I saved some of them!

I was awoken this fine snowy morning to 2 boys very worried that the power had just gone out. Not so much worry for the fact that the refrigerator and fireplace blowers didn't work, as much as the fact that they couldn't watch their cartoons or movies. SO I drag myself out of bed and decided that while they didn't have any distractions, it was a perfect opportunity to get the basement cleaned up. However, as I walk down the last few stairs I notice a smell coming from the bedroom with the fish tank. I turn the corner to see a murky mess, and no filter going (because of the power outage). I screamed, ready to beat the 3 year old, when Jackson says, "It wasn't me... it was JACOB!" I was 1st stunned, not because he is known for his good judgment, but he has known for quite a while that he is not supposed to touch the fish (as this has happened once before just after we got the poor creatures).

So I get to the interrogation and find out that he was worried that the fish wouldn't be fed, we have an electric feeder, because of the power outage. I was ready to apologize to him for losing it when he was really trying to help. Then I suddenly realized that the fish feeder is battery operated! I clearly see 1 fish dead and 1 fading quickly. In the course of the clean up I find 4 dead, while 3 fish and 1 recluse sucker fish made it through. What a morning. BUT... the power is back on so now I can clean all by my self while the kids are "distracted" once again. BOYS!!!

A few memories from when the weather was warm

Jake won a game against John and Jackson. He was excited, Jackson... not so much.


My kids don't use binkies when they are babies, but at about 3 they think they are fun to play with :)


Jamison learned he loved "Poppet doe" Translation- Chocolate Milk.


Uncle Brooks takes his BBQ very seriously! :)



Hearst Castle on my birthday while we were in California this summer. Thanks for joining us Neely!

We are still alive! Barely!

I suddenly realized just how long ago it was I updated the blog. Sorry to all you faithful blog followers. To be fair, in my very first post I put in a disclaimer that I wasn't sure how long I would keep this going. :)

It was a long, hot and technology deprived summer for us. We went to The Salmon River High Adventure Base to work again (Scout Camp). I know... I swore there was no way in HELL I would go back, but some offers just seem too tempting when your money deprived. I cooked again and John was the C.O.P.E Director (team building activities) and got to kayak every day too. I had a wonderful cook with me, which made our jobs way easier, but then the sickness settled in. It just wasn't enough for me to be hot, tired and dirty all the time, I had to add morning sickness into it(evening sickness in my case)

I found out I was expecting our 4th on July 5th, and the sickness stayed until into September. You know how when you get sick and your body associates the last thing you ate with that sickness, so every time you see or smell it you feel sick all over again? Well that is how I feel about Salmon right now. It took me years to even be able to look at BBQ sauce after Jackson, so it may be that long before I can even look back on this summer with fond memories. :) Oh... and did I mention that we are supposed to be having a GIRL!!! :)

The boys had the time of their lives though, just to spite me I think. Jamison was funny to watch adjust to his surroundings. There was a soft dirt patch in between the kitchen and the cabin we slept in. If I ever lost him, almost without fail, I could find him sitting in, rolling in or blowing the powder dirt all over himself. He was never clean! The other two made friends with the camp directors boys and played video games all day. Normally this would bother me, but it kept them safe and clean while I cooked during the day. Jackson did get to go real kayaking this year though. John took him down a flat stretch of water and while it scared to poop out of him once or twice, he loved it too. He even talks about holding his own kayaking class for the neighborhood kids this next summer. :) I guess that's what we get for getting him his own kayak.

Anyway... sorry for the big delay in contact. I hope to get some pictures and video of the summer on here soon.I hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday season and remembers to put Christ front and center in their lives.

Family pictures or a free for all?

I find it so funny how cute pictures seem to just come natural to some families and not so much to others. Ours falls into that "not so much" range. Never fails- if I schedule family pictures someone will be naughty, ornery or fall down and get facial stitches the day before. Fortunately,on this occasion, we just had the naughty and ornery boys. As much as I was not impressed with the overall photos, I thought the progression of my 2 year olds moods was too funny not to share. Jackson and Jacob really tried to be troopers, but with Jamison screaming in your ear or climbing all over you, it was a pretty tough job.