The holiday re-cap

Hazel made sure that all of the ornaments stayed on the tree...
The making of the ginormous candy train...do you see any train under there?
Poppy hiking in her newly acquired dress (made by grandma Edge) she wore it for four days straight!
The annual Christmas day 5k (we missed it last year due to the pinata accident). Hazel won the youngest participant award...Oscar ran the whole thing! I belive this is his first semi-official 5k. It was fun.
Aunt Rosie and her new boots!
O man working with his new Dremel tool...right up this boys alley. I laugh every time I see him in his safety glasses. He has now begun to wear a face mask too. He dosen't like the styrofoam going up his nose.
Poppy and the beutiful dress. The heaband was made by Aunt Emily.
This my friends was my gift from Rick and the kids...a dinner bell. I think this will be a present talked about for many years!

I'm sad to see the holidays go but grateful for the routines that the new year brings. Last year was really good to us. I'm looking forward to another. I think this was a landmark year for me as a mom. I am learning new ways of prioritizing our life and am finding comfort in simplicity. I'm learning that (as a neighbor recently told me) when raising kids "the days are long, but the years are short." I like being a mom. I really love it. I'm grateful that Rick works so hard so that I can be home with the kids. Because more than ever, I'm realizing that once they hit school years, things start moving much too quickly! Life is good!!!

Skiing...Family Style

We asked the kids if they would rather go skiing as a family for a few days, rather than get a big Christmas present. They were unanimous, and us parents were quite pleased with their decision.

(Poppy wanted a knife full of cream cheese with her breakfast...Oscar was showing his disgust)
We opted for Silver Mountain in Kellogg, ID with a handy little resort at the bottom of the Gondola that takes you to the top of the mountain. The condo was delightful with the added benefit of an indoor water-park. It was pretty sweet!
Especially because we had Auntie Rosa to accompany us...(aka our nanny) It was really nice having her to take care of Hazel while Rick and I spent some time on the slopes with Oscar and Poppy. It was also a bonus that she could keep an eye on the Popster when she earned a good break on her first day. We all enjoyed her company! Thanks Rosie for coming with us!
Oscar took to the skis like a pro. Although, I inadvertently took him on a lift that may or may not have been a good idea. Needless to say, he and I made it down...it may have involved some tears, prayers and a good deal of coaxing that his mother did indeed KNOW where we were on the map. Yes Oscar, one day when you read this you will laugh.
Hazel hung out with Rosie in the lodge...she liked being bundled up in her suit.
Poppy was very happy about her hot chocolate on the gondola.
Here is Rick Oscar and Poppy on the magic carpet.
Does this look like the face of a girl who is having fun?
I love this picture...click on it so you can see the humor in it. Oscar was taking his lunch break( yes, Cheetos were the lunch of choice)Hazel liked the gondola too...it took about 30 minutes to go up or down. It was pretty relaxing though.

Rosie hanging out on the gondola...
Poppy's little spill and Oscar's snowplow...
Daddy and Miss P stayed together most of the time.
Oscar and me moments before loosing my favorite sunglasses off the lift. Ok maybe nit but it was sometime before I lost them...
I think they enjoyed the gift and will remember it much longer than a gift that could come in a package.

Has it been a month already???

Let's see...where do we begin?
I turned 30.
Hazel turned 9 months.
We had our 1st Thanksgiving that we actually hosted (thank you Ricky for smokin' the turkey).
Hazel learned to crawl (or fish dive across the floor) and pull herself up on to things.
Oscar lost two more teeth, he is beginning to resemble a really old man or a jack O' lantern. One of his lost teeth he thinks he swallowed during snack time at school.
Poppy started dance classes again and is treating the world like it is one big stage.
Ricky is busy with with work and training for another marathon with a couple of his teenage rivals, I'm constantly in awe at those boys speed and determination!
I have completed two R.S. activities with a very small committee.
Auntie Rosa is finishing up her senior year here with us, and we get to have a built in helper around the house...very handy especially when running Oscar to school for early morning Spanish and reading buddies.
What more can I say? Things have been a bit busy and although I have been checking my email, I just hadn't downloaded any of our pictures from the month until today...The memory card was full. Therefore, I had to empty it to make room for more pictures today.
Maybe I'll get back into the blog world...I now have candy train decorating pictures to download. Supposing my children don't go into a sugar induced coma, I may attempt to post those tomorrow. We shall see.
Life is good...we are gearing up for the holidays and I am seriously amazed that my kids are suddenly so big!!! How is it possible that we have lived here for almost 4 years??? Crazy!

Off to bed I go to start the last week before winter break...bracing myself for the overload...ah, but then we get two full weeks off of school. This may be a blessing or a curse...we may be spending a lot of time at the pool, science center or the library.

Did I Mention She's Eating Solids???

Really Fun Project

Visit this sight for a fun paper doll template.

October...Catch up style...

Grandma and Grandpa Edge came to town just before Poppy's birthday. I believe this may have been the first time in many years that grandma Edge has had her toenails painted. Poppy was pleased to have her undivided attention. It was great having them in town for a few days.
How I missed blogging about Poppy's 4th birthday I don't know, but she had it. She is now a four year old. Which basically means she gets to eat four bites of her dinner, instead of three. It seems to be working...she suddenly has now grown out of the clothes I just bought her last month. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the four bite rule...
Auntie Rosa has come to live with us for a while, and followed Poppy by turning 18! We had a grand ol' party to ring in her adulthood. It's been fun having her around. It's always nice when you have one more reader to read books!

Grandma and Grandpa Dilworth came to town to bring aunt Rosie's stuff. The kids enjoyed getting to see them for a short little visit. I think we need grandparents to come visit more often! (hint...hint)


Oscar in now officially a hillbilly...he's sporting his new look around town. I can't believe he is 7 1/2!!!! He is such a great kid! Who ever thought that I would have kids that actually loose teeth?? It seemed like it would never happen to me!
More Documentation that the girls are loving having auntie Rosa around.

Ummmm...chocolate chip cookies...

Hazel has managed to make it to her 7th month! She is eating real food, loves drinking water from my glass, can semi-crawl, gives some great belly laughs at her siblings and the dog, and is such a fun girl. And she has mastered the stand on hands trick.
Oscar is in his last week of fall soccer and although he is going to miss his awesome coach and really fun team, I am pretty ready for soccer to take a break. It's getting colder and darker outside, and it will make getting homework done so much easier!
This is his first year where I think he has really learned to love playing soccer as a sport, rather than a recreational playtime. One more sign that he is getting older...
Overall things are going well, busy but good.

Change...

Here's my recent bonus check(see link for details) ...at least I have one right?

Each year about this time, I play the game of wondering at what point I should bring in the remainder of my garden to protect it from the frost. I bask in the harvest and try to delay the laying of my garden to rest until the last possible moment.
It begins with the shortened days, followed by a distinct familiar crispness in the air. My hunger for fresh tomatoes and salsa subsides (but never leaves) and I begin to crave the comfort of warm soups and a fresh baked loaf of bread. Apples suddenly are the fruit of choice, and the strawberries and raspberries of summer have been laid to rest in the depths of my freezer. I eat one more bite of watermelon knowing it will be sometime before I truly appreciate it's refreshing cool on a summer's day...on and on it goes, each piece in exchange for another.
I often think of my life in the same way, a season of experience/change that will be followed by another. Each one with a distinct flavor and familiarity, that when gone, will leave me with a sense of longing and fondness. They may hold a distinct touch of sadness, excitement, joy or pain, that when laid to rest will linger in my being for the rest of my life.
I enjoy change, I enjoy the blank canvas that gets placed before me, ready for that first brushstroke. I often fear the uncertainty of the stroke, but generally marvel at the completed picture.
A wise woman once told me (Merilee George) that her grandmother told her to embrace every season of life because when it is gone we are unable to get it back. This I too believe, and hope to embrace. Because much like the change in the season, I believe we can feel the change in the air and we can prepare ourselves for the season that is just around the corner. Let us soak in its warm and bundle up for the cold. Whatever the season, let us greet it with a open heart and a willing hand. To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.