Mysterious Remote

Yesterday Aubrey took the TV remote from our bedroom and took it into the living room. I didn't notice it until I had put her down for a nap and then sat down to have some lunch. Since, I had just sat down I didn't want to have to get up and put it back, so planned on doing it later. Well, of course I forgot about it. Later in the afternoon I remembered about the remote and went back to retrieve it, but it was gone. I figured it was somewhere in the house and I'd run into it during the course of the day. Well, as we were getting ready for bed, Jeff went to turn on the TV in the back and noticed it was gone. I told him where I saw it last and he went on a search for it. He searched and searched and searched, but it was no where to be found. This morning Aubrey and I searched for it for a bit but then had to head out for her doctor's appointment. When we returned we continued our search, but came up with nothing. I put her down for her nap, had a bite to eat, and then laid on the couch for a little nap myself. While I was napping Jeff came home for lunch. He immediately said, "Hey where did you find the remote?" I looked down and told him that it was the other remote on the couch next to me. He then pointed to the floor, out in full view, the remote was just sitting there! That couldn't be possible - but there it was, just laying there where anybody could see it. Now you would think I would be excited and relieved. Instead I was confused and felt an emptiness inside for these reasons:

1. We had both wondered where that elusive hiding spot Aubrey hid the remote was. We were looking forward to finding the hiding place.

2. I was excited for the moment when one of us would find it and get to yell out to the other, "I found it!" and then proceed to tell where it was and how we could have missed it during all of our searching.

3. How could it possibly show up in the middle of the floor while both Aubrey and I where napping? Right before I put her down, we were looking for the remote and she was near me the whole time. Surely, I would have noticed her carrying it around or it falling out of it's hiding spot!

Well, at least it is found - but the questions will just loom in my head forever more (or at least for the next few days until we forget all about it).

Here is what we have been up to this week!

Before Aubrey was born we were told by many parents that babies sleep for 12 hours at night and take a 3 hour nap. Aubrey, was not given that memo! She goes to bed at 7:30, but almost always wakes at 6. (For those of you who know how much of a morning person I am not, will surely feel very sorry for me.) And nap time has finally increased to 2 hours, but it took a long time to even get that long. Well, one morning last week, Aubrey actually slept in until 7:30! It was the best morning of my life! (or at least the last 18 months!) I was hoping the trend would continue - but alas we are back to 6 am. Anyway, usually when she wakes we just get her a bottle and lay her in between us to drink it so we can try to get a little more shut eye - or at least rest some. Well, since she woke at a reasonable hour, we were both out of bed. So, instead of laying between us, she wandered around the house drinking her bottle. It was sooo cute that I just had to take a picture!

On Monday, Aubrey and I made puppets. They had some really cute kits at Walmart that were pull and stick. Perfect amount of difficulty for my little bug. She really enjoyed making her puppy & kitty puppets and then wearing them around during the day.

Isn't my puppy puppet sooo cute!

Look, one on each hand!

We babysat Zoe one day last week. When I got her a snack, she ran to the table and climbed onto the chair. So, of course Aubrey had to sit at a chair as well. The other day I got Aubrey a cookie to eat and she went right to the chair to sit at it. I thought she looked so cute sitting on a big person chair!

I love this little outfit I got for her, especially the sweater.

Reading her new book to her new stuffed Jack'O'Lantern from Grandma & Grandpa Buell

Lately Aubrey thinks it is so funny to take the kitchen towel off of the oven door, put it on her head and walk around the house. She has only ran into the wall once!

The computer is definitely Aubrey's favorite toy (too bad it's not a toy!) We try and keep the door to the office closed when we are not in there. But, sometimes we forget. If it gets too quiet in the house, I know exactly where that little monkey is. She climbs onto the chair, pulls out the keyboard and starts typing away. She is obsessed with videos of Jeff's Halloween monsters and so that is what she is trying to find when she gets on the computer. As soon as we get back there, she'll make her monster sounds so that one of us will put the video on for her. What a character!

Nursery Success! Last Sunday, Aubrey stayed in nursery the whole time without Jeff in there with her. Because of the time change, she did get tired at the end and her teachers said she pouted and teared up for a few minutes and then sat on her teacher's lap and fell asleep. That was only for the last few minutes of class though. The rest of the time she did perfectly fine. I am honestly so shocked by how well she is doing. Anyone who knows how clingy Aubrey has been with me will understand my complete bewilderment. She does have great teachers - so I am sure that has helped. Also, Jeff subbing in there for a few months and Aubrey getting to go with him must have done the trick. Knock on wood that she continues to enjoy nursery!

Halloween

We had a really fun Halloween! I love that Halloween seems to last all month. Aubrey loved all of our activities. She loved dressing up in her Lady Bug costume. She always made sure that we put on her wings and antenna too! She never pulled them off either!


So, Halloween morning all three of us went to book babies at the library. The kids wore their costumes and Aubrey really enjoyed looking at everyone. Then it was home for a nap while mommy and daddy worked on Halloween goodies. Aubrey & I went early trick-or-treating with Rachel and Zoe. They were so cute. They would both go up to the door and knock themselves. Then hold out their buckets for candy. Travel between houses was quite slow as they checked out their goods in the buckets and every so often Aubrey had to pet Zoe's bear costume. Then we came home for a few minutes until my friend Stacy and her family came trick-or-treating. Then Aubrey & I went out with them for a while. Stacy's boys really wanted to help scare people at our house so they came back with us and stayed for a while. Jeff let them use the remotes to make the monster & skeleton pop up. I think they had a lot of fun. Stacy said that they have been excited all month to come to our house. They are a little afraid of the set-up - but enjoy it and decided that they could be brave enough to come to the door.

Then all of my local siblings stopped by to see Jeff's decorations and for homemade rootbeer and spud nuts. And to see Aubrey in her costume. By 8:00 Aubrey was pretty wore out, so I got her down. Then Esther & Bryan and Katie & Elliot helped us scare some of our trick-or-treaters. I personally think that's the funnest part of Halloween. We try to watch for little ones and not scare them. It was a really fun night!

Aubrey found the bucket of candy that we were giving out and had a ball playing with it that afternoon.

Aubrey discovered that the candy fit perfectly on the blinds!

Checking out daddy's homemade rootbeer.

I am ready to go trick-or-treating mommy!

Jeff's homemade spudnuts.

All of us!

Here is a video of the yard. I don't think it does it justice. It started raining and so Jeff was in a hurry to get his stuff in the garage. So, the video was made in a hurry. But, you can see some of the new things this year.

Steve & Cindy snacking.

Katie up front and Summer in the back.

Cindy & Elliot. Cindy and her family were all dressed as the flinstones. JJ and John didn't make it inside because JJ fell asleep on the way over!

Esther & Bryan

I finally let Aubrey try out a piece of her candy. She loved the sucker!

You would think Halloween was all over for us that night. But, no, the next night we had an adult only Costume Party. We had a really good time. There was a really good turn out, funny games & good food. We especially liked the animal game. Each couple picked an animal and each wrote it on a slip of paper. The papers were all mixed up and placed in the center of the room. Everyone had to run and get a paper and then start making the animal sound. You had to find the other person making the same sound and go sit down. The last pair standing is out. It was really funny seeing all these adults running around frantically making animal sounds!

Jeff actually wore a costume so I had to document it!

The creepy cookies I made for the party.

Halloween Parties & Pumpkin Carving

Last Saturday was our ward Halloween Party (they called it the Fall Carnival - but as far as I'm concerned - call it what you want but what it is is a Halloween Party). Anyway, we had a fun time. I helped run the primary booth (musical chairs) for the first half hour. It was fun to get to play with the kids. While I did that Aubrey and Jeff decorated a treat bag. Aubrey loved doing that. She got to put stickers on her bag and color it. She was so proud of it - she carried it around with her the rest of the night. Then we had some food and did the games with Aubrey. Her favorite game was the bean bag toss. Of course with her, there was no tossing involved. But, she loved putting the bean bags in the holes and then going to the prize bowl and getting a plastic spider! I think we should have dressed her up as a spider - she really likes them! I didn't bring my camera - but got a few pics from my friend Rachel.

Aubrey really liked Zoe's bear costume. She is pointing out the bee on it.

Monday night, was Jeff's work Halloween party. They had pumpkin carving & games & food. We had a really good time. We decided it might be too intense to try to carve the pumpkin there so we brought it home to carve. Aubrey really enjoyed the games at this party and running around the halls in her costume.

Making another treat bag - fun times for Aubrey

Loving the bean bag toss here as well!

Hooray for me - I got the bean bags in the mouth!

I took her around the cake walk - and she thought it was great fun.

Later in the night we were walking past the cake walk and she ran right in and did it herself!

Pinning the nose on the witch with daddy.

She had to help stroll the stroller w/ the pumpkin in it all the way to the car!

Tonight we carved Aubrey's Jack-O-Lantern. Right before we started I thought it would be fun to make it look like Aubrey. So I cropped a forward facing picture of Aubrey right on her face. Printed it to fit the 8.5 x 11 size paper and then traced her features. Then we used it as the template to carve the pumpkin. I decided the pumpkin version of Aubrey is definitely not as cute as the real deal, but it still turned out pretty cute.

Aubrey loved the whole experience. She helped clean it out. She helped poke the design onto the pumpkin. Then as I was carving she sat on my lap the whole time and continued poking with the poker. Then she had fun watching it all lit up in the dark. It was a real fun activity for all of us!

Cleaning out the guts!

This picture totally cracks me up. She was cleaning out the guts with dad and got some of it on her. She immediately withdrew her hands and started showing me that the guts got on it. She thought it was really yucky. Then when they were done cleaning it out - she started signing water. We went to the sink to get her sippy cup, but what she wanted was to wash her hands and arms because of the slim. A girl after my own heart - I absolutely hate cleaning out the pumpkin guts!

Poking out the Aubrey face design.

Poking away while mommy carves!

It's sooo much fun to carve pumpkins!

We're all done and she is still poking away at it!

What do you think - any resemblance to Aubrey?

The whole family!

The last couple of years we decided to carve the fake pumpkins because less mess and they last for years to come. So here are all of our pumpkin creations over the last few years.

Gotta have a cute one amongst all of the spooky ones!

Princess Tea Party

Last year for Halloween, Aubrey was Snow White. She was so chubby that she could fit in an 18 month costume (even though she was only 6 months). Well, she is still wearing 18 month size so I knew that costume would still fit. I was hoping that somewhere around town they would have a princess themed something that she could wear Snow White too. I couldn't find anything, so I decided to get out Aubrey's tea set that Grandma Buell gave her and have Zoe over for a princess tea party.

We weren't sure if they were quite old enough to enjoy a tea party - but boy were we wrong. They totally loved it. As soon as they saw those tiny little dishes they knew it was just for them. I think they also loved sitting at a table and not being strapped into high chairs. They were so cute!! The day before Aubrey helped me make Blueberry/Bannana mini muffins. So we had the muffins and strawberries. We just had water to drink- cause we figured there would be spills. They both loved the little tea cups. Aubrey had to hold it by the little handle (I don't know how she knew that was the way you are supposed to hold it). And she did so good drinking from the cup all by herself! Anyway, it was a really fun morning. Here are pics and videos.

On an entirely different note, I had to have a physical today and didn't want to take Aubrey. So, she went to play with Zoe. She has never gone to anyone's house without me. I wasn't sure how she would do. But, she did great! She did not cry at all. Hooray for Aubrey! We are making leaps and bounds in the clingy department. Also, 2 weeks ago, Jeff didn't have to sub in Nursery - so he left her by herself during the 3rd hour. She lasted until about 5 min. before it was over. Which I considered quite a victory. I thought it would be a long time before she would stay at all.

Pranksters

Jeff & his friend/co-worker Phil decided to go into work early yesterday and scare some of their co-workers. This was their first victim. It's pretty funny!