THE RIGGS FAMILY

FIRST DAY OF SECOND GRADE!!

2010-12-02T12:00:00.001-08:00

We pulled up at the school right behind my sister Terrah and Alexis. So, Jenna got to go into school with Alexis.

We always take a pic by the school sign!

A big 2nd grader!! I can't believe it!!

Alexis is a big 1st grader!!

Inside Jenna's class she got to sit next to her friend Jordan. What a great start to her day!

I love this little girl and I can't believe how fast she is growing up. She is my biggest helper, and I would be lost with out her!

Here's one of Drew, he is mastering the art of tummy time, and holding his head up!

FRIENDS!

2010-12-02T11:55:00.001-08:00

This pic is a little blury, but these ladies are some of the funnest ladies I know. We started out with just us, but you can see we have grown in numbers. the 4 mom's were all friends of ours in wenatchee before we moved to New Mexico. Emily on the far L has three kids. Kim has 2 kids, I have 3 kids, and Dora has 4 kids. We don't get together nearly enough but it's always fun when we do. Dora's niece is taking this pic.

I'm missing from this pic, but it's clrearer so you can see everyone better. I always have a blast with you ladies!!

All I want for school are my 2 front teeth!

2010-12-02T11:52:00.001-08:00

Miss Jenna lost her two front teeth shortly after Emillie's wedding. Emillie brought some topical numbing medicine over to help with the pulling. They had been loose forever, and were pointing straight out. Aaron tied dental floss around them after he numbed them up, and out they came. She was a trooper, and was also hansomly rewarded by the tooth fairy!

Lydia's 5th Birthday!!

2010-12-02T11:44:00.001-08:00

Lydia wanted a pony party, so that is what she got! Happy birthday Lydia we love you!!

Jenna is sporting her cowgirl duds

Payton is riding buck, our little pony! Thanks aunt Emmy, for leading him around.

A close up of the cowgirl

Carter wasn't sure of the "neigh's" so he started on Buck

and graduated to Poke. By the time we were done he was in love!

Emillie Got MARRIED

2010-12-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

Papa walking the Bride down the aisle

I tried to get one where they were both looking up, but I failed. Still pretty cute though!

Emillie Married Adam Washburn on August 14, 2010

The kids were all in the wedding. I had my concerns about this little man behaving himself during the ceremony, but he did great!! And what a hansome little man!!

Michael looking so excited about his role in the ceremony!

Payton and Carter

Beth and Grace looking beautiful!

I love this pic of Lydia!

Miss Jenna, such a helper! Love her!. She brok her arm the week before the wedding, and had an awesome bright pink cast that doubled as a club!

Micheal excorting his sistes down the aisle

Lydia and Carters turn down the aisle

Jenna and Payton walking down with some of adams family's kids. Sorry I can't remember their names.

Here they are waiting patiently for the ceremony to start. Look at these cuties. Don't you love babies is ties? Thanks aunt Lindee for making them.

My two little stars. ( Jenna broke her arm balancing on a basketball)

There was a DJ for dancing at the reception. Daddy dancing with his princess!

The missionaries came into the building and started filling up the font for a baptism later on in the day. They turned it on, locked the door so no one could fall in, and then left. Later we noticed water running out from under the door, but couldn't get in cause the door was locked. When the missionaries were finally gotten a hold of and came there was quite the clean up!

Jeromy, Lindee and family have been living in Denver. They came up for the wedding and we all had a blast playing! Here are some sword fights that went on.

Jenna's arm didn't slow her down at all

Summer 2010

2010-11-29T21:10:00.001-08:00

well It is December, but I'm blogging about summer. Makes me really miss these nice beautiful days!! We had a lot of fun this summer, and we stayed really busy! I went back to work the 7th of July, which is always hard to do after having a baby. However, whenever I had a few days off we got to play. Here we are at Silverwood theme Park!! Drew is so excited he can hardley contain himself! What a good baby he has been. We drag him along everywhere, and He is happy enough to sleep, or look around and see what's going on.

This is my niece Olivia. We went to SILVERWOOD with my sister Terrah and her family. We had a great time, and we will def. have to go back again next year!!

Jenna and Alexis cooling off in the kids play fountain area while we waited for the return of half our group to go down the big raft water slide!

They had all sorts of fun water spraying toys to play with!

Here's the group shot in the wave pool. Drew was asleep in the stroller, and I didn't think he would mind missing out of the wacve pool. So, we opted to stay out and take pictures.

Jenna, Payton, Daddy, Alexis, Steve, Olivia, and Terrah.

We love SILVERWOOD!!!

Steve and Olivia

Aaron, Jenna, and Payton

Payton, Drew, and Olivia. Waiting for the daddy's and the big sisters to go down a big water slide.

We Also spent a day in the Tri-Cities. One of my besties from high school came to visit the Main Land!! (They live in HAWAII) We met up with her, and another bestie from high school and hung out at a park.

Not just any park. This park had water squirting toys, and a Ice cream stand/truck. Payton throughly enjoyed his IRON MAN ice cream bar.

Here we are Casey, Katrina, and me with Drew. We have a lot of memories together! It is so fun to get together as adults. We don't see each other all that often, but when we do we fall back in where we left off. These women are amazing mothers too. It's always fun when our kids can play together. We missed Katrina's 3 girls they were still on Hawaii time and stayed home with their grandma. I guess we will have to go to Hawaii and visit. It's a rough job but somebody will have to do it.

Here the kids are, Jenna was convinced that she was a "water bender" and that she was actually controlling how the water came out of the equipment. She had a lot of other kids practicing their water bending skills. ( it's from the Nickelodeon cartoon the avatar the last airbender)

This is how every kid should spend their summer. out in the sun soaking wet!

Camping!!!

2010-11-05T08:28:00.000-07:00

We love to camp, although we don't do it nearly enough! Being the crazy people we are we thought it would be a great idea to camp with a 6 week old, and go hiking! It was a lot of fun, we love being in the mountains, and Drew slept better in the tent than he ever has at home! All in all it was a great trip!

We went on several hikes, here we had to hike a pretty steep hill. The kids had to learn the fine art of "walking like a duck" to make it up the hill with out sliding down it.

Jenna demonstrating the "duck walk."

Payton's turn attempting the "duck walk." He did a lot of sliding. :)

We saw some gorgeous views!

My kids love to be outside where they can get as dirty as they want, and run and scream to their hearts content!

Drew did amazing, he is such a happy go lucky baby!

We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire!

Here is how Drew slept. I was very concerned that he would get cold, but I didn't want to bring him into bed on an air mattress with us. Way to easy to get his face covered I thought. He wore a really warm sleep sack, and was double swaddled with his thomas quilt. Maybe a little over kill, but he slept great. He didn't wake up all night! I woke up a couple times on my own to check him to see if he felt to hot or cold, but he didn't wake up till 6 am when all the light flooded our ten t. I joked that maybe we should sleep in a tent every night if he was going to sleep that great.

We had a little creek that was right behind out tent, the kids thought that was pretty cool, and it stressed me out a little that they would fall in. However, the water was so cold it was all they could do it put there feet in it.

On our hike during the second day we saw this momma deer. Bambi's mom to be exact. Just ask my munchkins.

Dad wasn't with us when we hiked the steep hill, so the kids had to bring him back and show them how they learned to "duck walk." Drew is in the sling, and yes I hiked all over with him like that. He slept the entire time. Well until I hit some loose rocks and fell flat on my bum. My arms were around him to protect him, do he was fine, but my bottom was not.

Here is dad with the munchkins:) it was a blast we will have to go more often next summer!

Drew's blessing Day!!

2010-11-03T22:49:00.001-07:00

June 6th 2010

Grammy Riggs made his blessing outfit! she did such a good job!

He thinks that he has had enough of pictures, and it was a good thing cause we were out of time!

What a blessing this baby has been! he is so mild mannered, and easy going! He loves to eat, and he doesn't constantly spit up! He has fit into our family perfectly and there hasn't been even a hint of jealousy with the other kids. I feel blessed beyond words.
We all love you so much little Drewy!!

Random shots

2010-11-03T22:41:00.001-07:00

Loves and cuddles!
Mr. big eyes

Drooling Drew

Daddy's best helper!!

Three boys all tuckered out! obviously one boy isn't as tuckered as the rest!

Drew's Nursery!

2010-11-03T22:35:00.000-07:00

My mom and my sister Terrah decided that my baby needed a new nursery! I had some bedding picked out, and they surprised me, went in on it together, and bought it. I really like Jungle animals, especially monkeys. Aaron really likes sports, especially football. I found the perfect bedding set that incorporated both. here it is

They also painted the room for me!! Love the color!

June 2010

2010-11-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

Jenna turned 7 on June 7th. ( I can't believe I have a 7 year old.) Payton turned 4 on June 6th. We had dinner at papa and Grammy's on Sunday, and dinner with papa, and Grandma on monday. We were all still adjusting to Drew's arrival, and we bribed the two older kids that if we did not have a party this year, that they could have a big party next year.

Somethings about Jenna at age 7
She is starting to loose her teeth! She is very excited about being a 2nd grader! She is an amazing big sister, and she can not hug and hold her baby brother enough. She is tender hearted, and she always thinks of other people. She loves to do math, and she is very good at it. She loves the cooking channel, Discovery, and animal planet on TV.

Somethings about Payton age 4
He loves to "work" with dad. he spends most of his time out on the orchard with Aaron. He can ride his bike super fast with the training wheels, and he loves to go for bike rides. He loves football, baseball, and basketball, and he usually always has a ball in his hands. He loves to tease his big sister, but he loves her too. He absolutely adores his baby brother, and he loves to hold and cuddle him! He loves ben 10, teenage mutant ninja turtles, scooby doo, and the justice league!

My two big kids have been real troopers through the entire time I was pregnant, and with the adjustment of having a new baby. I love them to pieces, and I wish they would stay little for just a little bit longer!

Daddy and Drew

2010-07-19T09:54:00.000-07:00

Moments before I took this pic they were both fast asleep, but Aaron must have felt my presence and woke up just before I could snap the photo. So, I made him pretend to be back asleep.

I really am lucky to be married to such a great man. He is such a good father, and he takes good care of me too. He loves to harass, tease, and tickle us, but he takes care of us all the time with out complaint. My pregnancies are a horrible 9 months, and he has to become dad and mom a lot during those months. He never complains about it either. He means the world to me and I would be lost without him, and I know our 3 kids adore this man. Thank you honey for taking such good care of us!!

Drew had such a bad diaper rash, and the best treatment for a diaper rash is being left open to air. He may hate this pic when he's older. I have a small disclaimer, this pad is not a puppy pad. It is a blue chux from the hospital. Leaving a baby's diaper off could spell disaster without proper preparation.

Look he was born having rolls!

Drew meets McKinly

2010-07-19T09:42:00.000-07:00

My bestie and I were prego at the same time. She was due exactly a month before me, and then they moved my dates back two weeks. Our babies were born almost exactly 6 weeks apart. Mckinly was bornweighing in at 6 lbs, and Drew was born at 8lbs 10 oz so even though they are 6 weeks apart I think Mckinly actually weighed less here, she was just longer in the picture!

These two are so cute!!

It was a lot of fun to be pregnant together! Having someone to sympathize with the joys of pregnancy. However, she may be contemplating a 4th, and I think I've tapped myself out with 3.

What beautiful babies!!

First Bath!

2010-07-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

I work with babies for a career, but it is so much different when it is your own baby! Here is his first bath, and no he was not a fan! However, he is supe cute, and no where near this small anymore. They just get big way to fast.

It almost looks like he is smilling here, but don't be mistaken he was downright screaming! TO CUTE though!

Here are my two big helpers! Especially in the first couple weeks I could do nothing withour a child on either side of me wanting to "help." They love their baby brother, and we have had no jealousy issues at all. They were so excited for their brother to come.

Hard to believe Aaron and I have 3 kids now. When did we get so old?

Mothers Day May 9,2010 until May 10, 2010

2010-06-23T20:05:00.001-07:00

I have no pictures of mother's day. It was a nice enough day, but I was miserable. I had been having contractions, hard contractions every night for days, but no baby. I was huge, trust me I was. Aaron has pictures on his I phone that he needs to down load before I can post them. I was desperate to get this baby out. The kids made me breakfast, and we had chocolate covered strawberries, and we went to church, and hung out at home. That evening we went to our friends house, where I bounced on their big trampoline for awhile trying to encourage Drew to come out. The contractions that had stopped that morning were starting to come back but nothing serious. We put the kids to bed, then frustrated and annoyed I went to bed, knowing that I had to work in the morning, and that it was going to be a long day.

At about 11pm I woke up with hard contractions. They consistently came, and became harder every 10 minutes. I started throwing up with contractions, and I was sure it was the real thing this time. However, they never got any closer together. I was not going to call my nurse practitioner, or go into the hospital where I work unless I knew it was the real thing. My contractions went on like this till 3am when they stopped, I had a melt down to say the least. I have hyperemesis for my entire pregnancies. This one was no different. I had been puking everyday, sometimes multiple times every day. I wanted nothing more to have this baby, for the puking to stop, and return to my normal self. My coping skills went out the window, and I had a tantrum like a two year old. I couldn't sleep, and all I was thinking about was that I had to get up and go to work at 5am and I hadn't slept at all. At 5 the contractions came back! I called into work, and waited till 7 to call my nurse practitioner Stacey. I told her my story, and that the contractions weren't consistent but they were hard. She told me to come in. I was a 4.5 the other day in the office, and being that I lived an hour away she didn't want to play with fate.

We packed the kids up Jenna went to school, Payton to our neighbor and babysitter, and we headed to Wenatchee. On the way there, I had some killer contractions. Aaron had to pull over so I could hurl on the side of the road, and while I was taking care of business a semi drove by and honked at me. I'm sure I looked great! We stopped at Rock Island so aaron could grab some sort of breakfast, and caffiene! (He had been up all week for frost protection on the orchard.) I told him he had time to stop.

We got to the hospital, and met Stacey there. My nurse Amanda was a good friend and coworker of mine, and I was excited that I was going to have her. She got me checked in, and they monitored the baby and my contractions for about 20 mins. Here I am looking like death warmed over. Trust me I felt like death warmed over too.

They admitted me, and once everything looked good they unhooked me from the machines, and sent us walking. My mom was with us too, so the three of us went for a walk. We were told to come back at a certain time, and they would evaluate things more then

Well, when we came back Stacey checked me, and then we discussed our options. I was a five, and having contractions. I live an hour away, so stacey asked me if I wanted her to brake my water. I told her to please do, and let's get this show on the road please! She broke my water, and holy cow it was an absolute flood, I couldn't believe how much better I could breathe!! Then Drew with out all that water in the way could settle lower in my pelvis and hopefully move things along. There was meconium in the fluid which is the baby's first bowel movement. Which means nursery would have to attend the delivery. Meconium deliverys make me extremely nervous. I've seen bad things happen from this, so that made me nervous for my baby.

I bounced on the ball for awhile, then when contractions got really hard I spent sometime in the jetted tub. Water really does help with contractions. Aaron sat in there with me, and played music on his i-phone. Stacey had some nice oils to go in the tub to help with calming. It was like I was at the spa! When the contractions got harder and closer together I got out and tried to walk around the room. This didn't last long cause they went from hard to oh my goodness what have I gotten myself into. Drew was facing OP which means sunnyside up. Babies are supposed to be born facing down. They fit better that way, and it hurts less. Stacey had me get into different posistions, while she messaged my back and hips with a cooling lotion to try and get him to turn. Then all the sudden I had to tinkle, so I got up and went, but on the way back I made it to the baby warmer, when I couldn't walk any farther. My legs went numb from my breathing being to fast so that I wasn't oxygenating well. my nurses/coworkers/friends had to help me back to bed. Some of you may be wondering if that was weird having all my friends that I work with all the time at my delivery. It wasn't I have never felt so supported, loved, and taken care of as I did. I had three labor nurses Amanda, Alicia, and April. They did an amazing job caring for me, and I never once felt any awkwardness from them. I gained strength from them, when I didn't think I could go on, their encouragement gave me strength and courage.

I made it back to bed, and things started happening in a hurry. I flew through transistion and felt the urge to push. I completely panicked. I started telling Stacey that I was losing it, and that I was panicing. I could feel how big Drew was, and I was sure he was going to get stuck. I kept repeating I can't he's too big, he is going to get stuck. This is where being a nicu nurse bit me in the butt. Instead of just listening to Stacey I was panicing about him getting stuck and being a shoulder distocia. This is where the baby is to big, and gets stuck in mom. I have coded several shoulder distocia babies, and I was terrified that Drew was going to have this problem. I told stacey that I was crazy, and said "who does this." She told me to breathe and push! I caught Alicia's eye's, and she urged me to push, aaron kept telling me that I could do it! I gritted my teeth and 2 pushes later Drew was born. She placed him on my belly, and I couldn't believe how big he was. He was fine, healthy and huge!!! The support I had erupted, everyone was ecstatic!! They celebrated with Aaron and I just like it was their baby! I did it. Delivered a baby with no modern day medicine. No IV, NO PITOCIN, NO NARCOTICS! It was an amazing experience, exhilerating! It is amazing what the human body is capable of doing! After Drew was born the contractions instantly stop. The Nausea that I had for 9 months instantly stops. The puking instantly stops!! Amazing, is the only word that I can come up with for this entire experience!! Now that many of you know much more about me than you ever wanted to know I'll show some pictures!

Mom and Dad holding Drew Arthur Riggs. He was named after Aaron's grate grandfather Delbert Arthur Riggs. He lived to be 98 years old I believe, and Aaron has a lot of love and respect for him.

Here is the team. R-L April, Melonee, Stacey, Aaron, Alicia, My Mom, and Amanda. The team! I couldn't have done it without you guys. I am humbled to call you my friends!

This is Aarons, Drew, and I with our midwife Stacey. She is amazing I would recomend her to anyone. She made the entire pregnancy amazing, and I wouldn't have survived without her.

This picture is blurry but it shows how bruised his face was. OP babies often have a lot of bruising on their little faces..

The first diaper change, way to go dad! You still remember how to do this!

This boy is a super duper cuddler!

Jenna and Payton came the next day to visit, and meet baby Drew! They stayed the night with some really good friends of ours the Starelman's. They had a blast! Thanks Phil, and Jody!

Everyone is ready to go!

Home at last!

Drew Arthur Riggs Born at May 10, 2010 8 lbs 10 oz and 21 in long

Baseball

2010-06-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

Spring has become baseball mania in our home! Jenna played T-Ball last year, and because Aaron was the coach Payton played T-Ball too. Well why would rookie baseball be any different. Jenna played Aaron coached, and even though Payton is much to young to play because Aaron coached he got to play! Here they are in the outfield in ready posistion. Well at least Jenna is:)

Jenna is quite the little batter! She has a quick swing, and she loves to hit, and I love to cheer her on when she is hitting!! My Niece Alexis plays on the team too!! These girls are so cute and fun to watch! Her daddy coached too!

Here are my little monkeys eagerly awaiting there turns to bat! This m any first and second graders at times seemed like a bunch of monkeys in the zoo!

I love this pic! I can't believe they were all sitting and paying attention. Trust me I might have caught this picture the one time it happened!

There is always time to pose for the camera!!

My little Payton!! He can play so well for being as young as he is!! He can catch and throw! He can bat too. In the games Aaron would help him hit the ball because he didn't want to take to much time up when technically he wasn't old enough to play. He is a fast little base runner, and he always steals home!! I wish I could of gotten my camera to work to take some pictures of him sliding into home. Priceless!!

My niece Olivia was my little buddy watching the games!! She cracks me up! She reminds me so much of my little sister (her mom). I have to say my sister got exactly what she seserved with this little cutie!! love her!

SLACKER!!

2010-06-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

Some may have noticed my absence from the blogging world. I am trying to get caught up before my maternity leave ends! Drew was Born on May 10, 2010. I have a few more events to cover before I cover his birth. I hope to be caught up soon!! Scroll down to see what we have been up to.

Easter

2010-06-18T17:22:00.000-07:00

We spent Easter at my sister's house. When we woke up Easter morning the easter bunny has come and left easter outfit's for the kids with baskets of treat's, and their easter Kites! Then I noticed that the power was off. I guess a cat had climbed into the transformer and had a kitty bbq. Which shorted out the power. Which normally would be a minor inconvenience, but when you live in the country your power is what makes your water pump get water from your well. No power also means no water. Which means no drinking water, no flushing the toilets, and no showers. So, the kids and I packed up and went to my sisters early to shower and go to the bathroom as we pleased. I think Aaron was up late with frost or something on the orchard, so he followed later. The kids played, hunted eggs, and flew kites! They had a blast, and when we went home we had power again. A day well spent!

Baby Shower

2010-06-18T17:17:00.001-07:00

A really good friend of mine has been pregnant with me, she was due a month ahead of me, and it has been fun sharing this experience with her. She has 2 little boys at home, and was due with a beautiful little princess the beginning of April. I hosted a shower with the help of her mother in law and another friend. Here is the diaper cake i made for her. Those that know me that craft's aren't my thing. I'm starting to try a few here and there, and i've done a select few of diaper cakes. I thought this one turned out cute. The shower was fun, and we welcomed Mckinley to the world on april 2, 2010!

LADY LIBERTY!!

2010-06-18T17:06:00.001-07:00

For Prsident's Day Jenna's first grade class put on a presentation for parents. Jenna was Lady Liberty which she took very seriously. She came home from class a couple days before the presentation and told me she needed a costume. She had great plans for a costume, and mom doesn't have the best sewing skills. Luckily Grammy lives a mile down the street, and she came to the rescue. My neighbor had the perfect fabric, and this is what we came up with. I did help sew a little, but I can't take credit for this outfit.

She took her role as Lady Liberty very serious!! She memorized her entire part, and she did great in the pageant! Here Payton couldn't be left out of the fun!

Here is the best picture I got of the presentation. It was really cute and the classroom was packed! Her first grade teacher is Mrs. Nishida, and it has been fun because she was Aaron's first grade teacher too! She is very creative and that fits Jenna perfectly! Aaron videotaped her performance, but i don't know how to download that to the computer.

BIKE RIDING 101

2010-06-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

In March the kids were so anxious to get outside and play, and I was more than ready to take them outside and let them burn some energy. What better way then to ride bikes!!

Notice the bike helmets. My children even though we live out in the sticks "always" well at least as often as I'm around wear their helmets. "Why" you ask? We were out riding bikes, ( the kids ride I speed walk) when they got a ways out in front of me. Not to far a head of them there was a hill. Being March there weren't any tractors out, or any orchard traffic so i wasn't worried about that but there is a hill, and neither of my kids had a lot of control on their bikes. I started yelling for them to stop and wait for me before the hill. They didn't even slow down, so I started running, and I was about 30 weeks pregnant and to big to catch them. I was fast enough to catch Payton just as he was starting down the hill, but Jenna was about half way down going really fast and out of control. I watched her cross the dirt road at the bottom, go up the ditch bank hit a bump. When she hit the bump her bike stopped instantly, and she proceeded to fly over the handle bars. She landed in a huge group of weeds inches from a barb wire fence. She sat up laughing while I stood there praying that she wouldn't break anything. She walked away with a scratch on her cheek. Catastrophe avoided!

However, she had a Dr's appt. that same week. Her Dr. is a great pediatrician, I work with him, and he was in our ward at church when we lived in Wenatchee. He noticed her scratch and asked her how she got it. She proceeded to tell him the whole story. He enthusiastically listened, and when she finished he asked her if she had been wearing her helmet. To which she replied "NO". He looks at me and says, "she needs to wear her helmet at all times." I know, that she could have cracked her head open, and I really don't want to bring one of them in needing stitches or worse and confess to no helmet. So, from now on we will wear helmets at my house!

warning post overload!!! mAKE SURE YOU SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM!

2010-01-24T11:09:00.000-08:00

Dancing Star!!

2010-01-24T10:57:00.000-08:00

Jenna got to go to a dance team camp, and they performed at the Ephrata High School Boys Varsity Basketball game. Forive the horrible bouncy video It started so fast and people kept getting in the way. Plus they had them face the student body, and not the parents. The little girl in the green hula skirt is Jenna's friend Maggie, they were so excited to perform. Sorry Anna this is the best I got.

christmas catch up

2010-01-24T10:54:00.000-08:00

Considering it is now a month past christmas i figured i should update my blog. I have several pics, but not tons. I forgot my camera a couple times, and a couple times it just didn't want to work. We spent christmas eve with Aaron's family, and Christmas day with my family. Sadly I didn't get any pics of my family, (my camera decided it didn't want to work.) So, I'm hinting to my sisters to please forward me some pics please! Come on you know you want to!

Christmas Morning!!

2010-01-24T10:44:00.001-08:00

Christmas morning! WE have a tradition of christmas PJ's on Christmas eve, I didn't get any pics so here they are on the morning of.

Jenna loves ballet and she was very excited that Santa brought her a ballerina barbie!
Anyone who knows Payton knows that this gift could mean trouble, and you would be right. He has become quite the little swords man, those swords hurt!

I just can't get enough of their smiling faces!

Christmas was magical this year, and by no effort of my own. I felt horrible through it. I threw up most of the time christmas eve when I was trying to wrap presents. I just could not get myself into a festive mood. We had our great friends who live by us secret santa us, and I don't think they realize the difference they made. They brought the excitement into our home, when I couldn't muster the energy to do it. They brought a surprise every night, and the kids were so excited for trying to guess, and catch who it was. We were truly blessed this year, and I am thankful beyond words.

Better late than never!! Christmas 09 fun!!

2010-01-24T10:26:00.000-08:00

We went to a christmas party with friends, and Payton got a little kid shaving kit!! It was quite the hit. He had Aaron teach him how to shave, and then about every couple minutes he would feel his face and say, " Hmm I think I need to shave." Jenna got in on the action too.

On christmas eve, we went to Aaron's aunt Nancy's house For their family christmas exchange. All of the cousins were there except Aaron's brother Jeromy and his family, and they were very much missed. Here are all the little boy's (except Carter).

Here's Jenna and Kaeli anxiously awaiting the presents! Beth and Grace weren't to sure about all the commotion.

My sweet Jenna the poser. Christmas really is magical when your little!

Wedding bells, well maybe in 20 years

2010-01-24T10:20:00.000-08:00

Aaron's younger sister is getting married, and early in December we had a girls day, and we went to help aunt emmy pick out a wedding dress. We also went and saw the Lion King! Here is Jenna and her cousin Beth pretending that they were the bride!

I was skeptical about how the girls would do having to sit still while emmy tried on dresses, but they both did very well. They loved it, but they both wanted to try stuff on too. After the wedding dress fun it was off to the play. Jenna sat through it glued to the action. We will def. be taking more girls days to the plays!

it's official

2009-12-22T21:51:00.000-08:00

The newest edition to our family will be a little boy!!!

Payton is quite excited, and Jenna is getting used to the idea. She had her heart set on a little sister, but I explained to her that this meant that she got to be the only princess, and that idea is growing on her. Both Jenna and Payton love to give my growing belly hugs, and they pray for the baby to grow big and strong in their prayers at night. We are really excited, and May is actually starting to seem a little bit closer, not a lot, but a little!

Opinions

2009-12-16T16:39:00.000-08:00

So, for those of you who do not know what I do for a profession, I am a NICU or (neonatal intensive care) nurse. At the moment I work in a level 2 unit that is joined on the same floor as Labor and Delivery. I attend high risk deliveries and take care of sick infants. Every day I walk by an utlra sound machine, at least 500 times I swear. The other day a few nurses and myself took a peek at the baby. she or he was very cute. the baby was sucking it's thumb, kicking it's legs and waving to me on the screen. I couldn't tell what it was, the legs were crossed. Even if the legs weren't crossed I am not trained in ultrasound readings, and I probably couldn't tell what it was unless the legs were obviously spread and it was flaunting a boy part.

Here is the problem. Aaron was really ticked off at me for looking at the baby without him, and "attempting" to see what the little cutie was. SO, I'm asking would you have looked? I honestly didn't think I would have been able to tell. I mean come on it costs nothing for me to plug this machine in and look. In my opinion who wouldn't have looked? I walk by this machine all day long, and my shifts are 12 hrs long, and it has been incredibly slow at work.

Let me know would you have peeked, or am I the stinker in all of this.

Off the band wagon

2009-11-27T19:08:00.000-08:00

I fell off of the blogging band wagon for awhile. There are days where sitting up straight just seems like to daunting of a task. I am feeling better though, and I am starting to have a few better days. All in all I have to say that this pregnancy has been better than the last two, but my coping skills have not been as good. Maybe, because I'm 4 years older than the last time I did this, or maybe I'm just a bigger wuss.

I am 16 weeks along now, and I'm starting to hit the is she fat or pregnant stage. I have managed to gain weight though which is something I have never done before in my first

tri-mester. My pants aren't quite fitting, but I don't want to admit that I need maternity clothes yet. I didn't need them with the other two until around the 5-6 month mark. This baby is much lower, and I guess when you've done it three times, and your 28 and not 22 your body isn't what you remember it being. I started to feel the baby move a couple weeks ago, and it makes me feel better about being so sick. We find out what we're having in three weeks on dec. 21. Aaron and I both think we are having a boy, but we are excited to see if we are right or not. We really don't care what it is, we just want a healthy baby. Jenna really wants a sister, and Payton really wants a brother. Somebody is going to be very disappointed. I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving!!

Turkey Bowl!!!

2009-11-27T19:00:00.001-08:00

SO, what is thanksgiving with out football? Aaron sprained his ankle a week ago, and there was a couple days of questionable football availability. However, He went and played on friday after t-day and had a blast. Here are the youngest two participants who played football on the sidelines, while their daddies played with the big boys.

Tyler and Payton are best little buds, and I know that they are going to have a lot of fun as they grow up together! We have been really lucky to live in a ward where are kids have friends around their own age.

Here they are practicing for when they get to graduate onto the big boy field.

I went and watched the turkey bowl hoping to get some good pic's for our ward wall at church. I got a couple, but my camera isn't great. It seemed like I would have a great shot and the pause before the picture took would give me something I really didn't want. Frusterating let me tell you!!

Here is my man, and his cousin Brent Bair facing off!!

I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving!!!

HALLOWEEN

2009-11-27T18:56:00.000-08:00

For Halloween this year Jenna was Thumbelina, and Payton was snake eyes from GI Joe.

We went to a great halloween party at my sisters house on friday, well I guess my family went I had to work. Then on saturday we went to the trick or treat and we had a blast.

My happy crew!!

SICK, VERY SICK, VERY VERY SICK!

2009-09-23T11:05:00.001-07:00

And this is why....

It has already been a roller coaster, I had a chorionic hemorrhage early on, that we fully believed was a miscarriage, but instead of declining my hormones kept rising! Ultrasound found the hemorrahage and a egg but no heart and no definite fetal pull, (hosptial talk for baby). So, we had to wait another week to see if my hormones evened out and went down or kept rising. They doubled. Then off to the ultrasound to see if the bleed was resolving, and if they could see a heart and fetal pull.

I had fully believed I had a miscarriage, had accepted the fact, and then I found out all of this. I never let myself fully believe that there was actually a baby after that. Too hard to loose it again I thought. When the Ultrasound tech said oh there's the heart and it's beating strong, the tears started rolling down my cheek's and I was gratful it was dark in there. We are not out of the woods yet. The bleed was significant, and I have to have ultrasounds often to see if the baby is developing normally, with the next in 2 weeks enless I notice bleeding. With a bleed the chances of miscarriage are high, but we saw the heart, and we know our peanut is there. Wish us luck. Oh yeah, they moved my due date back from 5/1/10 to 5/14/10 that was a blow, but I guess they come when their ready anyway.

Here is a pic of my last baby, who was also a bleed at 18 weeks. He held on, and made it 2 days after his due date.

beautiful pic of me huh, the joys of labor really bring out beauty in me. ha ha

Oh my goodness look who's three, and in preschool!

2009-09-08T19:42:00.000-07:00

Payton had his first day of preschool on sept 1st 2009. He goes on tues and thurs from 9-11:30.

He has been very excited about this as the picture below shows. I hope his preschool teachers are ready for this rowdy little boy!

Notice the glue on his forhead. He was running threw the kitchen to ride on the four wheeler to go check the water, and he bounced of Aaron's behind into the counter. I got a call on my way to work, "payton hit his head, needs stitches do I take him to the ER or are you coming home"? luckily it was glueable. I stayed home from work that night.

Payton has a little buddy in his class that lives out here by us, and goes to church with us. We have become really good friends with his parents. Here are the boys in front of the school sign. Tucker has a little brother who isn't quite old enough to go to school, but def. is one of the big boys!

Some day these three farm boys may reak a lot of havoc together!

Payton outside of school.

First day of First Grade Sept. 27, 2009

2009-09-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

So, I'm a little late with this but better late than never right. My beautiful girl started first grade this year, and she now gets to play on the big kid toys! Her teacher is ms. Nishida, and we are so excited to have her. Ms. Nishida was also my hubby's first grade teacher. I already went to the school, and we made pillows it was a lot of fun. I love volunteering in the class, and getting to know Jenna's friends and teacher better. Here is my beautiful girl posing for the camera. I swear she does this all on her own.

Here we are at school in front of the sign. We really love Grant school, and i'm so glad that Jenna gets to go here!Here is my princess last year on her first day of kindergarten. I can't believe how fast they grow!

Backwards

2009-07-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

So, Umm the next four posts are in backwards. I wanted the 4th post down to be the first post, and I thought I could adjust it after I posted but I can't seem to figure it out. Maybe that's why I should post a little more frequently. So, you will have to learn what we've been up to a little backwards.

2009-07-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

Can you see the mokey in the tree?

Here are the b-day pics, I really need to get a bigger memory card. I don't have many photos. We kept the kids b-day kinds low key this year. Well it was low key compared to previous years. having kids with b-days back to back always presents a problem. We had a bbq invited both sides of the family and a couple of good friends. It was a blast!

Well hello officer.

Off to the ZOO!!!!

2009-07-10T11:00:00.001-07:00

We went to the northwest trek zoo. It has traditional zoo exhibits but the highlight is the trolley you board with the windows taken out, and it drives all around this open park wildlife preserve and you see all the animals in their natural environments. It was a lot of fun!

Here is a mountain goat

a nice looking ram

get a load of the racks on those elk!

This was awesome to see. Can you imagine the strength this animal has to even hold it's head up!

Buffalo!

Then my camera died and I didn't get anymore pics at the zoo! I wish I would of got a pic of my crazy bro who touched the stinging nettle plant!

more s'mores please

2009-07-10T10:53:00.000-07:00

After a fun filled day at the beach we went to costco, bought some big old shrimp, and clams, and had a sea food bbq! The kids however weren't the biggest fans, but Jenna and Payton both ate some clams I was very proud of them for eating something new. I can remember being a kid, and my dad would take my brother and I to the ocean. We would deep sea fish for cod, and Salmon. We would go crabbing, and we would dig for clams, and oysters. I loved it! I hope to get my kids to the beach, and teach them to love these things too. After the sea food bbq we pulled out Matt's little back yard fire pit and let the kids roast S'mores.

fun in the sun!!!

2009-07-10T10:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't kept up on my blog very well this summer, but it has been a very busy one! Here are some of the things that we've been up to.

The kids wanted to celebrate their birthdays with their cousins in Puyallup, so we went over and went to a beach on puget sound near tacoma. The kids had a blast collecting shells, shrimp, clams, goey ducks, and an abundance of sand dollars that I know have drying on my picnic table. The picture above are the 4 little monkeys, My nephew Isacc, Payton, Jenna, and my nephew Caleb. Caleb and Jenna are the same age, and Isaac and Payton are the same age. In the pic below Is Aaron, on this beach you could dig your hands into the sand and pull up like 20 sand dollars. Payton is very excited about how many sand dollars daddy pulled up. don't worry guys we only took the dead ones home.

Here is my princess looking at a shrimp that my brother found. We also did not take the shrimp home, we put it back where we found it.

Miss Jenna walking on the beach

Mr Payton doing what buys do best, being a little bit silly.

Payton and Isaac best little buddies.

Sometimes I think I have way more pic's of jenna, but she always poses, and stays still for her pic.

Here is a giant jelly fish that had washed up on shore. We were there as the tide was going out.

STATS

2009-07-06T15:08:00.001-07:00

The kids birthday came and went, and I am just now posting there well child stats.

We love our pediatrician, he was Jenna's pediatrician when we lived in Wenatchee. So, when we moved back we just went back to him. He was in the same ward as us when we were living in Wenatchee too. Now that Jenna is getting older, he directs a lot of questions to Jenna, and she has no problem answering them. For example he asked her if she "always" wears her seatbelt in the car. She very honestly answered "NO". Now let me explain myself we live on an orchard, and the kids always ride around with aaron on the orchard in the farm truck with out their seatblelts. We also live 1 mile from Aaron's parents, and we of then drive there with no seatbelts. I know I know not necessarily the smartest move, but I wasn't expecting my 6 year old to rat us out. Our doctor was none to pleased with that little bit of knowledge. Then he asked her, "do you always wear a bike helmet when you ride your bike?" Jenna replies "No." He looks at me shakes his head in disbelief and says," they always need to wear seatbelts, and helmets when their riding in the car, or on their bikes. Did I mention I work professionally with this man. He probably thinks I'm an idiot. At this point I'm just hoping that Jenna does not bring up the 4 wheeler, and how they don't wear helmets on that either. I know, I know bad mom. Well here are the vital stats.

Jenna 6 years old

ht "44" inches which is 3ft 6 inches

wt 38lbs

The doctor wrote these stats on a paper, then below he wrote WEAR HELMET and underlined it.

She is in the 25% for height and weight

Payton 3 years old

ht "36" inches which is 3 ft

25 lbs

Now Payton has always been my little guy. He has consistently been in the -5% for weight, however this time he was a whopping 25% for weight. He went from -5% to 25% in one year!!!

YAY for payton!! He was also in the 25% for height as well. Maybe he will grow into a big boy yet!

Birthdays

2009-06-09T23:01:00.000-07:00

We had a couple birthdays around here this weekend, and I'll follow up with some pic's.

Jenna turned 6, and payton turned 3. It is really hard to believe that my baby is 6. I swear it was yesterday that I was waiting at the airport for my hubby to come home off of his mission, and here we are with 2 kiddos.

Jenna

Some of Jenna's favorite things right now:

1. Hannah Montana, she can sing most hannah montana songs.

2. arts and crafts, She mostly got crafts for her birthday, because she told everyone that was what she wanted.

3. Junie B. Jones, she is a little girl in a book series that Jenna and I are reading. She reminds me of Ramona Quimby, from Ramona the pest. However, Junie B. is born in June, and she is graduating from kindergarten just like Jenna.

4. Horses, She loves horses!

5. Living close to her grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins!

6. Her swing set that her and Payton got for their birthdays.

7. cooking with mom, she loves to be a big helper!

8. Playing with her friends! She is very kind and considerate.

Jenna I love you! Thanks for being patient with mommy as I have learned to be your mommy. I wish I could keep you little forever, but I know you already have big plans. Your faith amazes me, and your excitement contagious. I'm so glad that I get to be your mommy!

Payton

Some of Payton's favorite thing right now:

1. Guns, and you love to go to the gun range with daddy, and shoot targets!

2. anything that has wheels and an engine, 4 wheelers, motorcycles you name it.

3. Sports, anything that you can play with a ball. You can even dribble a basketball!

4. Farming! You love to go to work with daddy!

5. Your super man blanket, you still love to be swaddled just like you did when you were an infant.

6. Watermelon, and popocorn! You would live off of these items!

7. Your sister, you sit on the porch periodically through your day, and watch for her bus to come home.

8. horses, and your cowboy boots! You were meant to be a cowboy!

Payton I love you, and your energetic little spirit! Thank you for being my little man! Your little grin and big sparkly blue eyes instantly melt my heart. I can't believe you just turned three. I wish you could be my baby for a little bit longer, but you are turning into such a big boy. Your laugh is like music to my ears. I am so glad that I get to be your mommy!

"Do you want a s'more?" "S'more What, I haven't had anything yet?"

2009-05-21T15:43:00.000-07:00

My little brother was a movie junkie. He could quote the entire movie, any movie, and he did. Usually on long car rides, or anytime boredom would strike. Any time I hear the word s'more I think of the movie the sandlot, and that phrase, and I chuckle to myself. We didn't need a portable DVD player, we had Erik. Erik I don't know that you ever check my blog, but know I think of you often, and miss you more than you know!

Last weekend we went camping with some friends of ours. I love to camp, and we didn't get to camp at all last summer. However, this summer I intended to rectify that! We just went up to the pot holes, pitched a tent, and ate in the wilderness. The kids had a blast, and so did I.

Aaron's dad, or Papa as he is now known got to come too. Jenna and Payton always have a blast with their papa, and we were glad that he came with us.

We got all the kids light sticks. They have fun with them, and I can see where they are in the dark! It's a wonderful thing.

Payton loved hanging out with Abby, who is our friends dog. We didn't take our with us this time, to be honest we didn't have room with all the firewood in the truck.

Here are our good friends Nick, Kelly, Tucker, and Coleman Cobb. We had a blast camping guys, thanks for coming with us!

And It Begins!!!

2009-05-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

Head Lice

Does it give any one else the creeps? I know that lot's of kids get head lice, Even I when I was a kid got head lice. ( my little sisters went to a summer camp, and came home with head lice which they shared with the rest of the family.) However, the thought of head lice makes me itch from head to toe! No, we do not have head lice in our home, well at least not yet. I got a note from the school nurse that one of Jenna's classmates has lice, and that we should be watching for head lice, because Jenna could have gotten it from her little friend. Oh, the joys of school!! I feel bad for the little kid that had it, and I know that any kid can get it, even if they have impeccable hygiene. This knowledge isn't making me itch less, and I know that my itching is strictly from paranoia, but none the less I'm debating about washing everything in boiling hot water! Three weeks left of school, let the count down begin!

Family Photos Part II

2009-05-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

So, I couldn't get the slideshow thing to work. Here are a few of our family photos! I really thought they turned out well. Huge shout out to Staci!!

Family photos!!!

2009-05-11T20:09:00.001-07:00

So, mother's day was kind of a joke around here this year. To sum it up we will not be celebrating fathers day in this house this year, if that gives you any idea of how mother's day went.

However, we did have family pic's taken by a great photographer named Staci "Hunter" Faw. She came out to the farm, and took some great photo's despite my family trying to sabotage the photos. Aaron was horse back riding all day, and was a real crabby pants through the photo session, Jenna cried and cried, because I made her have her hair curled. ( She wanted the straight in my face look evidently.) Then she cried, because I didn't have time to paint her finger nails. Payton decided that he was going to wear his snow boots, and one farm glove, and would not take them off. Before we started I was asking myself why I had asked for this for mothers day? I have only seen a couple pic's they are on Staci's blog at http://www.fawfamily.blogspot.com/ and I love them. Staci had the patience of a saint, and I am so grateful for her and her tolerance for my crazy family.

THANK YOU Staci!!!!!

Girls Really can play ball!!!

2009-04-28T14:18:00.000-07:00

Jenna and my niece Alexis are playing T-ball for the first time this year!! They are the only girls on their team, and I think they hold their own very nicely!!! My camera has a delay after I hit the button, so I didn't get any pic's of them actually hitting the ball, but I got them running to first! Here is Alexis, making her way to first.

Jenna is doing the babe ruth I smashed the ball walk to first. Or, maybe she forgot to start running? :)

Alexis is out playing the field, she is standing by her dad, who is helping Aaron coach the team.

Aaron taught the kids about fielders posistion. Whenever they would start day dreaming, laying on the ground, or stop paying attention, he yelled fielding posistion, and all the 5 year olds do this. Pretty cute huh!

We had our first game this last saturday, and we have our 2nd game tonight, It's been a lot of fun to watch Jenna play sports.

the three little girls!!

2009-04-28T14:08:00.001-07:00

My nephew had a fun field trip at school that his mom helped out at, so I got to watch my two nieces. I even let Jenna stay home from school so she could have a day to play with her cousins. Here they are posing for the camera!! On the riggs side of the family, there are 4 little girl cousins. Lydia lives in Colorado, and we sure do miss her!!

I love to play with little girls hair, and it is esp. fun to play with graces because she has so much of it. She is 7 months old, and look at all that hair!!
Jenna loves babies!!! Here she is making Grace just laugh, and laugh!! She is a really good big sister and big cousin!!

A Tale of a Popcorn Kernel!!

2009-04-23T22:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a pic of my hansom little man!! This boy may be the end of me. I've sought medical attention more times for this child than I have for Jenna and she is 3 years older.

This little boy loves popcorn. he would eat it for every meal if he was allowed. Well he had eaten his dinner very well and was enjoying his popcorn and a movie last saturday night. He came out of the room with to popcorn pieces sticking out of his nose. Aaron and I got after him and made him take them out.

Well about 15 min later he came out and told us he had a popcorn kernel stuck up his nose. Well I got the flash light and sure enough there was a popcorn kernel stuck in his left nostril!!! I couldn't reach it, and so I told him to blow his nose. Well the little stincker sucked in his nose as hard as he could, and I lost sight of the popcorn kernel.

I called the charge nurse in the nursery in ML, and she told me I could come in and use the suciton equipment to suck it out. SO, off to the hospital we went. I was bound and determined to get it out with out paying for an ER visit. Well I tried to suck it out at the hospital but couldn't. Then I got a suction devide called a delee which is used to go from the mouth or nose into the stomach and thought maybe I could just push it all the way down and that would be the end of our problems. Again no luck, and now my baby is screaming at me No momma no, just leave it, we can go back to the truck, just leave it.

So, we went down and talked to the ER DR. Maybe he would say it would be OK to leave it until monday, and his pediatrician could take it out. NO Luck, he said it would swell and cause problems. It had to come out. However, he told me just to come down bypass admissions and he would just take it out. Which was super nice of him, but he couldn't get it out either. He did get the fancy nose looker, and he could see the infamous kernel and he said it was way up there. It was decided that they would need to knock him out, and go in while he was asleep to get it.

SO, out to admissions we went, we had to be checked in for that one. They got us back fast gave him a shot in the leg, and the boy was out in about a minute or less. He was hooked to the monitor and the respiratory therapist was standing in the room incase he stopped breathing and needed to be intubated. (which luckily he didn't need) They had the kernel out in about 30 sec's and it was the biggest Kernal I've ever seen.

We were suppose to stay in the hospital for about 4-5 hours after the med was given for observation, but the Dr. told me as soon as he woke up I could take him home and watch him. However when he woke up, (or should I say I woke him up) He was not in the best of moods. he couldn't even hold his head up. He talked like he was drunk with a slur, and the kicker was he had to pee. Now my big boy is potty trained and he was not going to go in his pants, but his legs were dead, and he couldn't walk. Plus, because he is a boy, he must stand to pee. Heaven forbid the boy sit!! So here we are in the ER bathroom, me holding him up, trying to take his pants down, and as soon as air hit his little unit he started shooting pee everywhere!!!

Well we made it home around 2:30 sunday morning, and Payton swears that he will never stick anything up his nose again. Which I believe, but I must share with you that this is my little two year old's 2nd time being in the ER getting this exact same med. The first time was when he cut his finger off at 9 months of age, and that is a story in it's self. Time will only tell when we will be back in that ER again.

I have a hole bunch of posts below this one, and a lot of pic's. I've run a dry spell in the blogging world, so read on and hopefully it will be slightly entertaining!!

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME!!!

2009-04-23T16:32:00.000-07:00

So it's been a long time since my last post I had some major catching up to do. So scroll down to see a little bit of what we've been up to. I hope to keep up with blogging a little better, so that I don't have so many things to blog about all at once. Well at least for the 2 people who check my blog, might have something new to look at!! :)

Easter

2009-04-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

Why is it that the entire week leading up to easter it can be sunny and beautiful, but come easter it's cold and rainy? Luckily we hunted eggs before the rains fell, but it was cold outside, and not many pics. were taken. Here are my munchkins, in their easter outfits, I made them myself. hee hee. I wish I was talented enough to sew cute things, but I'm not.

I had to go to Spokane the Thur, and Fri before easter for some classes, and I found these really cute platform shoes at nordstrom rack on sale for pretty cheap. I got them for Jenna, and she felt pretty big walking around in her "high Heels." I hope everyone had a great Easter, and took time to celebrate the true meaning of Easter as well.

Easter egg dying party!!

2009-04-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

We dyed easter eggs at my mom's house with the cousins, and some really good friends of ours from wenatchee. We had 8 kids all 5 and below and it was a good thing we used old shirts to cover their clothes, because it was a little messy but worth it!!

here's Payton, Jenna, Kira, and Alexis eagerly awaiting their eggs to dye.

This is my niece Olivia, she had so much fun dying eggs, but she was so tired. Naps are overated around holidays anyway right.

Alexis is my sister Terrah's daughter along with little Olivia from above. Caleb (in the dark hair) and Isaac (in the red hair) are my brother Matt's boys. Jenna, Caleb, and Alexis are all 5. Kaden just barely turned 6. Kira, and Payton are 2 and they are exactly a week apart. And Olivia just turned 2 last month.

Kaden, Payton and Jenna having too much fun.

Here's the group Kaden, Payton, Jenna, Kira, Alexis, Caleb, and Isaac. Olivia is trying to be put down for a nap, but she won the fight against g-ma and came out to dye eggs too.
Kaden and Kira are our good friends kids, they have a little sister that wasn't feeling well and didn't come, and they just got a new baby brother last week. He was born with a few complications and is in the NICU at the UW. Please pray that he does well and comes home soon!!

T-Ball Madness!!

2009-04-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

We signed Jenna up for T-Ball, and Aaron voluntered to coach her team. (Yes I know very brave) A benefit of his coaching is that he has all the equipment!! So, we set up our backyard once in a while and the kids play T-Ball.

Payton launched that one so far he can't even see it!

Jenna still has time to smile for the camera even in the midst of an at bat!

My little boy and the pink bat, notice the black one is at his feet.

Our great homerun hitter. Jenna and her cousing Alexis are the only girls on the team. They have had a blast. Payton practices with the team, and i'm afraid of what is going to happen when they have they're first game, and he can't play. He honestly thinks that he is part of the team.

Gymnastics

2009-04-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

We signed Payton up for gymnastics, and he loves it. It's been hard on him since Jenna is in school all day long, and this class has been the answer. He is really quite strong, and his favorite event is the vault!! Well the trampoline is probably his fav, as well. He has become good friends with his little classmates, and it really is a lot of fun watching all their little personalities interact with each other.

He also does not have an once of fear in him. He will climb, jump off of, or swing on anything!!

Rock N Roll Seattle

2009-03-10T22:55:00.000-07:00

Marathon

To run until one wants to die

Half Marathon

to run until one almost wants to die.

There is a new Marathon coming to Seattle this summer, and it is the Rock n roll marathon. There will be a different band every mile of the race, and from all sorts of different genres. I have always dabbled with the thought of running a marathon, and I have come to the conclusion, that my knees just couldn't hack it. ( I have had both knees reconstructed and I'm only 27)

However, a half marathon, maybe!

So Aaron and I have decided to train for the 1/2 marathon. We may die in the process, but it's a goal to help us get back into shape! I have a friend who is crazy and is running the full.

You go Kimberly!!! We'll cheer you through the finish line.

Wish us luck we're going to need it!!

EHS, YES!!!

2009-02-17T08:44:00.000-08:00

I WAS TAGGED ABOUT MY HIGH SCHOOL MEMORIES.

I wanted to scan in some fun photos, but my scanner isn't working, and the thought of going to my mom's to do it, is just to much work, and my step dad is sick, and I don not want what he has. So here it goes.

1. What year did you graduate? 1999, and yes I thought I was cool for graduating in the last class of the milenium. Now I just feel old.

2. Did you date someone from high school? I just didn't date, I married my high school sweet heart. Aaron Riggs

3. What kind of car did you drive? Oh my car It was a 79 Audi Fox. They don't even make those things anymore. It was 500 dollars, and I paid for half of it. I had to put my own gas in, and pay for my own insurance. It got me where i needed to go, and rarely broke down for me, but it was ugly. The doors didn't lock, and in my senior year, the girls, and guys had a car vandaling thing going. We vandaled theirs they vandaled ours. I once found my care after a party with a christmas tree in it. THe stump was out the passenger window, and the top was out the drivers side window. It was actually pretty funny. Derek Bean, Jacob Gibbons, and David Smith were the guilty party involved.

4. What was your most embarrinsing moment?? HA which one, I have a very long list.

1. I was in the romeo and juliet play for drama class, and I was in a empire waisted dress, and I was running from the PAC across the ice laden student parking lot into the main gym. I splipped on the ice full out fell, but the wind caught my dress, and pulled it up over my head. the dress was to big, I was a miniature freshman. I was running across the parking lot with a group of Junior boys, and casey patterson. Classic moment for my let me tell ya.

2. It was homecoming week, and like most high schools we had lunch time competitions. This one they picked a girl and boy from each class. ( again I state that I was a miniature 9th grader. I was 5 foot nothing and maybe 100 lbs fully drenched.) They picked me, and David Ellis. The boy was too duck tape the girl to the massive pillars in our commons. Girls stood on a chair with their backs to the pillar, boy taped girl to the pillar. David trying to be polite, skipped a part of my body while taping, that just accentuated it more, because everything else was taped to the pole. ( Side note, I was a gymnast up until 9th grade, I was little and had 0 body fat, I ended 8th grade weighing 80lbs. I go to my dad's house in Quincy during the summer, so I never saw my friends until school started back up. I started 9th grade a little taller, with breasts. Left with none came back with big ones. I had a lot of rumors going around that I was stuffing, and it was embarressing.) So being taped to the pillar made them even look a lot bigger. David's brother who was a senior, came and ripped down the top half of the tape, thank you wade for that one. I still one the competition though, I only needed half the tape to stay up the longest. Good thing that came about from this was that my Now husband first noticed me when I was taped to that pillar, and thought to himself, I need to meet that freshman. True story ask him.

5. Were you a party animal? If you call going to big Bon fires and drinking pepsi and Mountain dew partying than yes. I did attend some other parties, and I may have had one at my house when my mother was gone, but I can count how many times I had alcohol on one hand for my entire life, so I think over all I could have been much worse.

6. Were you considered a flirt? I don't know I didn't consider myself a flirt, but it probably depends on who you ask.

7. Were you in band, choir, etc? Choir one year, I did musicals though. I was in the sound of music, annie, and the hound of the baskerville.

8. Were you a nerd? Again probably who you ask but I don't think so. People thought I was stuck up, but I have a shy streak, and it is really hard for me to talk to people I don't know.

9. Were you on any varsity teams? yup. Soccer, and track. I pole vaulted, high jumped, long jumped, and ran the 4x2 relay.

10. did you get suspended, or expelled? Nope, detention though. Had to come in early one day to mr. johnson's class with my friend Casey because we were always late to class. We got to detention late, with our latte's and my baby sister who was in 2nd or 3rd grade at the time. It was her b-day and my mom worked very early in the am, so I had to get her ready for school. She had cup cakes for her class, and needed help getting there. I took her to class after my detention. She remembered that day when she was in high school, and had mr. johnson herself he had asked her for a cupcake and she wouldn't give him one.

11. Can you sing the fight song? the chorus, but not anymore than that.

12. Who were your fav. teahers? Mr Cummings, Mrs. Allstot, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. Parris

13. What classes do you wish you would have taken? More Choir, Seminary, Art.

14. What was your schools full name? Ephrata Senior High School.

15. Mascot? The mighty TIGER.

16. Who did you go to homecoming with? 9th- Bobby Bolanous, 10th Derek Bean, 11th Aaron Riggs, 12th Aaron Riggs

17. Where did you go on senior skip day? If we had one I'm sure I went, but I don't remember it at all.

18. Were you in any clubs? Drama, Key club, Spanish club, Honor society, Associated Student Body, ORange E(it was a club for varsiy letter winners) , I think I'm forgetting some too. I knew when I started high school that if I wanted to go to college, I would have to win scholarships, So I really worked on winning scholarships.

19. Who was your prom date? 9th didn't go- 10th Aaron Riggs, 11th Aaron Riggs, 12th Trevor Morris.

20. What do you remember most about graduation? It was long, I remember walking with Jeromy, and I was happy that I had met a lot of goals that I had set for myself in high school.

21. What advice would you give yourself? To not stress the small stuff, and to enjoy it more. To be nicer to others, and to be less self centered. I wasn't very nice to a particular girl, and I regret it.

22. Are you planning on going to a reunion? yes, I live here why not. Plus I'm helping plan it a little. I hope as many people come as possible, I'd love to see everyone again. I'm excited to see a pregnant Katie!!!

23. If you could do it again would you? No, once is enough. I wouldn't give my life I have now up. I have memories, I do wish I would have stayed in better contact with my friends though. I miss them.

I tag!!!

JOmama, Annalise, and Burley-Kym

Rollerskating

2009-01-31T18:28:00.000-08:00

One of Jenna's little classmates, had a b-day party!!! I bet you're wondering where. Yup the rollerskating rink, and the whole family was invited. It was at the lakeview roller rink, and for you fellow children of the 80's don't worry the place hasn't changed. They even still do the hokey pokey!! Here are Aaron and the kiddo's ready for the hokey pokey.

It took a while for the kids to get the hang of skating. Here's Payton eating some floor.
Jenna thought that it was uncool to skate with her arms out for balance. She kept trying to put her hands in her pockets. Can you picture her falling with her hands in her pockets. We'll pass on the concussion, or the stitches please.

Here is my beautiful boy!! All ready for some fun.

CHEERLEADING!!!

2009-01-31T10:16:00.000-08:00

Now I am not the cheerleading type. The closest I got to cheerleading was at the powder buff volleyball game in high school. ( the boys played volleyball instead of the girls playing football. Too many girls played soccer and volleyball, and the coaches wouldn't let them play.) My beautiful daughter on the other hand tells me. " I don't like basketball mom, I'm going to be a cheerleader." Last night Jenna got to cheer at the boys varsity b-ball game. She had cheer camp this week with the high school cheerleaders, and then she got to perform at half time of the boys game. Those of you who know my Jenna know that she is not shy. She did amazing, she knew the entire routine, and she even did jumps and kicks with the big girls when she was supposed too. Aaron and I loved it!! Too cute. Then when she got back to us she put her pom pom's in her back pockets and wiggled her but to make them move. We just might be in big trouble with this little girl. I however, am a bad mom, and i forgot my camera. My friends remembered theirs though, and they promised me copies. Good thing for great friends.
I can't believe that my Jenna is getting so big, where has the time gone. I realized last night that it really isn't going to be that long before my baby is going to be in high school, and maybe even a cheerleader. It's going to be a fun ride!!

Snow, Snow, Snow

2009-01-08T23:57:00.000-08:00

Payton is ready for his turn on the tube.

The four wheeler was put to good use this week. Jenna is holding on for dear life.

Notice the picknic table in the background. The snow it up to the benches.

New Mexico

2009-01-08T23:20:00.000-08:00

The day after christmas we packed the kids up, and headed to New Mexico to visit friends. We made some great friends when we lived down there, and we are grateful that we got to spend time with them. We got to spend a week at their house, but it flew by, and it wasn't nearly long enough. While we were there, we got to see Aaron's brother Jeromy, and his family who are living in colorado. Jenna and Payton loved getting to play with there cousins. Here is a video I took. Sorry it goes sideways half way through it.

While we were there, aaron and our friend Ernie made me a very nice cedar chest. It is amazing, I love it, and i'm very impressed with their skill.

2009-01-08T22:58:00.000-08:00

It's a christmas tradition in our family, as well as many families, to open 1 gift on christmas eve. yup you guessed it christmas PJ's Jenna's hearts are candy cane hearts, and Payton has christmas sports pj's with a robe. Jenna has a robe from last christmas, and this has caused contention, because Payton has no robe. Santa saw fit to remedy this, and we are all grateful.

My mom and Calvin, came to our house at 7 am to open presents with us. I'm not sure who was more excited the grandparents or the kids. It was really nice to have them over. They have never seen my kids christmas morning, and it was fun having them there. Jenna got a guitar from grandma and papa and we love this gift. We love it just about as much as the keyboard that santa got her. Did i mention that she plays this guitar, and keyboard almost every morning when she wakes up.

Payton loves trucks, he got a big metal dump truck for his birthday, that he always plays with. So, Santa brought a big green loader to go with it.

Santa also brought some guns to play with.

Our princess is growing up way to fast.

Here is our charlie brown christmas tree. We went up to the mountains, and cut it down with great friends of ours. However, this tree is about 8 feet tall, and our base wasn't heavy enought to support it. Well it fell down at least once a day, sometimes several times in a day. Notice all the decorations, and lights are on one side of the tree. You can only redecorate so many times before you give up, and leave all the deco's where the fall after the tree falls down.

my little hunters

2009-01-08T22:51:00.001-08:00

Grandpa is teaching the kids the fine art of hunting. With daddy's new toy.

Don't worry all of our guns are locked away where little hands can't touch them.

Natural consequences, are sometimes the best!!!, and catching up

2009-01-08T22:33:00.000-08:00

I'll explain the natural consequences in a minute. Here is my fully potty trained little boy, who hadn't even wet the bed at night in two weeks, (until we trialed no pull up at night this week, and he wet the bed that night.) He was told that as soon as he would have 0 accidents for one solid week, he could get a big boy bike. WELL he has been mostly potty trained for months now, but we would always go 5 days no accidents, then have an accident. 4 days no accidents then have an accident, you get the picture. It has now been 2 months with absolutely no accidents. He is officially my big boy, and I can't believe my baby is no longer a baby. However, it is very nice to not buy diapers, except for night time pull ups.

now we just need to learn to steer the bike, and pedal independently.
Here is the natural consequences. This face tells it all. I could not have punished him to make him feel this sad. He did it to himself. Here is the stroy.

Quick mom is doing bills, and when she does bills a bomb could drop and she wouldn't know it. I'll climb into the kitchen cuboard, and get the finely ground pepper container she just bought, and sprinkle it all over the kitchen and dining room like snow. I'll even cover my trucks and tractors with it.

Although I should never have tasted it!!!!

Like I said natural consequences are sometimes way better than any punishment I could have given him. Even now when i get the pepper out, he says. "I don't like pepper mom. pepper hurts." I'm sorry payton someday you'll laugh about this.

Rolls for Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T14:33:00.000-08:00

Pillsbury dough kids

lot's of flour

2 rolling pins

bread dough

2 very active children

and 1 frazzled mother

add a little procrastination, and bake for 10 minutes at 350

and you get delicious home made rolls

rachel ray doesn't got anything on Jenna

Bobby flay better just stick to the gril. Payton's got baking down.

I hope that everyone had a great thanksgiving. We ate dinner at my mom's house on thursday. Dinner at my g-ma's house on friday. A baptism, and a b-day party on saturday. A dinner, and family good byes on sunday. It was so nice to see everyone that we saw this weekend. We saw family that we haven't seen in way to long, and our kids got to play with cousins that they don't know very well, but we wish they did. I hope that everyone had as much fun as we did.

Fun in Puyallup

2008-11-30T14:22:00.000-08:00

We went to a big indoor playland. Think Burger King but much bigger. The kids got to run and play, and burn al sorts of energy, and Payton never got stuck. (meaning he never got scared, and I never had to climb in and find him.)

Look who was doing a little fall shopping. Cinderella was in the mall, and Jenna got to give her a big hug, and get her picture taken with her. We had one very happy little girl on our hands.

HEADS OR TAILS

2008-11-10T18:35:00.000-08:00

The kids have a tag game that has animal tails attached to belts. The kids run around and if they get there tail stolen than they're frozen. The one with all the tails in the end wins. Well Payton put his tail on and ran around screaming, "I have a tail, I have a tail." It was pretty cute, no one told him his tail was backward.

HALLOWEEN

2008-11-06T10:51:00.001-08:00

Here we are carving pumpkins, Payton and daddy posing for the picture.

Jenna wasn't crazy about the pumpkin guts, but she did help a little.Our pumpkin picture came out a little blury. Payton's pumpkin was a goblin, and Jenna's pumpkin was the headless horse man.

This year the kids rode horses for halloween. Payton's was a very wild brown and white paint, and Jenna's was a unicorn pegasus, that was a little on the stubborn side. Here we are at grandma's office before we hit the down town for some trick or treating. We then went to the trunk or treat, and the tri ward carnival. Then we went to some friends of ours to hang out for a little while. It was a fun night, and the kids should have plenty of candy for awhile.

HUNTING, Not for the weak stomach!!

2008-10-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

My very talented hubby, shot himself a deer this year. It was a 4 by 3 point whatever that means. It was big though and I was proud of him. He went out in the wee morning hours so he would be in posistion when day broke. He had his Deer shot, gutted, and back to work by 1130 that morning. Then on with apple harvest he went. now Payton pretends he is hunting with his toy guns, and he guts his deer, with his knife when he is done. (his knife is actually a sock, what an imagination my little boy has.)

Ready for church

2008-10-24T15:49:00.000-07:00

My beautiful babies!!! All ready for church.

Soccer Star!!

2008-10-24T15:40:00.000-07:00

Jenna played soccer this spring. She is starting to get the hang of it. However, our team was not good. We lost every game by a ton. I don't know what the coaches were thinking, oh wait my sister and I were the coaches. Oh well there is always next season.

She had to be number 8. Aaron was always number 3, and I was always number 6, but she would have nothing to do with those numbers. Funny girl likes number 8!!

COPY CAT!!!!

2008-10-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

A friend did this on her blog, and I loved it. So, I'm going to copy her and blog my own. The best form of flattery is imitation right.

I'm going to compare how I treated my children from pregnancy until now.

Jenna: When I was pregnant with Jenna I was so sick that I had to get shots 3 times a week. There was an oral medication that was too expensive for us to buy, and it wasn't covered under our insurance. Those of you who know me know that I am not a big girl. However, pucking your way to a size 2 at 6 months pregnant is not a diet plan that I ever want again.
Payton: I was still very sick, but no shots. We ponied up the cash and bought the drug. 24 dollars a pill. I would wait to take it until after I pucked, and only take half at a time so if i did puke it up I didn't lose the entire pill. Eventually my Dr. won his appeal with the insurance and they paid for part of this medication. I managed to gain 30 lbs with this pregnancy.
Update this medication is called Zofran, or Ondansetron is the generic name. It was so expensive because they weren't selling the generic form yet. Now they are, and it is a 10 dollar co pay for most insurance companies. trust me it works, and it is worth it.

Jenna: when i was in labor with Jenna they said she had meconium. Didn't know what they were talking about, didn't care. I wasn't a baby nurse at this time.
Payton: When I was in labor with him they said he was a meconium baby, and i instantly started to worry. Meconium before delivery is a bad thing!!!

Jenna spit up everything she ate, and screamed like a banchie until she was three months old. Didn't know that spitting up all the time is not a normal baby thing to do. It is a sign of reflux and there is medication to help make it stop.
Payton: I knew this, we skipped all the low end crappy meds and went straight to the specialist and got the prevacid. God Bless Prevacid!!!

Jenna's binki hit the floor i washed it with soap and water before i would give it back.
Payton's hit the floor and aaron popped it in his mouth to clean it, and then we gave it back to him.

I rocked both my babies to sleep for naps and bedtime every day until they were about 2. Payton now goes to bed on his own, in his own bed everynight at 8 pm, and so does Jenna.

Jenna got a fever, stuffy nose, and a cough we went to the doctor.
Payton has to have a high fever, a cough and stuffy nose for a day or so before we go.

Jenna always sings, dances, and plays with dolls.
Payton runs over the dolls with his truck, break dances, and loves to play football where he gets to tackle everyone esp his sister.

Things that I will not own for fear of my childrens safety.
Big trampolines. Not even a consideration way to dangerous i have seen way to many injuries on that bad boy to even list.
Two story home. one story with a basement is more my style, and the kids can't fall out of the window.
Swimming Pool That is just an ulcer waiting to happen. kids drown every day.
an infant under 1 years of age sharing a room with a sibling under 5. Even then it makes me cringe at the thought. Why you ask, because the older well intentioned child can climb into the crib and sit or lay on the baby. Can attempt to get infant out of crib and hurting baby. and several other things that my mind can for see. my husband call me a pessimist. I say I'm a realist, and i'm just preventing bad things. I drive him crazy!!!

Disclaimer: just because i'm scared of these things does not mean that I don't know of people how do them, have them, or whatever, and feel that they are safe. I know that I am over paranoid, if you worked with critically ill children you would be paranoid too.

FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

2008-09-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

This last week I had the opportunity to go to a National Neonatal Nursing Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. My Work sent me, and they picked up the bill, so it was extra nice!!! I flew into florida on wednesday the 24 of sept. and I flew home on sunday the 28 of sept. Short and sweet, but fun filled. I was able to attend several classes, and talk with nurses from all over the country who work with severly premature, and sick infants. It was an experience I won't forget.

This is me with my friend Molly. I worked with Molly when we lived in New Mexico, and Molly pretty much taught me what I know about neonatal nursing.

We usually always had the same schedule, and we lived about 5 minutes from each other so we car pooled along with another nurse. The three of us always had a good time on the way home, and managed to keep each other awake for the drive. This picture was taken in front of a fountain by the convention center where the convention was held.

This is taken in front of the beautiful Atlantic. The tide was coming in, and there was record tides the entire time we were there because of a hurricane hitting the carolinas. Notice the overcast sky, yup it stayed that way, and rained a little bit too. However, it was still hot, and very humid. The ocean was warm too. It was even warmer than the pool at the hotel. I swam out past the breakers, and that was my favorite part of the trip. I loved swimming in the ocean.

We walked down the beach and looked at all the shore front stores, and restaurants. We ate at Bubba Gump shrimp company. It was pretty good shrimp. In true tourist fashion I took a picture of the store sign.

This is the beach, I promised Jenna that I would take pictures of the palm trees. It was beautiful!!

This is looking out into the atlantic, there was a big tanker ship out at sea.

We also made it out to the Everglades!! We went on a swamp boat ride, and got real up close and personal with same alligators.
At one point there were 6 alligators all around our boat. The guide kept saying to watch for fights, because of how territorial alligators are, and how many were in such a small place. However, we did not see an alligator fights.
We also went to the Hard Rock cafe, which was actually in Hollywood, Florida. This Hard Rock is one of the few restaurants that is actually part of a casino. My friend Molly won 20 bucks, and then quickly cashed out her winnings.
I had a blast in Florida, and I loved getting to see Molly. It was a perfect girls weekend away!!! It is always good to get home to your family though. In the end there is no substitute for your own bed, and family. We were both anxious to get home in the end.

Baby Grace

2008-09-14T11:15:00.000-07:00

We had a new edition in our family. Aaron's sister had a beautiful baby girl. Here are the proud big bro and sis, along with the proud cousins. We miss Lydia and Carter!!

An APPLE a day keeps the doctor away!

2008-09-14T10:39:00.001-07:00

Beautiful organic Gala apples!!!

We have learned this summer that Payton loves fruit!! He would be perfectly happy to live off fruit and chicken. He has loved harvest, and getting to "Help" dad!
Jenna went to school on the first day of harvest and came home to find the apple bins full of apples, she also loves to help "direct" dad on the fork lift and be daddy's special helper!
After enough apple bins are filled a huge truck comes, then aaron loads the truck with the fork lift, and off the packing plant the apples go. Payton loves big trucks, so he really gets a kick out of this part.
Payton and Jenna help collect tickets, and level bins "with a lot of adult suppervision" here they are taking a break. they love being farm kids!

DOMESTICATION at it's finest!!

2008-09-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me well, know that I am not "DOMESTIC." The big joke in our family is that Aaron knew of my homemaking skills before he married me!! However, I have attempted to learn some new things this summer. Canning, jamming, and gardening in general have led to many new experiences that I swore as a child I would never do!!! for three days straight I have canned Peaches and pears. This pic is of my very messy kitchen in the process of canning!! And of my very nice g-ma that came to help!

More pic's of my kitchen to help you truly understand the mess I was dealing with. On this day we canned 2 big boxes of peaches, and one big box of pears.
Jenna was sick, and home from school in these photos, she had a long day in learning how to can! In three day we canned 63 jars of Peaches and 48 jars of pears, and we still have 2 peach trees to pick, and 2 boxes of pears to can. We have made a lot of strawberry, raspberry, and apricot jam. frozen corn, green beans, raspberries, and boysenberries. And I don't think I will ever be the same.

KINDERGARTEN IS HERE!!!

2008-09-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

The day that has been anxiously awaited all summer has finally arrived, and boy was Jenna excited!!! I even let her have her own alarm clock to wake her up this morning. (although she woke up before it even went off ) Aaron and I took her to school this morning, and then waited in line to take her picture in front of the school sign. Apparently I was not the only parent with this idea!

Then all of the kindergarten kids go to the gym to put their backpacks in the line with their teachers name on it, and then play in the gym till class starts. I guess the kindergarteners don't get to play outside till school starts.

When the bell rings the kids line up and head for the classroom. This is Jenna getting in line to start her day.

It was hard to watch our baby start kindergarten, it seems like yesterday she was born. However, I think it was the hardest for Payton. As we walked out of the school Payton kept saying "I don't have my Jenna."

The Bald Boyz

2008-08-27T19:29:00.000-07:00

I came home from work last week to find my little porcupine with all of his quills shaved off. We usually spike Payton's hair up and call him a poky porcupine. Aaron has been shaving his head for quite awhile now, and payton saw him do it, and monkey see monkey want. Need I say more. Their heads are nice to rub this way though.

Crashed out

2008-08-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

Our busy boy crashed out. Aaron actually placed the x-box gear on him, but he does love to play bx-box as he calls it with dad.

Here comes the fall

2008-08-27T15:35:00.001-07:00

All summer we have told Jenna that she gets to go to Kindergarten in the fall, and she has continued to ask when the fall was going to come. Well 1st thru 12th grade started today (kindergarten starts on the 2nd), But we got to go meet her teacher and see her classroom today. Sense she got to go to her new school she got to wear some of her new school clothes. Holy cow is this child a poser. Pull out a camera and the girl works it. I see some interesting teenage years approaching.

the leg is up and everyting, and no I don't tell her how to stand. She just does it on her own.

Cousin Fun!!!

2008-08-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about moving back to washington is that our kids have gotten to know their cousins!! My sister and her girls, and my brother and his boys came to play this last weekend, and my kids had a blast. Payton was so excited to play with Caleb and Isaac, and the three of them played football all weekend. Jenna, and Alexis always have a blast together too. And little Olivia is quickly becoming one of the big kids herself.

It is nearly impossible to get a group of small children to sit together and hold still for a picture. And still I try, don't ask me why.

Our neighbor was nice enough to let us borrow a couple of his horses for the kids to ride. The all brown one is Rowdy, and the white and brown one is Jazzy. Jenna has no fear, while Alexis is holding on tight.

A day on the lake

2008-07-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

Some friends of ours bought a really nice boat, and they have been gracious enough to take us out to the lake a couple of times this year. The kids love it, and we love being on the water too.
Payton wasn't quite so sure about his tube ride, he cried through it as a matter of fact, but Jenna loved it. Aaron jumped off toward the end, and told her that he fell off and that she was so strong that she still held on.
A blurry picture of Jenna tubing by herself
It's hard work but somebody has to do it!!

The newest edition to our family

2008-07-24T16:40:00.001-07:00

When we moved into our house there were three resident farm cats. They have sense multiplied. This proud momma cat had 7 Kittens. And they live under our back door steps. The cat above I named black beard. He has a black spot on his nose, and his hole chin is black. He is also one of the most friendly kitties. Jenna is tickled pink, and Payton is just happy to have something else to pester.

Adventure in babysitting

2008-07-24T16:30:00.000-07:00

Aaron and I went out to see the new Batman movie, and Aaron's sister Emillie came over and watched our kids. When the parents are away the children will play. They splashed through mud puddles, had flying lessons, and never missed us at all.

potty training cowboy

2008-07-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

Payton is a true farm boy at heart, and he loves his new cowboy hat, and cowboy boots that grammy, and kristi got him for his b-day. He even wears them when he has nothing else on!!

The ZOO and COUSINS too

2008-07-10T16:25:00.001-07:00

The zoo had a small tide pool full of star fish and other sea life that the kids could pet. Payton touched one thing and then he was done but the other kids liked it.
Jenna's favorite part was the Baluga (sp?) whales. They were swimming in circles and rubbing their tummies on the glass.

Our baby birds Jenna, Isaac, Payton, and Caleb
They had a play area just for little kids. Good thing we brought spare clothes!

The ZOO continued

2008-07-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

We went to the point defience zoo in tacoma with my brother and his family. His two boys are the same age as Jenna and Payton and they get along great! We had a blast, and the kids loved all the animals.
They were feeding the polar bears when we were there. They were eating melons, kiwi, and other fruits, and were very active. My nephew Isaac has a stuffed polar bear, and he kekpt calling them his bears. It was too cute:)

up close and personal with a polar bear
Here we are at the end of the day after we ate our ice cream

4TH OF JULY

2008-07-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

We lit off fireworks on the 3rd because i had to work on the 4th. We went to Rick and Kerry Booths house and celebrated with Tyson and Stephanie and their boys Joshua and Chase. The kids had a blast!! Although Payton got scared and hid under his blankie.

squirt guns

2008-07-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

Payton loves squirt guns, and he has figured out how to fill up his own squirt gun in the bathroom sink. It is cute, but it leaves a huge mess in the bathroom, and then he chases his sister making her scream while he squirts her. Boys are so much fun!! :) Poor Jenna

pow pow power wheels

2008-06-10T19:02:00.001-07:00

Jenna and Payton are loving being farm kids driving the formerly pink barbie power wheels all around the yard, and farm. They have both become good drivers. Payton always used to hit the tether ball pole in the yard, but he seems to have it down pretty good now.

Accident prone

2008-06-10T18:58:00.001-07:00

well at least it wasn't his face this time!! Our little man can never go to long with out scraping something, here is the latest

Happy mothers and fathers day

2008-06-10T18:54:00.001-07:00

When we moved from new mexico the last thing we were going to load was the bbq well we ran out of room so our neighbors became the newest owners of our bbq. With summer here, well sort of we needed a new bbq, and here it is. So happy mothers / fathers day to us.

everyone loves a pinata

2008-06-10T18:36:00.000-07:00

This is our cousin beth taking her turn with the pinata stick

This is our cousin Isaac. He had a different approach with the pinata. He tried to poke the candy out.

This is our little friend kira, she is exactly 1 week younger than Payton. She really got into the spirit of the party!!

We bought a tiki pinata for our hawain themed birthday bash, and it turned out to be a big hit!! literally that is, some of those kids had some pent up aggression to get out on that pinata! We lined everyone up youngest to oldest so that the little kids would get a turn, and it was a lot of fun.

Jenna and Payton's birthday

2008-06-10T18:21:00.001-07:00

Jenna turned 5 on June 7 and Payton turned 2 on June 6, so we had a big birthday bash for the munchkins. There were a lot of kids, and we all had a lot of fun!!!!

2008-04-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

this picture is of payton after jenna's soccer practice, he was dribbleing the soccer ball like a basketball and bit it on the pavement

Jenna and Payton

2008-03-24T22:49:00.001-07:00

This picture is old, but i love it!! Jenna is being the big sister that Payton loves!!!