'Tis the Season....

I thought I would post some "firsts" of this Season.....the first picture is Mackenzie putting the first Christmas ornament on the tree....

This is a picture of the first snow this year....it didn't stick but Mackenzie had fun running around in it anyway!

This is the first "kids tree" we have cut down for our basement....I'm going to let the kids decorate it with whatever they decide! It will be fun to see what they want on it!

Halloween 2007

10 Reasons why this was one of our BEST Halloween's EVER.......

1. Awesome weather...cold, crisp and perfectly clear....no wind, clouds or rain....a really pretty night

2. Chocolate...need I say more?!

3. Finally meeting many of our new neighbors

4. My kids are both the perfect age for trick or treating

5. Everyone was happy!!! :)

6. My mother in law was able to walk along with us

7. Jake made the perfect Harry Potter!

8. Mackenzie will always be the perfect princess!

9. Both of the kids being SOOO excited at the amount of candy they received

10. After all the candy, sugar, and running the kids fell sound asleep in about 10 seconds! :)

That's it...my 10 reasons.... I hope all of you had a nice Halloween too!

Bizi Farms.....

Ahhh fall...it can be so beautiful here in the fall when it doesn't rain! This year we went to Bizi Farms in Vancouver to get the pumpkins. We actually just went spur of the moment because it was a pretty day outside and only stayed about 1.5 hours not thinking this would be the only time we would go to the pumpkin patch this season. Alas, it is a week before Halloween and I don't think we will be able to make it again! Oh well, maybe next year we can go and hang 1/2 the day and play...


















I absolutely love this picture of Jake and Mackenzie in the tire!


















Todd and Mackenzie launching their pumpkin...the goal is to make into a metal garbage can really far away..good luck! :)

Mackenzie's First Goal.....

The first picture is of Mackenzie's first goal EVER!!!! She was SOOOOO excited! She actually got the ball at the other end of the field and ran it all the way down to her goal...it was very impressive if I do say so myself! The 2nd picture is of Mackenzie and her new buddie on the soccer team McKenna.

It's official...I'm a soccer mom.....

Here she is the next Mia Hamm! (sp?) My life has been nothing but soccer this fall! Jake has practice Tue/Thurs for 1.5 hrs. with games on Sat. and Mackenzie has practice Wed. /Friday for 1 hour with games on Sat.!! I'm so coming to terms with the saying "soccer mom". I feel like we are doing "soccer" 24-7! At least we are getting plenty of outdoor time right?!

At first I have to say Mackenzie wasn't sure what to think of soccer. She kind of liked it but the idea of trying to get into the middle of a bunch of girls swarming around a ball and kick it away from them was very intimidating! The only way I can describe how she played at first was something like this:

There is a swarm of girls all huddled together around the soccer ball following it wherever it goes...no strategy... no organization...just screams and laughter! Then there is Mackenzie who is the "sun" orbiting around the swarm .... no direction....no intention of kicking the soccer ball...just running around the group of girls who are running with the ball..this is fun enough for her! :)

At the end of a game she would often leave crying saying " no one gave me the ball"! :(
Ahhhh competition....I'm not sure it is made for 5 year olds!

Now that's A GOOD time!!!!

I just had to post this picture of Jake! He takes the BEST pictures....I can always count on him for some fun! This picture was taken as all the kids were being towed at about 20 mph behind the boat! The fact that Louise (who took the picture) was able to catch this as they were flying by is amazing! Just another day at the houseboat.......good times!

I'V BEEN TAG'D !!!! TWICE......

OK...OK I'll do it...!!!!

I have been tagged by both Heather and Tiffany to write 8 random things about myself. It seems to be kind of a game and I am to tag 8 new people. I'm pretty sure I don't know 8 people who read this blog but here goes anyway!

1. Anyone who knows me very well knows that I have a passion for real estate! I LOVE to go on line and look at houses for sale. I even find myself driving around picking up flyer's all the time. My kids hate that part :}. I've made the comment several times that in my "other life" I was a real estate agent. I don't know...maybe someday!

2. I love camping, hiking, and ANY water sports. I love the water....it is sooo peaceful to me. And walking through a forest with tall trees and lots of ferns ect. brings pure peace to my soul.

3. My dream vacation at this point in my life would be a two week cruise through all of the Caribbean Islands...or any tropical islands! It would include lot's of snorkeling and scuba diving side trips and many, many spa treatments! Ahhh..... dreams! :)

3. I am NOT good at returning people's phone calls. I find that I simply don't have the time to sit and talk with people. When my family is home they completely demand my attention at all times. I have learned that if I do call people back when they are home I am interrupted all of the time...so talking on the phone is not fun for me!

4. I LOVE to buy things for my home...but HATE to shop for clothes for me...mostly it's the size I hate to buy...but let's be honest I've had to buy this size for the last 10 years.....it's not going anywhere too soon :(

5. I am a Labor and Delivery nurse at Emanuel Hospital on night shift ..... and I have decided that I like working night shift over any other shift! Who knew?!!!

6. I saw my husband for the first time in the cafeteria at University of Portland (while I was dating another person) and thought to myself "Now that's the guy I should marry". We met for the first time about 1 month later, and we got married two years after that! Crazy!!!

7. I Hate to cook. There. I said it. I hate buying the ingredients...I hate the mess... and I hate having to do all the dishes. I feel like it takes so much effort to come up with something that my family will devour in 10-15 minutes.

8. I know for a fact that my husband and I will NOT retire in the Northwest. It will either be Southern California, Phoenix, or Florida. You can bet on that! :)


There it is 8 random things about me and my life! I am supposed to tag people now. Most of who I will tag don't have blogs...but don't worry... they are easy to start and this might be the thing that gets you going! So Blog Away.... Louise, Amy, Kara, Mom, Heather Clarke, and Amy Meiers!!! Hope to see some blogs soon!