Happy Thanksgiving 2014!  We celebrated our blessings by spending the entire day in the kitchen and on the sofa with the kids.  Staying home on holidays is special.  Quiet yes, but rich and loud in opportunity to discuss our gratefulness.  We are heading to Sunriver tomorrow morning and we couldn't be more excited.  Phil surprised all of us with new snow gear so we are ready for the elements. So blessed even in the stressful moments that leave a plastic bowl flying out of my hands and shattering on the floor. (Monday) That resulted in me taking a time out in our closet.  Raising these three amazing kids renders me speechless in joy and at times yelling loudly.  God is good all the time.  Amen.

Took kids to the McMinville water park, Wings and Waves.  A great time except Andrew wasn't feeling all that good. 

Go Seahawks!  We love spoiling Leslie Wolgamott!  We had a blast a few weeks ago driving up for the game.  Thank you Phil for taking us!  Love spending time with you babe.

Little bit of this and that

Sorry kids, I had to add a couple photos that didn't necessarily showcase family time but our trip to Vegas was over the top amazing! Thank you Phil for 17 years of marriage.  I love this journey we are on. 

New York.  I'll be making a photo book on that trip.  Enough said.

And here begins a lock at our summer.  Bike ride across the west salem bridge and enjoying a fun gondola ride in Spokane.  More to come on our summer but present day I am…

Alone.  Well, not really. Rylee is napping and I am taking a few minutes to sit down and write about what our life looks like today.  My intentions are to do this once a week but its been way longer than that since my last post.  Oops. 

Piano is going great!  The hard thing about taking piano lessons is that darn piano stares at me as I walk by and I swear it is whispering "play me."  I love learning and wish I could play more but that day will come.  

Andrew is loving his 3/4 blend and I am hearing amazing reviews about his teacher Mrs. Costas.   Emma is not at school all day and loves having "hot lunch."  I let them buy lunch a couple times a week.  She also loves school but I sure miss those two all day.  

How am I really doing…..

My head is itching.  We all might have lice

Phil tore his ACL, we get confirmation tomorrow.  He has and will be on crutches for what seems like years.   I don't need to add my feelings to this post…… he knows. 

Emmas appt with Dr Harding at Dohrnbecher went beautifully yesterday

So to sum up my day, life is good even in the tough days. 

I'll be back soon.

 

Summer begins!

Summertime has begun and so far so good.  What I mean by that is there hasn't been any major blow out drag out fights and no serious injuries from playing outside all day.
 I've basically been voiceless for 10 days now after arriving home from New York.   Andrew, Emma and Rylee are enjoying my inability to yell and bark orders for them helping around here.
 I am doing my best to listen to my kids.  When I hear them say "mommy, mama, mom, (or if Andrew is mad) Aimee I want to look and hear them.  I get so busy and find myself saying, "just a minute" "hold on" "I gotta do this real quick then I can.."  When really I want to say yes babe and put down the phone, the dishes, the laundry  - wait, Phil is the clothes folder around here.
 Tomorrow I am sure the kids will start their morning watching Michael Jackson videos, building a fort and wondering why we are out of milk for their cereal.  Life is good.

Loving Life with the 5 of us!

Even this picture is 14 months old. Am I treading water or living life so on fire everyday that I neglect to capture these amazing moments. I am ready to begin again. Baby steps. I can do this! If Facebook can get my attention a few minutes each day so can putting memories down that will last a life time.