NEW YORK BABY!!!

This picture was taken 7 years ago on our first trip to New York. I had never been and it was on my "bucket list," so Stephen surprised me with tickets for Christmas...
Brooklyn Bridge and the George Washington Bridge below.

Stephen and I went to New York where his parents, Bob and Ann, are serving a mission until April. It was so good to see them! We got to see and do lots of fun stuff.

We went on a boat ride around New York and got to see all the beautiful trees with the colors of the leaves changing for Fall. And of course the New York Hard Rock cafe with a delicious burger was one of our first eats... Stephen humored me and I got to stop at a flea market, even though it closed 5 minutes later :(Seriously, yeah, for awesome buildings and architecture!Times SquareLOVE all the fun detail... I have always been a sucker for old buildings and fire escapes...George Washington Bridge. Stephen and I, day 3???And of course we had to eat at the famous Tom's Restaurant from our favorite Seinfeld show! I ain't gonna lie... food was not incredible... ;)American Museum of Natural History. I had never seen so many fossils before...Rupert from the Hello Deli on the Late Show with David Letterman. We ate sandwiches here before the show. Super nice guy.David Letterman was really a fun experience. Stephen and I both answered the Late Show trivia correctly so we both got a set of tickets, so Bob and Ann got to come with us. Charles Barkley was on. I was surprised at how funny he was. Dave was exactly like how he was on TV. :) We waited around out back after leaving the studio and saw Michael J Fox walking in for the next show. My silly camera was super slow, so all I got was the back of his cute little head behind the big guy and by his blond wife. Sad photog skills, I know... BEST. PIZZA. EVER. and I was actually full! Bob and Ann know all the good eats and which subways to steer clear of. They are like regular New Yorkers now!

Statue of Liberty. We also saw two Broadway shows. Mary Poppins, super good, and Wicked. Awesome good! Loved them both!!! Wicked was probably my favorite because it was a new story line to me and I LOVED the music. I actually got teary eyed at the end! I had a great time and I thank Bob and Ann for letting us stay with them. And I thank Stephen for footing the bill and letting me get our charicature pictures drawn! And here is us 7 years from when we first took a picture in front of the LOVE sign... :)

Thanks to Tiffanni and Ruben for watching our babies! This is the first trip we have taken without either of them them since Beck was born. We missed them terribly, but I did read two books. ;)

Halloween 2010

We made it back from our New York trip just in time to celebrate Halloween. The ward party was on Friday night and at the last minute Beck decided that instead of his awesome (in my eyes only I guess) Mr. Bones costume, he was going as Batman, yet again... sigh... Paisley was a cutie pat tootie fairy Princess and shed her tutu and wings minutes after arriving at the church.

Good thing that Beck went as Batman! He found his very patient Primary teachers as Batman and Cat Woman!! He was pretty excited!

The next night we made it to the AIM Halloween Carnival down at the Gymnastics Center. Beck decided once again to change his costume, but this time he was a storm trooper, but he couldn't have a "red light saber mom!!!" so he used an old light saber sword he got at the fair a while back.

At the AIM Halloween Carnival they got to play games and also each won a gold fish... also, yet again. ;)

Trick-or-treating was fun. We went to our old neighborhood, so that we could also see old friends. Last year Paisley had fallen asleep before she even got to go trick-or-treating, so this was kind of her first real experience. She was hesitant at first, but then by watching Beck quickly caught on!

Beck Beginning Soccer October 2010

This is how we keep cousin kids busy at Jr High Volleyball games in Othello... :)Stephen celebrated his 33rd birthday yesterday! Yeah Stephen! We have quite a few friends that have birthdays in October, so we had a get together at our house for cake and ice cream and then a few of us went to the Haunted House at the Moses Lake fairgrounds... Not as scary as a few years ago, but I had my eyes closed for most of the time, so I guess I shouldn't really compare. Pictured blowing out candles are Trent Cleverly, Stephen, Jason Jenks, and Amber Jenks... Happy Birthday all OCTOBER birthdays!

Beck had his Primary Program at church this past Sunday, and he is so restless. His poor teachers. The kid finally got stuck right between me and another teacher... He said his part beautifully ("I can be good" ironic huh?) and he didn't run off the stand, so I am counting it as a success!

They really are like REALLY BIG hams... :)

We made a trip out to the Othello pumpkin patch since we will be missing the AIM school's field trip to one this year. The kids had fun picking out the perfect pumpkin and Beck couldn't decide, so he got 2. Soccer is finally over! Did I say finally, I meant, um, hey, soccer is over, sniff sniff! I have to admit sitting out in the cold, trying to bribe my son with quarters to even touch the ball is not very appealing to me. This is Stephen trying to get him back in the game. Bless the hearts of his dear patient coaches...

And all his teammates that he wrestled or threw to the ground...

He touched the ball 3 times, I know this because he told me that I owe his 3 quarters, and this was one of those times.

Well, another week has come and gone and they just seem to keep coming and going. I remember being in like Jr High and High School and I COULDN'T WAIT TO GROW UP... man, was I stupid. ;) But now I get to be grown up and watch my kids want to "grow up..." and then flinching as they actually do, right before my very eyes... :( tear....

7 Years Baby!

When we were dating we used to call each other lil devil and lil angel. On the computer, if I am remembering correctly you could write (6) in instant messenging(?) and a little devil picture smiley face would pop up. Funny that I was the angel and Stephen was the devil, huh? So then at times I would just call him lil (6) lol. 7 years, man, 7 llloooonnnnngggg years. no, just kidding, it really feels as though it were yesterday *sigh, but at the same time feels as though it has just always been me and Stephen. Stephen and I and a few kids now. (Does a few have to be more than 2 or can it be two?) We had a fun day in Tri-cities yesterday shopping and I got my make up done at Macy's. I have always wanted to do that, so well, I did. :) Then we had a benefit auction dinner for the Kennewick Hospital. I got to dress up as fancy as my modesty would allow ;) and eat food and sit by my man. (On a side note, Paisley fell ON trampoline at babysitters house and won't walk on her leg, I think it's her ankle.. poor thing)

So here's to you and me honey. U r so cute. Thanks for putting up with my crap, but don't call me a wench, even when I am being one, okay? :) and I love your hair, and when you don't shave... FYI, but you already know that.

And THANK YOU for my awesome present. A sweet Blazer old car thing, that I get to haul me and my kiddos and craigslist furniture in. Now I can even take my HUGE recycling garbage can to the recycle place now! Yeah! I am super excited!

Sorry I only got you a snow cone maker, does it help that Beck helped me pick it out? ;) Love you my lil 6...

I Never want to see another apple for a LONG LONG time!

It's that time of year again.. applesauce making time! My friend Bethany and I were at a Relief Society activity 4 years ago where they showed us how to make applesauce and can it. We decided that we could do it and have done it every year since. Each year we have to reteach ourselves how to do it and when we're done we say that we maybe won't do it again! This year we got ambitious and did 3 1/2 boxes.... yeah, to tell the truth, it sucked. ;) My friend Becky was able to join us from 9-12:30 (girl got lucky and had to go take her daughter to school) She was a big help in figuring out how the saucers went together though, we definitely needed her when it came time to take them apart... and Bethany and I kept going until 7 that night. We got 42 quarts and 32 pints. This is a picture of Bethany with her brand new baby Berlynn and the VERY LAST APPLE! Whoo hoo! All the kids were psycho, the house was a disaster, but we only had to make one trip into town for more regular sized seals... We had 2 pots going of boiling water to seal the jars, 3 pans of apple cooking, two saucers, and mountain dew and diet pepsi to keep us on top of it...Before clean up...and after.... awww... makes me feel so much better!

Until next year you pesky pieces of fruit...

Soccer Games

Even though I have decided to take the year off from teaching (I am only coaching 1 hour of cheer a week, even though I have subbed many times this year in the classroom and gym already... no complaints! I LOVE teaching and coaching, I just wanted a year off from total commitment ya know!?!?!) I feel as though we are just as busy busy! Taking Beck to and from school takes up a BUNCH of time... insert "Welcome to my life as a taxi driver" comments here... And one reason why we have been super on the go is Soccer. (feel free to insert; "I told you so" and "oh yeah, we have dance, soccer, baseball, football, track, AND the FFA club" comments here, I may not read them though ;)
All that aside; Meet my son the HAM!!Seriously... his ENTIRE first game was spent purposely falling on the ground to get a rise out of coaches and giggles out of fellow team mates... Silly kid. Good thing I am not too fond of soccer anyway right? ;) Here is the one time he actually did kick the ball. Proud mommy moment, crappy picture, gosh darn it...

Game #2 went much better. Too bad Stephen was out of town and he missed it. But Beck kept more with his team and his coach made him a deal to "see how long you can stand up" type of thing. Not fool proof, but it worked a bit. His coaches are incredibly patient and good people. Poor things had no idea what they were getting into I'm afraid. Having watched on the sidelines, I think that it is safe to say that I may never coach little tot soccer. And actually I'm not qualified to teach anyone older either, so I'm good... :)