Christian's scouts!

Christian has an amazing scout leader! We as a family have been able to enjoy so many fun activities that have been planned by her. Saturday we were able to attend the Gateway Museum by Bidwell mansion in Chico, the Satuday before that they went on a 3-mile hike and last month we went to Durham to the Wildlife refuge (I forgot the exact name of it).

GATEWAY MUSEUM
Meliah showing all the different kinds of pinecones.

This is a picture of all the kids looking at the different types of scat (poo) of animals in our area. (pretty gross)

Christian loved the telescopes!

BIDWELL PARK - 3 MILE HIKE

The 3 scouts!


WILDLIFE REFUGE IN DURHAM

Christian, Meliah and Lizzy checking out all the animals

The whole group at the Wild Life refuge. A really great place in Durham that takes in animals that need extra care and treatments, or that just can't go back on their own because they are too used to being with humans.

Christian petting a snake.

The Bengal tiger right as she sprayed us. I was getting ready to take a picture of her face but it shocked me so bad I took this picture right before running. Not many people can say that a tiger has peed on them. YUCK!

Friday Date Night!

Aaron and I had all the kids take pictures of us before our date night last Friday night. This was the best one... Lizzy was the photographer! Yeah Lizzy! I do love my husband... he is such a great man.

NBA Fit Challenge!

Elizabeth waiting in line to jump rope

Christian and his cousin, Becca

Meliah racing her cousin, Sierra


The kids had a really great time on Saturday at the NBAFit Challenge at the school. There were several stations that they were tested and timed. It was so cute to watch them be competitive and do their best! Lizzy was the youngest there but really showed some determination. Christian placed 1st in his age group and Meliah placed 2nd. Christian gets to move on to the next level.

Halloween weather! WHAT?

Yesterday was a really nice day. I could not believe the perfect weather! Aaron and I were able to go play sand volleyball for a couple of hours in the middle of the day... may I add that Will and I smoked Aaron and Brian! Okay, well, maybe not smoked but that sounds a ton better than barely beating them. We only played 3 matches and it took us almost 2 hours. One of the games went all the way to 30, so it was a pretty good match up! I'd much rather get my exercise in doing something fun, and I love volleyball! Playing 2 on 2 in the sand is exhausting but it's so much fun.

We were able to take the kids to trunk or treat last night. They got so much candy it's ridiculous! I only have 3 kids... what do you all do with all that candy, expecially if you have 4, 5, 6, 7 kids? I'm really debating on whether to just have them eat it all until they get sick of it (I think that may shut down their immune systems though) or just put it in a ziplock bag and put it up in the cupboard (but I get so tired of the begging for candy). I read in family fun magazine that you can do scientific experiments with some of it. I think I may have to try it. Any other suggestions?

Lizzy(purple fairy) with her friend, Maddie (cinderella)

Aaron, as a nerd, with part of Christian's target costume too

My mom with the girls! She came by to give the kids a special treat.

Meliah with her friend Samie. (They both dressed as Mulan) They must have called each other... ha ha!

All of us at the trunk-or-treat

My friend Becky and her husband Jon came by to help us give out candy

I did dress up, it was just a couple of weeks ago for a get together

Happy halloween!

Meliah and Christian getting the guts out


Lizzy's Mr Pumpkin Head

Lizzy with one of her crazy creations

The kids with their final projects!

We carved pumpkins last night at the last minute. I really didn't want to, it was a canning day and I was exhausted! But it ended up really much more relaxed than former years. I always have felt really rushed and panicy when we carve pumpkins and feel like I've carved at least one before I can even think of carving my own. This year we got some of those poke through pieces (kind of like Mr potato head) for pumpkins and gave them to Elizabeth hoping that she would enjoy that instead of wanting to use a knife. She did! Yeah! She loves it too and has changed the face of her pumpkin several times and giggled like you've never heard before. Right before she was supposed to be in bed she came out with her Mr Potato Head pieces and wanted to try some of those too. The parts didn't have glasses and feet like the Mr. Potato set does. She started that back up this morning before preschool and has absolutely loved it! Christian and Meliah carved some simple faces without a whole lot of detail and were really happy with the results! Aaron did Frankenstein and worked on it long after the kids went to bed, and frankly, I was happy just taking pictures and enjoying watching them. I roasted the pumpkins seeds for a snack after FHE which I've never felt like I could do before.

The kids on the pumpkin train



We went to the pumpkin patch last week and really had a great time. It was during the week and after school, so it wasn't busy at all. The favorite spots were the gold panning for marbles and the petting Zoo. The weather was perfect and Aaron and I were able to sit together and get caught up on some visiting during the middle of the week (which is very unusual).

Meliah loved all the different shapes of pumpkins

Boy has time flown! Christian looked so huge in the petting area, he looked like a giant compared to most of the kids in there. I think I have a picture of him when he was 4 in this same spot!

The kids all really enjoyed mining for marbles. Christian got soaked trying reach all the way to the bottom of the water with a long sleeved shirt.

Fast Sunday!

The missionaries in our ward came to dinner at our house last Sunday and challenged us to fast about who we should share our beliefs with and told us that they would follow-up with us today. I was so thrilled that Christian and Meliah both came up with names of friends of theirs that they would like to share with. We had to give Elizabeth a few suggestions but she seems so willing and ready to share. I am so blessed to have children that are obedient and have the desire to choose the right. I feel humbled, honored and many times inadequate to be their mom. They teach me so much by their examples. They have so much faith in Aaron and I. We are trying to change the attitude about fasting in our home. Having a definate purpose as a family was a strengthening experience and we didn't hear as many complaints.

Our three cuties before church today

Tonight, Elizabeth got out our Friend magazine and found "The Proclamation to the World" and said, "Here is the paper that the lady told us about." I was in primary today and knew that the leader in charge of sharing time had asked the children to read that page with their families. Instead of reading the scriptures tonight, we read, "The Proclamation to the World". It is an incredible teaching tool! So many questions were brought up by the kids about Chastity, being together forever and what genders are. Today, I am grateful for the amazing plan of the gospel and for the time that so many put into magnifying their callings. No one really knows how important the little things they do rub off on others and touch their lives and families. I want to become more aware of the little things that my children say that bring the spirit into our home and help us become better.

Meliah's fieldtrips!

Meliah had 2 fieldtrips this week and loved them both. I was able to go to Farm Day with her on Friday. I could tell that she loved that I came on the bus and hung out with her and all her classmates. She has a really great class, loud at times but they're 3rd graders. On Monday of last week she went to the Fish Hatchery in Oroville and told me that she wanted to work there someday. It was cute! She told me every detail about the cycle of a salmon's life. How they spawn, how the eggs are fertilized, their journey as fryes, smult, spawning adults, and I know I missed something but my memory isn't as good as hers. She even learned a song about the Salmon and their different stages. Her teacher is so organized and makes Meliah feel so special. Meliah just loves her!


This cow was about to give birth! Poor thing looked like it was going to pop!

I never took a picture of Elizabeth on her first day of school and she reminded me the other day, so I took a snapshot of her before she went in the door. She loves preschool so much. The teachers always rant and rave about what a great colorer she is. She always stays in the lines.


The other day while I was substitute teaching my mom was watching Lizzy. She told me that she took Lizzy to the dollar store and allowed her to pick out anything she wanted from there. Elizabeth's response was, "Does it have to be on sale?" It made my mother laugh! My mom said, "Boy, she'd be able to run our country better than Obama!" My mom is sooooo into politics... in fact, that same day Obama was talking about having the Olympics in Chicago instead of where they were originally set to take place. My mom is always pretty upset about Obama's spending, that's probably why she was so impressed by Lizzy's response. Makes me wonder if my thriftiness is a little overboard for it to rub off on my kids so much!