A Little Help Please...

So, Brenner hates the car. Hates it. No I mean really. From the moment I lay him in the seat he starts screaming! I have tried mirrors, hanging toys, bottles, paci's and nothing stops him once he gets going. So, for right now, I just avoid going anywhere with him that I don't have to. Doesn't matter if the trip is long, like taking Berk to preschool or short, like picking Braden up from school- his level and intensity of crying is the same. I know most people think babies love the car. Not so. It is so stressful to drive in traffic with the screaming coming from the car. And even once we reach our destination it takes me a good 15 minutes to calm him down.

Now I'm even getting stranger's sympathies. Like the random Mom at preschool who said she'd drive 25 minutes out of her way to come get Berk so I didn't have to put Brenner in the car. Or the lady at the McDonald's drive thru- who patiently took my order and had me pull forward only to tell me she couldn't hear a word I said.

So what do I do. Ear muffs are illegal, I'm pretty sure. And taping his paci to his mouth is probably frowned on. So short of hiring someone to sit in the backseat with him until he outgrows this phase, I am out of ideas! I need ideas, suggestions. I am struggling. Poor baby has white salt stains on his car seat straps from where the tears roll down his cheeks, it's killing me!

A Little Reminicing...

Ever since I had Brenner, I seem to spend a lot of time in my rocking chair. Feeding him, rocking him, sleeping- I mean him not me, and watching TV. Well I noticed that my very most-est favorite show EVER Gilmore Girls was in reruns and right at the beginning of the series. So I started taping it and watching it.

After a month or two I noticed something... THEY WERE SKIPPING EPISODES! So annoying! Well, finally I dragged my lazy bum downstairs and brought up the DVD's (I have of the entire series).

Needless to say, all of my other prime time shows are on hold indefinitely while I watch Lorelei and Rory and all their crazy times again. I am almost finished with season 4 and I am already dreading it ending in season 7. This show was witty and quick and I loved it. Oh, the good old days. I swear one of my favorite compliments ever was when this cute 12 year old at church told me I reminded her of Lorelei.

Oh, Stars Hollow, Luke, Dean-Jess-Logan, Sookie, I miss you all.

And I already have an idea of who will occupy my DVD player when I finish with them... it's a toss up between Charmed, Alias and Friends or maybe I'll finally watch Heroes.

Hmmm, maybe I will be fair and just proceed in alphabetical order. What old shows do you miss? And I know one of you is wondering if you can borrow my GG dvd's...

Attention, Attention!!!

Allright, that's it.

I here by declare November the official

"If you bother to read a blog in the first place,

then take 2 seconds to leave a comment on it"

Month.

Let's face it, with google reader, and bloglines, you don't even have to blog hop to keep up on your friends blogs, but come on! Time to rejuvenate those of us who need blogs for the praise, the "hey, you're funny" and the ego. Thanks to my friend AliFinale, one of the first blogs I ever read, for this reminder and for her friend who has this cute sign on her blog. I don't know her, but I like her already...

So pass it on. I will be doing my darndest to show the love to the blogs I follow, do the same. Even if you've never commented before. Stranger or friend. Even if it's a quick "Me too!" Give us Mommy Bloggers some love... because I know you're coming and reading from my Blog Patrol. And it hurts my feelings a little that my hit counter shows 50-80 readers a week, yet I manage a lousy 5 comments- even on my best stuff? Do you know what that does to my pride???

If you agree, pass it on. Blog about it. Facebook it. Heck Tweet it- no don't really, I think Twitter is lame. But don't feel shameful about plugging yourself. Sometimes the few words we get from a comment makes our day. At least for me. And I promise, if you take the time to comment on a blog, that person will for you too sometime. It's the whole Blog Karma thing working.

Halloween Week...

Brenner's First Halloween

When I was a kid, Halloween was all about the one night of going to as many houses as you could, as fast as you could, filling as many pillowcases as you could. Boy, do my kids have it easy! Their candy collecting is spread out over an entire WEEK!

First we have our annual Mortensen Family Party. I didn't count but I'd guess (considering we bring treats for HS age and younger-65 this year) that there were easily 200 people there. It was chilly, but not bad, and the kids had a great time, playing games, doing the parade and T-o-Ting in the circle. My boys just wanted to jump or swing-but they did 'help' Noni with her game. Brenner was adored by all and was so good.

And I don't think I've mentioned that my hubby and my FIL keep leaving us to go up to the BYU games, but they do. And I have cute pictures from the homecoming game. They got to be on the field because Russ played back in the day- #54 shout out!

Then we had our Ward Trunk or Treat. Of course AZ had to choose this day to finally get cold. I had to wear a sweatshirt and everything! I know everyone says they're ward rocks, but mine truly is the best. I didn't take any pictures that night, and Brenner spent it with Noni, Pops, & Ry- but we did have a fun time trying to stay warm.

Friday, Braden had the Halloween stuff at school. I almost missed him at pick up because he was still in his costume! He had a birthday party that night as well.

Have I mentioned Berk started Preschool since his birthday? He did, and he is amazing. No tears or anything. He was more annoyed that I didn't leave fast enough. Some of the first day of school comments included, "LEAVE!" "Go home" and "I don't want you, I want my teacher." Gotta love the second child. His teacher is amazed at just how different he is from Braden. (this is from the first day of school. I cropped out the paci and the animal in his hands...)

And the main event. Halloween morning we did stuff around the house. Rusty checked off a bunch of things from my 'Honey Do' list- finally. And then we took our time getting ready. Braden was Superman, we even sprayed his hair black. Berk was "Yightyear" Buzz Lightyear and Brenner was a cute little tiger. The big boys and Rusty T-o-T'ed in our neighborhood, while Brenner and I passed out candy. Or rather, Brenner ate, spit up, fell asleep and I passed out candy. He was so zonked that he slept in his costume till about 2 am! Then I took the big boys over to their grandparents neighborhood to do a little more candy getting. Berk was done, stripped off his costume and all. But my boy Braden did every house in there- and was rewarded with several of the elusive full-sized candy bars.... Atta boy. Except that Mr.Superman made me carry his bag, cause it was too heavy. We've got things to work on before next year...

And then tonight, we sorted the candy, and left out a big basket for the Great Pumpkin to come take. The boys can't wait to see what he left them in the morning...