October 2011 - Week 3

Viewer Discretion is Advised!

Jesse returned from his yearly elk hunt in the wilds of Idaho last Thursday.  It was a crazy week without him (to put it mildly).  Jesse also took my trusty sidekick Papa Gene with him into the woods.  We were a little lost (ie late for everything) but we all survived!  While I held down the fort, here is what Jesse was doing...bare with me, I really don't know what was happening in these pictures.  This is what I found on the camera!

Body bags and a thermometer?

 Home for the week or circus tent?

 Must have stopped by the cabin for our beach chairs. 

Looks pretty good to me, no crayons, hair bows or Barbies! 

 Guns!

 Final destination

 Uncle Phil the trusty guide

 Success!  I think that is a leg?

 Prepare yourselves...

 Hunting transportation

 Saftey first, always.

 Jesse always comes home with a really scary self portrait.  This year is no exception. 

I'm so glad the freezer that we have had for 5 years will finally be full!

Good job Jesse, next time I'm sending a kid with you.

2 Weeks in and nary a post...

What a poor, sad, neglected blog.  It seems these days my hands are too full to grab the camera and capture the moment.  When I do think about it I usually have to rely on my phone.  So here is a phone picture dump! 

Quinn loves her meat.

 She also loves when Jesse gets home after work.  She could see him through the gate and was trying to get at him.

 Last month at Art in the Park with KK!

 We stopped to say hi to Honest Abe.

 Delaney had her 1st day of Mom and Tots at Wesleyan.  Only 4 more years of preshool for us ;)

 So fun to be in class with good buddy Eli. 

 Delaney also visited Dr. Marks office for her 1st checkup.  No cavaties thus far.  Crossing fingers.

 Playing captured babies in McCall with Marcus.

 Jesse is off hunting to I have to keep us busy.  Yesterday we hit the Botanical Gardens Harvest Festival.  We had a great time.  Sadly I couldn't manage a glass of wine and 3 kids all at once so that was a bummer.  BUT we did get our first pumpkins of the year.

 I don't know if Quinn thought the pumpkins were balls or what but she FREAKED out in the pumpkin patch.  She found the tiniest one which was totally rotten and continues to carry it around like a baby today.  She also got excited at the Dollar Store today and got us kicked out.  Seriously, kicked out of the Dollar Store for disturbing the other customers.

 Delaney covering her ears from all of Quinns enthusiastic screaching.

 Pumpkin painting!

September 2011 - Week 3

This is what we do in the evenings (note the wine).  I sweep, and sweep and sweep.  This pile is what the neighborhood squirrels were kind enough to drop on our patio.  This is 2 days worth.  It's neverending.  They bombard us and taunt us from above.

 We love our giant oak tree but the acorns I could do without. 

 We ate dinner outside on Sunday night.  We usually eat outside whenever we can because Quinn likes to throw her food/fork/spoon/cup bowl whenever she feels like it.  If we eat outside then my floors stay much cleaner and Ruby gets a snack.

And I thought Delaney was going to be my 'challenging' kid.  Who knew?

 Meredith says 'hi!'

 Quinn likes to scream.  A lot.

 Praying?  Grace?  Not sure.

 Copying

Gigantic zuchinni from the garden.

 Best start shredding...

 This is how we wrangle the girls while we work in the yard.

 So many acorns...

September 2011 - Week II

I'm getting a little bit better about pictures now that all our fall activities have started.  We'll see if I can manage to keep it up amidst the chaos!  We have finally started school, preschool, ballet and soccer.  Hopefully I don't take the wrong kid to the wrong place at the wrong time!

I didn't have my good camera at Merediths first soccer game.  Don't worry, there are lots of games to come and more pictures of course.  After the first practice I asked Meredith how she liked it.  She said "It's hard and we have to run a lot". My thoughts exactly, that is why I lasted one season when I was little.  She did however love her first game!  The "Goal-scorers" (I'm not sure why the girls picked that name?) won by a wiiiide margin.

 Poor, poor Meredith started biting her nails a couple months ago.  She spent the entire game chewing away.  I guess she got my ocd tendencies...

 The best part about kindergarten is getting to walk Meredith too and from school each day.  We have always loved the East End but we love it even more now that was only have to walk a block to school.  Papa Gene has been taking Meredith each morning and Delaney tags along.  This is great because it gets her dressed without a battle!  This week Papa Jim and KK were here to visit so they got drop off duty. 

Delaney HAD to have her backpack and was racing to catch up.

 It takes a LONG time to get to school when you stop to pick up every rock, leaf, stick and bug.

 Quinn is not much for sharing these days.

 But occasionally she will let her sister touch her!

 Papa Jim and Delaney have a special bond, they just adore each other.

 Quinn wanted to line up this morning too.

 Meredith, biting her nails again.

 Lucky for us the Roosevelt Market is just on the other side of the school.  A perfect stop on the way home for coffee or strawberry milk.

 Quinn likes to visit the goldfish and the mouse salt shaker.

*bruise on her face is from falling into an outdoor light, ouch*

We love when Papa Jim and KK come to visit!  KK got to help in Merediths class yesterday and I got to go today.  It's so fun I wish I could do it all the time.  

I'm so mad at myself for not taking more pictures this last week.  It was pretty wild, but that is no excuse.  My dear dear friend Naomi visited Boise last week with her two little boys.  We had so much fun, it was great to see them in our neck of the woods.  They were real troopers as we drug them across Idaho.  We spent a few days in Boise getting caught up and visiting with Sara and her crew, then we headed to McCall with all our kids.  It's amazing we survived with a 5, 3, 2 and 1 year old and a 4 month old to boot!  Quite a circus.  Maybe that is why I don't have many pictures?

We hit the McCall Saturday Market.  Poor Aaron got used to being wedged between a couple Hamiltons.

 Aaron brought along his tool belt.  Oh boy, the kids loved it.  A lot.

 Quinn is now running...everywhere.  Even on the ratty old dock.  We can't wait for our new dock to be installed next summer.  No more slivers! 

 Dock picnic

 Jeep love.  I thought we might have to try and pack this for Aaron. 

I'm so mad we have no group shots or pics of sweet baby Jacob. 

 The Yorks left at noon, and we headed back to the Richins for Sams big 4th birthday party that evening.

Sam LOVES to race.  So all the kids hit the path behind their house for a race.  It was hilarious.

Jerry got the kids all fired up...

 Quinn was not going to let bare feet stop her from racing.

 Sara threw a fantastic party for kids and adults alike! 

She is such a good cake-pop maker, Mom and friend!

 Jesse gave her the cupcake, not me.