Thanks G-ma and G-pa Roberts!!!

Christmas packages arrived from Brian's parents tonight. The boxes were falling apart (and it is 4 degrees tonight), so we let the kids open them tonight. Celia made 4 of the most fantastic quilts. Each one is so different and each one specifically made with the kids in mind. They love them. Mike sent new, wonderful, cozy coats. Kels has had her coat on for the past hour and will not take it off. We are so lucky to have great parents. I really hope Mike and Celia know how much Brian and I appreciate them and the time and effort they put into our kids!!!

"Kelsei Kat" and her Kitty quilt. Not to mention her pink coat that has "diamonds all over it, just like a princess coat!"

Michael is too cool to smile, but he loves his bear quilt and super warm coat

Sydnee and her Asian quilt. She is obsessed with Japan this year. How Celia knew this is beyond me

Haley and her quilt and "the most beautiful coat"

Excuse me, when did we move to Antarctica????

All this snow, Let me repeat myself, ALL THIS SNOW has come in the past 24 HOURS!!! Spokane was hit with a record setting storm that dumped 22" on us in 1 day. Schools closed, Christmas programs canceled, basketball practices canceled, my office closed, every one of Brian's clients canceled, and the roads are a mess. Now I do love snow, but I was really counting on being able to finish up Christmas surprises with a few quick errands, and no kids, or husband around. Not gonna happen!!! Christmas break has officially started 2 days early.

I will say that the kids love it, and it is nice that they can play outside again!! Snow is great for the holidays, so I am not going to start complaining until
Jan 2nd. If the snow has not magically melted away by then you might not want to read this blog anymore. You take for granted dry clear roads. It is days like today that I realize how far out of town we really live!

Gratitude

Thanksgiving weekend gave Brian and I some much needed down time with the family. We went to Seattle to stay with Annie and Tyler and have our 2nd annual Thanksgiving dinner at Salty's on Alki Beach. Probably the best food I have ever eaten. The girls about had a heart attack when they saw the size of the chocolate fountain. It was great to get away, spend time with my sis, and just have a lazy weekend.
I have so much to be thankful for.
Brian who is a fantastic husband, who has been so supportive. My going back to school has put a lot of additional pressure on him and he has not complained once. He makes sure we have a sitter at least once a week and I treasure our dates more than he knows!! He is such perfect balance of romantic, funny, serious, protective, encouraging, playful, sensitive etc. My friends still tease me that he has a huge crush on me, but I have one on him as well and I wouldn't change it for anything!!! Every day, I am grateful that our paths crossed, and I have no doubt that we were meant to be together forever!!!
Our kids, I wouldn't trade our crazy life ever!!! They are all so very different and that it what makes our family so fun.
Haley...The mellow one. I couldn't ask for a better example for the other kids. She is smart, pretty, nice, and has Brian's dry sense of humor. I love that she is old enough that I can talk to her like a friend.
Michael...my only boy. So maybe I complain about the dirt and the destruction, but i love him just the same. He has a heart that will not quit. When he decides he wants to do something he goes for it, and puts in whatever time and sacrifice needed to achieve his goal. He is also a best friend to Sydnee. They bring out the best in each other and it is so fun to watch them in action.
Sydnee....My tenderhearted one. As long as everyone else is happy so is Sydnee. She is forever looking out for the underdog. Often when she comes home from school she tells me about things going on in all of her friends lives, and shares in their joy and sorrow as if they were her own. She can make a new friend with anyone in about 3 seconds, and sees the best in all people. I used to worry that she would get walked on by people, but I have noticed that people rise to the occasion around her. She sees the best in them and that is how they are around her!! Kelsei...such a strong will. So shy and quiet in public, so in your face at home. She makes all of us laugh all the time. She loves to play, and dance and sing and dress up. She is the ultimate girly girl. I love how she struts out of her room in the morning to ask Brian and I if her outfit is "fashionable" or "hip-hop". I love that she wears the same black skirt every day, whether it be as a skirt, as a top, over her jeans, as a head wrap whatever...she is just Kels, and I love it!!!
Brian and I both have great parents and siblings and friends, and I am so very grateful for all of them, and the roles they play in our lives.
Hope all of your holidays are fantastic!!

Family Pictures

A dear family friend came to town a few weeks ago to take family pics for us. She is amazing. We had so much fun and got so many great shots. Thank you Kristin!!
P.S. Kristin is more then willing to come back if any of you want her to take your photos. Let me know! (I am thinking of having her come back when the leaves change!!) Check out her work at... www.kristinkanenwisherphotography.blogspot.com

We LOVE school

1st day of school

The kids are back in school and I must say I am really impressed with the teachers they have this year!! After being home with them for most of the summer, I am even more grateful for fantastic teachers that are interested in the kids. I think that the girls are just as excited to get out of the house!

We were lucky enough to spend this last weekend my sister and her husband. They flew in for a fast and furious weekend of fun. We took them to Silverwood on Saturday. Annie was such a great sport, as she really doesn't like roller coasters, but didn't want to be the one to be a party pooper either. So we went ahead and took her on everything. We ate so much sugary, deep fried (delicious) junk that both Ann and Tyler had serious sugar highs/lows and left Spokane not feeling so well. My kids are so lucky to have such a cool Aunt and Uncle. It's always so much fun to spend time with them. We miss them already!!
Tyler, Annie, Sydnee and Kelsei

Brian the roller coaster "junkie"

0 to 60...overnight

Okay, so now that our fantastic, relaxing, calm summer break is over, I will fill you in on whats happening in September.
1) All kids are back in school. Kelsei is in 1st grade this year, so they are all in school, A L L D A Y!!!
2) Because of this I have decided to work 4 days a week instead of 2 like I have for the past few years.
3) I applied, interviewed, and was accepted to be part of the first EFDA program for the state of Washington. This is just an add-on to the degree I already have. I will be able to place fillings when I am done and I am super excited about this. This will, however, be night school Tues and Thurs and Saturday mornings for the next 2 quarters. This program came at the perfect time in my life and I am so excited to be able to be a part of this opportunity!! I am so lucky to have such a great husband who supports me 100% and will help keep me sane. He is taking on alot more with the kids activities and school, and I don't know if I could do this without him!!
4) We are moving to our new house (the same week school starts for me)


I think that is about it for major changes in our life. I usually do really well under pressure (except for the OCD/type A part of me that will no doubt come out). So with that being said, blogging might be more regular too. Or, I could be totally delusional, in way over my head, and this blog entry could be my last one till March!! Wish me luck, and please understand if I am bad at returning phone calls and e-mails for the next little bit, it is nothing personal!!

Summer Memories

It's hard to believe that school starts tomorrow for the kids! This has been one awesome summer and I am sad to see it go!! Since I am so behind on blogging, I will just show the highlights of how we spent this summer...

Sprinklers, lots of sprinklers...


Goofy pictures of our kids...courtesy of Brian


Bike wrecks (daily)


Parks


The Beach


Baby Elyanna (8/8/08) Great Birthday isn't it? And NO people, Brian and I did not have a baby! Good Heavens, four is more than enough for us !!! This is even better... I have a niece!!! I get to hold her, love her, and hand her off to her mom and dad when she starts to cry. I LOVE IT!!!!!


Hiking (and playing with snakes)




GOODBYE SUMMER!!!!!

Kelsie's 1st visit from the Tooth Fairy

I have wanted this to happen for so long, so why am I sad that my BABY IS GROWING UP???? Kelsei lost her first baby tooth a few days ago. It is not just the fact that her teeny, tiny, adorable teeth are getting loose and falling out. It is not just that she is done with kindergarten and on her way to first grade. I just realized that because circumstances were not necesarily easy or ideal when she was born that I told myself over and over that life would be so much easier when Kels hits first grade, and here we are. Now yes, life is much easier and I am so happy where we are at, I just think I may have missed out on so many of the cute things about her being a baby as I was in such a hurry to get out of the bad situation I was in when she was born. With that being said, I was excited to see the tooth come out, as it has been hanging by one little piece of tissue for the past few weeks. It would flop forward as she talked and it hurt her to eat. One great thing I should mention about the Tooth Fairy is...she is so smart. Even when we forgot to have Kels put her tooth under her pillow, the tooth fairy knew the tooth was in the car, and left the $ there...PHEW!!!

Valley Kids Triathlon 2008

Sydnee decided that she wanted to participate in triathlons this summer. (Shocker.. I know, and yes, Brian is thrilled!) Michael has done "Valley Kids" for the past 2 years and convinced Sydnee that she should do it this year also. They have been having "triathlon practices" every day, and love to race the neighbor kids on bikes. So today we went and watched Michael compete with the 9-10yr olds and then Sydnee got to do her 1st race in with the 7-8yr olds. They both did fantastic. They had a lot of fun, and now that this is "old hat" for Sydnee, she can not wait for the next triathlon in a few weeks. I love that Brian encourages the kiddo's to stay active, and does not put any pressure on them to win. However, what touched me the most today was how much Sydnee looked up to Michael for encouragement. The sweetest part of the race was when Sydnee started to slow down on the run and out of nowhere, Michael and Kelsei and Haley were at her side, running the rest of the way (1/2 mile) with her. Michael was still tired from his race, and Kels was in a jean mini-skirt and high-heel sandals, but they didn't even think twice about that. They stayed by her side and finished with her!! I am so proud of all of my kids and what awesome people they are becoming!
P.S. They only reason Kelsei didn't do the triathlon is that she is a few months to young, however, Brian has no doubt that she is by far our most athletic (and angry) child. She is faster then any kid we know (boy or girl) Heaven help us all when Kels and Bri start getting serious about her future as a triathlete!!

Skating Party

Well, it's official, all of the kids are out of school. It is crazy to think that next year Haley will be in 7th, Michael in 4th, Sydnee in 3rd, and Kelsei in 1st!! We are so looking forward to our summer together. Being that yesterday was the last day of school, some friends of ours had a roller skating party for the kids. The kids had a great time, but the funnest (is that even a word?) part was watching my husband. Now let me start by saying he is an incredible athlete, but when he put on those skates last night he turned into the most uncoordinated man I have ever seen!!!! Haley and I laughed so hard! He did get better as the night went on, but at first I couldn't even let him help skate with the kids. I was afraid he would take them down with him! (sorry babe, but you know it is true!) Anyways, as always, it was a great family night, and everyone slept sooooo good last night!!

Fieldtrips

With the end of the school year so close, the last few weeks are nothing but field trips and partys! I volunteered to go on both Sydnee's and Kelsei's class trips. (sounded like a good idea at the time, and isn't this why I stay home so I can do this stuff with the kids????) So Kelsei's was last week, I get to school and find out that there are 31 parents there to take the 35, that's right 35, kindergartners on the trip. HELLO... I've never taught kindergarten (and have no desire to do so) but isn't that a lot of parents?? Why were we getting notices for weeks about the need for volunteers for this trip?? Anyways, we loaded up on to the school bus. (an experience in itself) and headed downtown, rode the carousel, played at the park, at at the Olive Garden, and watched a play. The kids had fun. I love this age, there are no clicks. You are best friends with whatever kid you are standing next to. When do we outgrow that and start to judge others and ourselves?



Sydnee's field trip was on Monday. Interestingly, the parent/student ratio dropped significantly. Are kids not as fun in 2nd grade?? I think they are, and we had zero "potty emergencys" which is more then I can say for Kelsei's class trip. So off we went in the big yellow bus again. This time to watch the dolphin movie on the IMAX and then to Manito Park for a scavenger hunt. We had a great time. Sydnee is really growing up fast, and it was great to hang out with her for the day.

Brian's Birthday

We had so much fun with Brian's Birthday. We rented the hummer limo, and picked him up at work to surprize him. We told him that we could go anywhere he wanted, and what did my sweet husband do??? Seeing how much fun the kids were having, he asked them if they wanted to go pick up all the neighbor kids and let them ride with us. Of course the kiddos jumped at this opportunity, so Brian's 39th birthday was spent driving around Spokane (and stopping at McDonald's no less) with all of the kids in our neighborhood. This is why I love this man. He always puts our little family first. I'm sure our kids had more fun than Dad did, but what a great memory!!!

Sydnee turns 8!!

So Sydnee turned 8 and thus begins the birthday madness for the whole family. Brian and all four kiddos have birthdays in the next 6 weeks. Yes it is crazy. The kids love it because it basically means a party every week!! And when "birthday fever" is over, summer is here!! It is so fun to help them plan what they want to do and to see how different each one of them is. Sydnee chose a slumber party with a few friends. I took them to see Horton hears a Who. Best movie quote..."In my world everyone is a pony, and they eat rainbows, and poop butterflies." I'm pretty sure my I.Q. is lower just from watching the movie!! Anyways...Sydnee had so much fun with her friends it was worth it!!! I love to listen to the kids laugh