Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Give Thanks

I have been loving this co-op preschool that I'm doing with Josh. We have a great group of six little boys (one was missing today) and us moms take turns teaching. It was my turn this week!The little preschool turkeys singing "One Little Turkey" with their beaks on. Me as a pilgrim with two of my wild Native Americans, complete with their custom designed headbands.Josh shaking his baby food jar wondering when the butter he's making will be done!The FEAST. Yum!When I took the picture I told the kids to say "feast" and Nathan yelled, "EAT!"

I am thankful for a wonderful group of friends for both me and my boys.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Grandpa Nelson

(Thanks to my sister for sending me this picture of our whole family with Grandma and Grandpa. This was the last time I saw my Grandpa Nelson at the family reunion in June this year.)
My grandfather (my dad's dad) passed away this morning. I have such great memories of him and hopefully I'll be able to dig up some pictures.

Grandpa was such a tease! He wore dentures and would pop them out and make funny faces at us kids. It would freak me out but we would die laughing and tell our parents what Grandpa was doing. Grandpa always just looked at Mom and Dad like he had no clue what we were talking about and would do it over and over when our parents weren't looking.

Grandpa had a love for music and singing. I remember him playing his trombone. I remeber him singing "Mr. Moon" and "Mares Eat Oats" and now I sing these songs to my boys.

Grandpa handed out the Christmas stockings at the family Christmas party. It was a fun tradition to sit on Grandpa's lap and tell him that you had been good all year and in exchange for a hug and kiss get a stocking full of goodies.

I am glad to have known my Grandpa Nelson and what he stood for. He was a man of honor, a true hero, a worker and not a complainer. I need to be more like him. I will miss him, but I am grateful to know that I will see him again.

Strawberry Pickin'

A "draft" from June 7, 2008. I'm missing my garden now that's it is fall. I never knew how fun growing things could be. Now that I have no pictures I TREASURE these old finds. Here are my silly boys picking some strawberries.
Yes, he hugged the strawberry...

Working Out Back

Another "draft" post.

Everyone pitched in to help get the backyard done. Jake and Josh were hard workers! (I promise no child labor laws were broken.)

Be still my heart...Josh looks like he was born to farm!Nathan found a rain puddle and happily splashed away.Pretty much if he was happy and out of the way, he got to do whatever he wanted.Will on his archaeological dig.Josh helped pound while Will leveled.Jake measured to make sure that it was up to specs. Lucky for us our friends came to help. (Hopefully it wasn't just because you're the elder's quorum president!) While the boys got the planters settled...The girls laid the weed barrier for the wood chips.
Josh needed a little rest after such hard work!Jakes decided that since he's checked bike riding off his to-do list, next up is the monkey bars. It's not such a hard fall now with the wood chips in.BEFORE:
AFTER:I'm thrilled Will built these planters for me! I can't wait to see if anything grows...

Our April Fool's Baby

You have no idea how THRILLED I was to discover that I have several old blog posts still in "draft" mode. The reason for happiness? A few more pictures that aren't completely lost. (Blasted, blasted computer crash!)
I have VERY VERY few pictures of Nathan when he was a newborn. I am so happy to have found this one! (This was from a post I did when he turned one.)

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Chocolate Lover?



Want 100 chocolate candy bars? (Who in their right mind would say no?!) My sister-in-law is celebrating her 100th post. Just go here and leave a comment. Good luck!!

If I win I'll share with Nathan. He's a chocolate lover like his mama!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Bellevue, Washington 2008

It's fun to be married to such a good friend. Sometimes I forget this during all the chaos of regular life. Will and I had a blast together this past weekend.Saturday night we attended a big bash at the bowling alley. Bowling is not exactly our strong sport...But we had fun laughing at ourselves (and each other)!I'm a lot better at bowling with the kiddie bumpers up!
Willie clowned around playing pool but actually did pretty well. It must be all the practicing he does at home playing pool on the kids' table.Sunday night was the formal gala. The entertainment this year was great. During the reception time (before the dinner started) there were three girls hanging from the ceiling doing amazing tricks in these hoops. Will and I chilled on a leather sofas and ate appetizers and watched in awe.This was our table at dinner. Three of Willie's managers (and their guests), one employee (and guest) who was being honored for working for the company for five years, and me (Willie took the picture).Willie and I at dinner. Let's just say yummy!More amazing entertainment before the awards portion of the evening. Wow!We caught an early flight home Monday morning and were pretty tuckered out. It's nice to have a great friend to lean on.
Thanks again to my friend Jenny and Mom for making the weekend possible! The boys had a great time and so did we!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Annual Get-Away

Thanks to great friends and family, Willie and I are enjoying ourselves on our annual trip to Washington. Willie has conferences during the day...but I don't. It's quite nice indeed.

We forgot the camera (and contact solution, and my glasses, and the list could go on) so we've been taking quality photos with the phone. We had a nice flight.
And a great dinner, even if I ate too much and almost popped.

I'm not a big TV fan (that might be an under statement) but I've been relaxing and channel surfing a bit. My goodness, I am shocked with the filth. I'm really not used to it and I'm glad. I do, however, enjoy the decorating/remodeling shows. Maybe I'll get out of the hotel room some time today...then again, maybe I won't.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

God Bless America

I voted today! Did you?
Photo courtesy of Joshua. He likes when I make "funny faces."

Monday, November 3, 2008

The PERFECT Family Portrait

Can you believe it? Everyone is looking at the camera and smiling. Maybe we'll use this for our Christmas cards this year. Our best family picture yet!

First Pumpkin Carvin'

Halloween was really fun with Nathan this year. It was all so new and exciting for him. Pumpkins were one of his favorite things about this holiday! He called them "balls" and enjoyed throwing them around. This pumpkin didn't have a stem for long once he hurled it off his highchair.I was trying to coax him on touching the pumpkin guts. He wasn't so sure...I helped him gain a little courage by forcing, I mean guiding, his hand into the pumpkin...Once I got his hand in that pumpkin and wiggled it around a bit...Nathan's first pumpkin-carving masterpiece.
Here are the old pros with their pumpkins.These big boys have years of experience in pumpkin carving!Our three little pumpkins! (Only Jake's pumpkin ended up with a stem. Poor Josh's pumpkin also suffered the wrath of Nathan.)