Happy Halloween!

Twas the night before Halloween and all through the house
Leah Beth is creating her costume mouse! (I mean Pig)
The excitement and joy fill the air
because right now our treat bags are completely bare!
The boys overlapping seasons in sports..No Way!
Mom driving them every where every day.
Gymnastics, dance, wrestling, and football too.
There not much more time left for any one to do,
the hanging out out and being together...just enjoying each other in
this great fall weather!
We anicipate all the candy this year
that will fill our bags with a great big cheer.
A night off with our family to walk down the streets
Will be a fond memory we will hopefully keep.
We wish all you goblins, ghost, and gouls in every way...
the safest and happiest Halloween day!
Happy Halloween!

Crazy hair day

This week is red ribbon week. The school fighting against drugs. So everyday the kids have to do some crazy clothes or hair. Today is crazy hair day!

Happy Birthday Uncle A!!!

Where has the time gone? I can't believe we are raising kids-when I feel like we are still kids. To the best brother in the world. I know today ( with Harrison being sick) doesn't give you much time to reflect on ALL your years!!! But when you do I hope you know how amazing I think you are. You have a gifts that most people only dream about. Your work ethic is the strongest of any one I know. You teach me still all the time. You are a great father and uncle always taking time for my kids (even Caroline) and turning every moment into a teaching one. I love you! I'm so glad you are the one getting the gray hair and not me!!!
Happy Happy Birthday!
And today I will generously give you for the day favorite child!

Good News

We got good news from LB's Dr. today. Her test went great. The cyst were benign and not growing as of right now. She will not need any meds for now. The Doctor is going to watch her very close and make sure nothing changes over the next few months. We won't go back until Feb. YIPPEE

Thanks to all the prayers sent out on her behalf. Leah Beth will be glad to know we are done with sticking her for a few months. I am glad too!

And thanks to all those who felt my pain about sinking. I so much appreciate all the support and comments and emails from everyone. It seems my burdens are so much lighter because you were all so willing to share! Plus getting good news about Leah Beth makes everything else seem so so easy. I guess I really was more worried than I thought. My brain was bogged. Not that it's clear now or anything but it was overworking maybe???

I'm sinking!!!

I'm going under...Fall has hit even though the leaves haven't turned yet. Picture season is on. I say every year-I'm sticking to a schedule...I'm sticking to a schedule. But here I am working a 12 hour day..and 10 hours behind. It's so hard for me to turn it down when it comes. So although I am grateful for that which I have been given (extra work) throw your prayers this way so I won't totally loose it. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with my new stake calling in primary because I haven't been released yet from my ward calling. This coming Tues. I have to talk 20 min or so about having effective primary presidency meetings. The anxiety is on! All the people I am talking to are so effective already... So if you have any great ideas please throw them my way. Nothing seems to be coming to me very clearly but pictures, pictures, and more pictures.

Welcome Chrys another one of my SIL's to join the blogging world. My Brother in law Bill, Chrys and their four children live in NC. We keep trying to get them to come closer to TN....Maybe one day. I am so excited to have her blogging. It seems like the neatest way to keep up with everyone. I feel like I know so much more about my family and friends when I read their blogs.

Chrys is an amazing person. It will be fun for all of my TN friends and fam. to get to know her. She and I have had so many fun times putting up with our husbands. It's hard to explain it unless you are married to a SOLOMON. She has talked me through many hard times and been a great sister to me. I am so blessed with sister in laws. She has an amazing knack to put things together and some really neat ideas. Oh and we share a great common interest in photography. She took the family picture on our blog. I love her photographs. She inspires me to work harder.. Hope you all enjoy getting to know her. Now we are just waiting for Brandi and cheryl to blog!!!!
www.solomonsurprise.blogspot.com

pumpkin patch

Caroline and I took a field trip to the pumpkin patch yesterday along with half the county kindergartens! I didn't ride the bus because B. has been home sick-so just in case I needed to leave early I could. She had a total melt down when it was time to go and I didn't load the bus. Mother's guilt drives me crazy! Despite the one melt down we had a great day.

Thank You!

Thanks to all those prayers offered on LB's behalf today. This past summer her Dr. found some cyst on her thyroid. That sent us to an endocrinologist at children's hospital that seemed to think it was a hormone problem. That all tested out great except for one bone scan. She has had tons of test. She has been so brave. Today was hopefully the last of these test. A very long six months of pleading prayers and concern hopefully over...YIPPEE... They did another ultrasound to see how fast the cyst are growing then they gave her an IV with some medication to kinda stick to the thyroid. Last they took a long series of pics scans to make sure these cyst were benign. She sat perfectly still for such a long time and was so so good. I was thinking oh this would be so hard for A or C to sit this still for so long. I was so proud of her. We appreciate your love and concern. I know Papa has worried enough for the whole town. We will find out her test results next week sometime.

While I was at children's today and the last time I felt so overwhelmed with emotion. It is so hard for me to see all the sick kids all over the hospital. I immediately felt overwhelmed with gratitude for my children's health. I feel like we take so much for granted-our health being one of them -we are so blessed. My heart goes out to all the moms of these little angels struggling with health problems.

This blog is a little to serious for me! I need Katie to make me laugh or a field trip tomorrow to the pumpkin patch with 40 kindergartners. That should work!

Veggies and Kids...thanks Oprah

cauliflower

butternut squash

brownies with spinach

I can't believe it. I pulled a late night last night to watch Oprah that I had recorded from the four o'clock show. It was on kids and veggies. I was lovin it...since this past year I have been trying so so hard to get my children to eat better. I just want them to be healthy. I have bribed-begged-rewarded..you name it-I was ready to throw in the towel. Three weeks ago I shredded carrots and hid them in their pancake mix-it worked but I never imagined to puree tons of different kinds of veggies.

So today I had a photo shoot that required a pretty birthday cake. I decided to purchase one. While I was at the grocery I decided I would try the veggie idea to just see what would happen. I bought a butternut squash, a cauliflower, and spinach. These three things my children will not touch. Our menu tonight was already going to be white beans, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes for dinner with brownies for dessert. I just used my same plain recipes but threw in the steamed then pureed veggies. It worked. They didn't get it. I never told them either. If I tell them they might not eat anything!

Thank you Oprah for the inspiration. I am so excited. On Oprah's website it has some of the recipes and what to do. I didn't use her recipes-I just used my own but added the great puree' veggies. I steamed the veggies in the microwave in my pampered chef steamer. It was really quick and easy.

I did get a few comments...like the butternut squash mac and cheese was a little too cheesy.

Mashed potatoes with cauliflower LB said they had a funny texture....B and C just ate and didn't say anything. I put 2 cups of spinach in the brownie mix. It changed them from really chewy to more cake like. They were so good! I am totally shocked that it worked. I ask the children while they ate if they would ever try butternut squash or eat some cooked spinach...They all said No way. Ha Ha Ha this is great

If you missed it I wanted to share.www.oprah.com.

Monday Night Football

A-#14


B going in for the tackle

Almost a catch....(Mom don't comment on this one-cuz I know what your gonna say!)

Finally the day has come to actually sit and watch a game. After years of putting in my time of dragging a cranky baby/toddler to watch one of the older children play something-my day has finally come. I don't have to worry about it being too hot or too cold for the younger children. I don't have to pack the whole house to keep the younger ones busy so that I can catch a glimpse of a game or match. WOW this is the life. I hear it might even get better. This is Blake's last year to play for the city. We are so lucky they get to play on the same team this year. One of the benefits of having them so close in age. So after running the girls to dance and gymnastics- our FHE night was at the Monday night football game. B #80 and A #14...even though the Solomon boys missed a few choice catches and tackles our the team won the game. It is always easier to come home with a bunch of nasty smellin' boys if they win.

A-getting ready for the whistle!

Any takers?

What a Sunday Morning Surprise! The guilty party forgot to come back and clean up, but that is OK because as B and A were cleaning they were planning their sweet revenge!

After fall break blues!!!

Ugh...Monday morning after fall break. We all felt like we'd been drugged this morning. How come it never seems my organized friends-mckenzie-never has 30 loads of laundry-floors to mop-100 phone calls to return-what is her secret?

Happy Birthday Maggie Kate!!!

I can't believe you are 7! What a wonderful blessing you have been to our family. We love it when you come over to play. You cheer us up with your dancing and smiles. The Lord has blessed you with such a sweet spirit.

On the day you were born...your mom was sure she wasn't going into labor. Her legs were just hurting! I drove her to the hospital because she just knew your daddy didn't need to take off work yet-But you were ready to come into this world ready or not!!! You had tons of friends and family there waiting for you. Steve and Mama C were running to make it in time so that your Mama C could be there. We were so excited to share in the life of our new little friend.

Even though we are not family-it feels like you are part mine. You are a highlight in my life.I am so grateful to watch you grow! I are so glad Caroline has you for a friend.I love you-Happy Birthday sweet girl.

Friend Fun!

Girl Power!

Leah Beth and Faith having a blast today. Leah Beth was feeling a little lonely today without Caroline. Her grounding is finally over. She said that was the longest day of her life. Her very first time being grounded-and during fall break. I am such a mean mommy! It's so hard to have a backbone but I am trying to enforce my words. UGH. She and Faith have had some nice girl time without little sister to wanna play.

I finally stuck the uppercase living to the girls wall-that I purchased upteen hundred days ago. It has been hiding in my closet. The girls and I painted their room this week. Well were not quite finished yet. And we kinda made a mess-the trim now needs to be redone. Steve was so good though he didn't complain at all...I knew what he was thinking though! So today we stuck the words up. I love it. (Mom you are gonna love this stuff). So here's the finished product.

Way To Go Zach

We just got the best news tonight!!!

Our nephew Zach just got his mission call to AFRICA. I can't believe it. Uncle Steve almost fell off his ladder at work he was so shocked. WOW!

Zachie-it just seems like we were taking your senior pictures on the beach. I can't believe it is already time for your mission. What a great example of a young man you are for your little cousins Blake and Andrew. You are so brave. This will be a wonderful way for you to serve the Lord. Thanks for you faithfullness and love. We Love You So Much! We are so proud of you.

Well Here goes nothing!!!

Here it goes. I keep waiting for some profound wonderful happening to start this blog. I thought I needed something earth shattering or some great trip to start off with....but here I am . We are at the end of fall break. I have spent my first three days cleaning- cleaning-cleaning out closets, drawers and all that yukky stuff. So I decided to do something for me. A BLOG...is this really for me or for my family??? I guess for me-the family doesn't seem to care.

My goal with this blog is to hopefully journal to record our family life...while I love keeping up with all those I love by reading their blogs...this way they can keep up with us if and when they want! I am not sure when busy fall picture season starts how well I will do but I am at least gonna try it. Maybe it will get faster as I learn more.

So all my fellow bloggers that have motivated me to begin this...any blog tips or things I need to know-I am up for any ideas. This is so new for me. In fact I am a little worried about everyone reading my life-maybe it is admitting it is kind of boring-or my mom/teacher checking all my grammer mistakes! OH well.

My favorite part of today-Caroline gets to go to the zoo tomorrow with her best buddy Eli. She is so excited. We got her all ready for bed. When I was tucking her in...she said "Mom, I am so so EXCITED, but Mom I'm gonna miss you." Maybe to others that may seem silly but for me that was my payment for the day. Out of all the lunches that I pack around here it was so easy to pack her lunch tonight..just because she's gonna miss me. Crazy uh. I loved it. Thank you my precious girl. I am so excited for you too but I'm gonna miss you more!