Pettett Family

Halloween 2011

2011-11-21T15:25:00.000-08:00

Wes an Tim enjoying their caramel apples...

pumpkin carving...

mama's baby Dino...

my four candy collectors

Weston's 9th Birthday

2011-11-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

This year we decided to do something really fun. James and I rented out the gymnastics center for the birthday party. The kids had a blast! There were games, large rope swings, a large trampoline, zip line, bounce house, and free reign to all the gym equipment. I made Weston a dinosaur land cake which was all edible except for the Dino's. It was fun to make.

Cant believe my eldest is already nine. He's already wearing my shoes and up a little past my shoulder in height. I have a feeling I'll be the runt of the family once all have grown.

Apple Cider

2011-11-21T14:39:00.000-08:00

My brother-in-law Ian borrowed his parents cider mill for the weekend. We all got together at James' Grandfathers place and picked a truck load of golden delicious apple straight off the tree. Cleome, my mother-in-law, made us salmon chowder, corn bread, and fresh apple crisp. We all had lots of fun. There was about 30 gallons of cider made that day. My family made off with 5 gallons which we will be enjoying this Thanksgiving.

The Taste of Summer

2011-10-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

Apple butter. The last jam we will make this summer. It is quite the cumbersome jam to make too. After picking, slicing, boiling, smashing, stirring, and stirring, and stirring for hours, you get to enjoy 10 jars of it. Perfect jam for fall. Nothing says fall like pumpkin either. The two go hand in hand really. Pumpkin pancakes with home made apple butter and a dollop of whip cream, oh my, I can see my waist band expanding already.

Milton Freewater grows the best blueberries in the world, I think. Sweet, almost huckle berry flavored. We have made many crisps, smoothies, muffins, and pancake topping with blue berries. We really can't get enough.

Apricot jam. My favorite! Weston and I fight over this one too, making sure the other person doesn't take the last drop. James, he likes to add pineapple to his apricots. I must admit, I like it too.

Alli in Grandpa Clark's orchard picking cherries. I freeze these for the kids so they can enjoy them through out the year.

Strawberry jam. I made it all by my self this year. It came out delicious and beautiful in color. We also made cherry and blackberry jam. Both of those turned out amazing too. So, these delightful treats should help fight the winter blues. Good-bye summer...already looking forward to seeing you next year.

Camping Near Mt. Rainier

2011-08-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

This was our annual church camp out. They chose a beautiful camp ground near Mt Rainier call La Wis Wis. We set up our tent next to the hazy blue river on top of a soft pile of sand. It wasn't as "rugged" as my husband would have preferred, but it was fun to socialize with all our friends.
There were a couple trails off the road near our camp that we took on Sabbath. Like this little pretty waterfall that the kids enjoyed playing in. The water was ice cold, but that really doesn't stop most kids from getting in.

My beautiful baby girl enjoying the water. And yes, momma let her play in her underwear. Hehe!

Sleeping next to the river also made it peaceful for sleeping. Love the sound of rushing water. That and the feel of my cozy sleeping bag.

Baby Rowan slept well. Of course momma dressed him in fleece with 6 blankets for a bed. ...Cute lil'guy, love his lil'raindeer hat.

...and of course, when your a kid, you gotta torment the wild life.

Alli's 4th Birthday

2011-07-11T06:29:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, we had fun! It has got to be so awesome having a birthday in the summer. My birthday is smack in the middle of winter. I always wanted to some how change my birth date to one of those hot summer days. Playing in the water for a child is just one of the high lights of summer. When I look at the picture above, I can still hear the little squeals.

Bought Alli a little kiddie pool. She and her friends have much fun in it. The little girl next to her is a neighbor just two houses down. Her, Alli, and Claire can create quite to ruckus in the pool.

Alli wanted butterfly cupcakes this year. It wasn't my best creative moments, but the cake was tasty.

Just before we opened presents, Alli went into her room and put on her princess Bell dress. She loves to play dress up. She even received a Cinderella play dress for her birthday, which she wore around the house after the party was over.

This picture says it all for me. That's exactly what I wanted to do after all was said and done. ...precious Rowan baby.

Camping near Mt. Adams 2011

2011-07-06T07:58:00.000-07:00

Our family took a little vacation to the mountains this 4th of July. James and a couple of his siblings with friends went white water rafting too. It was really beautiful. Especially the view from this trail head. It was only about 2miles long, but goodness, I am out of shape. From the top you could see Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and Mt. Saint Helen's. Rowan was the same age Alli was when we took her on her first camping/backpacking trip. Only 8 weeks old.

Perfect place to eat lunch. Really enjoyed my time with Clover and Eddie who came down from Bellingham to join the fun. They stayed at the campsite with me while the others went rafting. They made it much more enjoyable for me and the kids. I'm looking forward to being an Auntie again once their little bundle of joy enters the world. Rowan and their baby will only be 7 months apart.

Alli was a trooper. She walked the majority of the time up the trail, but coming down she got really tired. Uncle Ian came to her rescue.

Perfect title for this scene.

My Boys Summer Concert 2011

2011-07-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk4p5qfJuPw

Click on the link above to view Wes an Tim at there summer concert. Can you tell which crazy kid is mine? Oh yeah, the one in the middle that can't hold still, = )

2011-04-18T10:17:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpZmoMkaC6M Watch my 7 year old Long Board! His first day! Click on the link above.

Timmy's 7th Birthday

2011-04-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

Timmy and Weston were actually kidnapped by their Aunt Rissa for the weekend. They made their way up to Bellingham to spend an eventful weekend with their Aunt Clover. They spent time at the beach looking at and petting the wild life there. They had a great time. Upon their arrival home, James an I planned a surprise party for Timmy. All the neighborhood kids came over for a hot dog roast with cake an ice cream. One of the presents Timmy received was from his Uncle Nate. Timmy's been asking for a Long Board (skate board) for a while now, and finally got one. He is actually doing very well on it. We plan, cross our fingers, to take the boys skiing and snow boarding this winter since the boys will be home this Christmas. The Long Boarding skills should help Tim when he begins to learn to snow board. ...it was a good birthday.

Beautiful Spring 2011

2011-04-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

We upgraded Alli's bike today. No more tricycle. We need to upgrade Timmy's bike too. It's amazing how fast kids grow. I love being out doors with the kids, especially when it's beautiful outside. The grass is green and all is starting to bloom. Still amazed we are adding one more child to the family. More adventures on the way.

Update

2011-03-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

So many things to update you about, but little time. My tummy has been growing and growing with lots and lots of movement. We are all getting excited about baby boy coming to join our family. In the mean time, we are all busy preparing for our new addition and loving life. Timmy lost his first tooth! There's a funny story here. Timmy was out in the car munch en on a honey stick I picked up for the kids at a health food store. He was trying to get every last drop out of the straw by running his teeth on it from bottom to the top. On his last effort to grab the last drop, out popped his tooth. James snapped a photo of him and the tooth before putting it into a ziploc for the tooth fairy. Well, the tooth fairy never made it that night. James and I were exhausted and forgot all about it! Poor Timmy awoke with the tooth still under his pillow. James made up a quick story about how sometimes the tooth fairy works over time and sometimes doesn't get to all the teeth in the world. He convinced Timmy to leave the tooth under the pillow till he got home from school. Poor Timmy. Not the best tooth fairy experience, but he got $5 which is more then a "big shiny quarter" which is what I got as a kid.

One of my best-est friends came down from Idaho with her family and visited us for the weekend. The first day I invited 20+ people over for vespers and homemade taco soup. It was so nice seeing everyone. The next night, which required some "teeth pulling." My friends husband seems to have a hard time doing things separate from his wife. But, we managed to make our get away to the nail spa and get a pedicure. Oh, it felt so good on my poor swollen feet. Then we headed over to the Thai restaurant with two other girlfriends of mine. It was delicious! We then headed back to my house and ended the night with ice cream and a chick flick. It was so much fun. Every girl needs this at least once a month.
That Sunday James and Nate made their way to White Pass. They had so much fun. The snow was great, and the weather beautiful. Wish my husband could do this more often. Need to get the boys out to the ski hill. Looks like we'll save such plans for next year cuz spring is now in the air. Whew Hew!

Christmas Program 2010

2010-12-20T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Boys Christmas Program 2010

2010-12-20T19:17:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En7sCJHeBNs

Our NEW Christmas tree

2010-11-29T17:48:00.000-08:00

When I married, I inherited all the hand-me-down Christmas decorations. It served it's purpose well but, every time I decorated the tree I felt it looked like something straight out of a Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon. So this year I decided to make it the year our family gets beautiful new decorations of our own. I chose gold, silver, copper, and a deep red for the colors. I'm hoping for the motivation to make some ornaments with the kids too. I think I'll grab some pine cones from off our tree and glue an almond to it with glitter and feathers to make some more Christmas birds. ...more pictures to come.

White Thanksgiving

2010-11-27T19:55:00.000-08:00

The snow was great for making this snowman. Nate and James assembled him for me. Nate even got the tree saw out and sculpted his round physique. James gets the credit for giving him buck teeth.

Rissa and Kelvin. Don't you wish sometimes you were that small so someone could pull you around?

The snow fortress. Made for an awesome snow ball fight experience.

My silly girl.

Thanksgiving was great this year. We all made it together. The food was great. We definitely didn't lack pumpkin pie as there were 5 all together. I experimented on the turkey this year. I made a sage citrus brine and soaked the turkey in it for 2 days. It was really delicious. I think I lost 4 hours of sleep the night before thinking I ruined the turkey. But, all enjoyed it and even some said it was one of the best turkeys they've had. That was so awesome to hear. Some of the leftover turkey is going to make green enchiladas tomorrow, =).

Fall time fun

2010-11-14T16:16:00.000-08:00

I really love this tree that's on the side of our home. The vibrant colors make it look like its on fire. The seed pods turn a deep red too accentuating the look.

We have racked the leaves twice now. I look up in the huge maple tree and see we will yet be racking a least another two times. Today was beautiful as the boys and I racked in our tee shirts. Can't believe its November.

This is the canal above our house. We like to walk down it often. It wraps around the hill. You can look out over the Tri-Cities in some places. The kids and I had fun cracking open rocks to see the different layers and sparkles inside. The trail ends at a park just a block from our home.

This is Alli and her bestest friend who lives just a couple houses down. They are just 4 days apart. They are adorable to play with. I made the girls some pink play dough to play with.

Love this Japanese maple. It grows by our front door. Our large living room windows frame it's beauty. Love to gaze out the window to see the sunlight glisten on the leaves.

Canoe Trip

2010-10-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

I was not able to go on this trip, but enjoyed all the pictures that Rissa took. Even though the kids love boating down the river you gotta take a moment to get out and play in the water.

The river went by these awesome sand dunes. You can see they weren't the only people there enjoying the warm slopes.

They let the kids out of the boat before hitting the white water, =)

Cute kids!

Pioneers in the making.

Our Family

2010-09-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

My Wonderful Children

2010-09-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

Portland Zoo

2010-08-29T20:21:00.001-07:00

We were able to watch a bird show who's trainers allowed the birds to fly through the audience. We sat right in the middle of the crowd, and saw a number of birds fly right over our heads. It is amazing how big and powerful a bald eagle looks only five feet above your head in mid flight.

This was a vulture named Pierre who took donations right from your hand.

I thought this monkey was very unique looking...almost beautiful.

Wes and Alli with the Sea Lions.

Julies House, Lincoln City

2010-08-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

I tried hard to pack each moment of the day with non stop activities. Yes, my family was very tired when all was said and done, but what awesome memories we have for a lifetime.
The picture above is of all of us going on a 4 mile hike up a good size hill to view the ocean from it's peak. It was awesome!

Can't go to the beach without all your equipment to build a sand castle. Hours of fun for the whole family.

It's not quite the Oregon coast without the wind. Perfect for trying out those kite flying skills. But C-C-C-Cold.

Wes found himself a little Crawdad in the small stream that flowed into the ocean. He made some friends too as he showed off his prized capture.

Boogy-boarding was a blast! Thanks to Julie allowing us to use her wet suits, we were able to play all day in the water and not freeze to death.

So much fun. I can't wait to go again. James and I tend to make plans to go again next summer. Next time he's gonna rent a wet suit, if there is one that'll fit him, HA!

Newport Aquariam

2010-08-29T08:43:00.001-07:00

They had a couple of these half pipe walkways. The last one was full of sharks and sting rays.

We visited the petting exhibit more then once. There were even crabs and sea cucumbers that were fun to hold.

LOT'S of beautiful jelly fish.

These were Japanese king crabs. Big, ugly, but fascinating.

Fourth of July Part Two

2010-07-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

We saved our spot next to the river after the boat races. We were right in front of the river barge that shoots off the fireworks. You think this might be weird to set a spot to view the fireworks at 12 in the afternoon, but there were lots of people doing the same. We shared this spot with 3 other families so we took shifts. On our shift, we consumed this delicious strawberry -blueberry -short cake Meg made.

It was surprisingly cool for that evening. Usually we are still dipping in sweat in July.

....the suns going down

Then the long awaited for light show.

4th of July 2010 Part One

2010-07-06T19:06:00.000-07:00

My husband and his friends participated in a cardboard boat race down the Columbia. All these boats are truly made out of cardboard, glue, tape, and paint. One of my favorites is this cuttle fish boat. A dad with his two girls raced down the river. Not very fast, but super adorable.

My husband is the one in the middle in the white boat. The girl with the blue back pack is part of the news team out there video taping it all. Our boys smoked the red boat.

WE MADE 3rd! They're already putting together plans for a faster boat for next year. The guy in the cardboard kayak got first.

Alli's 3rd B-Day!

2010-07-06T18:40:00.001-07:00

The weather was just right. Maybe a little to cool for swimming, but just right for a game of bocce ball. As you can see, the game can get a little competitive, hehehe.

Fun gifts! This woodland princess has been played with everyday since.

Butterfly birthday cake. I made Cleomes homemade carrot cake. I wanted the butterfly to be 3-D but the cake was to heavy and sticky, and I couldn't get it out of the pan, Ha! ...Oh well, it was good anyway. The BBQ was good, and the company was great!

Tree Monkey

2010-06-06T19:42:00.000-07:00

Farewell Camping with my boys

2010-06-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

Sabbath morning James sprung upon me the idea of camping before the boys leave to Canada. So, we did. After church we raced home, packed the car, and raced off to the mountains. I need to also mention that James talked are friends John and Angela with their children into going. I'm so glad they went. The more the merrier. The boys fished and played hard. They ended the day with an adventurous morel mushroom hunt.

I love this picture! Andrew sporting his dirt mustache, and Wes with his prized capture.

Isn't this little guy so cute?

James made breakfast. Pancakes with fresh strawberries and homemade blueberry/strawberry jam. Since this trip was spur of the moment, we were destined to leave something behind. I forgot the oil. But a friendly neighbor come to our rescue when I presented my frying pan with a desperate face.

The neighbors were very friendly at this campground. They saw we had kids and gave us their left over colossal size marshmallows and chocolate bars. The size of these marshmallows were like four regulars put together. The kids loved them! We all enjoyed them. Thank- you Hunny for such a great time. Family memories that will last forever.

Alli's Bedroom

2010-06-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

...will post more pictures later. I just couldn't wait to show you. The picture does no justice to the true color of this room. The other walls are a light lavender. I'm ordering new light switch, outlet covers to match. It is so beautiful. So girly.

New Flowers

2010-06-01T20:07:00.001-07:00

I know it looks a little barren in some areas, but the kinds of flowers I have in these barrels will get very bushy soon. I love sitting on my back swing listening to the birds sing, children laugh, and smell my fragrant flowers. Now all I need is to invite some people over this weekend for a BBQ. I love summer

Alli and Wes

2010-05-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

Roast'm Toast'm Kinda Day

2010-05-09T08:03:00.000-07:00

Just for Me...

2010-05-06T16:50:00.000-07:00

When I picked up the boys from school today, I was showered with gifts, hugs, and kisses. They don't have school tomorrow, so my mothers day presents came early. They have been working on these projects for some time. Every once in a while they would tell me they were working on something at school for me, but didn't want to tell me what it was. It was a big surprise! They are such special gifts. Weston made the quilt picture, and Timmy Shea made the herb garden. I hung the picture in the kitchen, since that's where I feel I am the most, and Timmy will help me transplant the herbs into my pots outside giving them plenty of room to grow.

Timmy's 6th Birthday

2010-04-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun! I found some cool outdoor games to play. One of the games was Cat Tails. You take a long piece of cloth, or in this case streamer paper, and attach it to the back of your pants. The object of this game is to stomp on your opponents "tail" and to be the last guy with your tail still attached.

This was a relay race where you pass the balloon down the line and the person on the end has to stuff it up their shirt. First team to get it all in the shirt, without dropping the balloons, WINS!

I feel my creativity is lacking when it comes to making birthday cakes these days. But, Timmy loves his big number six race track with hot wheels race cars. So, I guess that's what really matters.

Opening up the gifts is always the best part of being a kid.

So I asked Timmy what his favorites were so far, and Optimus Prime won hands down.

Timmy's 6th Birthday

2010-04-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

The kids had so much fun with this three legged race. We all laughed so hard.

Our First Canoe

2010-04-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

Easter 2010

2010-04-04T16:37:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite parts of celebrating Easter is making sweets. Weston really enjoys being in the kitchen with me too. I'm teaching him how to crack eggs and beat them with a hand beater. And of course, whatever it is, if it has sugar in the mix, he wants to lick the bowl.

Coloring eggs is so much fun, but a lot of work when your out numbered.

Easter feast of enchiladas, Mexican pasta salad, homemade bean and avocado dip, and the kids favorite, homemade Mexican rice.

The hunt

We like to get the kids one present a piece for Easter on top of all the candy. Wes and Timmy are really into Bionicle Lego creatures these days, so that's what we got'em. Alli got a new baby doll.

Wes an I

2010-03-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

...at the mother and son banquet. My 2 neighbors invited us to attend a fundraiser for the Seattle Children's Hospital. We had a great time. We first went out with 6 other mother and son couples to Red Robin. Then we headed to Meadow Springs Country Club where the event was being held. There was a dance floor and tons of yummy desserts, Wes had 4 of them and participated in lots of dance floor games. There were a lot of rowdy kids. Wes was really shy at first, but made friends with another shy kid. The two of them helped each other to break their shyness. Next year I hope to find something similar to take Timmy to.

Sand Dunes

2010-03-14T08:45:00.001-07:00

This photo was taken on our way back. James and I estimated that the hike was about 4 miles round trip. The sand dunes were massive in some places making the hike a great -labor-intensive- excursion. This is why all my children are hiding under this sage brush for a little rest.

Dad taught Wes to run as fast as you can on the sand dune and... jump !!!

The sand was still wet in some places. We of coarse had to take advantage of making sand castles.

Dad found a lizard!

I think this photo beautifully demonstrates the massiveness of the sand dunes.

Healthy Living

2010-02-22T15:50:00.000-08:00

For my birthday, James bought me a long desired for vegetarian cookbook. I want my kids to have home cooked meals, which they already do, but I'm needing more variety. This was the first meal I made for lunch. It is Italian sauce with veggies and ricotta cheese, veggie crumble, and a Italian biscuit topping with mozzarella and olives. It was a good one, but their all time favorite is tortellini soup with blue cheese biscuits, which I didn't get a picture of.

The weather has been incredible down here. We decided to spend the Sabbath day on the river by where James grew up on the farm. We had lots of fun exploring. The boys climbed "mountains" attempting to catch wild beasts, "lizards", and see who could make the biggest splash in the water. Weston told me he wishes he could live there so he could do that everyday. I know that stung a chord in James' heart as he wish to give his boys a similar situation comparable to his upbringing. I got to walk alone with Timmy as James, Alli, and Wes explored the hill tops. Timmy likes adventure, but sometimes leans towards the low key side of exploration. In our walk he tells me, "Mom, I want to be a missionary when I grow-up." I reply, "When you grow-up?! Timmy, Jesus wants you to be one now." It was an awesome conversation as I told him how being a missionary didn't mean you had to travel to Africa. He also inquired in to the idea of being baptized. I love it! Oh, Lord I pray that as he grows the bad influences of this world don't keep him from having a heart pure for God, and that the desires of his heart will not be moved.

One More Year

2010-02-02T20:56:00.000-08:00

One more year. I really don't like adding years to the ones I already have, but I really don't get a choice. It's sometimes hard to figure out what to do on my birthday. Skiing? Hot Tubbing? Snow shoeing? Ahh, that's about it. But, this year my awesome husband made it special. For three weeks he had been planning me a surprise party. Family traveled down, and tons of my friends from Walla Walla, and here in Tri-Cities, came to celebrate. I had no clue! Didn't see this one coming, he was that good. The food was excellent. Of course, it was Thai. And the laughter and fun lasted till the wee hours of the morning. I would love to show you pictures, but I was unprepared. If I knew I was gonna have a party, I would have remembered it, hehehe.

Cinnamon & Sugar

2010-01-17T10:51:00.000-08:00

Here is one of my families favorite reasons why they like my famous homemade veggi pot pie. I make enough dough for James to make a pumpkin pie. Then I roll out the extra crust trimmings, cookie cut shapes onto a cookie sheet, and then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. I then bake them for a couple minutes. While the pies are baking, we savor every bite of the delicious sweet flakiness. We could have gotten a picture of us enjoying these scrumcious treats, but we were too busy stuffing our face.

Winter Vacation

2010-01-03T14:50:00.001-08:00

This is the park just behind our home. It doesn't snow much here in Richland, but enough for us to play in. It's always fun to be the first to start new tracks in the snow.

I love this picture! If I could of only been able to capture the screams of joy as they raced down the hill for you to hear.

You gotta make a quick -trick- stack.

Our back porch.

And there's nothing like a bear ride from Grandpa Tom. We did have lots of fun this break. And also did tons more work in our backyard today, prepping for spring. The boys are off to school tomorrow, =( ...or so Weston feels. I am really looking forward to warm weather again, but would really like it to snow enough to sled one more time.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-26T15:01:00.000-08:00

Just a few of the many wonderful highlights this Christmas with the Pettett family...

5 more days till Christmas

2009-12-20T20:11:00.000-08:00

We are all eagerly awaiting Christmas morning when family all gathers around, wrapping paper goes flying, and excitement springs forth from my little ones like finding buried treasure. Its been a long year, so much has happened, all of our lives have changed so much, but all for the better. I'm looking forward to the next year as we make our new home more special for our family. We have plans for a garden, expanding the grass areas to play, and of coarse a tree play house with a zip line that runs from the play house to the back porch. I especially can't wait for color to be added to the walls, Allis room to be decorated, and more family photos to hang in the hall way. I really look forward to adding another year to my marriage as I believe I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Fireplace

2009-11-19T10:14:00.000-08:00

Please forgive the over saturation of yellow in this picture, our camera doesn't do well in the the dark. This last week, we decided to build a fire and experience its warmth and beauty in our new home. We gathered around daddy on a blanket with mugs of steamy hot chocolate in our hands topped with marshmallows. Dad grabbed a book from the shelf and we all listened as he read the story of a famous classic fairytale. It is only a week away till my family arrives for Thanksgiving. I have no idea how I'm going to get 18 people in a photo around the fireplace, but it will be fun trying!

My yard in the Fall

2009-11-02T12:56:00.000-08:00

The top picture is where the front yard meets the back. I really love the tree that twist and turns in the trunk and branches as it grows. In the spring and summer it's a lovely dark shade of green. In the fall, the leaves almost look like they're on fire.

This is the same opening, just 30ft or so farther back.

This is my favorite tree. I think it's called a Chinese maple, not sure. This is what I get to look at every day from my living room. Green in the spring, and vibrant red in the fall.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

A really good friend from work gave me this Tigger costume. When I brought it home Timmy loved it. It also has a noise maker in the paw, tigger voice. I loved it cause I knew it would keep him warm...and adorable.

Isn't she so cute! The costume is a caterpillar, but she also looks like a bee. Daddy carried her most the time while trick-r-treat'n. Trying to keep up with her brothers who ran from house to house was exhausting.

Weston saw one of those blow-up spiders you put in your yard for Halloween and told me that's what he wanted to dress up as. So, this is my attempt at replicating the spider. He LOVES it. He would have slept in it if I had let him. But, he is wearing it today. I figure he can wear it till one of those legs rips open, then it's going in the trash.

Sorry, my camera ran out of juice so pictures are a little blurry.

The Balloon Stomp

2009-10-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

Half the kids were already out of the game by the time I reached for my camera. It was a riot!

Westons 7th B-Day

2009-10-25T18:27:00.001-07:00

This was such a high energy birthday party. We invited 5 kids from the neighborhood, 4 kids from church, and 3 of the kids cousins, together with our 3...oh my, it was busy. There was only 2 parents that stayed to help corral the chaos. We started out with decorating pirate hats to wear on our treasure hunt adventure. We allowed them time to dry by playing a game of stomp the balloon. I will post a video for your enjoyment. We then ate cake and ice cream. That cake was all James's creation. Opening presents was like opening a box of meat in the middle of a wolf pack. I was scared Weston was going to get trampled..lol. James stepped in and started directing children to sit down on the couch to watch. We then headed outside for the treasure hunt. It was very fun and cute watching all the kids with their hats on trying to find the clues to the treasure box. ...the boys told me they had a blast...that makes it all worth it.

Family Room Makeover

2009-10-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

So when we bought the house, we both had plans to make this family room into a library room. It is very pretty with the natural woods and fireplace. When you see it you will want to grab a book and sit cozy next to the fire....your husband running fingers through your hair, eating grapes, with children sleeping...Ahhh...okay back to reality.

It still has some work to be done. Color on the white walls. What do you think about green? Or a warmer color...and do you see that large block of wood behind the ladder? That is the top of my fireplace. We plan to rip that down and place a rock backing there instead. The people who first had this house must have realy liked wood.

...sorry for the blurry picture...in all reality my love did most of the work

Spirit Week at School

2009-10-07T16:33:00.000-07:00

Crazy Hair Day. I wish I would have had Wes turn sideways, cuz he had the coolest Mohawk...they loved it!

Mariel's Baby Shower

2009-10-01T16:17:00.001-07:00

Alli just adored lil'Ezra. It was fun to watch Alli interact using her version of mothering skills.

Grandma and Alli

...I'm so glad your having a baby girl Mary...you will truly love it!

Alli, Grandpa, and Caleb

...of course when you go to Lion's Park, you have to feed the ducks.

3 Years of Bliss

2009-09-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

James and I celebrated our 3rd Anniversary with dinner and a movie. James took me to the Monterosso's Italian restaurant in Richland. It was such a romantic quit place. A place were you can hear your lover whisper sweetness into your ear while taking in the formal dinning atmosphere. We ended the night curled up on the couch watching a movie. This next year we plan to take a honeymoon vacation. ...can't wait to see my sister in Hawaii.

Yard Makeover

2009-09-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

This is what the kids and I did early morning while daddy was at the store picking up materials to fix two of our sprinklers and trim our enormous blue spruce.

This Blue Spruce is so large that the back side from about 6ft down is all dead branches. It takes up a good chunk of the yard too. So here is what we plan.

First, James cut down all those dead branches.

Now I have this huge pile of branches..lol, but those will be towed away to the dump soon. James has planned to build a bench that circles around the base of the tree. We will be planting grass where all those branches are and up to the tree trunk. I guess grass can grow under Blue Spruce pine trees cause there are many in our neighborhood with grass all the way up to the base of the tree. Ah, it will be very beautiful when it's all done.

Fair 2009

2009-09-02T16:47:00.001-07:00

We rode lots of rides. Weston even got to ride the big Ring of Fire roller coaster with dad. He's tall for his age, thanks to dad. He was the only "little kid" hopping on that ride. It's terrifying for me to ride at 30 years of age! I guess I'm just a whimp.

We entered the goat milking contest...

Feed the sheep...

Jumped high into the air...

And brought home souvenirs with lots of awesome memories.

Last Day of Summer Vacation

2009-08-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

I have been waiting to do something really fun with the boys this summer. Something more then just the fishing and swimming at the river with trips to the park to play. But, we are on a budget. With James in school, the boys in Private school, Alli at a babysitter, and a house payment all on a single income can really put a damper on family vacation. So I asked some friends at work who suggested we visit the Aquatic Park in Pendleton OR. It was totally worth the hour drive in the car. The kids had a blast! I spent time in the shallow end with Alli as we floated on our stomachs while crawling our way around with our hands making growling sounds as we pretended to be Alligators. Weston was such an awesome partner to go down the large swirling slides together. We would race down the tubes ending in a big splash with water up the nose. And Timmy, my boy who knows how to lay back and relax in the hot tub, Ahhh. Daddy and him also spent time having water fights with the built in water guns and dunking each other with the teeter tatter. I hope we can make one more trip before we say good bye to this warm weather. All the boys start school tomorrow...back to life again.

Arabela's 1st Birthday

2009-08-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

Duane and Noelle invited us to join the fun in celebrating their daughters first birthday. It is amazing how time flies. She is truly a beautiful little girl with parents who celebrate every moment of the joy she brings to them.

This was the best one year old Birthday party I've ever been to. The food was excellent, jumping castle for the kids, and of course...

...a pinata full of candy. This Pinata was quite resistant to breaking though. After every child had their try at breaking it open, even a kid in his teens with a broom handle, James then ripped it open with his hands...LOL

Ohh Ana, we sure miss you and wish to spend more time with you. We look forward to seeing you this Winter...must get more pictures!

Playing with Friends

2009-08-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

One of the bonuses of living where we do is this park that is just two houses down from us. James offered to watch Colby, one of the boy's friends, for the day. They spent all day jumping on the trampoline, smashing bugs, playing super hero's, and playing at this park. I love watching them play. We have a couple of fun trips coming up to bring this summer to an end before school starts. One is to take the boys to a water park, and of course FISHING...Wes can't stop asking his dad when they're going. So next week will be fun days at Grandmas house. I love my family. The memories we make together will never be taken away.

Perseverance Wins Again

2009-08-04T22:11:00.000-07:00

Many of you know we were having troubles putting Alli to sleep in the evening. We were sticking to our routine of bath, brush teeth, story, water, hugs kisses, sing song, then pray to Jesus. Somewhere in all this Alli decided that she did not want to sleep, correction, she decided that sleeping was not what she was going to do and staying in her room was complete torture. I'm a sucker for crying, most of the time, and even more when it comes to sleep. So I would break down and lay down next to her till she was asleep. This was an awful idea which just made it worse. She knew at some time I would leave so she slept with "one eye open" ...hours of trying to leave her bed only to be drawn back by the crys for momma. James and I were exhausted to say the least. So James came to my rescue. He spent a week sitting outside Alli's door gently reminding her saying "get back in your bed and lay down please" over and over. She HATED it. Ohh she'd cry and cry, but he would move farther and farther away till he was around the corner and out of sight. She would get up out of bed go around the corner only to see daddy with raised eyebrows telling her to get back in bed. Today has marked one full week that we have put Alli in bed and she STAYS in bed. No crying, no getting up out of bed, I can just hear her sing herself to sleep. Ohh what bliss to have a baby that sleeps. What an awesome gift my husband is to me.

James 30th B-day

2009-07-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

Mom made James a chocolate Reese's peanut butter cup cake. YUM! I lit the candles in the house but when I went through the sliding glass door all but 3 of the candles went out, lol

We had quite a number of children come, of course we had to throw out the slip-n-slide, no summer party is complete without water play.

...or playing a game of Frisbee. I bought James a Bocce ball set, although for some reason I didn't get any pictures of us playing. Thanks to all 25 of friends and family making this special for Jamee

More of Alli

2009-07-20T18:18:00.000-07:00

Pro Photos

2009-07-20T18:10:00.000-07:00

I found a photographer that took 114 pictures of Alli, James, and I and did "antique" look to some of the photos. We have a CD full of wonderful pictures like the ones above.

4th of July

2009-07-06T18:46:00.000-07:00

Thank you momma Cleome for making this delicious carrot cake for Alli!

Alli not only had her own serving, but went around the family taste testing everyone elses cake.

Then we made it to Christine's Birthday party and stuffed our faces with DELICIOUS Indian food and cake.

Ahhhh, it was so wonderful to listen to our friend Milo play the guitar, giving praise to Jesus, as we closed the Sabbath day. I miss all my friends in Walla Walla even though I'm only 45min away.

And then there is nothing like laying in the grass on the VA hospital hilltop watching the firework's being lit right in front of you. Curled up next to my husband, hearing my baby girl ohh and aww over the sight....what a great weekend.

Alli is TWO!

2009-07-02T15:03:00.000-07:00

Momma got her a tricycle for her birthday. More to come as this weekend we will celebrate her birthday.

High Lights of Our New Home

2009-06-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

We have 15ft ceilings! Uggh, I don't want to paint but can't wait to put some color in this room. Big pictures needed! In fact the whole house has white interior walls which is awesome cuz I can not wait to color it beautiful...with my own special touch.

To the left of this picture stands a HUGE maple tree. I'm sure it's birth date was some where around creation. We plan to do some trimming in this backyard to open it up. like taking out this big gravel pit in front of me and laying some grass in it. This yard has some unique shrubbery too. It's awesome to see in person. The backyard is very private, and it feels 5 degrees cooler do to all the shade. The tall trees block the neighbors view from their 2 story homes. Beautiful!

This yard is truly beautiful, just needs a little TLC. I have big plans for it such as lighted walk way, new bark, flowers, wild grass...ahh the list is long but I'm excited! You just have to see some of the landscaping our neighbors have done. Amazing work! I'm glad I'm in the corner of the cul-de-sac hiding till work is done.

The picture above was taken from inside my living room. It is so fantastic! With sights like this, who need TV. These tall large windows take up virtually the whole wall.

Weston Casting

2009-06-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

Daddy taught him awhile ago how to cast on his own. If it was up to me I would have bought Wes one of those push button reels because I thought they were easier to learn on. Guess that is me underestimating Wes's ability. He does a great job. It's so cute to see Wes's leg kick up each time he casts too.

Fish'n With the Big Boys

2009-06-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

This was a snake Wes caught all on his own. I'm not a big fan of snakes, but I think it's so cool Wes is into all the creepy crawly thing of this Earth.

This snake actually took a couple bites of Weston's finger, but that didn't stop him from bringing the snake to me to show off his favorite finding of the day.

Each time Uncle Doug and Wes would catch a fish, Wes would bring it to me to OOOO an AHH over. This little fishy was caught and released back to his home.

Can you see the fish hanging by the hook? ....thank you uncle Doug for a great time fishing!

Packing! and MORE...Packing!

2009-06-10T15:33:00.000-07:00

Uggh! I just have to keep positive. We move into our new home next week. I'm so excited, and exhausted all at the same time. James and I drove by our new home this morning. Ahh...I love it! We took a walk up a path right next to the house that leads to a park, a beautiful park. This August I want to throw an open house party. I'll let you know more when that time grows closer.

Spring Concert

2009-06-05T18:27:00.001-07:00

...hopefully I will obtain a recording of this concert from one of our friends at church. The boys sang so well, and Timmy Shea looked so cute when he did the action songs. Tomorrow we are off for a weekend of fishing!

Our Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-25T19:09:00.000-07:00

It was so hard to choose what photos to post! There were so many great moments captured on photo, I just hope you see the smiles on our faces which tell it all. The photo above was taken on our last day at camp which was located near Chinook pass. The boys had so much fun. Weston asked me if we could move there. ...James wore a proud expression from that comment.

Can't pass up those giant logs in our path to climb and conquer!

We visited Boulder Cave. This is the river that runs through it. Beautiful isn't it.

You have to wear your head lamps for this adventure. Aunt Clover bought the boys each their own lamp. Good thing cause I forgot mine back at camp. I took that moment to hold Weston's hand as he guided me through the cave. It was quite the adventure as Weston would frequently search the walls for bats instead of looking at the path. Our shoes were very muddy by the end of the path, hahahaha.

A picturesque moment by the waterfall. There was also a day James and I took a 1/2 hour drive to Mt. Rainier. I regret leaving the camera back at camp. The mountain was BEAUTIFUL! There was still snow banks 8ft tall along the road. We saw many hardcore skiers and snowboarders hiking up the mountain with their gear on their back. Wish I would have know about this, I would have packed the sleds for the kids. We didn't, however, pass up a good'ol snowball fight! We were all feeling a little soggy by the end of the day. There were marshmallow roasts every night, and frequent trips down the road to look for frogs in the local pond. Another great weekend full of wonderful memories.

Weekend at Great Grandfathers

2009-05-20T11:18:00.000-07:00

Visit From the Tooth Fairy

2009-05-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

This cute little boy spit a little tooth out of his mouth last Sunday while waiting for Dad to make another one of his famous crepe breakfasts. That night I found a little white draw-sting bag, perfect for a "tooth fairy" surprise. I slipped 8 quarters into it and made the exchange under the pillow while the sandman worked his magic.

My Job...Outside of Home

2009-05-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, so you know my job is not "dinner table" conversation, but I do love it. I love the people I work with, my boss, and even the routine work my job entails on a day to day bases. There are moments that are not so routine like holding a young teenage girl by the hand while a doctor tells her that her whole colon is full of cancer and she will need it to be removed with in the next two days to prevent spread through out her body...if it hasn't already. Thus leaving her with a colostomy bag the rest of her life. There are happy times too. Like when I get called in to see a patient who's blood levels are in the toilet, very unstable, and our team goes in to stop the bleeding. This next month we will be moving this portion of the surgical team out to the KGH medical mall which will take up a very large space to do treatments and routine screenings. We will have our own unit secretary, dressing rooms, and waiting room. These things this team has amazingly survived without for many many years. I will continue to take call at the hospital though, which is only one day a week and one weekend a month. Otherwise work is 5 days a week 8 hrs a day, out just in time to spend time with the kids when they are out of school.

So here is some exciting news. My boss asked if I would like to go on a business trip this June to San Jose CA to learn more about the equipment and new technology. I get to go with one of our Techs for 2 nights all expenses paid, and I get paid. Isn't that awesome!

Timmy's 5th Birthday

2009-04-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

He asked for it. Another pinata b-day party. What kid doesn't like pulverising something with a stick especially when you get candy for all the work.

...my attempt at making the Transformers logo face.

Weston asked me this morning why his birthday can't be in the spring time so he can have outdoor parties. I share his grief, as my birthday is right smack in the middle of winter. Our family is looking forward to having a home with an extra family room that James and I can host sleep overs and fun indoor party activities for our children. I pray that time will be soon. Just waiting for the open door.

Look Whos Riding 2 Wheels!

2009-04-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

This was a week ago. He's getting better and better each time I see him ride. Has no problem keeping up with Wes and the other kids on the block.

Easter Sunday '09

2009-04-17T16:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks Pam for those delicious rice crispy bird nests...

The boys, Colby, Weston, and Timmy, each had their own little hunt when it came time to gather eggs. James hide three secret black eggs that the boys eagerly looked for to win the prize of a Transformer. This is a picture of Wes with his dino transformer.

Sabbath Fun

2009-04-12T12:07:00.000-07:00

Our friends Pam and Don and their three children invited us out for a kayak ride in the Columbia river. The kids had a blast. We are so excited we found a family who loves the outdoors as much as we do. We have already planned camping trips, hiking, and fishing trips with the canoe with them this spring.

The Church had a family bike ride planned at the park as well. This is our friend Tom show'n off his moves on his unicycle : ).

My Timmy Shea does know how to ride a two wheel bike! Yeah!...but he does have some minor difficulty starting off on his own and keeping a steady pace. He's only been riding a 2 wheel for 2 days now. So, for this bike ride, our friend Gordon hooked up his 3rd wheel to his bike and pulled Timmy along. Timmy thought it was soo cool.

Celebrating the Small Stuff

2009-04-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Finally! A warm sunny day, not a hint of a breeze, just the warmth of the sun that penetrates deep down to your bones. Today I worked up a sweat, isn't that crazy!? It feels like it's been forever since I worked up a sweat from playing in the sun. I have been teaching Timmy how to ride a bike. Wes was 4 years old when we taught him. It took us almost 2 day to where we could get him to ride off on his own for about 5 seconds without crashing. Wes would get frustrated, but he was determined to learn. Timmy I thought would be easier. Not to say Wes was tough, but Timmy catches on pretty quick to new things, trying to keep up with his brother. But for some reason he really gets impatient with himself when it comes to riding a 2 wheel bike. I even start off with a little pep talk to Timmy saying " Baby, it's not easy learning to ride a bike, and there will be times you will fall, but you are my smart strong boy and I know you can do it" ...10 minutes later he's ready to through in the towel. That's when my super duper mother skills really come into play. This is when you really hype-up the small stuff. My couching skills turn into " Timmy Shea! Did you see what you just did! You kept the bike up, riding on your own for three whole seconds! (As Wes cheers him on, "See Timmy, I knew you could do it"! ) Timmy was very proud of himself. After about 20 min. we took a break so it would be more of a fun event instead of him feeling like I was pushing him too hard. Tomorrow is a new day with new things to learn, I hope it's a nice one too. We will update you with pictures of Timmy's success in the future.

Enjoying Spring

2009-03-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

There is something extra special about spring when you have children

My Precious Moments Boy

2009-03-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

I love cuddle time with all my children, but there is something special when Timmy Shea cruels up in my arms. I take these moments everyday, especially before James and I tuck the children in at night. The picture above captures one of these moments. The sad look on Timmy's face is due to the picture taker (Daddy) telling Timmy it's time for bed. My little cuddle bug and I milk the clock for every moment of sweet luv'n.

I through a last years summer picture in of my little guy to wet your appetite for summer. Living in the Tri-Cities we have some of the sweetest juiciest produce in the nation. Stay tune for captured moments of watermelon grins and slip-n-slid action.

Hail Storm, Tri-Cities Style

2009-03-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

Weston, my adventurous boy, as soon as he saw the miniature hard snow balls fall he bolted out the door say'n "I wanna know what it feels like"! He didn't stop there. He also got a real good taste, as he ran against the pelting force of the hail. It was an awesome sight.

20 Months Old

2009-03-08T19:42:00.000-07:00

Our baby girl is growing so quick. It's hard to believe her 2 year B-day is just 4 months away. Her personality is really coming alive. Everyday she expresses something new...explores something new. Like for instance in the picture above. Momma left out her make-up and Alli saw an opportunity to practice what she sees Momma do everyday, and then add her own twist to it. I mean why stop at just painting your lips with the lipstick? Why not the cheeks, shirt, pants, and toes? And FORBID that the make-up be taken away from her. We are seeing the the "terrible two's" for the last month now. The fit throwing has become quite dramatic :-). But, her sweet side is definitely developing more and more too. Alli can blow kisses and bring you a blanket for cuddle time on the couch. I'm definitely loving everyday being a momma.

Divine Intervention

2009-02-21T14:12:00.000-08:00

In essences, I got three for the price of one. James didn't come alone in our marriage. Some women might run at the sight of a divorced man with children. But for some reason the Maker of my heart thought that this was just what I needed. Sometimes our path in life is not an easy slope. And for those who have been following the story of our journey, since the beginning, know this to be true. I have good news though. Yesterday something Divine happened. Something long waited for. Peace has swept over my family like the calm fresh breeze after a storm. Thank you all for your faithfulness in praying over our family. Thank you Jesus for another one of your divine interventions. Now I know what it feels like to breath normal again.

In a Blink of an Eye

2009-02-08T10:28:00.000-08:00

I've been nursing an old injury these last couple days. Most of you can remember my capture-the-flag knee injury that ended with a trip to the ER and 6 bolts and a plate in my left knee. During these colder months it starts giving me arthritic pain. This last Friday I was limping around work and when I got home I could barely straighten or bend my knee, as if rigamortis set in. It was terribly swollen. I stretched a knee brace over it which did help.
The next day I did attend church with my family. I was still somewhat limping but it was not as painful as the day before. After church service I filled my arms with the kids sabbath activity bag, coats, purse and Alli and headed for the car to drop some of the items off. By the time I got to the car my knee began to scream at me at the same time Alli was kicking and squirming to get down. I set her down and opened the car door to throw the items in the car. One second later Alli made a beeline across the parking lot heading straight for a car that was backing up. I started to scream for her and then noticed that the driver of the car wasn't even looking backwards to see where he was going! Shear terror hit my chest as I saw Alli two feet away from the bumper of the moving vehicle. I scream Stop! Stop! While waving my arms and limping as fast as I could towards Alli. I think I made such a seen that the driver stopped the car abruptly just in time for Alli's chest to hit the back bumper. If he would have kept going his back passenger side tire would have ran right over her. I swooped her up in my arms and just began to cry.
Alli was, of coarse, completely oblivious to what just happened. She just looked at me confused and then hugged me back. That day the thought of those little kid leash things didn't seem like such a bad idea.

Time with Extended Family

2009-02-02T14:31:00.000-08:00

These rabbits have really turned out to be cool pets. Their fur is so long I don't worry about them freezing outside in their little home, as I'm not a fan of animal's living inside my home. We often let them run around the yard and the boys love feeding them snacks such as celery. They are so cuddly, they love laying in your lap, even on their back...as long as you have a tasty treat in your hand.

Grandpa Bill and Alli. She loves finding a willing soul to read her a story.

The boys with their great grandfather. They also suckered him into reading them a story, and in return they educated him about Star wars toys.

Momma's Cowgirl

2009-02-02T14:21:00.000-08:00

This is Weston's rocking horse now passed down to Alli. All three of them take turns, for as you can see it's no small horse. Alli has to stand on the base and jump up on her tummy and then pull and wiggle her way on. This girl really has no fear when it comes to rocking. I still get scared she's gonna face plant right into something.

Meant to Be

2009-01-23T07:39:00.000-08:00

As I wait at home this morning for James to return from dropping off the children at school followed by a trip to the grocery store to pick up a long list of items while chasing Alli around the store, I have to take this moment to praise God for such a devoted friend and lover. Truly a gift from My Maker who knows just what I need to carry me through this crazy life.

I tend to have my moments and forget to tell James just how much he means to me, especially after I ate three of his delicious homemade pumpkin muffins this morning. Yes my husband cooks wonderful meals, mops floors, and changes dirty diapers, but the most amazing part that I love about him is I will never ever doubt his love for me. ...thank you Jamie for never giving up.

Late Christmas

2009-01-14T19:29:00.000-08:00

We left our tree up two weeks into January so the boys could come home to Christmas. I loved watching them tear into each present, loving the anticipation of what lies beneath the wrapper.

Alli's Favorite Ride

2009-01-05T20:20:00.000-08:00

...How Daddy keeps in shape during the winter months

Christmas at Rissa's

2008-12-26T19:05:00.000-08:00

I think I'll take this moment to explain my daughters attire. Lately her new thing is to roam around the house with just her shirt and diaper. Well actually I thought this was limited to our house only but on Christmas Eve at a friends house she began disrobing in the middle of the room with people all around her, all eyes on her. It was quite hilarious. She was reminded by one of the grandpas who chuckled "it's not that kind of party Alli" On Christmas when Alli "began to make heself at home" her Auntie Becky took one of Kelvin's jammies and wrapped it around Alli after Alli had made several attempts to put it on herself.

A baby Ally for my baby Alli

Christmas Program

2008-12-26T18:44:00.000-08:00

Weston, upper left corner dressed in burgundy, was posing as one of the legendary Wise men. We practiced daily for two weeks songs and a poem his class did together. Even though Weston enjoys dressing up in action hero clothing at home, he could not wait to pull off the itchy Wise man costume. Timmy, lower right corner sitting with the other angels, wanted to wear his costume home. His teacher had other plans for it though, but he did get to keep his garland halo, and even requested it for his bedtime toy.

...I did get to sneak back stage with one of the stars of the program.

...Timmy Shea, my precious moments angel.

Monkey see Monkey do

2008-12-16T17:16:00.000-08:00

Oh Christmas Tree

2008-12-16T17:12:00.000-08:00

Our new addition to the Family

2008-12-07T19:59:00.000-08:00

Weston has been asking for one thing this Christmas, a pet. James and I have struggled with this thought the last few months for a number of reasons. For starters our kids are still very young, the smell of indoor pets, the hair, urine soaked wood chips... I think you get the picture. Grandpa Bill made these little critters an awesome outdoor hutch, so a lot of my "issues" of owning a pet were taken care of. The bunnies are so good, they love to be held, and yet so curious they have their moments of adventure. I bring them inside every once and awhile to let the kids enjoy them. Timmy chose the white bunny and named her Annabell. Weston likes the smaller grayish brownish bunny and has decided to name her Anita...so precious.

Thanksgiving at Mom's House

2008-11-28T12:42:00.000-08:00

That turkey was literally hand picked from Rissa. She has the before picture of the turkey, feathers, feet, head included, but it is just a little weird for me to post his "preexistence" photo.

It was hard for my oldest son to choose which dessert to eat, so I gave him a little of everything. Isn't that what you do on Thanksgiving?

Caramel Apples

2008-11-13T16:06:00.000-08:00

It's hard to get just the right ratio of caramel to apple when you've got such a small mouth, but that's what makes them so fun to eat.

Timmy, on the other hand, found a more logical approach to the whole caramel apple eating thing and has come up with the wedge way of eating the delicious, juicy, sweet, gooey treats.

The thought of sinking my teeth into one of them was so overwhelming I couldn't help myself.

Daddy's or Alli's Computer

2008-11-05T18:19:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2008

2008-11-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, I hate Halloween. All the "ghost n goblins" dead-comes-alive, icky gory stuff is not my thing. However, I do like dressing up. Since I'm too old for trick-or-treating, I love the excitement my kids get when they get to dress up. They like to pretend to be some kind of hero with super human powers to "fight the bad guy" ,and then get rewarded with candy from door to door. I love it when the boys pretend to be "super hero's" from the bible like Daniel or David. I pray that mine and James's influence will impact the kids to keep their eyes on Jesus to become real live super hero's...something this world is desperate for. ....James's favorite part of Halloween, can you guess? It's raiding the cookie jar full of candy.

How to make a 3D Dino Cake

2008-10-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

Pull out your Betty Crocker cookbook and follow the recipe for Double Chocolate cake.

Let the kids lick the utensils

Let your perfectionist husband do the cutting and allow his creative engineering/carpenter skills to go the work.

Let all who have patience and muscles to do the tedious texturizing...notice I'm not in the picture.

And then pray that his head will be the only thing that falls apart. Hope that the kids will find him delicious....then be thankful God answers prayers.