Good News To Share In 2009

We're Expecting!! Yes, I'm nearly 13 weeks pregnant and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of our third little blessing in late July! I had my second doctor's appointment yesterday and got a sneak peak of the baby who happened to be sucking his/her thumb at the time. I'm thrilled that the family I've dreamed of for as long as I can remember is nearly complete!!

Now that the horrible nausea I've been experiencing for the last 5 weeks is beginning to subside, I hope to bring our blog back up to speed. Here are a few pictures from last month.

Winter Blast 2008
We accumulated well over a foot of snow that covered the ground for nearly two weeks! It gave me something pretty to look at while I lay miserably on the couch. Both the kids enjoyed the snow, but especially Tatum. She could have spent the day outside, sledding down the hill right outside our front door and playing with the neighborhood kids.

Christmas Morning

Tatum received a Bitty Baby from Santa and Owen received Geo Trax Grand Central Station. We all enjoyed our Christmas morning together at home and then spent the afternoon with my family. I was super thankful for the anti-nausea medication prescribed to me by my doc...I don't think I would have been able to participate in the festivities otherwise.

14 weeks is typically my magic number to be rid of the nausea. I've almost (we've almost, meaning my poor husband) made it...this pregnancy should be downhill (for the most part) from here!

Oh Christmas Tree

December 1st is officially here, let the Christmas season begin! Christmas is my favorite holiday, and while I'm slightly embarrassed to admit this, I've been listening to Warm 106.9 for about the last two weeks. For those of you unfamiliar with this station, Warm 106.9 has been playing Christmas music around the clock since the start of November!

Yesterday, we went to a local tree farm in search of the perfect Christmas tree. It didn't take us long to find it, and once home I was eager to bring it in and start decorating. Decorating the tree is one of my favorite Christmas traditions! I love reminiscing about the story of each Christmas ornament...when it comes to my ornaments, I have a great memory!

Now that the tree is trimmed our biggest challenge is to keep the kiddos (particularly Owen) from touching and removing the ornaments. My new famous line is, "No touching, just look!" Unfortunately, one ornament has already been broken, but Scott's assured me that with a little super glue he can fix it like new. I'm on serious Christmas tree patrol until the newness of the tree wears off.

Daddy and Tate hauling our freshly cut tree to the car


Owen thoroughly enjoying his complimentary candy cane


My attempt at getting a group photo with our Christmas tree

Ellensburg Getaway

This weekend we were able to escape to Ellensburg for a night to visit my Uncle Steve and Aunt Mary. I think Ellensburg is beautiful, especially the views from my Aunt and Uncle's home. Every time we go visit, I always leave saying that I could see myself living there and start pondering the future possibilities of making the move...who knows, perhaps someday! We all had a great time catching up with family that unfortunately we don't get to see very often. In fact, this was Tatum and Owen's very first visit to the Gordon's home. One of the many hi-lights of the trip for the kids (and us too) was getting to help feed their horses, Tracy and Toodles. Tatum even got to try on a cowboy hat and sit on a saddle. Tate said she someday hoped to be a "cowboy girl". Thank you Gordon Family for a fantastic time!

Tatum with Aunt Mary petting Toodles

Tatum shooting hoops with my Uncle Steve and cousin Callie

Tatum with Uncle Steve having oh so much fun...check out the beautiful scenery!!

Swimming in the tub

Last night Tatum wanted to wear goggles in the tub. As soon as Owen noticed this, he had to have a pair too. Here's a short video of the kids having fun in the tub with their goggles. Also, I have to mention this video is mild compared to what happened next. They moved on from simply blowing bubbles to literally cannon balling in the tub. Let me just say, it took about 3 towels to soak up all the water off the floor!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from our little black kitten and turtle! We spent the evening at my Aunt Vicki and Uncle Steve's house with lots of family and did a little trick or treating around their neighborhood. This was the first year Tatum was really into the holiday. She absolutely loved getting dressed up in her costume and couldn't wait to go trick or treating. Tatum definitely had the trick or treat part down, but both her and Owen (especially Owen) need to work on not barging into a complete stranger's home. Here are a few pics from our fun night.

Trick or Treat!

Tatum with my cousin Stephanie

My little kitty cat, exhausted after a night of fun

Grandma & Papa's Pumpkin Carving Party

Tonight marked the third annual pumpkin carving party hosted by Grandma and Papa (my Mom and Clint). The weather was perfect for an afternoon of pumpkin carving! Here are a few pictures from the party.

The gang...Rach, Justin, Scott, John, Jen, Kate, Brian, Tracy, and Grandma Cheryl

Scott and Justin intensely carving their pumpkins

The "cousins" decked out in their Halloween costumes:

Blake, Emma, baby Kate, Tyler, Owen &Tatum

Hammon Annual Harvest Party

Last weekend we went to Kingston for Logan and Kate Hammon's annual Harvest Party. Logan is a fellow Lynnwood firefighter. The kids had a fantastic time and Scott and I enjoyed visiting with several of his co-workers (when we weren't chasing around the kiddos). There was every activity imaginable to participate in...pumpkin painting, apple bobbing, a putting hole, frisbee toss, pumpkin seed spitting, face painting, a scavenger hunt, and the list goes on!! Owen loved bobbing for apples...and he really was bobbing, putting his entire face in the water. Thanks Hammon Family for another great party!

Luke and Tatum painting pumpkins

Tatum and Owen bobbing for apples

Boots and Backpacks

Apparently, if your a kid there's nothing quite as exciting as a "cool" backpack and rubber rain boots! After we bought Tatum her new school backpack we could hardly get her to take it off...she would have slept with it on her back had we not coaxed her to hang it on her bedpost. She had to take that thing with her everywhere we went. It came with us to the grocery store, church, Grandma's...absolutely everywhere! Owen had to get in on the backpack frenzy too. Of course Owen likes and tries to do everything his sis does.

The boots were a gift from Grandma Vicki...Thank you! As you can see, those are a big hit too. My kids are puddle magnets, so they're a great and fun option for the weather around here. When I first puts the boots on Owen he instinctively started stomping his feet up and down. I have a feeling that it will take a little more than just the boots to keep him dry when he goes puddle stomping!

First Day of Preschool

Well, we made it through the first day of preschool without shedding a tear (at least Tatum didn't)! As I watched Tate with her teacher, I felt my eyes starting to get teary. I had so many emotions going through my head; excitement, happiness, pride. I snapped a quick picture, gave her a kiss, and before I could even say good-bye, Tatum darted across the hall for her classroom shouting "Bye Mom", and never looked back. All I could do was smile...I knew she was going to have a fantastic time!

The report from Tatum was that "Preschool was great!" She said they painted apples, danced to music, and had story time. Tatum told me the best part about preschool today was story time...they read Pooh goes to School.

Here is a pic of Tatum at school right before she took off for her classroom.

Tatum saying good-buy to her little brother.

The many faces of Tatum

Scott and I just bought a new camera, and I am having so much fun with it! While on vacation our camera broke and after discovering it would cost as much to fix it as to buy a new one, we decided on the later of the two choices. We decided on the Nikon Cool Pix P80...still a point and shoot, but with a lot more zoom and the ability to be a little more creative! I've been taking pics like a mad woman to get used to the camera and test out all the neat features. As you can see from the pictures I've been using the kids as my subjects. Tatum's been fairly cooperative. Owen, on the other hand won't sit still for more than 1/2 a second. I guess that just means I'll have to work on my action photography a little more. Anyway, here are several close-ups of Tate that I took out in the yard this morning...her personality is just shining through these photos.