For all those who come to this happy place, Welcome!

Safford , AZ - I'm still not quite sure where it is. I think SE Arizona. It looks really nice though. Jason said they would hike all day long for 3 days. I am hunter hear me roar... I never really understood the basic instinct to hunt and conquer. I think it really is a guy thing. Jason took his 1st trip by himself since we've been married. The kids & I leave him every chance we get (for example we are going to Disneyland without him starting tomorrow) but this was his first time out. He went hunting with his cousin Jeremy Greer (his BFF - he'd kill me if he knew I called him that) They were drawn in the hunt and I was actually shocked that Jason got something on his first time out. Someone made a remark that they were hunting with canons and it was basically impossible for them to miss. Anyway, I had to crop the photo - believe it or not this was the least gruesome of all the pictures. I guess, ' tis the season. Just don't look too closely at the deer... ma...

Since we will be "gone" for the next couple weeks (to St. Johns, AZ & Disneyland) without Jason - I thought I would dedicate a blog to him (and the fact that he never reads it - means I can say whatever the hell I want) - and write as much as I want (your going to skim through all the boring parts anyway - so why should I care?) Last Friday the Bunko group I belong to had a Halloween Bunko Party which included the husbands. Each couple were to come dressed as a dynamic duo . I fretted over what to do, I considered Lucy & Desi, or Pirate Princess & random guy off the street, or Little Boy Peep & regular Joe. Each costume combo I came up with had to have little to no costume for Jason. He doesn't dress up. I'm crazy lady must-have-a-new-costume-for-each-year/let's-wear-family-themed-costume-etc. verses Jason who loves to carve pumpkins, make carmel corn, go to parties, watch scary movies, and pass out candy - but he doesn't do costumes . I ran o...

Well... It's been almost a month since we started. The only thing I've learned is endurance. From what I surmise and have learned from talking to other "potty trainers" you have to be dedicated. That's about it. If your going to do it - you have to commit yourself to a month. James went through 4 cycles : 1. This potty training is a cool new thing & I get free trains - yahooo! I can do this 2. It's really not cool anymore - I don't really care if my underwear is wet or not, I really liked the diaper. When I can I have it back? 3. Am I wet? ohhh... I hadn't noticed . Oh, ooops I just peed on my mom's lap. Sucks to be her. 4. Okay. I guess I will go on the toilet if she reminds me . I do hate washing out my own poopie underwear. Maybe someday I will be fully trained. Who knows? My 4 cycles: 1. We can do this. We are a team. So what if I have to do 16 loads of laundry a day. I can handle it . The trains were pricey but after this week it will...

Target trip... okay so most would consider a "road trip" a good time, but my kids love Target (I started brainwashing them while they were young)... I get to do a little shopping, they get to eat popcorn & drink slushees - it's really a win/win situation. So Target has this brand new section of their store called, Dress-up Aisle. It's so fun. You can try everything on and goof off to your hearts content! My kids & their cousins had a blast! Let's hear it for Target looking out for us mothers, they know that if the kids are happy - chances are the moms are too. Jordyn & James BFF's (They are both little devils - only Jordyn chose to disclose her true self for all to see)... Look how white James teen are. I couldn't be more proud about his dedication to oral hygiene . Maybe I should be concerned that his lower jaw is completely missing, but I knew all those visits to Dr. Adams would pay off. Just flashing those pearly whites! Some might thi...

What is it about fall that turns my head towards sweet oh so fattening foods. Is it that hibernation mode we switch into to get through the winter months... I mean heaven forbid I actually loose weight this time of year. It's practically unheard of (trust me when I tell you that weight watchers meetings get a might sparse this time of year). So last Sunday, my trusty partner in crime and I decided to make carmel corn, not the ooey-gooey carmel balls, but the crunchy stick to your teeth kind. The pictures above are when we first decided to venture this yumalicious dessert. See our fresh faces and cleanish kitchen? It did not last my fellow friends (and stalkers)... We popped the popcarn (not a misspelling - I am from Utar) the old fashioned way with a real lidless pan, hot oil, and plastic plate. If you do not know the method, ask my dad. He is the king of mismatch kitchenware. Paige after tasting our first batch of popcorn... just kidding - she is just overly dramatic. I wonder wh...

This year for Halloween we will be in Disneyland . Could I be any more excited? I'm not sure that I can. It feels like forever since we were there last (I think it was March or May) which might not sound like that long ago, but when you have season passes, it feels like an eternity. When we go, we like to go for 5 days . My dad was like, 'what? 5 days don't you get bored after the 2 nd day' (he's learned since then how nice it is to space things out). I think if your going to drag kids anywhere you need to give yourself enough space and time to enjoy it . We go for 5 days so we can take things at a reasonable pace and see ALL the shows, parades, special events, etc. We really take the time to enjoy our trip. This year for Halloween we bought tickets for a special Trick or' Treat event. We've never done it before, but from what I understand it is a closed section of the park with trick or treating with characters, music, food, games, etc. I will give you ...

So the Buchanan's have been slackers for the last 5 or so years - but we did our first FHE Monday night. It turned out pretty fun. Jason was working at the hospital late so we met him at the Toys R'Us in Awutukee. We hung out and let the kids figure out what to put on their Christmas lists this year (hoping to give Santa a heads up so he can start buying early and when things go on sale - rather then the week before). We went out to Mimi's Cafe after for dinner (Paige's favorite restaurant) - and the kids didn't get to bed til after 8pm. That's a pretty wild night out for us. Also it gave Paige a chance to figure out what she really wants to save her money for. She loves doing odd jobs to earn money, and before she would buy "daughters" (Polly Pocket sized Disney Princesses) now that she owns all of them a couple times over - we thought she needed to save for bigger things. This summer she saved up and bought a fish tank and her first beta fish that sh...