Happy Valentine's Day!

 We had fun making Valentine gifts for Chet and Zane's classes and teachers! Needless to say, they loved them!

 

 

 

Freezing February!

February was a crazy weather month filled with snow, and a week of no school! The kids thought it was absolutely awesome!

Snowball fight!

Snow is yummy!

Another awesome thing about snow is the hot cocoa after you're done playing! Yumm!

 

Daddy and Reid were away at a farming show in California so we got to enjoy this fun weather all by ourselves...and a couple nights without power!

The kids were so excited to have a couple days without power! We all slept out in the living room by the wood fire, and popped popcorn on top of the fireplace! What an adventure!

January happenings!

Grocery shopping is always fun with fun grocery carts!

 

Brainy Zane!

 

Zane started piano lessons at the beginning of the year! He loves piano, and is doing amazing!! He is a really good learner!

 

 

Will had fun shooting wood ducks on his parents pond!

 

We had some beautiful days in January which made the kids eager to play outside!

Happy, happy Birthday to Chet!!!

 Chet turned EIGHT January 12th!!! It's hard to believe that the kids are growing up so fast, and yet it is so special to see the maturity and growth in them that makes your heart glad.  This is what I have felt about Chet this past year.  I love to see his  thoughtfulness for others...like holding doors open for others, sharing the last of whatever he has left, being affectionate to his siblings, and his maturity like singing hymns in meeting, not doing and speaking like others kids in school.  We love Chet SO much!! He has such a fun personality, and lots of energy which makes for fun times together! Chet wanted a hunters ice cream cake this year that he decorated all by himself! It turned out really cool! And for his special birthday dinner he chose macaroni and cheese, layered jello squares, pickles, sausage, and pears! Yumm!! Yay to being 8 years old!

 

 

 

Sporting his new Beaver gear! Go Beavs!

 

Sweet loves from Lily!

 

Special, special meeting

Every year we look forward to special meetings!  We were so thankful for them this year, and so thankful to have the privilege of having Tom H. and Loren Q. stay with us! Special times for us, and for the kids...

New Year's 2013!!

Every year we so look forward to having a New Year's get together at our place!! It started out years and years ago as mainly a young couples get together. But now with 18 kids running around, I'd say it turned more into a kids get together! It is so wonderful to be all together, for the kids to have the opportunity to make life long friends, and for us adults to spend time together.  Every year I feel so thankful to have such a good group of friends that encourage us on in every way...

18 kids (Aubry and Cari not in the picture), 3 days = Lots of FUN, Noise, Laughter, and Good times!!

This year, we had fun with a tape ball wrapped with delicious candy, treats, and toys! Can it get any better than that?!

Chet and super Zach waiting their turn for the tape ball!

Happy Birthday to Zoe!! Zoe was born 7 years ago while we were all gathered at our place for a New Year's get together anxiously waiting for her to come into the world!

A very live baby doll!

Minute-To-Win It!

 This year at New Year's we did a whole bunch of Minute-To-Win It games! There were two teams, the kids did great, and everyone got root beer floats at the end! Yippee! This top one was hilarious to watch because well mostly, its just so funny to see a boy/guy wear panty hose on their head while they try to knock down water bottles! These are a couple the kids did...

Stacking cheerios...

Wrapping up your team mate in a whole roll of toilet paper...first one to finish up the roll first wins!

 Moving M&M's to an empty plate only using a straw...

 

This was Hilarious to watch!! Using no hands, you have to dip your nose in Vaseline, then pick up cotton balls (stuck to your nose) and transfer them into a bowl!

So sweet! Ty and Aubry...

Balancing dice on a popsicle stick...

Daddy's girl :)

 
Cereal box puzzle...

First one to take all the Kleenex out of the Kleenex box first!

Joe did awesome on this one! Putting pasta on a stick of spaghetti using no hands!

 

Beth and Alesha put together some really fun crafts for the kids to do! Cookie decorating...yumm! Mask making, and decorating  personalized mugs!

Kiera and Claire...best buddies!

What a creation Danny made!

Chet and baby Cari hanging out! It is so sweet...Chet has always loved babies, and will lay next to them, or hold them and be content just doing that :)

Getting my baby fix! There's nothing like a newborn!

Making masks...

The kids had a super fun time going over to Corvallis to bounce some energy out at the Wacky Indoor Bounce! It was perfect!

 

Martha and Aubry!

Lily was very well loved and taken care of by the girls!

Alesha was Reid's special buddy...so sweet!

Zane got a ride to the car from Ty!

Fun boy time!

Aww! :) Lily getting loves from Beth

Joe and Reid have always been super good buddies...so sweet!