Tornado hits Aumsville!!!

At 11:40am today a tornado hits the little town of Aumsville. No warning. Damage as close as 4 blocks from our house. We had no damage and are all ok.
The majority of the damage took place on and around main-street.

A visit from the parents!

I just cant keep those folks away these days! Its always nice to have the parents come to town!!! This was a short weekend visit but we did pack as much in as we could!
Unfortunately all 3 of us have been coming down with a cold, so we were not quite as active as we coulda been....
The kids decorating the tree....this was from a few days ago, but I still had to post it, partially because of how cute they are, but also to show the affection they are giving!!!


Moose building Lego's.

Even Grandma gets down there and plays with Lego's! Such a trooper!


My dad. Big Bear. He is a keeper!!!


Bob came out and kicked the parents butts in Cribbage......or did they let him win.....doubtful they are pretty competitive when it comes to Cribbage!!!

We got the outside of the house decorated!!! Some people have one xmas tree....some have 4.....


And in true Oregon fashion it poured down rain while we did our decorating!!! But like true Oregonians and Washingtonians we sucked it up and didn't let the rain stop us!!!

So now they are off, on their way home they are stopping off at Crystal Mountain to visit Reid. Then home to finish the xmas prep.....and we will be heading that way in a week!

My Girl

This girl brings me an abundant amount of joy. She is growing up to be an awesome young lady. She has a sense of humor that even a lot of adults don't have. Very funny and light hearted. She does great in school and is well liked by all.
It amazes me how your love can grow on a daily basis for your own child. You think when they are born that it's not possible to love them any more than you do at that moment, I was wrong!
Watching her grow, succeed, fail, learn, make her own choices. I am humbled daily.
Lucy Norma I love you girl!!!

To busy to blog.....lame excuse!

No joke, we have been busy and November just flew bye!!!!
A few highlights....went to a few duck games, mom came down for a visit and we got lots and lots of work done around here, Wrestling is in full swing with 2 nights a week of practices and tournaments on Saturdays, Thanksgiving, kids went to New York City with Marshall and his parents, Lucy turned 8.........

My back deck is taking shape! Got some of my yard art hung, strung lights all around, made some cool wine lights (more to come), added a few tables. Its looking great and now I cant wait for nice weather so we can entertain out there!


My neighbor saw mom and I out in my front yard digging in the dirt and said he could not stand back and watch us work that hard.....next thing I know he has a rototiller and did the entire front for us! Now to get cracking, I mean planting!!!!



You know how some people look like their dogs? Well Mom and I look like our wine.....she is blond and drinks white, I am a red head and drink red.......We had a great visit. So nice to have her around!!!


Caymus won first finally!!! That was his goal for this wrestling season! He took a lot of seconds last year and really wanted a first!!! He rocked and accomplished his goal at his second tournament!


My baby turned 8. Hard to believe. Really, I can still remember what it felt like to have her growing inside of me. She has grown to be an amazing girl. I am so proud of her and love her more every day.



Got our tree up! It looks great and smells even better!



My little Roaches!

Yep I am a good sport!!! Got to be Clifford at the Schools spirit assembly!!!!

October, a very fine month....

We really took on October like nobodies business!!! A very busy month it was for sure. Packing, moving and unpacking. Soccer 2 nights a week and every Saturday. Lucy did a cheer camp that included a performance at a high school football game. I made it down to a Duck game with some friends. My parents came out for a visit. We had a Halloween party. I really am getting tired just talking about it......


Lucy, me and Caymus at the Cascade HS Football game that Lucy cheered at. She was so cute and when I asked her if she liked cheering her reply was "duh mom, I was born to do this!" Ok then!!!
Lucy and Raine chilling before the football game.


Caymus has been taking golf lessons....his coach thinks he is the next Tiger Woods....(hopefully TW minus the cheating). I am so proud of my little man and cant wait for spring so we can really start playing together!!!


GO DUCKS!!! Went to watch my team play with some of my favorite peeps! Kim, Trevan and Rob. Had a blast!!!! This was Trevan's first game and the look on his face when we walked into the stadium was priceless!!!!
Me and Kim tailgating before the game!


My rocking soccer player!!! Lucy has really proven herself as an amazing goalie!


This kid just loves sports so much!!! He really enjoyed soccer this year!


This just cracks me up. The kid can be so serious sometimes!!! Posing for my mom while bathing.....


And now we take on November. So far the first few days of the month have been in the high 60s - low 70s....CRAZY!!!!! But loving it and soaking up as much sun as we possibly can!

Happy Halloween!

We sure know how to have some fun, let me tell you!

Friday was class room parties, Harvest party at school and a haunted house....Saturday was 2 soccer games in the rain, pumpkin carving and a Halloween party (at our house!), Sunday was a lazy morning and then dinner and trick or treating with friends.....you will be exhausted by the end of this post, just so you know....

The Harvest Party at school was put on by the PTC which I am a board member of (secretary and treasurer). So I did not have to work a booth, but I was a runner and a crazy one at that! We had a great turn out and everyone had a great time. So success!!!!
After the party my friend Kim and I decided to take the kids to a haunted house....good idea? Sure why not!!!

This is Kim and I, not a great quality photo, but we look good so I had to post!

Lucy being brave and posing with Chucky! Yes that is a real person in that picture!


Caymus being brave also...we had a good 20+ min wait before we could go through the HH, that was a good thing. It gave all the kids a chance to get used to the scary guys in masks trying (and succeeding) to scare us.


All the brave kiddos! Karsen - the inmate, Trevan - the camo ninja, Caymus - the pirate, Chucky, Lucy - the cowgirl, Jaci - the witch

Just so you know, we did all make it out alive....you probably already gussed that since I am writing this post, but let me tell you it was a close call! We could only go in groups up to 4 people....there were 7 of us....so I took my 2 and Jaci and Kim took Karsen and Trevan....I had Jaci on my back and one kid on each arm....they all screamed the ENTIRE time! I, being the amazing mom I am, laughed the ENTIRE time.....Needless to say my kids slept with me that night.


My pumpkins carving pumpkins. Love them so much!


I was a hippie for our party. Funny thing is I wore my moms old original hippie skirt and sweatshirt.........I wore this skirt in High School all the time. Yes I was that cool!

So Saturday night we had our first Halloween party. The kids and I had been looking forward to this for a good month and a half. We decorated the house up pretty well and had loads of food. Had some of our very favorite people here to party down with us too!


Miss Jaci the most beautiful witch I have ever seen!


Lt J Dangle even showed up!!! Who called Reno 911???? Bob was a great sport, he only hand cuffed the willing......


Raine and Kim

Robby and Kim - brother/sister love, but not in a creepy back woods kinda way.
Pops - he tried to kiss me and he lost his teeth....


Paulette the geisha. She looks amazing!!!!

Now I am really wishing I took pictures of everyone who came, but at least I remember to take my camera out at all!!!
We had a great time and I think this will be a yearly tradition. So much fun!!!

Sunday we headed back out, had dinner at the truck driver Pops and geisha Paulettes house, then trick or treated around the neighborhood. Good times for sure. Great weather too!


I busted out my army gear.....

Lucy and Caymus the Pirate and Cowgirl!

CrAzY KiDz!!! Karsen, Caymus and Lucy

Happy Halloween!!!!!!