A Poll

Ashby: "Who thinks you should go tell your mom if you see ella doing something wrong?"

Blythe: "And who thinks you should have fun no matter what?"

Merry Christmas

i love how ella thinks she can boss cause she found someone smaller than her. and i also love how davis is giving her attitude.
wow. look at those simply fabulous scarves.






yes. she is eating a candy cane with her toes.

We have a new family member.
Meet Camelia (aka Cami) the Veiled Chameleon

Ella joins her Daddy on a Xmas day tradition


i made it (phew!)

what i've been doing

So i realize it's been quite uninteresting around here and i apologize for the inconvenience and any role i may have played in your boredom.
As a lot of you know it's a rather busy time of year and i feel like i especially this month have a hard time keeping up with life. Here's just a snapshot of what i've been up to.

With the season comes the parties and since, as you all know, we are all so very popular, the calendar is filled with such events.
Unfortunately for the big people in this family, our party last weekend came with homework as well as a best gingerbread house title to defend and thus our entire saturday was dedicated (that is beyond chauffeuring to two other parties and one indoor soccer game and a partridge in a pear tree) to our little ski lodge and winter playground. (Please do not ask if we accomplished our goal. It's just too soon)



Also...i have taken up knitting. Below is my first...uh...piece.
I call it "loin cloth" (or pony tail warmer or cool wrap around your hand and stick your thumb threw thingy)

And of course been doing a little shopping...
with help of course.

And also we got our tree and so far i have even let the kids decorate it and i haven't even moved it all around. Yet. It looks very very special.

So...back to Mt Laundry for me. Seeya!

Its beginning to look a lot like...

me: So what are you going to ask santa for?

Blythe: hmmm I don't know what i should ask.

me: How about to end hunger and world peace?

Blythe: Huh? What's that?

me: It means that no one in the world would be hungry cause there would be enough food for everyone to eat and that there would be no more fighting and no more wars in the whole world too.

Blythe: Mo-omm. I don't wanna ask for that.

me: Why in the world not?

Blythe: Cause that's not fun.

Indiglo

So this is our cat, Indigo, for those of you who haven't yet been introduced.
And that shiny streak all the way down her back is strawberry toothpaste that someone decided she should wear.
And she would like for you to feel just a bit of the pain of living in this madhouse.
(and she also wishes that this picture was scratch-and-sniff cause she sure does smell fruit-a-licious!)

Dress as Your Favorite Book Character Day

Any Guesses?

So after last week's urgent care visit, i declared upon entering the gym yesterday that i was going to not be broken or take upon myself any sort of physical abuse and bodily punishment by them from henceforth (or something like that). Strangely ELEVEN people showed up, which is the most we've ever had, which was sorta fun i guess except that i didn't get to really play with the friends a whole lot that i had invited to play(and i got stuck on lame teams shh). Anywho, i ended up skidding across the floor over a loose ball skimmish with Mr S (stupid kids) and let me tell you, floor burns, in case you have forgotten as i had, hurt like a mother the second you stop playing, and ESPECIALLY in the shower afterwards, as well as every time you turn over in bed. ALL NIGHT LONG. No joke. (wait insert here the i never whine comment and you can have a good laugh all over again). My cousin zac, along with countless others have declared that perhaps i am to old for this but i respond a hearty NO (as well as leave me alone you big meanies. no one thinks you are funny).

side note: i did end up going to urgent care last night which seems to be my habit now, but this time it was with a friend. (who is fine and no one is dying and no you don't need to know who or why)

the end

YIKES!

So i'm not sure how it happened exactly.
I was almost positive i could go just about my whole life without having to actually cook a turkey let alone host a holiday meal. But somehow we turned down three different chances to bring a salad, pie, rolls, etc... and i find myself hosting (aka preparing) a thanksgiving meal for fourteen.
Anywho, my biggest worry is how to get it all done at the same time.
So far on my menu are Herb Roasted Turkey and Gravy, Slow Cooker Stuffing, Gourmet Sweet Potato Classic, Green Bean Casserole, Grandma Jo's Famous Mashed Potatoes, and Old Fashioned Paradise Pumpkin Pie (that i am going to attempt to make from Blythe's field trip pumpkin). I delegated my usual salad and rolls to my mother and my dad will bring one of his apple pies.
So... wish me luck!

Happy Thanksgiving! (i'll let you know how it goes)

SIX!

Blythe had a pretty fabulous time yesterday, even if she didn't have her party yet OR get to slip and slide. Here's a few snapshots of her day. (And for the record- this is one amazing 6 year old and i love being her mom!)

the good ol days

So i think my favorite part of today was when beau told me about the time when i spanked him cause he peed all over the bathroom. And i think that memory would be even more special if i could share it with him. Or then again, maybe not.

Superstars!

So our Northwest Children's Outreach tv spot was on the air on Wednesday. It's pretty cute (minus that i am i big dork- hmm maybe i am all the time and just think that i am not OR i should just never be on camera OR i am overly critical of myself). Anyway, after they aired the segment they gave the web address of NCO so i'm really excited for the extra press and exposure that it gave us. If you'd like to see it, go to Better.tv and click on the IT Moms link then choose the video labeled Volunteering. P.S. for a special challenge try to find 5 Wolvertons and 3 Ketahs (they are all there i promise)
P.P.S. you can also try this link. no guarantees that it will work though ("i tried my best i did my worst. nothing makes me happy")
http://better.tv/bettertv/?cid=713329314&lid=647738100&tid=1287059562&ordersrc=r
afbettertv

And ETC...

My Weekend in Hood River (reason1000001 why i need a nice camera)

So i realize these pictures are fairly crappy but please just squint and use your imagination and remember they were all taken on my phone camera.
the view from our hotel window

3Rivers Bar and Bistro

The Fruit Loop- a drive through Hood RIver Valley












The Gorge




(damn powerlines)