How old is Jesus?

That is the question Jalen asked as we left church on Christmas Eve. I told him we were celebrating Jesus's birthday and that's what he came back with. From a 3 year old's perspective I suppose that is a legitimate question...like we have Christmas every year and every year he is just being born? He sees the same baby Jesus in the beautifully lit manger at church every year. At least he is starting to grasp the true meaning of Christmas right? Better than thinking it's only about Santa! But thank goodness for Santa...for the whole month of December I have a built in bribe...Santa's watching. And the amazing thing is it works. I think we should create a character every month that visits on the last day. All in all it was another special Christmas...we stuck to our usual traditions which is was makes it the best. We drove to see the Christmas lights on the same little street we always go to in Gladstone. We went to visit Santa (although we happen to be there on "pet" night so that didn't go as smooth as usual!...seriously like a dog wants to sit on Santa's lap.), we got tags off the giving tree, we did all the choir performances, and finally the day came. Even though both our parents are still together we call it the "Four Christmas's" around here. We do both families...both days. We are so lucky to have so many of our grandparents still around that we have to keep these old traditions alive! Santa brought the girls a 4 foot tall doll house that they use for all their pet shops (they claim to have 87 now!) and Jalen got a bat cave with Batman and Robin and some bat cars and bat motorcycles. Grandma got the girls dolls, and then MADE them clothes...like sewed them clothes...and also made the girls pj's that matched the dolls. Oh and she also made a bag for them to be kept in. Such a special gift...Lily has taken the doll everywhere, and finds clothes that match the dolls. Nana got the girls some cute clothes, and a karaoke machine that they can record themselves on...and got Jalen a whole collection of superheroes. Now if I hear the words "I'm bored" or "there's nothing to do" I think I just might lose it! These kids have enough to keep them occupies for months...or at least for a week until they are back in school! So to all our family and friends that we got to see and celebrate with over this season...thank you for making it so special...we are grateful to have you in our lives!

So much to be thankful for...

We celebrated Thanksgiving with the Foelker side of the family tonight. We normally celebrate the Sunday after Thanksgiving but my lucky sister and her family are going to Hawaii and we didn't want them to miss our dinner. We had it at our house and everyone contributed so it wasn't too much work (except for my mom who had to haul over the turkey and potatoes from next door!) She also made cute little place settings for everyone, conversation starters and fun word searches and games for the kids to work on. Before we started through the buffet line Ellie said grace and then everyone said one thing that they were thankful for. Lily said her family and house. Ellie said the food and her home. Robin said the snow...yes it snowed today! Papa said the three great grandparents that we have here that are healthy. Jamie said me...so sweeet! Aaron said the great elk hunting season he had. And the funniest of them all...Jalen said his swords...obviously we need to work on the meaning of Thanksgiving! My mom had the good idea of sitting the kids in between the great grandparents and aunts and uncles so they would have a good chance to talk with each other. The girls took the conversation starters quite literally and actually wrote down answers...it was more like an interview than easy flowing conversation but I don't think the grandparents minded! Here are a couple of the answers that were left on the table...

"What is the funniest or most embarrassing thing that happened to you?"
Papa Ben: "When I was late for a basketball game because I locked my keys in the car"
Papa Bill: "When a monkey spit at me"
Aunt Robin: "When I said AMEN at church really loud at the wrong time"

"What do you want me to know that will help me grow up to be a good, kind, responsible person?"
Papa Ben: "Obey all adults mom-dad-teachers.
Papa Bill: "Be kind and look for the goodness in everyone. Respect everybody...except monkeys"
Robin: "Be kind no matter what"

After dinner and dessert (pumpkin pie and berry cream cheese pie in memory of Grandma June!) we put the camera on timer in an attempt to get a big family photo. It was pretty comical...almost like something you would see in a movie...it's pretty much impossible with 6 kids and 3 great grandparents to get a good picture but we came close! We took a family picture too...which would have been great except for the fact that Jalen is wearing a red checkered soccer jersey! Seriously, its a cute picture and then your eye is drawn to this loud shirt right in the middle of the picture. The funniest part about this shirt is that before everyone got here I told him he had to go change (he was wearing swim trunks!) into something nice for our Thanksgiving dinner...and that's what he came down in. Apparently he thinks that jersey is really nice!

We really do have so much to be thankful this year...most importantly our family and friends that we love so much!

And the best part of the night...my sister gets aunt of the year award because ALL 3 kids went to her house for a sleepover! I doubt Jalen will last...considering he doesn't even sleep in his own bed at our house! But if he does they are in for a real treat when he wakes up yelling for "JUICE" at 5 in the morning!

So Happy early Thanksgiving...we are lucky enough to get another one on Thursday with the Snook's...so stay tuned!

Ghost Pumpkins

We picked the girls up from school and headed for the pumpkin patch...it was such a beautiful day and we weren't sure how many more of these we would get! We have gone to the same pumpkin patch every year...we take the Canby Ferry across the river, and it's just down the street. We always get a wheelbarrow which the kids immediately climb into (it's getting harder and harder for Daddy to push every year!).

Then we get out to the pumpkin patch and they going running for the hay maze. Jalen even followed them in this year! I personally hate the maze...its pitch black...I mean you can't see anything! I guess maybe I'm a little claustrophobic, or I really just don't like the dark! Then they run up the haystack and all jump down one bale at a time. I wasn't about to tell them to stop...maybe just maybe they will be so tired they will go to sleep at a normal time!
We went over to pet the goat and the bunny, watch the train go by and then went back to load up our wheelbarrow with our picks. Everyone gets their own, the only rule is they have to be able to pick it up! The big thing this year was the "ghost pumpkins"...those cool white ones. We had already got a few from when Jalen's class went to the pumpkin patch so we agreed to stick with boring orange. At check out the kids threw in some kettle corn, licorice and those great sugary strawberry soda that we get once a year at the pumpkin patch...I love it! Now let's see if we get around to carving them this year!

School is in session!

All weekend long I was so excited for today to come...and the best part...so were my kids (well, the girls...not so much Jalen...more on that later). They were really looking forward to getting back to school, meeting their new teacher and finding out what friends were in their class. Honestly, I think we were all on each others nerves, for much different reasons! If I had to listen to them fight or hear my name "mom" one more time I was going to pull my hair out. And I think they were equally tired of hearing my voice (mostly because I was asking them to do something other than sitting on the couch watching Hannah Montana Forever). After picking out back to school outfits last night they set their alarm and went to bed at the first decent time in 3 months. My alarm went off at 6:15 (the only bad part of back to schhol!) and when I went to check on them they were already in the shower! After some waffles and sausage we walked to the bus (plenty early...they didn't want to miss it!) and I sent them off with a kiss. Back inside with a cup of coffee and silence...LOVE IT!
That lasted for a whole 2 minutes before Jalen woke up. Now he on the other hand is not only not excited about school he is very clear that he doesn't want to go. He is only signed up for two days a week for 2 hours each day but if mommy isn't there he doesn't want to go. He is such a mama's boy...as sweet as it is to be loved so much it's equally exhausting. I can't even get 10 minutes to shower...he literally is by my side or on my side at all times. So really the preschool was for him (well maybe a little bit for me!)...but mostly to put him in a social setting where he can have fun with friends and activities without me. If you even talk about school he shuts down and says no. I asked him what he wanted to wear on the first day of school and he said no...I said no what...he said nothing...I said what...he said nothing I go naked. He didn't want to eat last night, he said he had a tummy ache this morning (which I think is all anxiety) and wouldn't eat breakfast this morning. I was trying to get him excited, and told him his teacher was a neighbor, she lives next to Grandma. He got a big grin on his face which got me so excited until he said "then I don't need to go to school!"...like what he thinks cause he sees her walking her dogs he doesn't need to go to the school to see her?! The only reason I got him in the car is because it was the open house today so I told him I would stay with him...to which he responded "promise?"..."yes buddy I promise". He actually did really well today...of course I was within sight the whole time as was Nana, Aunt Amber and Aunt Lacey because both his cousins Addie and Alexa are in his class. I thought that would really help him...until he said he didn't want them to go to his school (funny since he doesn't even want to go to his school!) The real test will be on Thursday...to be continued then...

As for the girls they had a great first day! I asked them their favorite part of their day when they got off the bus.
Ellie: "The fourth graders from last year wrote us a letter telling us about Mr. Schecter and at first I was nervous but then I read the letter and they said how nice he was and I really like him now. And we have community circle with a different topic everyday...today's topic was what our wish is for the school year and I said that everyone has someone to play with...you know so no one is walking around by themself at recess. Oh and we get to dissect a squid."
Lily: "I liked math and recess. And I like it cause my teacher lets us read in the middle of the day. And me and Amelia played a trick on Julian cause he won't talk to Amelia but he likes me so at recess we switched clothes so he would think Amelia was me and he would talk to her. But it didn't work cause right when we walked outside recess was over so we had to go change clothes again."

Are you laughing right now? I mean really...it'n not like they are twins...they really don't even look like each other! I'm just picturing these 2 girls giggling in the bathroom as they are trading clothes and figuring out what they are going to say...too funny!

So that wraps up the first day of school...now off to soccer practice...

Traveling circus X 2!

As if it's not chaotic enough with our three kids we thought we'd go on vacation with Em, Brian and her 3 boys! We made this trip last year and it's official...we have started a new tradition! Yes it gets crazy at times with wrestling, screaming, fighting over toys and baby cries but it is so fun to get to hang with good friends! I was a quick trip...we actually joked that it takes longer to pack, unpack, pack again and clean up then it does being here for 2 days! We got so lucky and had a warm, sunny, no wind day at the beach! The kids played in the water and sand, buried each other in the sand and climbed the sand dune (until the sand got too hot and was burning their feet...have you ever heard of that on the Oregon Coast...sand that's TOO hot to walk on?!) We had dinner at the Pelican Pub which is one of our favorites, and we got so lucky to find someone that was done with their camp fire just as we were leaving so we got to have our smores. The boys had decided that it wasn't worth it to go buy firewood and a lighter just to roast some marshmallows so they had convinced the kids that they would be just as good on the BBQ at home. That is not how the tradition of smores on the beach goes for me...I grew up with my grandpa making a fire every night and we would sit down there for hours...all you friends of mine that got invited on the annual beach trip know what I'm talking about! I told Jamie our kids needed these memories...they are some of my favorite growing up. He said they have plenty of memories...we just got back from Gozzer for a week to which I responded they need some roughneck memories like cooking dinner and dessert over a sandy fire...not going down water slides at the Gretzky's! (the funny part is they don't even know who that is...no idea how good they have it!). So my wish came true, we roasted marshmallows, made smores and came back home with knots in the hair from marshmallow stickiness and smoke scented clothes...I LOVE it! After a morning coffee run (where the kids found wild bunnies that run around behind the coffee shop...and they conveniently sell bunny food so the kids can feed them!)...we packed up and headed home. So that was it for our summer outings...we are home and glad to be here. Summer always goes so fast but I feel like we did our best to make the best use of the time we had...and created wonderful memories...both of the lifestyle of the rich and famous and roughing it on the beaches of Pacific City!

Life of the traveling circus...

I can honestly say I am HAPPY to be home! I know that makes me sound like a spoiled brat complaining about how many vacations we have been on...and I'm really not complaining...it was so much fun....but there is just something about being back in your own bed with your own things! We went back to Gozzer for another week...and brought our babysitter and her friend with us (Chloe and Jali) who both happen to work for us at Papa Murphy's too. We decided to break up the 7 hour drive and leave Saturday night. Jamie made reservations at the La Quinta (The Ritz of Kennewick!) and we left at 9pm so Jalen slept most of the way while the girls had a Twilight mara
thon. So we get in at 12:30am...go in to check in and they say there is no reservations and there are no more rooms but they recently changed their name so maybe we called "The Baymont" next door. Ok no big deal, it was literally in the same parking lot so we walk next door and after a couple minutes head to our room. Well...SURPRISE! The room he gave us a key for was occupied (and let me add that our party of 7 was not exactly using whisper voices!). We go back to the lobby to find out that there is only one room left and it is a room with one bed. That should work out well with so many of us...so we ask if they at least have a cot. We walk into the smallest hotel room I've ever been in, set the girls up on the floor on one side of the bed, put Chloe and Jali in the twin cot on the other side and Jalen, Jamie and I share a bed (as usual!). Within a minute of laying down Jamie asks to switch sides because he opens his eyes to find he's within inches of Jali...just slightly awkward! These poor sitters have to be wondering what they have gotten into...all they have heard is how fun Gozzer is and now they are sharing a small hotel room with a family of 5! We wake up early, take advantage of the continental breakfast and hit the road. It was smooth sailing from there and we were at the condo by 1:00 and at the lake by 2:00. We had a great week...Jamie and I got up in the morning at 5:30 to go work out and then get in an early round of golf, then we'd meet the kids for a full day in the sun. My parents joined us halfway through the week and we had a fun time hanging with them. We took the boat out again for a couple hours so Jalen could do some more wake surfing, the girls could wake board and of course the intertube! I made the mistake of going with Jamie on the tube and between the water and him landing on top of me got pretty beat up! My cheeks hurt from laughing so much! I then went with Ellie and Jalen which was not easy being in the middle of them...I kept sliding off the back of the tube. My sweet little Jalen let go with one of his hands to put his arm around my neck and said "I keep you safe Mommy"...those are the moments that mark your heart! The main reason we were up there was for the Club Championship which was a Saturday and Sunday tournament. So we are out Friday playing with my dad when they see that it also happens to be the ladies club championship and they proceed to sign me up right then and there. I have only been golfing for May and I have never played in a tournament. I'm instantly nervous...feel like I have to give a speech in front of my high school class kind of nervous. There were only 5 people playing so my dad kept saying the worse you can do is to come in fifth...they all thought that was pretty funny! It ended up being a great time...a little lady drama which is to be expected but I played great, met some fun ladies (one being Janet Gretzky who I got to play with both days...and got our whole family invited over to their house to swim and go down the water slides!) and if you can believe this...came in second in the net contest! They gave me a framed plaque and everything...SO COOL! We left on Sunday after the tournament...and drove straight through this time...we weren't risking it with another bad hotel situation! So we got back at 11pm on Sunday night just to turn around and leave again Monday for Pacific City with my best friend from high school, Emily, and her husband Brian, and 3 kids Max, Jack and baby Reece. Bad planning on my part doing back to back vacations but still so excited to hang with my friend! Did a quick swap out of the clothes...loaded up the sand toys, smore supplies, sweatshirts, and flip flops and we were on our way!

Gozzer Bay...another day at the lake

Boating

Pirate Cruise

Fishing

Huckleberries, the lake and golf...Gozzer here we come!

We just spent our first of a few weeks at Gozzer in Couer d'Alene. We started going 6 years ago and it has officially become our favorite place. It is so family friendly, with everything from kids camp to amazing sports courts, pools, golf, such amazing snack shacks they are actually called "comfort stations", and best of all the lake! We spend our days playing in the sun either at Gozzer Bay where there is every water toy you can imagine including a big water slide, the beach for the little ones, fishing for the big and little, and jet skis...or at the pool that is surrounded by a play structure and sport courts. The kids go hard all day and crash hard at night! We went with Aaron, Lace, Caleb, Addie and Tristan and my parents. The cousins have so much fun playing together (most of the time!) and we have lots of laughs throughout the week! This is the first year that I actually played golf on this amazing course which was so fun...and as I mentioned the huckleberries...they are everywhere! In the comfort stations on the gofl course they have huckleberry ice cream, popsicles, syrup, jam, candy...you name it and it is SO good! It left me wondering why we don't see more huckleberry here...I mean what do they only grow in Idaho?! We rent the Gozzer boat for a few hours that comes with a driver and an instructor (that happens to be a professional in water sports). These guys are so great, they teach the kids to wake board, wake surf...go as far as get in the water with them to help them get up or in our case go WITH our kids! Matt took Jalen on the surf board to try some wake surfing and Jalen had the biggest smile the whole time! I think Matt's legs got tired before Jalen did...he would have stayed out there all day! And AJ who is a professional wake boarder took Lily to ride doubles on the wake board and then helped her get up on her own after. He also gave us a little show with all the tricks...flips and turns and all...it was impressive! Jamie, Aaron, and Calen all did some wake surfing and Ellie rocked it with the wake board...she got up and stayed up for a long ride! We ended with Lace and I doing the tube, then Jamie always gets on and lets them try and knock him off which has us all in tears laughing. Although this year Caleb gets the crazy tubing award...he got flipped 15 feet in the air...and held on! It was a little scary for all us moms...especially his...but once we knew he was okay that's all anyone could talk about.
Aaron took all the kids fishing and Ellie, Lily and Jalen all caught their own fish! They are lucky they have such a cool uncle because mommy doesn't like to look at let alone touch the slimy fish!
This year they had the "Pirates of Couer d'Alene that we took the kids on. It was on a big party cruiser and they went out onto the lake and did a whole show up on the top deck. The girls loved it, Jalen was a little scared in parts (when they were sword fighting...he didn't get that it was just pretend!) but they got fun little gift bags at the end with bandanas, eye patches, necklaces and gold coins so that cheered him up.
We wish we could spend the whole summer up there...but we are back for now (after a 7 hours drive...the only downside!) We are looking forward to going back in a couple weeks to end out our summer on the lake!

Happy Birthday Dear Ellie...

So just when we get settled down from the long night of Lily's sleepover party we are onto Ellie's slumber party! She woke up on July 1st very excited she was 9...in fact I think she said to me "can you believe I'm 9? Your little girl is growing up"...really?! The fact that she said that to me is proof enough she is growing up! We went to Biscuits for lunch (only because you can order breakfast there all day and that is her favorite...hashbrowns to be specific!). Then I took her and Lily to get mini pedicures...this has turned into a tradition on their birthdays and I have to admit, it is one of my favorite traditions! After leaving with very pretty toes we came home to prepare for the friend party. This year I bought a kid style mystery party online at Dramatic Fanatic...and it turned out great! Jamie warned me to not have too high of expectations (I often see it going a certian way in my head and it doesn't always happen that way in reality!)...but this did for the most part! There were 8 girls and they each played a part of a character and tried to figure out who stole the items from the slumber party. I divided them into 2 groups of 4 and gave them 10 minutes to make up a commercial and I couldn't believe how well they did! They are all very dramatic...and best of all they loved it! The girls babysitter Melinda was here to help and she set up a makeover station and did all the girls make up and hair which was another big hit. After a quick version of American Idol (we only did hometown auditions)...we got them to settle down with a movie. They were quiet but I found out later they were up until 2:30 so needless to say there were some naps taken the next day! It was a successful birthday but I'm glad I don't have to do a group sleepover for another year!