Bloggless for 6 months! Yikes

Well, at least I can end the year in a blog! Soooo much has happened in the last 6 months, and I haven't blogged about any of it...I've been busy I guess! We went for 16 days on a trip to Florida to meet Mickey and to visit Ben's aunt and uncle in Fort Myers. We had a spectacular vacation, even though I found myself VERY homesick...not necessarily for MY home, but just for the north west. I guess FL just isn't for me, although a short vacation always suits just fine :) The kids were so excited the entire vacation and of course places like Disney are much more magical through a childs eyes! Ben's parents were with us for the majority of the time and we had so much fun on our family vacation.

Our latest adventure as well as you all can relate, I'm sure...Christmas! Amongst all the hustle and bustle, I love to remember as to why we have Christmas in our lives. A king is born, Hallelujah! And this year we celebrated 1st a weekend prior with Ben's mom, dad, sister and brother in law at our house. Saturday we had a beautiful dinner of prime rib, roasted potatoes, asparagus and Cesar salad(I even used my china :) We then had the privilege in watching Chloe, along with her cousins Alexis, Allison and Payton in her first recital with Breakdown Dance! You'll see what I mean when you see the pictures how scared her dad was when he saw her with all that makeup:) He said "Oh my gosh...if this a glimpse of what she's going to look like in 10 years...we're in BIG trouble" She's pretty cute :) And she was so proud!!!

Next stop...Eagle Crest! 3 houses, 38 people and a VERY Merry Christmas! We rented a beautiful home along with my mom and dad, brother Chris, his two kids Easton and Elise and his girlfriend Billie joined us! I LOVE when the kids get true uninterrupted cousin time :) So precious! In "the Big house" was My aunt and uncle Roby and Marcia. Their daughters, Kim, Keri and Robyn and their husbands, and ALL their kids! 10 in all :) In the 3rd house was Johns parents, John and Vicki, Andrew(robyn and Johns live in Nephew) and his mom Nicki and her other two boys! My mom shares a birthday with Jesus, and so needless to say, we celebrate in a BIG way :) Family is such a blessing from God, and it melts me to know that we all feel that way about each other!

How about the month of May!

Ben and I started the month in Palm springs with the LaVassaurs, the Bowman's and the Curtis'...It was a no kids allowd trip and early celebration of ours and the LaVassaur's 10 year anniversaries!

Next up....Mothers day! We had a great weekend with my parents coming up and a weekend at the baseball fields, gardening center and a great mothers day brunch at the Vintage.

In other BIG news....Chloe had her last day of preschool and is starting Kindergarden in the fall! A little sadness that my baby is growing up, but complete proudness that she did so great this year! We will really miss you Miss Julie!

We also took a weekender to Sun River with the Iversons! The kids has SO much fun, and IT WAS SUNNY....Yay Sunshine!

Memorial day Camping trip 09'/Indian Mary! We had a HUGE group and fun was had by all! It was a beautiful warm weekend which is always a blessing in Oregon on Memorial weekend...especially this year with the weekend landing so early! All in all we had 19 kids and 20 adults...and if you can believe it....there were children missing from the weekend!

We closed out the month with a date day to King Estate Vineyard! Talk about Heaven on Earth...it is spectacular! We will surely be back! We decided to join their wine club!

Puddle day!

April 1st just happened to be Puddle day at Norkenzie Christian Preschool! Bring your boots, raincoats and umbrellas!!!! Chloe had a blast! Then after being soaking wet and changing clothes, it was time for hot coacoa and donut holes! One of the best days ever! I was the parent helper that day, and really enjoyed watching chloe's classmates play in the puddles!

Spring break at OMSI!

During Spring Break, Ben and I took the kids to OMSI for the day! They had a blast, and we ended up with a season pass for more fun to follow!! It was so great to see the kids being so curious and inventive...They loved it!

Chloe turns 5!

Our BABY is 5?! And I am in complete amazement that I am writing this!

Our precious little baby girl that was born 34 days premature at 5lbs 7oz, that had to stay in the NICU for 7 days and had to come home on a heart monitor for the next 8 weeks, whom took 9 weeks to learn how to nurse....turned 5! As they say, "time flies". And here we are as her proud parents feeling very nastalgic about this number. 5 seems like a number that puts you well past the baby stages! We no longer have a baby :(

With that said...we are truly enjoying not having a baby around the house! Chloe has become a very funny little girl that LOVES her music, design games, dancing, going to school like a "big girl", having her own friends, pink, telling us how she loves us "infinity times 8, to the moon and back, and as much as Jesus and God love us, and twirling round and round, and up the stairs, and more than you love me". She is a very loving girly girl who has a very strong wil, and can argue with the best of em'. Not quite as good as her mommy, but she's only 5...give her a few years :)

She was soooo excited to have her 5th birthday party with 8 of her own friends. Friday night We had a princess sleepover, complete with pin the kiss on the frog, A princess picture backdrop(painted by mom),decorating tiara cookies, princess crowns and movie night! The only little girls that made it through the sleepover were Chloe's cousins :) I had a feeling they were all too young yet!

Sunday was a family gathering at at the pizza parlour with extended family, and on Monday (her actual birthday) Ben and I took chloe for lunch, to paint some pottery, got Aiden from school, came home, opened gifts and then off again for dinner at Chloe's choice, Red Robin! She had her favorite, Mac and cheese and of course they came along and sang happy birthday with a very large ice cream sunday! I would say, all in all....It's good to be 5!

Aiden turns 7!!!

So when it comes to childrens birthday's, us parents tend to get a little emotional! Every year it's the same thing...TOTAL amazement that our babies have turned yet another year older. With pure joy at the same time! Ben and I tend to say we love every stage, and 7 is no different! Aiden is such a sweet little boy, whom is caring, loves his family, and his friends, is full of energy, is coming into his own little funny personality. He has a little bit of his mom's sarcastic sense of humor! I love it(if he's not teasing me of course :)

On 02-02-2002 Ben and I rushed to the hospital at 2 something in the morning! Our little man was born at 5:25am; and every single birthday brings me back to that day! There are a few very important milestones in ones life, but the birth of your first child is one that by far changes you as a person more than any other! You are now the "worried" parent that you thought was so annoying in your own parent, and suddenly realize why they were the way they were! You suddenly feel very loved and blessed moreso than before! You start living to see your childs milestones instead of your own...it is truly amazing! We love you Aiden, and can not believe our little baby is 7 years old!

What better way to celebrate than party at skateworld! Us and the LaVassaurs rented the whole place out for Aiden and his cousin Griffin, and a good time was had by all :) Aiden had a discussion with me about having no girls at his party, whereas Griffin made sure the boys and girls were even! Ahhh, the difference between 7 and 9! Aiden was sadly dissapointed when I told him that he has to invite his little sister, (girl)cousins, and his mom :)











Aiden(7) and Cousin Griffin(9)

Aiden and his Beaver baseball cake

Aiden and some of his school buddies. Aden B.,Jordan, Aiden W. and Issa

Aiden and his little sister(she made it passed security)

The famous Skateworld mustache!