two older cousins all of the time.  He loves them!

Taylor doing her best elephant impressions.

Those kids are a hoot together!!

After the zoo excursion, Ben and Angela's family headed down to Nana and Grandpa's and the rest of us just stayed up at our house.  We had a lot of resting up to do for day 2 of fun!