Happy Halloween!

Here are some fun pics we took this week...

Trunk-Or-Treat.


Painting Pumpkins.

Showing off pumpkins.

I was a moose at work. (This is what I come home to everyday... aren't I lucky!)

The purple dragon and the pirate checking out their loot.

This is a quick clip of Tan Trick-Or-Treating in our neighborhood. He held his hook in his left hand and his pumpkin in his right. Since he was tired of waiting for his slow parents and his hands were full, he decided to start knocking all by himself... with his hook. One lady even said after answering the door, "I thought that sounded like a hook". Jer and I thought that was pretty funny. We've never seen Tan so excited. He ran so fast from house to house and his pumpkin kept getting fuller and fuller with candy. After 2 streets it got so heavy that it was throwing off his balance and he started falling over.

It was a "LOOMY" week!

Nana and Papa Aldridge came to visit for a whole week! We all had a great time!

Nana recently learned how to loom hats and has been working on some for a local shelter. While here on her visit she made 7 hats! She also had the patience to teach me how to loom. I'm "hooked"!

Here's my first hat and here's all you need to do it... plus some yarn.


Here's a pic of Nana in her looming chair and a pic of the boys with their new hats from Nana.


Since Max's birthday is right around the corner, they decided to give him a gift early. He loves it. (And so do we... this toy has made us adults laugh a countless number of times. When you hear it, you'll understand!)


Since the weather was GORGEOUS all week and since the leaves are such beautiful, bright colors right now, we tried to go outside as much as possible. I LOVE THE NORTHWEST!

We also went on a little adventure to downtown Portland to a Chocolate store on 23rd Ave called Moonstruck. It was delicious!

We're looking forward to their next visit!

New Family Tradition

You know something is going to be a family tradition when you're already looking forward to reliving the day a year from now!

Grandma Leen and Papa Bob came to visit for the weekend to celebrate Papa Bob's Birthday. On Saturday we decided to go to the local pumpkin patch. What a blast! Who would have thought that one little pumpkin patch would have so many fun activities.

Here's all the stuff we did:

CORN MAZE (Not to brag, but Jer and I completed the maze in 20 minutes... they say it takes the average person 45min-1 hour!)

PONY RIDE (Tanner rode Peanut)


PUMPKIN LAUNCH, PETTING ZOO (The goats name is Billy, and he happens to be the same goat that started eating the sleeve of my sweater when I was so kindly petting his face.)


STRAW PYRAMID, TRACTOR RIDING, CORN CRIB (I left a trail of corn everywhere I went for the whole day.)


HAY RIDE, WE PICKED OUR PUMPKINS, JER WASHED THEM ("This here pumps just fine"... anyone seen "The Pump"?)


Later that day we celebrated Papa Bob's B-Day! Look closely, that there is a delicious chocolate tart (found at Costco) filled with homemade lemon pie filling. Yummmm!

Happy Birthday Dad!

It doesn't get any fresher!

I love working with the youth at church and being a Laurel Advisor! I get to hang out with the coolest girls around and I get to do all the fun things they have planned for mutual night.

Last week we went to a family's house and made fresh apple cider!

First, we picked (and played) in their orchard


Second, we washed


Third, we threw the apples in the apple press


Fourth, we poured


Fifth, we partook


Sixth, I took some home to share with my boys


YUMMMMM!