The Girl Has Got Talent!

Samantha decided she wanted to have a blog. She just started it a few days ago and I'm excited to see what kinds of things she posts. Check out her blog to see and read about the life of a sweet, all-American, almost 17 year old girl! It's in my side bar and it's called: Miss Samantha. I wanted to post a song she just wrote for an assignment in her Modern America class. She was asked to take a song and replace the words with some historical facts. I thought she did a great job. It's to the tune of "How To Save A Life", by The Fray.

In 1939 War broke out
Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill had a talk
The Soviet Union reneged
The Berlin Airlift amazed
Brother fought brother in a fight
Confused, in foxholes in the night
In a foreign land to save the world
Wondering if they’d survive the worst

Where did they go wrong, we lost our friends
Somewhere alone in a battlefield
Then they all gave up life for a fight
To protect what they know is right

On a bus in Montgomery
A woman was told to give up her seat
A boycott followed soon
A March on Washington ensued
Dr. King gave his speech
A dream he had for you and me
Civil Rights, a blessing

Where did they go wrong, we lost our friends
Somewhere alone in a battlefield
Then they all gave up life for a fight
To protect what they know is right

Ronald Reagan changed the world
When he talked to Khrushchev
And they saved the hurt
The Berlin wall fell down
Joyful faces glowed around
With no more Communism,
People could just go on livin’
In peace and happily
They know what freedom really means

Where did they go wrong, we lost our friends
Somewhere alone in a battlefield
Then they all gave up life for a fight
To protect what they know is right


She will be singing that in class today. Thankfully she was blessed with a beautiful voice, but she is still very nervous. I think I would have stayed home sick if I had to do that in high school!!

Birthdays Are A Comin'!!

Well, tomorrow is the start of our "Spring/Summer Birthdays"!! Savannah and Isaiah share a birthday, so they are our first two! Surprisingly, we have no birthdays in February ( I have told Scott I could fix that. I know the # of this place that is looking for a home for a sweet little baby......Oops, better not go down that road, wouldn't want him to pop out any grey hairs!!!)

Anyway, Sam is in March, Sabrina and I in April, Talisha, Tanner and Vanessa in May, Scott in June, Levi and Thomas in July and sweet baby Jasmine finishes us up in August! Whew!!! We love having them all around the same time instead of spread out throughout the year.

I'm sure there will be plenty of pictures to post!

She Has Teeth!!!

Check out those eyelashes!!! And the hat? Talisha thought it was a nice touch. Now show me your cute teeth, baby!

So excited, trying to grab her toy.....but where are those teeth??

Nope, not going to see them today, are we? We'll keep trying...

Jasmine got her two bottom teeth in last week. They are just the cutest little teeth you have ever seen!!! How cute are they? Well, hopefully I will get a shot with one of her signature "whole face smiles" and you can see for yourself!!! Stay tuned!!

Portland Trailblazer!!!

Our newest lil' Blazer!

"Webster" is a very fitting jersey for him to be wearing! We're still waiting for that growth spurt!

Isaiah loves to put on any clothes or shoes he finds laying around the house. Today it was one of his big brother's jersey.

Even In Purple, He's Adorable!!!

Not wanting to look at Mom. Notice the death grip on those crackers!

Looking everywhere but at Mom.

"These are my crackers. Don't even think about taking them!!"

It was kind of a crazy day today. Ok, maybe all days are like this but there were several photo opportunities today. I thought I would share a couple of them. Isaiah found Savannah's coat and was wearing it around for quite awhile. We lost track of him for a few minutes but I wasn't concerned because if that happens, he can usually be found sitting by the books, "reading".

However today, he found that someone had left the pantry door open and a pack of crackers was calling his name. He plopped himself on the floor in our "football" room (turf on the floor) and tore open those crackers. He was making some serious progress on them before he was discovered. I seriously think he growled at me when I reached for them!!!!

My favorite song!!!

This has to be one of my new favorite songs!!! Thank you Lauriann for brightening my day!!!! I found this on her blog and just had to add it to mine!!

http://

Just A Question...

Thomas, the ever vigilant policeman in the family, asked the other day: "Mom, if I don't wear my seat belt, will I get under arrested?"

Don't you love the way kids say things? There have been quite a few things lately that have totally cracked us up.

At Christmas when our extended family was here, our 6 year old nephew said, "I just had a John Jay Vu!" We all sat there for a minute and then realized he meant: Daja-vous!!! It was so funny. We still get a kick out of that one.

Two Girls Playing

Talisha to Savannah: "I'll be the Princess and you be the Highness!"

Quote Of The Day

Levi: "Mom, I have so many things I want, but I don't really need anything."


Very well may be the best thing I hear all day!!!

I Just Loved These Pictures!

Isaiah saw Daddy holding Jasmine and scurried up into his lap to talk to his baby sister.

Thomas was sure they were having too much fun so he hopped into the picture as well.

Sharing a little Christmas cheer!

Gifts for everyone!!!!

I love taking pictures of Scott with our kids. I love the magical connection he has with them. They love to snuggle on his lap or wrestle on the floor but mostly they just love being with him.

At his office, they found a Head Start program that was in need of some Christmas cheer. The plan was that everyone would get the name of a child and buy gifts for that child. Just before Christmas, they would go and deliver the gifts. Because of the Arctic blast that covered everything with snow the week before Christmas, those gifts didn't get delivered. So last week, a group of them went to the school and delivered the presents to the children.

Of course they were all very excited to have Christmas come again so quickly. The little girl on Scott's lap wasn't interested in anyone else but him. She must have sensed that he was a seasoned professional at being a daddy.

Warmer Days

This was taken in Cabo San Lucas when we were celebrating our 10th Anniversary 8 years ago! I keep this picture right next to my computer so I can see it daily!

I am so cold lately! I really detest winter! Well, I take that back. When we lived in Arizona, I loved winter!!! I don't know I have survived living in Oregon for 34 of my 38 years! Well, actually I do.....I complain every winter about how much I detest the cold. As I sit here typing, my fingers are so cold, they are barely functioning. I have the heat turned up to 70 but it never feels warm enough! I get up and exercise every morning, hoping that will help my circulation! I guess that's why people drink coffee.......I'm not a coffee drinker but I just may have to start warming up my delicious green shake that I drink every morning (see post from a few weeks ago)!!

Brrrrrr, it's cold!!!!!

Cousins

Samantha, Sabrina and Slade on their way out on New Year's Eve!

Tanner and Benjamin working on their rockets!

Joseph and Thomas playing with the train!

Joseph giving Isaiah a ride in Savannah's new baby doll stroller!

Joseph, Talisha and Benjamin enjoying their chocolate fondue New Year's Eve!

Sierra and Jessica! Could these two be any cuter? They loved raiding Samantha and Sabrina's closet, in fact they were in a new outfit several times throughout the day!!!

Jessica and Sierra! (Dresses courtesy of Samantha and Sabrina)

Sooooo cute!!!!

I have been going through our Christmas pictures and will try to post a few more on here before we move on to January.....We picked up the pictures from Costco today......only 347 of them. I am thinking that I will not be scrapbooking those any time soon. Hey Sarah, want a full time job???? Sarah is my cute friend that is trying to tutor me in the fine art of scrapbooking.......She is amazing!!!!!

Song

The song that I have playing on my playlist is one of my favorite songs. First off, I love Dolly Parton. There is just something about that woman that makes me laugh. Well, a few things about her make me laugh but as far as her singing goes, it's real. She's not a new, fresh young singer that sings through her nose (thank goodness) but she's been around the block a time or two and sings from the heart.

Anyway, I love this song, it's message and the way she sings it. I usually only have one song on my playlist and it will always have a meaning behind it.

"Rocket" Races

Daniel, wearing the appropriate protective eye gear, working on his rocket!

Levi, Joseph and Slade painting their rockets!

Rocket zinging towards the finish line!!

Daniel's rocket!

Tanner, Slade and Joseph greasing and winding up their rockets!

Slade and Levi getting ready to race!!

And they're off!!!!!

With so many kids in the house over Christmas, we needed plenty of ideas to keep them busy. Last year Scott helped the boys make Pine Wood Derby cars for cub scouts. This year our pine wood derby isn't for a couple more months so they decided to build and race "rockets", just for fun!!!!

All the boys spent time out in Scott's shop, building their rocket. They had to paint them and do all the finishing touches. When they were finally ready, Scott rigged up the fishing line for them to race down!

The boys quickly learned what type of design was best suited for racing, as some were faster than others. All in all though, I think they all had a lot of fun, win or lose!!!

Good Job Boys!!!!!

Grandparents Rock!!!!

Papa and Jasmine

Papa and Jasmine....again. Aren't they the cutest???

Isaiah with Papa!

Grandma with Talisha and Savannah!

Papa and Grandma with 2 little girls crawling all over them!!!!

We loved having Grandparents here for the past 2 weeks. It had been a long time since we had seen them. They got to meet Jasmine for the first time. They slept out in our guest house so they were able to have some down time, away from the noise and the chaos when they went to bed each night.

Talisha, Savannah and Isaiah were pretty much attached to them at all times. All 3 of them loved all the extra attention Grandma and Papa gave them.