The Handmade Dress Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

The Handmade Dress Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Happy Birthday Jackson!

Pumpkin Patch with Jack

Jackson's preschool went to the pumpkin patch. It was totally raining all morning and I was excited, but leary of the weather... So, we get there and it stops raining! We had a fun time.

We had a hay ride around the farm and the kids got to pick a pumpkin, it could be as big as they could carry (what a great rule).


There was a fun little hay maze that the kids had fun running around and while we were there a chicken laid an egg!


Jackson had fun posing in the different cutouts that they had around the patch.

Jack's First day of Preschool

Abigail's Birthday

I am horrible...

Okay it has been over a month since i've updated our blog... Sorry... Kathy came out and spent Christmas with us, she barely made it because of the snow, but we are glad that we got to spend the holiday with her! We then drove out to Utah for the New Year weekend and had a great time seeing all of my family and seeing Erin and Ami's new houses. We miss everyone! We almost did not make it home because of the weather, we had to put off leaving for a day to let the storms pass. I keep saying that I will not travel over the Oregon Eastern Mountains in Winter anymore. This year was not as bad as past years but it is pretty horrible. Then I lost our camera, I thought that Jack took it and hid it from us and I knew that it would turn up sooner or later. We have been busy looking for new houses since we got back from Utah and hopefully will have one picked out soon! Not much else has been going on, just the usual winter time colds that we are all getting over! Jack decided to brighten up the walls in his room by painting them with Nutella! Let me just say that it was much nicer to clean up than what he has used in the past! We did find the camera so I will get some new pics up when I get the chance.

White Christmas?!?!!

Here are a few pics of what we have been experiencing in Oregon.... We usually only get snow once a year at most and it usually lasts the day and then melts. We have now been getting snow and or freezing rain for over a week and we are not done yet! Our poor tree in front of the office had a limb break from the weight of the freezing rain ice. There are trees down all over the city and we have pretty much come to a stand still. I am happy that we will have a white Christmas! Jerry has had the last two days off of work and we are hoping for a 3rd day tomorrow! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I have the sweetest boys.....

Jerry and Jack braved the snowy roads last night to get a few items from the store. They were waiting in line and jack saw some flowers and said "cherry blossoms.... these are perfect for Mom!" Jerry could not help but buy them... What a couple of sweethearts! I know.. I know... they really are not cherry blossoms, but they sorta look like them! I love my boys!

we FINALLY decorated for Christmas!!

Okay... we got to it a little late this year, but better late than never. We had fun keeping the kids up way past their bedtime to help decorate the tree. Abby played some music for us while jack & jerry put the lights on the tree. I think jack had more fun decorating himself with the lights. Since we are in an apartment we opted for a smaller tree, but it is beautiful! Every year I say that we should decorate early but this year it didn't happen. There is always next year! We have had fun talking about the gifts of our Savior that we celebrate at this time of year and discovering the magic of Christmas through young eyes and hearts is so sweet!

Abby's First Prayer

Jerry asked Abby to say the family prayer tonight and usually we help her, but she wanted no help at all, yes she is two years old. She started out with the standard prayer, thankful for mom & dad, thankful for jack & abby...she then started mumbling so we steered her back on course... then she went on saying she was "thankful for the workshop" (we have no idea what that means), "Thankful for the hairshop" (she just got her hair cut yesterday), "thankful for the Diego Party Church" (huh?). At this point Jerry and I look up at each other trying not to laugh....She continues, thankful for our "flamley".....She was so sincere and excited to be saying the prayer by herself, but at that point Jerry and I could not stop the giggles. Oh we love our Abby!

It's a good thing he's cute.....

So, jackson decided it would be fun to use the refill ink from the office to "make tracks" all over the house! He has figured out that when someone comes into the office mom's attention is elsewhere and that is when all heck broke loose! He came into the office with black ink all over his hands and clothes saying mom i think i need to take a bath! I started saying NO over and over again as I was running from room to room seeing the destruction that took less than 3 minutes to happen. I stripped him down and started cleaning for the next 5 hours. Then jerry came home loaded with cleaning supplies and we spent another 3-4 hours getting it out of the carpet! So.... if you ever need to know how to get ink out of carpet or pretty much anything, ask me.... I will tell you to just throw it away!!
Don't get me wrong, I love my children, they are imaginative, creative.... and destructive (at times).

This is the only Hippo we saw at the Zoo!

Jackson & Abby waiting for the Train Ride

Jerry & Jackson checking out the Tide pools

How Uncle Stephen Measures Up To The Bears...

Let's Go To The ZOO!

Jerry's brother Stephen is visiting with his friend Sheila and we had the chance to go to the zoo on Saturday. It was a typical Oregon day, cloudy, a bit rainy, but it was warmer than usual. During the holiday season the Oregon Zoo puts up lights EVERYWHERE and keeps the Zoo open late and has a special train ride. The Oregon Zoo is so beautiful and the Christmas lights made it magical. Jackson had fun running everywhere and in between running stopped long enough to see the animals for a few seconds. Jackson said that he likes all the animals, but the giraffe was his favorite this time. Abigail liked the huge fish that were in the amazon rainforest, I think she liked them because they were down on her level and she could get up close to them! It was fun to get to know Sheila better and we also met up with Sheila's sister Mandy, her brother in law Ryan, her neice Isabella and her nephews Jack and Charlie. It has been great having Stephen here so Abby & Jack can get to know their "Favorite" Uncle better! As we were getting on the train I thought I dropped the camera when we were in line and Jerry held up the train so he could go and look for it, when Jerry gave up and got back on the train he asked are you sure it is not on the train floor by your feet? I felt around and sure enough it was right there! What can I say? It was dark and I could not see..... :) We all had a great laugh! It was a great way to start off the Christmas season!

I am Thankful for....

I am thankful for my Mom & Dad. They have been a great example to me in my life for many reasons. My Mom for her patience, creativity and the way she cares for others. She is very generous with her time and talents, willing to help out in any way possible. She is humble and spiritually connected with those around her. When I think of a word to describe my Dad, it is Integrity. He is honest in all his dealings and treats everyone with the utmost care and compassion. He is also really good at fixing things too! It is tough being far away from them, but I know that they are just a phone call away to listen, help, console and share with. I love them!

I am Thankful for...

I am Thankful for my children. It is an awesome thing to watch life through my children's eyes as they discover life around them. The things I take for granted are new and fascinating to them...leaves, rocks, clouds, rain puddles all have new meaning when they are discovered for the first time. Jackson is such a good big brother and is loving to his little sister. Abigail keeps us constantly laughing with the things she says and does, she is a little ham. They are my biggest struggle yet the source of my greatest joy! (Sadly, our computer died so I will add more photos later).

I am Thankful for...

I am thankful for my wonderful husband. He is an awesome father to our children, he loves and cares for them so much. He works so hard to support our family. He is generous and brings happiness and humor to those he is around. He keeps me smiling and laughing and I love him!

Jackson & Abby had fun dressing up in their "tend" (pretend) costumes. Our little garden gnome was the hit of the church trunk or treat. Every chance she gets, Abby puts on the hat and beard and dances around the house!

Our Bat & Garden Gnome