The Perfect Tree

It has become our annual Christmas tradition to go get our Christmas tree the weedend after Thanksgiving. Who needs the headache of crowded shopping malls when you can be in the great outdoors. So we made our yearly trek down to Sumner to cut our tree down at Harvey's Christmas tree farm. The kids love going because they get free hot chocolate and candy canes every year. I think this is the first year that we have not been rained on while we have been there. Yeah!

The perfect tree.

Austin and Colin helped dad cut the tree down.

Timber-great catch.

We did it! Another successful year of Christmas tree hunting.

Happy Birthday Austin!

The day after Thanksgiving was Austin's birthday. This year was his year for a family party and he chose to go bowling and then to Old Country Buffet for dinner. He had been sick all week so we were happy when he was feeling better for his birthday.

Austin was really excited to get this Lego Castle.

Strike! This was Austin's first strike at bowling, playing without the bumpers.

I thought it was pretty funny that we were going to Old Country Buffet the day after Thanksgiving. Austin loved it. He had three servings of steak and loved choosing just what he wanted to eat.

Austin wanted an ice cream cake this year so luckily I didn't have to try and make one. We were so full after dinner that we sang Happy Birthday to him and had him blow out his candles, but saved the cake for the next night.

Austin, we love having you in our family and you bring so much joy and happiness into our lives! We love you! Happy Birthday!

Thanksgiving Feast

We spent Thanksgiving with the Johnson families. Brian has three cousins who live in Washington and they are all brothers. It was a fun day hanging out with family and eating delicious food. If you think about it, it is the one day you can totally pig out and not feel guilty about it. My kind of day!

Rebecca had three beautiful tables all set up for the big dinner.

She also had cute turkey's with everyones name on so we knew right where to sit.

Pilgrim hats and Indian head dresses completed the scene. Rebecca is a great dinner hostess!

Carl cooked three turkey's, one was deep fried, one was smoked and the last one was traditional. I think my favorite was the smoked turkey.

Where else would you find the guys after the big Thanksgiving meal. All on the couch watching football.

Goodbye Cub Scouts, Hello Boy Scouts

I can't believe that my little boy is out of Cub Scouts. It was a happy-sad feeling seeing him at his last pack meeting earning his Arrow of Light. It seems like just yesterday that we moved to Auburn and I was called to be a wolf cub leader and a few months later Austin was a cub scout. Now 3 years later he is moving on to boy scouts. I feel lucky that I have been involved in the Cub Scout program the whole time that Austin has been a cub scout. It has been a lot of fun going through the program with Austin as a leader and a parent.

Austin at his last pack meeting as a cub scout.

Austin has earned his Arrow of Light award which is the highest award in the Cub Scout program.

Brian is trying to entertain Colin and Sienna during the ceremony while I am taking pictures. The look on his face says it all. This is how we both feel during church each week.

Crossing over the bridge from being a Cub Scout to being a Boy Scout. One of the Boy Scout leaders is on the other side ready to welcome him into the program.

Austin and his Webelo leader, Tara Hatch. She was a great leader and make Austin's year as a Webelo really fun. Thanks Tara!

Proud parents!

They had a cake for the boys after the ceremony.

Go Cheetahs!

Rylie had a great season this year playing soccer. She has improved a lot since last year and has definately gotten more aggressive. She scored quite a few goals and her team (Cheetah's) won every game but one. This is the third year that Brian has coached Rylie and many of the girls have been on the team each year as well. It is a great group of girls and hopefully they can keep playing soccer together.

The Cheetah's

Half time instruction. Many of the parents have commented on what a good coach Brian is. He never played soccer growing up so I think it must be from watching all the soccer that Austin has played.

Rylie enjoyed taking her turn as goalie.

I believe they only had one game where it rained. Pretty good odds for Seattle.

Sienna was missing her dad.

Rylie loves having her dad as coach.

Brian had to miss one of Rylie's and Austin's soccer games because of school so he brought home a box of donuts and decorated it for the kids.

End of season team party at Round Table pizza.


So proud of her trophy.

Cousin Fun

For the past 7 years that we have lived in Seattle we have not had much family around so we were so excited when Brian's cousin Mark and his family moved here last summer. Mark is doing his 3 year residency here and we hope they stay in this area when he is finished. We keep trying to talk them into buying a house in Lakeland (the right side of Lakeland so they will be in our ward).

The kids love having cousins around and each one has someone their age to play with. Brian grew up next to his cousins and we are hoping that we can do the same with Mark and Jenny (hint-hint).

Austin and Jacob. This is their (I don't want my picture taken-so I am not going to smile face.)

Rylie and Hannah.
Colin and Noah The Johnson's came over for dinner while Brian's mom was here. The kids had so much fun with Grandma and were sad to see her leave. Luckily Christmas is just a few months away.

Tick- or- Treat

We have had a busy month this month with all the festivities for Halloween. Here is a rundown of what's been going on.

A friend gave us this costume idea for a party we were going to. I was smarty pants and Brian was dum dum.

Brian even dyed his hair (what hair he has left) red to get into the Halloween spirit.

Brian's office did a trick -or-treat on Halloween so I took the kids down to see dad and have lunch. Everyone thought the kids were so cute and made such a fuss over them. This was Sienna's first experience with trick-or-treating and every time someone gave her a piece of candy she would drop what she had in her hand and want the new piece. She was on such a sugar high that afternoon she couldn't fall asleep for her nap.

Colin loved looking out the window at the cars and people below. What a cute little bum sticking up!

I went in on Halloween to help out with Rylie's class party. Here she is making cards. I wish the kids could dress up at school. I remember how fun it was to do as a kid.

Decorating cupcakes.
I think there are more sprinkles than cupcake.

Rylie and her friend Hope. They made up nicknames for each other and Rylie's is cookie and Hope's is cupcake.


Colin had a Halloween party at school and the teacher was pouring vinegar over baking soda and it would bubble up and out of the jar into the bowl . The kids would scream every time this happened-they thought it was the best thing ever! I think Miss Cindy could have walked around the table pouring vinegar the whole morning.



Colin insisted on carving this mini pumpkin. It actually turned out pretty cute.


This is how Brian really feels about carving pumpkins.


The kids were trying to make faces like their pumpkins. What do you think-are they close?
When Sienna saw everyone else get their costume on she was so excited to wear hers. I can tell already that she is going to love playing dress up.

I just love the back of this costume. The flower wings are so cute.

Colin would have rather been Spiderman or a Ninja Turtle but I finally convinced him to be a bat because I thought it was so cute and free (it was Austin's old costume).

This is Colin's scary bat face and Sienna decided this would be a good time to join in and pick her nose. Skeleton, Cheerleader and Bat covering fairy princess.

A kids dream-what to do with all this candy?