The dishwashers

We do not have a dishwasher in our kitchen. I know gasp, what? seriously? When we gutted the kitchen after moving in 12 years ago we were on an extremely tight budget and at the time it just didn't seem that important. Do i wish i had one? Oh yes! I can't wait to someday just stick all the dishes in and make them disappear!

But in the mean time....my kids are becoming quite the dishwashing crew! Trey and Avery can clean up a kitchen pretty fast. Avery is usually the washer because this is what happens when Trey washes...

I do not make them do them by themselves all the time. I will do my mom's old trick of "will you just each come dry 15 (strategically numbered to be pretty sure they are all going to be dried and put away). I had a flash back two nights ago when Avery was washing and i was clearing the table. As i kept throwing dishes into the water, she groaned and said "would you just stack them here?!?" I used to get so irritated when my mom would just keeping loading the sink faster than i could wash. I thought my mom would appreciate that. ;)

Raegan and Ethan haven't gotten in on too much of the kitchen action besides clearing their place at the table yet but their time is coming! Of course they may luck out and we may be in a place with a dishwasher by that time...if they are lucky.

Pumpkin patch

We haven't been to a pumpkin patch for quite awhile. we always have intentions of going but time gets away. We went to the KC pumpkin patch when Trey and Avery were little and hadn't been back there since. The kids really enjoyed it...

to get these 4 to smile all at the same time is a challenge like no other!

these bouncy horses kept them entertained for quite awhile even though they kept falling off

i think we need to purchase one of these for our house

who lives in a pineapple under the sea? or also at the pumpkin patch along I35?

you can do it babe :)

this game went on for a loong time!

good thing i didn't see the sign that said 8 and under please until after Avery got off

shooting and smashing some gourds

riding the tractor out to the pumpkin patch

who needs to pedal or steer when you have a big brother? have i ever mentioned how spoiled this child is going to be?

Trey and Avery begged and begged to do the corn maze so we may be going back to do that before the season is over

KC kids marathon 2011

The kids participated in the KC kids marathon again this year. They run their first 25 miles before race day and then they run their final 1.2 miles on race day. There were lot's and lot's of kids ready to run!

Trey came in around 10th place. This was his second race of the morning since he had a cross country meet before they came down...

Avery ran with her cousins Maggie and Meryn! Great job girls!

Daddy ran with Ethan again this year

They all got their medals, decorated water bottles and got tons of snacks. A fun day for the kids! Next year Raegan will even get to run since she will be a kindergartner (she wanted to this year!) Good job kids, i was very proud of you for giving it your all!

T-Rex birthday

For Ethan's birthday last week he got to pick 3 friends and we went to T-Rex for dinner. No need for entertainment , there was plenty there to keep them entertained! They brought out his cake complete with the dinosaurs from home that we had given a bath to so that they could sit on his cake...


I love this picture! Trey wanted to spend his own money to buy something for Ethan and Ethan was pretty excited...

the boys!

did you make your wish?? he assured me he did!

Grandpa and Grandma Seaba joined us for dinner as well

When we got home he finally got to open his birthday box from Grandma Neir. He was pretty excited that he got a pillow pet!!

6 years old! Wow, your such a big boy Ethan!

Happy 6th little man

Ethan turned 6 years old today. Seems like those six years flew by...

He was such a good little baby. Our other three kids were born with a lot of dark hair but our little toe head was born with a bunch of blonde hair...it kinda had a red tint to it when he was really little but has just gotten blonder over the years. This picture cracks me up...

He has always been such a happy, affectionate little guy with a big smile! We are so proud of you Ethan and hope you had a really fun birthday! We are so glad that you are part of our family and look forward to seeing what you become someday!

6 years old!

He celebrated tonight with his family and 3 of his best buds that went to T-Rex Cafe with us. I'm pretty sure they had a great time...at least the noise level in the van on the way home would have indicated that...i will post about that soon as soon as i upload the pictures.

Happy Monday

Hope you have a great start to your week! I am, even though it's after midnight and i am still up at my computer after finishing off a weekend of work. I am off for 5 days straight. They will be as busy as ever with a birthday, shot clinic, cross country practice, tumbling, pit stop (kids church program), youth group, life group, Avery getting to do a cheer with a group at the hs football game, cross country meet, half marathon, kids marathon...i 'm sure i left something out but you get the point...crazy busy days. I'm learning the older the kids get, the busier life gets! I'm looking forward to being home, maybe making a meal or two and assisting my husband with the rest of the meals:) Have i mentioned i love that my husband loves to cook?! He knows i love it! He purchased a new grill recently so we have been doing even more grilling than we normally do which is a LOT!

I came home from work the other night and while i had been gone our back patio had been landscaped and i even had several mums planted in my new pots that i had bought, the patio was rearranged and I love it!! I'm waiting till we have it all mulched to take another picture but soon...

We sat out back Friday night as a family by the fire and had the best time roasting marshmallows, talking and playing a new game that a couple that recently mentored our life group told us about..."mad, sad, glad. Basically a way to get conversation going and bring up things you might not learn about your child's day. We went around and told one thing that made us feel each way this past week. I'm sure we will be trying to do that more often as we enjoyed hearing the kids answers...

Raegan was so tired that she cuddled up after awhile and went right to sleep in my arms...let me tell you that is something you miss as your babies start growing up...so i treasure any time that i can still do it because they just grow up way too fast...


Happy Monday!

Red barn farm

Ethan went with his kindergarten class on his first field trip yesterday. They went to Weston Red Barn Farm. Ethan said it was a "long ways away!" I didn't go on the field trip but thankfully i have a good friend who did and she snapped some great photos of their day! So, all photos are courtesy of Tina Rutledge :)

Ethan was so excited to tell me all about his day. He thought it was pretty cool that he got to stay almost all day since he normally only goes to half day of school. AND, he got to take his lunch which he also thought was super cool...that newness will wear off real quick next year!

they each got to bring a small pumpkin home

Ethan and Will on the bus ride...best of buds!

I had debated on going but had decided to stay home this time around. I was glad that i had because i got a phone call (right as i got in the shower) from the school nurse. What she said brought mama bear up in me! "I have your daughter here in my office wheezing, they just got done doing the pacer (48 laps) in gym...i told her i don't have much sympathy for her since she forgot her inhaler" I responded with a short "i will be right there and it is not her fault that she doesn't have an inhaler on her that is my fault"

I was so livid that she would say that to me on the phone, really who says that to a mother when they have their child there with breathing issues!...it has been building this has not been the first time she has seemed put out that she has to deal with gasp a child going to the nurses office! Avery does have to frequent her office especially in the spring and Avery hates going to the office and i don't blame her. I did get a form yesterday that her allergist filled out for us that she can carry her inhaler herself and administer herself so that she doesn't even have to go to the nurse for that...thank goodness! Enough of my rant there...