We had a lovely Thanksgiving with my Mom and stepdad Steve and little brother Kirby.
For homeschool, Kennedy came up with some awesome decorations. We printed out little squirrel cut outs and logs from Martha Stewart online and she cut them out and filled them with nuts. Then she made a sweet "Mayflower" veggie platter out of squash and veggies. She is very artistic.
My mom brought her dogs, and they were prepared for Oregon with their very own raincoats.
Here's some sweet tees for those beautiful bellies of yours!
Here's another "condensed" version of what we've been up to. I'm hosting Thanksgiving at my house this year. My mom and stepdad are coming up from Utah, and my little brother from Seattle. I'm super excited to cook "Hawaiian Turkey", it's wrapped in banana leaves and covered in Hawaiian salt (it you want the recipe, let me know!)
I'm 29 again, and celebrated with friends who like to dress up and pretend they're monsters as much as I do.
I started homeschooling Kennedy last week. It's going well, I'm learning a lot, and we are both enjoying spending more time together. My motivation for doing this was Kennedy weight and self esteem were both in crisis, and I feel that this is the right thing for her for now. I am not planning on homeschooling after this year. Our goal is to have a positive experience together, to learn nutrition, and to exercise so that when 4th grade starts next fall, Kennedy will be ready and happy to start school again.
I am not homeschooling Sierra, although today she said she wants to. I don't think she understands that Kennedy still has to do schoolwork. It's a little tricky on timing, with the twins and CC half day schedules, but it's working for now. And if anything, I'm just loving that Kennedy wants to be with me. There will come a time, all too soon, where she will not. So, for now we are learning together, this week it's Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, the illustrated Doctrine and Covenants, and fractions. Good times!
Last week, I got to take her to the Pittock Mansion for a field trip. I was loving all the wallpaper and beautiful views, and this is what she told her Dad that she got out of it, "Those people were SHORT!" (Their beds were itty bitty, and low to the ground.)
We had a festive October, and here's how it ended. We had a great visit from our college friends, Robyn and Andy Young. Their first daughter, Hannah, was born just 3 months before Kennedy, and they lived in our same apartment complex at Oregon State. They've since moved back to Utah, and had three more girls. We thought that was funny.
Hannah and Kennedy, we celebrated Hannah's 9th birthday together.
This is their sweet Becca.
We did our primary program in sacrament meeting. It went so well. The kids memorized their parts and kept their wiggly bodies under control and sang loud and I only cried a little. Since being called as primary president in the summer, I've been dreading the program. But once it was over I was completely amazed at how well it turned out. Simple and sweet and sincere.
So, I took class pictures and here's my favorite group shot of the whole primary (minus about 10 kids).
I got to be a chaperone for CC's pumpkin patch field trip. I love hanging out with this kid. I got to meet some of her friends' moms and discovered that CC is as talked about in their homes as her "guy" friends are in ours. 
Nic and I took Bob the Tomato's (see below) parents out for Melissa's birthday. We went to Brassier Montemarte in Portland for it's "soft opening." Nic's cousin Emily is a manager their and we got to see his Aunt Tamie and Cousin Heatherlee. Its was delicious, the best French onion soup I've ever had.
Trunk or treating at the church. We had Kennedy going as "Devi Lovato" and if you don't know who that is, congratulations, you're not a tween.
CC got the most original award at our house with requesting to be "Skippy Jon Jones," the siamese cat that thinks he's a chihuahua. Awesome.
Ava was a beautiful princess, with curls and makeup, and Bree was a ladybug, a recycled costume from when Kennedy was one.
This is Bob the Tomato from Veggietales, a.k.a., Sophie 
We celebrated with Nic's cousins for their baby's 1st birthday party. I love parties that have 30 adults and 10 kids.
Oakley was and is a doll. She was a kitty, and what killed me, was that all four of her grandparents were mice. 
Here are her insanely pretty parents, Cam and his discounted mail order bride Yakiko, aka Jenny.
Christine and her awesome lashes.
And to finish off the post, Mooseman as a Moose!
I've been asked lately "what have you guys been up to?" and here's the answer....
Took some pix of the lovely Natelin
Kennedy and Sierra sporting their school colors
Hayride with the girls at the apple barn.
Decorating for halloween turns into super hero training.
Cheering on Nic during his bike race. Kennedy even made those sweet signs!
We got to take Kennedy to Conference in SLC, this is us with the SLC Temple in the background.
Lindy, my niece, giving me the stink eye.
My mom, sister and sister-in-laws. My mom, sister and I all look a like. So whenever I wonder what I would look like as a blond, I can just look at them. 
Amery, stink eye's big sister. 
Grandpa Lyle and Grandma Linda with the monsters. The twins have figured out that they have 3 grandpas and 3 grandmas, and love them all!
Aunt Stephanie gave the girls haircuts. The exact same haircut. So from behind, we can't tell who is who.
Julie and Parker cheering on their biking man, Grant, who rode the century ride with Nic, Alica, and Tucker. No pix of Alicia and Tucker due to the extreme wreakage that occurred on mile 42. 
The girls all pick their own outfits now, so it's just very "Bree" of Bree to have a cheetah dress with matching cheetah pants, orange socks and lime green flip flops. Ava and CC's outfits were just as creative.
Rain and thunder drew all the little girls to the window on Saturday morning. It was so loud, car alarms went off in the neighborhood.
CC was really into playing dice with us. 
My man rocks. Here he is sporting his new shirt he got finishing a 103 mile bike ride.
Nic took up biking this spring and he goal was to finish this race.
Nic -You're not as fun to blog about, so I usually don't. Not that you're boring or anything, but you have four daughters to compete with for blog attention. But I had to put this on here, I'm just so darned proud of you!
Congrats babe!
I remember every boy I ever had a crush on.
I remember my first, Eric Meek, who lived behind my house and whose older brother married us in the backyard after preschool one day. My kindergarten crush, J.D. Thurman, once kicked me because he didn't speak my language of flirt, i.e. taunting him at recess with his full name, John David. Sadly, I didn't mind the kick, but I did lose the crush. No worries, someone else held my attention moments later.
I held onto my 8th grade crush with such vehemence that even after we "broke-up", I still daydreamed about being his Sister or Mrs. ______. We'd play basketball together, he'd go on a mission, and I'd be that sweet spirit waiting for him to come home and marry me. (Insert here the Garth Brooks song about "Unanswered Prayers" being a blessing we didn't know we wanted.)
One "crush" was to a best friend in high school, whom I thought dearly of, and confused that with another sort of love. I caught him hugging, heavens forbid, my best girlfriend. That was it, instantly I deserted that crush and what remained was all friend. Sadly, moments later, and I'm not joking, within minutes I was in crush with another one of my best friends. If only my girlfriend had hugged her way through my college years, I'd have been better off. Maybe not, but it's worth a thought.
I thrived off the bi-polarness of being in like, I wasn't in any position to listen to anyone explain to me the different forms of like and love. It just was one, the one, the crush.
I spit all this out because of two things.
First, I have this unformulated theory about my kids. I like to look at them and say "_______, what are you going to have to deal with in this life that is
1: my fault but at least I understand it and can help you,
2: all your own but your dad can fix it, or
3:(the worst) something that I totally can't help you with and will feel helpless to help you overcome it."
There is this awesome Coldplay song (and you're right, every Coldplay song is awesome, but I digress) that says:
"The hardest part was letting go, not taking part. I tried to sing, but I couldn't think of anything."
Which, as a momma bear who is protective of her young, that is the hardest part of parenting. Let them do it their way. Knowing when to back off. Knowing when to say something, or having something to say.
I have great parents, who taught me a lot. But sadly when it came to boys, I didn't grasp enough or maybe I am just a slow learner and had to learn through life.
A college friend's mom, an angel, once told me that she liked me better when I didn't come around with my then boyfriend. I love it when people are blunt. I totally got it. I had tried breaking up with him, he tried dumping me, but we just kept finding our way back to each other. Like two magnets, but not in a good way. But having this momma tell me straight up, well, it helped, it sunk in.
And the second reason, and the point of all this madness, is that I think I've passed on this wretchedness to my daughter Sierra.
I was in her kindergarten class today helping out and noticed something. I recognized six of the boys names in the class because my little 5 year old has only mentioned them about a dozen times each. Little Daniel R., the paragon, was an adorable little kid with a prized medal pinned on his shirt. The twin brothers (remember the earlier post about the two boys who happen to have the same dad AND backback - what a coincidence, right?) they are these stout little guys with bashful smiles.
And the "cool" kid, Johnny, with his cool shoes and beautiful blue eyes. She doesn't even know the names of the girls in her class. I asked CC to go get a certain girl for me, and she didn't know who she was, but would send her other friend Reese in. Reese is a pretty cute little boy too.
So, what to do? Do I expound upon her the virtues of having lots of friends, girl or boy. Do I explain to her that she will like some more than others, but to keep it simple? Am I overkilling it? Yes, probably. But, it looks like history repeats itself in our children, and hopefully, from my mistakes and madness, I can help her through the highs and lows and tell her it's okay. You can be obsessed with boys, and still find one that can make all the rest seem like practice.
Me: "How was school CC?"
CC: "There were these two boys and they had the same dad .... and the same backpack....and we didn't get to play and we didn't get to go potty...and no one got sent to the Principal's office... and one kid cried...and mom, the kid with the yellow hair has a Christmas tree that can fold up and he has a little door that can get to the t.v."
Let me just preface these clips, first is the Gingerbread Haka. Nic and I are on a crazy vegan/detox diet for the next month. Veggies and fruit only. I'm not kidding. It's crazy hard and as a result, I'm craving carbs, and this clip just makes me laugh too.
The second is the SNL that was on last night. That justin Timberlake is amazing. Usually the Target lady skits are owned by Kristen Wiig and her great voice, but Timberlake's "Peg" wins hands down. He even had Kristen losing it mid-skit.
So here for you on a lovely monday, enjoy! And someone please eat a cookie for me ;)
Busy week, where to start...
p.s. Today is Nic and I's 10 year anniversary, yep, 9-9-99, now 9-9-09. Cool anniversary date huh.
Year 2 (I'm going to make this extremely brief but long, sort of like a run on sentence if it were a relay.)
Awesome, we had 12 great walkers, decorated my car to look like a pig, people were taking pictures of themselves with my car, which made me wildly giddy, I walked a 12.9 minute pace for 4+ miles, Tucker and Patrick beat me with their 11 minute paces, and their amazing "crouch walk", walked in the rain, and water dripping down my face, my husband was a stud, he and I are both down 30 lbs from last year, Melissa was a maniac and walked 15+ miles! Uphill, in the rain, with a vendetta to beat the girl in green. Couldn't walk for 2 days, all good now, can't wait for next year! phew!
Had a lovely 4 day weekend at Sunriver with the fam and Natelin. Nic had an AGC convention to attend, so to entertain ourselves in Nic's absence, the girls and I went to Walmart in Bend to watch the carni's. I overheard a teenage boy and his mother talking in the menswear section, "But Mom, it don't match." and mom says, "Oh, son, camoflauge matches everything". Priceless!
Then to the Old Mill shopping center to get CC some new school clothes. The rest of the time was spent at playgrounds or trying to get them into the car. Seriously, when did it get so hard to corral them into the vehicle? It was easier when the twins couldn't walk and before CC learned to explain (I need to spend an entire post on CC and her propensity for explaining - I think it's the lawyer blood in her, she just needs to get her point across).
A big thanks for Auntie C and Uncle N for putting up with ALL of us. I'm sure they get just as sick of Nic and I as they do of the screeching howler monkeys they have for nieces.
On a lighter note, we were entertained by the chipmunks at our house, and I've got some cute pix of the monsters yelling at the chipmunks to come and eat the Nilla cookies from their hands. It sounded something like this, "Hey chipmunk, I's gots some cuuky for you! Come back, you, I give it to you! I nice (insert cheesy grin).....Chipmunk!!! Come baaaacckkkk!" Then a cute sulk when the chipmunk didn't understand that they came in peace and bearing gifts of delicious vanilla wafery goodness. Lost in translation, I guess.
On the way home we stopped at a park in Wilsonville that my husband built. I'm a little proud of him. It's been a year and the place is still standing (ha ha). It's actually quite beautiful, and the girls had fun at the playground/water fountain.
So, now my house is a wreck, I got Portland to Coast next weekend (AHHHHH!!! So out of shape, going to fail....ahhh...), and so much back burner Primary stuff left undone...and.....and....yeah. I just need to go to sleep. Peace out!
Here chipmunk, chipmunk....come to CC!
I was looking at a friends blog, and he had these funny shirts from bustedtees.com in a post.
So, here's my favorites, after his fantasy football one.
(Do you love how vague I'm being, sorry, I was just being lazy and didn't want to make a link to his site, but now that I've committed to explaining I feel I have to point you to his blog, it's bonnevillemariner, there, conscience averted.)
We love the Portland Children Museum. It has everything. I took the triplets (people still ask if they are, so I'll just refer to them as that for sillyness sake). Here's some of the fun. After 3+ hours of clay, toys, dancing, playing, and just down right being overstimulated, I was the one who took a nap when we came home.
(Side note: Bree told me to go upstairs and change my shirt, she doesn't like it.)
Our friends James (Nic's best man at our wedding) and Jen have a redneck paradise out in Banks Oregon. It's half way between Portland and the coast, aka The middle of nowhere. So where better to set up a 150 foot Slip-n-Die. It's a dug out trench filled with layers of carpet, black plastic, and then a mixture of water, dish soap (for lub) and bleach to keep it clean.
They also have goats, dogs, cats, a gorgeous garden, a sweet firepit with carved log seats, and 5 more acres of forest filled with motorcycle trails. Very sweet if you are into everything backwoodzy. I am one of those. I have an appreciation for the American Redneck art movement. Here's some pix of the slip-n-die, and my favorite redneck pix.
It is scorching hot in Portland today, and yesterday my car temp said it reached 108, so thus we've been hitting the pool.
Here's some cute pix of the bunch. Some are at Grandma's farm pool, and some at a friends party. 
Here's some songs I've been lovin' this summer...
Airborne Toxic Event, Sometime Around Midnight, and the drummer has a sweet stache!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfLM-LwTurQ
We are almost through with potty training, but for some reason, Ava loves diapers and won't give them up. She can even put one on herself. I have stopped buying them, but since she uses it like a pull up and doesn't wet it, she just recycles it for the next day. So, one morning when she woke up, I was helping her pull it down, and out fell about $2.00 in pennies and nickles. She was still dry, but had slept the entire night with a huge handful a change in her diaper. The best part was the circle imprints left all over her bottom.
I know, I know, the puns are coming .....
Q: What do diapers and politicians have in common?
A: They both need to be changed regularly... and for the same reason.
yeah that was a stinker....
ok, I'll stop.
Here's a few pix of our cruise to Alaska. We are celebrating our 10 year anniversary this year. We had a very relaxing time, I didn't make a single meal, I slept in and ate too much, and thoroughly enjoyed a whole week with Nic. A Huge shoutout to Rich and Paula for keeping the girls all week. The only downside is the swaying feeling I'm still having after being on a boat all week. I'm trying to shake it, any ideas?
Here's long overdue pix from the Beesley wedding.
Let's make it sound like a fashion show.....
First up is Kennedy and cousin Vivian. Kennedy is sporting a dress I made for her, and both girls have cute curls.
Here comes Aunt Heather and CC dancing down the congo line. There is a ninja and a fairy pirate behind them, but that is a whole other story. CC is also in the African theme with a dress from the House Of Hailey. Notice the african print on Heather's shirt, it's a big trend at this wedding!
For our male audience we have Nic and Ava and Jason and Levi. I just loved the matching shirts and the biggest trend in accessories this season, kids on shoulders!
Here we have a close up of CC, this kid really knows how to move fashionably in a crowd!
Would you look at this group in easy to boogie ensembles! Nate and Caitlin are all smiles in shorts and nice tans! Bree is bringing in the african theme, in a coordinating dress! Love the dancers in the background thanks to Aric, Uncle Steve, and Grandma Wright.
Nic and Hailey begin our formal wear section. 
Here Nate and Caitlin, or Natelin, look breathe taking in a cute jacket and coordinating tie.
Hear we have a "candid" moment of the ladies getting ready for their photo shoot!
The Vial ladies looking sexy in earth tones and smiles. Sorry fellas, this bunch is taken. (I feel stupid putting that about myself, but it sounded funny.)
Woozers, is this a kissing competition? Who won? And where are Brig and Chelle? 
“Kissing is like drinking salted water: you drink and your thirst increases” (And Chris is REALLY thirsty)
“Kissing is a means of getting two people so close together that they can't see anything wrong with each other.”
“Always remember this: 'A kiss will never miss, and after many kisses a miss becomes a misses'.”
... and then there's Kevin. Ladies he's recently returned home from exotic Ogden, Utah and looking to be making out in the next wedding photo, plus, he's Gramma Wright's most handsome grandson.
We have had a wonderful year with preschool. But, time for summer and from this first photo, not a moment too soon. They look tired of preschool.... senioritis at 3?
Summer is happening and I'm loving what it does to my kids and plants. We are growing a couple veggies in the backyard and they are getting huge. CC and I are hit with allergies, but here's some shots of all of us outside and inside from the last couple weeks.
CC graduated from preschool
We got together for Caitlin's 21st birthday
Caitlin modeling the newest trend, the Snuggie.
CC's birthday at preschool with her peeps
Our dance party to "Bananaphone"
Took Chelle and her crew, Chris and Kenne, and Natelin and friend Angie and the kids to Cannon Beach over the weekend. Very beautiful day.
I'm in tears right now from the recents posts on www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com
If you haven't seen this site, it's a bunch of terrible/awkward family photos. You might want to browse through by yourself before showing it to the kids. Just as a precaution, some family photos are a little off.
Here's some shots of those superstars that helped with Alicia and Tucker's wedding.
*Note to self: Stop throwing gang signs when someone takes your picture. 
