Bring on the dirt!

With no snow and no sledding that led the boys to enjoying so go old go-cart racing.  I am trying to embrace it when they are racing each other, but to be honest it still scares the you know what out of me.  Winston is my only one that seems to understand that winning isnt' everything and safety just might me a little more important.  Josh and Hans are in complete win mode at all times. 

It is getting so fun to watch Winston and how far he has come in his racing skills.  He is really starting to figure out how to move and slide his go-cart in his favor.  The racing blood doesn't seem to run through him they way it does through his dad and brother but I have a feeling he will always give them a run for their money.

Hans LOVES speed, winning, and show boating.  I can already feel the gray hair coming.

At the end of the day, it is always nice to see that although they all love winning they can still walk away with smiles.  There will be winning races and losing races and that's LIFE!  No one loves loosing, but we all have to learn how to be good losers.  That's just LIFE!

Christmas at home

This year Josh and I did Christmas at home with the kids and had my family join us.  What a RELAXING day we had.  Kids had the whole day to spend playing with all there new toys and most of all just enjoy Christmas as a very blessed and happy family.

I love watching the kids open their gifts and seeing what kind of reaction they give.  Hans had the best of the year.

Next up was Great Grandpa Tom's gift.  I have to say this gift was a blast from the past for me and I'm so glad grandpa is passing this gift down through the next generation.  The kids had a hard time figuring out just exactly what a box of cut up pvc pipe could be, but with help they soon figured it out.

CHAIRS!!  I still remember my pink one.

All in all it was a very Merry Christmas around here.  Plus I just love these hats my dad and mom got for the kids.  Especially the handmade head warmer for Alyee.  Thank you everyone for a very Merry Christmas.  Love you all!!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was spent with Josh's family this year. It was a day filled with laughs, games, ice skating, gifts and FOOD!  It was one of the most enjoyable Christmas Eve's I can think of.  The day just brought joy to the whole family.

Aunt Tamar found the perfect gift for Alyee, she absolutely loves her new dress up dress.

The boys were pretty excited about their basketballs.  I only wish I had caught Hans excited laugh on camera.  He for sure has the blood of a basketball player.

Uncle Brian spoiled the boys with new spy watches.  They now have the ability to spy on people and caught it on their watches which will video tape and take pictures.  Technology these days.

What's Christmas for a little girl without her own fairies. 

Thank you everyone for a wonderful and very Merry Christmas.  We love you all and are so blessed to have each one of you as family.

Ugly Sweater Party

This was a first for Josh and I as well as the rest of our friends, but what fun!!  We had a little get together at a friends house with ugly sweaters.  Josh and I won!! 

He looks a little creeper here, but I will try to post a new picture of him because he looks way better now that the party is over.  Not so much like a drug dealer.

Grant School Christmas Concert

What a way to kickoff the Christmas spirit other than listening to all the kids at school sing the hearts out.  I love watching and listening to the kids put on very joyful concerts. 

first up Winston and his 2nd grade classmates.

Next was Hans and kindergartner's. 

I love watching Kindergartner's because they actually LOVE to belt out their songs.  They are so excited to show off for all their mom's and dad's.  So cute!

O' Christmas Tree

It's beginning to look a bit like Christmas around here.

Alyee turns 3

Our sweet baby girl turned 3!!  Crazy how fast time goes, seems not too long ago she was just a little peanut in my arms.

It was a party filled with lots of barbies and princess. 

Happy birthday sweet princess.  Daddy and mommy love you to the moon and back.  You fill our hearts with love and joy.

Hans is 6

Happy 6th Birthday to my sweet baby boy Hans!  The day was spent with classmates and in the evening family.  "I'd say it was a pretty great day mom", Hans said as I kissed him good-night and wished him sweet dreams.  What more could a mom ask for.

He got lots of fun gifts.  Everyone needs a pair of underwear gloves. 

Son, we love you to the moon and back.  Make a wish.

A day at the Beach

There is no more than sand, ocean waves and a fire that I love more so forgive for this HUGE post. 

We have bit of a routine when we are at the beach, first the kids start hauling wood.

Then the kids begin there work of making a fort and digging in the sand. 

 

Once the fire is going it's time to enjoy and relax.

The beach is the one place they always get along and work so well together.  A mothers dream come true.

Got to love a girl that can dig right in and help out with all the work.  She is such a helper.

Hans got to enjoy an earlier birthday gift from Grandpa Lyndsy while at the beach.

One of my favorite things about this trip was being able to watch both my brother and dad enjoy the ocean with the kids. 

Alyee now has a dream in her future....

....to ride a horse on the beach.  Something Grandma Sally is going to have to do with her since her mom doesn't ride.

The one regret I do have is that this picture doesn't have Dad, Mom, Uncle John and Aunt Brynne in it.  There must be a next time.

These are some of my favorite pictures of Alyee with Grandpa.  There is just something about a granddaughter and her grandpa.

And the grand finally....  my EAGLE pictures!!  I couldn't believe this,  but as we were leaving the ocean there he sat just waiting for me to take his picture.  Isn't he beautiful?  It was a great note to leave the ocean on.

Fort Stevens

This Fort was the first Fort Josh and I visited together.  We actually stopped here on way home from our honeymoon and we hadn't been back since.  It was so fun to take the kids here and experience it with them.

Some rules are worth breaking, and this was 1.  You are not suppose to climb on this huge machine gun, but of course Josh thought it was one of those rules worth breaking.  After seeing the huge smile on Alyee's face I realized maybe he was right.

Alyee got to see a real Bambie passing through. 

I might be bias, but can our kids get any cuter.

Quote from Winston, "hey mom, can we drive this home?  This is Awesome and Grandpa would love it!" 

Yes he would son, but that rule shouldn't be broken.

This gun is still used for when they re-enact the day the Japanese sub bombed Fort Stevens. 

Hans just loved the jeep they had parked at the visitors office.

He was sure he looked good in it.

He even had grandpa take a look because he was positive he could unhook it and drive away in it.  I'm a little worried about my boys and them thinking they can hot wire and drive away in things they want.  In the end, Hans did come to terms that it wasn't happening.

A day of history

Some of the best memories I have from family trips are when we visited Fort's.  There is limitless fun to be had at them plus education to be taught. 

Our first stop was Fort Columbia.  It was so much for to watch the boys run from one thing to the other as well as run through the bunkers down below.  A boys dream come true.

Alyee seemed to just walk around and take it all in, but when we got ready to leave she was ready to take down her enemies.  Not sure how she does it but she can take her brothers down no problem. 

If you notice behind us, you can see the Columbia River meeting up with the ocean.  It was a beautiful day.

Thanksgiving in Long Beach

1 hour, is that too much?

Well it was family picture time again for my family and I am puzzled by how hard it is for them to just give me 1 hour of extra good behavior and cooperation.  I don't know what it is about me, but I always have high hopes that this will be the year that all goes well, I forgot I still have a 2 year old. 

Although I was frustrated with them all and their whines, I have to say that after looking at what pictures we did get, it is a memory.  I can't expect great pictures all the time because that would just be boring.  So I will continue to have high hopes because family pictures are important to me.  Not because I want them to be perfect but because I want my kids to have family pictures of their family for the future as well as the stories that go with each and every photo session.  It's always an adventure and every year has a story and memory of mom threatening Christmas. 

A HUGE thank you to Staci and all her patience's and understanding each year with us.  You are the best and I love having you be apart of my craziness.