Blog gone crazy...

To those of you who glance at the blog every now and then. I am sorry that I have not posted anything new in a couple of weeks. It has been busy. So what follows are pictures of birthdays and Thanksgiving. I have included LOTS of pictures with little commentary. I hope you enjoy them. And next time...I hope to not have to post all of them at once and overwhelm you but do it over time so that it keeps you coming back for more and not being disappointed when you check it and there is nothing new. I was hoping to put some pictures up of our adventure to get a Christmas tree today. But alas...I realized I had forgotten the battery for the camera at home. Sorry.

Thanksgiving 2007...

Jack and Rynn watching some football or the parade...I can't remember. Uncle Jason and Rynn posing with their..."I have been watching too much t.v. faces and have tuned everything else out." Eleanor didn't quite know how to make that face, so she gave me a great smile.
Aunt Caroline being tackled by the kids. She was wanting to take their picture, but they wanted to wrestle - which was theme over they time they were down. Right after this, we got in the car and went to the park to blow off some Thanksgiving steam of being in the house too long.
Aunt Caroline reading to the 2 little ones...
Eleanor talking on the phone to someone...
We had a wonderful time with Jason and Caroline and the girls. They came down to eat and spend the night. The kids love being together and playing. It was a good time of food and memories. We loved they were willing to journey down us.

A Thanksgiving feast at preschool...

Jack had his celebration of Thanksgiving at preschool...they made vests, headbands, necklaces, and drums. Jack was okay with his necklace. He really didn't want to wear his headband, but I got him to do it with a little coercing. His drum he loved, but wanted to take the top off of it and use it to carry around his toy cars and trains instead of beating it. And the vest...well let's say it never made it onto his body.
However, Molly was ready to pick up the slack. She donned his vest, and somehow got a drum from a little girl that was not there that day. She walked along with his class in the front and was part of the production (which was another class dressed as the pligrims with a paper boat they held as they walked down the sidewalk to the "indians" until they came together). She loved it and I thought that maybe she should go to preschool and Jack stay home with him in the future.
But I think I just decided that Jack is a lot like me when it comes to public productions and putting yourself out there - we would rather stand back and watch. I saw a lot of me in him that day. I was never into being on stage or performing for others. In fact when I did have to compete for gymnastics meet, there was a time I made myself sick. I do not like people looking at me. It was a fun day at preschool, and we still have the drum to haul cars around in. YEAH!

Family pictures...

We had a wonderful visit with Grammy, Pops, Oma, & Opa to celebrate all of the November birthdays that we have in the family. It was a great and fast trip. We did not get great pictures that were formally posed because let's face it, we have a 2 and a 4 year old. They do not sit long for their picture to be taken. Besides, we have lunch to feed them, diapers to be changed, naps to be taken, etc - your time is not your own. However, we have lots of good memories stored in our heads and the rest of you will have to just imagine and gaze at the few pictures we were able to capture.

Jack's Birthday...

Jack opening his presents...excited that he got to wear his Oregon Duck jersey and really excited to have his own baseball that is not pink since he was playing with Molly's pink one all week that she got for her birthday. Jack got to play outside on the playground at preschool for his birthday. It was a wonderful sunny day for him to turn 4 years old.
Jack was not so sure about everyone in his preschool class singing to him on his special day...either that or he was not thrilled about having to wear the birthday cake hat.
I tried really hard to get a good birthday picture of him for a special birthday book that I am starting for the family, but this is all I could get out of him. Jack does not love to have his picture taken and is really good at making a face that makes one smile when looking at the picture you got from him.

Molly's Birthday...

Molly opening her first presents...looking a little concerned because Jack was on the other side trying really hard to get her to let him open the presents!Molly showing us her artistic side with her new Doodle Pro. They both love to color and draw with this toy, however, everything seems to end up completely black on the screen like she is displaying in the picture below. I guess I need to get really big paper so they can create their maserpieces.
Molly, the mother already...
Molly, the princess, for the first time...

Molly loved the tap tap of her new shoes. It is so fun to see her as a princess. Molly had a great time turning 2, and I am firm in believing that on that day her switch flipped and she decided to act like a 2 year old as well. She is still as sweet as ever, but there is a new side to her that sometimes makes you laugh and sometimes makes you want to pull your hair out in exhaustion.

Jack, Molly, and the cousins...

Uncle Jason, Aunt Caroline, Rynn, and Eleanor came down to visit us last weekend. These are the few pictures we were able to capture of the kids. Jason was great enough to do the bedtime story reading to the kids. Jack, Rynn, and Eleanor all slept in Jack's room, and loved it. They did their fair share of talking, but eventually fell fast asleep. It was a great time to spend together.

Halloween...

Jack getting ready to throw the football for the Oregon Ducks. We tried to convince him to wrap an ace bandage around his knee and he could be a "lame duck" but alas we did not win. He was dressed up for his preschool Halloween party. Molly comes along to drop Jack off at preschool every Tuesday and Thursday, and she usually gets to hang around long enough to play a little. This is her trying to play while annoying mom wants to take her picture. She gave in enough to turn her head and say "cheese" for me. She is little red riding hood. She loves the cape.
I got the two of them to pose for me outside of Jack's classroom, but neither really wanted to look at me.
This is right before we went out to go trick or treating on Halloween. Molly did not want to take the picture. She wanted to have the camera. I finally got her calmed down enough to take a real picture by using the old standby - bribe her with candy if she only smiled for me! Don't you think the rainboots make the outfit - it wasn't even raining but she loves her cherry rainboots.
Jack was waiting in line at preschool to go in and start the Halloween party. I think it is a great look for him, and I loved the white jail-looking backdrop.

More pictures of the addition...

Well, we are nearing the end of our project. We got carpet on Friday. The kids and I sat in there all day long playing and running around. I am tempted not to get furniture. It is just such a great play space. We have little touches until it is totally complete. We are hoping to have the final inspection from the city in the middle of the week, so that we can use the room. We still have some siding to do on the outside and then we have the monster task of painting the siding, but we may not get to all of that until spring when we are sure it will not rain!