Happy Halloween

Mulan took time out of her very busy schedule

to stop by and wish you a very Happy and Safe Halloween.

Despite being chased by a HUGE Bolder Indian Jones stopped by to

say have a fun Halloween!

Happy Halloween from our Family to Yours!

FHE Pumpkin fun

For Family Home Evening this week Regan was in charge of the lesson. We talked about a couple options and then she took it and ran. I was so proud of all the ideas that she came up with ALL BY HERSELF. First our night started with a lesson about where pumpkins come from and what we can use them for. Then we played a guessing game...(again, I must say.. she came up with this herself).

We had to guess with ribbon how big around

we thought the pumpkin was.

Then we had to guess how much it weighed.

Then she discussed with us the many potential options we could use for making our jack o lantern. (This was a pumpkin that Regan and I made a while back. We used felt to make the body parts and then attached Velcro to the pumpkin and the felt. This way they can change it out and have fun with it.) Then we decided what we should turn our pumpkin into!


We had to put off our jack o lantern creating until tonight... Regan's lesson ran a little long. wink! So, we started it first thing today when the kids got home from school.

We cut open the pumpkin and scooped out the goop!

Daddy had to do the cutting. So, Regan was his support system.

Guess what we made....

Come on... were you really that surprised??? I mean this is the Presley house and almost everything in some way comes back around to be about Disney or Disney Land. wink!

Collin and Regan.....

To my dear sweet children:

I love being your Mommy so much! There isn’t anything else in the world that I would rather be doing. I want you two to know how very lucky you are to have each other. Collin, you are such a sweet boy and you love your sister so much! The way that you look at her, your face lights up, and you grin ear to ear. You teach her about being kind and loving everyone. You are an amazing example of strength for her to grow up with. Regan, you are an amazing sister to Collin. You watch over him, love him, and you see past his disabilities. You have a talent of making him laugh and knowing just what he needs. Your heart breaks for Collin when he is sick BUT you jump to his side to kiss his forehead. You are such an example of endless love. You are both so lucky. I am so lucky!
I love you to the moon and back.

Love,
Mommy

love her

Part of Regan's prayer tonight.....

"and please bless that everyone LOVES watching me tomorrow in the primary program.
Please bless that everyone has fun watching me...."

She is excited about the Primary program tomorrow... Can you tell???
She even asked me to make her a new hair bow to match her new dress that her Nana took her to get this week.

Oh, I love that girl!

Tonight I am grateful for....

Tonight my house is quite.
My sweet little children are fast asleep in their beds.
Jason is playing baseball on his league.....
and my house is quite. I love it!

With all of this quite I had time to sit with my thoughts.
I thought about how hard this week has been, how hard this year has been.
I thought about how wonderful today was and what a blessing it was to see Collin fall asleep tonight with a smile on his face.
I thought about the phrase "Come what may and love it." in a talk given by Joseph B. Wirthlin.

It is hard to "Love" our challenges BUT often times it is our challenges that help us to see more clearly the beauty that is, that has been in our lives the entire time.

Today, after a hard week, we had a beautiful day.

It made me stop and think tonight of all that I am grateful for today.
Here are just a few.....

I am grateful that we had HAPPY moments today.

I am grateful that we LOVE spending time together as a family.

I am grateful for....

I am grateful for the love of my BEST friend.

I am grateful for his.....

I am so grateful for his SMILE.

I am grateful that I have such an amazing example of

STRENGTH and COURAGE.

(He is my Hero!)

I am grateful for this AMAZING little girl.

She LOVES life... whether it be going to bed in a tu tu and sunglasses

or jumping at the opportunity to steer the boat...

she lives and loves every second of life.

I am grateful for my FAITH and my testimony in my loving Savior Jesus Christ.

More often than not I am to tired to endure but when I turn it over the Lord, he carries me through and for that .....I am eternally GRATEFUL!

I needed a little therapy....

Collin has not been feeling well... needy... seizing ... in pain and sick.

With this comes... NO SLEEP.... and one tired Mommy.

With this comes... a breaking heart that just wants to fix it and make it all better.

With this comes... crummy thoughts as what is happening with my little man.

With this comes ...a little girl that acts out for attention.

With this comes... tears.... not just from Collin.

With this comes ...the need for an escape.

What is my escape (or therapy if you will)...

My therapy is being crafty... I know it should be sleep BUT it just doesn't work that way for me.

No naps over here. wink!

I had seen these SUPER cute necklaces on ETSY that I fell in love with BUT I didn't want to pay 100 BUCKS for it. So, I thought I can do that!

The best part is that all of the material that I used is green!!! I was going through my old fall clothing and taking out the things with holes and stains. I was bummed because some of them were my faves from last season.... SOOOOO I turned them into a fun FAll necklace!

What do you think????

(Hey, don't judge me.... I haven't had sleep in days and no makeup ... Yes, I look a mess!.. wink!)

Our week in pictures....

Our week started off by celebrating this awesome guys 35th birthday!

Regan worked VERY hard on Daddy's favorite present.

Then on Monday Jason's wonderful mom (Nana) offered to watch the kids over night so that Jason and I could celebrate our ten year anniversary. I am one lucky girl!

Collin was good for Nana!!!!! He even let her sleep a little bit!!!!

I can't even begin to describe in words how grateful I am to be married to my best friend. We have had ten AMAZING, hard but amazing years together.... here's to an eternity. I am one lucky girl!

If all of this fun we had been having wasn't enough.... there was more!!! I was in charge on the kid's school carnival and was VERY overwhelmed. I called my Mom an begged her to come down and help out... and guess what ... she did!!! I am one lucky girl!!!!

While my sweet husband was setting up the heavy tables and all of us PTA moms were doing the grunt work my mom was volunteering in Regan's class. I don't know who had more fun. The kids called her Miss Poppie! (I love it!!!) The carnival was a HUGE hit and I could not have done it with out my wonderful husband and Mom!!! I am one lucky girl!!!

Collin was not feeling well when Poppie was here. So, she gave him LOTS of loves.(Oh, I just love this picture of them!)

If all of that fun wasn't enough it didn't stop there. What is a better stress reliever than shopping. I am so proud of my mom she has lost thirty pounds!!! Her wardrobe is to big and she needed some new clothing. Oh, I had so much fun playing dress up with my HEALTHY, skinny Mom!

This has been one busy, crazy, and wonderful week.... I am one lucky girl!

The gift of memories

Yesterday was hard, sad, and heart breaking.
I went to the funeral of an amazing ten year old boy, Collin's friend.
I watched a slide show of pictures accompanied by the song Baby of Mine from the soundtrack of the Movie Dumbo.

Baby mine, don't you cry
Baby mine, dry your eyes
Rest your head close to my heart
Never to part, baby of mine
Little one when you play
Don't you mind what they say
Let those eyes sparkle and shine
Never a tear, baby of mine
If they knew sweet little you
They'd end up loving you too
All those same people who scold you
What they'd give just for
The right to hold you
From your head to your toes
You're not much, goodness knows
But you're so precious to me
Cute as can be, baby of mine

The pictures were beautiful.
Wonderful memories captured for his family to treasure forever.
I sat next to a friend, a mother who also has a special child.
We cried together, prayed together, and walked to our cars holding hands.

When I pulled up I was greeted by my sweet little girl running to me.
It was just what I needed.
I hugged her.... tight.
I walked in to find Collin smiling.
I hugged him... tight.

We then did the thing that I needed most.
Time together as a family... making memories.

I am grateful to know that my family is forever.
I am grateful that a day that started so heart breaking could end so beautifully.

Yes, I know I have MIA.....

Last week we were busy playing with cousins!

(They even got to miss a day at school to

go and see this goofy guy!)

On Sunday we enjoyed General Conference as a family.

There were several talks that spoke deeply to my heart.

(I will talk about that later.)

Between conferences we went to the duck

pond and fed some of our friends.

(on Monday I get to get away for a day with this

wonderful guy to celebrate his 35th birthday and

our 10 year wedding anniversary.)

Monday morning I received a heart broken phone call from this sweet little guy's mommy to let us know that he had passed away early that morning. It is a good thing for him, his last days were pain filled and heart wrenching, but we will all miss his very sweet smile. We will miss you Jon!!!

It has been a hard week for me. I know that it is about quality of life rather than quantity for Collin BUT I don't think about the quantity part... I just want to enjoy today and how can you do that if you are always worried about tomorrow?? Well, when we loose our sweet friends it makes me think a lot about things that I normally try not to.

Regan is just brilliant! wink! I am amazed at how quickly she is learning to read. I volunteer in her classroom ever Tuesday and boy it is a whole new world!!! I can tell you anything about IEP's, therapy, or home care BUT I am clueless about sight words..ect. So, this has been a new learning experience for Regan and I both. On my first day of volunteering Regan and I dropped off Collin first and as we were headed to her classroom she looked up at me and said "Mommy you better hurry you don't wan to be late on your first day of school!" Oh, I love that girl!!!

With every set of ten sight words that Regan learns she gets to pick a treat out of the dollar bin at Target. This week alone she learned and was tested on twenty sight words.

I have so much to write about BUT I can't right now. So, I thought I would start with this and hope to write more soon! wink!!!!

Guilt

This post is for one reason and one reason only... guilt.

No, I am not feeling guilty... I want to inflict guilt.. wink!

My mom and her husband both retired last year. Shortly after retiring my mom told me that they were putting there house up for sale and moving to Texas to be with the rest of my family. Yes, this would mean that I would be the last of the Toyes here in Cali.

I didn't worry at first. Why???... Well, to be honest their house was listed over priced.

Then when we were up there for dinner last Sunday my mom told me that they had reduced the price!!! WHAT!?!?!

Then, it happened... today I got a message saying that there are three buyers wanting the house!!! NO!!!!!

So, Poppie my question to you is....

ARE YOU READY TO LEAVE ALL OF THIS FUN BEHIND?????

Instead of Disney Land you will have cow pastures....

Instead of the beach you will have dirty lakes....

Instead of GREAT shopping you will have to DRIVE to get to ANY store..

Instead of bike trails you will have dirt roads...

Instead of AMAZING weather you will have tornados.

MOST OF ALL..... ARE YOU READY TO SAY GOOD BYE TO THESE KIDS???

(because we sure aren't ready!)

If you are not feeling gulity yet here are some pictures from last weekend that will do the trick. I love you mom and have no idea what I will do with out you close.

Happy October 1st!!! Spooky hair bow Giveaway

WINNER**** WINNER****
Our winner is Mandy!!!
(Regan picked the number. So, it was don fair.. wink!)
e-mail me with your address and I will get it in the mail!


I am soooo excited that it is finally Fall!!!

I LOVE fall!!!!

I had SOO much fun making Regan's spooky hair bow last night!! (Oh, and he is just the beginning!! wink!)
Here's the deal ladies... if you would like to purchase your spooky friend let me know.
They will cost $5.00(add an extra dollar for head bands.)

With all of these great feelings about Fall I can't help but feel compelled to give one of our spooky friends away.

Here's what you do...
(3 ways to enter to win)
1. leave your name
2. tell me your favorite thing about fall (with name)
3. link back to this on your blog (then leave a comment to tell me you did it.)

Thanks!!! and here is to a wonderful FALL!!!!!

(I will pick our winner on Monday Oct. 5th)