Trick or Treat!!

This was a deranged trick or treater who barged into our house and insisted on having her picture taken. GEEZE there's some real weirdos out there!! Now I realize that baseball uniforms aren't such a flattering choice "~
Addison Jo, our youngest trick or treater

Abby Taylor, our second youngest - with a smile even ")

Here's Snow White (Summer Lynn)

. . . and of course Hannah Montana (Paige Olivia) with her one microphone

Rrrarh! Bailee Elizabeth

matching leopard girls

This was the group, after the baby feeding session, before heading out to trick or treat. Jen's clan stayed up in Snoqualmie this year. I'm anxious to see her pictures of the kids.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

FINALLY, Nellie gets her braces off!!! Ya HOO!!

Here's Miss Nellie BEFORE her appointment this morning with braces ON . . .
Here she is with her "crazy" orthodontist AFTER having the braces removed. Dr. Roos's office isn't open on Fridays so they dressed up for Halloween today.

. . . with the "loot" that ALWAYS comes with the removal of braces; all the chewy, sticky stuff that they don't want you to eat while you have them on.

. . . and a final close up. Yep, she's a happy girl - 2 weeks straight without even a retainer. I'M SOOOOOO JEALOUS!! Nellie reminds me that she had worn hers for a lot longer than I've worn mine "~

Actually, she deserves to whine more than me because she was originally supposed to get her braces off in March, then it was by the end of Summer, and now of course it's the END of October, so I guess she's "paid her dues".

S P O O K Y Halloween fun :)

We did our pumpkin carving for Family Home Evening tonight - here is our finished product: Chad's Halloween scene, Emily's Garfield, My "trick or treat" pumpkin (with a dim candle), Lee's bat, and Nellie's Mr Bones
It was completely dark outside - I guess I've got a good flash!

The work in progress

When we're done carving, it's a tradition at our house to snap a picture while we're trying to make a face that resembles our pumpkins . . . I think Lee wins ")

I think Chad is flying like a bat

Cute cats! Emily was pretty happy with her pumpkin. She said it was her best one ever.

Happy Halloween ")

Double the "blessings"

Abby (Soptich) and Addison (Kevin) on their blessing day. The girls were born just 10 days apart so we got to enjoy a double blessing day ;)
Paige, Emilee, Addison, Paul, Bailee, Tyson, Summer, Calley and Abby

The Soptich Family

Calley, Abby, Tyson and Summer

The Edwards-Kevin Family

Paige, Emilee, Addison, Paul and Bailee

"And They Call It Puppy Love . . . "

Scott getting a little "smooch" from new (purebred chocolate lab) puppy, Tugger
Awww :)

MORE progress :)

Our entire bathroom floor, and tub surround, is done now - grout and all.

Progress ")

I have new green board in my shower now - after 4+ years of looking at insulation and 2 x 4's :). My shower will end up being 2 inches larger than before because they don't make that size of shower pan anymore. Check out my acrylic shower pan - pricey little things, but they're supposed to wear like iron and clean up nice so hopefully it will all be worth it.
Today the tile floor was started - it will be finished tomorrow. Please excuse the toilet in the shower - it's not going to stay there ;)
You like?
The tile will also be around the tub, but will be cut in 1/4ths. When the tile is done I can paint.
We aren't supposed to walk on the newly laid tile, but they left a pathway for us to walk on. So that's our progress to date. Our templates were made on Friday for the corian that will be in the shower and on the counter tops - so that will take 2 weeks before it's ready to be installed - but we're getting closer. . . YIPEE!!

Lions and Tigers and Bears - OH MY!!

Here's the famous Dorothy Gale on her trip to the Emerald City. It looked to me like they may have been starting the whole "lions and tigers and bears - oh my" chant.
This is what I saw while running on the trail this morning!!! EEYIKES!! I just about wet my pants, and was trying frantically to remember what the sign had said to do if you happened to spot a bear.
This sign was posted at the beginning of where I get on the beloved trail - where I've run for years. So AFTER our "wild and crazy" walk last Sunday, when we had noticed one of these signs farther down the trail, I took a minute this morning to stop and actually read what it said to do - good thing.
Here's the beginning of the trail where I started running, with our little bear sign off to the left. I was a weensy bit nervous, and was jumping at the sight of large rocks and stumps that have been there forever and etc. and finally told myself to just settle down - that I've run the trail for YEARS and have NEVER seen anything more than squirrels, deer, horses, bunnies, slugs/snails, birds (a coyote off in a field nearby), dogs and etc. . I did my .6 mile TO the trail and had run 3 miles up towards Snoqualmie, turned around and had gone 1 1/2 miles back, so I was feeling good by then - thinking how silly I had been to worry about a bear. I looked up and saw my little (?) friend @ 50 feet ahead - in the middle of the trail - LOOKING RIGHT AT ME and I thought (and maybe even said out loud) "CRAP". I quickly "walked" down another trail so as not to encourage the bear to "chase" me like the sign said, until I was pretty sure I was passed where I saw it. I bewwwy quietwy went back up on the trail looking both ways to make sure Mr. Bear wasn't there anymore and got back up on the trail to run home. Be assured that I kept looking behind me the rest of the way to make sure that he wasn't chasing me or anything. It was sort of funny because RIGHT after I went down on the other trail (after spotting Mr. Bear), a duck flew up in the air and I seriously jumped out of my skin (sort of embarrassing) - there was a pond there and of course I had startled the duck that had been peacefully swimming on the pond, and then he startled me! So that was MY excitement for the day. Actually I think that will last me quite a while :), and I'm not so sure I'll be running on that trail for a while - which is too bad, because I really DO love that trail, and the beautiful fall colors.
Isn't the world God gave us so beautiful? - bears and all :)
THE END

We took a little walk on "the WILD side" conference weekend

I guess my pictures are a bit out of order, but I really don't want to have to start over, so here goes :) . Last weekend was general conference when we can watch church on TV, so we had the fam over and decided to go for a good old fashioned family walk. Notice that Tyson is totally wet. He jumped (all the way) in the river - just because nobody thought he would really do it - CRAZY!! He even surprised his wife.
Here we are on the trail . . . Tyson with his "tail feathers".
Paige, Gracie and Summer
Paige and Tanner. Tanner is one of Paigey's two "bo-friends". While we were walking, Tanner decided that he was done holding Paige's hand for a while and crushed her hopes and dreams. . . but he reconsidered after a while :)
We stopped at the park for a little play time on the way.
Tyson challenged Billy to a race on the bars - not sure if Billy was cheating or what
Gracie with Scott's crazy hat on
Tyson was wearing my "RC Winter" coat (in the water) that he LOVES to make fun of
Chad couldn't let his big brother outshine him, so he took the plunge too

Here's some "couples shots" - Kaisa and Billy
Scott and Sarah
Nellie sporting HER "tail feathers"
Emilee and Paul
Ryan and Jen

Our walk was something I'll always remember ")