November Fun

November came and went so quickly this year. It was a busy time. I found myself waking up every morning going "wow time is going by quickly". Ryan and I found ourselves blown away at how fast our kids are growing and how I would like time to slow just a little. It is excited to see all the milestones that take place in our childrens lives and how much of a blessing it is that God has blessed us with so much love for our children. Recently I had come across a bible study I had done in the past and it talked about "children" I now know how just a glimpse of the love that God has for us and what an awesome thing to beable to experience this love for our children the way he shows and loves for us everyday!

Madi experienced her first Birthday Party Tea at her friend Tessa's house. It was so fun to see her pick out a dress and ask to have her hair curled and put lip gloss on. She loved every minute of that party having tea sancwiches and little cakes. I love having little girls!! Addyson is all over the place we find that she has so much curiosity climbing stairs, getting into everthing. As I cook dinner in the evening's I find that I have a little buddy that always sits herself in my warming drawer below the stove and jibbber jabbers at me. Garrett has found the love of Lego's and of course his daddy loves everything about that. They spend many evenings creating all sorts of things. So as we wrapped up this November we found ourselves thanking our heavenly father for all that he has blessed us with. My hope and prayer is that you too had a wonderful November and found many blessings that God has blessed you with.

Halloween

Halloween was a bit of a downer this year at our house. Friday evening we had to take Madi into urgent care and turned out she was sick with the rest of West Portland and Beaverton with H1N1. I felt so bad for her. She spent the better half of the weekend on the couch watching movies. So this year Garrett and Addyson went trick or treating with Ryan through the neighborhood while I stayed home with our sick little girl. Madi was still happy that she had gotten candy from Ryan's work at the little Halloween party they have. Needless to say Garrett made out well with the candy this year having gone to Ryan's work and out through the neighborhood. Next year will be better and hopefully we won't have a sick kid. Here are some pictures of Garrett and Addyson.

Pumpkin Patch

Fall, I love it! We made our annual trip with the our good family friends The Kellar's and Putz families to Lakeview Farms in North Plains to the pumpkin patch after we enjoyed the rest of the day eating lunch and dessert together. Our kids all range in ages from 7 years-9 months and we had alot of fun. We started going as couple's when Margaret and I were pregnant with our older girls Madi and Zoe. Now there seven and growing like weeds. It is so fun to have these very special friends to share such fun traditions and outings with. We love them like family and are so blessed to have them in our lives. Thanks guys for being such great friends!! Here is a glimpse into our day together. Pictures still don't express the funny little things that eight kids can do. Enjoy and Happy Harvest.

More Soccer Pictures...

Soccer, Soccer and More Soccer!

Well it has offcially started we have two kids in sports!! Let me just say that comment that I have heard many mom's say "I live in my car going from one practice to another" is so true! Every day except friday I'm in my car going to drop someone off or pick someone up. Thank goodness I have a van with a DVD player to keep all my children and those I'm carpooling occupied while driving through town. I have mastered eating between games and practices while making sure all kids have appropriate gear with them and on them. Who new this could be such a chanllenge. Ryan coached Garrett's team and had alot of fun. He said to me he wasn't looking forward to the season ending. So this fall has been a busy one and from what I understand I'll be doing this for the next eighteen years. Wow! We have enjoyed watching the kids play this season. What a fun stage of life were entering!!

Oster Family Sunriver Trip

We spent our first week of August like we always do with The Oster Family in Sunriver Oregon. Justin and Jesse (Ryan's older brother and his wife) along with the newest member of their family, Lucy, came from Montana. Ryan's parent's and younger brother Jeff also were there. Ryan's parent's are so generous to rent a home for a week for the whole family to come together. This year we also experienced Madi bringing a friend with her! She brought one of her best friends Raegan (who's parents are some of our dearest friends). We enjoyed our week swimming, bike riding, watching thunder and lightening storms, eating good food, shopping, golfing, fishing and going to the High Dessert Musuem. This year we experienced five children on vacation. Needless to say we ate in shifts since there were with two infants and three school aged kids! It was fun and noisy!! We look forward to this trip every year. Here are some pictures of our wonderful trip!! Enjoy!



Garrett on his way to Fly Fishing

Madi in all her glory digging up dinosaur bones

Garrett, Raegan and Madi High Dessert Museum

Addyson and cousin Lucy eating lunch together Garrett and Raegan building a Fort

More Sunriver Pictures....

Sweet Baby Addyson

Addyson is fast approaching her first birthday in November. I find myself wondering where this year has gone and why it has had to go by so fast. Addyson has been a wonderful addition to our family. She is happy, energetic and sweet! She is full on crawling and pulling herself up onto everything and we find her occasionally letting go and standing all by herself! She is even walking along walls, coffee tables, bathtubs and beds! "Oh boy" is all we can say. We will soon have a walker in our home. She now says "Ma Ma" all the time. She understands the words "Danger", "NO Addyson", "Ma Ma", "Da Da" and nummy time!! It has been so much fun watching her grow. She has become a little helper. Whenever she hears the dishwasher open I will hear little hands and knees coming across the hardwood floor and a babbling happy little girl wanting to grab whatever she can get her cute little hands on. Needless to say our sweet little Addyson is even more than what we could have asked for. I'm so happy we have her and can't imagine life without her. What a blessing.

Happy 4th of July

Our 4th of July was spent going to our hometown parade with good friends. We went back after the parade to some good friends home had a BBQ lunch and then went home to greet our friends who were coming for a BBQ at our house I think at one point we had about 30 or people here with all there kids! It was a blast. We ate visited and spent the evening enjoying fireworks and alot of laughs. What a blessing it is to have good friends. We enjoyed our time watching our kids share in some of the traditions Ryan and I had growing up!

Putting in a Playstructure!

We decided to put up a play structure. We have been wanting to get one but found out how spendy they are so Ryan and the engineer that he is wanted to do one himself. So after many long night discussions and our friends wanting to put one in as well, we decided on a set of plans and did it! Ryan and our friend Jon ordered the kit's, ordered the wood and went to work the weekend before the fourth of July and put two play structures up in one weekend!! Needless to say I was so proud of them. Jeff, Ryan's younger brother offered to come and help, though I don't think he knew what he was getting himself into. They all started at 8:00am and ended roughly around 10:00pm Saturday and 9:00pm Sunday. Thanks to Grandpa Oster coming over and also offering his help they were able to push through the second day a little faster. With alot of sweat, hammering, cutting and hard work they did it! The kids love it, mom loves it (they can go out and play and I can be making dinner in the kitchen it's so lovely) and dad seems pretty happy with his work. We still need to stain it a nice color (that will come this weekend) but it turned out great. Job well done Ryan, Jon and Jeff. Thank you uncle Jeff for helping out!! Enjoy the pictures!

Fun Weekend with Friends

Wow I can't believe May came and went. We spent the weekend having fun in the sun hanging outside and going to a Birthday Party for our good friends girls Zoe and Eve. We enjoyed are time watching all our kids play. It is so fun to be back in Oregon with family and good friends. Summer is one of my favorite times because you get to just hang out and enjoy friends and family. Enjoy the photos!