HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER BRIAN OVIATT!!! HE IS 24 TODAY!!!
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Brian's parents called us last Monday to see if we wanted an early Christmas present. They were interested in helping us to organize our kitchen, so they wanted to bring us over a new shelving unit. The one that we had didn't have any doors on the front of it. Vaughn's favorite pasttime was of course, going into the kitchen and throwing everything out of the shelves! That made my un-favorite pasttime cleaning it all up. As you can see, things looked okay, but it was kind of an eye-sore. So, Brian's parents brought over the unit, and for Family night, Brian and I set up the new shelving!

Over the next few days I moved everything into the new shelving and organized it, and it looks ONE HUNDRED PERCENT BETTER!!! I have my food organized just the way I want it, and Munca can't get to it! I don't have to worry about leaving the kitchen door open. I can let Vaughn run free, and I'm not getting after him every second. A wise person once told Ben's wife Emily that a home should be a place where a baby hears "Yes" all the time, not "No". That is so true! I think poor Vaughn was getting frustrated always being told "No". Now things are a lot better! Vaughn is a much happier baby. Now all I have to do is put locks on everything else in the house, and things will be perfect!





Tuesday night was Enrichment. That is just a monthly class that is taught for the women in our church. For this Enrichment Night, we had a craft night. We had several different crafts, and I was able to teach one of them. I decided to go for a very simple, yet fun craft that my Mom taught us kids growing up. It was a little ornament made out of tissue paper rolls and yarn. I thought it would help the ladies have something to keep their kids busy during the holidays!
That night my good friend Shelly Stephen showed up with her mother Beverly Pratt. We had a really fun time as you can see! We talked for quite a while, mostly cracking jokes like we usually do. Thanks for the fun time Shelly!

After Enrichment, I came home and realized it was going to freeze that night. So I parked the car towards the garden, turned the headlights on, and started pulling up my tomato plants. A lady down the street told me that I could put the green tomatoes in the cellar, and they would ripen throughout the winter. Brian came home with Vaughn a short while later and was pretty surprised to find someone in the back yard ripping up the garden. Then he realized it was me, and that didn't surprise him at all!
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On Wednesday, Laura came over to drop off the Honda so I could do some maintenance on it. Vaughn was asleep, and Laura just couldn't resist holding him. They were so cute together!
Vaughn didn't wake up, which really surprised me. I guess he knew it would be the perfect photo-opt!





Thursday was a busy day as well! Our good friend Marianne Firth, who just got married in August, came over for a visit during the day. We had a total blast! She was great to play with Vaughn. She sat with him at the piano and he played until he got really tired, as the picture shows!









I think Vaughn was trying to show off, so he decided to show us that he could play the piano all by himself! I think we're going to have to start him with piano lessons very soon!




















While Marianne was over we got on the subject of spiders and how much I hate them. So Marianne went out to her car and came back in with a huge bottle of bug spray! She was so funny! She told me it was the best stuff ever, and that it would create a barrier that bugs and spiders wouldn't cross. So she went all around our house, inside and out, and sprayed the doorways and windows and all the little nooks and crannies she could find! She was so cute!
For the rest of the afternoon, Marianne and I made Sweet 'n Sour Meatballs and talked! It was one of the more fun days I've had in a long time! By the way, for any of you who want the recipe, it is AMAZING!!!! I think these meatballs are my new favorite food! Marianne also gave me a recipe for German Chocolate Caramel-in-the-middle Brownies. They are to die for. Really, you'll die from how rich and tasty they are! Thanks Marianne for the WAY fun day!!!
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On Thursday evening I went over to Laura's apartment to see her for a little while. I brought Vaughn with me. Laura was just playing around with him, and Vaughn decided to walk! He took a few steps, and then would fall. But he worked his way up to five steps in a row without falling. VAUGHN IS WALKING!!!! So yes, Laura gets to say that he walked first with her. She was pretty happy about that! I didn't have my camera or my video camera with me that night, so here are a few pictures of him just standing.
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Friay was a very fun day for me and Vaughn! We went over to Ben and Emily's house and spent the entire day there! We were there from mid-morning until past 7:00pm I think! Emily was really great to let us come over. She and I have been trying to get together so she could help me make a costume for Vaughn for Halloween. We got the material set out and Emily cut almost all of it out for me, which really helped. She was amazing! I think if I would have cut it out it would have taken me a few hours. But because we were short on time, Emily offered to do it. She didn't even have to trace anything. She just eye-balled it and started cutting!

Autumn and Prarie were SO CUTE, as usual! Autumn was really great to play with Vaughn. She played puzzles with him and just taught him the ropes. They watched part of a show together, and just had fun.

We got a lot of sewing done! While the kids took their naps we really tried to fit a lot in. Emily is making costumes for Autumn and Prarie too. Emily is just the most amazing woman! I swear she is probably one of the most talented women I have ever met. She can do anything! She really helped me to get a great start on Vaughn's costume. I really think I will be able to get it done by Halloween. I can't wait to see what it looks like! Thanks Emily for all of the help, and for letting us trash your house and be there forever! And thanks for not getting sick of us! By the way...PRARIE IS SO ADORABLE!!!!! I love those cheeks!
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On Saturday morning Vaughn woke up with the worst bed head! We couldn't resist a picture!

And just a few more for the road...































We love you all!
Love, Lisa