Just Me!!

Since the start of my new schedule, I finally get time to cook some yummy, time taking dinners for my herd. I opened my trunk filled with cookbooks and pulled out my favorite chef's cookbook from Food Network, Robin Miller. She has some amazing strategies , time saving tips, awesome recipes, and must have on hand sauce concoctions, all in one book. I love reading cookbooks, almost more than cooking with them. When I cook, I always write on the recipes, spill fixings all over the pages, and most likely dog-ear the pages I will use. I believe that it makes the book special, unique and most of all, mine. Here's what was for dinner on Thursday night... Pork Chops with Apples and Rosemary Curried Couscous with Peas and Carrots (didn't have the carrots...so omitted) Lemon Bunt Cake with Orange Liquor Frosting (a Sandra Lee recipe) She found these Spiderman glasses a few days ago, and they are still on her face!

Here's to hoping Santa doesn't remember us this year! I found the jump drive we purchased at last year's Santa Seatings! Hope this year yields happier kids, and better results. Maybe we should go before Thanksgiving?!

Mamma, this is much better than finger painting! My first time painting! I love days like these. Quiet ones when the kids are off at school, and Charlie and I get to sit around and create. Days when the coffee pot is always one, the wind is blowing, the washing machine is humming, the dishwasher is growling, and my house is dark. I had the opportunity with Ethan to be a stay at home mom for three years and sometimes I wonder why I gave it all up to become a nurse. I do love my job, and know that I needed and still need the outside communication, continuous education, and friendship that it brings to my life, but I miss these days where I am nothing but " mamma " to the sweetest little girl around.

Saying goodbye to Valerie and Ethan in the morning is one of Charlie's favorite pastimes My first bath with sissy! We have been so busy this week helping out Valerie with her school projects, that Mark and I swear we are back in 5 th grade. Apart from the overloading homework craziness (I never had this much homework) we are finally all feeling much better. Mark has his new laptop toy, and his classes are winding down. I can't wait till he gets to spend most of his energy on writing! We have decided (Dave Ramsey plan) that he needs to do what will advance his career...write. Not only will he be a great writer, but it will also help him secure a teaching position at a college! We are more than ready to get his career off and running. Valerie is still hanging in there with the Endeavor program. It was alot more than we all expected it to be. Amongst all the pressures of homework and advanced learning, she is going through alot of changes in her body. It tends to lead to some ...

We hosted the "fright fest" again this year! We enjoy going all out for the kids. Mark did the decorations and the kids and I did the dinner. Ethan won best costume...he truly looked like Harry Potter and I came in 2nd place as "Velma" from Scooby Doo. How come no one told me I look like my aunt and not Velma?

Saturday we took everyone to the Schilter's Pumpkin Farm. We had a wonderful time petting animals, riding the train, jumping on hay, going on the hay ride, and searching for pumpkins. It was a blast watching the kids go crazy, and cut loose. It is wonderful to have two older children, so that I only has to look out for one. Thanks Shanny, Mike, Lexie for making this season so much fun for us!

Valerie: Mom, I don't like going to school. The only part of the day I like is when I get a note from you in my lunch. Today I sent a musical card- Outside read: know what i do every single day? Inside: i send good thoughts your way Sings:i say a little prayer for you. forever, forever you'll stay in my heart and i will love you. Forever and ever we never will part(sorry, now I have you singing huh?)!!! I found the card this morning when I had to stop at Safeway for diapers on my way home from work. Special moments. I also snagged a great coupon book for kids. Today's coupon: Cash in this coupon to stay up an hour past your bedtime or to extend your curfew for one hour. Everyone should get this book...it will help brighten any child's day. I wonder how long she will hold on to the coupon?

OFF TO DO THE PUUUUYYALLLUP!

Ethan took a mental health day today. You know, you do this by calling in sick at work right? Well he took the whole day off from school and played at a nearby fun plex with his dad. I am so glad both of them had a chance to relax together and have tons of fun! I pray that this will help Ethan deal with some of his fears he has been having recently....GO AWAY NIGHTMARES!!!

Finally THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL...! I think everyone was ready for this day last week when everyone else went back. Ethan and Valerie were separated this year, by school and bus. Ethan will finally be able to walk himself to class (Valerie insisted to walk him to class every day last year). They were both very excited to go back. Valerie is enrolled in Endeavor this year, so she has her own special bus with just the Endeavor kids on board. Very cool! She was very excited to make a "great first impression," so she dressed to the tee...even though it was suppose to be 70 degrees today!

Outside EMP Making their first music video! Eating at Steamer's in Seattle Cool Art around Seattle Future Science Fiction Hall of Famer! One Saturday...together, fun, and enlightening!

Visiting Grandma GiGi's Cute, huh? Jeremy and Lexie playing ball Catch it, Lex! At the ball park I haven't written in awhile and chances are with my crazy schedule of 7 days on, three off, two on, two off, 7 days on etc. I won't for another long stretch. We have had a fun filled summer, playing around Seattle with the kids. On and Off we get a few moments to ourselves and try to come down off the kid high enough to enjoy it. We still have plans for the next month before the start of the school year..a trip to Forks for camping, and maybe a trip to Grand Mounds, WA. The school year is getting closer though and I still have yet to clothes shop, school supply shop and ready the kids for the coming academia that is nearing! I found a new game online that teaches them the times table in a fun environment and Ethan has been working on sentences this past week. They tend to loose a good portion of knowledge over the summer, but they are both readers and stay somewhat focused. ...

These photo's are from a couple weeks ago when we spent a day doing 2 responsibilities for partial of the day, and 2 fun things. We put all our suggestions in a bucket and had the kids choose. We had alot of fun, and everyone agreed on the plans (apart from the disappointment of not being able to go to Yakima since we started so late in the day). I can't believe that our city has such fun, free things to do with kids.

When my digital camera goes missing, I know right where to look for it. Ethan's room, or close to where he has been playing. He loves to take pictures, and uses some different camera settings that I didn't even know existed. Very smart, that boy! Here are a few of his pieces. Black and White? I didn't know I had that setting! Stunning shoe...could these be my next nursing shoes? Self portrait Gems, Minerals, Crystals. Ethan's newest discovery, apart from my camera! Triple dip or Hot Fudge Sundae? You decide! Hot Wheels Galore Ethan's Car city! Thanks to grandma and her 30 year old blocks, Ethan can create elaborate cities for his Hot Wheels.

Mark took the kids to Flaming Gieser Park, in Auburn. I love the fact that he can handle all three children and take them fun places. My dad always had time to play with us kids (after we spent the day weeding or working hard :). I am thrilled when they get their chances to "play" with their daddy. Charlie picking "pretties" Battling the Flame together Is that my baby in P.J.'s, next to an open flame? Yuck, but sooo Valerie Their outing this week was a free movie at South Hill Cinema. We all laughed our heads off through a showing of Madagascar 2. We actually got out of the theatre without paying a dime. The concessions were charging 4.50 for a small soda. In Valerie's words, "what a rip off."