"Shiver me timbers!"

I snapped this picture of the Pass on our way home yesterday. We went to Carnation for the weekend and got snowed on Saturday and Sunday. The temperature was 40 degrees when the snow started falling Saturday night and the flakes were as big as leaves. As it got colder and the snow started sticking, we woke up to snow on the ground, shivering.


The kids enjoyed making snowmen and throwing snow balls. Here they are with Joshua Clare having a good ole time. The rest of us stayed inside by the fire. It was an unexpected surprise but I am so ready for the summer weather! I thought my coat was in the closet for good. Church was even cancelled which was a good thing because I brought sandals and short sleeves for us to wear. When we left on Friday, we made a last minute decision to bring our big coats with us, just in case.


We stayed at the Clare's and Lynetta spoiled us with her cookies! She has discovered the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. We ate and ate and then ate some more. And, of course it wouldn't be complete without dressing up like Pirates and having a swashbuckling time! "Aaargh, matey!" It was a great weekend!

A New Chewable Pill!

It is official. Baseball and Softball season is here! This is the busiest time of year for us because our oldest three play. It is also exciting and a lot of fun! They are all at different levels. It is great to see your child pick something up that they have been trying to learn. Last year we told them that they would have to prove themselves because they were new comers to the area and the coaches wouldn't know them. I think they rose to the occasion and had a great season. The only thing that I would like to help with is their confidence. They have been asked to try certain positions out and don't always feel comfortable stepping out of their norm. Now, I give them the good ole pep talk, smile, etc. and leave the decision up to them but wouldn't it be nice to have a chewable pill or gummy vitamin that would infuse a serge of confidence for the moment? It would be so convenient. Sometimes they surprise me and are very confident and other times it would be so nice to hand them a burst of confidence in pill form. A mother can only say so much and then you've got to let them learn on their own, I know. But, still, wouldn't it be nice?

Easter Pics

Here are the girls. The boys were already changed before we could get a family picture. We have been trying to think of something to do differently with the older kids in regards to the egg hunt. A friend of Troy's suggested leaving notes for the kids with clues on them to find hiding spots of certain eggs. Do any of you have any traditions that have worked with older kids?

Darren, This One's For You! Love ya!

A friend of mine was telling me that she was getting some pigs for her boys to raise in 4H this year. I couldn't help but think of a joke my older sister played on my brother when she was a senior.

Coming from a very hot climate, our Fair took place at the end of February. So, our pigs were delivered to us in November. When Shannon got her pig I was twelve. A few months later it was New Year's Eve and I was babysitting while my parents, Shannon and Darren (my older brother) went out for the night. Everything was going well and we were watching TV (Dick Clark at Time Square) when Shannon and three of her friends came walking in the house laughing hysterically! We didn't think anything of it but when they left and came back in with her pig we were shocked! "What are you doing with that?: "Are you going to leave it here?" The four of them each had a leg and were running straight for Darren's room. (Growing up with Shannon was like living with the girl from "Cheaper By The Dozen" who master minds all the practical jokes.) They laid newspaper out and left. The pig was in the house and I was babysitting! At first I was a little worried but, then I looked at Stacy (my younger sister) and we just started cracking up! You see, Darren had teased us enough in our short lives that we felt that this would be some kind of a payback, even if it was just witnessing it. As the New Year arrived and the celebrations and fireworks grew louder, so did our visitor. We started to hear things falling, things being moved around and loud snorts. We didn't dare open the door. Then......he came......Darren was home. We didn't mutter a word. We waited for his reaction..... Without saying a word or having an expression on his face, he went down the hall, opened his door, closed the door and walked out of the house. Shannon and her friends were in hysterics. Stacy and I had to wait until Darren was out of site before joining them because of retaliation. I don't think Darren came home that night. Well, we were anxious to see what the room looked like so to the room we went. A whole knew meaning to the phrase, "your room looks like a pigsty" came to mind. Lets just say that the newspaper did not help in any way. And, even though my sister and her friends had to clean everything up and take the pig out, they never stopped laughing! They didn't care, it was all worth it! I don't think that Darren has laughed about it YET! Who knows, maybe this time!

Purr

If I were a cat the next few items would make me purr. There is something very comforting in completing a project. Troy and friends, finished this pergola last year so that we could have some shade in the summer when the sun is beating down on our back patio. He hates starting new projects (who doesn't) but, becomes a craftsman in the process.


I love campfires! We bought this firepit to indulge my love for the snap, crackle, pop of a fire. I don't know what is more comforting to me, the orangish, reddish flames that swirl and dance around, the warmth that each flame bestows or the sound of the burning, crackling wood. It's all good!


Comfort Food! This is one of Ellies. Her hand is just the right size to perfectly fit around a marshmellow. So, with both hands loaded, she goes for the gusto!


I feel very comfortable and at peace when the whole family gets together and can enjoy the same activity. Sometimes that can be quite a feat with varying age groups! Monday night we let off rockets in the backyard. Everyone got involved and enjoyed it! "10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 - BLAST-OFF!"


This is Kate with her doll, "Huggable Holly." She has been her constant companion and security blanket ever since her older sister moved out of her room a couple of weeks ago. She came up with the name on her own. One night we couldn't find Huggable Holly and Kate was very distraught. We formed a search party and started looking. Five minutes later, Kate was comforted when Huggable Holly was placed in her ams once again. "Ahhh, life is good!" Or, "Purrrrrrr."

True or False?

A couple of days ago I got an amazing email from my sister. I thought it was such a good story that I forwarded it away ASAP, to several people. Anyway, a day or two later, one of the people I sent it to, forwarded me an email from Snopes.com. Come to find out, it was false. The letter itself was not but the person who they said it was from was (which happened to be a very high profile, respected person). This website will tell you if a certain letter is true or false. So, I have checked several letters now and it is very interesting. Some letters originated years ago and seem to get bigger the longer they are abroad.

Picking Teams

Kate and I went to the library yesterday. It has been a long time since we have done that. When I taught Pre-School I went all the time and of course, Kate loved it! Here is a picture of some of my students during story time. This time of the day was always my favorite. I love children's books.


One of my favorite authors of children's books, that was a surprise to me is Jamie Lee Curtis. My sister told me about her book, "I'm Gonna Like Me." It is very cute and comical! I love the illustrations, they really make the words even more powerful. One of my favorite passages is, "I'm gonna like me when I don't run so fast. Then they pick teams and I'm chosen last." Now, who can't relate to that? Who hasn't worried about being picked last? It happens to good players too. Anyway, The look on the girls face in the book is priceless. Actually, the look on all the kids faces is hilarious!


Here are two more of her books that I have also read many times. This one is about adoption and what really makes a family. Even if you haven't adopted a child yourself, I think it is important that all children learn about it and how special it is!


This book is entitled, "Today I Feel Silly and Other Moods That Make My Day." It is a lot of fun and once again, great pictures!

My Top Ten

This is my top ten list of things I love about my kids:

#10. I love their sense of adventure! Go Luke!


#9. I love how they surrender when caught in the act!


#8. I love their happy disposition when we dress them up so cute!


#7. I love when they try new and exciting things!


#6. I love the musician in them! "Dum diddy dum diddy dum dum dum!"


#5. I love their creativity! (Years ago, Austin created a character named Luke Little, after his brother. He is a cross between Luke Skywalker and a Pokemon trainer. Austin has written many stories in which the kids act out and videotape. This is an episode from his last manuscript!)



#4. I love their determination to give it their all! "Go, Go, Go!"


#3. I love the manners they use when eating!


#2. I love their spontaneity! Yipee!


#1. I love how cute they are at every stage, from youngest to oldest! Don't grow up too fast!

Surprise!

Today is Alexis' 12th birthday! She has wanted her own room for awhile now and we decided to surprise her today with just that. We worked all week trying to turn our guest room into a teen room. It was a lot of fun and a little challenging, trying to get ideas from her without giving the surprise away. Troy also decided to surprise her by filling her new room with four of her best friends from Carnation, WA that we left behind in our move. He drove over this afternoon to pick them up and we had them waiting in her room when she returned from an activity at 5:00. This was her reaction upon opening the door!


Before


After

Anger Management

Every once in awhile, Alex will ask me to tell her about my dating days. Well, I try to tell her experiences that I've learned something from, so maybe she'll get something out of it. I told her about a boy that I went to prom with that wasn't very mannerly. He had been very polite on prior dates but when things didn't go as he had planned he turned sour. I tried to salvage the night at first but realized that I just needed to go home. This is a momento of that night with a little personal cutting and pasting. This guy is a much better date. Isn't he cute? I figured my kids would be alright with THIS dance picture. They hate to see pictures of Troy and I with other people. Anyway, because my original date was such a stinker and made me so mad, as soon as I got my pictures all to myself, I grabbed a hole-punch and cut his face out. Teenage hormones, gotta love 'em! I did not want to ever remember him or that night. Now it seems so silly but at the time it seemed like a great way to vent.

Spring Fever

Woo Hoo! I didn't have to wear my big, down coat this week! I also saw bulbs bursting from the ground at somebody's house. Then I found these photos and I could just feel the sand between my toes! Here we are visiting friends in California in October. People were swimming and surfing, crazy. It is summer there for most of the year, though.


This is one of my dearest and oldest friends. We were facing the street when we started to take pictures and she turned us around to make sure we got the beach. Isn't is beautiful?


This is Christy's husband. They go to the beach as much as possible. What a beautiful world we live in. We have so much to enjoy and indulge in. It will be nice to indulge in the sun!

Macho Macho Man

We decided to put Luke into an all-boys dance class this year because he loves to dance. The group consists of about 12 boys and they practice once a week. Today we went to Spokane to see them compete. It was so much fun to see these young kids, ages 7-10 dance. They were so enthusiastic and trained. I felt like I was in a different world. Luke is not inhibited by performing in front of people however, we did have to give him a little incentive to smile and grunt when needed. There were other groups with girls and one boy in them and they were incredible! So, we were somewhat of a novelty to have an all-boys group. They performed two numbers which they got recognition for and "Macho Man" (their clogging number) took first place! It was so exciting! All the boys walked the red carpet and collectively received a trophy. The MCee wanted to know where she could get a shirt like that for her husband. Here he is showing off his muscles. Notice the gold chain hanging around his neck, too bad the chests didn't come with hair. Way to go boys!


"Macho Baby!"