soaking up these kids, life on Crab Creek, a good weekend...

She lets him move her furniture around, knock over tea parties with his chunky toddler hands and scoot into her play area. She is the best big sister a kid could ask for. 

On the days that Hazel does not have pre-school in the morning, they will sometimes play in her room for an hour or two. 

Lately when she has her play all set up she sometimes does ask me if I can "extract" him (distract him) so she can finish her game. But she asks in the nicest way. 

What a sweet retreat

Willem Vance

The sky was so pretty Saturday, we had a bit of a storm in the afternoon. We all sat cozied up in the cabin when the little storm came through.

Our whole family got some time at the cabin on Saturday.

Merit, Will and Vance panned for gold. :) 

The weekend is here!

Oren Paul

We have had such a beautiful fall! 

October is one of my favorite months of the year.

The Eagles had a great football season! 

Merit, #94

Merit and Reese

What a supporter this friend -- Sandy -- has been!! 

And here is Sandy with Merit and her darling grandson, Jackson.

Love her!

The weekend is here! Football season is behind us. Basketball starts next week. 

These days are great for hiking, bike riding, sitting in the yard... maybe we can get some of that this weekend.

Today Willem had his jog a thon school fundrasier. Willem ran A LOT of laps!! He had fun! 

The weather was gorgeous.

These are the days!

I love you Oren Paul

Whenever I go to the fabric department I think of my sis Natasha and my friends Katie A., Shelli and Maria -- I have handmade treasures around my house sewn with love by these ladies! I texted Natasha yesterday and shared that I was buying fabrics for a fall bunting. She informed me that their WalMart in Kodiak doesn't have a fabric department. ugh. No pumpkin patches in Kodiak and no fabric department. And limited a lot of things! So I have decided I will send her some Christmas fabrics to have some fun with -- if she is up for that with a darling newborn.

Our cabin is painted! Vance pretty much picked the color and I love what he picked!

I decided to look back at my blog today.
It has been a joy to document these moments in time, I laughed a bit though because some of our story is told through my blog, but the moments of rushing around, hollering "do I have any clean socks?" and my trying to keep up isn't depicted. Life is full. There are days I am spread thin, but for the most part things are so great. I love the ages and stages of these kids!

We really do soak up these kids. There is a lot of laughter in this house. There is also some tears. There is a lot of working together and some argueing.

I LOVE raising these kids in the country. It is a huge blessing. Running around out here, golf cart rides, gardening, hiking... it is really fun.

Crab Creek, Autumn Air

Oren Paul

I was challenged by my friend Sharon to do a Gratitude Post on FB. Three things I am grateful for each day for five days. It has been good! I think I may make it a seven day challenge though because I have several more things I want to list and only one day left. 

Oh I am thankful for this little boy!!! He is such a blessing! A bonus baby who brings us a lot of joy.

Yesterday late morning my Aunt Jill and Jeff stopped by! It was so good to see them. Jill had never visited us in our house in Moses Lake. It was fun to catch up. They are headed back down to Texas after a summer on Whidbey.

Yesterday we spent the afternoon down by the creek. The weather was so beautiful! I love the crisp Autumn air. The boys fished, Vance built a fire. Oren soaked in the sights, Hazel pretended.

This imaginative sweet girl made a "salad." She pretended to have a "camping spot" next to ours. 

The other day it rained off and on all day. 

The rain is a treat here because we don't get much of it. 

Hazel and I ran out and picked flowers for a bouquet for our kitchen. 

We also picked some tomatoes and squash.

I love the above picture of the rain bouncing off of the table.

These homegrown veggies have been a treat.

Grasses along Crab Creek

Vance and me

It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon! 

I have two photo shoots tonight, another tomorrow night. 

My camera is out and ready. I love capturing sweet moments in time! 

Merit, Will, Hazel and Oren... life around here!



These two LOVE playing in Hazel's room.

Tonight Hazel asked me if she could take my camera outside. I told her yes. The boys were playing catch and this is a shot she got of Willem! I think it is great!!

Sending this girl off to pre-school has been a bit harder than both of us imagined.

I am so very thankful that I have a daughter. I do feel, however, that I am a better "boy mom".

Hazel has a very kind heart and is sensitive. She has had some hurt feelings in pre-school. :( lots of good experiences too though and lots of learning.  I will keep encouraging her and helping her be a kind friend. I will help her feel good about herself. Girls are SO much different than boys! 

Today she had a great day at pre-school! We are both smiling!

Garden baby.

This guy has gotten GOOD at basketball. I play him often and MAN, I want to be able to beat him. Those days may be over.

We are getting into the swing of things with school. Three different start and end times for Merit, Will and Hazel and a little guy who often has his nap interrupted, but happy kids, enjoying life. Fall football is going great for Merit too.