Swimming

Abra has had a new swimming break through...she can swim!! Here are some videos of the little swimmer in action. She usually does better "big arms" but she was intimidated by swimming the long way instead of the short way.

2nd tooth

I feel bad because I never actually posted a picture of Abra after losing her first tooth. Well, this weekend, she lost her second tooth and this time she didn't swallow it AND the Toothfairy wasn't skimpy with the cash! She got a whole dollar..verses a quarter for the first. That was the last time Daddy "talked" with the Toothfairy!

Welcome 2011!

Well, it has been a while since my last post. In fact, we have entered a new year:) The past few weeks have been filled with doing Christmas things like the church Christmas program where Abra was an angel with the other girls

Having the christmas party at school and loosing her first tooth (photo to be added later).

We got to see Santa SEVERAL timed this holiday season, but we especially liked when he was at the neighbors house the week before Christmas. Mrs. Claus even came down some days, but not the day we made it over.

We made a trip down to California to spend Christmas with Grandma Dorothy, Grandpa Jim, Uncle Matt, Aunt Jennifer, Ethan, Andrew and Collin. That was a lot of fun!!! We got lots of fun things and best of all, we got to spend Christmas with family!

The trip was cut a little short because of snow expected to shut the passes down, but that was good because we got home and everyone needed a few days recovery from the fun!

Now, we are back in the swing of things. Rich is working and trying to figure out away to squeeze fishing and hunting in his schedule. Abra is busy with preschool, dance class and we added swimming to her activities! I am busy cleaning up after them both and working on the yard!! ONE MORE WEEK and then the front yard will be clear of green vegetation!!!!! Then we can start working on making it look pretty and getting the side yards cleared and finally, THE BACK!!



charlie brown thanksgiving

we love to watch charlie brown videos associated with the holiday. i was talking with rich about having chicken since it was just us, and abra suggested we have a charlie brown thanksgiving...so we did for lunch. popcorn, pretzels, jellybeans and toast. i made her add some lunch meat to her toast. she loved our special lunch. rick joined us for dinner where we had ham, sweet potatoes, corn, apple pie and pumpkin pie. i think abra ate more than all of us. it was a nice, relaxing day that rich didnt have to go into work which has been rare lately.

halloween

Halloween fell on reformation sunday this year, so we had a busy day. abra and i went to church and had potluck afterwards, then we stopped and got a pumpkin because we hadn't done that yet, followed by a trip to walmart to pick up some groceries, finally home to carve the pumpkin and get ready to trick or treat.abra dressed up this year as barbie mariposa/butterfly fairy. when rich got home he took abra to the college and trick or treated around the dorms, then worked their way home.i got to stay home for the first time ever and pass out candy, do laundry, wash dishes, make dinner, you know, the things that you are grateful when everyone is out of the house so you can just get them done.overall, it was a huge success and abra has more than enough candy.

abra's 5th birthday

it just dawned on me that i never posted birthday pictures from a month ago.

Abra's helper

i had to stop abra from playing to do her chores, i guess the novelty has worn off. chris wanted to help so he helped put her clothes away, make her bed and even brush her teeth. yes, chris is moving abras arm for her while she held the toothbrush in place.

Snacktime fun!

Today, we had snack and art together!! I remember doing this as a kid, but we got the cookie cutters out, cut shapes out of bread and "painted" the bread using colored milk, and then into the toaster. The toaster, not the best choice, but it worked. I put homemade strawberry jam on their plate to dip the extra bread and their toast.

Children's museum with 3

I am watching two BOYS (rowdy, energetic, literally climbing the walls boys) and they are done playing at my house. Understandable considering it is too cold for pool (which has a hole courtesy of Shia), and most of the toys are girlie. I reserved the Children's museum pass from the library and thought we would give it a go. It is perfect ZOO weather, so the museum shouldn't be too packed...WRONG!!! After two days of rain, at the end of summer, MANY other families felt the Children's museum would be a GREAT idea! None the less, other than occasionally misplacing a kid (he thought it would be funny to hide from me in every exhibit), mission was accomplished. Chris fell asleep in the car and not a peep or movement during quiet time from Abra and Carl. I don't know why I bother with the right side of the museum because my favorite (and the kids) is the water and the big multi-space grocery store/pet hospital/ship/building thing. That is great!!

OMSI

(aka Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) Today was day one of the free weekend pass so the Hyppsters and us took the drive into Portland. Once there, our hyped up children had a blast. We did too until we started to lose the kids because there were so many people!

There is this battle of nature vs. nurture that amazes me! Rich LOVES lizards-me not so much. They stink and are gross (not to mention that I am the only one who feels pets need to be cleaned up after considering no dog poop was picked while I was gone, or other things cleaned up!!) WE WILL NOT (probably in the VERY FAR FUTURE) BE GETTING A REPTILE!

I very well might be mistaken, but I think that this might have been the first time I have ever seen a real T-Rex skeleton! Wait, there might have been one in Chicago, but I don't really remember much about my 8th grade field trip and I didn't take the time to go while in school...bummer. Anyway, I think that I was more interested in it than anyone else in the group!

They had this fabulous green screen that went with a weather program. Abra REALLY enjoyed seeing herself on tv!!

They had some space things and this cut-out was super cute. Does NASA need a rockstar?

Yard work

We are back and have the house somewhat clean. I still need to put the clothes away, but what is the hurry right:) Well, Friday was Rich's birthday and since he had to work, we went out last night and celebrated after nap time!

Today, however, was very labor intensive. Rich split logs to get them ready for firewood and even Abra helped! After all the hard work was done...POOL TIME!!!

I was minding my own business when a certain Juniper bush attacked me, so it had to go!!! Only one more left!

Field of dreams

After many years of trying to make it to Dyersville to visit the field of dreams. Today, that was our mission!! We packed a lunch and had to eat it on the benches and watched a few random families do a pick-up game of baseball. It was great fun!!

After everyone left, we had the field to ourselves to hit a few balls

Practice running the bases.

Hid in the corn.

The fair

Erin came over to the Fabulous Delaware County Fair. It was RIDICULOUSLY HOT AND HUMID. That is all I have to say about that! We walked around, but couldn't stand it, so we went and got real Chinese food. Then went back to the fair and rode a few rides, listened to a christian concert and then went home for a shower. After Abra was asleep, we headed to Beavers for a few drinks then to bed. We really aren't that exciting!

The welcoming party

Here is the welcoming party off of the plane. Hayden REALLY likes Abra's roller luggage.

The Boat

A few weeks ago, Jim and Dorothy brought up their boat. Rich has been wanting a boat since moving up to Oregon. They had one that they probably wouldn't use much any more, so we have a boat!! It is a 1984 Seaswirl in pretty darn good condition. It needs some cosmetic love, but it has been well loved. We finally got it out on the water this weekend after a little work, a battery and some gas and it was great!!! Hagg Lake is so much more fun on the water! I can't wait to take it camping!!!

Abra spent most of her time in the cabin of the boat. She really liked the port-a-potty!! She was on it all the time!

Rich looks really hot driving the boat!! He thought I was being sarcastic, but I am super serious!

And there is the VanDerJagt!! Thats all I can say about that:)