The Bloggin Browns

The Happenings in the Brown House

2011-12-20T19:20:00.001-08:00

Well we haven't been doing much around here this month, except for the kids starting basketball and just the regular piano lessons and church activities. So here are a few pictures of the kids have been doing.

Carson started pre-school this year and so they had a little Christmas program and some kids were dressed as elves and some were dressed as santa and each child had a part that they said. Carson's part was "I can't wait to see Santa". They sang some Christmas songs and it was all very cute. As you can tell Carson was an elf.

Excuse the red eyes I fixed them but when I posted them onto my blog they came back and I don't know how to fix them now.

He didn't sing the songs at all, which isn't unusual for him, but he did say his part. I was going to post the video of him but I can't figure out how to post video's yet.

This picture is from our work party. It is just the one but that is all you need right. This year we decide to give our staff from the store a Christmas party so we went to the Old Spaghetti Factory and treated the staff to dinner and we had a white elephant exchange. It was alot of fun.

On the 16th we had our ward Christmas party. We had a great turn out and it was alot of fun. We had a little program where each auxiliary would come up and sing a Christmas song and then after that we had some of the primary kids do the nativity. Madison was asked to be Mary which she was so excited about and then another boy from her primary class was Joseph. They did a great job. After the nativity we had some great food.

Mary, Joseph, and the donkey, oh and baby Jesus.

Madison and Zach have started basketball and so this month they started having games. We have been lucky enough that the games are on the same day but to bad they are at different times. Zach's are always in the morning and then Madison's are always in the early afternoon. Anyway it has been great to see how the kids have progressed this year in basketball. This is Madison's second year and Zach's third year playing. Zach can finally shoot the basketball without shooting it through his legs and he can actually make baskets he was so thrilled when he realized he could. Madison is doing better is getting more aggressive in her playing. So now that I have said all that when we take Carson with us he gets kind of bored and Larry and I like to cheer the kids on and watch them so when we go to the basketball games we bring the ds for Carson to play. I usually don't like to use the ds as a babysitter but at the games it makes it so much more enjoyable and he is happy during that time. It is after the game when I tell him he needs to turn it off.

Madison getting ready to play

On the 18th we went to Larry's mom's house and did Christmas with them. The kids had a good time and got some good stuff. Madison got a lava lamp which she wanted, Zach got Connect Four launchers game which he was thrilled about and then Carson got a race track and some cars which he loved as well. We had a great time with Larry's parents.

Carson opened his race track and was so excited.

Larry's mom helping the kids.

Madison's lava lamp

ELEVEN

2011-11-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

On November 2nd it was Madison's birthday, she turned 11. I can not believe that she is 11. I sometimes can't believe that I have an 11 year old. This year for Madison's birthday we didn't really do much, I decided a couple of years ago that the kids didn't need big birthday partys every year, it just gets to expensive so this year for Madison's birthday we didn't have a birthday party for her, we just had a family birthday with her favorite dinner and cake and ice cream and fortunately this year she wanted an ice cream cake so it was all together. It was a nice little birthday and Madison really enjoyed it which is what I try to make sure that my kids like their birthdays and Madison said she did.

Well what do you get an eleven year old girl, that is a good question and I am even her mother and I didn't know what to get her. She is getting to that point where she doesn't really play with dolls that much but she still ask for them and I am reluctant to get them because I know she will grow out of them very soon, but I did find some things for her. I tried to convince Larry to get her a cell phone because as she is getting older and I think that it would come in handy when she is at a friends house or when she is at home with the boys when Larry and I go for our walks but he said no and that is fine maybe I am trying to rush it with her.

Madison is so great, she is sweet and caring and is such a big help to me, sometimes I have to make sure that I am not asking to much of her. She is growing up way to fast and I am not sure that I like that. She is already asking me how old she has to be to babysit other peoples kids and I told her 12. Soon she is going to be in Young Womens and I don't know if I am ready for her be that old yet. Madison is such a great big sister and we love having her in our family. The boys tell her all the "Madison I love you" and I love to hear that and I am glad that she responds back to by telling them the same thing. I hope that it doen't change.

Happy Birthday Madison

Before school

Birthday cake
She really wanted the Harry potter dsi game and so I got her the lego harry potter and then I realized that there was an actualy Harry Potter game not in lego style. Oh well she liked it anyway.

She wanted squinkies, I don't know what you do with them but she got them.
And this doll, it is a Monster High doll.

Oh and by the way for dinner we had Pyrogi's with sausage and onions and then on Saturday her and I are going to go out and going shopping. Oh and on a side note when Madison got home from school she looked in her room and looked around the house she "mom where is my surprise", I thought to myself "what surprise", I kept on thinking and even Zach got in on it and was asking about her surprise, I responded back to her "I don't know what you are talking about what surprise", she said that every year she had had some kind of surprise for her birthday. Well I think she thinks that because it was easier to buy her presents in the past and so she had some big presents that couldn't be wrapped, like her doll house and her desk, and so when she got home from school it was there in he room waiting for her and she was surprised. So after that I felt kind of bad but explained to her that she can't always get a surprise on her birthday. I think that I have created a monster with the birthday's. Oh well next year I will have to make sure that she has a surprise.

October

2011-10-31T21:30:00.000-07:00

So here I am once again posting a bunch of pictures because I didn't post right away, but oh well. I tried the whole month of October to get into the halloween spirit but for some reason I was just dreading it. I never usually feel that way but this year I was, maybe I need to get halloween decorations, maybe that might help. We were just busy in October I felt like. We didn't get a chance to go to the pumpkin patch like we usually do but that is o.k. I really only like to go to the pumpkin patch to get the pictures not the pumpkins, we can get pumpkins at our store. Anyway I had gotten all the kids Halloween costumes early this year and I even thought that I would dress up as well but I couldn't find a costume that I wanted to dress up as. I always know what I want to do after halloween. So we were just busy, Larry had a meeting for work that he had to go to and then him and I went to California because Larry had to speak at a Grocery Outlet School for aspiring operators, so we went there for a couple of days. He only had to speak the one day but we took the opportunity to stay with our friends in Livermore for a couple of days and we saw some other Grocery Outlets there. Then in that same week we had parent teacher confrences. It really wasn't that busy now that I have written it down but I just felt busy. We had a good month of October though and the kids were happy and that is what is important right!

The kids had gotten up for school one day and I felt really happy about it being a Halloween month I had to take these next pictures. I thought when I looked out the window, "who needs fake decorations when you have the real thing". This was about the only decoration we had besides the pumpkins we carved.

Carson's pre-school class went on a field trip to the pumpking patch though and it was a new one for me and it was a very cool farm. It was call "The Farm". They had animals and then the pumpkin patch that they took you to in a wagon with hay and then they had slides, it was a great farm.

Carson when we first got there wasn't really into doing anything as you can tell by the picture below. He eventually got into the whole thing once he got comfortable.

Oh there he is.

The is the hay maze. It was very cool and it led you up into the barn where there was a slide that the kids could go on and they loved it. I didn't get any pictures of the slide because the lighting wasn't that could and I couldn't get a good picture even with my flash. I think I need a better camera. :) Ya right.They had a tractor you could sit on as well.

After we looked at the animals and sat on the tractor they took us out to the pumpkin patch and we got to pick out a pumpkin.

Carson found his.

Carson wanted the green one but I said no.

The next thing is that we have a new addition to our family. We had to get rid of one thing but got something new in place of it.

Larry got himself a new truck. He LOVES it. I have to admit I really like it too. It is a little bit bigger then his other one but he likes it and we were kind of looking to get something a little bit bigger and a little bit roomier for the kids in the back because in his other truck Madison's knees were squished and in the new one she has a ton of room and Carson can't get his feet on the back of the seat. It was something that we have been looking at doing for a while because our accountant said that we needed to buy something for the store so we won't have to pay to the IRS next year so that is really why we got it. We wouldn't have gotten it other wise because his other truck was payed off.

It is a new color for him.

Well I finally did it, I finally decided that I was going to paint the basement bedroom. My dad comes and stays with us alot and he doesn't mind the bedroom the way it was but Larry's cousin was coming and even though she was just staying the night I didn't want her to stay in that room downstair. I feel really bad for having other people stay in it now that I have painted it and it looks better, but I am not a decorator and I really don't like painting. Luckily Larry said that he would help me. I discussed my idea's with my friend Aunna because she has helped me in the past with rooms and she is good a decorating, and so she helped me by saying "ya I think that will look great". So when Larry got home from his business trip he helped me paint the room. I feel really bad because he actually did alot of it because I had to take missy to the vet in the morning and then we got painting I realized that one gallon wasn't going to be enough so I had to go and get another gallon, so thank you so much to my wonderful husband who helped me with this.

This is the room before. I had actually started putting painting stuff in the room so I didn't get an actual picture of the room before but it really is much different.

Before.

After, with the curtains closed. Those curtains were actually the curtains that I had up in the kitchen where our new door is going out onto the deck.

We got new lamps and some more pictures. We just need to put some shelves in the closet now in the room and we need to put a bathroom down there as well. All in due time right. We are actually going to switch chairs eventually and put a different and nicer chair in the room as well.

That same weekend that Larry's cousin came we went to Larry's mom's house to visit. Madison loves it there because she gets to go to the bard with Tom and help with the horses. Of course it was raining that day so we weren't sure if we were going to be able to let Madison ride the horse but we hoped for a clearing or just for the rain to stop just for a little bit.

Carson out in the rain

Hmm is it ever going to stop.Oh it stopped for a littel bit we had the opportunity to get one of the horses and start brushing her and getting ready to put the saddle on her.

Madison getting excited to ride.

Here she is. She loves to go horseback riding.

She even let Zach take a turn. We were surprised that Zach even wanted to get on and he did and he loved it too.

Madison waiting her turn.

Carson just waiting.

Madison got on again.

Larry's mom surprised Madison with cake and some gifts because she wasn't going to be able to make it for Madison's birthday and since all the other family was there she had a little mini party. It was so nice if Larry's mom to do that.

The Saturday before Halloween we carved our pumpkins and we found a costumes for Missy, she was our batman because Carson was Robin and we needed a batman, so we got one of Carson's old pj's and put it on her and there we had a batman costume. She was a good sport about it and very tolerable.

Carson looking into the pumpkin.

Larry got out his power tool this year to make it easier for carving. Why we didn't think of this before I don't know, it was so much easier.

Carson not really like the guts in the pumpkin.

Zach and his pumpkin Carson and his pumpkin.

We went to the ward trunk or treat and this is the only picture I got of kids in there costumes plus my nieces.

Carson, the only picture I could get of him.

Kenzie in her cupcake costume

On Halloween we went over to our Friends house and had a little Hallowee party with another family. It was fun, we had soup and the kids entertained themselves and then they got to decorate cookies and make mud and worms. The kids had a great time and so did we. After we ate and the kids had some fun we went trick or treating. I didn't get any good pictures of that because for one the kids were fast and then another was because Carson wasn't cooperating and so I had to take him back to the house and sit with him

We had a good October and are looking forward to the next couple of months with the holidays.

First Day of School

2011-09-11T18:08:00.001-07:00

The first day of School was on Wednesday the 7th. The kids were so excited for school to start and they were excited about their teachers. Well Zach was excited about his teacher but Madison wasn't sure about her teacher because she is new to the school and we really didn't get to talk to her at the meet the teachers day, but they were excited to get back to school and to tell you the truth I was too. I love having my kids at home but towards the end of the summer they start to fight more and more and I get really tired of it. So I was excited too but a little sad that they are growing up, what happened to my babies. Carson started pre-school on Thursday and that was sad as well. I hope that he does o.k in pre-school, he is a smart kid but he is stubborn as well and that worries me. But I think that they all had a good first day, somewhat (I will explain the somewhat later).

We started off the day before school started by going to Jen and Daves and having smores with them, it was a great way to get ready for the first day of school. As we were sitting on our deck waiting to go to Jen and Dave's Madison wanted me to paint her fingernails because she got some new nail polish and wanted to wear it. She got a bright green and then blue crackle so we were going to put the bright green on first and then put the blue crackle on top of the because you have to put a color underneath the crackle nail polish. Well just as we were getting ready Zach and Carson came and wanted to see what was going on. So can anyone guess what happened next and by the picture below do you know who's hands those are?

Do you know yet who's they are?
If you guessed Carson you are right. He wanted his nails done as well and he wanted it just like Madison was going to do hers so we used him as the ginniepig to see what it was going to look like. He thought it was pretty cool. Larry was sitting right there and he was just shaking his head. Zach wouldn't have anything to do with it.

Here he is again I think it is hilarious that he like it and he new what he wanted.

After the doing of the nails we headed over to Jen and Dave's and started the smores.

Hannah eating her smore.

Zach eating his smore, do you notice the bump on his cheek. Well earlier on that day he fell off his bike and scratched up his knee and his shoulder, because he was riding without a shirt, and his cheek hit the cement curb, we were glad he was wearing a helmet because it could have been worse. I felt bad he had to start his first day of school with so many bumps and bruises and then this one on his cheek.

Madison being funny because I wanted her picture.

You can see the bright green nail polish, we never did put on the blue crackle nail polish.

Jacob being cute as usual.

Hannah looking to see if her marshmallow is done.

Here is a better picture of Zach's cheek.

Carson doesn't like the chocolate and the cooked marshmallow together so he eats them separately. He eats the chocolate and then a non cooked marshmallow.

It was so cute to see Max pushing Jacob on the swing. I tried to get some good pictures of them.

Jacob eating his smore

The morning of school came way to quickly and I forgot what it felt like to get up early again. I got up and made the kids waffles and sausage for breakfast and then they were off to get ready for school.

Madison and Zach before school

I get a picture of the kids every year in this spot. I love to see how they have changed. Madison looks so grown up here.

Carson had to get in them too, along with his sippie cup and leapster. He always looks so scared when he gets his picture taken, at least when i take it he does.

Zach in his classroom.

Madison in her class

Zach after school.

Madison after school, but this was not the face she first had. She was not happy when she got off the bus and her words were "I had the worst first day of school", I asked her why it was and she said that her teacher is strict and that they can only go the bathroom once a day if you are in class and she said that she was mean. I think that she was just used to her teacher last year who was very relaxed and layed back, so I think that this might be good for. I told her that she can't say that she doesn't like her, and until she gives Larry and I reason to be concerned then we will handle it. We will see how it goes I guess.

This is Carson on his first day of pre-school. He never looks right at me when I take pictures of him, he gets distracted easily.

Oregon Coast

2011-09-04T21:26:00.000-07:00

On the last week of August we decided to go and take a camping trip to the Oregon Coast. It has been a while since we have been there camping and I have been wanting to go for a while now so Larry was able to get some time off of work and on August 23rd we hooked up the trailer and off we left to Pacific City Oregon. It is only about a half hour south of Tillamook and we stayed at a Thousand Trails so we didn't have to pay for the campsite since we were members so who could resist that. I remember all the times that we went to the coast as a kid and I loved it and I just want my kids to experience the same things that I did. Those were great times as a kid and I want my kids to remember the great times that we had there as well.

After about five hours of driving we made it and got settled and had dinner and just hung out because we got there at about four. The kids rode their bikes for a little while and then we drove around the camp ground and looked at where everything was. They had a swimming pool and a little miniature golf course and some play grounds and they had a ton of bunnies. The bunnies were really quite friendly and didn't run away when you got close to them. There were signs though that they had a bear that sometimes roamed the camp ground and that we shouldn't approach it. I wouldn't approach it anyway. We never did see the bear but that is just fine with me.

We had a great time and unfortunately as I was just about finished uploading my picture blogger wouldn't let me down load anymore, I don't know why but I couldn't so I don't have any pictures of our very first day on the beach.

On our first full day of in Oregon I really wanted to go to the Tillamook Cheese Factory so we went ahead and did that. We went and looked at what they did with the cheese basically. I really think the main reason you go to the tillamook cheese factory is to get their squeaky cheese and the ice cream, so of course we got some squeaky cheese and ice cream.

We had to get some pictures of the kids in these as we were heading into the cheese factory.

On our way back to the campsite after the tillamook cheese factory we saw an Air Museum and so we stopped and looked at all the planes that they used in the war. In this hanger they were able to fit 8 blimps in it, this hanger was HUGE. It was so amazing. It was all made out of wood here in the northwest, there wasn't enough metal during the war so they used the local wood. Like I said this was amazing. The kids enjoyed it and so did Larry, he really loves these kinds of things and I am glad that my kids like this as well.

One night Larry and I took a walk to the beach by ourselves and wanted to watch the sunset. We got some really great pictures of the sky and how it changed. It was great.

This is what it looked like on our way to the beach.

Larry and I

And this is when the sky started to change.

I love the pink in the sky.

More pink, I love these pictures

The next day we decided to just play at the beach the whole day because it was supposed to be nice. So that is exactly what we did, we just played at the beach and played in the wave. I brought some boogie boards so the kids might play in the water with them but the water was way to cold, even for me to do that. So we played in the sand and just hung out on the beach.

They buried each others legs.

And then dad got involved and said that he would help them dig a hole so that they could bury someone in it, of course not all the way they had to be able to breath but just deep enough so that their legs were covered basically. So then Zach volunteered to be the first and he was the only one that was actually buried. As you can tell by this picture he loved it.

Madison eventually got in but didn't want to be buried.

Me and my hubby

I love this picture of me and the kids because they are laughing at something and I don't know what.

My boys

On our last day it was cloudy and we thought that we the clouds were going to burn off, at least that is what the news said it was supposed to do so I told everyone that I wanted to go and climb the sand dune that was near the beach. So we headed to the beach thinking that the clouds would go away and then after our climb that we would play on the beach again. Well when got to the beach it looked like it would start to clear because in the picture you can see a little bit of blue in the sky.

Off to the sand dune we go.

On our way up we had to stop and take a break after the first part of it. I didn't get a before this is the first one that I took on the sand dune.

We made it to the top. Carson did it all by himself and it was steep.

This is from the top of the sand dune.

The clouds still haven't cleared, and I don't think that they will.

On our way down.

This is the view going up.

After the sand dune we explored the rocks a little bit on the beach.

It never did get nice that day but we had fun anyway and we definately want to go back again next year.

Done

2011-09-04T21:02:00.001-07:00

So I know that I am skipping ahead a bunch and I haven't been very good about blogging on a regular basis but I will catch up another time, I just have to blog that day when the pictures are done. So I will try and do better.

Well some of you may know that back at the beginning of July (I think) maybe it was towards the end of July we decided to put a deck on the our house. We would have liked to go out the back and have french doors but we just weren't going to have enough space that we would like so we went out the side of the house in the kitchen area. We had a great contracter that did it. I thought that it wouldn't take that long to build a deck but it did and that is o.k because it is done right. So everything is completely finished as of Saturday and we love having our deck so we can go and sit on it and eat out there when it is nice. The kids love it and the dog likes it as well because now we don't have to go all the way to the basement to take her outside and she loves to be outside anyway so we can leave the door open and she can come and go as she pleases. So here are some pictures of the begining to the end of it.

Here is the start of the deck. I couldn't wait for it to get done.

He had only put railing up on that one side and the side by the grass wasn't put up yet and we didn't have the door in yet but we couldn't help and not try it out so we took the screen off of the window and climbed out the window when we wanted to go out there but the kids weren't aloud out there without us because of fear tha they might fall off of the deck.
Here is the day that he was putting the door in. We have hole in the wall that looks like a window.

And now we have the hole in the wall that looks like the door.

And I don't know why I didn't get a picture of the door actually in, probably because it wasn't completely done, but here is the deck done we just had to wait to get the siding put back on and the door to get finished and then it would be complete.

And Ta da, here is the finished door going onto the deck

Here it is from the outside going in.

This is a picture from the stairs

From the other side.

Larr outside enjoying the deck.

My first 5k

2011-07-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't blogged about the 4th of July yet but I was on the lap top and had these pictures on there and I thought that I would blog about my first 5k I did.

On July 24th I ran/walked the Summer Fun Run sponsored by Swedish hospital for overian cancer. Last year I saw something about it on t.v but it was after the fact and I hadn't done anything to get ready for it anyway so I told Larry that the next year I was going to do it. As many of you know my mom passed away from overian cancer about two and half years ago so I really wanted to do this. They had all kinds of groups walking for certain people and it was amazing to see. I didn't have a team and I didn't raise any money because I signed up at the last minute. Next year I told my sisters that they are doing it with me and they don't have to raise any money but I am going to try and raise some money next year. They raised over five hundred thousand dollars and I think that is amazing.

So in March when we got Missy I decided that was a good time for me to start my training. So I had started running and walking outside. Now I have ran on the treadmill before and I found that it was easier for me. It was hard for me to run on the pavement and I know that may sound weird because when you run on a treadmill you aren't going anywhere. Well anyway I trained for it and I think that I got pretty good at it. Now I couldn't run the whole thing but I ran alot of it and I think that I got a good time for me. I finished the race in 41 minutes and 20 seconds. I was lucky enough to have a great friend do it as well. My neighbor and friend Jennifer Shevitz ran the race as well. Thank you Jen for doing that with me.

After doing the 5k I now know that I can do another one and I really want to. I don't think I will do a marathon but for right now I am going to stick with the 5k's and knowing that I can do it is a great feeling and accomplishment.

This is the start and don't worry there were a ton more people this was just before everyone got ready.

Jen and I before the race. Here I am after the race. They gave away these beads before the race.

Silverwood/ Our first camping trip of the summer

2011-06-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

On the last day of school after the kids got home we packed up and left for our first camping trip of the summer. We decided that we would take the kids to Silverwood theme park in Idaho. The kids got out at 11:30 and we were going to leave as soon as they got home so we could make it there at a reasonable time. Well we didn't get going until later because we had to take the dog to someones house so they could watch her and we fed the kids before we left and finished some stuff on the trailer. So we really leave until 1:00. We headed off and the traffic was great, we didn't run into any which was really nice. Long about 4:00 Larry and I started talking that maybe we should stop somewhere instead of pushing through all the way to Idaho that night. So we decided to stop in Moses Lake and camp there for the night. We stopped at a campsite that we have stayed at before and is nice and has a pool so the kids could swim and stretch their legs.

We had a great time there, the kids swam and we had dinner and just kind of hung out and went for a walk. They had a park their for the kids as well and they played on that for a little while as well.

The next day we headed to Silverwood and made it there in the late morning, enough time to get the trailer ready and have lunch and meet up with our friends that we went with. Our friends didn't leave until Friday. So we had lunch and we all headed to the park to have some fun. We all had a great time. Madison was more adventurous then I thought she would be and Zach well he wasn't quite adventurous but he went on some rides anyway. Carson wanted to go on all the rides even the ones that he couldn't.

We had a good time and it was nice to get away and have some fun. I didn't take any pictures of the water park part because it wasn't really that nice. I shouldn't say it wasn't nice it was in the high sixty's but there was wind which made it seem colder and the kids were cold and complaining so we only ended up staying in the water park for about an hour and a half at the most. So here are some pictures of our trip.

Madison and Zach in Moses Lake during dinner eating their watermelon.

Carson being Carson

We don't have bunk beds in our trailer so we thought we would try putting all three kids on the extra bed in the back. It is a queen size bed so it fit all the kids. They seemed like they had enough room.

Sorry about the picture I thought I fixed it but then it downloaded like this, anyway this is a picture of me and Madison and our friend Colleen on a ride that takes you way up in the sky and then it drops you really fast. I usually don't go on these kinds of rides but if I want my kids to be more adventurous then I should be as well. This us first getting on the ride.

Here is another one that I thought I fixed the picture but it downloaded like this. Anyway here we go way up high.

And this is us after the ride. I was laughing really hard and Madison even though it looks like she didn't like it she actually did.

Next the dads went on it and this is Carson watching them go on.

Larry after the ride.

Carson loved this ride the most. He kept on riding it over and over. He probably could have rode it a thousand more times but we had to stop some time.

Carson like this one as well.

We are getting ready to watch a magic show. This is me in all my camping glory. :)

This was another one of Carson favorites until he got squirt by water and was done with it. You get a bucket of balls and put them in this machine and you can try and hit the targets that they have or sometimes they have boats that are in there that people can go in and if people are in them then they can squirt you. So one of the boats squirt Carson and he was done.

Carson didn't want to get the picture done.

Carson being silly with Larry's hat.

Catching Up

2011-05-30T19:43:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since I have blogged and I really want to do whenever I have something to blog about but I don't always feel like it so this post is really just some catching up on things that we have been doing.

Well we haven't really done much, we have just been really busy with basball with both Madison and Zach and alot of the time Larry and I find ourselves going to two places because Zach has a game not at the same place Madison does so we split up to watch the kids. I can't imagine what will happen when Carson gets into sports. So this was life basically for the month of May.

Madison at one of her games.

Getting ready for the game to begin
Up to bat

Larry wasn't able to make it to this game and so both boys came with me and alot of the time while Madison is playing her games the boys get bored and so this is how they end up entertaining themselves. They are playing a game on my phone.

On May 7th it was Zach's birthday, we made him his favorite breakfast which is waffles and they he got to open a few presents. Madison had a game that day as well later in the day so we just kind of hung out at home. Zach got a Wii game and a ds game. It was so hard to get him a gift this year all he wanted was wii games and ds games and I really didn't want to get him those but I didn't know what else to get. This is usually the age where I have hard in general getting the kids things because they aren't really into the kid toys and they aren't quite old enough for older toys.

After Madison's game we went to Red Robin (zach's choice) with my sister Carlee and her husband and thier three kids and my dad. The kids love to go there for thier birthday's because they sing to you and they did sing to Zach and brough him a sunday as well. So here are some pictures of that day.

Adeline (Carlee's second oldest)

Heather (Carlee's oldest)

Carson drinking his water waiting for his food.

Kenzie (Carlee's youngest 5months) this was her first time having a red robin fry.

Kenzie not quite sure about the fry

The birthday boy with his sunday.

On the 11th of June Zach had his school concert and unfortunately I only have two picture of it because my camera wasn't cooperating or maybe I just need to play with my camera more ,even though I have had for a year, anyway I couldn't get a good shot of him and these two are the only two I could get. He had his own part that he said as well it was so cute I wish that I had gotten in on video.

Zach after the concert because I never got one before the concert

These next pictures are just random pictures that I took of the kids and such.

This one we had been gone all day and then it started to rain but the kids wanted to go outside and play anyway and so they did. Larry and I sat on the front porch and watched them. They were having a great time.

Zach taking a break to let me take a picture.

So if anyone didn't know we got a dog. She is a boxer and the best part is that she was free. The lady had lost her job and couldn't afford to take care of her even though she had like four other boxers. She is such a great dog and she is so patient with the kids, especially Carson, who can hang on her all the time. Larry found her in the paper and he has been wanting a dog and I was a little hesitant about it but we went anyway because Larry really wanted to and I thought that is would be good for the kids and when we went and looked at her she imediately started licking each one of us. She loves to be right in your face and lick you anytime she gets a chance. It has been good for me as well because I go out and walk with her and she loves it. She has been really great for our family. So everyone meet Missy. I would have changed her name but that is the name that they called her and I didn't want to change it.

She is watching the kids play out in the rain.

One day the kids were getting ready to leave for school and I noticed that each one of them put on a super hero shirt. None of it was planned either. So I had to get a picture of it.

Carson-superman, Madison-wonder woman, Zach-batman then when Larry got home he put on his superman shirt not realizing that the kids all had super here shirts on as well. I am the only one that doesn't have one I might have to look into getting one if I can find one.

Last thing is I went and re-painted the boys room and re-organized it. Thanks to my good friend Aunna she helped me pick out the color of the boys room and helped me decide how the room should go.

This is before I painted and also before I put the bunkbeds together if you remember the beds were apart and so it looked alot more crouded. The color in this picture is a light blue and the boys each had a super hero covers and such.

Another before picture. I should have taken a before picture of the bunkbeds apart because it is actually really different.

Ta da, this is an after picture of the room with the curtains shut. There used to be greet curtains and then I got navy blue. The color on the walls is actually a beige color. I think it looks better in person.

The curtains are open on these ones and missy had to be in shot as well I guess.

I got new bedding from potterybarn that was on sale and I thought about getting two different kinds but I decided not to do that and that they could have the same bedding.

I should have used the flash on this one because it was actually quite bright outside but it looks dark in the room.

This is the bedding.

I will try to do better on my blogging but I can't promise anything.

Three

2011-05-02T20:32:00.000-07:00

Today Carson turned 3. I can not believe that he is three already, I am torn because I am glad that he is turning three and growing up but I also kind of miss him being a baby when he couldn't talk back to me and was a little sweeter. Carson is a great little boy, when he wants to be, and loves both his mom and his dad. We are excited because Carson is almost potty trained. Well I would say that he was but he still has some accidents. He hasn't been wearing a diaper for almost two months now and it is so nice.

We didn't do much today, I went to work and he went over to Carlee's and then I came home and after the kids got home we went to build a bear and he got to pick out a bear. It was his first time doing a build a bear so he didn't really want to do alot of what makes it so much fun but that is o.k he was excited anyway. We came home and had taco's because that is what he wanted for dinner and then we opened just a couple of presents and had a cake. Like I said it wasn't much but he only three and we had kind of a big party last year and let's just face it we can't always have a big party for all of your kids. So here are a few pictures of what we did today.

Carson picked out his bear, it was a camo bear so therefore we named him Camo.

He wasn't quite sure what was going to happen here and it is when they go and stuff the bear
He didn't want to step on the peddle to stuff the bear but here you can see that he is watching and trying to take a picture.

He gave his bear a hug and said it was good.

We are all done. I didn't let him dress the bear because lets face it they clothes don't ever stay on and it just isn't worth it to me.

This is what he looks like when he forces a smile and really doesn't want to get his picture taken.

Here he is just being cute.

He got some bakugans.

And a airplane of some sorts.

Here is the cake I got him.

Getting ready to blow out the candles.

I was trying to get a good picture of him and he just didn't want to take anymore pictures.

I wanted a picture of all the kids but at this point Carson was totally done and didn't want to do any pictures at all. He said to "no picture".

He finally got his cupcake.

Happy Birthday Carson.

Baseball and bye bye baby teeth

2011-04-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

Well we haven't had alot going on lately but our lives are about to get alot more busy. Well they already are busy but the kids have started baseball and so they are having games and practices and then plus any extra activities that they have. Well it is really just Madison that has extra activities and next year I am going to have to tell her to stop signing up for things before she talks to me about them. So anyway be expecting more baseball pictures in the near future.

I am going to start off with Zach. Zach has had a loose tooth for a while now and just in about the last month it has gotten alot more loose and he has been trying really hard to get it out. Well last week he has been wanting to pull it out. I didn't think that it was quite ready but Zach insisted that it was ready to come out. I tried and I told him that I didn't think that it was he didn't like that so he talked to Larry when he got home and well you will see what happened in the pictures.

This is Zach before his tooth came out.

So Larry didn't have any luck getting it out with his fingers and so he told Zach that he would get the leatherman out and they could try it that way. Zach didn't like that idea at first but Larry told him that he wouldn't make it hurt and he told Zach that if he wanted to he could do it himself, so this is Zach grabbing the leatherman trying to pull out his tooth. Well it didn't work, because I don't think it was ready, and Larry just told Zach to keep on wiggling it with his tongue and that it would get looser. So that is what he did............. And today at lunch he push it with his tongue and it just came out. He was so excited that it came out and he put it in his hand and then it fell on the floor of the gym and he couldn't find it because in Zach's words "there were alot of white things on the floor I couldn't find my tooth". So basically it matched the floor. I am just glad he didn't get on the ground and look for it. So he lost his first tooth and the one next to it is actually pretty loose too and he is so excited about it.

Now we are into baseball season. This is Madison's first year playing and I think that she really enjoys it. Madison had her first game on Tuesday and I was really nervous because alot of the girls on her team have played in years past, but she is doing good she just has not be afraid of the ball but it is hard to not be afraid of the ball when so far this season she has been hit three times and two of those times were in practice.

This happened on Wednesday at practice. I don't like to see my girl get hurt but we have told the kids that when playing sports that they could get hurt and they are getting tougher, which is nice.

She was catching a pop fly and it hit her right in the chin. She thinks it looks like a smiley face and she got some attention from the boys today, they thought it was pretty cool.

Don't worry this not an inapropriate photo this is Madison's side. On her game on Tuesday she was playing catcher and the team they played against was really really really good and this year they are doing kid pitch instead of machine pitch and the pitchers were really good, well they are actually calling it fast pitch. So anyway she was playing catcher and the ball came and missed her gear and hit her in the side. I felt so bad I was standing right by the fence and she came over and was crying and it took everything for me to not go around and go hug her and tell her it was going to be o.k. Larry was standing right beside me and he just told her that she would be o.k and to tuff it out and in my words to Larry I said "she just got hit with the ball it probably really hurt". He said that he understood but that she has to learn that playing a sport things like this can happen. I just felt so bad for her she was standing on the other side of the fence crying. The coach came over and asked if they needed to get someone else in to take her place and she said no and went back to catching. I am so proud that she just didn't want stop and she kept on going. And Larry is right they have to learn that playing sports they can get hurt, but so far she has some wounds to show. She sure does like playing sports though.

Madison practicing before her game.

Waiting to bat.

It was so cold that day that when her team was up to bad she would go and sit down next to Larry and put a blanket around her to warm up.

Madison's team out on the field.

I would have taken more pictures but my camera died. Madison has a game on Saturday and Zach has first game on Saturday as well so I will have to make sure that the camera is fully charged for that.

No More Basketball

2011-02-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am finally blogging again. I still have more to blog about but I am starting with this.

Well the kids are done with basketball and we had a good season. It was Zach's second time playing and Madison's first. Zach did good. He is still shorter then the rest of the kids but he did good. He had a good coach and a lot of boys on his team. It helped this year that he was with kids that he knew because last year we went through Mill Creek instead of through the snohomish school district so that he is with kids he knows. So he enjoyed it better and so did we.

Carson and Madison watching Zach play a game

Getting ready to play.

At Zach's basketball party the coach had a certificate for every player and Zach got the certificate for the "Pumped Up Award", because was always excited and happy at the practices games.

Carson wanted to get in on the picture taking and cut right in front of Zach so he could get his picture. Carson can't wait until he can play sports.

There we go I got one without Carson.

Madison did really good in basketball. She really enjoyed and said that she wants to play again next year. I didn't know if she was really going to enjoy it but she did. At first she wasn't that aggresive but as she got comfortable in the game she got in there and did good and tried to get the ball away. She played some really good teams but all the girls on her team did really good.

These are the girls on her team at her basketball party. Well the girl in the green sweatshirts wasn't on there team she is a sister of one of the girls but Allison was on her team and I don't know where she was at. As you can tell there weren't alot of girls on her team so if someone wasn't there all the girls had to play no one got a turn to sit out. I think it was good for the girls though.

Madison with her trophy. Oh but where is Carson, you can see Larry and Zach behind her and while i was trying to get a picture of Madison Carson found the fire alarm and pulled it. Yes you heard the right he pulled the fire alarm at the restaurant. I felt so bad and I can't believe he would pull it. It was right on his level though. I can laugh about it now but I couldn't then.

Madison had to have her basketball party before her season ended so here are some more pictures of her playing ball.

Madison was great at defense. She kept on top of her person and barely let them out of her sight. She was awesome.

Here is a picture of all the girls. This was their last game.

Vacation/Christmas

2010-12-28T21:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas Vacation has started and I am looking forward to having to worry about homework and school stuff for a couple of weeks. Christmas vacation actually started the 17th but I am posting what we have done later. We really haven't done much it has been nice.

On Wednesday the 22nd we decided to go sledding with some friends that were visiting in Bellingham from California and so we went all the way up to Mt Baker and went sledding and let me tell you it was worth it. It has been so long since we have been to Mt Baker. The last time we went sledding there was when Madison was just barely a year old. It was so much fun to go back up there and go sledding, I forgot though how long the hills were and then you had to climb back up them, it is a work out just goin back up to sled back down. The kids had fun and it was fun to see our friends again and visit with them. Madison had such a fun time and Zach did too but he doesn't much like the cold so he had fun but was a little winey and well. Carson loved it as well but he wanted to take his coat and gloves off and so we had to take him back to the car to warm up. We had fun and I would like to go back there with just Larry and I and sled, because I don't know how to skii or anything like and either does Larry, and it would be nice to not have to worry about a 6 year old complaining and then a 2 year old you have to carry up the hill. So here are the pictures of our sledding adventure.

We are at the top getting ready to go sledding.

Madison happy as a clam after she went down the hill for the first time.
Here is Madison bringing the sled back up the hill, it isn't easy.

I love this picture because Larry went down the hill and his beard had a ton of snow on it, he kind of looked like Santa.

This is usually how we had to carry Carson back up the hill and it was not easy.

I picked this picture because you can see kind of how much snow there is and how the hill kind of is as well.

Larry trying to get Zach to get on the sled and Zach not wanting to and then Carson getting ready to push them down the hill. Zach got on but only because Larry pulled him on and went down the hill. Zach was not impressed.

He doesn't too unhappy.

We never got a family picture but we got one of Larry with the kids and them me with the kids.

My jacket looks extra big because I have about two coats on under the main coat. I wasn't about to get cold.

We said good bye to the mountain and went back down.

For Christmas this year we stayed home for our Christmas Eve. It just got to be too much to take everything up to my dad's and so we stayed home Christmas Eve and we went up to Bellingham on Christmas for dinner. It was nice to wake up in our house and open our presents at home and not have to worry about taking all of the kids presents back home with us either.

On Christmas Eve we went over to Carlee and Jason's because they weren't doing anything either and my dad came and stayed with them and we had a ham dinner and the kids played and we decorated sugar cookies for Santa and made reindeer food. It was quiet and nice and I think that next year I am going to have a party like we used to do when I was little with music and food and games and stories. I am already looking forward to Christmas next year. I love Christmas.

Zach and one of his cookies for Santa.

Adeline and one of her cookies. She was so cute I would take her picture and then she would want to look at her picture.

Heather and one of her cookies. Heather really got into it she did such a great job on her cookies.

Two of Heather's cookies

Madison and Zach dumping their reindeer food. It was raining outside so they were in a hurry. Zach wanted to put his on the roof but unfortunately we weren't able to do that.

Christmas morning. Zach helping Carson get started but Carson new exactly how to do it.

Madison got a ipod dock which she has been wanting for her ipod.

She opened her next present and it was a dsi and when she opened it Zach said that is was unfair that she got one.

Here she really excited about it.

Here Zach opened his Santa gift and he got his own dsi as well, he has been wanting one for a long time.

He also wanted Donkey Country Returns and he was super excited about that.

Carson happy as a clam and everytime he opened a present he wanted to open it and play with it. He loved it.

Carson was the last one to open his presents because he was distracted with his new toys.

When we were done with our presents we ate breakfast got ready to go to Bellingham and we picked up my dad from Carlee's and off we went. When we got to Bellingham we waited for Carlee and Jason to get there and we were told that we had to go down to my grandma's because she had something for the kids.

Here is Carson and little grandma.

After little grandma's we went back up to sister's and opened up presents from sisters.

Carson got some truck and cars which he loves.

Zach really wanted a paper jamz and he got it from my sister Angie's family.

Carson got hotwheels and a track and he had a blast with them. I think Jason had fun as well.

Madison got a Taylor Swift cd which she wanted. The kids faired well this year and I am greatful that it is over. I tried to teach my children that it isn't about the presents during Christmas and Madison and Zach got it which I am greatful for. Now I can't wait for next year. :)

A project well done

2010-12-18T21:28:00.000-08:00

It all started about 6 years ago when we did our final walk through of the house and looked at the bathroom up stairs and noticed that the toilet in the bathroom was on the opposite wall across from the sink. It doesn't make sense I know. So when we saw it we asked them if it was right and they went back and looked at the plans and sure enough the plans showed the toilet right where they put it across from the sink. So we just lived with it. I know that is a long time to live with a toilet like that. Well it has really bugged Larry that the toilet was on the wrong side and me well I just got used to it. So a couple of weeks ago Larry decided that we were going to put the toilet beside the sink. Larry wanted to do it himself and he did except for the plumbing part because well he isn't a plumber. So he found out that his step brother is a journeyman plumber and we called him and did the plumbing fore the moving of the toilet and then Larry did the rest. My dad came and help Larry with the bathroom. When it was time for Larry to do the floors I asked him how he knew how to do it because he has never done anything like that before and his response was "DIY network", I think that is the right newtwork, it is one of the home improvement networks anyway. So we got it moved and it is amazing how much of a difference it really makes. I am so proud of Larry for taking on something that he has never done before he did a great job. The plus side of moving the toilet is that the bathroom had to be painted because they had to cut into the wall where the toilet was. I really like it the kids really like it as well.

This is where the toilet was before we moved it.

This is where the toilet should have been.
There is the hole in the floor.

More hole in the floor

This is what the bathroom looks like after. I still have to get white rugs to go in there but I like it already and I need to get something for the side of the wall that the toilet was on.

Basketball

2010-12-10T20:41:00.000-08:00

We have started into the world of Basketball. This year both Madison and Zach are playing basketball, Madison decided not to do Ballet this year and try for some sports, this is Zach's second year playing basketball but it is still new to him. Madison does good for someone who hasn't played before, there are a few things that she has to remember and I think she didn't realize how much running it was. There are only seven girls on her team which means that almost all the girls play the whole game. They do take turns though sitting out if needed because we have one extra girl but unfortunately if we have two girls that are gone we have to reschedule the game because we can't play. Anyway Madison really enjoys it and I am glad. She isn't really aggressive but being aggressive really isn't Madison's thing but she is learning that in basketball she needs to be. Zach is doing good as well. He is still one of the smallest on his team but this year he is with kids from his school and it is boys that are in the first and second grade and they have alot of boys on his team. So all is going well and the kids are having fun and really that the most important thing anyway for right now. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of Zach yet but when I get some I will post them.

Here is Madison and the girls on her team.

When I have to take Carson this is usually what I have to do to keep him occupied so he doesn't run around. It works sometimes.
Here she is getting ready

Madison is great at defense she blocks her person really great, she just has to remember to get infront of her person to block them not behind.

I find her sometimes with her arms crossed. She must not be working that hard

Snow Day

2010-11-23T14:05:00.001-08:00

Today the kids didn't have school due to the snow that we got yesterday. It wasn't alot of snow but enough for the schools to shut down. So we did some errands in the morning and then we came home had lunch and Madison went outside first to start playing and it took some convincing to get Zach to go outside, he didn't want to go outside because it was too cold. I him to go outside though for a little bit but he didn't really do much. Zach really doesn't like the cold weather he likes the nice hot weather, he is alot like me in that way, but I will still go and play in the snow. Then Carson thinks that he can go outside in just his regular clothes and be o.k. and he is not fond of wearing coats either so it took some time to get him into his snow clothes. At one point he took everything and I started to go outside and he wanted to go but I told him he had to put his snow clothes on before he went outside and so he did. They were sliding down Jen and Dave's driveway because they have a hill for a driveway and it looked fun. So here are some pictures of our first snow day and probably not our last one either I think.

Madison getting ready to slide down the hill

Carson pouting because he didn't get to do something.
Madison and Carson going down the hill and Carson love it.

Carson after he went down the hill

Madison, Carson and the neighbor boys

Madison and Carson getting ready to go down the hill

This is the only picture I could get of Zach. He went inside right after I took these next two pictures.

Me and Madison

The boys inside. My lense was foggy but I didn't think it would make the picture foggy so sorry about that.

Ten

2010-11-14T14:47:00.000-08:00

On November 2nd Madison turned 10. I can't believe it. I am still in shock that I have a ten year old. Madison is a great, she is has a great personality and for the most part she isn't to sassy but when she does get sassy she makes up for all the other times she hasn't been. Other then that she is great, she has a great attitude about things and is very patient with her brothers.

Madison's birthday fell on a Tuesday this year so we didn't do a big party for her and I figured that we have done parties for her for the last couple of years that it should be o.k to not have a party for her this year. So anyway on her birthday morning she wanted pancakes so I made her and her brothers pancakes and Madison got to have the plate that says "you are special today". She went to school and got to take treats to her class and then I found out that she has a boy in her class that has the same birthday so the kids got double treats in her class that day. During the day I had planned to get the desk put together that we had gotten her and thank goodness Larry got home because he helped me put it together because I got busy making things for dinner that I ran out of time. When Madison got home she saw her desk in her room and loved it. She then went to piano lesson's and then came home and ate dinner. For her birthday dinner she requested perogy's, her all time favorite meal. I don't make it often because it really isn't the healthiest of meals, in fact if you need to gain weight I suggest you eat those. Anyway we had perogy's and I also made little cupcakes for activity day's because she had an activity that night as well. I kept ten cupcakes out so that we could put candles in them and she could blow out candles at home. So she went to activity day's and had fun and then home and to bed. She said she had a great day which I am so glad.

Happy Birthday Madison

Pancake for breakfast

The happy ten year old before school

I tried to get a picture of me and Madison but Carson had to get in on it too.

The dough for the perogy's

cupcakes for Activity Day

Her new desk

She got a chair to go with it too.

Here we go making the perogy's, if you don't know what is in the it is potatoe and cheese and you wrap it up in the dough and then boil them in water.

Potatoes and cheese

When you have perogy's you have to have sausage and onions with it and it is so yummy. Here are the sausages but I never took a picture of the onions.

Here is Madison's plate.

Madison's cupcakes with the candles before she has to leave for Activity Days.

The boys are helping her blow out the candles. As I was lighting the candles before Carson kept on blowing them out so I am glad that he finally waited.

Three Days of Halloween

2010-11-01T18:30:00.000-07:00

This year for Halloween we tried to do a theme and have everyone dress up and we almost did it until I got sick and then Larry got sick right after me so it didn't work out as well as I thought but next year we are totally doing it. So anyway this year we tried to do a scooby doo theme. Madison was Velma Zach was Scooby and Carson was Scrappy. If Larry and I dressed up I would have been Daphne and Larry would have been Fred. So like I said next year get ready to see us all dress up. The kids got full use out of their costumes this year because on Friday they had their school class party and got to dress up and then we had our ward Halloween carnival on Friday night and then on Saturday Madison had a little piano recital at a retirement home and got to dress up and Zach had a birthday party that he got to wear his costume too and then on Sunday we went trick or treating. So I am pleased that they costumes got good use out of them. I do have to tell you though I was really impressed with the families in our ward that dressed up and there was some great family costumes I was really impressed and a little jealous as well. Anyway we had a great Halloween and I am already planning next years halloween costumes so that we will be able to dress up.

We were getting ready to go to Zach's class party at school and I had carson get his costume on as well. This is the front (obviously)

back
Side

This is after the party and we are home and can you guess what Carson is waiting for or who he is waiting for? If you guessed the garbage man you are right. He heard the garbage truck and had to go outside to watch it and here he is waiting for him to come back around to our side. The garbage man is very nice every time he see Carson outside watching him he waves to him and honks his horn and sometimes when he come back around he gets out of his truck and waves to him and he gave me a tim about how to keep the crows out or the garbage can. This may be weird but he is a really nice guy.

Still waiting

He has come and now he is waving goodbye to the garbage man and the truck.

Madison before her recital. I didn't put her wig on because I fel that it was to difficult to deal with it didn't look right.

Without the glasses

Sunday before we went out trick or treating. We took Carson around our neighbor hood because we went over to Carlee and Jason's to do the other trick or treating and Carson didn't take a nap so he wouldn't have be able to do it so he stayed home with Larry and the little bit that he did do he loved it.

I got in there too.

Madison and Zach being silly.

Carson pulling on Zach's tail,

Carson getting ready to go do some trick or treating.

This is Carson realizing that he gets candy and now is eating one of his candies.

Zach and Carson

This is Jason, he has a back pack on, why you ask does he have a back pack on, well I asked him that very same question and let me tell you he is a very smart person. He has the back pack because the kids buckets get full and they to heavy and so Jason has two grocery backs in his back pack and when the girls buckets get too heavy he dumps them out in their grocery bags the girls have a not so heavy bucket anymore. I think that is a pretty good idea I think I might do that next yearThe kids and their candy after we got home.

Pumpkin Hunt

2010-10-17T10:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went and did our yearly visit to the pumpkin patch with our good friends and neighbors the Shevitz. We have been doing this with them well from really almost when we first moved into our house. We started having a total of three families, which was the Conlins and the Shevitz and then us and then the Conlins moved and it was just the Shevitz and us. We are looking forward to when the Conlins will be able to come with us again.

Anyway we made our trip to the pumpkin patch and Carlee and Jason came with us but I didn't get any pictures of them, sorry. This year it was a bit breezy and chilly, last year it was nice and warm, not like shorts warm but no coat warm. I kind of like it being breezy because it felt more like fall and I like that feeling.

Well we had fun and picked out our pumpkins and got some good pictures. I just wish that my children would all cooperate and look at the camera the same time, I know that they are little and don't like their picture taken but please all I ask is just one.

Here are Larry and two of the kids waking into the patch.

patiently waiting for the Shevitz and the Warners, we got there before they did.
I think this should be the other way around.

Looking for a pumpkin.

All the kids minus the three babies.

This is what happens when we are looking into the sun.

Madison, Heather and Hannah. Madison found a pumpkin for her book report.

Larry and his boys.

Family photo.

We found our pumpkins and now on our way out.

Kenzie Mae

2010-10-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

Carlee and Jason had baby number three on October 11th. She was 7lbs 14oz and 20inches long. I am posting pictures because Carlee has not done it yet and so I thought I would. Don't worry everyone I asked her first to make sure it was o.k with her. She said that she will get around to blogging because she is home for a while so make sure you look at her blog as well in the near future because she will have more to say about it and more pictures. So we are so excited for Carlee and Jason and the girls. Enjoy the photo's.

This was her first day at home.

big sis #1 holding Kenzie

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-10-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving, so happy Thanksgiving to all my canadian friends. Well I usually don't do this but I have decided that I would start making a turkey dinner on canadian thanskgiving. Alot of people don't know that I am actually canadian and used to not call myself canadian but I am I was born up there and lived there until I was 11. I still keep in touch with some of my friends from canada too and there isn't anything wrong with being canadian either, so I have decided that I wanted to do this tradition every year. I am not talking about a big thanksgiving dinner like on our thanksgiving but something.

So today I went to go and find a turkey but not a big turkey and I got some stuff to make things to go with it. I think that this is something the kids will love to celebrate. I just got a turkey breast because becaus the turkeys were too big for our family. I made a green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and we had some rolls and we had some gravy with it as well. Everything was good except for the green bean casserol. I used some different beans and it just didn't taste very good. My family loved everything else though and it was great.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving.

The table before the food got on there.

green bean casserole
the rolls, they are a little brown but they were still good.

mashed potatoes

turkey or turkey breast I guess it is.

I made a pie for dessert and this is the finished look of it and Madison and Larry loved it.

Everything that has been going on

2010-10-07T12:41:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have blogged last. I really need to be better at it so then I don't have so many pictures to blog about. Anyway for the month of September it was a busy one. The kids started school and I started working at the store in the evenings, just a couple of days a week, and Larry and I got to go away together to San Diego for a business trip but we left a day early to enjoy some time together. I also did some more canning last month. So anyway here are some pictures of what has been going on.

I am starting with a little boy and his love for the garbage truck every Friday.

Carson loves to watch the garbage truck. One day as we were coming back from bus stop from dropping the other two off he saw the garbage truck goe by and he just stood there and pointed to it and kept on saying "garbage truck" I replied back to that I did see it and I tried to get him to come inside but he wouldn't. The garbage truck went past our house and around the corner because it was picking up the garbage on the other side of the stree. So I thought that he would come inside but he did not. He stayed out there because he could still here it. So we waited until the garbage truck came around to our side and picked up our garbage. The garbage man was so nice and waved to him and said hi, and I think that Carson was a little shocked at how big the truck is when it gets closer because he didn't say anything to the garbage man and kind of got a little scared. He waved goodbye to the garbage truck and told me that the garbage truck went bye bye and we were able to go inside. So every Friday we now have to watch the garbage truck if we are home. I don't know what it is with boys and garbage trucks but I think it is so cute.

Here we are waiting for the garbage truck to come back around.

Waiting patiently
I think he see's it or at least hears it.

He see's it. How cute is that.

There it is going bye bye

As I have said I did some more canning last month I did peaches and pears. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the pears but I did of the peaches.

Hear are my jars before all washed and ready to have stuff put in them.

Don't forget about the sugar

Here they are and they are delicious.

Next is about a little boy who knows how to make a mess when mom has to use the bathroom.

Now that Madison and Zach are in school all day I think that Carson get bored when he isn't being entertained all the time. So one day while we were at home I had to use the bathroom, I think I deserve to use the bathroom every now and then, after what happened now I know why I usually don't use the bathroom when the kids are awake. So while I was in the bathroom for a couple of minutes Carson decided to look at a book. That can't be so bad right. Well I went to go and look and instead of just getting one book out he takes all the books off of the bottom shelf. He also got a hold of the scissors that were on the desk and cut two holes in his shirt and when he gets toys out to play he just doesn't get one out he dumps the whole thing out. I understand that he is only 2 and two year olds get into things I get that, he is my third after all but he is my only child who gets into things like that, Madison and Zach never did so it is kind of new to me.

So as I feel the need to do something with Carson I decide to have hime help me make chocolate zuchini bread. Well as I was getting stuff out to make it I realized that I needed to change the laundry so I took Carson off the counter had him come upstairs with me and he was up there and then told me that he would be right back. So I said o.k thinking he was going to get a toy well then I heard this noise and it sounded like something being stirred in my kitchen aid, and don't worry the kitchen aid wasn't plugged in so he couldn't turn it on. So I go downstairs and he is on the counter and I see the egg on the counter and I don't see the shell. So I look in the bowl and he cracked the egg and put the shell in the bowl with a pretzel. I know he was just trying to help and it is cute how he likes to do that but have I mentioned that he really doesn't like to listen to me either at times. So I cleaned it up and we went on to making our bread.

These are the holes in his shirt

All the trucks dumped out

The books he took off the shelf

Here is the shell and the pretzel

He is so happy that he got to help

Last thing on my list is our trip to San Diego. Larry had his annual meeting for Grocery Outlet and this year it was in San Diego and I was able to go with him this time. We left a day early so that we could enjoy some time with just us. We had a great time it is always nice to go and re-group with your spouse.

We went and saw a padre's game and the park was amazing. They had alot going on in the park. I usually don't post pictures of myself because I don't like the way I look but I am going to admit I kind of like this one.

It was a really hot day that day and I was glad that we got seats in the shade but I saw a snow cone type thing and I told Larry that it looked good and so he got it. It has been a long time since I have eaten a snow cone.

View from our seats.

This is part of the park it is really neat because you can just pay 5 bucks to get in you can sit here with your kids, they are bleachers and it has grass at your feet and then if you can see below there is a big sand box for the kids to play. Sorry about the guy with no shirt but I couldn't get a shot without him because he is right in the middle.

This is part of the park as well.

On the Tuesday before we had to leave Grocery Outlet took all the operators and the their spouses on a boat for dinner and awards that they do. It was called the Hornblower and it just went around bay there. Here is larry and getting ready to go out on the boat.

The view from the boat on the water.

I took this picture because I thought it was a good picture. The sun was getting ready to set.

We left on Wednesday the 29th and our flight home was going good until we wanted to land. I was ready to be home and see my kids but they kep on telling us that we couldn't land yet because we were basically waiting for other planes to land and it wasn't our turn yet so we had to basically circle around in the air until it was o.k for us to go.

This is what we have to go through to land. I always get nervous when we have to go through clouds.

We are getting close to them. I was hoping to get a better picture of the clouds but these will have to do.

Canning and First Day of School

2010-09-09T19:37:00.000-07:00

This summer has been so busy that I am grateful to be back into our routine. I love having the kids home for the summer but it is always nice as well to stick with our schedule. The kids have been so excited about school starting we went and met the teachers a week before school started and Madison got the teacher she wanted, Mr. Mank, and Zachary got a new teacher to the school, Miss Wills. So far school seems to be good, we have only been in for two days but the kids are liking and there are a couple of first for me and I don't know if I am quite ready for them. The first are really with Madison being in the 4th grade now. Well when she was a 3rd grader she got a calendar and notes from the teacher telling us what they expected from the homework so that I fully understood what they wanted, well Madison has only been in school for 2 days and she has had homework both those days. I don't know if it is because she just is distracted and not getting it done at school or if it is truly homework. Well today she had to write a poem (this is what I have to get used to because there was no note from the teacher) and she told me that it was a Biography Poem and it was about her, they had facts that they had to put in there about themselves. Well I asked her if the teacher sent anything home to tell me anything about the homework, she said no he doesn't do that. So basically I have to depend on Madison this year to remember what her teacher tells her and know that she will tell me the right thing. I don't know if I am quite ready for this yet. I still kind of wish that the teacher would send something home but I know what he is trying to do. So Madison got her poem done with the help of her dad.

Now there is Zachary and his teacher, I got frustrated today because I was reading the papers yesterday when the kids got home and I was reading about Zach's teacher and some of her expectations and the one big thing is that she expects the kids to be responsible to get there folders and any paper work that needs to come home and put it in there folders and take them home and then when they get to school to take papers out put them in the places that they need to be, well yesterday Zach never brought home his folder and in the folder is a calander that I have sign and it tells me how he did that day. So he didn't bring it home and I told him that he needs to bring it home today and I told him that at the bus stop and he gets home today and I look in his back pack and what does he bring home, his three ring binder, I asked him why he brought it home and he said that he thought I said his binder not his folder. Oh my what am I going to do. So I talked to Larry and thankfully my very smart husband suggested that I go to the school tomorrow and tell the teacher he hasn't brought his folder home and then show Zach where his folder is and what he needs to do. So that is what I am doing for Zach. I still think that the teacher can help out a little bit with the kids in that aspect.

So that is the first couple of days of school. I just want to share with you Madison's poem she wrote.

Madison Elizabeth Brown

My name is Madison, I am as sweet as a bowl of sugar, I have a smile as bright as the morning sun, and I have the heart of a lion. I love my family, friends and books, I have a strong positive feelings about my heavenly father, having a home and a family. My middle name is Elizabeth and I am someone who needs a hug in the morning, a smile in the afternoon,and a kiss before bed. I give laughter to my brothers, colored drawings to my Bishop, help to my daddy's store. I fear bugs, scary movies and some dark places. I would like to write my own children's book, be a great pianist, and an elementry school teacher. I live in Everett Washington, and I am the daughter of Larry and Beth and my last name is Brown.

So I hope that you can see what things she had to put in her poem but she came up with her own ideas with a little bit of help from her dad, he helped word I think. I hope the teacher likes it.

I decided to try and be a nice mom and make a hot breakfast for the kids. I don't do this everyday just on special days and the first day of school is a special day. So they requested waffles and bacon.

Here they are before they catch the bus. I just wish that one time all of them could look at the camera at the same time.

The happy first grader

Happy fourth grader

Our cheesy two year old. He kept on asking if he could ride the bus too.

Waiting for the bus. I don't think they were thrilled with the rain.

In his classroom ready to learn.Madison in her classroom.

This picture I took was on Monday because Madison had been going to work with Larry one day out of the week and helping him at the store. She wants an ipod and she wants to earn money herself and so Larry said that she could come to store and help out. Don't worry to those who think this is a bad idea, she doesn't do any heavy labor kind of stuff. She wants to earn the money herself so we thought this would be a good idea and she loves it.

A while back I blogged about canning apple pie filling well I made a pie with it. I made my own crust and used the apple pie filling. This is the before picture of my pie before I put it in the oven. I forgot to take an after picture but Larry said that it was really good. I don't like apple pie so I really make it for him and other people.

A couple of weeks ago I went to my sister's (Carlee) along with Anna and Carlee's friend Nichole and we canned pickles. I only wanted the pickle chips because we like to put them on sandwhiches so that is what we do. I always do pickles with my sister because I think that doing pickles is complicated and I can't ever remember how to do it. You have to make the brine which is vinegar, water pickling salt and alum and then you have to put garlic in the jars and the dill and anyway it takes a while. Carlee seems to have it down on how to do so that is always good.

Here are some of the pickles that are cleaned and ready to be put into jars or sliced up for pickle chips.

The steamer you put your jars in when they are all filled and ready to be steamed.

Ready to be filled with the brine and put in the steamer.

We also did pickled carrots. They are actually really good.

Here is one of my done jars of the pickle chips.

Good Times

2010-08-12T08:08:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since I have blogged. We have been busy the last couple of months with traveling for vacations and just being gone really. So for my blog this time I started with the pictures that were the most recent trip we went on. We didn't go far for this last trip we just went up to Bellingham and we took the trailer and camped out on the compound in bewtween my grandma and grandpa's house and my sisters house. It was the perfect camp ground because for one we didn't have to pay for the camp ground and we had the beach and a pool and the kids just got to roam which was really nice. The kids really enjoyed themselves and we always enjoy going up there.

My grandparents got a golf cart to drive around on the compound so that my grandpa could get out side because he can't just go and walk around the property anymore. So the kids discovered the golf cart and Carson loved going for rides in it.

My uncle and cousin went crabbing out in the bay and they got some crab so guess what we did with them?
Here are some more crab.

And this is what we did to them so we could eat them. You can't really see them but all 9 of them are in the pot. We usually good it on the beach and then clean them on the beach as well but for some reason we just did it here.

Madison learned to drive the golf cart and once she got the hang of it she was off all the time in the golf cart.

Something else I like to do up at the compound is pick fresh green beans. They are the best right off the vine. We used these to can. It wasn't alot but enough to make some little jars. We didn't can them for me we canned them for someone else.

My grandma packing the jars with green beans.

Here are our jars.

The next day we had my cousins out and we went on the beach and played and just visited really.

This is Carson not really liking being on the beach because, he got used to it though.

We went and looked under the rocks on the beach and found crabs and this was one of the bigger crabs that we saw.

This is what we see when we are sitting on the beach.

See I told you that he would be o.k later on.

Zach is looking for shells and things on the beach.

Here is what Zach found on the beach.

Here is our camp ground. I think we should camp there all the time.

This is my grandpa getting ready to sit and eat some crab. I wish I would have gotten a front shot of him but I never thought too. I always wait to long, I need to get the picture when I think about it.

Here is the view that we get to see. This is zoomed it but you can still see Mt Baker pretty good and Bellingham is underneath it.

I tried to get a shot of the moon and how it was shining on the water. It isn't the best but you can see it. It looked really cool in person.

One of the nights that we were there we decided to have a beach fire it was cloudy but still fun.

Bellingham.

Zach and Madison throwing rocks in the water.

Our fire.

We left on Sunday the 1st of August, which was my mom's birthday so before we left town we went by the cemetary and put flours there for my mom and clean it up a bit. During the time that we were there at the cemetary my grandpa passed away. It was sad but it was kind of neat too because he died on my mom's birthday. My grandpa had been sick for a long time and had kind of been expected but it also happened kind of suddenly. So we said happy birthday to my mom and said good bye to my grandpa but we will see them both again.

After we left on the 1st the kids and I came back on Tuesday the 3rd to hang out with the family some more and the funeral for my grandpa was on Thursday so we got to camp out some more. One of the things we did while I was up there was can apple pie filling. I had never done that before so my aunt and grandma helped me.

These are fresh apples from the tree, who could ask for more then a bunch of fruit trees to pick off of.

Getting the jars ready.

This is the finishing look of the apple pie filling.

My cousin Holly washing her goat. She does 4H and she has a bunch of goats and this goat that she is getting ready is a meat goat. Then she has goats that she shows at the fair and she breeds them as well.

Carson trying to pet one of the other goats.

On one of the last days we were up in Bellingham we made cookies because the kids wanted to and I think secretly my grandma wanted us to as well.

So now we are onto another little trip that we did. Well it is't really a trip, we just went to Olympia and stayed the night at Larry's mom's house. Madison and Zach stayed with Larry's mom and step dad for a couple of days which was kind of odd to have only one child at home. So while Madison and Zach were staying with Larry's mom Madison got to learn how to ride a horse. These pictures are from when Larry and I were still there and Don't worry she didn't learn to ride without a saddle, during that week she rode with a saddle. Madison loved it and Zach actually rode too.

Here she is just getting started.

Here she is learning how to balance on the horse.

Now she is learning how to get off the horse.

Larry got on the horse gave Carson and Zach a ride.

We are done with the horse and the kids are petting her.

Well back in June Colleen came and visited and helped Jen out with her kids while Jen and Dave had their third baby. The kids were so excited for them to. Zack Conlin and Madison have been great friends from the moment we became friends with the Conlins. It is so great to see how much they have grown.

They are just to cute.

Zach and Josh.

So far our summer has been great, this summer is going by way to fast but I won't lie, I am kind of looking forward to getting back into school just to get back into the routine of things.

Road Trip

2010-07-04T19:39:00.001-07:00

On the 18th of June we left for a road trip to California. We took the kids out of school early because their last day was Monday the 21st and it was a half day and so really what do they do the last day of school or actually the last week of school. So when Madison got home from School on Friday we took off and headed to Olympia first and stayed there with Larry's brother and sister-in-law and had a bbq. Then on Saturday we left at around 8 in the morning and headed to Redding California. We were a little worried about driving because the last time we did this trip Carson was not a very good traveler in the car. Fortunately he like to watch movies in the car so I loaded up on almost every movie we had int he house just so that we would be covered and I also had our portable dvd player that we take on the planes for Madison in the back because well she is the only girl and she is older now and she doesn't always like the same movies the boys do. So off we went to Redding California and all the kids did great. There was no complaining and it was a great drive. We left rainy weather to the beautiful sunny California. So we stopped in Redding California and stayed there. Oh by the way the whole point of our trip was to go and visit friends that we have in Vacaville and Livermore California. We stayed in Redding and the kids got to swim for a little bit because we got there later then we wanted and the pool water was really cold. Carson wanted nothing to do with the water and that wasn't a good sign since both of our friends have pools at their houses. The kids swam and then we all went to bed so that we could get up and head to Vacaville the next morning.

We headed to Vacaville and it was a good thing that we didn't have that far to go because I don't think that Carson was liking being in the car anymore. So here are a few pictures from our trip. We took so many that I couldn't choose which one I wanted to post and I didn't want to post all of them or I would be here forever.

This is how I packed the kids. I wanted to be organized this trip so that I didn't have clothes all over the place. I got this from somebody else and I thought that this was a good idea. Larry told me that I was a freak because this was all done probably 5 days before we had to leave, but I like to be ready so that all I have to do is put it in the car the day we have to leave. So each row is for each child and they are rolled up in outfits and it has their name on it and what day they are whearing it so that they aren't going through the suit case finding something to wear. It worked out great. The only thing that I forgot was an extra bag for the dirty clothes.

This is what it looked like.

I think that this is in Portland because after portland it wasn't that green anymore.

All the kids fell asleep in the car it was nice.

carson being happy

This is the first day at our friends Brian and Nicki's house. That is their son Reese with Zach they are catching some rays. Unfortunately they on screen didn't work that first day and I don't know why because both Madison and Zach got sub burned really really bad, Zach got the worst of it. He was sore the whole week we were gone.

Carson had to get used to the idea of a pool, but after he got used to it he loved it, we couldn't get him out of it.

They have a nice waterfall in their pool.

Carson wouldn't put his swimsuit on while we were at Brian and Nicki's so he went naked for most of his swimming.

See how bad he got sunburned.

On our Last night their Brian roasted a tri tip and they wanted to try roasting a pineapple as well but they didn't know how they were going to get a whole right in the middle of the pineapple so how else would you put a whole in but with a drill.

The end result.

The pineapple and the tri tip was great by the way.

Later on after dinner the kids all got ice cream and they all loved it.

We left Brian and Nicki's on Tuesday the 22nd and headed to Livermore California to visit our other friends Mike and Sou and their five kids.

We finally got a swimsuit on carson

Mike and Sou have a great slide at their place and Madison was the only one out of my kids who would go down it.

Here are the girls out of the group. Starting from the left is Emily, then Madison then Abbie.

They wanted to make funny faces for the second picture.

On our last day of our visit we decided to go to six flags, it was so much fun and the kids just about when on every single ride their was. They had so much fun.

Here we are getting started.

Zach was a littel hesitant on going on the rides but he did try some of them.

Here are all the kids except for Mike and Sou's oldest. Starting from the left

Emily, Madison, Abbie, Carter, Baker, and Zach. Carson wasn't in the mood for a picture.

I think that this was the second ride that the kids went on and Madison didn't want to go on it but Larry got her to go on it and she loved it.

There they are getting going up.Here they are coming back down, Madison and Larry were in the back. I tried to get a better picture but I was holding carson and couldn't get a good picture.

This is the end result and look at Madison she looks happy. They got soaked.

Madison after the ride.

Zach found a ride that he wanted to go oncarson got to go on some of the rides too but unfortunately he couldn't go on by himself which was to bad becuase we looked pretty funny going on his rides with him.

Here they are on some more rides.

They finally let carson go on a ride all by himself and he loved it.

We went and saw both the dolphin and the whale show they were great.

Here is Madison and Abbie.

More rides.

Larry went on this ride with the kids and then after that the kids went on it by themselves again, and then again.

There they go.

can you see them in this picture that is them way over there.

Here they are waiting in line for more rides.

Larry riding on a ride with Carson.

Carson found the animals.

I even got a chance to go on rides with carson.

We had a great time visiting with our friends and the weather was great. I think I could move there was a store available. It is the weather that gets me. I love the warm weather. The drive back went well as well. We stopped in Redding first then in Vacouver Wa and then home. It was so nice to be home and in our own bed. Carson still hasn't quite back onto his routine of things. I hope the does soon though.

Fun

2010-06-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

We have had a very busy May and begining of June, we had the end of t-ball and the end of ballet, and then we went and did some fun things in between. Here are a few pictures of what we have done.

Larry got free tickets to Mariner's game and they were really good seats, it was right along the third base line and we were 27 rows up, you got to love vendors giving you free tickets, now if only they gave out free tickets to concerts because I really want to see U2 next year. So we had a really good time and it was also the game that Ken Griffey Jr decided to retire so they had his number on the field.

While I was busy taking pictures they started the game and Larry and our friend Steve, who owns the Marysville Grocery Outlet, went and got some drinks for them and then me and Steve's wife. So I was taking pictures and Larry was getting drinks and the game started and I wasn't paying attention and I all of a sudden here people getting really excited around me I noticed that a foul ball had gone a couple of rows to the left of us and bounced off of something and then bounced right in front of me but I didn't know where it was but it was actually on the seat in front of me and there was somebody sitting there. So the guy in the blue jacket there that I took a picture of he got the ball, which was ok with me. There were a ton of foul ball that night it was just crazy.

Mariners in the dug out.

This is from where we were sitting.

This is just a random picture because whenever I open the fridge Carson gets in there and he doesn't ever want to shut the fridge and sometimes he just sits in the fridge until I have to drag him out of the fridge screaming. He just likes to sit there, I don't know why though.

Here he is trying to shut the fridge on himself.

Open.

Zach had his last t-ball game and I am so mad at myself because I didn't think I needed to charge the camera and well we got there early and so we were waiting around and the camera died on me before he even started playing his game, and he was catcher this game too and he looked so cute in the catcher outfit. Anyway so these are pictures of him practicing, and he enjoyed it so much that he wants to play again next year.

Carson will be playing baseball at a young age I think. I forgot to put the picture on here but Carson actually threw a temper tantrum because his brother needed the bat and he didn't want to give it up and so anyway I forgot to post them and now I dont' know how to get them on there in the spot I want to so I might have to put them on something else.

Zach

Zach taking a break from practicing right before his game.

Next year Madison said that she wants to baseball so I am excited to see her do that.

Zach had his kindergaden concert on the 7th and well I didn't think that Zach would get shy but he was totally shy. I thought that he would be excited and see his heart out. That was not the case at all. He didn't do any of his actions for the songs and barely sang. I felt so bad for him that he was so nervous. He did a good job though and he did sing a couple of songs. I can't believe that he is going to be in first grade next year, he just seems to little to be in first grade.

This is how he looked for alot of the songs.

He was right behind that pole to which made me mad because I couldn't ever get a good picture of him without the pole there.

Oh here he is finally singing.

Here he is after the concert looking much happier.

Last weekend we decided to go to Ballard and go see the new Ballard Grocery Outlet and then go and see the Ballard Locks. It was really cool to see. The kids weren't as impressed as Larry and I were but it was good for them.

We started out at the visitors center using the bathroom because the kids had to go. Carson was outside playing with Larry while Larry was taking pictures.

At one point along the locks there we had to cross a bridge type damn thing and the water water was splashing back at us and Carson didn't like it very much and so if you look really close you can see the Carson is pouting because we have to go back across the same place that has water misting I guess, not splashing.

They have the salmon run there, we didn't see alot but it was neat to see.

Carson saw an airplane in the sky.

Madison and Zach.

So all these boats are all there waiting for the gates to open and for the water to lower so that they can go into the open water. The boats were a little higher but for some reason I didn't get that picture. Anyway this is as the water is going down and the boats are waiting.

There they are getting down there. It is cool to see the water slowly go down and see the boats go with it.

They gates are opening for them to go into the open water. I hope that I explained it o.k. as I am writing it I can't really explain how it happens.

There they go.

Madison had had her last and final ballet concert last weekend as well. She has decided that she doesn't want to do ballet anymore so we are going to try other things instead. It was a cute recital dance, they danced to a song from enchanted call the "Busy working Song" I think that is what it is called. I can hear the tune in my head but for some reason can't get the song title right.

Here she is during her dance.

We also had Zach's t-ball party that same night as well so we went to Madison's ballet recital adn then left at intermission so we could make it to the party. They had a great coach and for the trophy's he had a baseball with a picture that he took over the season and he put it on the ball and then put it on the stand and put a cover over it. He also made a dvd of pictures of the kids through out the season, it was great and the kids were really lucky to have him as a coach.

Here is Zach getting his trophy.

Here he is with his trophy.

Weekend Fun

2010-05-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we alot going on. On Saturday Madison and I got to go to the mother daughter achievment day activty and then we came home and spent time with Larry because he was leaving on Monday to go to Tahoe. So we spent time as a family working in the yard which is actually quite fun. Well the kids didn't really work in the yard but Larry and I did while the kids played outside. Part of working in the yard was mowing the lawn as well (I will explain about the pictures below later). After Larry mowed the lawn we sat and chatted with Jen and Dave and Max while the other kids played.

Eventually we all had to go to our own houses and eat and we had to go to Madison's piano recital. We are so proud of Madison she really enjoys the piano and I hope that she continues playing it for years. I play a little but that is about it and I would really like to see her develop that talent. Anyway this year in piano they the did piano olympics and they could earn a gold medal and forgive me but I can't remember how they earn it but Madison got her gold medal. They had to all kinds of things that involved the olympics. They had to design a flag as well and theyn they got it back that night. I feel really bad for not remember what they all had to do but I do know that it was a good idea. Madison's piano teacher is great, we really like her and she has such great idea's for the kids. I did video her songs but I can't figure out how to get them on the blog so if you want to see it you have to go to facebook and look at it there. So we had a busy weekend with fun things that happened. Next will be Madison' s ballet recital.

So most of you know that Carson is obbsessed with his dad and when he was a baby he wanted to be up and seeing what was going on and so as a baby he cried or whined alot because he wanted to be going. Well one day I was trying to get dinner ready and Carson wasn't letting me and so Larry came home and had to mow the lawn and he put the front pack on and put him in it to give me a break and he went and mowed the lawn. Carson loved it as you can tell.

Well as you can not much has changed. Carson now two was so upset last weekend because he wanted to mow the lawn with his dad and so Larry picked him up and went on mowing. He couldn't hold him for very long because Carson is pretty heavy.
Larry put him down and that wasn't good enough he then had to push the lawn mower to the side yard. What a funny boy he is.

This is what happens when we are at the piano recital and we are trying to entertain Carson.

Madison getting her gold medal.

This is Madison's flag that she decorated.

Madison and her gold medal.

I just realized that we dont' have an actual picture of her playing the piano. Sorry.

Sounders

2010-05-08T21:34:00.001-07:00

Today Larry and I had to opportunity to go to our very first Sounders game. For thos of you who don't know, it is professional soccer and I think they are the Seattle Sounders but all I know is that they are called the Sounders. They are kind of like the Mariners but not baseball and I don't think that it is as popular as the other sports here but I don't know alot about soccer and so I could be totally wrong about what I just said, all I know is that Seattle has a professional soccer team and they are called the Sounders. So anyway we had an opportunity to go, some of the perks of owning your own busniness and having vendors that like you is that they give you free tickets to sporting events. So far we have gone to a hockey game that the beer vendors gave us which was in a suite and then these tickets from the beer vendor again. These were the greatest seats that we have been in. It was a suite and it was on the ground floor basically right on the field. Like I said before I don't know alot about soccer but it was fun anyway we have never had that good of seats before. They were playing against the LA Galaxy which is the team that David Beckham plays for. It was a great day and it was beautiful weather nice and warm. It was nice to get away with Larry and enjoy some time together.

These is from our seats in the suite and this is without the zoom on the camera.

I am actually surprised at how popular soccer is here the stadium was packed.
This is the LA Galaxy team and if I am correct, I think that, that is David Beckham sitting there in the yellow shorts. He wasn't playing because apparently he hurt himself a while back.

Sounders Bench.

I think that Larry was taking this picture and I don't know exactly why.

The Galaxy team again.

I like this picture because I took it right while the goaly was kicking the ball. This goaly could kick the ball far i was amazed. He was for the other team by the way.

I think you could call this half time or something, the teams took a break for a little bit and they watered the grass. I guess in baseball terms it would the like the 7th inning stretch.

Here we are at the game. I saw this picture and all I could think of was " I need some color".

Here we are again.

Things that happened this week

2010-05-08T17:04:00.000-07:00

So this week has been quite a week. I guess it hasn't been the whole week but starting on Wednesday afternoon. Well first of all Monday went good and then Tuesday was good as well we had Carson's 2 year dr. appointment and it went good. He is in the 75th percentile in height and the 40th in weight. The dr thinks that he is going to be a tall kid. So everything went well there, he didn't have to have any shots which is good because he doesn't do well with those. So the dr said that Carson was doing good. We went home and went on with our day and night. On Wednesday we woke up and everything was good we went to the gym and then came home and played around here. I got Zach off to school and later on I heard Carson crying in his bed, I thought he was just waking up from his nap, so I went and got him and brought him down stairs to wake up like I always do. Well he was really whiney and moving around alot on my lap and I didn't what was wrong with him but it wasn't normal. Then about a half hour later he started crying and it was more of a panic cry and he was facing me and then it happened, he threw up on me and the chair. I know this may be gross but I am going to keep on going. So you would think that I would get up and try and get him to the toilet or something but I thought do I really want a trail of vomit on floors or would I just rather clean up one spot instead of a bunch of spots. So I just sat there. He was done and he was scared because he didn't like what just happened and what was on him. So I took off my clothes and got carson undress and put him in the bath and got him dressed and then had a quick shower myself and went down stairs. Let me just say I am so gratefull that it down stairs where there isn't any carpet, it is much easier to clean up. Carson along with the vomitting had a temperature of 102 which isn't usually like him to really get sick like this. I didn't know what he had or what was going on with him, I called larry and told him that Carson was sick and he came home as soon as he could.

Carson was so sick that he didn't do anything he didn't really move he just layed in the chair and watched a movie again he never does, he is always on the go, always. So Larry got home and looked at him and said that he looks really bad he got really worried and wanted to take him the walk in clinic and we went with the whole family, why I don't know, really only one of us needed to go. So after a little while we saw the dr and wanted to get a urine sample and looked in his ears and everything was fine in his ears but secretly I was hoping that is what it would be because he had such a hight temp. She listened to his lungs and everything and he was fine. She did not however look in his mouth because she didn't want to make him upset. So they gave him some tylenol and some anti nausea medicine and he was fine after a little bit. Larry brought him home and he was acting normal. Through out the night though he did not do very good, he had a high temp again and cried alot that night. The next day he was the same he didn't want me to do anything except hold him and he wasn't sleeping very good still. So I just kep on thinking that there was something more wrong with him. So I made an appointment for our dr and took him in that day which is Thursday. I took him and told the dr what had happened the day before and how he was and also on Thursday he came down with a rash all over his body so I told the dr about that. They swabbed his nose to test for the flu which came out negative and he said that the rash was just a heat rash from the fever. I didn't know you could get a rash from a fever. So then he looked in his mouth and he saw the white spots and said that it really looks like strep and that he wasn't going to do a strep test because it would be worth it to do it to Carson. So he gave a perscription for the goods and we started them and now he is finally feeling better. He can't really eat anything citrus because it still hurts his mouth but other then that he is doing alot better. Thank goodness because I don't know how much longer i could have handled the whining. So things are looking up for next week and I hope that nobody else gets it.

Isn't this pathetic, I had to put a towel down on my bed just in case he threw up.

He is giving me a smile which is a good thing even though he isn't feeling good.
Poor guy.

Here is carson feeling much better and in Zach's t-ball jersey and his glove. He didn't want to take it off so I let him wear it. I didn't want to hear him scream at me that is the real reason I didn't make him take it off. Luckily Zach did have a game that day.

He fell asleep in the whole outfit. I tried to put him down and take the hat off and take the glove off but he woke up and got upset becasue he wanted it still on so I left it alone and he went back to sleep.

Two and Six

2010-05-02T20:54:00.001-07:00

Today we celebrated two birthday's in the Brown house. Zach and Carson. Today is actually Carson's birthday and Zach's is on the 7th. When we had Carson I wondered how we were going to do birthday's around here and so since we really didn't do anything last year for Carson I thought that we should probably do something this year. He still doesn't really understand what a birthday is but I thought that I should do something. So today we had some friends and family come over and we celebrated Carson and Zach's birthday, then on Friday we will do soemthing not as big for Zach. I dont' know if that is lame but I get tired of doing big parties every year for the kids so I really have decide when they will have big parties and I think that they will have them on the big birthday's like when they turn five and eight and maybe some other ones in bewteen but not every year, it just gets to be to much. So let me tell you a little bit about Zach and Carson.

Zach was born on his due date, he just barely made it. He was born on a friday at 11:23pm. He was the only one that I went into labor on my own and for that I am grateful I feel that it was a much easier labor with him. He was the smallest of my kids weighing in at 7lbs 6oz. Madison was 7lb 13oz. So we got to the hospital about 6 at night and then almost 6 hours later he was born. It only took me about 2 pushes and he was out, I don't remember alot of pain with him which is probably why we had Carson. Anyway he was a pretty good baby when he was feeling well. If some of you don't know Zach had ear problems starting when he was about one, he finally got tubes when he was two and has been a different child since. Zach is such a happy go lucky kid, he loves to play video games and has just started playing t-ball and loves it. He does good in school and he loves his older sister and little brother. We are so glad that he is in our family.

Now for Carson, he was a week late and I was so worried that his birthday and Zach's birthday were going to be the same day, I really didn't want that. Anyway the doctor had me go to the hospital to be induced in the evening because he said that he was scheduled to be in there on the Friday. So Larry and I left the kids with my mom and we went to the hospital to do a stress test first, because we may have not actually been able to be induced because the hospitals were full, can you believe that, they were full but I guess they weren't that full because after my stress test they were a little concerened because they noticed a difference in his heart rate when we changed sides and they didn't want me to go home and have something happen. So they admitted me and all I could think of was the time because I had to watch Lost and I told Larry that I wanted to get into the room and watch Lost. So they got us admitted and I got to watch Lost and do a word puzzle and have contractions in there somewhere. They also had to induce me with Carson, they didn't have to do the full dose because I was already in labor a little bit they just gave me half of it to get things going. So as labor progressed contractions got more intense and hurt a heck of alot more then the other two kids. I remember wanting to push for hours and the nurse kept on telling me not and I guess at one point I was breathing so hard that I was hiperventalating and Larry said that I was breathing into a bag. I don't remember doing that at all. So long about 5 in the morning the doctor said that I could push which I was so thankful for. Once again it only took about 2 pushes and he was out. Carson weighed in at 8lbs even. He was the biggest of my kids. He is a great child who loves to play with his brother and sister but doesn't quite know how to play with them without hurting them. He is a tough guy loves to get into things and dump things out and make a mess basically. We love him and look forward to lots more time with him.

I am sorry if some of this was to much information but I am a detail person when I am explaining something. So we had two birthdays today and they both got some great thing and had a great day.

Getting ready to open presents.

Zach loves these cars.

Zach got Iron Man 2 toys
Carson admiring what Zach got.

I made two little cakes for each one so then they didn't have to share a cake because I don't want them to have to share everything.

As you can tell Carson blew the candles out before we were done singing, he loves to blow out the candles.

Dig in.

Happy Birthday Zach and Carson. We Love you both.

A Night Out

2010-05-02T19:58:00.001-07:00

On Friday night Larry and I had the opportunity to go to a Mariner's baseball game and so my sister watched the kids and Larry I went to Seattle to See the Mariners. We had alot of fun and we always enjoy going to the baseball games together. There aren't any pictures of Larry and I but I brought the nice camera and just took some pictures with it. Have I mentioned how much I love my new camera.

This is from our seat behind home plate.

Ichiro
Mariners dug out.

I love this picture in black and white, it is the same picture as above.

Do you know who this is? Ken Griffy Jr.

Another picture from our seat.

Ichiro getting to hit the ball.

Baseball and Birthday

2010-04-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

We have started baseball season in the Brown house. Zach is playing t-ball this year and he is loving it. I am so glad that he enjoys it. He is pretty good for his first year. It is so funny to watch the 5-6 year olds practice and play they have so much fun and that is really the purpose right now. Anyway we are enjoying watching Zach play t-ball and soon enough we will be watching Zach and Carson playing sports, is it bad that I am looking forward the chaos with sports and all things that they want to do. So here are some pictures of t-ball.

Here he is getting ready to hit the ball. In t-ball they pitch to them 5 times and then if they don't hit it then they use the tee. Zach does pretty good hitting it from the pitcher if he keeps an eye on the ball.

Friday April 23rd.

On the spurr of the moment this last week Madison and I took a trip to Canada to see the new Vancouver temple with our friends Aunna and Annesha and Aunna brought her daughter Cait who is the same age as Madison. Anway we left on Friday in the late afternoon and headed up to Canada. We didn't eat dinner before we left so we thought that we would stop in Bellingham and get something to eat on the way up there. So we were going to eat at Subway and just get some sandwhiches to go and then I opened my mouth and said that there was a Sonic in Ferndale. So we talked about where we wanted to go and we decided that we would go and have Sonic since no one in the car had it before and you hear all about it and you can have subway any time. So we headed to Ferndale and got sonic, boy was that an adventure. We all ordered some sort of chicken sandwich because we are trying to make it healthy some what but then we got sides that weren't so healthy. So they came with the order and they got it wrong so they had to take it back and get the right one. Then Aunna still didn't get her fried because they kept on forgetting and so they asked us if we wanted a free sundae and Annesha said yes so they brought one Sundae and only one spoon for all five of us in the car. So Anna asked how she was going to be able to eat it and we just told her that someone was going to feed it to her. I had pictures of that but they were too dark and didn't turn out very good. So we had Annesha feeding Aunna while she was driving it was really funny, and to top it of it was pouring down rain. We were all laughing though which was a good thing.

So we get to the border and we wait in line for about 20 minutes or more and we get to the border gaurd and they ask us all the questions and they have our passports and birth certificates and then the lady asks us if we have a letter of consent from our spouces to bring the girls across the border. So Aunna and I had a look of surprise on our face because she said that if we are not traveling with our spouce and a kids then we are supposed to have a letter saying that it is o.k for them to be with us basically and they needed to have a phone number and address and for them and so we told her we didn't know and she said that it was for a new thing that they were doing for kiddnapped kids which makes sense and all. Well the lady said that the girls looked happy so she wasn't concerned about it but we needed to have the letter for next time. So we were relieved that we got across to Canada.

Once we crossed Canada I told Aunna that before we went to the hotel I wanted to drive by my old house and see it. So we drove by the old house and I got a picture of it, I didn't get out or anything because one I was to chicken and the other was it was pouring down rain. So after I got my picture we went to the hotel.

The Sonic menu sign.

The girls waiting for their food.

My old house. It really hasn't changed much except they put up a new fence and they got a new front door and the got a better deck on the front. I would have loved to just walk through the house just to look and see how much has changed from it because in our kitchen when I was little we had carpet. Can you believe that carpet in the kitchen it was the weirdest thing now that I think about it but at the time it wasn't weird.

When we got to our room we had to see what kind of a wonderful view we had and this was it, wasn't it amazing. :)

Saturday April 24th, my birthday.

So Larry and I have been talking for a while now about getting a new camera, we want a better one that takes some better pictures. Well for my birthday this is what Larry got me.

Just kidding this is the new Camer we got. I actually bought it for us for my birthday. We had been looking for a long time and orginally we thought we wanted one that was really fancy and you had to change the lenses and everything but the more we looked at them I felt that they were going to be way more complicated then I wanted to do, so we saw this one and it is an upgraded camera from our old one. You don't have to change the lenses but we love it. It takes black and white pictures as you saw above with the baseball pictures and I think that it takes way better pictures. I love to take pictures with it. I bought it a couple of weeks ago but I didn't want to post anything about it until my birthday because technically it was a birthday present.

So to get back to my weekend, we got to the hotel and thought that there was a hot tub but someone told us wrong at the hotel and the didn't have a hot tub so we went to the Tim Hortons donut place instead and had a donut, can you believe all the junk we had I can't believe it. We came back to the hotel tried to find the weather channel to see what the weather was supposed to be like on Saturday and it said that it was supposed to rain so we didn't know what we were going to do. We went to bed and woke up early so that we could get ready and see the temple the next day.

We got up and got ready and were out of the hotel by 7:45. We got to the new stake center that they have there and watched the video that that have and got to go on a tour of the temple. It was amazing, the temple was so beautiful and I was so glad that Madison got to see inside of it and experience it. From the lighting to the art work to the windows it was just all so wonderful, if you ever have a chance to go and tour a temple before it is dedicated I suggest you do it.

This is us after the tour in the gym of the stake center. They had all kinds of pictures and food in there and information for people who were not members to take it was great. That was my first experience touring a temple.

Me and Madison

Madison infront of the temple, I wish I could have gotten a better picture of the temple here.

After the temple we debated on either going on home and stopping at the Marysville outlet mall and go shopping or go into Vancouver and to granville island shop there. So we were going to just go on home but we decided to just go ahead and try to brave the weather and go to granvill island. We got lost about 3 times getting there and we finally stopped and asked a police women for some directions and when we stopped to ask her for directions, we told her that we were lost and she said" I can see that" so she pointed us in the right direction and we got close to it but had to stop once again for directions and when we stopped this time we stopped at a flower shop and they lady said that we were right by it but we needed to go the other direction and when Aunna said she didn't see any signs for it the lady told her that there aren't any signs the direction we were going just the other direction. So we finally made it there and did some shopping and had lunch and walked around. In all it was a good day, I love it when you have adventures like that.

Long about 3 we started heading back to the border and once again we got lost trying to find our way there so we stopped and asked for directions and found our way to the road that we needed to be on.

So we get to the border at almost 4 and it said that the border wait was 50 minutes, I thought oh my gosh 50 minutes. Madison and Cait though were very good and really didn't complain a whole lot. When we first got in line the line wasn't moving and we didn't know why but then it started moving and we actually got through alot fast then it said.

This is where we were in line at the border, looks like a long way from here.

Peace Arch border.

Well we got to the border crossing and got up there to the border guy and gave him all of our info and this is how the conversation went.

Well first he asks us where we were at and why we were up there and if we were bring anything back, then he starts asking more questions pertaining to the children in the car and this is how it goes.

Border guy - "How do you all know each other"

Aunna- "We are all friends"

Border guy-" You three women are friends with the children"

Aunna-"No one is mine and the other is hers(pointing at me)"

Border guy asking Cait-" Who is she" he was meaning Aunna

Cait in a quiet voice-"Aunna Bujnowski"

Aunna to Cait- "speak up, look him in the eye, answer him"

Then he starts to ask Madison

Border guy to Madison-"who is she how do you know her(meaning Aunna the driver)"

Madison-( she is quiet not saying anything)

Border guy to Madison again-"who is she how do you know her"

Me-"answer him, tell him who she is"

Madison to the border guy very quietly- "Aunna Bujnowski my mom's friend"

Border guy to Madison-"so that is you mom next to you"

Madison shakes her head yes and the guys tells us that we are free to go.

We were so relieved when we got through there it was quite the experience but a good on at that. I am glad that I got to get a way for my birthday and spend it with Madison and friends. We had a great time in Canada. Thanks Aunna for driving in all the madness your awsome.

Sunday April 25th

Today we went to church and came home and had a nice relaxing day, then my wonderful friend Anna made me my favorite salmon and cake and we had dinner at the smiths and visited which was nice. Thank you to everyone who shared in my birthday.

Sprink Break

2010-04-14T20:14:00.000-07:00

Well It has been a long time once again since I have blogged so here are some thing that we have been doing. Most of them are things that we did during spring break, well actually all the pictures on here is what we did on spring break. So I hope that you enjoy the pictures.

I am going to start with these pictures I didn't mean to start with these ones but oh well. So for spring break we were supposed to go camping to the coast but as it got closer we looked at the weather and it wasn't going to be nice at all and also Larry said that he had to work so our camping got canceled but we ended up doing some thing around our area, it was still alot of fun. So I have been into re-doing some of the bedrooms in the house, thanks to Aunna for helping me with colors and bedding and all that stuff I think that things look great. Well for a while now I have been wanting to do Madison room because well she is getting older and she needs a room that looks a little older and something that she can keep for a while. So I found som curtains at peir one and we put those in Madison room and decorated the room around the curtains. I figured that since we weren't doing anything really for spring break that I would paint her room and stuff and also Carson broke her blind in her room so she didn't have anything to make her room darker so I had to get it done. So here are the before pictures of Madison room, now when I took the before pictures I had already started taking things down off of her wall and stuff so it is messier then normal.

Before

I love the new look to her room. The color is a like a butter cream yellow and in her curtains she had that butter cream yellow polka dot and a green color and then a blue color that was very hard to match for her bedding. The yellow sheets I have on there right now are to bright but I haven't found the right color for it yet and I am going to put a vinyl lettering or something above her bed but this is the ending result of the her room.

After
When I was painting and after we were done i got rid of a bunch of stuff in her room. We got rid of the cradle that was in there and just changed things around and just basically cleaned her room out and it looks so much better.

Picture with the curtains closed. Larry doesn't like the quilt because he thinks that the quilt is to boyish. I think that he is crazy. He just doesn't get it.

Thanks again for helping me Aunna, your ideas are awsome.

So I am just giving you a preview of my bedroom, it isn't alot but just a little because I can't seem to keep my room clean. It seems like I always have clothes on my bed to fold and so I didn't think that people needed to see that. So these are the curtains that we did for mine and larry's room. The picture doesn't do the curtains justice the curtains are great. The color on the wall is like a grayish green color. It looks really good. Thanks to Aunna again because without her ideas I don't think that I would have done any of this.

I took this picture because I painted the master bath as well and I love this vinyl decoration. This is all you get to see of my bathroom as well if you want to see more you will have to come over and see it when it is clean.

This picture I had to take just because Carson is a goof and he was trying to get somthing out of my bath tub and he was all dress for church and I guesse this is what I get for getting him ready earlier then everybody else.
It is a good thing that there wasn't any water in the bathtub or I would have been really upset.

The weekend before easter is when the kids officially started spring break and so that weekend our ward had an easter activity and a easter egg hunt. The had a great time there doing crafts and activities and then of course the easter egg hunt at the end.

Here they are decorating their bags to put their eggs in.

They had a face painting station and then afterward they could color or write their name on the big huge long piece of paper. (doesn't Carson look evil when he smiles, I am trying to get him to not squint his eyes so much but I am not having luck)

Madison is throwing soft stuffy carrots through the easter bunnies mouth

During the week the kids did a couple of things, Larry took the kids to see a movie and then the following day we went to the Science Center, which is always fun.

I love this mirro, I actually have a picture of me doing this same thing but it was way back when Larry and I were dating.

This is what happens when we go into the dinosour part of the Science center. Carson did not like it at all. Can you tell.

Carson wouldn't even get in this picture because there was a dinosour in the back ground.

This was at the end of our afternoon.

That folowing weekend was Easter and we always go to the Snohomish Easter egg hunt because the kids always get eggs there. So we went it was very very cold. We usually do the parade afterward but I don't think the kids would have made it. They separate into squares and it is taped off so it has a section for kids 3 and under then kindergarterners and then 1-2 and well you get the point. The kids had a great time and can't wait for next year.

This was Carson's first year actually participating so he didn't quite get it but he got some eggs.
It was cold but he was happy which was good.

Zach and all of his eggs that he got.

Zach got a ticket in one of his eggs which meant he got to go and get a prize.

Madison getting some eggs.

Madison got a ticket as well.After the egg hunt instead of going to the parade int he cold we went to the Maltby Cafe for some breakfast with some friends of ours and their kids. It was a great day and a great week. Some times it is just nice doing things around your house.

The End of Basketball

2010-03-06T13:17:00.001-08:00

Today was Zach's last basketball game, I am glad because that means that we don't have to get up early for basketball anymore, their games were at 8 in the morning. I mean really 8 in the morning on Saturday. So we finished it and Zach did pretty good, but I don't think that it is his sport. I am glad that he wanted to play it but I feel really bad because he was one of the shortest kids on his team and you should have see the boys on his team they were great players, they could all make baskets and hit the rim. Poor Zach just didn't have the height and couldn't quite get it up that high. They did lower the basketball hoops for the kids by the way. Anyway he did great and he did try and he really enjoyed it and that is what is important. I also have to remember that the other kids parents are probably hardcore basketball players and practice probably everyday with their kids. Anyway it is done and next we are trying t-ball and I hope that he really enjoys that, and with t-ball he will be with kids at his school with basketball he was with the city of mill creek and so he didn't know anyone on his team. Enjoy the pictures.

Before we left for his game. I probably should have done his hair but he was going to be running around so why bother. Carson of course had to get in on the picture as well.

This is what happens when carson gets a hold of my camera. It is almost always of his fingers because he puts his fingers right over the lense.

This is what I had to do to keep Carson occupied. He is playing a game on my phone, and no he doesn't know how to play it but it kept him busy for a little bit.

Zach is number Five.

Carson got a hold of my camera again.

Trying to get the ball

Good blocking Zach.

Oh there goes Carson again. He doesn't quite get to move his fingers out of the way.

Snip Snip

2010-03-05T19:03:00.001-08:00

It all started one night as I was getting into bed, and don't worry people it isn't what you think, anyway I was getting into bed and Larry said to me "have you thought of getting a different hairstyle", I automatically said "what you don't like the way I do my hair", because I always wear pony tails because lets face it I don't have time to do my hair with the kids and everything. So I joked around with him and I eventually got serious and said "yes I have been thinking about getting my hair cut but I am afraid." He said "What is the worst that could happen, grow back." So anyway I have actually been thinking about getting my hair cut and I got some magazines that have hair styles in them and looked through them. I saw what I liked and took it to my girl who cuts my hair. So tonight I went and got my hair cut. I really like it, it isn't that much different except that it is alot shorter. It is a little bit shorter then I thought it was going to be but I am worried because...... it will grow back. Don't get me wrong I like it I am just very critical of myself and I have always thought that when I have short hair that it makes my face look rounder then it normally is. Anyway so here is my hair cut and I am excited about the new look.

Here I am, now remember I don't have any makeup on, after looking at these picture I have to realize that I need a tan. :)

Bon Jovi

2010-02-21T12:16:00.000-08:00

I forgot to to post these pictures so my actual post is after these ones. Sorry.

I love the songs that he sang when he was singing on this part of the stage. It was great.

Larry and I at the concert. I like this picture of both of us.
Here we are again. I don't like this one of myself but I like it of Larry.

Well this last week we were offered some Bon Jovi tickets from our good friends Troy and Tina, so we took the tickets, I was so excited to go I really like Bon Jovi and I have told Larry several times that I would like to go and see him perform and so I was really excited when we got these tickets. So we were planning on going up to my see my sister and grandparents and aunt and well everyone at the compound and since we were going up there I asked my oldest sister if she could take the kids over night on Friday since we were going to come up on Saturday and so she said yes and I met her half way on Friday and made the switch with the kids after school and I left driving from Mt Vernon home all by myself which was kind of nice because I get to listen to actuall music in the car no kids music. So I came home to an empty house which was also weird because I am never alone in the house without kids and I got ready. I was alreay and then Larry got home he changed his clothes and off we went out to dinner and then to the concert.

The concert was AWSOME. We were in section 201 but it was still good. I am jelous that our friends who gave us the tickets had tickets for themselves for the Saturday concert they were sitting close enough to see him sweat. Don't get me wrong I am thankful for the tickets and they weren't bad seats, but I was jelous of everyone in the front row that was close enough to touch him. If he ever comes here again I am getting tickets close enough to touch him, well at least I want to. So anyway back to the concert it was great and I just love the way he gets into his music when he sings and how he sings with passion and also how it isn't all about him he gets his whole band involved and lets them have some of the spot light as well. So it was just great all together. I want all the songs that he sang that night I just have to figure out how to get those songs so if anyone has any suggestions that would be great. I was amazed at how some of the ladies really got into their outfits and went back to the 80's style. Larry and I just sat and took it all in it was great. So here are some pictures of the concert and then the weekend.

Here I am before the concert at home.

I took this picture because this girl walked by us and she had her hair crimped and she had the off the shoulder shirt she was all decked out. I tried to get a better picture but unfortunately I wasn't fast enough. It was just hilarious. So I hope you get why I took this picture.

This is from our seats before the concert started.

There he is, it was awsome.

The pictures I take don't ever turn out and because it was dark in there the pictures aren't as good as I thought they were going to be, I think that we need a new camera that takes better pictures.

This looks alot farther away then we were but it was still fun.

Larry definately takes better pictures.

You can't see his face very good but there he is.

This is the end, he brought the whole band up front with him and said goodnight.

Another at the end.

I had to take this picture because this is what I enjoy about being at my dad and on the compound there, you get to see eagles all the time and the view is incredible.

The kids decided that they were going to have a fire in the fire pit at my sisters, so my niece Jordin got the fire started and they roasted marshmallows and sat by the fire for a bit. Here is Carson and Jordin.

Zach and my nephew Nicholas

Here is everyone by the fire.

Madison behind some of the smoke.

Madison and her roasted marshmallowThis is what happens to carson when he wakes up at 5 in the morning and won't go back to sleep. This is him on the way home today at 9:30. Great now he won't take an afternoon nap. At least he will go to bed good tonight.