Happy Halloween!

    My Halloween started with my twins class party.  It's so fun to be their room mom and have them still excited to have me around.

     This was probably the last year when all of my kids will dress up and go trick-or-treating.   They came up with some pretty great costumes.

Mac was a great nerd. Keaton was Alfalfa...notice the cowlick!

Tate came up with his own costume as a dark wizard. 

Avery wanted to be Anna, since she was Elsa last year.  

And Brecken was a vampire. 

Corey & I got in on the dressing up scene, and even coordinated. 

     Then, as we've done for the past few years, hosted the teenage after-party. It's always fun to have the kids gather here and we usually get to have a good visit with Sunny & Ty.  

For the record...

     I know I'll look back at my time with little children and be very sentimental...just so I don't forget that those sweet little kids created a lot of laundry.  This is my Monday folding.  I usually do a slightly smaller batch close to the end of the week as well.  It's a pretty impressive amount of clothes!

Back to School

     What a crazy back to school year!  McKay starts high school this year.  It was totally surreal as I walked through his high school during freshman orientation...."wasn't I just here??"  He's excited and getting taller all the time and as I looked around noticed he looks more like a high-schooler than I realized.

     Keaton is on his second year in middle school.  He feigns a dislike in school but he loves the social aspect of it and deep down inside likes to challenge himself in his schoolwork.  Go Keat!!

     Tate is in 4th grade this year and is fortunate enough to have the best teacher in the school, Mrs. Asay.  This kid works so hard and we're so proud of him and excited for a great new year.  

      And now the twins...in school!!!  Brecken & Avery win for the most excited to start school, but who can blame them, it's kindergarten!  They were more than thrilled to start in Miss Griffiths class and join the big kids on the bus.  I wondered about myself and my reaction to having them gone half a day, but I was so excited for them I couldn't help but be happy.  Love you big kids!

Scout Camp

     McKay and Keaton both attended a week-long scout camp this year.  It was a great experience where they learned a lot and had a week of boy-fun-experiences.  It's a great opportunity for them to be away from home for an extended period of time.  I want them to not be totally out of sorts when they go on their missions or off to college, but I surprised myself by how hard I had to work to hold myself together when I picked them up after that long week.  Boy did I miss those boys!!

     These are "before" pictures.  They weren't nearly this clean when they got home!

Happy 24th of July

     Every year our neighborhood gathers together on the 24th of July for a children's parade and a pancake breakfast.  The kids decorate their bikes and wagons and dress up in patriotic or pioneer fare. Avery just got a great cowgirl hat from Grandma and Grandpa Peterson and she couldn't resist showing it off!

6!!!

      Having twins is really fun (after the age of  4).  We stayed with family celebrations this year and had a fun day spent together and had a fun movie date.  They got their own cakes.  Avery chose an Oreo ice cream cake and Breck wanted a Hulk smash cake.  Happy Birthday twinners!!  I can't believe you're 6. 

12!

 

     How cute is this 12-year-old???  Keaton turned twelve and we're so excited for him.  He was super happy to have the privilege of being ordained as a deacon in our church.  We're so proud of him and the great kid he is!  Happy Birthday Keat!! 

Happy Birthday Rees!!

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Happy Birthday Rees!!  Birthdays are so much more fun with kids.  No matter how un-excited you are about celebrating the last birthday of your 30's...your kids are SUPER EXCITED!!! It also helps to have Annie make you a deluxe s'mores cake.  Happy Birthday Babe!!  We love you!

Early Summer Tradition

      Once we can hear the toads croaking like crazy at night Corey gets excited and takes the boys up to a small pond near our home.  They go with grocery bags ready to catch toads and bring them back to our yard to live for the summer.  They brought home 9 this year!  Love these fun little rituals.

Pre-School Graduation

     Avery & Brecken graduated Pre-school.  It was a fun night with beautiful, entertaining singing, a well-led pledge and sweet good-byes to Miss Sue.  

 

 

 

Payson Temple

    We had the privilege this spring to attend the Payson Temple Open House.  It was a stunning building and so wonderful to take our family through. 

Lumberjack Corey

     Corey has been loosing sleep over this tree for at least a year.  It is in our yard, but grew over our neighbors house, technically over their roof over their bedroom.  Today it came down.  By the time Corey was done he had his Dad and the neighbor over helping which I was grateful for since it was a little scary and I preferred not to watch. 
      The fence was the only casualty, but they bent it back and voila it was like new.  Corey's never slept so good.

Wrapping up Spring Break

     Corey & Jared had the chance to do some biking together so here are his biking pics.  The Larrabees followed us out of Washington and went to the Columbia River Gorge on our way out for some last minute hiking to Multinomah Falls, Horsetail Falls and Ponytail Falls. 

    Avery had the hardest time leaving. She misses her girl cousins and had so much fun spending the whole week with them including some treasured "sleepovers." She was totally worn out! 

    

 

      Thank you Washington Larrabee's for a wonderful Spring Break!!  We felt so welcome and relaxed at your home.  It's so great to be able to picture where you are, what your house looks like, etc.  We totally miss you more now and can't wait to see you this summer!!  So fun to see you and spend so much time together!!  xoxo

Ape Caves and Girls Day Out in Portland

Needless to say, by Wednesday we were pretty pooped.  We hung out at Jared & Kathy's that morning and then decided to do Ape Caves.  They're lava tubes that you can hike through.  It was super cool.  Ya...that was Avery before the hike.

      This was the only place light enough to get a picture of.  Really pretty and fun adventure!

 

     I believe that nights activities consisted of a movie for the kids and the adults hanging out and talking. When Corey & I were talking about the trip and our favorite thing about it we agreed that the best thing was having one on one time with Jared and Kathy.  Every night after we put the kids to bed we'd stay up talking and laughing together.  So although we went to Washington for Spring Break and to see the beautiful Pacific Northwest, it was the time spent with the Larrabees that meant the most to us.  Love you Washington Larrabees!!

 

 

     I'm not gonna lie.  The Girls day out was so much fun!!!  We started out at the Japanese gardens.  I'll say it again for the billionth time...beautiful!  All of our pictures looked like postcards. 

 

 

     After the gardens we had lunch at the food trucks, yum.  Then we perused Powells Books.  After that we went to Salt & Straw.  It's a fun ice cream shop with different kinds of flavors.  The kid helping us was kind enough to let me sample quite a few including olive oil ice cream.  Kathy got a lavender ice cream and I got strawberry balsamic with black pepper and a pear with blue cheese ice cream.  I was in creative, fun food bliss.  (Thanks Mic for the recommendation!!)  Then we wandered through the cute shops in Portland.  Thanks for such a fun day Kathy!! 

 

More Beaches...

     We enjoyed our sleep in and continental breakfast & headed to the Astoria Column.  It was a fun little attraction.  They sell balsawood airplanes there so when you get to the top of the column you can throw them off. 

     Then we headed to a couple more beaches.  The drive alone was beautiful.  The forests around these beaches are dense and unique.  The moss has grown over these trees and created short, stubby branches that look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. 
     First was Indian Beach at Ecola Park.  It was a breathtakingly beautiful place and we enjoyed finding crabs and other sea creatures in the tide pools. 

     My whole life I've heard my Dad talk about going to Cannon Beach & Haystack rock.  I've wanted to see it for as long as I can remember.  So even though we were pretty 'beached-out' everyone humored me & we went to Cannon beach.  I've seen pictures of Haystack Rock, but nothing prepared me for how big it is!  I literally gasped when I saw it.  Haystack Rock....check!