The First Big Snow Fall and Other News

Life in Rural Wyoming allows for deer watching before the winter storms set in.

We had a great Sunday afternoon observing mamma and baby eating while the buck circled the yard trying figure out how those clever deer made it into our backyard in the first place.

Playing in the snow posed some interesting challenges for Grace this winter.  Anne came running into the house, "We have a big problem!  Grace is stuck in a bucket!"  I promptly replied, "I'll get the camera and my boots!"  Anne then returned outside laughing hysterically and yelling, "Mom's getting the camera!"

James and John made the most of the stamps and ink one cold afternoon, before I packed all the craft things away for the move.

James is always so concerned about vitamins in the morning.  After complaining that once again that mom forgot to put vitamins on the table I told James he was the vitamin police and it was his job to make sure vitamins were put on the table every day.  Funny little chap said, "Awesome!  Do I get chains with my police job?!"

Robert spends his days eating, and eating and eating. Big boy!

When you turn 9 you get to light your own candle.  It clearly takes a whole lot of concentration.

Grace is happy to be growing up.  Growing up presents a whole new bundle of parenting perplexities.  Edwin and I aren't ready for these bigger kids.

Anne is genuinely thrilled to see Grace's birthday presents.

When Edwin's not working he's projecting.  This week's project...

Cowboy and Indian Blanket for colleague's expectant baby.

To answer your questions....yes we are moving.

No we are not leaving our town or our church ward congregation.

WE ARE BUYING OUR OWN HOUSE NEXT MONTH!  

WE ARE SO EXCITED!

Happy Halloween

 Jennifer was doing some science experiments with James and John while the girls were away at school. This one is called elephant toothpaste and is made by combining active dried yeast, dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and food coloring. It's pretty spectacular.

 We had a lot of frightening things happening in Wyoming this Halloween. First a lion escaped from the zoo.

 In order to capture the lion we had to hire two ninjas, a scientist, the zizzer-zazzer-zuzz, and their good friends owl and skeleton. In the end they were able to capture the fearsome beast.

Anne and Grace helped cook dinner tonight. They wanted eggs, toast and bacon. Anne was helping cook the bacon and donned some protective gear so she didn't get grease splattered in her eyes or on her skin. She wanted to keep wearing it for dinner.

Beds, birthdays, boys and burns

Edwin spent the last week of his time off making a loft bed for the boys' room.  The kids decided to give it a test run in the garage.  James is happy with his new sleeping arrangements and John is happy to be in a room with big boys.  

Spiderman had his 5th birthday!  James is super excited to be five and quite disgruntled that he is not in kindergarten yet.   

The boy can't make a decision these days.   I waited until the day before his birthday before he decided what kind of cake he wanted.  He told me he wanted a green apple cake.  The morning of his birthday I started pouring the batter into the pans and he said, "Wait mom, use these pans.  Make a tall outer space cake."  I think it turned out well with minimal work and limited supplies in small town Wyoming.

Skateboard, pads, and spiderman stuff.  James is happy.

Great-grandpa Ray flew to Idaho for a visit.  These are his great-grandchildren.  We enjoyed the weekend with our families and we played lots of cribbage.

Homecoming was this weekend. As student body secretary for Gannet Peak Elementary, Grace was invited to join the homecoming parade on the student council float.

 The girls school pictures came back a little while ago. The boys were feeling left out that their pictures weren't on the wall. So we had a picture day of our own. Here's John 2 1/2.

 James is 5

Robert is 8 months.

Robert burned his hand three weeks ago. We've had lots of extra doctors appointments and now we've been seeing a physical therapist. His hand is healing nicely and he's gaining more confidence using it again. 

Happy Birthday, and many more.

 Jennifer had a birthday a little over a week ago. We don't know what we would do without our Mom. Happy Birthday Jennifer!

 Grace wanted to run for the student council secretary at the elementary school this year. Here she is waiting for her turn to give a campaign speech at the school assembly. She won! Congratulations Grace!

 We spent a couple of days up at Louis Lake Lodge. Edwin and Grandpa Dave had a great time fishing. Grandpa even ended his multi-year streak of being skunked.

 Grandma and the kids did some sewing. Grace embroidered her handkerchief to get ready for the Ogden Temple rededication which she and Edwin attended on Sunday.

 Boats, boats and more boats.

 Grace and Anne both had their first violin recital at one of the local senior centers. They love their teacher Alena

The boys will play while the girls are away.

 James has been asking to go to the skate park almost every day since Grace and Anne started school. Finally mom took the boys and they had a great time.

 Even Robert decided to get in on the action. He may only be crawling right now, but he sure does move fast sometimes.

 James is pretty fearless at the skate park. He had some pretty good wipe outs, but just kept getting up and trying again.

 Finger painting is always fun, or is it supposed to be hand painting?

 What a cute drooly little guy.

 One of my coworkers has several apple trees. We got invited over for the apple party.

 The kids and dad got to climb the trees and shake all the apples down.

Mom picked up a lot of apples while Wally told her all sorts of stories about Antartica. For payment we got all the apple crisp and fresh pressed apple juice we could eat and drink.