Catching up, long overdue... also FINALLY going private!

Ok, it is high time to get this blog thing "caught up"! I Updated some of the settings and Layout and we will be "going private" this week... after which, I promise to catch up in the next month (before Thanksgiving rolls around again! ;) ).

Thanksgiving Weekend

For Thanksgiving weekend, Kelsi and Anne went down to Tacoma to visit my nephew Shaun and his wife, Julie (who was in town visiting Julie's family). Usually, we head to Utah for Turkey Day, but between Ryan's work and Ashtin's Honor classes at school, we didn't feel that we could sneak away this year. With that being mentioned, we had a fantastically quiet (well..., as quiet as it can be with five children) Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. We had a classic Turkey Dinner and had fun spending time together. The day after, Ryan took our van to be serviced and we ended up trading it in, and buying a new SUV that will seat eight! The day after that, we headed up with our good friends in our brand new vehicle to a (muddy) tree farm to cut down our family Christmas Tree, to then attatch to our newly detailed SUV... (cringe). A good time was had by all as we made more great memories to add to our collection.

Wyatt and Abby

Seth, looking a bit concerned

Ash and Cort

All of us...

The "perfect one"

Saw away honey, we'll just watch!

Careful not to scratch the top, or get mud in the car, or...

Our perfect turkey! Mmmm...

Kelsi's Birthday and Surprise Visitor

In mid November, Kelsi had a surprise visitor from the homeland. It was her Mom (my sister-in-law, Anne) who flew over from England to be with her "baby" for her 18th birthay! Due to a couple of people slipping up, including Anne... Kelsi was not as much surprised as she was expectant! It was good times celebrating her first step toward adulthood. Also, while Anne was here, we attended the well anticipated "Twilight" movie, opening night. We were thorough in our being devoted fans, as we went to line up hours before the movie began (complete with our t-shirts)... I actually ended up knowing just about half of the attendees in our theater, so it was a big party. Amazingly, there were seven sold-out midnight showings at that theater! (Apparently, we weren't the only crazy ones...)

"Are you afraid?" :)

Great T-shirts! (Can't fit into mine now... belly is too big!)

Anne, Heidi and Kelsi




Kelsi's B-day dinner at Red Robin...

Kelsi and Cortnee

The birthday girl!

Ryan and Seth, sharing fries

Wyatt's reaction to a lemon

Opening gifts...

18 Candles

"Happy Birthday to you"...

We love you Kelsi!!

Last of the Halloween photos...

On November 1st, Ryan and I went to a Costume Party. Costumes were required and we decided to go with a "Witch and Warlock" theme... Ryan borrowed his mask from our neighbor and it was pretty darn freaky! It was fun, we had not dressed up in I don't know how long! Ryan won for scariest costume and I was just asked a few times if I had cut my hair and temporarily dyed it black... come on, I'm not that die hard!!

Aren't we just a lovely couple??

Our November...

GREAT WOLF LODGE... (Outdoor View)

Toward the beginning of November, the kids had a random Thursday and Friday off from school due to teacher prep. days... That week, Wednesday after school, we prepared to go on a little mini family vacation. Last spring, down south of Olympia, an awesome indoor water park/ lodge opened and we had been dying to try it out. We (the kids and I) got a late start and got stuck in rainy weather and terrible Seattle and Tacoma traffic. Ryan had flown to Spokane for the day for work, so he left straight from the airport to meet us down there. It was a slow-go for him as well, but... when we arrived, it was straight to the water park to check out the great, wet fun! We were not disappointed. Now, I do realize that there are far better and bigger indoor water parks in other parts of the country, but this all-emcompassing lodge and park was fantastic for all ages and when I say ALL ages, I mean it... Kelsi had about four lifeguards ask for her number! Those redheads! You can't take them anywhere, they just ask for attention ;)...

The "Kids Cabin" inside our lodge suite

Wyatt, "pretending to surf"

Abby, stopping only a moment for a courtesy camera shot

More clean, (but not so dry) fun

The older kids' favorite ride, the "Howling Tornado" sends the tubes up for their next victims!

Water, water everywhere...

They had about everything to do in water

Ashtin, getting "dumped" on by the oversized bucket

The little kids loved standing under this one

Seth had to ease in, but then we really had to keep an eye on him!

Lovely Kelsi, how about some more original poses??

HERE WE GO AGAIN...

A picture like this says a thousand words. So, yes, we are pregnant again... we are due June 26th (although the Doctor hopes we get to the end of May, based on my history!) We are excited to get our last little one here- and yes, I did say LAST... as far as I am concerned, we will definately have done our share at multiplying and replenishing the earth ;)! I have had nasty morning sickness, which I hope diminishes by Christmas... then I will most likely have a good three months before going on bedrest for pre-term labor... and why are we doing this again? (Oh yeah, so we can have a sweet little baby that then turns into a toddler, etc.- so wait... why are we doing this again?? :)

GOOD EATS AND TREATS

Ahhh, another year of pumpkin carving, sugar cookie eating, and Trick-or-Treating... we intricately carved five pumpkins this year while eating homemade frosted sugar cookies, mmmm. For Trick-or-Treating we somehow managed to not get photos of Ashtin or Cortnee in their costumes (they go with friends now, because they are just so cool), but Ashtin was a bank robber and Cortnee was a "glow-stick girl". Kelsi was a "fashionable" bank robber, and Abby was a midieval princess. The boys were Woody and a Frog, respectively... Good times!

Ready to go!

Woody and his friend, Buzz (his friend, Adam)

Kelsi, the "fashionable" bank robber

Time to pay up on the "Dad tax" :)

Ashtin's loot, can you just "feel" a cavity coming on??

Sugar cookies with TONS of sprinkles!

The pumpkin fumes must have gotten to Cortnee!

Ewwwww.... gross!!

Pumpkin guts feel nice...

I'm not afraid!

Yummy frosting!