It's Spring!

Counting the Easter Eggs.

Playing at the park.

Family Easter Picture taken before church Easter Morning. It was about 40 degrees, so that is why our lips are purple.

This spring we have kittens and baby chicks.

Mackensey planned for and prepared everything for this picnic as one of her  Faith in God goals. We were happy for the good weather. Its been raining a bit now that it is spring. 

We "borrowed" a pregnant momma cat from our friends. She birthed 3 babies that we can hold and handle from day one. We will return the momma cat and keep the kittens we want. Best scenerio - kid friendly kittens.

Mackensey on the teeter totter.

Ben and Marianne on the slide.

During Spring Break we went skiing in the morning, then "swimming" in the afternoon.

This was our pool.

Kayla on the "jumps" on the bunny hill.

Ben needs a helmet when he skiis. He is very daring and likes to go fast.

Projects, Projects, Projects.

The sun has been out for 3 days straight and the temperatures have been above freezing for at least part of each of these days. We still have 6 inches of crusty snow on the ground, but at least the ice has melted from our driveway and the roads are mostly bare. As the winter months come to an end I would like to show you come of the projects that have kept us busy and productive these past five months.

Maddy learned how to weld in her metalshop class first trimester. She was unfortunately not enrolled in the second trimester in time, but the teacher gave her special permission to continue coming to class until she finished her final project. She got the idea for this clock on the internet. The "inside" of the circle is a bunch of nuts and bolts welded together. The numbers we shaped by hand and welded to the clock. I'm happy because this clock is hanging up in my living room, where I have wanted to have a nice big clock hanging for a long time.

Due to budget cuts in our homelink program, there was a fear that ski school wasn't going to happen, or if it did we would be responsible for providing our own skis. I scoured the thrift stores and made a few phone calls and was able to come up with boots, poles, and skis for everyone in our family (except Marianne). Barry and I made a way to store all of that equipment in our garage. Makayla poses for the camera. Actually, Maddy and I share skis and boots, but that works out fine because she uses them for work, and if I am up skiing, she is usually at home babysitting Marianne. 

Mackensey shows off our shelf in the front of the garage to hold empty boxes, camping chairs, cooler, etc. 

Ben wasn't happy to pose for the camera. This is our shoe shelf. With eight people in a four seasons area, we have lots and lots of shoes, boots, etc. We built lockers right after we moved in, but an additional shelf for everyone is really helping.

Mari was a little more co-operative model...

Marianne did not co-operate as much for this picture. I had to take half a dozen pictures before I got this one.

This was one of the half dozen. Marianne turns three on Thursday, and this is her date night with Mom and Dad to celebrate her birthday. She talked non-stop the whole way down to spokane. She was enjoying having all of our attention for herself.

Ben is loving learning how to ski. He likes to do jumps and ski in the trees. I took him up to the top last week and he did great!

This is Makayla maneuvering the many humps and bumps of the ski hill and lovin' it!

Have a great week!

What's for Dinner?

When Barry was a kid his family had a fun dinner idea they would do sometimes. They would go to the grocery store and Barry's dad would give all of the children $1 to pick out something to share with everyone for dinner. They would each purchase their items in secret, then when they got home everyone would place the food on the table and that would be their dinner. We did that with our family on Friday. With the cost of inflation we gave each of the kids $5. This is what they came up with: pizza, pot pies, cheetos, mac n cheese, gummy snacks, pudding packs, sunny D, sunkist soda, a pomogranit, chocolate cream pie, and ice cream. It wasn't the healthiest meal, but it was one where NOBODY complained or said, "I don't like this!" We ended up with leftovers and maybe think we could have gotten by with giving everyone $4, or maybe even $3.

Have a great week!

Mindy's shots

All of the pictures from today's blog come from Mindy's camera. She obviously didn't take this one, but she likes to take pictures and was devastated last summer when her camera was stolen. I found a digital camera at a garage sale and we gave it to her for her birthday. She has been having fun taking siblings out and having them pose for her. Here are some of her shots:

I love the way she has Ben posing in this one. Just enough attitude peeks through, but he can't help but smile. Handsome just like his daddy. :-)

Mackensey is a good sister to Mindy. She is patient and kind. Mindy and Mackensey love to hang out together and very rarely fight. 

Makayla poses on a tree stump across the road from us. We watched as they logged this property this summer. A gigantic claw would grab the tree, then a very large saw would cut through the trunk. Then the claw would pick up the tree and gently set it on the pile of logs. All in about 30 seconds. Amazing.

This picture is "Awesome!" I just have to use that word because that is Marianne's favorite word this week. We took her up to the ski hill for her first time yesterday to pick up Maddy from work. We started ski school this week and every time I leave Mari begs to go skiing. So we took her up there and she watched Ben ski and use the tow rope. She said "Awesome" to about everything in site. After a bit she decided to ski as well, so she would run down the hill as Ben skied, then walk up behind him, holding onto the tow rope.

For all of you who live in California and think this is just a backdrop for a photography studio, think again. This is the real deal. The kids like to go sledding on our property and it has been a good year for that. They go sledding almost every day. 

Have a great week!

'Tis the Season

Ben playing with some playmates.

Mindy and Mackensey performed many times in December with the Gess Elementary choir.

Maddy played the flute in her High School Band concert.

This is what Marianne felt about Maddy's band performance that started 30 minutes after her regualr bedtime. I didn't mind holding my sleeping baby who turns three in less than 2 months!

This is what Mindy thought about Maddy's band concert that was also combined with Jazz band and choir and ended up being over an hour long!

I couldn't resist the backdrop and Marianne posed for a cute Christmas picture. This was taken at the Long Term Care center as we waited for Mindy and Mackensey's choir performance.

Kayla poses with the snowman.

Singing Christmas carols on the horse (mule) drawn carriage ride. Luckily they just go around the block. That is always one of the coldest nights of the year! (waiting in line for 30-40 minutes before the ride doesn't help). Luckily there is hot chocolate and cookies waiting for you inside when you are done.

Marianne holds a staight face while sitting on Santa's lap. At least she didn't cry this time!

We started a new tradition this year. Since Maddy got a job as ski instructor, she worked every day of Christmas break (except Sunday) and was gone from 8am-4:30pm. We opened under-the-tree presents on Christmas eve after Maddy came home from work, and opened stockings on Christmas morning before she left for work. It worked out well.

Marianne tries on the mask that Makayla made for her while Makayla looks on. Makayla used her creativity and make homemade gifts for everyone.

Marianne likes her new outfit!

Christmas stockings times eight.

This year we decided that the kids would enjoy one big present rather than each getting a little present. We found a wii on craigslist that had a few games. They have been having fun playing with it this week.

This year is the first year that we have enough skis for everyone to go skiing together. We've gone up twice and this year Benjamin is learning how to ski.

The best news of this December is that Barry and I celebrated out 15th wedding anniversary on Dec 27th! We had a special day and went to the spokane temple, then drove to the cour d'alane hotel on the lake and walked around the boardwalk and looked at the over 1 million christmas lights. The boardwalk was icy and the lake looked cold. I'm just glad we didn't slip into the water. It would be a fun place to take the kids, but I wouldn't trust them to stay dry! After we went to the restuarant and ordered ice-cream. We had a similar date to this one when Mindy was a baby. I guess we could make this a tradition - once every ten years! Boy the time has just flown by! I think it is quite an accomplishment to be married for 15 years. I am grateful for Barry who is my best friend forever! I look forward to what the next 15 years will bring!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you!

7 Brides for 7 Brothers

This week Maddy performed in their high school play, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers". She did really well as one of the townsgirls, and had a blast doing it. It was a cute play, and Maddy was so excited to do it because that is one of her all-time favorite movies!

Maddy and Jared posing in front of the "Oregon Mountains" backdrop.

Maddy and friends after the play. She put in many hours, especially this weekend with late rehersals and finally the play. It was quite a sacrifice for all of us. Maddy will have so much more time on her hands now that the play is over.

We did have our first snowfall of almost six inches this week. It was perfect sledding snow and the kids tested out our sledding hill that we especially removed rocks off of it a week ago. Mackensey found a small rock that we missed, and Ben got a small black eye from falling off the sled (Ben has a black eye about half the time these days.) Sorry, no pictures of the snow. We'll get plenty more chances this year to take pictures in the snow I'm sure...

I am so grateful for my husband, children and family. I'm grateful for our health and for the gospel. I'm looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with family. Have a great week!

"Mom, I love you!"

Maddy's first dance - Jenkins High School Homecoming Dance

Maddy's group of good friends. They have gotten together for parties at each other's houses. We hosted one at our house where everyone made pizza's, explored outside, and hang out inside. They are a good group of friends. There was no swearing and everyone was courteous and respectful of us and each other. Unfortunately Maddy is the only member of the church in the group.

The girls got together before the dance to do hair and make-up. 

Carving our pumpkins.

Cute kids, cute pumpkins.

Halloween: Zorro, cinderella, lollypop girl, cowgirl, construction worker. Mackensey is wearing a "Roy Rogers" shirt that Grandpa Thomason had as a kid. When I told her that, she said, "Who's Roy Rogers?" I told her he was like a superhero/Superman from the olden days.

I chaparoned a field trip to the Spokane Symphony with Mindy and Mackensey.

Mindy and Mackensey with a good friend from church.

I taught Makayla's primary class this year until I was released a few weeks ago. Now I am the counsellor in the Primary presidency over cub scouts. I went to a pack meeting last week and it reminded me of the pack meetings I attended with my brothers many years ago. Nothing has changed. We did the "round of applause" and the watermelon cheer (which is actually kinda gross when you think about it). I am glad to be learning the ins and outs of scouting before Ben gets there in 2 1/2 years.

Benjamin lost his first tooth!

Marianne has been a 2 1/2 year old tornado recently. She has gotten more spankings this past week than the first 2 1/2 years of her life (probably 3 spankings this week). The last time I spanked her and was too angry to show her an increase in love afterwards. To distract her from crying I took her downstairs to get her dressed. Halfway down the stairs she said, "Mom, I love you!" Well, I picked her up right then and gave her lovin's and kisses. She is a handful, but also a joy and a blessing.

Have a great veteren's day!