Trick or Treat

Friday night Teancum and Karen Came trick of treating. But they gave the us the treat or trick which ever you want to call it. They gave us their leopard gecko, his name is Geeko. He is really a cute little guy and always has a smile. He is a rather quiet pet. For us he is a treat. I never thought I would allow a reptile in the house but, he is fun.

Here he is.... MR. GEEKO

Halloween Costumes for this year

Just wanted to share the kids in their Halloween Costumes!


Ashlyn as Hannah Montana-



















Lachoneus as Cleopatra-

I have to say that Lachoneus is a brave soul!

Costal Trip

Ashlyn and I took a trip with my sister Patsy to take my sister Karen back to her home in East Wenatchee, Washington. We started out on Oct. 19th from Ogden and made the drive in around 13 hours. When we left I was sick with either food poisoning or flu. Patsy drove the whole way and Karen sat in the back seat and kept Ashlyn happy while I slept much of the way.
It took me 41/2 days to feel half decent, so we mostly hung out at Karen's house for most of the time we were there. I have to say although being sick I enjoyed just hanging out with my sisters.

Ashlyn spent a good portion of the week playing with Lilly (Karen's grandaughter that lives with her dad Jared in my sisters basement). They had all kinds of fun. Ashlyn got royally spoiled by her aunts. :>)

After we left Karen's house Patsy, Ashlyn, and I drove to Seattle and to dinner down on the water at Ivar's. We took a few pictures of the space needle and Pike's St. Market and then drove out to Ocean Shores.

We got a hotel that was right next to the beach.

When we woke up we opened the sliding glass door to the deck and listened to the ocean waves hitting the beach. After a lazy morning and a good breakfast we went out to the beach to play.

It was in the low 60's but was so peaceful and sweet. I have always felt that the ocean speaks to my soul but it was sweet to see that it speaks to my little Ash's soul. Like mother, like daughter. After a day at the beach we headed to Astoria, Oregon. We ate at a mom and pop type diner and got food poisoning from the the worst clam chowder we have ever eaten, or the other seafood we ordered (The food wasn't even good). Ashlyn ate a few fries and wouldn't eat her chicken sandwich and I had to agree with her after looking at how slimy the sauce on it looked. I am sure glad she didn't eat it; cause Patsy and I had dibs on the porcelain god throughout the night. Thank goodness it was only the 24 hour kind.
The good thing was that we were in an awesome hotel called Cannery Pier Hotel that was right over the Columbia River with the soothing sound of the water lapping against the pier. We had a deck that we could walk out and watch the ships going up and down the river. It was SO beautiful. If I could have got Dean and Lachoneus magically there with a way for Dean to provide a living I think I would have Stayed. Oh well!
We ate lunch at a much better restaurant and actually enjoy our clam chowder. We went and watched the seals and then headed toward home. I won't bore you with all the weird things that happened to us on the way home. But, suffice it to say that even though we tried hard to get home for Lachoneus's playoff game on Tuesday the 28th before 7pm, we didn't make it back to Ogden till the game almost over. The Lord was watching over us with prompting and guidance to get us safely home without our van giving out totally. And he heard the prayers of this mom that his team would win and go on to the championship so that I could be to his last game of the season. I know to many that is a silly prayer but, for me, it is important that I get to be there since I already missed one game.

FOOTBALL

Football, football, football. I think I have a love hate relationship with this game. I hate to watch it unless someone I know is playing. Since Lachoneus is play this year we live football. Practices 3 times a week for 2 hours each and then a game once a week. So far they have played 8 games and Lake's team (7th grade Pleasant Grove Vikings B/Carley Team) has 6 wins -2 losses. They are a pretty good team. So anyway I find myself yelling myself hoarse cheering them on. All to the sad embarrassment of Ashlyn.

Anyway here are some pics. My camera doesn't do action well and all the games are night games. Lake is #46 in the blue jerseys . If you need further help locating him look for his beautiful brown skin he is the only one on his team with beautiful brown skin. That is except for one of his coaches.
So I have to tell you this funny story. They were taking team pictures and the photographer said coaches stand behind your sons. So the coaches stood behind their sons but Coach Baskins (who is african american is standing on the opposite side of the group from Lake) stays where he is. Then the photographer says 'OK, sons stand in front of your dads' she repeats this several times. No one moves but I hear a slight laugh coming from some of the boys. LOL They said something to to each other about here thinking that Lake was Baskins son. So Baskins (who doesn't have a son on the team but, loves football and coaching the boys) catches on and walks around the back of the group and stands behind Lake and puts his hand on Lake's shoulder, saying OK I'd wouldn't mind being his dad. Poor Photographer!!! How could she have guessed that Lake has white parents and coach Baskins doesn't have a son on the team. This will be one we laugh over for a long time. (you just had to be there to get the full affect.)

Sagebrush Flats

We took a ride up to Sagebrush Flats to see the colors change. We had folding chairs up in back of the truck and the kids were sitting in the back. Dean commented how he wished he was back there with them enjoying the views so I told him I would drive and he could ride back with the kids. Now I have to tell you I didn't think I was going fast but as I driving along I hear the kids laughing and making comments about how fast and bumpy the ride was. Mind you they had no idea that I could hear them through the open windows. Then I heard Dean say "Who are you and what have you done with my wife." So I said "did I just hear you say--who are you and what have you done with my wife". With a little twinkle in his voice Dean said "Why yes--you did. I didn't know that you could hear that." Then they all giggled a little more. Yes, that was a fun moment in my week.
Ashlyn called me and said "Mom come and look." She was so excited it was like she had found a treasure. And she did, I love the Heartshape in the stump of the tree. Don't you just love nature!
*(Teancum it is by where we park to go to hike to "Your tree" as Dad and the kids call it. --From your hike with Dad years ago).

My art classes began again today after a break for summer. It felt GREAT! I don't know how to explain the therapy that I recieve from doing an art project. I have to say that if you need an outlet find one that recharges you and then go do it. My class is once a month but I wish that I could afford to do it at least weekly instead on only monthly. Heck, who am I fooling I would love to go to class everyday.
What makes art class much more fun is having my sister Patsy come down to take the class with me. She also spends the night before and a night or two after to hang out and have fun. It is a highlight of the month for all of us at our house. As Ashlyn puts it Yea! Patsy is here, Patsy is here! The only thing bad about having her come is when she has to go home. We wish she could stay here all the time.

For Labor Day we did some cleaning in the morning and I taught Ashlyn how to do sudoku puzzles with pictures in a sticker book. She caught on quite quick, she is such a smart girl. We had Teancum and Karen over for a lunch BBQ. While I was cooking Ashlyn was singing along with High School Musical game on the wii. Teancum, Karen and Lachoneus played "Killer Bunnies". It was a very interesting background noise for me. (Let me tell you that as I sang Little bunny Fu-fu all those years ago I never imagined that those bunnies would become "Killer Bunnies" in a Game for the 2000's.) But I really have to say that the interaction and laughter of the kids was fun to listen to.

Teancum and Karen took off before Lachoneus had to go to football practice at 5:30 pm. Dean took Lachoneus to practice and Ashlyn hung out with me. When Lachoneus got back and ate dinner we had Family Home Evening. Ashlyn taught the lesson and share the story of Nephi and his brothers going to get the brass plates. We talked about how the Lord wouldn't ask them to do anything he wouldn't provide a way for them to accomplish it. We talked about how Laman and Lemuel murmered. We talked about which example we follow. I was sure reminded of how I need to check my attitude. Ashlyn did such a great job teaching our lesson with her innocent 7 year old spirit.

I felt joy in watching the growth of my little family.