October is here

Somehow it is already October. I don't understand where time goes but it sure seems to fly the older I get. Kids are settled into their school and extracurricular routines. Mommy is getting settled into the idea of some "free" time two days a week. I know that fall is here as Mackenzie and I saw our first sightings of the big horn sheep on the way home from Wenatchee today. They were crossing the road about 2 miles south of Entiat. Boy did Kenzie enjoy that. Between the sheep being down and the first snow on Stormy this week we sure know that fall is here and winter is on the way!

My sister is having her baby tomorrow morning and we are all excited to find out if it is a boy or girl. Sarah has been excited about her new sibling until the last couple of days and now has decided she doesn't want it to come out yet but Melissa is done cooking it and this bun is coming out of the oven tomorrow!

Betty, my mother-in-law, has her brain surgery on Monday to remove a benign brain tumor that is pressing on her speech center and causing her to slur her speech a lot. We are headed to Seattle on Friday to be over there until Tuesday for the surgery. She will be in the hospital for a week and then to a nursing home for a month or so. Dave is quite nervous about it and rightfully so. He is very close to his mom and her health has not been the best so there are certainly risks involved but she made the decision to go ahead. For those who read and are so inclined, please keep her and the family in your prayers for a good outcome to this.

The kids have their Halloween costumes and want to wear them on a daily basis. Kenzie is being a dragon and Chase a ninja turtle (Leonardo to be exact). They have modeled them for anyone that gives them a chance. They will wear them to their respective Harvest Parties and to the carnival at the school on the 27th and then to trick or treat in downtown on Halloween. I have one bag of candy for here at the house although we have had a grand total of 6 trick or treaters in the 4 Halloweens we have been at this house. Most people go downtown and trick or treat with all the rest of us crazies. Dave will hand out candy at the store while I take the kids around. There is a picture included of the kids in costume with a little friend, Rylee, that we were babysitting. She had to get in on the action so I found Chase's Mickey Mouse costume from 3 years ago and it fits her great. She took it home and I guess to wears it nearly everyday as she thinks she is just the greatest thing in it.

Best Fall wishes to all and I am thankful for you all as friends.

New Songs

Mackenzie has always been my singer and she is not letting me down. She has had acapella kids bible songs on CD that she loves to listen to in the car for quite a while. When we were at Disneyland, I bought the Disneyland soundtrack and the Electric Parade soundtrack so those have been popular since we got back from California. Now she is in preschool and learning new songs at school and some of them are meant to remind them of what they are doing at school so if she is repeating that activity at home or anywhere else, she immediately starts to sing as she would at school. I am amazed at how she knows them in only 4 days of preschool.

Now whenever she is washing her hands (which used to be a messy and disorganized process) she sings this little tune and stays right on track with what she is doing with very limited mess.

Tops and bottoms

Tops and bottoms

In between

In between

All around your hand

All around your hand

Now they're clean

Now they're clean.

She had been doing that one for several days and this morning she added a new one when Chase and I were in the living room with her that is her good morning song at school. She is so tickled at singing the songs and doesn't want any help in singing them.

I am just happy she has learned some new songs so I can quit hearing "It's A Small World" over and over and over. Now, if Chase can get off the kick of singing "Heffalumps and Woozles" over and over, then I will regain my sanity.

Aunt Lissa (my sister) is now nearly 38 weeks pregnant and very ready to have this baby. She is uncomfortable to say the least but is trying to be patient. Never did any of us dream she would carry this baby this long. She has served it an eviction notice for October 3rd when she has a C section scheduled. The kids and I are looking forward to the baby's arrival and will head over to Seattle the first weekend after it arrives. They do not find out the sex of the baby so it will be a surprise for all of us.

Busy month

Boy am I behind! I was inspired by a couple of other bloggers to get back on track after my scrapbooking weekend.

Megan and I spent Wed - Sat of last week in Richland, WA at a wonderful scrapbooking retreat. Jane did some amazing cooking with only an electric roaster and a crock pot. She is a whiz and I have about three new recipes out of the deal that any visitors to my home will be plagued with in the coming months. Hawaiian Haystacks for one is a great thing for big groups of guests! I made them last night and the kids devoured them! It is also nice to find things the kids like. Another one of the great recipes is Taco Soup but I will save that for cooler weather - although with our new heat pump in and Dave controlling the thermostat (any visitors to our home know what that means), some of us are wearing sweatshirts and fuzzy socks (me right now for one). The third is a great cake that is very easy but yummy. Bake a chocolate cake per directions in a 9 X 13 pan. When it comes out of the oven, poke holes in it with the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour a jar of caramel ice cream topping over the cake. Frost with cool whip and top with a crunched up Heath Bar. YUMMY!!! (of course, low in calories too :) )

After returning from the retreat, Dave and the kids and I left Sunday afternoon for Seattle. Dave had an Indium Blood Study done at Swedish Hospital to see if we can find the reason for the extreme pain in his right knee. Mackenzie got car sick on the way over, so at the end of a 3 hour drive (actually more like 4 with stops and traffic), she was in her third change of clothes and I was in my second. We got to see Stephanie and Liza and their families for dinner on Sunday which was nice as we don't see them as much since we aren't over there very often.

On Monday, while Dave was at medical appointments, the kids and I went to the Woodland Park Zoo. It was a great day to go as the sun was out and it had rained all day on Sunday so the animals were all out. The kids got to feed a giraffe - they were thrilled. We saw the zoo's baby tiger. They saw the tribute to Hunsa the baby elephant that died a few weeks ago there at the zoo. They seemed to perseverate on that part of the trip though, I don't know why. Chase got a stuffed Rhino which he is thrilled with. Kenzie picked out a stuffed elephant (very soft I might add), got to the van with it and wanted "my old one" that Mamma & Papa had gotten for her in March. That was the last time she touched the new one. The old one gets LOTS of love. Thankfully, Aunt Lisa is checking out one she saw at a gift shop to see if it is the same so that we have a spare in hiding because if something happens to "the old one" we will all lose a lot of sleep till she learns to live without it.

We got to play in the pool at the hotel on monday evening - the kids love the water and were very tired after a busy day!

On Tuesday, while Dave went to the last of his medical appts, the kids and I spent a few hours with Aunt Lisa and Cousin Sarah. They had fun playing in the backyard, especially with the bubble mower. If only the bubble mower really worked to cut the grass. Uncle Mitchell has been working LONG hours on the new 787 at work so he hasn't gotten around to mowing. The night before we were there he put in the air conditioner which will make Aunt Lisa happy as she endures summer while pregnant. I have included with this post a picture of the three kids together. We don't get them together very often so it is fun to get a photo moment when we do - clearly they are not too thrilled with the picture stuff. Who would believe that there is 15 1/2 months between them - Chase is 4 years 4 months, Sarah is 3 years 2 months and Kenzie is 3 years 1 month.

We got home yesterday about mid-day so are still catching up on laundry and things. My mother is thrilled that I am learning (re-learning) to do laundry and have no major carpel tunnel injuries from folding - ha ha!!

More tomorrow - hopefully!