Fun in the Snow!

Here is their 20 minutes in the snow....
Leah

Leah's friend Emily

This is the best I got of Matthew

Owen's 1 minute in the snow...

Their finished product.

It's Been So Long...

Wow! So, it's been a while. We have had quite a bit happening around here. Going back to the beginning...


A week after Thanksgiving we celebrated Matthew's 4th birthday at Chuck E Cheese. He loves Indiana Jones and Batman and Star Wars and the list goes on and on, but I digress. For this particular moment he chose Indiana Jones...we got balloons and cake and such and headed off to Chuck E Cheese around 11am on Saturday the 6th hoping to miss the large crowds (and because Aunt Chellie had to work at 1:30pm and we did not want her to miss out on celebrating with us). They played, we watched, they picked out prizes and we helped. We all enjoyed pizza and cake and then headed home. (((Pictures will be added in a bit.)))


The next week after that we celebrated David's 8th birthday. We had a good old fashioned taffy pull (well sort of). We were so excited to start pulling that we didn't let the taffy cool off enough before we started, so we wound up with really great taffy goo!

After David's birthday party, Jeff and I "hired" a babysitter (Thanks Mom!!) and headed out to Jeff's work party for food, poker and a small chance at prizes (we did not win). After that we went over to a local casino with friends and Jeff played some cards and I hung out at the penny slots (won a little, woohoo!).

Of course around all that we have worked, taken care of home, volunteered at Leah's school, shopped for Christmas, decorated for Christmas and generally been running around doing this, that and the other thing.

Now I will gripe about the weather...let's see starting last Saturday we have had snow, snow, snow, snow and wait for it...now were are getting more snow. Now you are probably thinking who cares...but since snow in Washington is somewhat unusual (as this is called the rainy season) most people don't know how to drive in snow. Not to mention that they don't have the equipment to clear the roads or salt/sand them, so we wind up with sheets (I kid you not) of ice on the roads. Doesn't that sound fun??

"I am thankful for..."

We did something a little different this year and went around the table and had everyone say something they are thankful for. Starting at the beginning...

Matthew is thankful for Grandma.
Grandma is thankful for her family.
David is thankful for Toby, Nick and Penny.
Chellie is thankful for her family and that everyone is healthy and happy.
Leah is thankful for turkey and Pumpkin (her cat).
I am thankful for my family.
Owen is thankful for 'dan (Indiana) Jones and Star Wars. (We think!)
Jeff is thankful for everything.
Martin is thankful for family, a job, and that he finally met someone great.

Thanksgiving here was nice and somewhat relaxing...other than the cooking of course, but we kept it simple. Good food + good company = great Thanksgiving.

Next year we look forward to seeing all of my brothers and sisters in Illinois.

And Finally...Halloween Pictures!

This Halloween, we had Matthew as our very own Buzz Lightyear

and Leah as a cheetah.

Don't forget our little "Rebel", Owen.

And of course, for their protection, a soldier. AKA David.


(All costumes, courtesy of Alana or Mom or Gamma depending on who needs her.)
Thanks Mom!!!

Yes, We Can!

I voted today...now I know some of you don't think this is not a big deal, but it was for me since it was a first for me. I was actually excited to vote and I am excited that Barack Obama has won the election.

Fun in Disneyland!

We had so much fun at Disneyland and California Adventure, I had to break it up into 3 posts...so last but not least, the details and more pictures.

We got to California on Saturday afternoon (by plane, yay!) and went to Grammy's. Michelle, Daniel and kids got in on Sunday and we all had dinner together, before Jeff and I took the kids to go stay at a hotel by Disneyland for the next 3 nights.
















On Monday we went to Goofy's Kitchen for breakfast...tons of fun...the food was great, the characters came to our table to sign books and take pictures and Goofy invited the kids up to dance every so often.















Then we headed to Disneyland...loved the Halloween decorations they had up...all the pumpkins (not real, of course) shaped like the Disney characters' heads.


This is the outside of the Haunted Mansion.

...more fun in California Adventure!

On Tuesday we went to California Adventure. Do you like candy corn??


Waiting for rides to start...

Playing around in Redwood Creek Challenge Trail!

...and even more fun in Disneyland!

We didn't get enough Disneyland on Monday so we went back on Friday for more rides, fun and fireworks!!!

After lots of rides, we were waiting for fireworks...


And due to technical difficulty, more waiting...



Finally, the fireworks...


On the way home....


The next morning...

"I hurt my leg..."

So I am sitting here checking the things I usually check on the computer and I hear Matthew start to cry and then come in the room saying "I hurt my leg!". I asked him how he hurt his leg and long (and I do mean long) story short he was being mean to Owen and in the process hurt himself. It fascinates me when I try to figure how Matthew's brain functions. He hurt himself while hurting Owen and then wants sympathy from me. What???

Long Time No Blog

So, it's been a while since I last posted any real updates. Between traveling short distances for great music and some "beach" time, getting settled into a new routine that allows for homework and an earlier bedtime, and then of course there are the weekends. You know how you think "It's the weekend! I can finally relax and catch up on sleep." or "It's the weekend! I can finally get that extra stuff done that I can't do during the week." and then by the time the weekend is over you are still as tired as you were Friday night when you went to bed (sometimes even more tired) or you feel as though you did not accomplish anything. Oh well, you still had fun, right!!

So, long story short...Labor Day weekend Jeff and I went over to The Gorge in George, WA to see Dave Matthews Band for my birthday. We "camped" (slept in a tent really) for one night and then came home the next morning. Then of course you already know Leah started school so we have gotten into a pretty good routine with homework and an earlier bedtime since Leah is waking up earlier and the boys decided that naps are for "babies" and refuse to go to sleep during the day. The weather was pretty nice for a while so we have been enjoying lots of outside time like taking the kids to Dash Point State Park so the kids could play in the sand and water, having BBQ's, helping with yard work and pulling out the water slide one last time.

We are looking forward to Leah's 6th birthday party next weekend and taking a real vacation to California a few weeks after that. Of course, that just leads right into Halloween, then Thanksgiving, Christmas shopping and of course Christmas itself. Not to mention Matthew and David's birthdays, and that's all before the end of the year. Just when I think things are going to start settling down soon...I figure out that life never really settles down.

Leah's 1st First Day of School

Today was one of those bittersweet days; sweet because it was Leah's first day of school, bitter because Matthew cried all the way back home from the bus stop that he wanted to play with Leah. She has full day kindergarten, so her bus picks her up a few minutes after 8 a.m. and she does not get home until about 3:15 p.m. I think it will be good for her in the long run...but I sure am gonna miss having her around the house in the afternoons when her brothers are sleeping. I don't have any pictures to post since my camera battery was dead but thank heavens for cell phone cameras so I least a few pictures of her on her first day.

Snoqualmie Falls

Owen
Jeff and Matthew
David
Leah

We took a day trip to Snoqualmie Falls; very pretty (see below). We started at the top, had some lunch, then hiked down (and I do mean down) the 1/2 mile trail to the bottom of the falls. As we are going down the trail, I am wondering to myself how on earth I am going to get back up the trail. As if getting down on your own isn't bad enough, try helping 3 kids too. Anyway, we made it and lucky us, we found a parking lot closer to the bottom and since Jeff is such a sweetheart he hiked all the way to the top to get the car and drive around to the closer lot to pick us up.

The Falls:

On the way home:

So Proud of Matthew!!!

This one is for Matthew...he is becoming quite a big boy. We have started to encourage him to lay in bed at nap and bedtime all by himself and fall asleep without Mommy or Daddy there. So far it has been 3 nights and 2 naps with a lot of encouragement, a few tears and a little screaming, but I think it is getting a little better each time. Woo Hoo for Matthew!!!

He also wanted to make sure everyone remembered who he was, so he held up the name plate.

Too Late

Too late...Matthew told Leah he would not be her friend anymore. Correction according to Matthew...he said he will not play the game with her anymore.
Same thing, right!

Lesson Learned

You know when the doctor tells you to take your medicine you should really listen. I have been a bad girl and forgot to take my medicine for like 4 days and now I am exhausted. You see I have some issues with my thyroid levels and if I don't take my meds every day for the rest of my life I will get completely exhausted. So the lesson learned is listen to the doctor, because now I am exhausted. I will have a lazy/sick day or 2 and then I will be back to my usual busy self.
Anyway, on to other news...school here starts Sept. 2 and Leah cannot wait. She has gotten all of her supplies and now we just need to get a few new clothes and shoes and then she will be set. She is super excited about riding the bus.
I will be glad when she and Matthew will "get a break" from each other; they are getting in to the phase where all they do is bicker. He is bugging her and she is annoyed by him, etc. Then there is Owen, I'll just tell you a few of his favorite words. They are : "Don't!", "No!", "Hey, give it back!", and we cannot forget "Is mine." That, I think, sums it up for him.
I gotta run...Leah and Matthew are at it again and I have to referee before someone says something they don't mean, like "I'm not gonna be your friend anymore."

Just a little update!

Wow! So I never updated about our trip to Kansas. My brother, Charlie, got married on July 5th, so we (we is Leah, Matthew, Owen, Chellie, David, Martin and myself) all hopped the nearest flight (which landed us in Denver, CO) and then put our tired butts in a van (as it was about 1:30 am) and drove about 10 hours to Lawrence, KS. We got in the day before the wedding rehearsal and had to make an unscheduled pit stop to Wal-Mart since my shampoo and conditioner and the kid's wash and lotion got confiscated at the airport because I am so forgetful (I had packed it in a bag that I planned to check and then in the confusion opted to carry it on).

The Bride and Groom.

Anyway, long story short, we had lots of fun attending the rehearsal, the rehearsal dinner, a 4th of July BBQ followed by fireworks at the state park, the wedding & reception, a birthday celebration and ended up seeing Wall-E the day before we left. We ended the trip with the drive back to Denver, CO and a mad dash (no kidding, we were literally running) through the airport. Oh and I mustn't forget that one of my bags (the one with the shampoo and conditioner, etc.) did not make it to Seattle with the rest of our things. Instead it took a detour through Albuquerque, NM and Las Vegas, NV and was delivered to me 2 days after we got back.

Our little flower girl!

It was a fun time and a beautiful wedding. Jeff and Mom made it for the BBQ & fireworks and the wedding. It was fun and a little stressful at times, but it was great getting to see everyone.

Some fun pictures we took in the car on the drive back. (In case you are wondering, those are magnetic rocks.)