High Ambitions!

Well, hey! So, on Sunday night we had our "Christmas Classics" fireside which Eric and I sang in and it was AWESOME! This one ranks up with Colorado All-State and College Choirs for sure! We really enjoyed it...but boy, it was a relief to knock it off of our list. So, we've been plowing through Christmas activities and Sunday night was a big one because then, all we would have left really was to get ready for the Choir program on Sunday...I've been neglecting the 6 pieces that I'm playing and to pack up and get ready for Colorado as well as an array of "little" everyday things.

So, Monday started out pretty well and we got some shopping out of the way and a little cleaning and Stephanie and the kids came to play and I taught my piano lessons that afternoon and then made dinner and for FHE we decided to take Maryn to the dollar store to get "WHATEVER she wanted" for her family and grandparents for Christmas gifts. Well, she took her time picking presents....like an hour and a half! and as we were checking out, Caleb randomly threw-up all over Eric and the floor. So I whisked him out to the car and got him cleaned up and calmed down and Eric stayed behind to clean it up all by himself. (Not a very fun experience with those top notch dollar store people making rude comments the whole time....he was a little irritated at their insensitivity and rudeness....although he handled it better than i would have....so thanks, honey!) I don't deal well with people knocking anything that has to do with one of my perfect children!

Anyway, so we came home and Caleb continues to throw up and we got Maryn's presents wrapped and under the tree...she was very excited about it. Next minute, they were both throwing up at the same time into the same bowl and Eric had run off to the store to buy pedialyte. Anyway, it was traumatic and they both continued to throw up all night every few minutes....it was aweful!!! So, I couldn't go visiting teaching yesterday or piano today because we are on the recovery...well, sort of because I have been feeling really nautious although have not been losing quite like the other two. What a bunch of sickies we are!

So, that's my sob story this week....needless to say that I haven't started on the cleaning, piano practicing and last minute shopping that was supposed to be well in hand by now. So, those of you attending our ward on Sunday, I apologize in advance for what comes out on that piano...it will likely sound like my week has gone:) Oh well, I think tomorrow will be better.

A Break at the Park

Maryn has become such a little poser!!! Her poses just crack me up!

Trying to get a picture of these two together is virtually impossible. Caleb poses for no man! You just have to catch him when he happens to look at you! So, sorry he's not smiling and it's not the best of Maryn but this is pretty much as good as it gets right now. So, here's a Christmas-ish picture for you!

A Little Christmas Wish from Maryn

This is a little song from Maryn....and Caleb was singing in the background too!

CHRISTMAS COMING

We’ve had so much fun with Maryn getting ready for Christmas! She is so excited about every little detail! We put up the tree this weekend and she is SO thrilled about it! I personally think that it is one of the ugliest trees I’ve seen but she picked out every aspect of the decorations including the tinsel star that lights up crowning the tree! For her, it could not be more magical. We’ve put a few gifts under the tree but I haven’t put any of hers out yet because she has managed to guess a lot of the ones out for other people so I’m scared of her guessing her own. Nothing gets passed her!

We laughed the other day as Eric was driving in the car with her and “Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer” was on the radio. Eric was singing along, “You know Dasher, and Dancer, and Prancer….” And on down the list. Maryn said to Eric, “But Dad, what about Olive? You forgot Olive!” It wasn’t until half way through the song that he noticed her singing, “Olive, the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names….” We had a good laugh.

Well, we are swamped this December! Eric is so busy at work and tending to Sue (our injured horse), young mens, scouting & family. I am teaching piano as well as playing for 3 different choirs in Christmas concerts and Eric and I are singing in 2 more! I love all the Christmas craziness but I’m sure we will be relieved to climb onto the Denver-bound airplane on the 23rd (only a few hours after completing our final Christmas program)!

LITTLE PIG, LITTLE PIG, LET ME COME IN....

Well, right now, we are weathering a crazy storm! I really do feel like one of the three little pigs with our house about to be blown away…along the coast, we had hurricane force winds overnight (over 100 mph). Not quite as bad here although it felt like it. The power has been on and off, too.

By the way, after the “mouse hunt” last month, we totaled 13 by the end! Disgusting! But we haven’t caught any for a while so we think that we’ve got them all!

By the way, one our horses was hit by a car the day after Thanksgiving. She is okay and just has a big gash on her thigh although she is recovering well.

Another crazy part of life right now, I’ll call “Caleb Damage!” I wish there was an insurance that would cover it because I’m sure it would be worth our while! Recent calamities include:
· Plucked 75% of buttons off my laptop
· Exploded bottle of Children’s Ibuprofen in the microwave
· Unscrewed all the light bulbs from an entire string of Christmas lights
· Reprogrammed my cell phone a few times
· Cut up his clothes with safety scissors (don’t know how he managed this)…not so safe after all!
· Broke my glasses and ripped my contacts all within a 24 –hour period
· Permanently scribbled all over the piano bench and then poked holes in the padded part with the pen
· And Heaven only knows the things this little boy has shredded…

Why do I tell you this? I’ve been accused of painting a “perfect little life”…not always so! Nevertheless, we have been very blessed and pretty much everything is now resolved or resolving!

Giving Thanks

This year, we spent our Thanksgiving in Seattle (3 hours away)
with Eric's sister, Lisa, her husband DJ and their kids, Jordan and Jasmine. We had a wonderful visit with them and enjoyed good food and company! Maryn LOVES her cousins and spent the entire time raiding Jasmine's toys and playing her little head off! Jasmine is very sweet and patient with her and really makes Maryn feel like a 'big kid'!
There is something about olives but no kids can resist loading up their fingers...luckily, they like to eat the too!

Caleb and Eric mashing sweet potatoes!

The Halloweenies

The kids loved their costumes. Maryn makes a perfect princess...big blue eyes and all. She certainly plays it up. Caleb was "Dash" from the Incredibles and I think that his costume actually made him run faster!

Caleb LOVED trick-or-treating! He caught onto it so quickly and was sprinting between houses, knocking incessantly until the door was answered, trying to sneak in a second handful whenever possible! A very exciting time!

VISIT FROM AUNTY MAIYA

Unfortunately, the first 5 days or so that Maiya was with us, it rained almost the whole time so we were stuck inside trying to find things to do. We did go to the Children's Museum which they really enjoyed. These are pics of them playing in the water area....

We went to Baggenstos Farms to pick out pumkins after the sun came out. It was a lot of fun. Caleb loved rolling over the tops of the pumpkins on his belly.

The kids also enjoyed climbing on the haystacks.

Eric gave Maiya her first riding lesson. She was very excited and they went on a long ride through the forest and all over. Upon her return, Maiya told me that it was a great chance for her and Eric to just "chit-chat!" She insisted on riding Sue because Dibb just wasn't pretty enough for her.

We borrowed a bunny that Maryn named Allie for while Maiya was here. Maryn fell instantly in love. She treated it like her own baby.

Of Mice and Men - Rated PG

Well, we have had an interesting last few days. Maiya has flown in to stay with us while mom is in S. Africa. So far, she has been a pleasure and done really well. Maryn loves having someone so big and creative to play with her all day long...I just hope that Maiya doesn't get bored with all the "little kid" play.

Anyway, so yesterday, I was picking up utensils that Caleb had showered all over the kitchen floor and went to pick up a piece of fir when I noticed that it had a tail and a few legs and then eyes and then I gagged. It was a baby mouse. We had noticed sound of rodents recently and so put out some traps and have had some success. Anyway, this mouse and I were eyeing each other when I realized that I should probably catch it so I grabbed a cup and trapped it. While Maiya and Maryn made friends with the little mouse, I called Eric to find out what the heck I should do with it and suggested that I should flush it. So, I did, much to the horror of Maiya and Maryn who said they could hear it squeaking all the way down.

So, later on I was cooking supper when another little mouse came out of nowhere and scrurried along this time jumping to its own safety before my cup could reach it (although it did give away the escape route!). So, later that evening, I was lying on the couch watching Wheel of Fortune when Caleb saunters up to show me his latest find. Inbetween his grubby little fingers was that wriggling little mouse. So, not wanting to touch it myself, I coerced Caleb to the bathroom where I had him throw it in the toilet and then I closed the lid and flushed. Caleb was really annoyed that I got rid of his little friend.

So, now I'm not only worried about what my kids will say I did to them on Oprah one day but I also can't go to the bathroom in peace without my thoughts wondering back to some revenge-seeking rodents! Yikes! That's my scariest story so far this Halloween!

The Apple Farm

This is the apple farm a few farms down from us that we frequent about once a week. I love this tree...it looks so spooky and Halloweenish and perfect for this time of year...plus, DELICIOUS APPLES! Click on any pics to see them bigger...sorry, I had a lot to put on here.

We really enjoyed having Mary, Evan, Gracie & Sander come to visit this last weekend. We had a lot of fun visiting and playing. We took them to the Oregon Heritage Apple Farm which is a couple of farms down from us. They have a few little animals and a hay maze, pumpkin patch, and jumping castle. We stood in line for quite a while to get Maryn and Gracie’s faces painted. Maryn got a unicorn and Gracie got a kitty cat. Gracie was hilarious to watch as he painted her face as she would flinch at everything. She was very cute. As you can see, it as worth the wait…he was really good and used paints and airbrush. After a long morning at the apple farm, Sander and Caleb flaked out for a good snooze. Thanks for coming, you guys! We missed you, Jodi!

The kids also had fun just playing around the yard together!

In the Garden

Caleb and Maryn have alot of fun on these swings. When there is nobody to push them, they swing on their tummies...it takes quite a lot of balance!

This takes great effort!

These are some pictures of the kids playing in the garden and on the swings. I know that it’s been a while since I posted anything so I thought that I should send some pictures too. We have just been busy with our little lives. Eric has been called to teach the 15-16 year old Sunday School class. They are a rowdy bunch and will be quite challenging but he will do really well, I’m sure. I am playing the piano for the primary which I’m really enjoying.