Family Photo Shoot

We need a new family photo! Its been on my mind for months yet somehow I managed to put it off. Someone always needs a haircut or something! I also wanted to get some photo Christmas cards out. So a few days ago my sis Amber was over for a visit and we coerced her into taking a jillion pictures of us. Thanks Am. The kids we not exactly sure what we were wanting them to do or how to smile when we were sitting beside them but I guess thats because they are 5 and 2. I did get a christmas card out even if it wasn't a 'perfect' shot.

Mudgy & Milly

A few weeks ago the kids and I went to Coeurdalene to follow the trail that co-insides with the Mudgy and Milly book. We started the morning with strawberry pancakes at Sherri's and sang Christmas carols on the way. So fun to be with my niece, nephew, kids and Bonnie all together. It was wet, rainy and cold but we managed to make the best of it and the kids really enjoyed simply being together. Not to mention I got some cute pics!

Thankful!

We had some friends over yesterday for dinner and a movie- my first ever viewing of It's a Wonderful Life! I waited way too long to watch that one. Its the theme for our womens Christmas luncheon Saturday so I thought I'd better have seen it. Anyway I was just thinking how blessed we are to have great friends and family and a nice home to entertain them in during these winter months. God is good!

The kids are still really into dress up, especially when they know someone is coming over so I snapped these yesterday, and then Audrey snapped one of Ben and I. Enjoy!

Little Darlings.

Ben and I decided we were having Thanksgiving here this year as opposed to running back and forth between our family's like we usually do. So Wednesday we hung around the house getting things ready and all was well until this! -->

Our little darlings decided the living room looked better painted in dry eraser. Uggggh. There went my peaceful evening. Don't worry I made the two little dears help scrub it off, not to mention added a little warmth to their behinds. I sure hope that is the last I see of markers for a while!

On the bright side we had a great time on Thanksgiving. We had a lovely feast, played some games and watched Iron Man in our theater. Fun, family and food. Loved it.

Audrey lost a tooth!

She has been waiting for this day for months! (or has it only been a few days of her constantly saying "will it fall out today Mom?" Last night just before Papa Brent's b-day dinner Ben pulled it out for her. We all cheered and clapped. Ok I know this isn't a new phrase but brace your self- She's getting so BIG!!

* I took this pics last night, tired eyes and all, because I had to have a shot of the first day of her jack-o-lantern smile!

Hilly-Billy Hoe Down

Our church put a Hillbilly Hoe Down this Halloween for the kids. Audrey is convinced its called the Hilly Billy Hoe Down :) We got the kiddos dressed up and made a couple trick-or-treat stops before we made it to the church. Audrey and Jack had a blast and are still talking about the different games they were able to play. I thought this was much better than running around freezing going door to door for candy.

Racing with the Boys

Ben went with his friends, Phil, Justin and Luke to the Halloween Classic in Eagle, Id earlier this month. He stayed 6 nights and STILL didn't get sick of racing. He didn't win any trophies but is already planning next years trip! I told him he might have to let us visit him there for a day or two. They guys slept on matresses inside the trailers (some just on the floor!) can you say cold and uncomforterable? They also ate disgusting things like canned chili and burritos. It was a really, really long week with the kiddos by myself but we very much appreciated Daddy when he got back!

The man of the house is Thirty!

I really wanted to do something special for Ben when he turned thirty but trying to figure out something besides just getting together for cake was a bit of a challenge. I then discovered backcountry aerosports- its a private owned hanger where you can take aerotrike rides- so fun! I'm sure he'd have preferred something wild and crazy like sky diving but this was still a bit of excitment and he was definately surprised! I rented the place for an evening (last Tuesday) and about 15 family and friends joined us for a chilly but fun filled night. I would strongly encourage anyone to try it-seriously fun! check it out at http://www.backcountryaerosports.com/

Big boy haircut

Jack's hair was getting sooo long it looked more like a mop than anything. So I decided to give it a trim. It's amazing how a hair cut can make them look so much older! He is so good about sitting still while I cut his hair. I'm afraid it's not quite as curly as it once was but still so cute! Oh how I love this little boy.

We're busy!

Yikes it feels like we haven't been home much lately, I guess thats because we haven't! Alysia is on the women's board board at church and helped plan a retreat that took place this last weekend in Couer'dlene. I left Thursday and returned home late Saturday. We had great worship, learned tons about our awesome God and deepened some relationships with other women at church. It was a bit comical rooming with 3 pregnant ladies and of course they gave me a terrible time saying we need just one more baby. I'm not too sure about that one and Ben definitely isn't! The funniest part though was when we were all given a box with an inspiring word inside. Mine said 'fruitfull' as in a tree bearing fruit or, you guessed it, a woman bearing children. Not to mention each box was unique and mine was decorated with our wedding colors. Too funny! As for the rest of the weekend, on Sunday Ben had a softball tournament and today he left to go drag racing in southern Idaho through late Sunday. I sure hope things slow down a bit after this, it makes my head feel like it's stuck in the spin cycle! Oh ya the pic is of me and my dear friend Cathy- we stopped at Aeropostle and we so tickled with all the sale items we picked up I had the sales clerk snap our picture. I know total dork but I still love it!!

A day at the track

Ben is getting ready to go on a racing trip in October so he decided to take the car out to Spokane Raceway (or whatever it's called now that it has new owners) to get some test runs in. He just put in a new transmission and got new slicks (racing tires) and was eager to try them out. I took the kids out there for a few hours and was surprised how much they enjoyed it! Audrey liked to just hang out with the car trailers and play with other kids that happened to be there that day, I couldn't get her to sit stil for a picture! Jack, on the other hand would had watched the races indefinately! Our friends the Copes met us out there and we all had fun, despite the heat and the fact the the bathrooms were out of order, man I do not like port-a-potties! Ben has definately caught the racing bug again so I'm sure we'll be back out there soon.

Annie's Birthday

My sister Amber is known to the kiddos as Annie (Audrey couldn't quite say Auntie and the name just stuck). The kids and I went to dinner at Red Lobster because Amb loves seafood. Ben couldn't go because he was teaching mens bible study that night. On the way to dinner Audrey told Jack we were going to eat at Red Lobster. Jack said "I eat tiger!" Too funny! We had a nice evening and even got to 'pet' the lobsters!

Just to make you LAUGH

I cannot look at this photo and not laugh. Just had to share it! She looks like a bull frog!

Leavenworth Recap

Ben and his siblings

Ben and I got to go to Leavenworth a few weeks ago with his parents and siblings. It was so fun! My parents kept the kidlets, which was a great treat. We didn't necessarily love Leavenworth itself but the activities surrounding it. We drove over on Friday and went wine tasting at a winery owned by Ben's uncles cousin called Icecycle Ridge ( I would recommend their wine called 3 blondes). Later that night Ben's parents took us to a nice sit down dinner before we headed in for the night. We had rented a house so we could all be together which was a really fun idea. After dinner we played spoons -where in I actually bit one of Ben's brothers, I guess I got a bit too into the game! :) It was all in good sport though and the other brother paid be back! Sat. we got up had coffee and then got ready to go white water rafting. It was really exciting and scary at times ,especially my mother in law fell out during the worst rapids of the day. I don't think she'd recommend swimming class 5 rapids. We stopped to view Deception Falls on the way back which was beautiful! After a long day we were beat and ready to relax! We picked up some pizza from a local restaurant, played more spoons and did some hottubing. Sunday I went golfing with the boys and the rest of the girls shopped around the town. I golfed terrible but did get my first par on one of the holes. After a nice lunch and a bit of shopping we headed back over the mountains. It was a busy, fun filled weekend!

1st (ok should be 2nd) day of Kindergarten!

Yesterday was supposed to be the 1st day of kindergarten but Audrey was stuck at home with bronchitis and a double ear infection- what lousy timing! She's doing much better now and was able to go to class today. She was a might nervous but as soon as she spotted a familiar face she was off like a shot and ready to go. When I picked her up later this morning she was all smiles and very excited to be a kindergartner. It so surreal my little girl is old enough to go to school all by herself, I don't even have to walk her and help her put things in her cubby (though I'd like to!) I guess the letting go is only bound to get more difficult the older she gets. Sigh...she's growing up way too fast!