Keys, Police, and a Bottle of Wine

We left for church feeling pretty good, we were on time and doin good. I looked at my keys hanging on the wall and thought, "Na, Justice has his why would I need my keys". Walked past my phone thinking, "I don't need a phone at church". and of we went to a lovely day at church where we got a new Bishop and my Nursery kids were exceptionally adorable and well behaved. after Church we drove home the long way and were detoured by some road crews through a really cool cemetery and past some Crazy cool houses. All in all it was a good day, so far.

We arrived home with the kids asleep in the backseat I looked at Justices key ring to notice something missing. "Um... Dear, I think I am going to be kind of upset with you." Justice looked too at the place where his house keys should have been... BUT WEREN'T. Yesterday he had forgotten to put them back after unlocking the garage when we got home, our garage doesn't need a key to lock it you just turn the handle. any way we sat for a minute and contemplated our options, no phone and no keys on a Sunday afternoon... there weren't many. We thought that it was possible that we could have left a sliding door unlocked on the balcony, so Justice shimmied on up to find a securely locked door and windows. hmmm... maybe the back door. But first we knocked on a few neighbours to find a phone Justice told our neighbour two doors down our sad situation and he kindly lent us his phone to call the real estate lady who was out and about and unable to help us until later that night. Well there was that back door hope of being unlocked... so Justice tried it while I sat in the car with the sleeping children. Now let me explain how our houses are situated. they are all in a line and we are third from the end. there is another row of houses going the other way so there is no direct access to our yard without going through others. So that is what he did. As I sat cleaning up our mess of a car because I figured I would use my time wisely!! I notices three Police cars speed to a stop and pile out... then My Neighbour right next to us ran frantically out of his house to greet them... meanwhile in the back yard Justice was surrounded by Police coming from all three fences. "Do you know a good Locksmith?" he asked calmly. Back in the front I got out of my car and talked to my Neighbour who informed me that someone was trying to brake into my house, I told him it was most likely my husband and we were sorry but we had tried to knock at his door but didn't get an answer and all that... any way Justice came through his house escorted by a few police and we had to quickly find some ID that proved that this was in fact our house. Eventually they left and we apologized again to our neighbour and thanked him for being so concerned and watching out for us. He apologized for calling the police and not recognizing Justice. We had dropped off Cinnamon buns a few weeks ago so he went in and got our plate and a bottle of wine for us, I just thanked him, I didn't have the heart to tell him we don't drink alcohol after all the stress we put him through.

We went to a friends house to wait it out until we could get into our house again. Justice was supposed to go home teaching with Dan Alamaro (I spell it wrong every time, sorry)and the kids and I were going to go visit with Jenny and Ellie while they were gone. So they kindly let us stay a little longer then planned until we could get in touch with our real estate lady for a key. So it all worked out they still got to go home teaching and we eventually got into our house! And we still have that bottle of wine in the garage if any one wants it!

November

Well the kids and I have been stuck in our house for pretty much the entire month of November. We have gone through a number of sicknesses each and are all going stir crazy with the impending cold weather getting ever so close I was hoping to get out a bunch this month but I guess it just wasn't to be. oh well.

The kids have become addicted to Barney which I was very grateful for a few weeks ago when they would just sit and watch it for a few hours while I was resting on the couch barely able to move. Thankfully those days are gone!

I was so excited for Thanksgiving this year we had planned to do it at our house with a few friends I had a certificate for a free 20 lb turkey from Path-mark We were going to watch the Macy's parade in the morning. Yep, it was all good... until Izaac got sick... again. He had weird sores on his lip and as the days went on they got worse and he got louder and louder screaming about his mouth hurting. He spent three nights in a row awake ever hour or two screaming about his mouth. It was rather intense. I took him to the Dr. and where Izaac refused to let them look at his mouth but they diagnosed him with strep throat any way... we are pretty sure that he doesn't have strep throat. His throat isn't even red... we think they are more like cold sores and read that in children during the first brake out it can be much like what Izaac has. Any way not being sure what Izaac has we cancelled our plans and were recluses for Thanksgiving. But I still had that 20lb'er so I cooked him up any way.

Actually we did go in to the parade but we didn't worry about being there super early to get the perfect spot or anything like that we hit the 9;30 ferry and got to the parade route about 10:30 of corse it was PACKED. We watched the balloons go by as we walked around the kids were mesmerized by all the billboards and people and bubbles everywhere so they had fun just being there. We did see Santa at the end of the Parade so that was kinda cool. We came home to napping children where I cooked our scaled down version of dinner. It was actually really nice just to be together as our little family.

Izaac's sores (the red drool is from a popsicle)

Izaac chasing Pigeons while waiting for the Ferry

On the train

All the leftovers! Cora thankfully did her part with the turkey and just kept eating! she would finish a piece and then sign "more" she was so funny

Halloween

We tried to go to a pumpkin patch but it was closed and rainy so we went to a pumpkin stand thingy and Izaac loved it just the same He was so excited to see the pumpkins and to get to choose one.

We went trick-or-treating on 69th street right by Central park, Apparantly THE place to trick-or-treat in Manhatten. They block off traffic for 2-3 blocks and every house is elaboratly decorated, they even had a star wars themed show off the one building above where they were repelling off the side of the house. The kids loved it, Especially the going around asking for candy part They really could have cared less about all the decorations really as long as the candy was there!
All ready to go except that I forgot to put Izaac's hood up for the picture so he just looks like he is in a black jumpsuit but Izaac was a spider and Cora a bee

Trick or treating

Cora would often get offended if people passed her by without giving her candy, The curse of not being able to walk. I keep trying to convince her to learn. Actually she did take a few steps twice but I guess it wasn't all it was cracked up to be because she hasn't been interested since

Fall pictures

Visit to Ashley's

We made it to and from Ashley's safe and sound, I was a little nervous about the trip but by now my kids are champion travelers. We have the DVD player in the back for them so that helped a lot and every time a movie was over Izaac would say, It's finished... Time for another movie!

We did cut the trip into two days 13 h drive on paper didn't quite work out that way because all through Pennsylvania there was a ton of traffic and slowed us down considerably plus other construction on the highway made the drive a go 14-15h. Not fun. It may not sound like that big a deal but as I am traveling and the GPS arrival time keeps getting longer it got to be a bit depressing so We stopped for the night.

It was so fun to see Ash and the kids. I have met all of her kids and as of this summer when she brought Madacyn up for Magrath days Izaac and Cora had met Madacyn but had never gotten to meet their other cousins. Weird. but finally they have been introduced. They all had fun playing and getting to know one another. My kids were super shy at first but by the end of the 2 weeks It was like they were at home with siblings, including fighting like siblings:) Most of the time they got along really well so that was nice. The rest of the story is told through pictures that I'll comment on as we go so come along and I'll show them to you... (haha nerdy)

Cora in the carseat... still happy!

Here is the before and after of Izaac, as we traveled he found my purse and painted his face with my lipstick, he had a pink face for a day or two after we got there, it was a pleasant surprise as I looked in my rear view mirror.



Playing at the park with cousins. It was a beautiful day and the kids loved getting out. It rained about 1/2 the time and when it did the kids protested being locked in the house using a verity of methods, screaming, fighting, being creative with things around the house and so forth.

These were all taken as the kids played on Ash's front lawn she has a great lawn and lives in a caul-d-sac so the kids had a bit of freedom

Getting ready for church it was stake conference and didn't stare until 2 so the kids were ready and waiting for awhile before we got to go.

The day before Drayden was born We got to do Ash's pumpkin belly Madacyn was still awake so she got a heart on her belly but didn't wait to let it dry and it ended up all over her. silly girl.



Yea the one we have been waiting for!!

Drayden Paul Burch Clifton

9lbs 81/2 oz

21 in long

He is a really sweet baby and put up with a lot of the "loving" from his older siblings and cousins really well.

Izaac loved to hold baby Drayden, Cora liked to poke him

Mercedes and Mgean holding the babe.

First family picture and ash helping Madacyn holding Drayden. I never got a picture of Bryson holding him unfortunatly, but he WAS there and loved his baby "fruther"

Pictures!!

So I was looking at my pictures and saw a bunch of cure ones that I hadn't posted, Try not to get too overwhelmed with the adorableness that is my children!

Oh and these are mainly in opposite order from newest to oldest just in case you were wondering!

Few random pics of the house (living and dining rooms and kitchen, and Kids room)

Cutie Cora




Cora not impressed with the tutu I made her
Izaac painting

Ikea shopping trip
Finger painting for FHE

Bubbles at the park





Cora's huge goose egg that she got when I fell rushing for the bus with her in the front pack holding Izaac and a big diaper bag, I tripped and we all went down. Needless to say we are all thankful for the new double stroller that we just got!


Morning at the Pilgrims!




At the Staten Island Zoo

Cora bundled up for a nice walk to get out of the house while she had been sick but the walk ended abruptly when when threw up all over herself and me carrying her in the front pack. oh the memories!

Halloween Costumes and Stuff

Well What have we been up to lately, you may be asking yourself. Well wonder no more I am about to tell you all the exciting things that are happening with the Pilgrims.

Hmmm... Well I made the kids Halloween costumes and they are super cute if I do say so myself, and I do. Cora is a Bumblebee and Izaac is a Spider. I like to stick to a theme, somewhat. Last year Izaac was a carrot and Cora was a pea pod. Good times!

I tried to take pictures of them but my camera battery is dead and I can't find the charger but hopefully will soon cuz we are heading down to Ashley's soon and need to take pictures of the cousins meeting for the first time EVER! I did take the Kids to Wal-Mart to have their pictures taken there and they are super cute, Well I'm just saying that considering what I had to work with. Izaac hates getting his picture taken especially if it involves getting up on a table and having strangers try and make him smile. for awhile there not even the candy that I brought worked as a bribe but eventually all calmed momentarily and she got a few cute ones. The one I ended up getting the kids are both looking down at the candy packages I brought as a bribe but considering it was Halloween I thought it was appropriate since the Holiday is all about candy!

The kids and I are headed out on our first lonely adventure to visit my sister Ashley next Monday the 19th of October, Ashley is having a baby on the 26th so we wanna get the first look and make everyone back home jealous since they can't see him and have to look instead at all of their babies that they are also having... Hmmm... any way Ashley has c-sections so that makes trip planning very convenient for me not having to worry about her going late or anything. As mentioned above this is the first time that my kids will get to meet their Clifton cousins, well except Madacyn who came to Canada with Ash last summer while we were there but the other three have never met my two so that will be fun. We have never been super close to any family (living distance) so any opportunity to strengthen those bonds is welcomed. I loved growing up with my cousins and I really want that opportunity for my children as well. you may be thinking that perhaps we should move closer then and you would be right although that won't be happening any time soon unfortunately so we have to enjoy the moments when we do get to visit family. It is a 13 h drive so wish me luck traveling with my two "angles" hopefully! They didn't do too bad on the trip here which lasted a week but then again I did have Justices support so we'll see how she goes.

Justice continues to be completely overwhelmed and busy keeping up with dental school. But even though he is insanely busy he kindly takes time for his family and we are ever so glad to see him. Last Sunday we took a random drive to Hartford CT. Yes random I know, It is where Yale is located and it is really cool. They have tonz of really old buildings that look like castles and such and the library is amazing! We didn't stay long because it was getting late and we didn't know Yale was there when we randomly choose that place on the map. We love to go for drives or at least we did in Idaho where you weren't in constant traffic and the roads were free to drive on. It cost us $23.75 in tole's Everything costs money out here so needless to say we won't be making many more drives in the near future, we can't afford it.

Well I suppose that is all that is happening in our neck of the woods not much I know but that is o.k. for us right now. We are just enjoying being here and trying to make new friends, something we have never been good at but practice makes progress right!

Love to all!!

I know these pictures are terrible I took them with my video camera cuz my camera battery is dead so sorry!

Cora

Cora is our doll, She loves to smile and preform. She loves to copy what other people do especially Izaac.

She loves fuzzy things, stuffed animals, blankets etc. Izaac could have cared less about such things so it is funny to me to have her get so excited about them if she sees something she will give it a big hug and a kiss.

She loves to give kisses and often crawls around making kissy sounds.

She isn't walking quite yet but is finally showing more interest in it she likes to stand alone and will willingly walk with help from a few fingers from mom or dad.

She has been sick pretty much since we got here, thankfully the flu like sickness has passed and she seems to have only a cold these days.

She has been working hard on popping out some teeth and has all four molars pretty much through but the way she is acting I have a feeling there are more to come, unfortunately.

After a week of her flu like sickness (where she couldn't keep anything down and slept all the time we took her to the hospital here and they gave her an IV, she wasn't dehydrated yet but it was close and I didn't want to come back so I had them give her one just in case. It was good because she really perked up after that and stopped throwing up within a day or so and has been recovering nicely ever since. with the exception of that cold and teeth previously talked about) She had lost a few pounds but seems determined to gain them back full swing, she eats like a horse, especially pickles!! (yep that's my baby) Izaac has been in a non eating stage so when Cora finishes her own food she will often go over to Izaac's dish and help him out, waste not want not!

Cora loves to sign, My mom worked a lot with her over the summer and she is really good at many signs.

It is funny she has certain triggers. If you say baby immediately she grabs her arms and rocks them back and forth, if you say "where are you" she goes right into peak-a-boo, weather I was talking to her or not, and If she hears good bye she starts blowing kisses and waving saying bye over and over again. She is so funny and fun to have around.