Thanksgiving wrap up

This year we headed over to the Tri Cities to enjoy Thanksgiving with the McCain's. We had a good group and decent travel weather.

Good food, good company and a good time.

Thanks Grandma for hosting our brood. We love visiting Grandma's and love to see Great Grandpa, Great Grandma and other family when we are there. (Aaron's Aunt and cousin joined in the festivities as well).

Yummy pies with as much whip cream as we wanted. Perhaps in some cases, more than we wanted!

Mother Nature provided the snow so Aaron and the boys spent an afternoon creating an awesome snow family.


I know they are slowly melting, but at least G-pa and G-ma had something to greet them after we left.

My kids were amazed at all the icicles in Kennewick. Aaron and I decided that the houses there don' t have rain gutters so they are more easily formed there. But, hands down, G-pa and G-ma's house had the BEST and BIGGEST icicle we saw. This picture is after it melted a bit, too. So impressive!


And last but not least, G-ma got the hot tub ready so everyone had to take a dip. Nothing like hot tubbing in the snow, right? That is the best weather to go out in! The kids did their own polar dip to make it even more fun!




We have so many things to be so thankful for, starting with family. Thank you Mom and Dad for housing us. We are grateful for safe travel in spite of frozen wiper fluid and icy spots. We are grateful to our Savior also and as we transition into this Christmas season, we are focusing more on family and friends and showing love for each other. We may be slow at posting but are enjoying life and the adventures that are coming our way.

Fall Dance Performance - Thriller

The girls had an opportunity to participate in the high school talent show with their dance group. Brit did "Thriller" and Manda did a cute duck song. I figure everyone will want to watch them as much as I do, right?




Brit is the one that looks like a zombie newsie. She is hard to see for alot of it just because of where we were in the auditorium. Sorry for the darkness, but it is Thriller...

Be Like a Duck

Happy Halloween

Since Halloween is typically more my thing than Candace's, I guess it is my turn to post the blog. Our activities started on Friday night with pumpkin carving and a movie with the older kids. Everybody did a pretty good job with their pumpkins. I helped Alex, Darren, and Candace and Candace helped Amanda. My special pumpkin this year is Perry the Platypus from my current favorite cartoon, Phineas and Ferb. We are all pretty pleased with the results. After we got the younger kids down, we watched Gremlins. It wasn't nearly as scary as I remember and the puppets are a far cry from today's CG technology. Still fun though.


Saturday was a Tri-Ward trunk or treat so the kids and I all dressed up (Candace did throw on a pumpkin hat (which received many compliments)) and headed up to the Stake Center. The cars almost circled the church building, the weather held, and the kids just kept walking around until everybody was out of candy. We decorated the back of our van and Justin handed out the goodies. Afterwards, the kids traded and swapped with Amanda getting rid of all the milk chocolate in exchange for more allergy friendly goodies. Justin had a bunch of friends over and they played games and acted like teenagers into the evening. It was a fun day.

With the actual Day falling on a Sunday, we decided that we would stay indoors tonight and have a fun candlelight dinner with dry ice smoke. I made a sausage and squash dish while the kids answered the door for the trick-or-treaters. We had a fun weekend. This week at work really set the tone for me. We had a spirit week and each day we were encouraged to dress the theme. So we had GeoEngineers Brand Day, Hawaiian Day, Crazy Hat Day, Sports Team Day, and Costume Day. I jumped in with both feet and here are my entries:

We find out tomorrow if our office won. My fingers are crossed.

Fun Stuff

This month has been flying by but wanted to get another post in before Halloween! Darren was invited to his nursery leaders' house to pick pumpkins and ride on Pepper.
He wasn't overly fond of Pepper but I thought Pepper was so cute! The kids got to feed the goats, eat a snack, pick apples and choose a pumpkin!

Ahh, the chosen one.

Thanks Kay for the invite! We had so much f un!

Things that come out at night...

The other night the kids hollered that there racoons outside the back door looking in. Out back door doesn't have blinds or drapes the close currently and they were checking Brittany out while she was sweeping the floor. The most we saw was 4. They were so cute behind the glass! Brit wanted to open the door but I voted NO for that one.

By the time I had figured out the settings on the camera to work so that the glass didn't reflect so much they had gone out to the compost pile. But, they were pretty content to watch us for a bit.

This is a quick video, and hopefully is appropriate for all ages

Go Eaglettes!

Tonight Amanda was able to perform at the high school football game half time show. She has been practicing all week at an Eaglette cheer camp put on by the high school cheer leaders. It was so cute and fun to watch her. This video is for everyone, but especially for Devin. Why? Because I can't watch my daughter cheer without thinking of you!

"You're so awesome..."

We can hardly believe that Justin is now an official teenager! He has been acting like one for awhile though so I guess it is good that he can hold the title.

Justin really wanted Thai food for his birthday dinner. I figured it would be fun to take the kids to our favorite Thai restaurant for this special occasion (they have had thai but only take out).
Everyone was adventurous and pretty enjoyed their dinner. Some ate slowly with chopsticks and it was fun to watch them figure it out. Aaron is a good teacher!

And, a dinner wouldn't be complete without chicken nuggets from home stabbed with a chopstick utensil.
Darren is so funny lately...in alot of ways...but for some reason doesn't want me to take his picture!
OK, back to the b-day boy.
I was SO sad that I didn't get to make a Miami Beach cake but the request this year was a pineapple upside down cake. Not to shabby for my first one ever. What can I say, I aim to please.
Some presents...
homework, phone calls and bed. He was so tired and didn't get to try out his fun stuff. It was a busy day and he partied later in the week.

I had hollered at him to turn his lights out and when he didn't, this is what I found. My poor little boy, all tuckered out. To cute not to photo document.

For your viewing pleasure:


OTHER BIG NEWS...
We had our ultrasound this week and...it's a boy! We are all excited for this new arrival!

First Day of School

Summer is finally over and the kids started school today. (They have 4 days they have to make up...bummer). The day started earlier than we have been getting up but the kids were up and ready with plenty of time!

Not the greatest pics as I had camera issues this morning. oh well.


Justin had a good day at school but couldn't believe that he had homework today. Nothing too serious but still, it was homework. He is looking so grown up!

And, in no particular order:


Darren wanted so badly to be in all the pictures. He was ready right along with the big kids. A few more years kiddo! You can't leave me too yet. I am not ready for that.

And, the REAL reason for the excitement of going to school? New shoes. I told the kids they couldn't wear them until the first day of school and the extra days they had to wait were torture! I am such a mean mom!

And, we're off!

I LOVED the walk up to school today. I missed that this summer. I really enjoy walking and talking with my kids. I LOVED the 1 on 1 time with my little guy. We had a good day today and he even got a nap! I LOVED the kids coming home from school and telling me about their day. It is going to be a good year.

End of Summer? NO! Strike, Strike, Strike!

Almost a month has gone by. I am not even going to catch up (I am a rebel). We have seemed to be fairly busy but really enjoyed our more relaxing August. Now it is September and school started on Wednesday...wait, no it didn't. It was suppose to start on Wed. but our summer vacation keeps going and going. It is all fun and games til the end of school when we will get out much much much later than everyone else!

Our teachers are on strike and we just found out that school is cancelled on Monday also. Argh. Maybe Tuesday they will get to go. Backpacks are filled and ready!

Meanwhile, we enjoyed what we thought was the last week of summer vacation. We swam at the lake and jumped off a bridge (well, Justin jumped).


We enjoyed the BYU vs Husky football game on Saturday with friends. So much fun was had by all except the Husky fans. (and us Ferndalians were disappointed in Jake Locker's performance.)

Aaron built me some shelves in my kitchen/utility closet that we just couldn't keep neat and organzied. But now, I LOVE it. It is very usable and my kids even actually put the vacuum away after using it now! Here is before:

As you can see, there is not a good system here. And this is after:


I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. I struggle with chaos in a room/closet, etc. It is OK only for so long and the 9 months we have lived here is long enough! Nice progress and proof that a little bit goes a long way!

Darren can't go anywhere lately without his flip flops. He wears them from the time he gets up to when he goes to bed. He would sleep in them if I let him.



And Finally, the kids have been spending so much time outside catching frogs! Darren is very good at catching them. (poor frogs)


They hop out from under our feet as we are walking on the lawn (especially after it rains). They are so much fun and Darren adores them. He had one in his had while we walked up to the school on Tuesday to check class schedules. It had been at least 30 minutes and he still had it in his hand! I coerced him to let it go and hoped it was still alive.

Here is a little frog video for your viewing pleasure.

Big News Up Here

While Aaron and Justin were at Scout camp, Amanda FINALLY lost her first tooth! I say finally because she went through kindergarten feeling pretty sorry for herself because everyone else had lost a tooth and not her. It didn't help that she was in a k/1 split. But, happily she was able to pull her first tooth out and now she looks a little holy!


It keeps happening...my kids keep growing up!