One Year Old

We had a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. My nephew is doing great in his first semester down at Texas A&M, Tracy's parents were able to come down and help us celebrate Thanksgiving, and Karis turned one on Thanksgiving Day this year (please note it loaded these pictures in backwards...so if you want correct time progression you have to start from the bottom):

This is How it Works

The next morning big brothers were still making sure little sister knew how things worked. She has that look on her face like she is saying, "Can you please tell them that I know how to do it?" Get used to it, Karis. I don't think it's going to change.

Lots of Help

A few presents later things were still progressing slowly, so second big brother Chase decided to help out as well. I don't think we have to worry about big brothers watching out for little sister.

First Birthday Gift

Like all one-year-olds, Karis was a bit slow going on ripping into her first present. This would explain why big brother Ryan is on the way to help teach her how.

Birthday Cupcakes

I always do cupcakes for the kids' first birthday - it is easier for them to handle when they are eating. Karis could have cared less about her cupcakes. She was too excited about the fact that she was getting to crawl around the kitchen table (with Grandparents stationed at each side). FYI - Ryan made the banner behind Karis all by himself.

Our Famous Birthday Girl

We emailed Karis' picture into KPTV for their first birthdays announcement, then we tivo'd it so we could freeze the frame and look at it through out the day. I have no clue why but I was so excited to see her picture on t.v.! Isn't that funny how you get all excited when you see someone you know on tv (that is for good reasons...), especially your family? Like when they come out to Canby High for some high school football footage and we scan the crowd to see if there are any people that we know on tv.

Halloween Costumes

Boy - November went by really fast! I've got some catching up to do. Here are some Halloween pictures to start us out.

Batman

Ryan was Batman this year, and he played the part well.

Mickey Mouse

Chase was less than thrilled with his costume. This is the best picture I could get in between crying spells. He wouldn't even let me put any makeup on to make him look more Mickey-like. Amazingly enough, he was in a great mood the whole time we were Trick-or-Treating...

Duckie

Karis was a duck (the same costume that Chase wore last year). It's a good thing she wore it this year because I think she'll be too big for it next year. She wasn't very thrilled with her costume either, especially the feet...but at least she wasn't driven to tears like her brother.

Growth

THEN

NOW

Look at the difference eight months can make! I think the first picture was taken when Karis was about two months old. Now she's getting close to eleven months and everyone around here is getting big, big, bigger! Time sure flies.

The Pumpkin Barn

Do you see all these pumpkins, Mom?

What is this stuff poking my bottom?

Pumpkin Barn, 2008

One of my favorite things about October is the Pumpkin Barn. My mom has a friend that runs a fruit and vegetable stand out of one of her sheds on 13th Street, right on the edge of Canby. Every October they fill the end with straw and pumpkins. It is a great place to go pick out our pumpkins: one - because the prices are great, (we got four small pumpkins, including one white pumpkin, and three very large pumpkins for carving for only $7.00), and two - because it is dry and usually not busy so I can make my family pose for picture after picture after picture.

One year we waited until the third week of October to get our pumpkins. We arrived at the Pumpkin Barn only to find it was closed for the season. Apparently Bettie closes down as soon as all the pumpkins are sold. Ryan and I were devastated...and we ended up paying $12.00 for three pumpkins at some other place over by my parents house. Needless to say we now get our pumpkins the first weekend in October no matter what.

Karis was initiated this year and her favorite part was the straw (as was her brothers' when they were less than a year old at the Pumpkin Barn). Technically this is Karis' second year at the Pumpkin Barn as I was VERY pregnant with her this time last year. How time flies!

Frost on the Pumpkins

You know it's cold outside when these two are snuggling. Usually Daisy is 'loving' Fred by putting Fred's head in her mouth and tossing the poor cat around for a few minutes.

Welcome to Fall

Well, we had a soccer game this morning, we're watching college football this evening, and I've spent the day doing things inside and DIDN'T feel guilty because the weather was cloudy and gray. All I need to do now is dig out my pumpkin bread recipe.

Long time no post, I know!

We have been busy for sure. Ryan started Kindergarten and soccer AND had an extra permanent tooth pulled out (story for later this week when I can give it the time it deserves). Chase is talking up a storm and can drive his John Deere tractor like a true farm kid. Karis is 97% for height and has five teeth. The doctor even warned me about having a big baby and how people will expect her to be able to do things she's not old enough to do. We've gone camping, visited the fair, went up to Oroville for 4th of July, and many other fun and interesting things.

Tracy has become a full-on truck driver - when someone is sick he takes to the road. And I am now a soccer coach, a Kindergarten volunteer, a member of the PTA, and have just volunteered to be in charge of our church's wonderful Advent celebration for 2009.

So I have a lot to cover in the following weeks, I know. But for now, pictures!

I lost my first tooth (and it's not the one that got pulled)!

Ryan on the run!

Karis ready for some fun in the sun.

Chase enjoys a Twinkie at the campsite.

Totally saving this for when she hits fifteen.

Introducing Our New Kitchen

Ok, for those who never had the pleasure of seeing our old kitchen in all its glory, here are a few pictures to give you an idea. I couldn't find any pictures of just the kitchen. Can you blame me? Would you want to remember this kitchen? But here are a few of the kids that give you a good idea of what we were living with:



Here's one of Chase and Grandma eating some blueberries. Please note the wood paneling, the 40-year-old linoleum, and the lovely stained cabinets with formica counter tops...and we're not talking the nice formica, either.

This one shows Ryan enjoying some cake batter. This is another great shot of the cabinets and the floor.

You've seen these two pictures before, but it a good view of how much of the wall we actually tore out. Also, the part of the room where you can see the furnace ducts - there was a brick wall there that Tracy tore out.

So here we go...I'm not even going to comment, I'm just going to let you look and enjoy. Keep in mind that the kitchen and dining room were connected by a small doorway, and the refrigerator was on the other side of the room.

Needless to say, we LOVE it.