Weekend Getaway!

We decided to head up to the cabin after Christmas to try out some of our new toys. Since we bought the cabin the kids have been able to enjoy so many different types of fun from boating, to quad riding, bug hunting, fire building, and so much more that we thought what more could boys their age want but a bb gun. They got them for Christmas and we wanted to try them out. I never knew shooting a gun could be so much fun. Did I just say that? Anyway, they are actually quite good at it and hit the target quite a few times on their first try (so did Scott and I). We have been having so much fun up here relaxing and playing it's hard to head back home at the weekends end.

Christmas!!!!

Christmas was so much fun this year! We spent Christmas Eve with my family at my Mom's house. We headed over early and let the kids play. When everyone arrived we had dinner and then let the kids open their presents. It was a madhouse for a few minutes. The kids were all so excited to see what they got for Christmas. The kids didn't wake up until after 7:30 Christmas morning but they were so excited to see what Santa, Dad and Mom had brought them. We relaxed most of the morning and before we knew it, it was time to head to the Earle's. We had a nice relaxing afternoon over there as well. We ate an early dinner and then opened presents. The kids are so loved and spoiled. Hopefully all of this love will keep them busy the next couple of weeks!

Week leading up to Christmas

We had such an eventful week leading up to Christmas. The twins and Bug both had Christmas programs. They were both so much fun to watch. Bug had his in the morning before school let out and sang a gingerbread song and rhyme. He had so much fun being up there with his friends and having his family there to watch. The twins were in school that day and had their Christas store where they were able to buy Mom and Dad presents. Later that evening they had a Christmas program that turned out so cute. They sang Jingle Bells and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. They had so much fun singing and being on stage. We will post the video later. We had a weekend at the cabin, I had a night out with friends, visited Santa(Brooklyn did not enjoy it), spent one morning with my mom and Aunt Jean, made Christmas cookies for Santa, drove through Fantasy Lights and so much more!

Hope you enjoy our 3rd annual ElfYourself video! The kids have so much fun making and watching these videos over and over again every year.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

A Weekend to be Thankful For!

We had such a fun filled Thanksgiving Holiday. We spent Thanksgiving at our house where Sue and Roger made a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. Can't beat that, having Thanksgiving at your house and not having to cook! Dinner was so yummy. The day after Thanksgiving we headed up to the cabin for the weekend and were joined by some of our friends. The kids had a lot of fun playing with each other and the adults did a lot of "nothing" which I am really starting to love. We are so Thankful for all of our wonderful family and friends!!! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Field Trip to the Science Center

Bry had his first field trip to the Science Center. Bug and I drove up there and met his class. They had so much fun watching a lazer show, Imax film and looking at all the exhibits.

A cold rainy weekend of fun!

We had a busy weekend even with the cold, rainy, windy weather. We headed up to the cabin to try out the kids new fun. We have been looking for a couple quads to play with when we stay up there and the weather is cold. The kids and the adults had a blast on the little quad. We also got to visit with Scott's parents who are back in town after being gone for a month, the kids were really excited to get to see them again. We also headed to my sisters for my mom's retirement dinner. The kids had so much fun playing with their cousins. They even got to see inside their uncle's police car.

Halloween week

So much was going on this week it was hard to keep up. Bug had a field trip and a Fall Harvest party, the twins had a Pumpkin night and a little Harvest party at school as well. Bry also had a party at school and Scott and I managed to squeeze in a date night. Since there is so much flu going around up here and we have to be extra careful with O we decided to play it safe and actually stay home for Halloween. The kids had a blast on Saturday, we made crayons in the crayon maker made and decorated Halloween sugar cookies and made chili before they went trick-or-treating and filled their buckets with candy. Here are some pics from the week. We forgot how much fun it was to be at home for a Holiday. Happy Birthday to Mom and Aunt Jean too!

Pumpkin Patch and Cabin

We headed off to the cabin again this weekend since we hadn't been there in a few weeks and went to the Pumpkin Patch in Union. We haven't driven through Union in a long time and saw some fun stuff from sea lions to some incredible beach front houses and resorts. We went to Hunter Farms and the kids enjoyed hay rides, corn mazes, hay mazes and much more. The kids were able to play with their cousin for a bit as well. They all carved their pumpkins this morning. The boys loved being able to work on their own pumpkins and the twins weren't too sure about the icky gooey mess all over their hands.

Disneyland in October

Disneyland 09 was a blast. This was the 3rd time for the older boys and the 1st time for the twins. The older boys LOVED going on all the rides, seeing the characters, decorations and parades. Bry went on all of the rides except California Screamin' (he wouldn't budge on that one) and Jaden went on every ride that he was big enough for. We tried to get him on the Indiana Jones ride but he was just a bit too short. We even got Aunt Jean on some good rides this time. The twins had such a fun time. Miss B was a little hesitant of the rides and didn't know what to think, she covered her eyes during all the scary parts. O absolutely loved the rides and was so dissapppointed when he wasn't big enough to go on one.

We haven't been to Disneyland during October before but it was so fun. The decorations were so cute and all the characters were dressed up in costumes which the kids loved. The fireworks shows and parades were all Halloween as well. We also got to attend the Trick-or-Treat party at California Adventure where the kids got to dress up in their costumes, trick-or-treat for candy and go on rides. They had a blast.

Our first day the weather was a little rainy but the park was less crowded so we hit most of the rides we wanted that day. The next two days the heat was back and we enjoyed all the water rides and the waterpark at our hotel. All in all, this was a super fun trip and the kids are already talking about going back in two years. Can't wait! I think we'll try October again for the next trip.

Our newest family adventure!

Last week we finalized the paperwork and closed on our "new" cabin! We are so excited to take on this new adventure. We bought the cabin from my mom who was finding it hard to manage two big houses and was thinking about selling it to someone outside the family. We wanted to keep the cabin in the family so we decided to buy it. We have been having so much fun up there the last couple of weeks getting in some extra sun during this extra long summer. We are going to be sad to see the sun leave but we are excited for adding some of our own touches to make the cabin our own during the fall and winter. These are some of the pictures from our last couple weeks out at the cabin.

Meet the Teacher

Today the twins went to school for their first time and met their teacher. Can you believe it, they start school next Friday! They are going to love being in school. One of my closest friends daughter is also in the class so after we all had our time with the teacher we decided to head to McDonald's and get some lunch and have a picnic at the park. These 3 are going to be trouble in the classroom this year but it is going to be so much fun to watch them grow together!

Miley Cyrus

So...the boys have been watching all of the Disney shows lately that include Jonas Brothers, Wizards of Waverly and of course Hannah Montana so when I got the email that they were selling tickets for $16 the other day I had to bite. The boys were really excited to hear some of her songs that they really like, the Hannah Montana Movie has been a hit in our house the last couple of weeks and the kids love the song "The Climb". So we actually made it the whole concert to hear that song that she ended on. The show wasn't exactly geared towards the younger kids but they couldn't tell the difference and had a blast.

The Fair

We headed down to the fair last night and the kids had a blast. The boys enjoyed jumping on trampolines, B got her first pony ride and O was driving like a madman on the motorcycles. There is always so much to see and eat at the fair and by the time we leave our feet and legs are always sore and the kids are tuckered out.

1st Days of School

Both the boys started school this week. They have both been anticipating this day for a few weeks now and were both SO excited, I was excited too. Both of them have wonderful teachers and can't wait to see what the year brings them. I can't believe that my babies are now in 2nd grade and kindergarten. Where does the time go??????

Potholes 09

We headed to Potholes this last weekend for our last camping trip of the season. We met up with the Marecle's and the Fisher's on Thursday for a 3 day weekend. The weather was perfect for relaxing in the sun and letting the kids play. There was a couple pools set up, a slip and slide and a sprinkler. We had lot's of popsicles and the Fisher's made sno cones for the kids. The dad's took the kids fishing twice and both the boys caught a fish. They all had so much fun entertaining themselves while the adults relaxed and got caught up on what was going on. Now that the camping season is over it's time for school to begin this week. Yeah!!!

Weekend at the Cabin

We left Friday after work for the cabin. We got there a little late but were able to enjoy the new Hannah Montana movie before bed:) The next day our friends came up to spend the day with us. We had a lot of fun playing at the park and at the cabin in the sun. Uncle Jeff was so generous in letting us take the kids for rides around the street on their quad. The boys were so excited and has so much fun. Thanks Uncle Jeff!!! Back to another short work week while we get ready for our next weekend adventure...Potholes!

Lake Cushman

We had so much fun camping with our friends this past weekend! We packed up the trailer and boat to catch up with some of our friends that had almost been there a week already on Thursday. The weather didn't exactly cooperate this weekend but everybody made the most of it and weathered the weather:) You wouldn't expect a weekend of rain and temps in the 60's in August but the kids didn't notice at all. They had so much fun running around playing with everyone, I think someone said at one point there were 23 kids in our group. What I think is so fun is the fact that these are the kids that our kids are going to graduate with. It was a lot of fun but it's great to be home and back in the sunshine.

Great Grandpa turns 90!

Today we celebrated Scott's grandpa's 90th Birthday. We all headed over to Grandpa and Grandma's house for a fun filled day of food and family. There was so much yummy food to eat and the kids had so much fun playing with all of their cousins all day. They were pretty tuckered out on the way home and they all had a really hard time keeping their eyes open. The weather even cooperated for the party. Happy Birthday Great Grandpa!

They all can't be great I guess...

Well...I had this big long vent about our trip to Steamboat Rock and it was 5 paragraphs long to start. I waited to post it and now I think I'll just come up with the top 10 things that went wrong on our trip like we did last year and they are in no particular order.

1- half of the boat cover ripped off on our way over and was flying all over I-90.
2- one of the boat cleats broke in half and pushed up part of the fiberglass on the boat when the guys were out, the tow rope ripped in half and the tube went flying out in the lake.
3- we hit a sand bar that stopped us in the middle of the lake...now that was fun!
4- The mosquitos were large and unbearable. I have NEVER been around mosquitos that bad, you could actually feel the sting. They literally attacked you when you stepped out of the trailer like they were flying around waiting for you, even after you doused yourself mulitple times with OFF.
5- no campfires or candles were allowed due to the high fire danger
6- 105+ temps, the AC could hardly keep up
7- B fell on her face running from Mosquitos and had 2 giant raspberries on her forehead and cheek
8- the kids were out of control...fighting, whining, leaving without telling us.
9- we went to the Lazer light show at the Dam which was supposed to start at 9:30 but didn't start until 10. The kids all wanted to leave and it was as boring as we rememberd the last time.
10- we left our camping trip a night early because we couldn't handle anything else!

The whole trip wasn't bad, we did have fun with our friends the Cyphers and Fishers when we were able to hang out with them and the park is gorgeous. Looking forward a couple more fun trips this summer.

Here are all the great pics from the trip :)

Slumber party

We had dinner with our friends the other night then we did a kid swap. Bug had his best buddy over for a slumber party the other night and Bry went home with them to spend the night with his best buddy. The kids had so much fun playing until late and then the next morning I took them to Enchanted Village. Bry wasn't too excited to find out that he didn't get to go but he had fun going to the skate park and McDonald's with his friend. I don't think any of the kids were very happy to swap back the next day.

Playdate at the Pool

We had some friends over this afternoon to play in the warm sunshine and have a dip in the pool. The kids all get along so well and had a blast cooling off in the water. It's been so great having a warm summer and time to play in the yard with friends.

Mossyrock....again!

We headed back to Mossyrock on Thursday for another fun filled weekend of camping. We went with 3 other families this time and had so much fun. Between all of us there were 12 kids 7 and under and 8 adults. All of the kids had so much playing with each other. Lots of playing at the beach, play area, boating and campfires. Can't wait for the next one....which is soon :)

Beach day

We decided to head to the beach this morning before we head out for another weekend of camping. The kids love to go on crab hunts. The tide was pretty far out when we got there and slowly made it's way in so we had plenty of time to find crabs and sand dollars and dig in the dirt.

Happy 9th Anniversary!!!

Mossyrock 09

We headed out Thursday for another weekend of camping. The weather was beautiful until the Thunderstorms rolled in on Sunday morning. The weather change was fun but the thunder woke the kids up bright and early. Since they couldn't run right outside and play they decided to watch the tent campers scramble for cover once the down pour started. I know, not nice.

They met some friends from Puyallup the day we got there and played with them when we were at camp. We did a lot of walking, playing at the park and swimming at the beach. They really love camping. O has such an obsession with the trailer and is always asking about it and where it is, it was quite funny the first 20 times but not so much after:)

Can't wait to go back again with all our friends next.

Enchanted Village

We finally went to Enchanted Village and got our passes today. We met up with A. Jean and the cousins for lots of rides and fun. The twins had their first experience at going on rides and loved them. They kept saying more, more and fought me each and everytime it was time to get off the ride. They were very excited and cute. It was so hard to get them to leave at the end.

Bry and Bug went on all of the big rides and loved them this year. They had so much fun hanging out and going on rides with their cousins. The older boys are so good with the kids and very helpful. I think that they motivated Bry to get on some of the bigger rides with them. I'm sure we will be going many more times this summer.

Happy 4th of July!!!

We spent the long 4th of July weekend at Grandma's cabin with the family. It was an action packed weekend of family fun and lot's of outdoor activities in the beautiful sunshine. The weather this weekend was perfect for the cabin, lots of playing in the water, boating and BBQing.

The lake community puts on a spectacular fireworks show that everyone chips in for. Before the show they had ice cream social and then a dance that Uncle Jeff DJ'd. The twins had never seen the show before since it usually starts around 10:30 but stayed up this year to watch and loved it. It was a great weekend!

Jonas Brothers 2009

The Earle family loves music! The boys have been into Camp Rock, Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers for quite some time now so when Bry heard that they were coming he begged to get to go for his Birthday. Since we'll do just about anything for our kids they got tickets for their Birthdays. Little did we know that we got ourselves into a little Beatle Mania. We have never heard girls scream/shreak so loud. The utter look of shock on Jaden's face when he had to cover his ears the first time was really priceless. All in all we had a great time and the boys loved watching the show.

Skateboard camp

Bry really wanted to go to skateboarding camp with his friends so we signed him up. He didn't really have a lot of experience riding his board up to this point so I was a little nervous but he was really excited to do it. We bought him some pads last weekend incase he fell, which he did, but he kept getting back up and trying. By the end of the week he improved a ton and was even going down all the ramps. I was so proud of him and he was really proud of himself. Here are some pictures and video from the week.

Pt. Defiance Park

We started out the morning heading to the zoo with our friends, but when we got there it was a madhouse. I was going to let the twins walk so I didn't bring my stroller...not a good idea. We decided to play at the park instead so we didn't lose any children today. The kids had fun playing at the park on the toys and weren't too dissappointed that we didn't get to the zoo today as long as I promised we'd be back next week after all the schools got out and it was less chaos.

Our #1 Pick!!!

We have been to many campgrounds all over the state but we think we may have found our winner this weekend. Lake Chelan is absolutely beautiful! The campground spaces weren't the best but the town, the beach, the park and the lake is hands down the best in the state!

We had so much fun and just can't believe that we hadn't made our way over there yet. There was so much for the kids to do from swimming at an incredible beach, exploring a little river, a great playset, campfires and boating. We were all so tired by the days end. We were all really sad to leave after our 4 nights there but I guess going back to work is important to:)

Bry's last field trip as a 1st grader

I went on Bry's last field trip with him to the Trek. . All of the kids had a ton of fun and got to see countless animals and all their new babies. The only animal we didn't get a chance to see was the moose but I was told by Bry's teacher that she has been going for 15 years and hasn't seen him yet. Maybe next time. So now it's official. Bry has passed the first grade and is moving on to second. We are excited for all our adventures this summer before school starts again.

Bryson and his best buddy.

Bry turns 7!!!

It's so hard to believe that our first baby is 7 years old already. Wow, how time flies! He is growing up so fast and turning into such a little man. He is finishing up 1st grade this week and will be heading to 2nd grade in the Fall. We are so proud of his achievements this year and how much he has grown.

We had two seperate parties for him on Saturday, one with friends from school and then a family party. He had so much fun playing with his friends and family ALL day long but was very tuckered out at the days end.

Happy 7th Birthday Bry!!!!

Girls weekend in Vegas

My wonderful husband and my friends wonderful husbands agreed to let us head to Vegas for a weekend to ourselves. I had so much fun hanging out with the girls and getting a break from the hustle and bustle of the last couple weeks. It was great to be able to sit by the pool and read a book without worrying about much of anything. It was a fantastic 2 days but it was great to get home and see everyone.

A Camping we will go!

Well our first trip of the season was a success. We went with 4 other families who all had kids that were 7 and under. The boys had so much freedom this weekend coming and going with their friends to the park, other campsites, bike riding and fishing that we barely saw them. This was definetly a new kind of camping for them. The twins had a blast playing with all of the other kids and riding bikes as well. They were the youngest there but the older kids liked playing with them, they even had a bedtime story read to them by one of the girls. Thankfully we are doing a lot more trips with friends this year otherwise our kids might think that camping the rest of the season was boring.

TIMBER!!!!!

So, we finally did it. We had been talking for some time about cutting two of our large trees down in the backyard to give our yard some more sun and clean up the play area for the kids. We debated for a year about topping or trimming them but in the end thought it would be best to cut them down. It is going to take some getting used to but we already love it. We could actually see the sunset tonight and it was beautiful. We are going to plant some smaller trees and bushes in place of it for some added privacy. We'll post more pictures when we are finished.

Elmo's Green Thumb

We took the kids to Sesame Street Live last night. I think Brook enjoyed it the most and kept wanting to know where Elmo went every time he wasn't on stage. Bry really didn't want to go but I think he secretly enjoyed it and Bug was a big fan as well. O just kept looking at the stage in awe and didn't really know what to think. It was definetly a show for the kids :)

Happy Mother's Day!!!

We spent Mother's Day morning at the Earle's house and had an amazing breakfast. Thank you Roger and Sue! The kids had so much fun playing with their family. We also celebrated Griff's 12th Birthday. Wow! All the kids are growing up so fast and getting so big. Happy Birthday Griffin!

We then headed to my mom's house to enjoy an afternoon of food and relaxation with my family. The kids were so excited to play with ALL their cousins on Mother's Day. We are so Thankful and lucky to have both are families close by.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the Mothers, being a mom is sometimes hard but fun and rewarding at the same time. I am so Thankful for each of my 4 wonderful unique children.

1st Tball game of the season

Bug had his first Tball game of the season today in the rainy weather. All the kids did really well for their first game and had a lot of fun playing in the mud. Bug had some great hits and loved running all the way home.

Happy 5th Birthday Bug!

For Bug's special Birthday dinner he picked the Rainforest Cafe this year. It's so hard to believe that he is 5. I can't believe how fast they grow up. We love you Bug and Happy Birthday!!!

They sat us right in front of the elephants and the kids loved it, well all except the little miss.

Bug with the volcano.

1st Baseball game of the Season

Bry had his first coach pitch game of the season and he did really well. He had a couple great hits and they won the game. It's so fun to see how big he is getting and how much he loves playing baseball.

Maui 2009

Well the Earle family is back from Maui and we had a blast. We did so much while we were there, between swimming, shopping, playing at the beach, whale watching and a luau we were beat. The kids loved it so much and were not ready to come home and neither were we. There are too many pictures to share them all but I added A LOT! There aren't too many from our whale watching excursion because after about the first hour Bry was the only one that wasn't completely green from being seasick. They loved the Luau and the dancing girls and twirling fire. I'm sure if you asked them their favorite part would probably be all of the friends that they made at the condo pool. The twins were quite the hit as well as both of them had no fear of water and jumped in over and over again. We hope to go back soon but next time for longer.

Maui 2009

Well the adventure began on Sunday with an uneventful plane ride (Yeah!!). The kids did awesome on the 5 1/2 hour plane ride and ride to the condo. They couldn't have done and better. In our first three days we have played at the beach, spent endless hours at the pool and had a few adventures. The kids are doing great and we are having a lot of fun. Here are a lot of pics from our first couple days.

Feel the Love!

I LOVE OUR KIDS!!!

THEY ARE SO MUCH FUN!!!

PBR 2009

We took the kids to the Pro Bull Rodeo last night to watch some cowboys. They loved the last two rodeos that we took them to and their favorite part was of course the bullriding so we couldn't resist when we found out they were coming. B just wanted to see the ho-sey's (horses) but everyone else liked the bulls. When they first started the show it was very dark, loud and there was a lot of fire so B took my hand and placed it over her eyes (1st picture), so cute. All 3 boys loved watching the bulls in action. Here are the pics from the show.

Bug's Field Trip to the Fire Station

Bug went with his class to the Fire Station today. The class had so much fun learning about fire safety and sitting in the big fire truck. The firemen were so nice and let the kids play in the trucks for quite awhile steering and trying on equipment.

Sunshine!

The Earle family loves sunshine! Playing outside when it's nice is one of our favorite things to do. Here are a couple shots of the kids playing outside this week.

Winter Break

Both of the older boys have a few days off of school for winter break so I tried to come up with some things to keep us busy on this beautiful day. We spent some time outside riding bikes and playing in the backyard while the twins napped and then headed to the zoo when they got up. It is so nice to get outside on these sunny winter days. We are looking forward to spring and summer.

T-Birds game

We took the kids to their first Hockey game. The older boys were shocked and pleased at how rough the game was. They enjoyed watching the guys push each other into the glass and also them getting sent to the penalty box (I called it the time-out box and the boys loved it). The twins loved dancing and cheering for the teams and were entertained almost the entire game. There was a lot for them to watch and they could be as loud as they wanted without anyone telling them not to scream. I really do think that our little girl may want to be a cheerleader some day. All in all it was a great night and I'm sure we'll be heading back soon.

B's Basketball

Bry has been playing his second year of Basketball and is having so much fun. We are playing through our city this year so he knows so many of the people he plays with and against. He has been busy practicing shooting, defending and rebounding and we are seeing him grow and get better each game. It's so fun to see him enjoy playing sports.

Pajama Day at school

Bug had pajama day at school this week and had so much fun wearing his Star Wars pajamas to school.

Jaden loves his teacher!

The Great Wolf Lodge

We made our first but not our last trip to the Great Wolf Lodge. It was so much fun! Scott said on the way home that he liked this better than Disneyland. Although, I can't agree with that I can say that we had the most fun we've had in a long time. The Lodge was fascinating and fun. The kids loved the water and didn't want to get out even when their eyes hurt from chlorine and their fingers and toes were like prunes. All the kids did great with no naps and staying up late but about 2 minutes after their heads hit their pillows last night we didn't hear a peep from them until 7:30 in the morning. There are so many things for the kids to do from the obvious swimming to video games, story time, snacking. There was also a quest game that we told them they could play next time, it was a little expensive. There almost isn't enough time to do everything if you only stay one night.

Monster Jam 2009

We made our annual trip to Monster Jam this afternoon with the boys and they LOVED it. I don't think they will ever grow too old to enjoy the show and I'm sure we'll keep up with the tradition for years to come. They both screamed and cheered for the trucks and all of the cool tricks and jumps they did. Gravedigger is still a favorite to them both. Bryson insisted on taking a few of the photos himself and he did a great job.

Bry's Field Trip

Bry had his 1st field trip with his 1st grade class to the Pantages Theatre to see the Peking Acrobats. They were so good. They did so many amazing things and held the kids attention the entire time. I think it might have been the best field trip that I have been on :) Here are a few shots from the beginning.

Twins turn 2!

Our babies are officially 2. They spent a fun Birthday at the YMCA with all of their family and friends and had such a blast. It's so hard to believe that they are 2 years old now. The last 2 years seem like such a blur. They are both turning into such chatter boxes and love their big brothers. They love to fight with each other but are also inseparable. We can't wait to see what the coming years bring for all of us. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TWINS!!!

Family Video

Another year has passed and so many new adventures and memories have been experienced. We feel so blessed to have such great kids, family and friends. Below is our annual family video. We hope you enjoy watching.



2007 Family Video Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaGI0iBq7Es

Happy New Year!

We spent New Years Eve at mom's house with the family. This is turning out to be a great tradition for the kids. They have so much fun playing with the family. Last year they all made it until midnight but this year we left an hour earlier and the boys were going to try to stay up to watch the fireworks at home but they didn't make it. Bug fell asleep on dad and was out for the night about 11:15 and Bry made it until 11:50 and then fell asleep on the couch. We tried to wake him up for the fireworks but he was done for the night. The twins made it until 11 and were in great spirits all night.