October

Wow, what a fun month! I love this time of year...October, November, and December each bring so many special times & traditions. This year was no exception for our October. We started the month of with Sean taking the Pumpkin Patch field trip out to Wilson's Banner Ranch where he visited the corn maze, picked a pumpkin, and taste tested the fruit. He had a blast. Then Aunt Heather called & was coming to visit from Boise. She picked up some fun pumpkin decorating stickers & wanted to have some quality time playing with her niece & nephews. So, I took the kids down to the Leif Wilson Produce stand and let them pick their pumpkins. They had a BLAST! Sean was the winner in the largest pumpkin coming in at 26 pounds, Nicholas was a close second with a 25 pounder, and Elli...well, let's just say her's wasn't even worth weighing in! LOL




The next week was busy, however super fun. We went to a Halloween party at our friend Ruthie's with our "Teacher Group". The kids got to wear their costumes, enjoyed playing with each other, and Ruthie's husband even organized a game of Red Rover for the kids. It was a great night with great friends. Then came the Family Fun Festival down at the school on the Friday before Halloween. The kids love this...lots of fun games, wearing their costumes, and just being able to be kids in a safe environment. They all came home with bags full of goodies.
On the 30th we headed to the corn maze (for the 2nd year) with my parents, Chris & Senna, Tracie, Jeff, and all of the kids. Ray was able to make it this year and we were all excited that he was there. We had so much fun. Chris & Nicholas took the lead with the map, and everybody else just followed behind. The kids had fun playing in the corn (yes, I know the signs say to stay out of the corn, no running, etc. and we broke all of the rules!)



And what corn maze wouldn't be complete without a flying monkey?

Then it was time to come home & carve pumpkins. Ray & the boys picked out the faces & Ray did the carving. And they turned out pretty cool!



Halloween brought on another of our fun traditions. Trick or Treating Grandma Sally, Aunt Paula & Uncle Larry, and for the second year...Soon-to-be-Aunt Heather's parents. Then it was off to our good friend's Jeremy & Sarah's for pizza and trick-or-treating the neighborhood. Elli & Sean were done early so we headed back to Jeremy & Sarah's while Nicholas continued on with Tonia & Sarah, Emma, and Rylee. Nicholas was Iron Man, Sean a Hot-Wheels Driver & Elizabeth was a "Good Witch". They each recived enough candy to last a good month. And then, the night was over bringing with it the closing of another October.


Now, onto November with our Annual Spokane trip, Thanksgiving & Black Friday. Hooray!

The "All Saints" Teacher Group

I have to first start this off by saying I sincerely have the coolest, nicest, loving friends ever within my "All Saints" teacher group. A group that welcomed me in several years ago, before I was even a staff member at the school. I am definately one blessed girl to have so many wonderful people in my life & to be able to see them on a daily basis. And what's even more neat... many of these amazing people have awesome kids who are around the same ages as my kiddos & they have all pretty much grown up together & they all love each other to pieces!

And within this "teacher group" is another incredible lady who always plans the funest (is that a word?) parties for all of these amazing kids, complete with the decorations, party favors, fun food to fit the theme of the party...basically the whole nine yards. I have to honestly say, that I read her blog on a weekly basis & then wish I was more up to speed on mine. And then I wish that I could be as creative & witty as she is with the things she comes up with. She is also one of the most amazing mothers ever. Four kids with the most amazing eyes, smiles, and sweetness. I am very excited that Elizabeth will be in the same class as one of her sweet little girls...and when the girls become Seniors, we can whip out the picture of the two of them when they were only a few weeks old, sharing a nap on a comfy pool-side chair during kiddie swim, side by side, facing each other. Priceless.

Another fun fact with this group is that our house has kind of become the All Saints Teacher Daycare! LOL-No Really. On In-Service days, it's not uncommon to have at least 12 kids running around here. It's a HOOT! For the last almost 5 years, I have at one time or another watched all of the teacher's (who have children) kiddos. It's been so much fun!!!! And my kids love having all of their friends over. Because, while they may see each other in the halls, or are in the same class, school is completely different than hanging out and playing.

Basically, I am totally bragging up my awesome friends because really, everybody should have a group of friends like this. Friends who know your children and will help them if Mom isn't around. Friends who will love you despite your faults and through all of the ups & downs. Friends who know when you just need a little pick-me-up. This group of women are my extended family...or as I call them "My All Saints Family" because I really can't imagine my life without this special group of people. And then when I became a staff member with All Saints & the preschool moved to "the big school" it at times almost overwhelms me with the amount of love & care that fills that school. The one thing I know is that each of these wonderful people have touched my life in so many different ways, and also my kids...So, here is a toast to all of these wonderful people. And a wish & a hope that each one of you has this same blessing.

Pictures

Of course, it wouldn't be a complete "get back into my blogging" without recent pics of the kids!

Nicholas age 7


Sean age 5


Elizabeth age 2

Elli's "much improved" bedroom

Oh, I could so tell that Ray was itching to do something last Saturday involving something from "The Daddy Store" (aka Home Depot) when he asked the kids who wanted to go with him. Elli very excitedly jumped up and down & said she would and of course it wouldn't be a trip to The Daddy Store without Sean. Both kids walked down the stairs with a "Bye Mommy!" (and several little waves from Elli). Their treasures involved a new light for the hallway (Thank Goodness! That light has been on my "ugly" list since the day we moved in eight years ago!), a new light for Elli's room (previous light: lightbulbs without a cover), a new paint brush & some painters tape. The finished job? Two new lights, a straight paint line in Elizabeth's room, the frame for her bow board painted, and her name letters hung up! Here's some pics:

WOW!

So, okay...ummmm...Wow! It's been a long time since I've blogged but, here I go! What have we been up to over the past year? We returned from Alaska in the middle of July 2010, Nicholas finished 1st grade this spring, Sean finished up preschool & will enter Kingergarten, Elizabeth turned 2, we spent Christmas in Flordia at Disney World, I started a part-time Preschool Aide at the school where the kids attend (All Saints Catholic School), Ray spent the first part of the year with pnemunia & bronchitis (it took him at least 4 months to recoup from all of this crap), we attended a Hawkins family reunion in Cascade Locks, Oregon just a couple of weeks ago and well, that's pretty much the jist of it in a nut-shell! Hopefully, I will get back into my blogging and try to keep up with it a little better for all of you far away (and even those who are close!). So onto the next blog (with pics!)