Sheldon 5

Avery's Baptism

2012-01-07T12:44:00.000-08:00

In October Avery chose to be baptized at Church. She wrote a short testimony and was dunked by Pastor Ken. Funny side story. Pastor Ken took off his wedding ring before the service. Avery saw it next to the tub and dropped it in. Ken looked down and noticed a ring next to the drain. Avery said she knew and it was his. Needless to say she went fishing between services. We are so proud of her decision to follow Jesus and trust God with her life.

Karate

2012-01-07T12:35:00.000-08:00

When I get busy, my blog takes a back seat to everything else. Here are a few things going on in our little Sheldon World. We began Kenpo Karate in June. By now we have all earned our yellow belts (with various stripe levels). Our family continues to enjoy this activity together and practices a few times a week.

Cole's party

2011-07-25T08:43:00.000-07:00

It occurred to me as I was posting Q's party that I had missed Cole's. So here it is. He had a camping party. No one spent the night (Bryan had summer school the next am), but we hung out for the evening. Bryan built a small fire pit in our yard and we roasted hot dogs and smores. We made marshmallow shooters out of pvc pipes and had contests to shoot them into cut outs of mouths. Our feet were sticky from the mallows, but it was well worth it, COle had a blast.

Q turns 5

2011-07-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

Quentin had decided he wanted his first friend part to be all about firetrucks. We colored t-shirts. Q chose pizza and melon to eat. Bryan had also planned a tour with our local fire station. We talked with the guys on duty and sat in the engine. The kids loved it. When we came home we ate cake. A funny side story: I had worked on the cake for hours the previous 2 days without the kids noticing. All three came in just as Bryan was sticking on the hose and drawing the ladder (that was all he did). They were amazed and couldn't stop telling Bry how much they loved it. Great work Daddy.

Camping

2011-06-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

We had the chance to go camping at Shaver the first weekend of vacation. The evenings were chilly, but the kids were all great. We kayaked with Erin (my cousin) and her family and had a great time. Came back a little sun burned and a lot dirty, but cleaned up quickly.

Flute

2011-06-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

The end of school marked the completion of Avery's first year of flute. SHe has loved it... and has practiced almost entirely without complaining. She is making wonderful progress.

Kinder Check-up

2011-06-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

Our caped Q had his kinder physical a bit ago. He was so brave and didn't even flinch during his shots. We celebrated with Cold Stone after.

Easter

2011-04-29T16:01:00.000-07:00

We spent Easter at my parents' house (Cory's). My grands were there. We ate outside and relaxed before an egg hunt. The kids found eggs in tractor tires, in almond trees and all around their property. Each kid had a special egg with a redeemable ticket for a Klutz book. Anyone who has seen them and been wary, try them. They are my favorites and the kids love them. The kids enjoyed and continue to love learning more about Jesus and why we celebrate Easter. Quentin especially has learned so much this Easter. Thank you Jesus for what You did for us and my family.

DIsneyland

2011-03-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

I would love to be able to apologize for my lack of picture uploading, but I'm not. Life has been so busy with working in classrooms, Church events, Bryan and teaching, my blog has been on the back burner. But here are a few pictures from Disneyland. I was prepping for whiny kids, and uneasiness upon meeting the characters, but there was none of that. The kids could have moved in and stayed there. Avery met the princesses and acquired several autographs. Cole rode Big Thunder Mountain about 9 times. Quentin loved Space Mountain. Funny side note, the first time he rode it, his tummy hurt at the end. I thought it was because of the speed and turns, but he tried it again later and loved it. As it turns out, he is so light, his bottom was lifting off the seat and hitting the safety guard. I was holding on to his sweatshirt for dear life, but I guess I should have held his pants. Thank goodness for the harness or the kid might have sailed out. We stayed in Mom and Dad's motorhome which was perfect. The campground had free showers and a heated pool. The kids were exhausted when we got home... but oh what fun!

Jelly Belly

2011-01-10T12:50:00.000-08:00

The final week of vacation we packed up and drove to Fairfield. After passing the giant windmills and viewing the beautiful sheep filled pastures we made it. We only heard, "Are we there yet?" about 100 times. We took a tour and shopped with Grammy, Grandpa, and Grandma Jo in tow. We stopped at In N Out to refuel for the drive home and drove back. I highly recommend the 3 hour trip for those who have the time and patience. Quite a great day.

Christmas

2011-01-10T12:36:00.000-08:00

We had a relaxing Christmas with many days completely unplanned. I wanted to spend time enjoying the kids at home and also allow Bryan to recover from surgery... BTW- all is going well with him. We had a quiet Christmas morning with our family, my grandma and parents. The kids played together and even let us sleep in.

AWANA Grand Prix

2010-12-13T18:27:00.000-08:00

The kids had their Grand Prix a few weeks ago. They worked on painting their cars. Bryan was teaching, so I didn't take a lot of pictures. Q even won 1st in the Cubbies race.

Trade Fair

2010-12-13T18:14:00.000-08:00

Avery's class participated in a Trade Fair last week. They were asked to make at least fie items to trade with other students. They had to use only things from home, nothing newly bought. Avery did her paper twirling. She traded for a cotton ball snowman, an amazing wooden box, 2 leather ropes, a leather wallet, a tissue paper flower. It was a great lesson for the kids to learn how Indians traded long ago.

Q's pledge

2010-09-13T22:16:00.001-07:00

2010-09-13T21:47:00.000-07:00

Holey Lobes, Batman!

2010-08-30T17:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday as an early birthday present, Avery was surprised with getting her ears pierced. She desperately wanted to after she and her friends began a club for those who "really, really want to get their ears pierced or already have them done". She was so brave. I know one picture is super blurry,but they did it so fast I couldn't get the focus on her.

Camping with the Nybergs

2010-08-30T15:53:00.000-07:00

We went to Morro Bay a few weekends ago with Ryan and Shawna Nyberg (and Liam). We had a great time relaxing and playing. Cole learned to fly a kite, Avery made friends everywhere we went,a and Q was a great little camper. Can't wait for next year.

WARNING: July and August are missing

2010-08-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

Somewhere WAY too early in August, the kids began school. Avery is in 4th grade with Mrs. Riding and Cole is in first with Mrs. McTaggart. So far i has been a good year, although a bit lonely for Cole and me. Almost all the other kids were split between the other two classes, so Cole is working on making new friends.I don't know any of the parents in his class, not a one!
Avery is beginning the flute and has a lot of homework. She is definitely going to have to work hard this year.

July 4

2010-07-09T11:28:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning was our July 4 choir performance. I joined Bryan for it, even though I'd missed a few practices because I was sick. Later in the day we had a bbq at Tiffany's , then headed to Buchanan High for fireworks. There were bounce houses for the kids, food, and a few families from Church. The kids enjoyed the fireworks. Q thought they were too loud, but enjoyed watching them with his ears plugged. He actually fell asleep that way.

Now Cole is 6

2010-06-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Wednesday Cole turned the big 6. He was home sick from school with a fever, but we had a great time anyway. We watched movies and sang while he ate yogurt and toast. Friday afternoon was the first day of vacation and his party. The ocean came to life in our dining room. We turned our light into a jellyfish, hung Avery's ocean art from the ceiling (that was the theme in her class this year), served "sea" food and played water games. For dinner we had octopus hotdogs, shell macaroni, blue jello, and blue punch. We decorated the table with gummy worms and varieties of gold fish crackers. The cake was shaped like a fish (but was really cupcakes). Cole had a great time celebrating with his friends.

Hopefully 6 will be as great as five. During this past year Cole perfected his bike riding, began school, learned to read, learned to control his temper- mostly, lost a tooth, continued to love LEGOS, and deepened his Bible knowledge. He is a sweet little boy who loves to love people. We love him and thank God for the gift of raising him.

A neglected event

2010-05-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

I completely forgot to post this picture (and event). On Easter, Cole was playing and hit his tooth a little looser than it had been. I helped him pull it out a few days later. It was a big event, and the day the first tooth falls out, the kids instantly become more grown-up looking. That well known fairy also bought him a silver dollar.

Angel Babies Walk

2010-05-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

Saturday our family participated in the Hinds Hospice Angel Babies walk/run. We trekked around Woodward Park walking in the 2 mile walk followed by the kid's run. This year my friend Christa started a group called Caleb's Cruisers in honor of her son (he died of SIDS at three days old) and we were on the team. It was so special seeing families love and miss their babies in such a sweet way.

AWANA Grand Prix

2010-05-03T11:54:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday the kids participated in the Grand Prix. They each worked on their cars, sanding them and painting them (Q painted the bottom of his because that was where he chose to paint). We had a fabulous evening, and even though none of the kids won for speed, they left smiling. Quentin's car won 4th place for the design of his (over 100 cars).

Open House (part 2)

2010-05-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

Avery's school also had Open House. They have been working on sea life, so the room was decorated with jelly fish, sea urchins, and their ocean reports. Avery has loved Mrs. Dooley (I'm convinced that so far, our kids have had the best teachers in their schools). Avery proudly showed off her room, her friends, and the wonderful things she has learned in 3rd grade.

Open House

2010-04-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

Cole's class is in a teeny portable while their class is being remodeled, so Mrs. Baucher's night was on a smaller scale than Avery's was. I still loved watching him brag about all that he'd done. We are so proud of him. Avery's comment for the night that made me laugh, "Boy, this brings back a lot of memories," as she shook her head. Oh how she's matured and wised up in those three years.

Green toilet anyone?

2010-04-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted any construction pictures, but here is the new bathroom. See that potty, the eyes are still working, it really is white... and the tub... and the sink- yep, white. 1950 meet 2010. Bryan and John (my cousin's hubby) have been working hard to update/ de-green the bathroom. Now we have a green sink, toilet, and tub for anyone who wished to go retro, just let me know.

Our newest VISITORS

2010-04-23T16:53:00.000-07:00

I say VISITORS because they will not be staying. Saturday Avery called me out and said there was a cat in our shed. I went out to check and saw a terrified mama and two kittens (later to find out there are 3). We've had two huge storms over the last few weeks with many inches of rain, and these poor babes were soaked. I fed them and finally was able to catch the mama. They are now in our garage, still scared, but relaxing a bit. The mama is still nursing them and even ate treats out of my hand so I could put flea meds on her neck. The kittens are adorable and will soon be looking for a new home.

Finishing (x2)

2010-03-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

Avery finished her AWANA book this week. It is the first in the T & T group (3rd and 4th grade). We are so proud of her and the many verses she is memorizing. She truly has an amazing memory.

Bryan and I also finished a quilt for Ryan and Shawna's wedding, and yes it was a few years ago. But we did get it done before their first baby arrives, so we are on top of it. Here it is.

Day at the MET

2010-01-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday we took the kids to the Fresno MET to see the Dr. Seuss exhibit with friends. Little did we know it was the last day it would ever be open. Monday it was bankrupt. We had so much fun. Their Christmas trees were decorated in Seussical themes. We had a blast. The museum will be missed.

A long time ago... in 2009

2010-01-05T14:40:00.000-08:00

I am playing catch-up. I haven't been super motivated to update this lately, but here it goes. Life has been busy, but Christmas was relaxing. We spent a lot of time together just the 5 of us, and it was wonderful. Here's the beginning. We went and got our trees- yes trees. We began the fabulous tradition of getting little trees for the kids. That way they can decorate their trees and I don't give my opinions. Then we can decorate the big one and I can advise a bit.

Christmas Stockings

2009-12-21T10:07:00.000-08:00

Years ago, 12 to be exact, I began stocking for our family. 3 kids later, they are done. Mom helped me and here they are.

Halloween Eve fun

2009-11-01T14:54:00.000-08:00

We went with Tiffany, Kyle, and Joshua to the Sunnyside High carnival put on by the AVID kids. It was wonderful. The kids were great, the helpers were so nice and encouraging to our little ones, and the company was great. And good news... we found Waldo.

Teddy Bear picnic

2009-10-13T11:09:00.000-07:00

Cole and his buddy, Jose, went to their Teddy Bear picnic a few weeks back. They had different stations and Cole was able to take "Cowie", his best cow. I had fun watching all the kids play.

Starr Jog-a-thon

2009-09-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

Cole, along with all of the school ran the jog-a-thon last Friday to raise money for the school. The kiddos didn't quite understand that they had to keep running so they all pretty much ran one lap and were done. They figured it out and didn't complain too much about it. Cole was pooped after the 6 laps (they double them for the kinders- so count it as 12). It was a fun morning and Q and I enjoyed cheering them on.

First day of School

2009-09-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

I have been neglectful in posting these pictures, so back up a month. In August Cole started kindergarten. He has Mrs. Baucher (the same teacher Avery had) and is loving it. He is making great friends and fits in well. I intended to take and post pictures of Avery, but there is some sort of change between 2nd and 3rd because Avery is far less interested in pictures. She just walked right in to her class, and I have no pictures yet. She is doing well and has quickly entered into a routine in class. They each do an oral report every week on a topics like her favorite shirt or best summer memory. They also "raised" snails in class, and I have to admit I was a little upset when I saw her hop off the bus carrying "Jewel". All in all we are figuring out a schedule. Q and I are having fun in the mornings and have been running errands or playing with friends or cousins.

A family reunion (almost)

2009-08-05T14:22:00.000-07:00

Here (along with the previous post) are some pictures of the Mullins side of the family. Elijah and Melissa, Erin, and Bryan and I were here along with Grandma and Uncle Chris. It was fun to see Grandma with her grandkids and great grandkids. What an awesome legacy she has created.

2009-08-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

Q is 3

2009-07-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Quentin's 3rd birthday with the Mullins side of the family. Emerson also turned 3 and Grandma had a birthday too, so we celebrated together. Elijah & Melissa and John & Erin were here. It was the first time we have all been together. Quite fun.

Robo Avery

2009-07-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

Avery is amazing. She is so smart and quick to learn in almost everything she does. Almost! She seems to love the sound of her training wheels scraping on the side walk because until Saturday, she had refused to take them off. I bribed her with a trip to Starbucks for her and whoever teaches her. Notice Uncle Elijah holding on. He did that most of the time after we removed the support, but did go about 20 feet (at once) solo. We'll keep practicing, and maybe get more Starbucks.

Cole's first birthday

2009-06-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

Well, first party. We painted wooden train whistles and ate hot dogs. Then the kids played on the new slip and slide and the sprinkler. After everyone was freezing, we ate the train cupcakes and opened presents. Cole has wonderful friends who helped him celebrate. We can hardly believe he is 5!

Cole's cake and cookies

2009-06-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

A wonderful friend and I decorated goodies for Cole's birthday party. We frosted the cupcake cake and painted the cookies. It was a great lesson (and Amy and I had fun, too). If anyone doesn't know, when Cole turned 5, he got to have his first friend party, so we were planning for his buddies. Pictures on that will be next. In the evening, after we decorated (Tuesday), I came down with a 104.4° fever and a sinus infection that wiped me out until Sunday afternoon.

Our new family member

2009-06-11T17:19:00.000-07:00

Introducing Mila (long I sound). Avery picked her out yesterday from a litter of kittens her teacher's cat had. She is a sweet little girl, she even snuggled up next to me today, and warmed me up- by peeing on my lap. She'll figure it out quickly. Avery is in love with her and hopefully it will help Avery miss Cortez a little less. He disappeared over a year ago, but Avery still cries for him.

Cole's first bike ride

2009-05-27T18:04:00.000-07:00

Cole was given a used bike a few weeks ago. On Saturday we took off the training wheels and pumped up the tires. He had never been on a bike with pedals until Saturday evening. Sunday after church Cole came running in to me and told me to come watch him. He said he couldn't go far, and couldn't turn, but wanted me to watch. And he did this:

More camping

2009-05-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't fit it in one post, so deal. We rode the train which was fun for the kids. At camp Amy's new talent came out as "Pancake flipper extraordinaire". The kids ate in the bed of their truck most of the meals. The final morning Amy and I ran back to town while the dads took the kids hiking at the quarry in the campground. We cam home wet and soppy, but all the kids did a great job and hopefully we can do it again.

Columbia camping

2009-05-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

The first weekend of May we went camping with some good friends and had quite an adventurous weekend. What began with a 40% chance of rain ended up being a 100% downpour when we got there. Bryan and I were putting up the tent in the rain while the kids played in the puddles and our tent broke. Now we were soaked and had a dripping, half raised tent. When the Duecks got there we went to dinner at Applebees to figure out the plan. We all decided that Avery and Cole would sleep in their trailer (with their 3 kids also) and Bryan and I would sleep in the car with Q, although the Duecks had offered to have all of us in there. The next day it sprinkled most of the day, lightened up in the afternoon. We went into town to the annual Fire Muster weekend. Cole was in a contest rolling up a fire hose and he was amazing. If you see in one of the pictures the fire men are pointing at him. A lady standing near me mumbled to me (not knowing he was mine), "He's done that before." Nope, just once. I had to put another little guy up just to see the other hoses. Each kiddo got a ribbon and each was equally proud. I town we also bowled and hand dipped our own candles.

Kindergarten physical

2009-05-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

It is so hard for me to believe Cole will be in school next year. He had his physical two weeks ago which included 3 shots, a TB test, a finger prick, and a big scoop of ice cream. It ended up that his iron is low so he is now on some special vitamins to try and fix that. Other than that he is wonderful. Daddy had tweaked his back the day before so he was home and able to come with us. Cole was so brave, a bit nervous about the shots but didn't even cry!

First Yosemite trip

2009-04-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

We'd never taken the kids to Yosemite, so we headed up there yesterday. They were amazed at the waterfalls and how big everything was. We took up tri-tip sandwiches and went around doing the touristy stuff. We went to the museum and gift shops and just played around. The kids slept all the way home and woke up just in time to eat grilled cheese and soup and go back to bed. They loved talking about how beautiful God's creation is.

Happy Easter

2009-04-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday we went to church, then came home and decorated a few eggs. Next we had an egg hunt with Kyle and Joshua at the park. Then we headed to Grandma's and Grandpa's house for lunch and fun. We relaxed and ate delicious food. I loved this picture, so here it is.

Monster Jam

2009-03-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

The men in our family headed to Monster Jam today. Avery and I (and Q) planted plants and painted finger nails. Here are a few pictures from the boys' day.

For Johnny

2009-03-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

In honor of the son of a co-worker and good friend, Bryan shaved his head. Rather, I shaved it- with a razor. Johnny just began chemo a few weeks ago and began losing his hair a few weeks ago. I think bald suits Bryan well. (I have to since I'm his wife. It's my job.) I also shaved the boys' hair, but not with a razor. I didn't want to risk making them itchy.

Math on Call

2009-03-02T12:42:00.000-08:00

Avery was asked to be the tutor for Math on Call last week. It is a local channel that does a call in show to help with math. She had fun and once she got over the first few minutes she was wonderful.

Donkey Basketball

2009-03-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

For anyone who hasn't seen my facebook pictures, here you go. Donkey basketball is a huge fundraiser for Central. Teachers vs. students. Bryan has so much fun, and not surprising, we have fun laughing at him.

Crazy Hair Night

2009-02-05T11:49:00.000-08:00

I have always looked forward to having a boy that we could do crazy hair to and shave it off the next day. This year was my chance. Avery's looked funny and Q got a hair cut as well.

A summer day in January

2009-01-23T11:06:00.001-08:00

Last weekend it was sunny and warm, so we played. The kids scooted and skated and had a blast. Here are a few pics.
As for my month long non blogging time, I'm back. I'll try to update more often. Bryan has been working on a new picture program. I am completely skipping Christmas. I figure I'll start anew.

Seeing Courtney

2009-01-23T09:07:00.000-08:00

Aunt Marci and Courtney came over a few days after Christmas to eat breakfast. We had french toast. Yum. The kids had a good time playing and catching up.

A Tale of Two Funnies

2008-12-08T10:19:00.000-08:00

No new pictures, just two funny thing that have been said in our family this week:
*First, we were driving home last week and passed by a bunch of orange cones. Cole asked what they were for and I said, "They've been workin' here." Without missing a beat he asked, "Like Arvin?" I asked who Arvin was and he replied, "You know, Arvin workin' on the railroad."
*The same day we were in Jo-Anns, standing in a long line, and Quentin looked up at the enormously ugly Santas that seem to be everywhere and yelled, "Jesus!" I could not (and still can't) convince him that all people with white beards are not Jesus.
That's it. Enjoy.

Final for now

2008-12-04T18:16:00.000-08:00

These last pictures are not from Oregon. Two big things have gone on for Avery this week. On Wednesday night she finished her AWANA Climber book. That means she completed 3 books and earned a trophy. The second was a big writing assignment for school. She was asked to write on a tradition in her family based on her heritage. She chose the Swedish part and wrote on pancakes. She also had to make a doll out of cardboard or paper or whatever material she wanted. Choosing the easiest (yeah right), she chose to sew it. She and I set up the sewing machine, and began sewing. I didn't want this to turn into a project done by me, and she sewed almost the entire thing (with a bit of guidance). Her Swedish doll is so beautiful. Here are a few pics.

Pony rides

2008-12-04T15:51:00.000-08:00

Wendy was kind enough to let the kids ride Whirlwind, her horse. Avery was quite scared, but Cole loved it. I got near the horse with Quentin, and it was as if he was going to be eaten. He screamed, so he opted to stand near the horse for a picture.

Having fun hanging out with the dads

2008-12-04T13:38:00.000-08:00

Denzel Carousel

2008-12-04T13:18:00.000-08:00

While we were in Oregon, we drove to the Albany Oregon Brass RIng Carousel. A man named Dentzel creates them and volunteers carve them. It was amazing to watch people just relaxing and carving these beautiful designs. They were so kind to the herd of children we brought in and even put the giraffe's head on just so Avery could sit on it. Avery was also the first person to sit on the newly carved frog. A few are already painted and they sat on them also. We had a wonderful time and look forward to going back in a few years and riding it.

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Some Oregon pics

2008-12-04T12:30:00.000-08:00

It has taken me a bit to get the pictures on my computer, but here they are. For anyone who doesn't know, we headed to Corvallis, Oregon for Thanksgiving. My very dear friend, Wendy, and her family moved up there one year ago. Ryan (3) and Caleb (19 months) and our 3 had a good time mixed with a little arguing and a few meltdowns, but parted ways smiling. We even got a babysitter and went out to dinner... just the grown-ups. Like a date. Here are a few pictures of the arboretum for OSU (please, Wendy, tell me if the initials are wrong). Apparently there is a big rivalry, but I've been assured that the Beavers are the better team. The picture of Cole by himself was right after he inched his way to the end of the dock. He was so proud.

AWANA Grand Prix

2008-12-04T11:48:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, the kids made cars for the Grand Prix at church. Avery kinda copied Auntie Mel and made a butter car, Cole made a train. There were no trophies for them this year, but we had great fun. What we learned from this year: 1) racing the 3 and 4 year olds at the end is not a good idea and 2) if you don't cut the car (Avery's) it will be way too heavy to race. Bryan had to hollow it out that night.

Let's Party!

2008-11-10T23:52:00.000-08:00

Avery had a few friends over Sunday to celebrate her birthday. We made our own pizzas (same as last year, but Avery requested it), we ironed on pictures to canvas bags, and ate cake. I realized that next year we will have to plan something different. I think in an age where enormous parties are the common thing, a small party at home doesn't entertain some kids as much. I'm not saying for a second that next year her party will be at one of those places, and Avery really enjoyed herself. I did however hear a few say they were bored, or question why their canvas bag was not full of stuff(I only bought a few things - and the bags!). Enough of my grumbling, Avery said all afternoon how wonderful it was and even noticed that the cake I decorated matched the paisley plates we got. Her friends were sweet to her and all left smiling, although it may have been because they were in a comatose state of boredom and were finally going home.

Ouch

2008-11-10T23:46:00.000-08:00

As we were getting out of the car on Friday, Cole began screaming that awful sound that every mom knows that means "COME NOW, I'M NOT FAKING!" I raced over and saw the tip of his finger stuck in the door. I had to open it to get him out, poor baby. It was instantly purple, and didn't bleed until it was stepped on Saturday night. That's when we bought the finger splint to help avoid anymore injury. So, here's a picture. It's a bit icky, but Cole said it is feeling a little better today. Ouch.

The big 07

2008-11-02T20:50:00.000-08:00

It is amazing to watch a child born so small grow into such a delightful young lady. At seven she is:
• so stinkin' smart (she is just like Bryan)
• completely uncoordinated (like both of her parents)
• kind, respectful to her teacher and classmates (one of my favorite qualities about her)
• silly- she makes us laugh every day
• incredibly stubborn since birth. She is convinced she was up all night and never slept waiting for her birthday.
• confident in herself
• convinced she is great at soccer (refer back to the second point, I'll say no more)
• growing to love God more and more each day. She loves her verses, devotional and time we spend talking about Him
• reading often until we tell her to turn off her light. Unless it has ghosts (she doesn't like those).
• convinced she no longer needs a booster seat, although starting out a 4 1/2 lbs, she still has a long way to go (sorry Girl)

I'm sure this goofy list is just for me, but I love her so much. She has taught me to be a more confident mom and I'm glad she thinks I do a good job.

Avery, I am so proud of the girl you are and excited to see what God has planned for your life.

The Harvest Fun Fest

2008-11-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

My pianist

2008-11-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

Q loves to play the piano. He has also been practicing going on the potty a bit. So, what do you get when you add those things... a naked pianist.

Avery's Limo ride

2008-11-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Monday Avery had her limo ride as her prize for the Gator Gallup. She and 19 other second graders were taken to Red Robin for lunch. I got there to take pictures, expecting to see a bunch of other moms with cameras. Nope. I was quite disappointed to be the only one. I was glad to hear Avery's response as she saw the bus, "That is the biggest limousine I have ever seen." They said they had a great time. I was hoping she wouldn't be disappointed because it was a bus, not a car type of limo, but no way. It was filled with couches. Way to go, Avery, and thanks to all who supported her. Hopefully you'll be receiving a thank you note soon. BTW Avery got her report card last week and received all Gs (good). She was in tears because she had two G-, but we were so proud.

Cherry Dress

2008-11-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

Gramma Jo, sorry it has taken me so long to get this picture up. She loves the dress.

Carving

2008-11-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

A bit of explanation. Cole was listening for the ocean. He did not like the pumpkin guts, and finally had to stop on pulling them out. Avery pretended it was a body and she was performing major surgery.

Pumpkin Patch

2008-11-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

Last week we went to the pumpkin patch with Kyle and Joshua. We all had fun, despite the fact that the bounce houses, pony rides... were super expensive. Then we went back to our house and carved pumpkins and ate pizza. Avery carved a skeleton (since that's their science unit right now). Cole made a pirate's ship. Q just carried his around.

Science in a nut shell... or a cocoon

2008-10-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

Anybody who knows me knows I never pass an opportunity to teach my kids science (thanks Mom), so this week we had an exceptional find at our home. It was much better than the "fossil" that Cole found in the yard which turned out to be a bird's foot or the other nasty stuff the kids love to show me. A week ago we found these orange and black pokey caterpillars on our Passion flower. I was ready to spray them so they wouldn't eat the beautiful flowers, but thought I'd look them up on the internet. I found what it is, the Gulf Frittilary butterfly according to enature.com. So, we have been watching these insects as caterpillars, then cocoons, now butterflies. Just thought people would like to see what we've been up to. Hope you enjoy, Grammy Honey!

Run down... Limo to go

2008-10-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

Avery ran her Gator Gallop on Wednesday. Q and I had the pleasure of watching her and joining her on a few laps (I had to give Q a piggyback ride and I am weak). She ran 16 laps- really 8, but they double the small track for the little ones. But... the big news is the limo ride. After collecting her money she should have her $200 for the limo ride with Mr. Painter. She is so excited. Here are a few pictures. Mrs. Console brought orange slices for the run... Papa, Avery really does brush.

Pledge of Allegiance

2008-10-01T16:05:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought AWANA would teach my boy so much. Sitting in the car today he said, "Mommy, guess what I can do!"

Boys will be boys

2008-09-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

These are a few pictures from the boys playing yesterday. They were having fun, really.

Family Movie Night

2008-09-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

It seemed like a long time since we all just relaxed together, so we had a family movie night Sunday. We ate popcorn, apples, and cheese and watched Nim's Island. The kids loved it, especially the weird cheeses and Rosemary crackers Bryan bought. It was a nice way to end a busy weekend filled with parties and arguing kids.

New bed and new clothes

2008-09-21T20:57:00.000-07:00

Avery was sent a few new dresses from Gramma Jo. Here's one. We didn't have time to put the rest on to take pictures. Maybe this afternoon. Also, Q slept in his newly converted toddler bed. He did well and slept all night. I'm not concerned when Bryan puts him to bed, but we'll see about naps and Tuesday night. Pray for us those times.

Park pics

2008-09-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

We haven't done much lately. Well, nothing that deserves pictures. Just keeping busy with appointments, homework, speech and fall cleaning. But... we did go to the park with Joshua and Kyle last night. Kyle had to go before I took pictures of him, but here are a few. I did manage to capture my first fighting brother picture. Enjoy.

Art and Capes

2008-08-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

Cole has been asking if I'd sew him something special (since recently I've made some stuff for Avery), so I made him a Super-Cole cape. He has worn it all over Fresno for the past few days. I also added a few pictures of Q's art. He loves to paint and draw, and held a pencil the correct way from the first time he was handed one. Bryan loves these two and wants to frame them. THe kids are doing well. Avery has made it to school and home since that awful first day, and the fall events are beginning.

First day of School

2008-08-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures from the first day of Manchester. Avery now has a bus routine down. For the last two days, her bus driver has said, "Here she is," when he stops the bus. The boys rode in the stroller yesterday and the wagon today to the bus stop. It has also been cooler, so we've been in the yard a bunch. Enjoy. One picture is Avery and her teacher, Mrs. Console and another is in the classroom called "The Swamp".

2008-08-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

I can't quite figure out the problem with uploading pictures tonight, so I'm just writing about Avery's first day in second grade. We got up only a few minutes later than we'd planned, but still on time and got dressed quickly. Our goal is to get up and do a devotion and pray before each day, and with my selfishness, I decided we'd get ready before calming down together. I have now learned that we will spend time with Him before doing my stuff. A good friend reminded me that if we give ourselves an hour to get ready, we'll take the whole hour, but if we have less time we can usually get ready in that amount of time. So, all that to say tomorrow He will begin our morning. We got Avery to the bus (for the first time), and the boys and I drove to her school, just to make sure she got off the bus and to class okay. We finished our morning and afternoon, then left to get Avery. As I was walking the easy ten minute stroll I realized what bad shape I'm in, so hopefully this will be easier later in the year. Well, we waited and waited for her bus- over 25 min. Finally I saw another mom(and former neighbor) with her kids and informed me that the bus actually let them off on the other side of the school, however her kids hadn't seen Avery. Nice. We took off running (with me pushing the big stroller), crying on the phone to Bryan, "She never got off the bus." I got to where she should have been, and there was no Avery. I ran home as fast as I could and called her school. They said they were sure she'd hopped on "a bus", but they weren't sure where she was. I called Mom and Dad and they came over as quickly as they could. I was called a few times to tell me they were planning to send out calls to all the buses. Finally FUSD called me just to tell me they'd found her, but the VP could not tell where she was, only that she was on a bus somewhere in the district. Great! Dad was driving around the school where she was supposed to be, Bryan had just arrived at Manchester, and Avery was still somewhere we didn't know. I drove to Avery's bus stop to tell Dad they'd found her, and saw her, having just arrived, standing next to him and the bus. It turns out she had either fallen asleep or just didn't hear the bus driver say it was her stop and then had fallen asleep. She was sitting near the back. So, she went all around Fresno for almost 2 hours. The bus driver felt quite bad and his comfort to us was (in a very thick accent and while smiling), "Next time she sit in front of bus". We made it home, but even a few hours later I'm pretty jittery and have a bad head ache. I think I'll drive her tomorrow.

Hume Lake

2008-08-16T22:59:00.000-07:00

So, I think this is my longest post of the year, so read or hit esc. Aug 6 we headed up to Hume Lake with my grandparents, grandma, parents and kids. We walked around the lake a bit and played on the swings the first day. It was the first time Q would swing without screaming or holding his breath (if you don't believe me, I've got pictures). The next day Bryan went on a hike led by Jeff Lily (the exec. director) and saw some great views and big trees, including the sixth tallest tree in the world. The kids and I watched the deer while they ate outside our window. Later that day Bryan, Grandma M., the kids and I went to the cove and swam. The kids had so much fun swimming out to the log, but the most excitement was centered around a bumble bee. Q was sitting next to the shore, and a bumble bee flew up and landed in the water right in front of his feet. As I was calmly shooing it away, I all of a sudden began to panic. Bryan's response was to calm down because it was just a bee, and it wouldn't sting him. However, he didn't see the snake that had swam up and was slithering across his lap. No lying it was on him! I not so calmly made sure it kept on moving, and Bryan followed it (thus the picture). We all calmed down and went back to the cabin shortly after that. That evening, Grandma W, Mom, Bryan and I went to a star talk on the edge of a cliff. We weren't sure how we'd all make it down or up the steep slope, but with a few pushes we all got back up. We saw many shooting stars from the meteor shower going on. It was truly amazing to be in such a beautiful place and to be listening to someone talk about Jesus and Heaven. The third morning we had a big breakfast and took the kids fishing. No body caught anything, but we've already planned a trip to Shaver to try again. Avery could have kept going for hours, but we were all tired. We went back and ate delicious ribs. After that we roasted marshmallows at devoured smores. I put the boys to bed, and Avery got to stay up. Friday was the second anniversary of when she asked Jesus into her heart, fondly known as her "heart birthday" in our house. I had found a necklace that I'd had from when I was younger and we gave it to her. She was so excited. It actually sparked a great conversation about when everyone else had accepted Christ. Too bad I missed it because I was putting Avery to bed, but Bryan got to listen. I'm hoping they'll write it down so I can have their stories. The next am we got up ate, cleaned and headed home while listening to the Chronicles of Narnia. My grandma said it was a life changing few days for her, I agree. It was absolutely perfect. If you made it through this whole thing, thanks.

The Evans Bunch

2008-08-11T23:26:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago my dear friend, Wendy, and her family came by to say hi. They now live in Oregon, but were in town to visit her family. We had such a good time talking with them and Bryan has now decided he wants to hike a mountain with her hubby, John. We also made plans to spend Thanksgiving up there with them. She has two adorable little guys and our kids were so good playing together. Here are a few moments.

Carmel River Beach

2008-08-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

Friday we headed to Carmel for the day. It was breezy, cool, and relaxing. The kids had such an amazing day and were so good. We played until Grandpa headed for shade, ate dinner, and drove home (with Baskin Robbins In Los Banos). The kids built castle and dug holes for hours. I even used my newly acquired knowledge on my children and had a brilliant epiphany. Guess what! Boys and girls are different. Dr. Dobson (in Bringing Up Boys which I'm reading) states that God made boys and girls differently. Duh. I'm not meaning that girls can't play soccer or boys can't dress up and carry pink shimmery purses around (picture Q), but there is a part in them that makes them behave differently. Avery and Cole were so fascinated by the sea weed and even wanted to bring it home- yuck, but at one point I looked up and saw Cole using a huge piece of sea weed as a whip and had come up with the idea all on his own. At the same time, Avery was a few feet away and had made a delicious sea weed cake complete with sand frosting and whatever gross little things she could find. We ate at a sea food market for dinner, and I was once again so impressed at the kids and their willingness to try anything put in front of them. What great kids I have.

Art

2008-08-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

Quentin has discovered the wonders of art this week. He got some paints from Auntie Mel and Uncle Elijah for his birthday, and to be honest, I was scared of offering them to him. He immediately held them correctly and has enjoyed making beautiful pictures. I also let him hold a pencil and the first time he picked it up, he held it the right way.

Hot Fresno (need I say more)

2008-07-11T18:18:00.000-07:00

Fresno hit a record 112 degrees yesterday. We have been staying away from the house as much as possible. THe kids and I spent time with Nana relaxing in her house. Today is finally a bit cooler, I think it only got to 98. So, I decided to read my previous posts. Apparently "4th the of July" was a previous post title and I'm blaming it all on the heat. I wrote them really early when it was still "cool" meaning somewhere under 112, and nothing seemed to make sense. So, hopefully no one has written me off for my lack of good grammar- but I'm sure those English majors had a good laugh at me. I sign off as I bow and blush. =)

The Real July 4 celebrations

2008-07-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

We spent our afternoon hanging out with friends. We swam, Q fell on his face and scraped his nose and chin, we ate tri-tip and watermelon, and Bryan lit fire crackers in the street.

3rd of July

2008-07-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

We celebrated with the family of one of Avery's friends on July 3. The kids had face painting, yummy food, fire truck tours, and a lot of fun. Then we watched a great fireworks show. The weather was warm and we had a fabulous time. I also was able to practice with my new camera (my birthday/anniversary/Christmas/Bryan taught summer school all summer and wanted to buy a little something for the work present).

Half Dome (year 2)

2008-06-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

In practicing for his upcoming trip to Mt. Whitney, Bryan and two friends traveled to Yosemite again to hike Half Dome. All were safe and they all made it to the top. See the picture of the crazy man sitting on the ledge of Half Dome??? That is my dear husband. I told him I was not pleased, and his comment was, "Well, there's a small one foot ledge if I fell, and at least I didn't do a hand stand on the edge." As if I was going to feel better with that.

Air Show

2008-06-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

This morning we took Cole and Quentin to the "7th Annual Air Show and Fly-in" at Chandler Airport. We saw an amazing show with spirals, shwoops, upside down flying, and ladies doing handstands on planes. If none of that made sense, see the pictures. Cole was admiring the plane that had a smiley face, and the owner asked him if he wanted to sit in it. We also met many police officers and pilots. I called Avery (who is on her way to Colorado with Grammy and Grandpa) and she said, "We are in Wyoming and are looking for Cantaloupe." She sounded like she was having fun. Our morning was quite hot, and both boys fell asleep on the way home, just as Bryan did when we got home.

Last day of 1st grade

2008-06-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

Avery learned so much this year. She read over 111 books, over 8,000 words (for AR), and now loves reading. For those who haven't heard this story: she had a fever a few weeks ago and woke up at 10pm. I knew she wasn't going to school because of the fever, so I let her read for a bit. Bryan and I went to bed. I woke up at 1:50am thinking I'd turn off her light, and when I went in she was still reading. I told her to finish up where she was at, and unknowingly fell back asleep on her bed. When I woke up, I told her she needed to go to bed. When I got back into my bed I looked at the clock. She had read until 2:50am. And it was over 300 pages. Wow. Back to school. One big thing we worked hard on this year was including everyone in her play. She has avoided any "clubs" that only allow certain kids in and is proud to say that anyone can play with her. I am so proud of her accomplishments this year. She is looking forward to being a Manchester GATER.

Cole's Party

2008-06-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows our decision on birthdays knows that Cole will get his first friend party when he turns five, so it was the last year with grands and great grands. He wanted a tractor cake. I made it myself if you were wondering what gourmet baker made it. We had m&m plants and plastic animals on it. It was a warm day, so the animals kept sinking, but Cole still loved it. He also chose bubble gum ice cream as a treat. He received fabulously fun tractors- specifically for outside, and clothes, and said thank you to everyone. He is still telling everyone he sees that he is now four, but told one man today that hed just turned 7 (the guy didn't believe him).

Oso de Oro

2008-06-14T12:47:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday a bunch of parents drove kiddos over to the park from Starr. We had great food and fun. Avery and her best buddy Erik (the red headed little guy) hung around together a bunch. I got a great picture of Avery and he friends being "divalicious". Don't give me grief, it was the only way to get them all to look at me. Avery also made it across the monkey bars for the first time ever in life... and I got it on record. It was a great day all the moms slept well later during our naps.

June 9

2008-06-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

On June 9, Cole turned 4. We started off the morning with donuts with our friends, Charlotte & Levi, and Elly, Tori, and Carter. Then took the leftovers to Titus' house. We finished up the day with a bbq for the Central West math teachers and opening presents. Cole was so excited, you can see his goofy smile.

Another one gone

2008-06-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

The tooth fairy called and asked what's been going on lately in our house. #6 came out last week. Avery was so excited to put another tooth under her pillow, and she even wrote a note asking the tooth fairy to leave her tooth, but it was taken anyway in exchange for 75 cents.

Zoobilation

2008-06-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to the Zoobilation at the zoo (we are members this year). We also took Grammy and Grandpa. I'm sure it's exactly what Grammy wanted to do on her retirement evening... spend it with a huge group of screaming kids, but we had fun. The best parts were the special exhibits like feeding the elephants, walking "behind the scenes" in the reptile house, and visiting the animal hospital. We came home and ate ice cream. Incidentally, we missed Church the next morning because Cole slept until 10:15am.

Ryan and Shawna Nyberg

2008-06-02T12:33:00.000-07:00

May 31 we helped celebrate Ryan and Shawna's wedding. Cole and Avery were the ring bearer and flower girl (and both made it down the aisle and back). The day was wonderful and the weather was perfect. Bryan and I were talking later about how exciting it is to see Ryan so happy- and Shawna is a fabulous match for him.

Anniversary weekend

2008-05-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Bryan took me away to celebrate our anniversary (yes, it isn't until June, but that's when he could make reservations). He wouldn't tell me where we were going, but that I'd need hiking shoes. So, after dropping the kids off at Grammy and Grandpa's we headed north. I still wasn't sure until we turned into the Tenaya Lodge driveway. The first evening we had a fabulous dinner followed by a romantic viewing of the season finale of Numb3rs. We got up early and ate breakfast then headed toward Yosemite. If you've already heard the story, please just look at the pictures. =) We made it to the shuttle station in time to hear that the bus to Glacier Point was completely full... ahh, but my lovely husband had made reservation... ahh, they couldn't find them, but finally were able to. We rode the shuttle up to Glacier with our lunch and a ton of water, sunscreen, all the gear. We ate lunch and began the 8.3 mile trek to the valley floor (the 4 mile trail was closed from snow). For anyone who has never hiked this, it is beautiful and mostly downhill except for a 700 foot altitude climb that occurs over about a mile. We began the ascension and shortly after, I had to stop. We'd been hiking for 1 1/2 hours of a 5-6 hr trip and were about 1 mile in. Bryan thought I was crazy, and I did, too. Bryan was walking circles around me hoping his legs wouldn't get tight. I sat then got up and kept going. A few (no more than 20) feet later, I was sitting again, dizzy, clammy, and sure I was going to die while my anniversary partner left me to the bears. This sitting and standing went on for almost the entire mile. Then I began throwing up... yes, oh what fun. Bryan pushed my back up the hills and slowly I felt better. It turns out I had altitude sickness. We kept going and after I began heading back down all was good again. We took it slow, but still made it down. My legs hurt really bad and I think I pulled a muscle when I fell during a dizzy spell, but we made it. I promise, I didn't whine all the way down about how miserable it was. That little bit was bad, but the rest of the hike was great. I am still so proud of myself for hiking over 21,000 steps ten years after the first time. We shopped in the stores for a bit, then drove back to the lodge for dinner. We headed to the indoor pool and hot tub for a bit. The next morning we ate and stopped in Raymond to see my aunt and uncle for a while. I can't believe it's been almost ten years. There are moments when 10 years seems so long, then I see our parents and grandparents and can't wait to be married for that long. I love being married to my best friend and I look forward to seeing what God has in store for us. Rest assured for 20 years I'm going to the spa- and possibly the 4 mile hike. ;)

CBC Musical

2008-05-05T20:31:00.000-07:00

Avery was part of the musical at school on Sunday night. She had fun singing, although she was so tired I'm glad she didn't fall over off the stage. A special treat was having three Great Grandmas to support her. They loved being there.

Spot the difference

2008-05-05T20:28:00.000-07:00

If you can't figure out the difference between the 2 pictures, please ask the tooth fairy to show you her pockets. She is a bit more broke. Avery was amazed that this tooth was the first one she got out by herself. It is so sad to see her pulling teeth out while Quentin is struggling to get them in.