Christmas

October

Our ward had a fun super saturday. We had only 3 crafts so I did them all. My favorite is this board which is for measuring your kids on. (although some ladies wanted it for their sewing room or decorations) My kids have been wanting to mark themselves on the wall and I haven't been to fond of the idea so I am so happy with this one.

This is a schedule board. One section for every day of the week. I am curious to see how well it works. We definitely need to be more organized in this house.

This was just a cute saying, stuff they pulled from The Proclamation

Of course we have to have a cute picture of Rachel in here. :)

Isaac could hardly wait to carve his pumpkin. We were going to do it for my birthday but we ran out of time. So after 2 days of asking I finally let him do it while his brothers were at school. He is such a good little worker. He used the pumpkin carving tools and cut out half the pumpkin himself. Although he did let me gut it. That wasn't his favorite part.

 

Russell cleaning out a pumpkin and Curtis and Isaac working on cutting one out together. This year we really let the kids design their own and let them do what they want. If it wasn't so much work I would say lets do more pumpkins. I didn't get all the pumpkin faces that I wanted Noah to do for me. Plus we need to grow our own big one. Those are lots of fun.

This is Curtis' pumpkin. It had 2 mouths and it eyes were a pattern triangles and squares. It was cute Isaac and him did it all but one mouth.

our pumpkins at night

Getting ready to go Trick or Treating. The night started off cold and with a little rain in the middle but after that is warmed up some and they had lots of fun. Rachel stayed home with me and passed out candy.

This was their first house. Trick or treating their own house.

Time to fill our buckets

September in a nutshell

We spent lots of time in Willamina this year helping Grandpa with the garden. We brought Abi along and she lead Curtis around on the pony, Peanut.

Curtis and Russell's first day of school. At Harrisburg they teach orchestra band for 3rd and 4th graders. Russell is learning to play the violin.

We went to the Talmadge family reunion and celebrated Great Grandma Nina's 91st birthday. We brought our cowboy golf game and a swimming pool. Both were a great hit.

Russell and Abi playing cowboy golf

Megan, Rachel, and Great Grandma Nina

I didn't think I could put Rachel's hair in pigtails until Dovie showed me how. It seemed torturous but very cute in her hair.

We gave Rachel her first rice cereal. She didn't care for it much and she thought we were torturing her. It is always fun to watch how they react to the rice cereal.

"What are you doing?"

"What is this stuff in my mouth?"

"I ate it but I didn't like it"

We made a trip to Reno with Grammy to go see Logan's baptism. It was a fun trip and Russell and Curtis were great travel buddies.

Megan, Rachel, Grammy, Russell, Logan, Curtis

On the way home we stopped at the Pacific Crest Trail. Grammy has always wanted to ride a horse on this trail. Since we didn't have a horse we walked along the trail a little ways just to say that we have been on the trail.

ward campout and the rest of Aug

We made it home and the next weekend we had a ward campout. My boys are such great campers because when it gets dark out they want to get in their tent and go to sleep. It is wonderful! It was fun to watch the boys be excited about camping as a family. They really enjoyed hiking and wanted to explore all the trails. We didn't have enough time there, maybe next year we will be able to stay and do the zip line into the lake.

Rachel loving the jump-o-roo

Russell enjoying a smore.

Isaac roasting marshmallows

Curtis eating his smore

Our tent

I was playing with Rachel on the couch and I lifted her up in the air and this is the kindness she repays me with. NICE!

Idaho

The kids and I went to Idaho for 2 weeks this summer. It was so much fun and of course we were always busy. We got to see everyone and enjoy the Mud Lake fair. That is always fun. Time goes by too fast when we are there. I love visiting because it seems like all the wordly things in my life are gone and it is simple- Family, friends, fun, and lots of talking!

My sister-in-law took some wonderful pictures of Rachel. This is one of them that we liked. We had a reunion in Justin's backyard. We had some nice weather and enjoyed a night of camping.

It got hot in the afternoon, so all the kids loaded up in the back of the pick-up and Justin drove them down to the lake.

Lilly and Rachel enjoyed getting to know each other. They are about 3 wks apart.

another shot of Lilly and Rachel

Brothers showing off their sisters. Rachel, Russell, Kendall, Lilly, Curtis

of course we took pictures in similar outfits. It was so much fun!

I got to spend the afternoon we my classmates and see their kids. Thanks Kellie for getting us all together. It is always a fun thing.

Russell really wanted to ride a sheep in the rodeo but they had a weight limit and so he had to settle for a cowhide ride. He really enjoyed it and he wants to do it again.

Of course we made many stops at Grandma and Grandpa 2's house. The boys like to go on a 4-wheeler ride to see them so they can get a cookie.

Isaac is a Grandpa's boy and loved to ride on the motorcycle or 4-wheeler with Grandpa.

Grandma and Curtis on the 4-wheeler

Rachel loved Grandpa also. She would babble to him when he would talk to her. One night Grandpa got her smiling big. I was jealous because she wouldn't do it for me.

Isaac found things to do at Grandma's house like climbing in her washing machine. Russell and Curtis had fun spending the night at different cousin's houses. We all had a great time and went home exhausted but we can't wait to go back. (Isaac ask all the time and wants to go while his brothers are at school)