White Christmas with the rat pack

This is virtually the same way we celebrated Christmas in Huntington Beach when I was a kid but with snow instead of sand and surf. Beautiful, wish you were here!

Just a cute song

Mommy, I didn't mean to !!!!!!

Tonight Jackson came running up to me crying. I could hardly make out what he was saying. "I lost my tooth, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." I spent quite some time explaining to him that at his age teeth just do that. I tried to reassure him by having him think back to when Jordyn was losing her teeth, just about the same age. He finally calmed down and I asked him if he had noticed that it was wiggly. He started to cry again and said, "No it wasn't loose, when I bit the lego it just flew out... Ah, Ha! Now I understood why the tears and remorse. Biting the Legos to get them apart- big no, no at our house. Oh well, what do you say at this point. I think he learned a valuable lesson. It scared him pretty good. Probably won't catch him biting Legos for a while.

Later on that evening as he was laying in bed he said to me, "Too bad my first lost tooth I missed out on the wiggling." I giggled and he gave me a huge missing-tooth smile. 

Lucy's Day at the park with daddy

Mommy needed a break so Lucy and I went to the park to play while sweet mommy heard herself think for the first time in days

Grandpa Mohler Would Have Loved This!

For all of you who knew an remember Grandpa Mohler you are well aware of his love of children, music and dogs. I am not sure if the love of dogs ran quite as deep as the others but I do remember his gruff voice (about the only time he was ever gruff) scolding the dog with an "I'll get the switch!" Can't you just hear him now. Well, we spent ?Thanksgiving in Klamath Falls and I was reminded a few times of Grandpa.

Janine tossed Simeon a turkey bone and someone remarked, "Wouldn't Grandpa Mohler love that!"

After dinner Uncle Danny got out his guitar and broke into "Had a Little Chicken." Once again mention was made of Grandpa, this time in reference to his harmonica playing and the kids gathering around him.

Then there were the dog tricks. I remember Grandpa balancing treats on Coalies nose just like this. That dog would sit with the treat on his nose until Grandpa told him "OK". He would then snap it up into the air and catch it. I got the biggest kick out of that.

He just would have loved all these kids!

Got any Grandpa Mohler memories? Do share.

A few new kid photos. Where was Jackson?

Well, I do not have a lot of time for blogging right now. I am busy sewing Christmas outfits and Christmas pajamas for the whole family. I just wanted to post a few new pictures so they don't get forgotten. Too cute to miss!

Make a Smilebox photobook

Thanksgiving Prayer

Pause and Give Thanks

Wherever you find yourself today, 

Whether filled with joy or wrapped in pain,

Remember to pause a moment and give thanks

For no other event in our history and time,

Can change our lives like the birth of Christ - so Divine.

His love never failing, and His Presence always near

The greatest wonder in Heaven on Christmas did appear.

God's gift full of grace that brings life, love, hope,

Can be unwrapped by us all - changing life's scope.

For when we invite His life into our hearts,

No love is greater than that He imparts.

So wherever you find yourself today, 

Remember to pause and give thanks,

For HE is the Truth and the Way!

"O come, let us sing unto the Lord: Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with THANKSGIVING, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the strength of the hills is His also. The sea is His, and he made it: and His hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our maker." Psalm 95 1-6

"Give THANKS to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." Psalm 107-1

"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 

Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give THANKS, and praise your glorious name." I Chronicles 29:11-13

What are you thankful for this year? 

How has your life been blessed?

Go Beaves

The excitement is mounting in the Edewards' house this afternoon as we prepare to watch the Beavers take on Arizona. Vaughn and Joe are resting up for all the excitement as we prepare for family and friends to fill the house. GO BEAVS

Favorite Photo Friday

This is the winner this week. I love the photo but am so excited that Lucy is very interested in the potty. Yeah! So, call me crazy but I have been letting her go around naked bottom (or just naked) to potty train her. We now have a potty in our living room because the trek to the bathroom was too far. Here is the scene: Lucy (nude) walking around playing with baby, all of the sudden out of the blue, "Pee, Pee, Mommy!" a few drips running down her leg. Me "Wait, Lucy, Wait!" snatching her up and running for the bathroom. By the time we get through the baby gate, around the boxes in the hallway and over the cat that is sleeping in the doorway, I am soaked. "It's ok, Lucy. We will try again." So, that is why we have the potty in the living room and one in the kitchen. She has been going to the potty and going herself or telling me and we can actually make it to the toilet. Yesterday we only had one accident on the floor. Yeah Lucy!

Nothing like a good book to help get things moving.

"Pee, Pee Potty, Ma Ma!" 

The next few were from our walk on the river front in Albany. Oh, what fun. It was very cold though. Funny how kids don't seem to notice that their fingers are turning blue and their noses are running away from them, snot nearly freezing to their faces. 

Vaughn had it good though, all bundled up and cozy.

Like father like daughter. Just taking in the scenery.

MY GLOWING PUMPKINS

I know Halloween is long gone but this photo never made it to the blog and I loved it.

What is your favorite?

Addicted!

But he looks pretty hot!

Techno Dance Party

SO... What do the wife and kids do when husband and father goes away to work?

Turn out all the lights

Break out the glow sticks

Crank up the music

AND DANCE!

It makes for some really neat photos.

Lucy's Pockets

The swimming suit on the neck is funny but notice the bulge in the tummy? Lately Lucy has been shoving valuables down her shirt, in her pants and even in the diaper. I happened to capture this episode on camera. I guess that is one way to keep your investments safe in this horrible economy.

"Lucy, what do you have in there?"

"Ships!"

All Full

Here is what she had stuffed down there. Turns out she had raided Jackson's Star Wars collection and was hiding them from him.

I missed an even funnier "pocket" incident. Lucy is wearing pull-ups because she is potty training and she decided to carry her little baby in her pull-up. She pulled down her pull-up, cradled the baby inside and pulled it back up leaving the babies head hanging out the back of her pull-up. I laughed so hard and of course ran for the camera. Much to my disappointment the battery was dead. Mom suggested we maker her an apron with a bunch of pockets. Probably a good idea. Who knows where she might try to stick something next. ;(

Then and Now

Oh the horrors of baby acne. This is how Vaughn looked a month ago. Mommy was horrified at having never had a  child with acne this bad. I even took him to the doctor who told me it is perfectly normal and will clear up on its own.

Well, look at him now. Beautiful Baby Boy with perfect skin. What amazed me was how it just disappeared almost over night.

New Faces of Vaughn

How You Doing?

Mommy!

Personality Plus

"Lucy, the horsey ride is over."

"Do you want to ride again?"

My last day of sanity?

Let me explain the title. We had a exceptionally warn and pleasant summer and fall this year. Everyday was spent enjoying the sunshine and warm evenings. And if the kids were unhappy in the house I just sent them outside to play and work out the wiggles. Well, gone are the days of warm weather, sun and my sanity.  Rain has returned to Oregon in full force. For the past three days there has not been a break in the rain. The kids are done with school around noon and the questioning begins. What can we do? Over and over they ask. Go read a book, play with legos, play your leapster, take a nap, I answer them over and over. Oh how I wish I could say GO OUT AND PLAY. The trampoline is soaked, the tree house is leaking, the bikes are in storage and the hammock is put away. This is the time of year I hate Oregon. But only for a season. Soon we will settle into the change and before we know it the trees will be budding with the first signs of spring. But right now it feels like I will not regain my sanity. 

I went to my photos to give me a little pick-me-up and thought I would share the last wonderful play day outside we enjoyed last week. Leaves are so fun.












Goodbye summer. Come back soon and bless us with your warm weather and beautiful shades of green colors that the rain helps create. 

Four Beautiful Babies

I love it when you get a shot where every one looks great. I have found it harder and harder the more kids you we add to the equation. Daddy doesn't mind acting silly to try to get everyone looking the same direction. He did a great job this time.