Abercombie and my kids

We took these pictures of the kids at Thorton's Tree Farm. What a wonderful place! It kind of reminded me of the pumpkin patch, only with trees. We strolled through the petting zoo, took a hayride, drank hot chocolate by a warm fire, visited their nativity scene, wondered through the beautiful christmas trees, and Luke's favorite, watched cut trees being shaken within an inch of their life and bound in netting, an amazing processes. I was "sniffeling all the way!" Because I am allergic, but it was worth it, and it was all free! Not the trees of course, but all the holiday fun.

A night at the movies, as seen through the eyes of a 4 year old

So Saturday morning I was woke up by my cuties wearing super cool kid glasses.

"Guess what mommy! Daddy took us to the movies last night!"

"Great." I yawned wishing I could go back to sleep.

"I had chocolate chips that were diffrent colors, except I didn't get to eat all of them, because daddy spilled most of them all over the floor in the dark."

"what movie did you see?" I asked, knowing there was no way I was going to be able to go back to sleeep.

"We saw Bolt in feedee. It was really really good, except it was boring........"

Okay, now I am confused, but I listen on.

"When you take your glasses off."

"hmmmm" I say

"Luke had M&M's that were colored orange and yellow and didn't have M's on them, and we got a really big bag of popcorn, but daddy ate it all, and you should have seen the pop cup we had! It was so BIG, and we didn't drink it all cause it was so big."

"Then in the middle of the movie I had to go to the bathroom, and daddy had to take us, then when we got back, we had to go back to the bathroom cause daddy thought Luke forgot his glasses in the bathroom, but he really didn't, they were in his pocket."

Ha! Day in the life! I was thinking.

"Then after the movie we got to play the car driving video game, I was the red car and Luke was his favorite color blue. Then we took our picture and I did like this (1 st picture) and then I did like this (2nd picture) then I didn't want to take anymore, and then I was mad."

So like Regan.

Then I asked "where did you go after the movie?"

"We went home cause daddy didn't want to waste all his money."

The funniest thing about this conversation is, she never told me anything about the movie. Guess that is not what was really important.

A warning about Camels

Every year we go to the living Bethlehem. It is so much fun! There is always as many actors as there are visitors. And some of them take their roles very seriously. Luke and I went into one of the "Inn" s there, They had lots of people just laying around in beds, and I told Luke to ask "is there any room?" The man yelled at him "No! Go sleep in the barn with the animals!"
My sister asked the high priest of the temple to pose for a picture with 2 roman soldiers and he said "okay, but I don't usually hang out with these guys...." Usually our favorite part is visiting the camel, my kids would say the free popcorn and cocoa. The kids ran right over to see the camel, she loved Luke and kept nuzzeling him. Regan went right for his head, bad idea, but hindsight is 20/20. I took the picture above right before.....the camel grabbed a bunch of Regan's hair and proceeded to try and eat it. I was pretty much freaking out, and so was Regan. The camel was pulling the hair, trying to bite it off. The people in charge of the camel were not doing anything, I couldn't belive it. Jake pulled it all out of the camels mouth, and it was covered in camel goo! The smell was aweful! One of the camel people said "oh, she must have thought it was hay!" Needless to say, we will not be visiting the camel next time.

Naughty Camel! Here is the villian. Warning, if you see this camel she is Warm and Dangerous!

Birthday Bowling

Jake planned my 30th birthday party. We went bowling and had so much fun! We only made it through 1 game in two hours, but I did get 3 strikes in a row!

Grandpa Terry, Luci, all the grandkids, Uncle Allen, Ashton, Aidan, Auntie Lisa, my Mom and Dad, Jake, Luke and Regan were all there.

We had so much fun playing "Deal or No Deal" in the arcade, winning tickets. You should have heard the yelling when someone lost. It was a blast.

Birthday Dinner

We had a fabulous birthday dinner at the "Rock" Pizza restaurant. Thanks Mom and Dad! My dad was in rock-n-roll heaven. The restaurant was so well decorated and themed, it almost felt like we were in Disneyland. Great pizza and the most ginormous drink glasses ever. Jake surprised me with pink cupcakes and a candle.

Sour Moments Video

Regan's first piece of sour candy!

Christmas Greeting Card

Black Friday, OH Glorious Day!

Black friday went off without a hitch. What a wonderful day! I got up at 2am and picked up Bre. We promptly went to stand in line at Fred Meyer's they had Leapsters, bundles that included a game for $34.00 Smoking deal! Needless to say, we were the first people in line. With our chairs, and hot chocolate at the ready. An hour before the store opened, My cousin's and aunt joined us. There was not a shortage of laughter in line, Christmas spirit I guess. A reporter was there taking our pictures, she told us not to pose, but we couldn't resist being silly.
Okay seriously, my bootie is not that big, but my camera battery died or I would have taken another. I think the wind did that, cause I ran over there to get in the picture.

Well, one bad picture deserves another! So saturday Bre called me to tell me that our picture was in the newspaper, no suprise because the reporter took alot of us. When I pulled up to the newspaper box, I about freaked! This picture was on the front page! I look like I am going to kill someone! Notice the list, with it carefully selected items, pictures and descriptions cut out of the ad and glued. I don't know how Melissa got in the door first, let's just say, I left her in my dust. You can check out the whole article with quotes from my Aunt Shelly:

http://www.columbian.com/article/20081129/NEWS02/711297300/-1/ARCHIVES

After Freddie's we were at Wal-mart at 5:28, just 28 minutes after Freddie's and Walmart opened. Still in time for great deals. Let's just say Wal-mart was like bedlam. Although, we did get just about everything we wanted, thank you walkie-talkies.

Then on to Target, then the mall, then to breakfast. I kind of knew that breakfast was a bad idea, as soon as I ate something, my lack of sleep kicked in, and it was time to call it a day for this bargin shopper. Bre wasn't tired yet so she hooked up with her best friend and on she forged. All in all it was a great day.

Can't wait for next year!

Regan's Snowman poem video

I don't know if I have ever seen anything as cute!

Black Friday!!!!!!!!!!!

My favorite day of the year. I look forward to shopping with all the other crazy people. My friend Brienne and I strategize every detail. The first year Bre decided to come with me, she had no clue how I roll. I picked her up at 3am and we had our lists all made out, with difrent store, and cut out pictures of the items we were going to buy. We had our walkie-talkies all charged up and even did a few sound checks to make sure they were working, with extra batteries in our pockets, cell phones at the ready incase we needed a back up. Wearing thermals under our winter clothes and coat, ready for the long lines outside.

I pulled up to Toys R US and flipped Brienne the list, and said "here you go!." She looked confused.... She thought I was going to wait with her. But really, I was going to wait at another store. Let the games begin! At 5 am the doors opened.....We were seperated in the trenches, waist high in shopping carts and pushy people. I called out to my buddy on the radio. "Have you got the goods?!" But it was too noisy for her to hear her walkie-talkie! I felt all alone in this maddness. A lone shopper in a sea of bargins unatainable. Upon leaving the store, God smiled down on me and Bre alerted me to her positon. I quickly picked her up, and we went together to wait in line at Target, as they were to open in 50 minutes, at 6am. Whewwww.

Great deals, CHECK

Lots of Fun, CHECK

Meet new people in Line, CHECK

After Target, we convoyed with all the other shoppers to Fred Meyer, they have free coffee and doughnuts, we have to keep up our strength.

I have nothing new to post, here are some random pictures and videos, hehehe

Christmas cuties

See, even adults like to play with shape toys.

Luke's 3 year pictures!

Mr. Sparkle Eyes!

We had to have one taken with the monster trucks!

This is the wallet. Can't belive my baby is 3 already!

Sisters

This is me and 2 of my sisters. Tina and Lisa, I love my family. My other sister Amy lives in Utah but......
I am very excited to announce that my sister Amy is going to be visiting in December!

Sleepless in Seattle, not us! Maybe sleep deprived.....

We had to get up at 2:30 in the morning so Jake could make it to the port in time on Saturday, thank goodness there is a bed in the back of his truck. Before the trip he claimed that the port was only a few blocks from the ferry pier, however it really wasn't. Once we had breakfast and the weather cleared up, we took the ferry over to Bremerton. Beautiful views, warm air and a whale tale! That is the Space Needle behind us.

A trip to the market wouldn't be complete with out a visit to Rachelle the Pig.

And we visited Safeco field. As we were walking, Regan, who has the best sniffer in the world, got really excited that she could smell Kettle Corn. I didn't smell anything, but we followed her and her nose for 2 blocks and as we came around a corner, sure enough, there was a kettle corn stand! And because popcorn karma does exist, we had to buy some.

Strange obsession? Or neato collection?

Okay, so I did it! But, it was on sale at Target! As my friends and family know, 2 years ago I just had to have the little people nativity set, which by the way is super cute. Okay, so I promise I won't open it untill my birthday........I am not sharing it with my kids, hehehe.

Aidan's birthday present

Anyone for alittle NO SEW? Well, don't mind if I do.

Okay, so what 8 year old boy wouldn't want a blanket and a book for his birthday? I am turning into that lame aunt that give crappy presents! No, really I have hope that Aidan will like this blanket, after all his beloved "Ralphy" teddy bear is the one I bought him when he was a baby. Just shear dumb luck, I'd like to think not. Just you watch, you nay sayers, he will be taking this blanket with the cuddly puppy dogs with him to college!

Halloween Night

Every year we get together with my family and make "english muffin pizzas" like my mom used to do when we were little. The cousin's love an excuse to get together and show off their costumes. Preston, Aidan, Regan, Morgan and Luke.

Of course, we have to stop by great grandmas, cause she makes the best treats. And you never know who might show up. Aidan, Luke, Regan, Jalyn, Owen.

Regan and her beloved Morgan-the cutest kitty. Regan decided at the last minute-yet again, that she was going to be a "bat princess."

This caged critter scared the you-know-what out of my kids.

They came home with more candy than I ever thought possible. They had so much fun trick or treating with Aidan and aunt Lisa.

Boo Bash

We had a great time at the Camas Boo Bash and I was glad we got there early, because it got very crowded! The ninja Turtle is Oliver and the Spider is Sammy. Regan decieded to be a kitty cat at the last minute, and all I could find to do her wiskers was a sharpie marker. Luke is a Baseball player.

I couldn't let the kids have all the fun. How often do you get the oppurtunity to dress up?

Pumpkin Carving!

Luke's Family Party

Luke's Monster Truck Family birthday party.

I made this cake. Safeway kept messing up my order. Luke stayed right by me the whole time I was frosting it, saying "mama, you missed a spot." My little micro manager.

Luke got so many Monster Trucks! He is in Moster Truck heaven.

Jake's cousin Cheryl brought the twins! Too Cute!

Luke's 3rd birthday

I suprised Luke with a trip to his favorite place Chuck E Cheese!
His real party is this Sunday, but I wanted to spoil him anyway.
When were are at home, Luke likes to pretend that he is taking us, or driving us to Chuck E Cheese, guess old habits are hard to break. Even where we were there he kept telling me he was going to take me to Chuck E Cheese!
Not suprising, he kicked my bootie at air hockey.
He was so proud of himself for not being scared of the real Chuck E Cheese!