Good, Bad, Ugly

So I haven't written much in the last week or more because my father was in India and me and my family were staying with my mom so she wasn't alone. Our days were mostly enjoying the fire and Levi chasing the cats. We didn't get out and do much because Justin had to take the car since we were at my parents and he was too far to take the bus anywhere. While there one night I twisted one of my knees and slept on it wrong. I woke up at 4 AM to excruciating pain and throbbing. It hurt like the dickens the whole next day. Unfortunately Tylenol and heat did nothing to help. It is still a little sore, and my mom and I don't think it will fully heal with the extra baby weight I have. I am somewhat used to sore knees, since both of my knees have had issues since high school... but nothing like this. Alas, somehow I'll manage. Levi did some cute things while there, but one that I'll mention is when we got too close the the fireplace (no fire going). He got soot and ash all over him, and he looked like our little Indian Warrior!

However, this week, when my dad returned from India (for those wondering, my brother was in India for two months on business, and my dad was visiting him and returned with him) we came back home. Unfortunately I had let our food run out before we left, and didn't take much time to pick up, so we came home to a messy house with an empty fridge. All has been remedied and we are getting back into our normal groove. Here is Levi loving being home again!

With Halloween drawing near Levi has taken a liking to ghosts. He is constantly talking about them and points one out whenever he can. He also loves pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns. I'm glad he is old enough to get into the spirit of things. Well on Friday, Justin didn't have work, so we went to a local pumpkin patch to get our pumpkins. Levi had a blast! They had duck races where you got a little duck and tried to race it down a trough with a hand pumped water spout. He loved every minute and did it several times. He also enjoyed the pumpkin patch and couldn't decide on just one, so we had to for him. I was taking a picture of him at one point and stepped backward, slipping on a pumpkin. I tried to regain my balance and stepped onto another pumpkin. Needless to say I fell flat on my back. Justin and my mom immediately came to see if I was okay and needed help. I assured them I was fine but wanted to lay there for a moment. Of course this meant it was okay for them to take a picture of my silliness. Justin did help me up, and I am suffering from the fall since. When we got back to the farm from the patch Levi played in a corn box, ran through a hay maze (which he went straight through without trouble... leaving my mom still trying to find her way out), and Justin and I shot a corn cannon and flung apples in a sling. We all had loads of fun, despite my fall.

Later that evening we gathered in our kitchen and carved pumpkins. Mine, as you will see, is a scene from the movie 'Nightmare Before Christmas', which is my favorite Halloween movie of all time. Justin went with a Batman logo, and Levi's is, of course, a ghost! My mom bought us some nice color-changing lights to go inside, which makes them all the more cool!

Saturday my mom and I were going to host a Fall Festival for family and friends. However, it had to be postponed for about a month (that is the next available time), due to me being in a lot of pain, and several people calling to say they couldn't make it that day. I am still excited for it, and I hope we do get the chance to throw it! For those wondering, we are looking at Saturday, November 22nd to do it. Instead I rested most of the day, and finished reading Eragon for the first time.

Our Sunday was spent at Stake Conference, relaxing, Justin going to work, and the rest of us saying good bye to my mom. She is leaving for a couple weeks to go to Peru with her mom and siblings. And so I embark on the next two weeks without her wonderful help... and an aching back and bum knee. Bring it on!

We hope this finds you all well and happy! And Happy Halloween!