Show and Tell

Yesterday was Audrey's first show-n-tell at preschool and she was SO excited. She planned this day for a week and even had a special outfit picked out! Carter had the day off so he spent the first part of the morning with her at school...he came home wishing he could go back to preschool!

Election 2008

This morning I dropped off our ballots at the City Hall. I had filled out all but my presidential selection...which I filled out at a stop sign right before I got the the city hall. I really struggled with this one and kept going back and forth....Yes one of those Undecideds I was. I won't say my choice, but I finally made my decision and as I pulled into the parking lot of the City Hall I got very emotional (very unlike me) and was completely taken back to the first election I was able to vote in.

1996. Clinton vs. Dole. I was 19, living in Bellevue Washington at the time going to school. I was SO EXCITED to vote. I didn't have my own vehicle. I had a bike. And public transportation. I woke up so early so I could make it to my voting location (an elementary school about 2 miles away) and get back to my apartment in time to catch the transit and make my first class. When I woke up the tires on my bike were flat. Frustrated as I was, I was on a mission...no one was going to stop me from voting...especially in my FIRST election! My pump wasn't working very well but I eventually got enough air in my tires to ride the two miles and back to cast my vote. I was so excited.

I am not sure why I am sharing this. I have just been so frustrated this time around. I know that ultimately God is in control and there is a plan. I just longed for the confidence that I felt when I cast my first vote.

Anyway, that is my trip down memory lane! Now all I can do is pray for the new leader of our country...whom ever that may be!

Only in Eastern Oregon

Last weekend there was a harvest festival/parade, etc in our little town. Part of the festivities included a punkin' chunkin' contest. My pictures didn't really turn out that great but what happens is different groups (one group was the local high school physics class) make a catapult or some sort of contraption that launches a pumpkin into the air...the goal: to hit the vehicle. Very amusing!

The contraptions

If you look carefully you can see the pumpkin flying through the air!

Red ribbon week at Elly's school(last week)...This was crazy/mismatched clothes day. She was pretty proud.

Yesterday we went for a little hike with the kiddos up by Anthony Lakes...and it snowed! SO FUN! Something about the snow just makes me feel about 6 years old!

October!

I cannot believe October is almost over and I haven't posted anything...life has been busy trying to adjust to new schedules, new school, new activities, and trying to buy our house. This is just going to be one big consolidated post to catch up so it will be pretty random.

House update: We made an offer at the beginning of September on a house that we thought we would be in A LONG TIME AGO...however, because we were only buying the house and not the pasture next to it, we have had to wait for the county to approve the land to be divided...and WHO KNEW this would be such a nightmare! There really haven't been any problems, just a lot of waiting for people to do their parts to get this done...and I really am not a patient person!

This has been quite a test for me. But the division has finally been approved, the land surveyed and hopefully we will be closing in two weeks. Then on to renovations! This is the other reason I have been neglecting my blog...the home magazines! Carter and I trying to make priority lists...the house needs some TLC, some that can't wait, but I am anxious to get started!

Ok...the photos are a bit random, but definitely things I want to remember!

My kids LOVE to "rock out" and have dance parties in our living room...(grandma, they missed you for this one}. Audrey put on knee pads to do her "TrueDOG" (TobyMac) dance and was SO into it!

What is October without a trip to the pumpkin patch?

My parents have property out in Cove that is lined with plum trees...Almost makes up for them not being here...almost...!

And my favorite place to go play in the fall...EOU! There is a hill that has THE BEST leaves to crunch in and it is incredibly beautiful! We were there right before dark so the lighting wasn't so great...but still fun!

Fall!

What a week it has been. The kids and I have all gone through a round of colds and are finally on the mend. I have had absolutely no energy for the last week and am feeling like quite the slacker...my mountain of laundry waiting to be folded is haunting me...UGH!

On a more positive note the weather has been amazing (up until today anyway), I absolutely love the fall! Audrey and Noah made leaf piles to jump in...Noah is really proud of himself here because he jumped in Audrey's pile before she got a chance, she was not so happy!

Elly has been LOVING her new teacher and they do so many fun things. Over the weekend they had an assignment to make a birds nest that they had to present on Monday. While she was making her nest, Audrey decided to make one of her own...not to sure what kind of nest she was making...I didn't have the heart to tell her what it really looks like!

And Noah spent about a half hour washing and rewashing his truck!

side job

Sometimes on the weekends (during fire season) Carter works out at the Air Tanker Base when they are busy flying or when one of the crew needs a day off. This was one of those weekends. They were slow so we stopped by on our way to town. The kids got to go up inside one of the planes to look around and as they were getting out, the pilots got orders to fly. They ran over to the grass to watch Carter and Russ fill the tanker with retardant and then watch the plane take off. Elly has had this opportunity many times but the little ones had never been there when there was a plane. These pics aren't the best quality as they are from my phone...

Noah checking things out

Climbing up inside

Carter filling the plane


The kids watching as the plane gets ready to take off

Take off! (yeah, the one with it actually IN the air didn't turn out!)

One Word

I have nothing new to post today so I thought I'd join in....

Many of my friends have been posting this so I thought I would do it to!In the comment line, please leave one word that comes to your mind that describes me. Please feel free to copy this to your blog if you like, and I will happily participate with you!

Preschool!

Been a bit behind due to our house hunting...we did come to an agreement on the house and hopefully in a month or so we will have a new home! It is sooo sixties that it is scary, but we are very excited to make it ours...but more on that later!

It is FINALLY Audreys turn for school. It is the sweetest little preschool with the most wonderful teacher, I am so excited for this year! Noah on the other hand is missing his favorite frienemy. He just doesn't get why he can't stay, but I am looking forward to the one on one time with him...we just don't seem to get much of that!

First day

Here are their true feelings about Audrey leaving!

Made an offer...

on a house tonight...please pray that it all works out...because if it does....I'll show you what retro really looks like:)

dream big