Missionary Predictions

China for Elijah and he has some mad chop-stick skillz

Italy for Spencer...that boy can down the pasta

And Hawaii for Noah...sweet sweet sweet Hawaii

While at the visitors center in Independence, the boys found (and enjoyed immensely) the display with many different translations of the Book of Mormon...the boys each found one in which they may be reading one day in the far off future.

A Little History Lesson

The crazy spiral church in Independence

Sitting at the base of Liberty Jail

The infamous clay county...luckily nobody came after us with a shot gun but we did get some nasty looks...

When we drove back from St. Louis, we stopped in Kansas City, MO for the evening so we could take the boys to Liberty Jail and to Independence to see the church history sites. I must say it was amazing to be at Liberty Jail...if you ever have the opportunity to go, GO! It will deepen your testimony of Joseph Smith and what an amazing prophet he was. I think the thing that touched me the most was that he never complained!

Thanks To The Turkey, The TV, and To TODAY!

Drake...seriously, this kid is so freaking cute!

The Sisters...Lori and Ann

Noah and Kohl...

Chase and Spencer

Elijah and Brynn

I was trying to go for a whole T theme title but it really doesn't make sense, but then again does engorging on high calorie foods to show our gratitude make any sense as well? Maybe, maybe not but I do know that driving to St. Louis for the Thanksgiving holiday made perfect sense. We drove down Tuesday morning (not realizing cooked fish from Sunday night was still sitting in the microwave...only to be discovered 5 days later...whatevs!) and came back Saturday. It was so nice to hang with family, laugh with family, eat with family, and just chill with family. A big thanks to Lori who made it all possible...seriously that woman can cook...who knew?

A Little Birthday Magic

Group HUG...

Elijah and his two buddies Sidney and Diana (they are our neighbor's)

Elijah and Shae Lee...yes he is SO a ladies man!

Elijah and his friend Kevin...

On Saturday Elijah had his friend birthday party. He has never had one before because his birthday is always so close to Thanksgiving that it has always been really hard to plan one. But this year, we made it happen. We took a few of his friends and brothers to The Amazing Pizza Machine and well the name says it all. He had lots of fun playing, eating and just being with his friends. The best part, he told me, was when he won 100 tickets and of course getting birthday presents from his friends.

Elijah Allen Potter...You're 8, Now A Little Poem

Umm...the shirt says it all

Elijah got a lazer tag get-up for his 8th

Saweet...presents!

That's how many...baby!

Elijah's favorite things...presents and his brothers

I can't believe you are 8!
You are so great.

Maybe we should have named you Nate?

But you will have a good fate.

When you go fishing, always take bate.

I hope you find a great mate!

Maybe her name will be Kate.

But you still can't date

Don't hate

Cause, your only 8...

Love your rhythm and blues motha...

Self Portrait Magic

Is this my best side?

Spencer and Mom...and sucker stick!

Noah and Mom...I swear I didn't look that old 10 years ago!

Mom and Elijah...and dirty face...yes, yes I do make my kids wash their faces...just not for pictures!

This is how we do family pictures...ghetto style!

Dance Dance...Dance Yo Pants...OFF!!

I was dancing, my hands were a snapping...even my lips were a bouncing...

Noah and Spencer having a dance off.

Just bust a move Noah, just bust a move.

Think Pulp Fiction...but with all your fingers!

Our last name should have been 'twinkle-toes' because my kids LOVE to dance...they are always busting out their moves and so I thought I would finally get some on camera! Noah has a certain 'latin-flare' about his dance moves and Spencer is more of a 'hip-hop' kind of guy. Elijah, well, he just watches and laughs at all of us.

27 Has A NICE Ring To It...

We are Yankees fans, they just won the World Series...for the 27th time...enough said!

It's...Well...RED!

My new hair...ya dig!

The Great Pumpkin Escapade

Okay so this is after...see below for the before.

Elijah drew the face, I carved the face...we're thinking of going into business together "The Potter Pumpkin Design Team" it's catchy...

Noah presenting his pumpkin...he designed it and cut it!

Spencer is trying to tell you that his pumpkin is a self portrait...right, maybe it's the triangle eyes or the fact that the pumpkin is orange, but I see it...I see the resemblance.

Noah and the guts...hmmm, sounds like we just found a name of his band!

This was the before...why yes, Noah is trying to feed the pumpkin his Icee...why do you ask?

Last year, I was eager to 'dress up' our two concrete steps with cute Halloween decor, so natural we bought 5 pumpkins. Little did I know the wildlife, and I mean literally, would eat away our pumpkins so that come Halloween night, the pumpkins we so carefully picked out of the patch would be gone! So this year I was smart...I waited until Halloween day at 1:00 in the afternoon to go buy our pumpkins, I would out smart those critters this year! Little did I know that this fall would be known as 'the great pumpkin shortage of 2009'. To make a long story short, 3 stores, 3 really, REALLY, upset little boys, and 1 hour later, we would come home with only 3 pumpkins...at least the wildlife wouldn't be eating my pumpkins this year!

BTW: after all the trick-or-treaters came and went, so did the wildlife, and lets just say while my kids were inside gorging themselves on candy, the wildlife was outside gorging themselves on my pumpkins!