Birthday dinner

Kaitlyn - 5 years old

Halloween Time!

So this year Matthew was Obi-Won, Clayton was Bobo-Fet and Kaitlyn was Super-Girl! They had a great time getting candy and seeing their friends in the neighborhood. Our neighborhood is so much fun during this time - festivities on the streets of Woodland. Connor and I stayed home to hand out candy...some of the costumes were very creative. Since Connor wouldn't wear his "Thomas Train" costume I wore it...hey gotta get my money's worth, right? We get soooo many children in our neighborhood - they come in carloads also...too funny! All in all, it was a fun evening...and the best part was the full moon was beautiful how it lit up the sky and NO RAIN! How blessed are we.

My sweet friend Carrie and her husband Bart were out and about! Luv you friend, you look HOT in those boots.
and there's sweet Matthew

Kaitlyn loved seeing Sammi in her costume

even the neighbor dogs get dressed up!

Pumpkin carving

can everyone say "pumpkin guts"? The kids love to carve pumpkins with Dad each year

ok so I finally get some of Connorisms...we were baking Halloween cookies and Connor kept calling the flour or sugar snow...he wanted to run his trains through the snow...I get it now..I could never figure out why he would dump the salt shaker on the table or floor...moms are constantly learning new things. He had a blast but cleaning up wasn't so much fun!

Just an fyi, wet flour is very hard to get out of your hair...Connor was in the bath for a while

can you say "BIG BROWN EYES"
Kaitlyn loves playing around with my hat

Fall Colors

So yesterday while driving to take Connor to the doctor I took the kids for a short drive to witness the beautiful colors of God's creation. We've been indoors for over a week and wanted to capture the Fall colors before it was too late. It was a beautiful day yesterday with lots of sun breaks so the colors were absolutely amazing. Enjoy!

for some reason this road spooked Kaitlyn and she didn't want me to drive down this road...we ended up turning around
such vibrant colors

Pumpkin Pickin' 2009

Boo!
trying to get through the maze

Connor cracks me up...he's afraid of getting his hands dirty so he tries to clean off the pumpkin before picking it up. He takes it to Dad for help but doesn't want to touch it...too funny!

Clayton works hard to get his pumpkin into the wheelbarrel

my sweet girl and growing too fast
Kaitlyn finds a ladybug and wants to take it home

Missing teeth

Clayton finally loses his two top teeth...he now has caught up to his cousins who are also 8...way to go Clayton...our sweetie is getting so grown up.

Connor's 3rd Birthday

We celebrated Connor's 3rd birthday this weekend. He kept asking for his birthday cake and at first did not want me singing Happy Birthday...but after dinner Saturday night we surprised him with balloons, gifts and cake...he was excited, didn't cry when we sang to him AND blew out the candle...whoohooo Connor.

Connor could not wait to dig into his birthday cake
Clayton helping little brother open his gifts
Kaitlyn and Clayton stay close in case Connor needs helps with presents

JBU Reunion

It was Matthew's 10 year reunion at John Brown University. I finally got to visit where he went to school...such an awesome experience for him and for me to meet some of his professors and his dear friend, Paul Smith, as well as some of his college friends that live in the area or drove in for the reunion. Now I can understand why Matthew was always so proud of his experience at JBU. I even had the chance to see him sing in the Cathedral Choir - which was such an amazing part of his life...they were AMAZING! I totally loved it and to hear the story of how JBU came to be was such an inspirational story. I am so glad I had the chance to go and Matthew was so excited to show me around. How blessed he was to attend such a neat school.

Cathedral Choir practicing for the showcase that Saturday night...such an important part of Matthew's college experience...later that night we went to the director, Paul Smith's house for some visiting...we had a good time.

such a peaceful setting!
Tom (Matthew's roommate), Scott & Matthew

some of the class from 1999

Renovated Cathedral at JBU

Matthew and his buddy Scott

True Broncos Fan

Kaitlyn is a true Broncos fan...she makes her Dad proud.

Day at the Oregon Zoo

My friend Jodi and I spent the day yesterday at the Oregon Zoo with the kiddos. Had a great time, the weather was perfect. We took the Max (lite rail) there and the kids loved the ride. We were all so exhausted last night. Kaitlyn and Connor were begging to be put to bed.

Connor checking out the polar bear - watching him eat fish

Kaitlyn took this photo - my mini-photographer

Connor was fascinated with the zebras but his favorite was the giraffe

Kaitlyn's favorite animal was the zebra because it has stripes

I love this photo of little Sylvia watching the zebras...ooohhhhh

beautiful Samantha checking them out also

Jodi and Sylvia watching the elephant

Connor is soooo tired...he's getting comfortable...goin'
goin'
GONE!