As We Speak

This is what my family is doing right now, as I type. We've gotten about 3 inches of snow since 8am this morning (it's now 3pm).

Just thought I'd post this picture too...poor bunny on a swing...

Autumn Leaves

I know that we've already had our first snowfall of the year and there's more to come, but I couldn't pass up the fun the boys had in the maple leaves! This is why we love being a kid.

Birthday Bash

(double click on the picture to get the whole thing)

Ethan is 3!! Hard to believe. Cosette gave Ethan a card (the pink paper) and bed-making coupons for a gift. Isaac gave Ethan a couple of his Hot Wheels cars. It was sweet to see the kids treat Ethan so well.

When Cosette turned 3, we decided to start a tradition - a balloon boquet with as many balloons as you are old. Here's Ethan's collection.

Birthday breakfast was a cupcake (zucchini bread muffin covered in frosting). Here's Ethan blowing out the candles.

Aunt Nic sent a penguin pillow pet for Ethan. When he opened the box, he exclaims, "A pillow pet! A penguino!" That is not a typo, he called it a penguin in Spanish. I guess Go, Diego. Go! I having an effect on his language development!

Halloween is here!

Our ward had a trunk 'r treat tonight. The kids went through the cars about 4 times!! We have so much candy it's crazy!

After the trunk 'r treat we had dinner at our friend's home - Clayson's. Here's a photo of the family! We decided we ALL needed costumes this year...Cosette was a ballerina, Isaac, of course, was Spider-Man, Ethan was a bat. Halloween just isn't the same as 15-20 years ago. Then, people would really decorate their homes and sit out in their garages with candy for the kids. Now, you have to walk past 8 dark houses before you find one lit up and willing to give candy to the kids. (Which is what we did.)

October

The month of October has come and nearly gone. Here are the boys fishing for grasshoppers in the living room.

We had a treat for Conference weekend, Grandma and Grandpa Poole came to visit from Texas. Uncle Alan drove up the same weekend from California to visit as well!!
The kids didn't want to just make cut outs of their pumpkins, they wanted a full decorating experience. Here is just the start of that adventure. Every square inch of Isaac's ended up with paint on it. Silly boys.
How can you have a beautiful fall day without caramel apples? We did a homemade variety for Sunday dinner. We all had tummy aches later!

Isaac

Isaac nearly scored a goal here. Notice his smile and wave at the camera. He did score later in the game.

A month ago, Isaac stuck a Q-tip in his ear and ruptured his ear drum. He has a hole 50% of the size of the ear drum. He goes in Friday so they can put a skin graft over the hole to stimulate regrowth. It is outpatient surgery but he will go under a general anesthetic (since he won't sit still).

Random

At ISU they were having "Welcome Back to School" activities. Because Rob works in Student Services, they set up wheelchair races in the quad to create some interest. Rob was undefeated in all his races...until Emma came along! The kids had a fun time.
It's a lot harder getting a wheelchair up the ramp than you would think.
Isaac getting ready to kick the ball off.
Cosette playing "Sweeper" and dancing to her own music.

Soccer

This is in here because we decided to go camping for Labor Day. Since we chose our campground so late, we got the leftover spot. I don't think we did too badly, although the wind was atrocious!! The kids enjoyed themselves.

Isaac SCORES

Today was a real test of patience for Isaac and Cosette as it was the first day they got to play soccer on a team in a real game. Neither could wait for game time and it just about drive us bonkers.

They play at the same sets of fields and at the same time so we had to split time between them switching half way through. While Rob was cheering for Isaac he got a break away goal. Isaac was by far the toughest kid on the field and the fastest so he wound up his leg and kicked the ball as hard as he could, passed all the other kids racing for the ball and finished it off with a strong kick into the net... WAY TO GO ISAAC. He gave high fives to the coach and looked over at Rob who was beaming ear to ear and gave a enthusiastic thumbs up. He did a similar kick later on that landed right in front of the goal and his teammate tapped it in for another score.

Cosette also had lots of fun as she got in lots of kicks, got to do a throw in, a corner kick, and play goalie. The rest of the day was filled with chatter about this or that from soccer. Oh and of course "I scored a point" a few hundred times.

We are so excited the kids enjoy everything they do.

First Week of School

Ethan started preschool this year. He has a late birthday and will actually have three years of preschool. He's so excited!!

Here is breakfast on Cosette's first day of school. She starts at 7:55am so it means an early morning for everyone. She was awake at 6am wanting to get ready for school. How long will this last?

Red Hill

The kids love talking about Red Hill. It's in the middle of the ISU campus and Isaac is convinced it's his hill because there is a big "I" on it. Emma took the kids up to the top of the hill in August. They loved hiking.
Here is a view from the top of the hill looking northeast. You can see where the 15 fwy is. Our house is just over the crest.
These pillars are a good conversation starter...they are at the top of the hill and have been there for centuries and centuries...*wink*
Don't know how the smallest guy ended up with all the gear, but he did.
Isaac found something interesting, so interesting it almost blew the other kids away!

Ethan On a Hill

Ethan loved to ride down the hill at the park. his little legs would go as fast as they humanly can and then he hits the hill and he lifts up his feet just like we all did when we were young.

Isaac On Two Wheels

This was shot from a cell phone so it may be small. This is Issac riding without training wheels.

Our Garden

We are a little shocked at the size of our garden. We have never had corn this tall or zuccini this productive (as if we wanted more zuccini). Our three nearly dead tomato plants have chosen to live and provide beautiful red love to others.In the very front (above) are the tomato plants, to the left is the zucchini plant, throughout the whole thing is either a pumpkin or a melon of some sort (we don't remember) it has covered the ground between all the other plants including the corn stalks. On the other side is potato plants that grew so big they collapsed on themselves, and lettuce is far too much and far too big. We wont be planting lettuce again because we just don't eat it.

So much for a little garden... to be continued.

Rock Climbing

Farm Bureau had a picnic for all its members Tuesday, June 29. The kids enjoyed the rock wall and Rob won a large frisbee in the raffle!

Manti pageant

The culminating event of the trip to California was watching the Manti Pageant. Annalee and Leeann drove over from Hinckley to watch with us. It didn't start until 9:30pm when it was dark. Isaac fell asleep 5 minutes before the show began and woke up with 10 minutes left having to use the restroom. Cosette fell asleep 15 minutes before the end (at about 11pm).

Katie and Paige Jacquez made the trip back to Pocatello with Emma. After the pageant they all drove to Provo to stay in a hotel. They got in at 1:30am. Fortunately the kids slept until after 8am.

In all the trip was a blast! Tons of friends were seen...Rauch's, Martin's, Hoskin's, Frank/Chaffin's and everyone made it back home safely.

Camping (part II)

Isaac made himself available for a few more pictures than the other two kids.

Flag ceremony - Mom and Larry burning the flag that used to fly at the house. They separated each of the stripes from the others and the field of blue was burned last. (June 14th was Flag Day)

Bryce Canyon (part II)

Cosette was sworn in as a Junior Ranger and received a badge to wear. She is very excited. Ethan found pine cones to be tasty while Paige was setting a speed record for swimming in the dirt.

Remembrance

Today is a bitter-sweet day. Vera Gudgeon Sewell passed away peacefully today at the age of 93. She is Emma's Great Grandmother (and the kids' Great-Great Grandmother). She is "grandma with the red hair" - her legacy lives on with Cosette. We love you Grandma and miss you already.

Bryce Canyon (part I)

Sunset Point

Cosette is collecting trash to earn her Junior Ranger badge while the boys are hugging the tree...it was a blustery day. Guess they didn't want to blow away.

Sunset Point