Over the past few months, I've sort of been on my own with my kids and this is pretty much what we do...

I get crawled on, climbed on, spit on, barfed on, yelled at, and cried at. I also get laughed at, danced with, kissed and hugged too.


Played in the snow. I really hate snow and Ellie really loves it.


Snow Angel


Movie nights with popcorn. Since we cancelled our tv all we watch is movies. Redbox loves us! I am usually vacuuming up popcorn for days after these events, but the kids love it.


There is A LOT of crying from everyone but it never lasts too long.



Dane walking and Ellie trying to help him out. She loves to carry him around. He loves it too until he gets dropped or smashed into something.


Spinning in the office chair. This is a bit favorite. Notice Ellie is wearing Dane's pajamas that she now claims as her own and my socks.


Thanks to all the stinking snow and wind we were not able to go home for Thanksgiving but in a few short weeks we will be home in CDA! Hooray!

Pumpkin Patch

We went to the pumpkin patch here which is more like a green house with some store bought pumpkins thrown about but it was fun for Ellie and Dane. Ellie helped Dane choose a pumpkin. Then we went home and cut his hair. Not really but we should have cause now that I look at these pictures I realize that it looks a little crazy.

Just to hold my mom over until I get my stuff together and put up halloween pics!

Dane turned 1 a couple weeks ago and I am just now getting to pictures! This last year has gone by so fast! He still seems too small to be one. At his checkup he was only 5% for weight and his teensy head wasn't even on the chart. I don't think he'll stay small forever though. He has been a pretty tough baby with being sick all the time and the constant ear problems so hopefully this next year will be a lot better for him. Ellie loves him to bits and they get along so well right now. He loves to dance and read books and he really likes it when people sing. He also likes balls and throws everything he can get his hands on. His favorite food is bananas and grapes and dry cereal. That's about all he'll eat actually. He is such a picky eater! Notice the cake picture...he wouldn't even taste it, just threw it on the ground. I try to make him taste stuff and it never works. No wonder he is such a lightweight! Happy Birthday Dane!

I've been out scouting for good picture taking locations and took Ellie with me this last sunday. I love spending time just me and her. She is the funniest kid and has so much to say when I actually take a minute to listen. It made my day and we got a lot of funny pictures. She loved hiking through the grass and even had her first outdoor potty experience which went surprisingly well!

Ellie loves holding Dane. She likes to read to him and drag him all over the house. Poor Dane. He eats it up though and squeals when he gets sick of her smothering. At least they like eachother for now!


I love clearance! After each season, I like to find all the deals. This kite was $1.50 and Ellie was so excited to fly it! She had a blast running around and watching her new toy.

I love going home. I cry every time I have to leave. Ellie also loves being there. Where else do you get to wear a swim suit all day every day, tease the dogs with a pigeon feather on a fishing pole, 4-wheel down the street, and eat as much junk as you can fit in your belly! (I know you can do all these things lots of places, but it wouldn't be as fun as at my parents house). We had a blast there and it really was hard to come home. We also got to celebrate CJ and Courtney's wedding in November with the cutest western party they put on. There will be more pics from that later on my other blog probably. Thanks for a fun trip!



Remember when my brother shot a nail in his eye with a nail gun? Here is his poor little eye today. He has almost made a full recovery and has almost all his vision back. Now he just looks like a cat!


Ellie and Courtney. I think Ellie looks like a jungle girl in this picture with the swimsuit and scraggly curls. She is finally not afraid of the 4-wheeler and even rode the motorcycle.



Even Dane got a ride around the back yard (very slowly and carefully). This kid cries at the hairdryer and vacuum but loved riding around. We are trying to man him up little by little and since this he has actually been better when I vacuum.


We went to Riverfront Park and rode the rides and played on the wagon and fed the goat trash. We even walked down a creepy path and saw the falls.


These are a few pics from my brothers wedding party. I don't really know the kid in these pictures but he was cute so I added them. He is my brother's friend's son. I already went on about my sisters and how much fun they are. Now it's CJ's turn. He turned out the be such a good guy. (we had our doubts when he was younger). He is polite to people (unless he hates you) and has become so helpful! He is great with my kids and will be a fabulous dad come February. I think he is so much fun to be around and is the hardest worker I know. Thanks CJ for teaching me how to gamble and for a fun night at the casino.




This is in Monida MT. I just thought it was a cool barn and the sky was amazing on the drive home with the sunset and the rain and clouds.

CDA Dinner Cruise: One of the coolest things I have done in CDA and I have lived there a long time. It's put on by the resort and everything about it was great. The food was great. (notice the big chunk of butter on Ellie's fork... she loves butter). It was so relaxing and the sunset was beautiful. Almost everyone on the cruise was 60+ years old and they all loved Ellie and her curls. She danced for everyone and we took lots of pics. Thanks mom and dad for watching Dane!

Brooklyn's Wedding: Not a lot of pictures from this day but I was busy setting up a reception, driving, and cleaning bloody noses. (Ellie got whacked in the face with a wooden swing). Thanks for everyone's help with my children while I helped out! Congrats Brooklyn and Kagan.

I had so much fun with my sisters that weekend. It's sometimes hard to have fun when you have little kids needing all your attention, but somehow we managed to spend a lot of time together. I am so blessed to have such a great family. No matter what my life situations are, I know they are always on my side and will be there for anything. My brother is great too, he just wasn't there that day...more about him later. I also have the best parents. They still take care of me even though I graduated ten years ago (eek! i'm getting old). I laugh my hardest with my mom and my dad always helps me to see the perspective of things. They are just really great people. Ok I'm done now. It was a good wedding.

Mr Max. I think Cami took this picture. I only edited it.