Catching Up

I think it is rather fitting that I skipped the winter season in my blog entries seeing that winter skipped eastern Oregon. We had a few skiffs of snow but nothing worth putting snow tires on for (even though we did...you never know). Spring kind of snuck up on us but I was determined not to be caught unaware.

Mikelle is modeling her crown and necklace from Aunt Liz

We had some company for Christmas and we couldn't have had more fun. Everyone chipped in on the food so we had lots of treats and thanks to Mary lots of healthy snacks too. Mikelle and Chance loved having their cousin Max around I loved having my sisters Liz and Mary and their hubbies and my fun brother Dave.
          We tried not to go overboard on the gifts this year. The few the kids got they loved. Danny got me some great pampered chef knives and I commissioned James (Danny's dad) and Eli (his younger brother) to make a display rack for Danny's John Wayne rifle. It turned out beautifully and he was really happy with it.

Chance got some trucks and horses, that is Max's chubby hand stuck in there.

We played a lot of games and Danny even took the guys Quail hunting. They shot over twenty birds and then Danny grilled them up and we had them for dinner. Good fun.

You can tell they are proud of their kill

We spend a lot of time in the house in those cold months leading up to spring. Despite our sometimes extreme boredom we manage to entertain ourselves. Chance likes to do some trick riding and Mikelle does a lot of dancing.

Mikelle is a Sunbeam now in the Primary and I am the music leader as well. She is finally getting over seeing me in there and she is adjusting really well. She likes the songs and really tries to sing. Chance is still getting used to the nursery, all the colds he keeps getting keep him out of there half of the time so the adjustment is slow.

Chance is doing a lot of talking and Mikelle is doing a lot of drawing. She also really likes puzzles. She can put together a 25 piece jigsaw with normal pieces. She has moved on to a hundred piece one and hasn't quite conquered it but she tries every day.

Hanging out with daddy and possibly playing with a Sleeping Beauty Doll

Posing with her Ponies and showing off her new haircut

  Mikelle and Chance have become really good friends. As long as they don't want the same toy, there is a lot of fun playtime together. We have been trying to get to the park more now that the sun is shining brighter. They are both just big enough that I don't have to stay on their heels the whole time. Mikelle really likes to look after Chance, keep him safe, kiss his "owies" and boss him around. He takes it all in stride.

Playing at the park

 Trying to go up the slide and falling onto each other over and over. This is pretty much what we do at the park.

I wish I had taken more pictures of Mikelle's regular wardrobe changes. She needs a different dress every few hours. I am just content that she wants to be dressed at all. Chance prefers hats of any kind and likes to pose in them. Occasionally we catch him in some jewelry ;)

  We like to take Sunday drives now that we have church in the morning and the kids usually fall asleep and Danny and I enjoy the scenery. The other day Mikelle requested my sunglasses as we drove to take Danny some lunch, she fell asleep in them before we got there.

  Not much is new with Danny unless you count the regular changes to his gun collection. I have lost track despite my efforts. He is always making trades and looking up serial numbers and values. In fact one of his favorite gifts at Christmas was an updated book on gun values. I think I mentioned his trapping hobby in the last blog. He will be taking it to the next level this year with a trapping license and a fancy GPS device that shows property boundaries and owners of where you are trying to trap. It's better than being addicted to some video game I think.

I signed on as an Independent Consultant for The Pampered Chef in the end of February. I really like it. I just do parties about once a week. I made back my small investment and then some and have also earned $300 in free products from the company. It's going well so far and hasn't been too stressful. Mary and Liz were kind enough to host parties for me down in Utah so that I could go visit them and right off my mileage and gas (another perk). It was beautiful and warm most of the time we were there and the kids had a great time. 

Mikelle loved the park near Mary's house, and it was
warm enough to leave her coat in the car!

Chance like the little "beehives" with the mini benches

Mikelle, Chance and Max watching Curiouse George
Just after waking up, everyone hade their "blankies"

Chance got into the dirt a little too much and wasn't too happy.

  Now we are just trying to get my garden ready...that's right we're going all out this year. Danny brought home a rot-a-tiller (sp) and dug up a nice little plot on the south side of our shed. I have my pumpkins, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and peppers started. I'll also be planting pole beans, onions, garlic, potatoes and corn. I can't wait. My tulips and daffodils are coming up and I can't wait to see everything in full bloom.

This summer is going to be fun. Big birthdays, Danny's 28th, Mikelle's 4th, and Chance's 2nd. I won't be mentioning how old I will be this year, it's just too depressing. I hope I caught everyone up effectively and didn't overwhelm y'all with too many pictures. Much Love!!

I love this picture, happy kids!