Costume Fun and More

Willem and Strawberry Shortcake - aka Addie are great friends!

The Let's Pretend Party at Happy Hearts sounded like a hit.

The children were sooo cute!!

I think that dalmation is adorable too.

I loved this popcorn costume! This is Jordan.

 Willem --- Dale Jr!

Then last night, Willem, Hazel and I enjoyed the Harvest

Party at church. It is always so

well organized and fun for the kids!

Willem was going for more of a spooky look!

Hazel was a sweet little love bug and I was a bee.

The following pictures I hesitated posting. The boys were baking with me and Merit cracked BOTH eggs.
Cracking eggs is both boys favorite part. Willem must have had a long day because he melted down. He so badly wanted to crack that second egg!  But look how quickly Willem turned it around. That is what is so funny about this kid. TOTAL tears and twenty seconds later, a great big smile!

 Last Halloween!! Oh I love this picture!

Ten day old Hazel.

The boys are so excited to go trick or treating tonight. I will

be back with more pictures. :)

Day trip, fun with my kids, handmade goodies, praying friends

Yesterday, Willem, Hazel and I took a little day trip. Heading to Wenatchee with these two and admiring sights along the way was so good for the soul. They both did very well and we had a great day! We hit Ross -- love that store, Old Navy, Target and Craft Warehouse. We rarely shop out of town. I think I have been to Wenatchee to shop once in the past year, so this was an adventure for us. Willem was excited to see all the fall colors, the towns we passed and the pumpkins and apples for sale alongside the road.
This little produce shop is sooo cute!

Tons of soup mixes inside, homemade soaps, handmade jewelry, lattes, fresh produce. I wanted to get a few shots of this place. I hopped out of the car, camera in hand and took a pic of the front of the store. The store owner was getting out of his farm truck as I was taking pictures with a big goofy grin on my face. He said "WHY did you just take a picture of the entrance to this store?" He looked irritated. I explained that my children and I were on a day trip and I was getting shots of our adventure for a possible scrapbook or blogging opportunity. He looked "bugged". PEOPLE. Do these people not know that entrances to produce stands/gift shops are blog worthy. Well pal, you're welcome for the free advertising. :) I will say, as we were leaving with apples, tomatoes, fresh sourdough bread and a latte, he gave me a nice smile and we were on our way. Whitetrail Produce is worth your time if you are in the Quincy Area.

I picked up this coffee table a few weeks ago at Goodwill. It is super

sturdy, I gave it a coat of brown paint and had plans for it as a kids

table in our playroom. Yesterday on our shopping trip, I was looking for kids chairs, stools or ottomans

to work with it. The ottomans were at Ross for $19.99 each! YAY! Perfect for storage and they work as littlechairs to go with our thrift store table. Hazel prefers the blue

recliner, a sweet gift from Uncle Jim and Aunt Vicki.

I can't tell you how much time the kids have spent around this table

over the past twenty four hours!

I am going to activate my Etsy shop again. Please stay tuned! I hope to open it by November 5th.

These cards are a sample of some of what you will see.

I will offer handmade items that could be perfect Christmas gifts.:)

 Little Miss Blue Eyes LOVES being outside!

 Willem is quite the golf cart driver! He's got his foot to the pedal and he is raring to go.

I have been sooo blessed by FRIENDSHIPS this week!!!

I have asked for prayer for my sis Natasha and the sweet blessing to be born anyday,

for some things going on in my life,

for God's clarity... I love having friends who pray.

Treasure hunts, flank steak, life ;)

Let me tell you about a flank steak gone wrong.

Help. I try to be creative. I work at meal planning even with my completely random, haphazard personality. So, I heard my FIL say he often buys flank steaks and that if prepared well, they are so tender. Vance and Merit much prefer red meat and pork over chicken, so I am always trying to generate new pork and red meat recipes. I decided it might be fun to add flank steak to the rotation. I rubbed it down with garlic and pepper and marinated it in soy sauce and tobasco.  I let it marinate for about five hours. The marinade recipe I looked into also called for vermouth, but I am not sure I even know what that is. And if I had to make a trip to the liquor store, I would walk out with tequila and margarita mix and then my guess is my flank steak would have gone even more wrong. I am not a big drinker, but offer me a margarita and I won't refuse.

Anyway

Vance got home and said a "salty marinade" is never a good idea. And soy sauce is so salty. BUT, the recipe online posted by who knows who four years ago said it was flavorful and tender. So, I knew it would be. ;)

Cooking a flank steak isn't the easiest of tasks. I had plans to broil it, but Vance BBQ'd it and it was ok.

After a not so great dinner, I broke a plate in the kitchen and could hardly keep Hazel out while I attempted sweeping and spot mopping. Then a sink FULL if dishes was starring at me along with the boys dinner plates that looked almost untouched. So now, I need to know if you have a good flank steak recipe or a good crock pot recipe --- any old crock pot recipe. I love using my crock pot in the fall and winter.

Merit's team, the Chargers, won their last soccer game yesterday! Oh it has been an exciting season! This last game was fantastic! They have all improved so much. Merit scored 3 goals - he was so fun to watch. We have gotten to know the parents of Merit's team and we enjoyed lunch after the game at his coach's house.  I took engagement pictures yesterday afternoon -- a beautiful couple!
Hazel is at a fabulous age - toddling around, interacting, teasing us... she is SO fun!

Willem is my buddy! I love making memories with this sweet kid. 

I love fall.

 Always on the hunt for daddy! Hazel's sporting her new ADORABLE birthday coat from Grandma Alma

and her new darling boots from Gramma Adie!!

Aunt Lissa, I need you to trim these bangs! My mom tried and ummmm they're better but I need your help!
love, Hazel

 Fall of 2010 has been BEAUTIFUL! And one thing the boys and I enjoy about once a week is a treasure hunt! I will pick up a favorite snack at the grocery store or a pack of sports trading cards at Goodwill. I then draw a map with lots of instructions to be read as well and they HUNT! It is so fun!

 Willem needed a better view from half way up a tree!

                                                                TREASURE FOUND!
                                                  Now back up to the house to enjoy the loot!

sweet girl... with her new hair clip made by Auntie Natasha! And by the way, my sweet sis Natasha could have her baby girl any day. Please pray for them. We are so thankful for this baby girl who will arrive soon~

Celebrating Hazel Jane

Our little girl on her birthday!!

 Football fun!

                                                   Digging into the cake -- and sharing!!
Hazel loved her cake!! She has a sweet tooth. The boys loved celebrating her! Hazel, these boys adore you. You are so fortunate to have them.

                                                             How do you like it Will??

Is our baby really one? This is hard for me, but I know the next stage will

be wonderful. Tears before bed for me...

but what a fantastic day and what a sweet girl!

The evening ended with the boys trading football cards and Hazel and her new

baby doll watching.

Happy 1st Birthday Hazel!!!

I thank God for this precious, sweet girl!!

Hazel, we love you sooo much!! Happy Birthday beautiful girl!

Sports Weekend

GO HUSKIES!

The Husky Game Saturday night was incredible!! Two overtimes, lots of action, a WIN!! YAY!! Our family drove to Seattle Saturday afternoon. Vance and the boys headed to the game with Matt while Lesha, Hazel and I had some girl time! My nephew Kai and bro in law were also at the game... so my boys got to see their cousin Kai too!

Earlier in the day Saturday we enjoyed Merit's soccer game. His team is playing soo well together!! They are a blast to watch!!

 Hazel, taking it all in

The boys are excited for Halloween and Harvest parties... Merit plans to dress up like

a football player. Willem has sort of a scary costume... I ran

acrossed this picture today and got the giggles!! Willem was a very cute Ninja!

And Merit's superman move there is pretty cool!

This picture was taken two years ago.