Power of Mother Nature

We had a rather heavy rainstorm last weekend that got the Sandy River really rocking and rolling. Usually when we walk down to the river there is a 10 foot deep stretch of beach that you walk out onto as soon as you clear the trees. The river was up all the way to the trees so you just exited onto the roaring water.

The pics don't really do it justice. It was awesome!

Our little waterfall was overflowing:

The Sandy:

In action:

Merry Christmas!

We are so blessed by so many generous family and friends that we tend to celebrate Christmas for almost a full two weeks before the actual day. We open a present each night so that the kids can slow down, listen to who the gift was from and really appreciate it.

Some highlights from the week:

Grammy's deeeelicious garlic oyster crackers

A huge Melissa & Doug sticker puzzle. G loves these! He knocked out this entire puzzle in less then two hours all by himself.

Pippies and her new "smart" purse. A girl can never have too many purses!

The kids also got these super cute pencil holders. They perfectly hold the polished rocks they received this year as well!

Pip Pip also got lots of great clothes. This hoodie seems to be her fave!

My personal favorite is the 1990s Barbie house Santa somehow managed to sneak in. All the kids and Daddy were very surprised!

A huge thank you to all the friends and family who were so very generous to us this year. We love you and pray for an amazing 2015!

Christmas Pageant

Gunnar's second annual Christmas pageant was great. He knew most of the words and signs this time. Everyone's favorite song seemed be the Santa song set to the tune of B-I-N-G-O. The yells spelling S-A-N-T-A were amazing!

One for the record books

Gunnar really is a great big brother, until he isn't! The sweet sibling moments are so wonderful to me but they happen so fast it is usually just a quick mental note I am able to make. Yesterday outside the library this happened:



I think I will never forget, but just in case!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Getting Ready for Santa

Gunnar was raring to go this year when it came time to decorate for Christmas. He picked out a gorgeous tree and both kids were wonderful helpers to get it all lit up.

We hit up breakfast with Santa again this year and totally lucked out. We timed it perfectly so there was no line, and I even won a bottle of wine with my one raffle ticket I had purchased really jst to get change!

Piper was not down with Santa at all so I was unexpectedly included in this year's picture as well. In case you are wondering, Gunnar asked for a trophy. I think this pic is Santa still mulling over that odd request.

 After breakfast we hit up a tree farm just outside of Sandy to get a tree. Our usual farm didn't offer U-Cut this year but this place was great! The owner was super nice and after Nick and I had both given up on trying to hack through the base of the tree we picked out, he kindly made quick work of it with his Stihl. While complimenting our efforts!

Here is the cut in progress:

It was super muddy with all rain we have been having which Pip Pip totally approved of:

Not to be out done we topped the tree twice this year:

 Piper loves the tree. Almost as much as her boots!

Winter fun down on the farm

What do you do when you don't have a sled or a hill? Grab a tube and the tractor!












- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Early Snow!

Snowpocalpse 2014 was predicted overnight in Portland this past Wednesday. I managed to make it in to work fine and it didn't seem too bad, until I passed Sandy on the way home. Wow, did we ever get some snow! 6-8 inches is the current guesstimate. Luckily I had already taken that day off so we got to enjoy all this fabulous white stuff!

Random fun

Lot's of silly cuteness going down on the farm these rainy days. Here is a quick peek:

Happy Halloween

Halloween is still a favorite holiday of mine so it is very convenient that I now have kids ad can continue to get away with dressing up. This year was the best Halloween yet with both kids trick-or-treating and G concocting his very own costume!

We carved our pumpkin this year that G had picked out at the pumpkin patch with school:

And here was the whole crew heading out:

Pinkie Pumpkin

Gigi bought Gunnar a little wide eyed, pink puppy dog toy his week at an estate sale which he has absolutely fallen in love with. Gunnar in all his four years has never slept with a stuffed animal and he sleeps with this one. He has aptly named her Pinkie and when it came time to carve his pumpkin today he designed a wide eyed "pinkie pumpkin" in her honor.

I must say, it turned out pretty good: