Boo!
We had great fun this year at our ward's Trunk or Treat:

The boys as superheroes (we missed you, Logan!):

Aidan, showing his true feelings about his costume:

I tricked him into smiling for this picture, then he remembered how miserable he was with that hood on his head....

Coleman as The Hulk and Nate as a "Red Power Ranger from Jungle Fury"
(I have to say that right or else I get in big trouble!)

And their mommies trying on their masks
(We were giggling like crazy after we took this picture because I was smiling and Heather was making a "tough" face....until we realized no one could see the faces we were making behind the masks. I admit it was more funny at the time....anyhoooo......)

Hope your All Hallow's Eve was spectacular! Now it's time to break out the Christmas music!!!

More Info You Don't Need

My First Tag Ever (not the first time I've been tagged, but officially the first time I've responded to a tag. Tags are just not my bag, baby...but here goes. After all, I've been tagged with the same tag four times in the last few weeks...This is for you, Amanda and Becca and Julie and Carrie)

8 TV SHOWS I LOVE TO WATCH

1. Project Runway
2. The Office
3. Flipping Out
4. Um, that's all. I watch a lot of mindless TV and a lot of movies, too. But certainly those three are my favorites.
5.
6.
7.
8.

8 PLACES I LOVE TO EAT


1. Chipotle
2. Cafe Rio (UT)
3. Gloria's (Dallas)
4. Taco Cabana for breakfast
5. Bangkok Thai (SLC)
6. The Roof (SLC)
7. El Fenix (Dallas)
8. Training Table (don't hate me, Utah. I love that place)

8 THINGS THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY
...Okay, since I don't remember much about yesterday, how about today?

1. Took Nate to and from school
2. Signed and mailed my first large print purchase from Emily Murdock Photography. It felt SO GOOD to sign my artwork for someone to place in their home!
3. Made a lunch date with a dear friend. Now I can't wait until Thursday.
4. Edited more photos (what else is new?)
5. Hugged both my children and gave them oodles of mommy kisses
6. Talked to my Mom and sister on the phone
7. Listened to Nate read an entire book on his own. Tried to hold back tears.
8. Read President Monson's talk from this past Conference. It's my new favorite.

8 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO

1. Someday having a home of my own, no more rentals!
2. My lunch date with sweet Julie
3. The Diet Coke I'm about to pour over ice.
4. Another baby to hold.....someday.
5. Our "maybe" trip to California in the spring
6. Aidan walking
7. Christmas...of course!
8. Fall colors (haven't come to Dallas just yet, but they're on their way! I hope!)


8 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT FALL

1. The fall colors. Of course.
2. Crisp evenings and cool mornings
3. Knowing that Christmas is just around the corner!
4. My birthday ;)
5. The nostalgia that comes with the smell and feel of Fall Air. I can't describe it, but every fall I get to go back in time to some great memories. Fall-time smooches are the best, by the way.
6. Halloween and Haunted Houses
7. Fall family photos
8. The clothes, the clothes, the clothes...and the hats!


8 THINGS ON MY WISH LIST

1. A graphics tablet for my computer
2. A rockin' new hat. I looooove hats.
3. Time for scrapbooking. I haven't even unpacked my supplies since we got here. Eight.months.ago.
4. Balance. (Both literally and figuratively. I lack both.)
5. A new car. A sah-weeeeet new car.
6. A clean home. A girl can dream.
7. Perspective on all the happenings in my life. Some things just don't make sense to me.
8. The absolute surety that I'm on the right path, and adhering to the purpose that the Lord has for me.


*************************************************************
Six weird and random things about me:

The rules are:
* Post the rules on your blog
* Write six random things/unspectacular quirks about yourself
* Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them
* Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog
* Let the tagger know when your entry is posted

1. I have to wear socks when I sleep. And usually jammies, too. This drives my husband crazy.
2. All the silverware in the dishwasher must be organized with "like" silverware (spoons with spoons, etc.) I HATE a disorganized dishwasher silverware caddy.
3. If I'm eating M&M's or other similar candy, I eat them in sets of two, by color. I am strange that way.
4. I don't eat breakfast cereal. I never have. I have a distinct memory of my mom trying to get me to eat a bowl of Cheerios as a very young child. She even went so far as to bribe me with a new toy. I couldn't do it, and to this day I have never once tried cereal.
5. I try to be everything to everyone at all times, which results in me being nothing to anyone, ever. I've said it before--I am a doer of many things and a master of nothing. :)
6. I secretly loooooove the time I have in a quiet house after my kids have gone to bed. Sometimes I put them to bed earlier than normal because I.need.a.break.
7. I'm a sucker for "period" movies. Some of my favorites are First Knight, The Princess Bride, Four Feathers, Tristan and Isolde, Sense and Sensibility, and the list goes on and on. I also have odd taste in movies for a girl. My all-time favorite movie is Dumb and Dumber. I also really like the X-men movies, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the Bourne movies. Adam and I have never once seen a "chick flick" in the theatres.
8. This is in no way meant to be conceited, but I am a really good judge of character and personality. I generally can meet people once and know whether or not I'll get along well with them, and I'm rarely wrong. That being said, I get along well with the majority of people that I meet :) Everyone has something redeeming about them, and I think it's our responsibility to recognize it, and help them grow and develop it. I think we all need to be less judgmental and more accepting of others--and even more importantly, of ourselves!


OOPS! I just read the directions for the tag. I was all into 8's and so you got a BONUS 2 things about me. You're welcome. :)


Now I tag....whoever the heck feels like being this self-indulgent. Haha!!

One more--BYU game

I forgot to post this video, it's super-short (Adam could NOT be pulled from the game). Anyway, Aidan was so happy to be at the game for the first twenty minutes or so, and he would cheer and clap when we would cheer. He would just kind of screech, but we knew he was saying "Go Cougs!"

Natey Boy

So my little invalid is all better now. The hospital visit is merely a memory, the Tooth Fairy has taken away the nasty, mangled teeth that we got to take home, and peace is restored in our home.

But it was one HECK of a day.

We had to be at the hospital at 6:30, so we left at 5:30, so I got up at 4:30. It is an ungodly hour. We got there, got checked in, everything went well. I sat in the waiting room while they did the hour-long procedure. I was told that I could not leave the waiting room, could not go get something to eat or drink, but if I needed the restroom, there it was, to the right. I had to wait there in case they needed me. (This was repeated twice to me....) I read Breaking Dawn while I waited. I was called from the waiting room, procedure went beautifully, no problems, perfect. I was thrilled. Then I was told that I could go back and see him.

When I arrived in the recovery area, Nate was clearly still very groggy from the anesthesia. He was weaving around, trying to get the popsicle they'd given him into his mouth. I took it from him and tried to feed it to him. For some reason, he started getting belligerent and demanding and whining to go home. Then he started rubbing his nose and (because they'd put a breathing tube down it) it started to bleed. They'd warned me that nosebleeds would be common, but apparently I wasn't looking so great. One of the nurses asked me if I was okay, and I told her I needed to sit down. I was getting dizzy. Once I sat down, I blacked out! So here was my son, needing his mom, and I was sitting there, unable to pull rational thoughts together, blacking out next to his bed! All of the attention shifted to ME! Get her a Sprite! Put your head down! Take deep breaths! Are you here alone? I couldn't form answers to their questions, because all of my energy was wrapped up in trying not to pass out. What a wimp.

The sad part? I'd begged Adam to come with me, just in case something like that happened. I have a little history with blacking out. I blacked out when I got my ears pierced, and several times since then. No joke. But Adam had assured me that I would be just fine, and that there was nothing to worry about. I think he saw it like a physician would--"It's just a little procedure." But it was MY baby getting the procedure done, and I couldn't have anticipated what that would be like for me!! Well, now I know.

Anyway, back to Nate (see how narcissistic I am?!) He's doing great. He slept most of the afternoon on Friday and was upset on Saturday when we wouldn't let him play in his soccer game. He's back to his old self!

And he's got some bling to show you, once I can look in his mouth without getting queasy. I'll take a picture of it soon :)

Weekend What-not

We had tickets to the sad event that was BYU @ TCU. I was really hoping that my being there wouldn't ruin their chances of winning, but alas, I prove to continue to be BYU's bad-luck-charm.

After two hours in the car to get to the game, and over half an hour walking from our parking spot, we made it! Adam took a quick glance at the scoreboard and told me, "We might as well go home. It's almost the end of the third quarter." I simply replied, "Well, the fourth quarter is where all the action is, anyway."
(Both of us turned out to be wrong--it wasn't the third quarter, it was the first; and the fourth quarter was pretty much the same as the rest of the game. It wasn't very happy for the BYU fans.)
Our seats were on the Horned Frogs' side, which made things a little uncomfortable. It might have been a little better if we could see the field, but unfortunately we could barely tell there was a game going on way down there. The boys and I kept ourselves entertained by taking pictures and trying not to disturb dad's intense stare at the carnage on the field.
Nate kept cheering for the Frogs, because he plays on the Mighty Frogs soccer team (named for TCU by his coach). He was totally confused that he might have to cheer for the team playing against the Frogs. We figured no one would hear him anyway, from way up in the top of the stands :) So he was a juxtaposition of a child--cheering for TCU whilst wearing a BYU shirt.

If you look just behind Aidan's head, THAT is where the BYU fans were sitting. We got our tickets through the Alumni group, why were we in such bad seats???

After about twenty minutes of the game, Aidan felt pretty much like this:

"Keep that camera away from me! Why are we here with all these screaming people? Where is Cosmo? Get me to my warm crib with a bottle of milk!"


Don't worry, we actually did have a good time. It was so nice to get out and do something as a family and even the Texas weather cooperated! It was stunning, fall, football weather. So it's not all bad!

The sweetest, most cute soccer player in all the world, no?

I feel a little silly about this.

I know that there are people in the world who struggle with problems and tribulations more intense than ours. As a family, we have been extremely blessed with good health and happy lives. Our trials have not been ones regarding health (not yet, at least----oh dear, knock on wood!).
Anyway, on Friday Nate will be undergoing outpatient surgery at the Children's Hospital here in Dallas. He is having oral surgery performed by his very capable doctor. (She must be good--after all, she has the nicest dental office I've ever seen and she drives a Porsche 911 Carrera. The proof is in the pudding, y'all. The very green pudding.)
While the procedure is totally routine (it's just an extraction of two molars), he will be placed under general anesthesia. So I'm nervous. I just ask that if you can remember, please offer a little prayer on Nate's behalf. I would really appreciate it!

Nate: "Dad, do you think Mom is pretty?"
Dad: "Yes, very pretty."
Mom: "Do you think I'm pretty, Nate?"
Nate: "I think you're sweet."
Mom: "Not pretty?"
Nate: "I think you're sweet."
Mom: "Not pretty?"
Nate: "You're pretty sweet."

Point taken. :)

Dad Meetings

Nate: "I can't wait to be a dad."
Me: "Why? What does a dad do?"
Nate: "Tells kids what to do." (which, I imagine, is precisely why he wants to be a dad!)
Mom: "What else does a dad do?"
Nate: "Goes to work.....reads scriptures.....goes to Dad meetings......"

It's FINALLY ready!

www.emilymurdock.com

Overheard

Lady to me (at Hancock Fabrics): "Hey, I saw you last week at that restaurant."
Me: "Oh?"
Lady (pointing to my shirt): "Yes, I recognized you because of your cute baby. He was eating rice."
Me: "...And because I'm wearing the same shirt?"
Lady: "Well, I didn't want to mention it, but yes, that caught my attention."

****

Adam, singing his version of "Spanish" which is really a bunch of nonsense strung together with made up words: "Oh man, I'm so good at Spanglish, I could be Dora."

Picture-less Day

Yesterday was one of the busiest days I've ever had! But it was sprinkled with some fun. Just thought I'd share a few things.

Started out with an early shower, take Nate to school (where there was an accident right in front of my car, in the drop-off line), fill up the car with gas, drive to Dallas to work at the YMCA. Luckily my shift there was short, and then I was on my way to lunch with my dear old friend Lara. I always love my time with Lara, even if we are both wrestling one-year-olds and trying to not let so much rice hit Pei Wei's floor. But it was fun to see her, and her kiddos. I'd nanny-ed for Lara when we lived in Dallas four years ago, when she had fresh-from-the-womb Lulu and I had monkey-for-a-toddler NayNay. They were great friends and Nate called her "sister." I know he really wished she was his sister. Anyway, it was so nice to get together. Although next time, we'll do something less stressful so we can actually talk to one another. Maybe we'll be so lucky as to have a girls' outing where we can hear one another. Maybe.

After lunch, we went home and I knew I had one hour before I had to leave to pick up Nate from school. I was struck with the idea that there were at least ten things I could do, some more important than others, or I could have a nap. I chose a nap. (After all, Aidan was up in the night twice the night before. I think he's getting more teeth....) The nap was glorious, except I woke up more tired than before. I hate that.

Got Nate from school. Went to get my hair re-highlighted. I just love my stylist! She's super fun, and I think she always does a great job (please tell me if I'm wrong, though). When I got home, I started making dinner for Nate. Then we made the brownies he's been begging me for. And the phone rang. It was my friend Kate, wondering if I'd come play volleyball with our womens' team. So I basically had enough time to get on some clothes and run over there. We won our games, which was great. But for me, I just wanted to keep playing! I LOVE volleyball and I realized how much I enjoy being out with other women, doing something other than my normal routine. I'll for sure be playing next week, too.

Okay, so one thing that I found funny. (And I think that I've maybe sealed the deal for my ticket to Hell. The first thing that qualified me was trying to resist the urge to have our missionaries over for dinner every night because I loved looking at their faces (and listening to the one with the Scottish accent). But now I've sealed the deal by giggling at the prayer that was offered last night at our volleyball game.) But really---the girl prayed "Please help us feel the Spirit as we play this game tonight." I started to giggle as I imagined the scenario: "Awesome serve, Heather! I totally felt the Spirit when you did that!" or "Sweet spike, Kate! I'm more committed to living the Gospel because of that!" or "Don't worry about missing that ball, Irene. I still love you and so does the Lord!"

Instead, I was found saying things such as, "Don't let those girls get the ball back! Hit it toward her face!"

Yep, I've got my one-way ticket.

And on another side note, on the way home from volleyball, it was getting dark. As I was driving in our neighborhood, I noticed some small, quickly-moving people on the sidewalk. As I got closer, I realized it was a a convoy of motorized scooters. Three of them. And as I looked even closer, I realized the first one I passed was driven by an old man. BUT the second and third were occupied by two or three children each, trying desperately to hang on as they pushed those scooters to the max! Well, that's one way to take a walk around the block with Grandpa.


Yeah, this post was boring. The day was so much more fun to live than it was to read about it. Sigh. Better one next time, I promise.

Slipping Away

(This is not the best picture of Little Bud, but it's the only one from the past few months with his real smile...lately he's been a bit of a stinker about smiling for me.....!!)

My Little Bud is slipping away, into the great big world. I'm reminded daily of the futility of my attempts to keep him for my own. He has to grow up, and he has to be allowed to experience adventure, and heartache, and learn to navigate the social systems of the world. And I can't be there every minute to guide him! Five years of parenting, and now, he's unleashed. Unprotected. I can't be there to convince the kids in his class that he is amazing, and fun, and kind, and just oh-so-special. I can't be there to tell him that he's better off without the friendship of the class bully, and then help him to find someone who wants to be his friend.

Today, Little Bud insisted on going through the drop-off line at school. Instead of having me park the car down the street and walk him up, like we've been doing every morning. "I've been going to school for ten days, Mom," he told me. "Today is day 11 and I want to go through the line." He hopped out of the car, and I had to keep moving in the line. I couldn't sit and watch him walk to the door. Did he make it to the right door? I have no idea. For all I know, he's wandering the streets around the school, crying and lonely and scared.

Did I just say that?

I'm realizing that all my fears about how he'll handle this change (i.e. starting school) are rooted in my own insecurity as a parent. Have I prepared him well enough? (Probably not) Have I babied him too much? (My husband would say, yes!) Has he really listened when I've told him that he is important, and wonderful, and loved? Will he go with confidence and conquer kindergarten? Will he finally quit trying to get the stupid little bully kid to like him? (oh, how I'd like to shake that kid, after the things Little Bud has come home saying about him...) Will he ever remember to throw out his trash at lunch, instead of repacking it into his lunchbox and bringing it home???

I hope so.

Look at this FACE!

And yes, he's still bald and beautiful.
He keeps us laughing all day long with his funny noises (talking?) and his cute little faces.
He'll be a year old in less than a month!
Isn't he just the sweetest lil' thing?!

So in LOVE...

...with my first born. I miss him when he's at school!

P.S. I think he has a girlfriend in his class...at least I know she thinks he's dreamy because she insisted on a hug today when she said goodbye.....!

My little man has started kindergarten.

The week went really well, until today.

I received a phone call from the school office.
When I saw the caller ID, my thought was "Oh man, we didn't even last a whole week without a phone call home."

So I answered.

"Mrs. Murdock, this is Mrs. (teacher)."
Me: "Oh, hi, how are you?"
Teacher: "Well, I'm fine. Nate is still here."
(There was a lasting pause...and I'm thinking Oh, good, because that is where he is supposed to be.)
Then, I realized that she was saying that something wasn't right.
CRAP! What time is it?

3:30. Exactly thirty minutes after I was supposed to pick him up.

We made it the whole week without a phone call home. At least, until I forgot to pick him up!!

Restoring Peace

Okay, most of you don't know this. Well, at least I think I've hid it pretty well. (But I could be kidding myself here....)

I am severely sensitive. I get offended very, very easily. And I am most sensitive about my photography work. The short list (the condensed version of a very long list) also includes being sensitive about my parenting skills, my friendship skills...well, I'll end there. Because this is ending up to be a little pathetic.

Anyhow, my point is this. Lately I've been shaky about my confidence in my photography work. Mostly because I've been at the point where I'd better move forward or forget the whole thing. And let me tell you, I've been at that point for a very long time and yet....I'm still there. Yesterday, I figured out why. (Hello, this is a breakthrough!)

I can only equate it to this. You know that show no one watches? I think it's called American Idol. I heard about it once. Anyway. You know how Simon constantly asks the terrible singers if they've ever sung anything in front of anyone? And they're all like--Yeah, I sing for my family and friends all the time. And then Simon asks--Well, what do they think? And the bad singer is all--They say I'm really great. And all us in TV land are like---Whaaaa?

So I figured out that I'm constantly afraid of being one of those. Where I have this thing that I love to do, but I'm too close to it to be constructively critical (sometimes I'm probably a little too critical), and where maybe the people that I love are trying to be supportive but don't want to be mean, but are really thinking--Oh for the love of Pete, someone else tell her that she's no good!!

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of.

Trust me, this is not a waaaah, waaaah moment for me. I'm just thinking aloud and this is what kept me awake last night. Should I invest more time and money into a photography business or should I keep it a photography hobby? That is my question for blogland.

Please leave a comment. The best thing about the Blogspot comments is that you can choose to leave it anonymously. And I don't track the traffic of my site, so I'll never know who you are! Cast your vote: Business or hobby?

Oh, and don't tell my husband I did this. He'd be appalled. I should probably feel a little embarassed for this, but I'm just not thinking about it.

And the title of my post is an ode to my latest love. I just downloaded the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack to my iPod and I've been whisked away to the land of Mr. Darcy and sweet peaceful being. Love it.

Utah Fun

Some of my cousins, who act just as goofy as their dads :)

Nate and Cousin "M" at our family swim party. They're only a couple weeks apart
and they both start kindergarten this year!

Not-So-Baby Aidan and Cousin "M" -- they had a lot of fun together!
They're only a few weeks apart

Nate with his cousin "M" -- they were such good buddies -- on our last day in Utah, Nate and "M" held a private ceremony (parents were not invited) in which they were wed. We took a walk later that day, and Nate was overheard saying, "We're still married, right?"
I suppose every good husband checks in and assesses the relationship...

More Utah--the Wedding

I haven't finished editing the pictures I took at the wedding/reception, but here are a few from that day.

Our Utah Trip

Our family was able to participate in an endowment session** in the Mt Timp temple.
My sister Ali and my brother Thomas were there for their first time!
What a special thing to have everyone together.

My parents

The endowed members of my family!

Nate and Uncle Jeff on our hike

Baby Aidan and his favorite chewing toys

Enjoying a classic tradition with Grams -- Wendy's !

Mommy and Nate on the Alpine Slide in Snowbird


**Edit: Sorry for the "Mormon Speak." I've included a link to explain more clearly what we were doing that day in the temple!! :)

Well, hello!

It's been awhile, friends! We've been super busy. Funny how that works--when we actually have something to blog about, I don't blog. When we're super boring, I blog! Something is backwards about that.
Hopefully soon, I'll find the time to blog about all our recent-ness:
*Trip to Utah for my sister Ali's wedding
*New photography website coming soon!
*Adam's brother completing his mission in Houston, Texas
*Adam's family visiting Dallas
*Nate's summer camp
*School is starting soon!

But, here is something that might give you a little chuckle...
A recent conversation with Nate.

(We returned home and found a Chinese take-out menu hanging on our door handle.)
Nate: Mom, what's this for?
Mom: (being totally undescriptive) Chinese delivery.
N: What!! We're not Chinese!
M: (almost died laughing) No, it's for Chinese food. If you want Chinese food, you call that place and they deliver it to you.
N: They must think we are Chinese. That IS funny (he didn't understand why I was laughing)
But we're not Chinese. So we don't eat Chinese food. They are wrong.