Oscar Night

They are on their way to "Oscar Night" at church. The youth all created short films and tonight the winners are announced!

Fall Ball

I've been neglecting the family blog for several months it appears!

Mitchell is playing Fall-Ball right now. Eric is coaching, and Mitchell is really enjoying that. As always the girls and I love going to the games. I knit and watch the game, and the girls have a couple friends they meet up with - sisters of other team members. I've often wondered if the snack bar is not the main reason they get so excited about going.

Mitchell pitched tonight. It stresses me out when he pitches! He does good, but I can't stand to watch.

Hope For Spring

Can you see the tiny green shoots under the mailbox? Those are the tulips! Despite the tragic-cold winter we are having, Spring will prevail. These little bits of green give us hope.

Various Pictures From Around Here

Just a few pictures from life around here.

We spent a considerable amount of time sorting toys after Christmas this year. There are so many, and there just isn't room for them all. Britany spread out all the dolls so the little girls could figure out what to keep and what we could to get rid of. We cracked up when they covered the whole floor! I cracked up less, however, when they systematically went through each and every one and told me why THIS dolly could not be gotten rid of.


Here's Kodi and Maverick napping in the afternoon together. Cute little boys. Did I say "little"? That is probably not quite the right definition. These guys have gotten huge this winter!


The kids opening a Valentines package from Grandma and Grandpa.


Life has been very busy around here, and the constant snow is driving us a little buggy. At least in Susanville we had appropriate cars for the snow.

Christmas 2009

Here are a few pictures from Christmastime this year.

Decorating the tree...

Decorating the house and yard...

Making gingerbread houses at Kim's (as it began to snow outside)...

When it started dumping snow we rushed for home, but not in time. We couldn't get up our road to the house. A neighbor saved us, by driving us up to the house in his hunting quad. As soon as we were safe at home the kids set about making snowmen, despite the fact that it was getting dark! In the past they have waited until morning only to find the snow had melted during the night. They weren't taking any chances this time!


It was unnecessary however, because the snow stuck around for the next week, and by morning their snowmen had to be dusted off.

Merry Christmas!!

What's a hoodle-whip

Mommy to the girls: Let's go get something to eat.
Gracie: But Mommy, I look like a hoodle-whip.
Mommy: What's a hoodle-whip?
Gracie: That thing you always call us when we don't match.
Mommy: Oh, a hoodlum. (Mommy finally looks up from the computer.) Yes, you look like a hoodlum. We'll go through the drive-through.

Camping at Big Creek

We went camping with a few friend from our coop group this last weekend. It was a lot of fun. Eric was at a golf tournament all weekend so it was just mama and the kids. That was fine, because the kids are very helpful, but we did run into a few problems.

For one, we had to cook all of our meals over the fire, because we forgot the Coleman stove. We also forgot some of the food in the frig at home, so we didn't have the variety that we had planned on. Mama spent SEVERAL hours blowing up an air mattress, because the pump was brought, but not the hose to attach it to the mattress. Ugh...

Despite all that, we had a great time. The big kids took a long hike on Saturday, while the rest of the kids spent almost the whole day in the creek. Mama even got in the creek despite the fact that it was extremely cold!

Someone in our group saw an Elk on Saturday and someone else saw a bear on Sunday.

All of the kids stayed up very late both nights, sitting around the camp fire, roasting marshmallows and talking with their friends. Unfortunately, most of us didn't get much sleep the whole time, so we headed home Sunday in a state of exhaustion.

There are a few more pictures of our camping trip on our Home School On the Go blog if you want to see more.

A Couple Nights Away

Eric and I got to get away all by ourselves for a couple nights last week. We stayed at a fancy inn, and enjoyed the quiet very much! We took a drive through the Smokey's and walked around Gatlinburg, then had a candlelight dinner back at the inn. We were very spoiled!

1st Annual Kid Fish & Mitchell's Birthday

Kim came up with the idea to have a fishing tournament for Mitchell's birthday this year, and everyone thought it was a great idea! (Especially Mitchell!) New poles were bought, and lot of bait. Chris even surprised the kids by buying trophies.

After the fishing stopped we cooked up some dinner...

...and made up some margaritas and strawberry daiquiris. (Virgin ones for all the kids.)

Do you see the teeth?

Then the awards cerimony began...

Gracie got the prize for "Most Fish" among the little kids.

Grayson got the prize for "Smallest, Fastest Fish".

Alli got the prize for "Biggest Fish". Did you see her catfish pictured above?

Lizzie got the prize for the "Coolest Fish".

BJ got 3rd Place.

Ronnie got 2nd Place.

and the birthday boy got 1st Place!

Congratulations contestants!!! You all did well.

Then...as the rest of us ate our blackberry cobbler for dessert, Mitchell, the fish-o-holic, continued to fish until he caught this monster carp!

We all had so much fun that we plan to have a kid's fishing tournament every summer!