SNOW!

We're gonna have snow for Christmas! I'm so excited! This will be my first Christmas ever in the snow. Brooklyn was sure it wouldn't be Christmas until it snowed (I'm not sure why since it's her first Christmas with snow too). The first day it snowed we got about 10 inches overnight and the girls were outside playing by 8:00. I can't usually even get them up and dressed by 8 in the morning, let alone outside and playing.

Natalie really wanted to go outside,

but didn't really like touching the snow.

First ones out!

Shawn's having a little to much fun trying out the new plow for the quad.

Halloween

It's a good thing they're cute, because 4 kids loaded up on sugar, a week of non stop rain, and messed up sleeping schedules (whoever came up with daylight savings should be shot) did not make a good combination.

The pumpkin patch

Hot Air Balloon Races

Here are some pictures from the Reno hot air balloon races. It sounds like it would be boring, I mean really how fast can a hot air balloon go right? Plus we had to get up at 4:00 in the morning and that's why we've talked about going for the past 10 years but never actually got around to going until this year. Needless to say, it was awesome. We were able to walk around the field and watch the balloons fill up and lift off. And seeing so many balloons in the air at the same time was really cool.

Visiting the Horses

We have a great neighbor who lets the girls come over and feed her horses anytime. This time she let them get on and ride around the yard. Natalie has no fear and wanted to be the first one on. She loved it, to say she was mad when she had to let some one else have a turn would be putting it mildly. Emma on the other hand is working hard to get over her fears (sometimes in her prayers she says "please help me to not be such a scardy cat") but after some coaxing to get her on the horse she said it wasn't fair that Brooklyn & Savannah got a longer turn than she did so she went again. Brooklyn and Savannah are just happy to be doing anything that involves horses.

I love the Fourth of July. The girls were in the Dutch Flat parade this year and had a great time. It always turns in to a huge water fight with the fire fighters starting it and spraying everyone with a hose . It's said to be the oldest parade without missing a year in the U.S. At least that is what some people from Tennessee told me. Brooklyn was in it with her girl scout troop and Savannah, M, & dad rode the quad, Although Emma got off as soon as she saw me. Natalie ran from dog to dog until we found some friends to sit with. After the parade was over we BBQ at the pool and just hung out there which is pretty much what we have been doing for the rest of the summer.

Our first trip of the season

So we made our annual trek to the coast for memorial day weekend, and had a great time. The weather was a little chilly, but pretty nice, until we got home and it was pouring rain and started hailing just as we started to unpack the car.
The kids loved the tide pools, finding all the crabs and star fish and collecting shells, then we went to the Seymour center, by Natural Bridges, where there was a touch and feel tank with all kinds of sea stars, anemonies, a sea cucumber and some other stuff. We were also able to see some dolphins that live there.

Bannana made her first atempt at Boogie Boarding and caught a wave which ended with a mouth full of sandy water so that was the end of that- until next time