Quote of the day

ME: "Luke what does CTR mean?"

Luke: "To Be Good!"

I think we should change CTR to TBG!

The Elf was spotted

I didn't get a picture. I wish now that I had. I was very busy at the table with Abe's project. I love how he decided something needed to be done. Then he goes to work & I am the one left doing it. So I was about 3 hrs into the project when John came out of his room GREEN. He found a green marker and decided to make himself "Pretty". He took his clothes off to color his legs, arms, tummy, Even face. That is when my 5 year old stepped up to the job. I am so proud of Luke, He wanted to help me out. So He took John back into his room. Using up a whole tub of baby wipes, Got John all clean. I couldn't put into words how proud I was of him. All I could think of was to tell Him that while Luke was being such a GOOD BOY i had spotted an Elf peeking in through the window. The Elf saw the good act and is going to report back to Santa. That did the trick.! It made Luke so happy and the rest of the kids started running around trying to be good asking if i've seen another one yet. The Power of the Elf. I had no idea.

New pictures.

Silly Kids!! They are so cute. This was taken before church yesterday.

These pictures were taken Before the Daddy Daughter Dance. Cassidy and Abe both look forward to this every year. They already have it scheduled for next year. In fact. Cassidy said just before she left for this one that she changed her mind. She hopes the baby will be a boy and she can keep going to this alone with daddy. Not have to share.

I have to say thanks to My cuz. Juline. She was here that weekend and she made Cassidy's hair look like a princess. It was so much fun having her. I can't wait till she comes back.

Snowboarding

We pulled the kids out of school yesterday and took them snowboarding up to A-Basin. It was really fun.

John's Field Trip

Today was John's Field trip to a pumpkin farm. He was very happy to have his Dad with him. We sure do Love Abe's job. It allows him to do stuff like this. He almost always has either the morning or afternoon with us. If people give us enough notice we can almost always make it work.

Abe was saying how sometimes he feels weird being the only dad on the trips. But I think its a great thing.

We got to take a tractor ride out to the Pumpkin patch. It was a nice long ride. John was so excited. He even used those exact words. "Look the pumpkins, I'm so excited!"

I was laughing at how cute he was. Right up until I heard clunk clunk. I look down to see that my phone which WAS in my back pocket had fallen out and bounced off the trailer and into the dirt on the road. You can see my face saying "oh shoot" as I am watching the phone get farther away as we keep driving. I can't believe Abe got that picture.

I didn't tell the Driver to stop because We had reached the Pumpkins and I thought we would be Stopping at any time. I didn't realize how many fields of pumpkins they had. My walk kept getting longer and longer and LONGER!

When we finally DID stop, Abe said he was going to go get it for me because he can walk faster. Thanks to him he saved me from also having to get chased through a bull /Buffalo field on the way back.

While he was gone everyone picked their pumpkins right off the vine. We had to get back on the tractor ride. The driver said he was going to send a ride (gator)to pick Abe up. But they never found him. Abe walks too fast.

John Did a great job helping pick out pumpkins. He was so happy when he found his perfect one.

John was also excited that they had wagons to put them in while you walk around.

The farm had lots of new baby animals. Goats, Bunnies, Chickens, Llamas. The goats were sooooo cute.

The Llama Looked a lot like our dog Sweetheart I just had to take a picture. I use to call Sweetheart a horse because of her long legs. But after today I'm going to start calling her my Llama.

The hay maze was a good one. I climbed up on top to take the pictures.

Abe ran in ahead to hide. John had such a good time looking for him. Laughing the whole way.

Look at his face when he finally found his Daddy!

It was a good trip. Once again I am so happy Abe was able to join us. It made memories that will last a life time.

Luke's Fun Day at school

It was a couple of weeks ago. Cassidy and I were both sick. Abe had the morning off so he was able to go and watch this year and take pictures for me.

Every year the school has a fun day. This was Luke's first. Cassidy had to miss it this year like I said. She was sick.

It is a lot of outside fun stuff that gets the kids moving.

Of course they get to do each event a couple of times. That way there are no "winners" they all win.

The 3 leg race was always one of my favorite as a kid. Probably because my sister Bekki and I would win a lot.

Abe did a great Job with the camera. He is always good at getting the settings for the right light and awesome action shots.

Look at him go!

WHERE THE WILD THINGS AREN'T

We went to see this movie today. It was an unofficial get together for Luke's kindergarten class, because they have been reading the book this week at school.

I was thinking it was going to be a kids movie. I was WRONG! Pretty dark movie, not a fun filled kids movie I would expect for a saturday afternoon. I had fun being with the family, but the movie was a little too grown up. I definitely recommend this for red box. A little too artsy. The kind of movie I would expect yuppies from new york to get into. If you like Spike Jonze movies, go see it, but leave the kids at home.

Luke's new Bike

Luke and Abe have been working hard. Teaching Him to ride with out training wheels. Abe made a deal with him that once he learned how to ride well, start by himself and stop with out crashing, He would get a new bike. So everyday after school I would hear "Mom can I ride my bike today. Can you help me? I want to get a new bike." Thursday night Abe brought him home his new bike. Luke however was already asleep. Friday morning was like Christmas when he woke up. All morning he was pushing that bike around in the house.

No surprise what he wanted to do after school. He was so excited he even forgot to put his helmet on. I let him ride around for a little while as I was getting pictures. Then yes, He put it on.

He can control this bike so much better then Cassidy's even though they are the same size.

He would ride around finding all the little puddles in the ditch. He was very muddy and wet when he was done.

John learning to skate

Luke has been learning to a lot of new things. This of course makes John want to learn too. I bought John this skate board last year for his birthday. Although they would get it out from time to time. He never took the time to learn until now. Look at him go. He likes to start in the garage because it goes down hill. Just before he gets to the bottom where the bump is, He get off. He did crash once and learn his lesson.

Then he pulls it back to the top of the hill and starts all over again.

after a while he starts get brave and go farther.

John is so funny. When I ask him to smile He always makes funny faces. This time I said show me your teeth. THis is what I got.

Funny thing is , I don't see the teeth.

Making our jam

Since I can remember, My family has always had homemade jam. It tastes the best. I have early memories of all the stirring involved. Even some not to clear memories of picking the strawberries at a farm. I am glad to pass this on to my kids. It is so easy and fun to do.

My kids are all very good pickers. It does not take us long to pick 2 flats. Our favorite place to go for this in Berry Patch Farms.

After the picking we get to stick around for other fun. They always go over and say hi to the live stock.

I am told this pig is called Bacon Bits. He is HUGE!

Abe wanted me to show a little of how we do it. It is very simple like I said

It would be nice if we had a family secret. But we don't my mom always follows the direction in the box of sure-jell. It's the best. WHy change it?

2 flats of strawberries gave us a lot of jam. Enough for just over a year. Depending on how much we use it.

Corn, Corn, Corn.

We went to the church farm. It only took us about 45 minutes to pick about 150 ears. It went crazy fast. Luke found this one that had 3 on 1. Funny.

Abe showed them that fresh corn tastes great. After that they weren't much help. Abe did most of the picking.

There was this little bridge we had to cross. The kids played a game off dropping things in on one side and see what comes out first on the other.

Like I said, We picked a lot. This was our first year of Blanching corn. We will see if we do it again next year. At least my freezer is full of good corn and lost of jam.