Double Digits

Well it's official, I'm...old. Cait just turned 10! We can't believe she is ten. We love Cait, couldn't have asked for a better first born child. She is always there for her brothers and sisters (and her mom and dad). Caitlyn is doing great in school. She loves Washington. She has made many new friends here. She has joined a friendship club at school. She was just asked to work on the yearbook for her school and she is partipating in our stake's childrens Creche Choir. Between her awesome music teacher at school and this choir practice she has made a lot of progress in her singing abilities. We can't wait to go see her perform. The Creche Exhibit is huge. One of the Seattle papers rated it as one of the top 10 things to go do this holiday season. There will be over 400 nativities there from all around the world. Christmas decorations everywhere. Childrens activities, cookies and hot chocolate, all kinds of stuff. Cait you are amazing! We love you!



Oh the joy of trick candles!!

Anniversary Surprise

This morning we woke up to the sounds of our kids collaborating on how to make us pancakes, so they could bring us breakfast in bed. They didn't know we were listening, which only made it that much more fun. When Colten came in to wake us up this morning, as he usually does on the weekends. I heard Caitlyn quickly scoop him up and hurry out of our room, shutting the door on her way. Next came the sounds of bowls and utensils clanging together and chairs be scooted across the floor. Caitlyn had found a recipe for pancakes in a cookbook she recieved for Christmas last year. She was directing the show and hushing the kids when they started talking above a whisper. We heard so many cute comments, the likes of; "Buttermilk? What's buttermilk?", "Yeah, I know where Mom keeps the oil, it's on the top shelf.", "Caitlyn, Look no eggshells when I cracked the egg!" "Good Job, Cody!", "Cody, that's not oil, that is vinegar!", "Hey Caitlyn, lets put cinnamon in it." "Does Mom put Cinnamon in the mix?" "No, but that can be our secret ingredient!" "Chance, don't stir it out of the bowl." "Cody and Chance if you want to be good little cooks you have to clean up after yourselves." "Chance, go listen to see if they are awake." "Nope, they are not." Aaron and I loved laying there listening to them working together and how excited they were to surprise us. We enjoyed a stack of at least eight (slightly undercooked) delicious pancakes. After they served us breakfast and visited with us while we were eating (you could tell they wanted to eat those pancakes with us really bad) they went and made themselves pancakes. Too bad every morning doesn't start this way.

I love a good wager

For those of you that know Aaron and I, you know that we are a little competitive at times. For several years now I have been a little down on my luck. (Rock, paper, scissors is no longer a fun game.) As you can see, it looks like that is about to change. I don't even remember what we bet, I'm sure it was something lame, the important thing is that, I won!! (Hey Honey, you need to work on those flowers a little more.)

He is smirking here because he just realized I was taking his picture and that I am going to post it all over the web.

Invaders

Everytime!, I mean everytime, I go to make something... I have invaders. It doesn't matter if it is PB & J's or cookies. Colten is very excited to "help" there is no way to keep him down. I would have to hide anything and everything that is scootable to keep that boy off of the countertop. Anna is a little better only because you can reason with her to sit on a stool. Even Chance, Cait, and Cody all hang around. I'm feeling a little surrounded. I find myself sneaking to make stuff, while they are in the toy room or taking naps, just so I don't have to worry about little fingers in everything. It was really cute at first, but now, not so much. Just a little:)

Little House of Horrors!

Our Halloween this year was just like what you see in the movies. Streets and sidewalks covered with multi-colored fall leaves, brisk night air, pitched rooftops, the kids all bundled up under their costumes. It was fun.

All of them trying to get into character. Caitlyn realizing she might not have bundled up enough.

The Wicked Witch of Washington or Nanny McPhee? You choose. She thought she looked more like Nanny McPhee, but I definately think witch.

Our little 50's chick, she had fun with this skirt. We even found some saddle shoes in her size at the Goodwill. She's so cute. The boys on the bus think so too. (Scary!!!)

Is that a member of KISS in our living room? (minus the makeup and leather clothes)

Aaron had a little fun with Chance's wig, before we gave it a haircut. Pretty sure he really thinks he is a rockstar. We took a picture with him sticking his tongue out, but it was so ummm...."interesting", that I couldn't bring myself to post it.

A monster in the making. On the outside only. Just a sweet (little bit stubborn) boy on the inside.

HE'S ALIVE!!! (I think, he looks kind of dead there.)

Oh, we don't call her princess Anna, for nothing. (by the way thanks a lot Rhett, I think it stuck.) She is actually a fairy here. She called herself pink Tinkerbell. She moved through the streets just like one. Dancing from house to house.

And what was Colten you ask, well he is #5 and I was sick all week and too tired to care, besides all he has to do is smile at his siblings and they give him whatever he wants. What a life. I don't feel bad for him at all.