Reformation Bread

Tomorrow is a big day at The River Academy! It is Reformation Day and they celebrate it BIG! One of the events is a bread baking contest. Kids are encouraged to bake a dinner type of bread and bring it to school for judging. Tage was excited about this, since he looks for almost any excuse to play with me in the kitchen. We decided to make a traditional loaf of french bread which I think turned out quite lovely. Believe me when I say HE did the lions share of the work.

Tage was measuring 7 cups of flour...He did not want me talking because he would loose count. I took pictures instead:)

See...Lovely...Isn't it!

Family Time

Ben loves cars, so I spent last night building a race track for him while Brant did homework with the boys. Before I knew it the whole family was sitting downstairs playing with the track, laughing and cheering on the different cars as they flew by. We were a great commercial for the shakem cars and race track! Sometimes the best family time is that which is unplanned. I know all of us went to bed with full tanks last night!

Pumpkin Carving and Loss of Control

For starters I LOVE to carve pumpkins and I can be kind of a control freak about the whole thing, which is why I decided it would be more fun for everyone involved to have me take pictures. Four children and a daddy are fun to photograph in the midst of gooey pumpkin guts, sharp objects and power tools (Brant's idea, which was actually quite clever). The thing about my boys is they get right down to business, set their goals and complete them from start to finish in a matter of minutes. The result,carved pumpkins,that lack artistic qualities but are carved and serving the ultimate purpose, lighting up the walk way for trick-or-treaters. Enjoy~!

I guess we'll start with the finished product since I STILL can't seem to load pictures in order:)
Brant decided to put x-mas lights inside the pumpkins...I love my clever hubby!

This is Tage's pumpkin...we have NO IDEA what it is supposed to be!

Simon went traditional

Brant took the non-traditional approach to carving Simon's pumpkin.

Of course, the last picture is that of hands in gooey pumpkin guts prior to carving.

Caged...

The new puppy kennel works great for 2 year old boys too!

I Love This Kid

On Friday the 1st graders made space costumes and launched some rockets in the field at school. This is Tage showing me he is a serious astronaut!

San Fran Take 3

The Race
5 Reasons
Why YOU and I Should
Run/Walk the San Fransisco Nike Women's Marathon and Half Marathon in 2009
With Team In Training

1. This is a great marathon/half marathon to walk OR run.
   
2. San Fransisco is a great city to visit! There is fantastic shopping and dinning...Perfect girls weekend getaway!
   
3. When you cross the finish line you are greeted by San Fransisco Firefighters dressed in tuxedos handing out necklaces by Tiffany's'.
   
4. Through Team in Training (TNT) you will find/experience great motivation, training schedules, and new friends
   
5. Fundraising proceeds go towards research for blood cancers, a very worthy cause especially for those of you who are directly effected by this disease.

Kim with her Tiffany's box
Kim, Val and Becca ran the half-marathon...that's 13.1 miles!

Boxes of Bling sitting on Limos

Becca and Kim at mile 11. Look how cheerful Becca is in this picture!

View between mile 4 and 5

San Fran Take 2

THE SIGHTS
So we did do some of the classic tourist stuff. We went to Alcatraz, rode a cable car into Ghirardelli Square and hung out at Fisherman's Wharf a bit. Because we had friends and family living in the area we also got off the beaten path and ate at some fabulous restaurants! I love San Fransisco and can't wait for the next trip! I just hope it's a weekend get away with my hubby!

Gals hanging off the cable car! How classic San Fransisco is that!
St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in North Beach neighborhood.

Classic San Fransisco home...in the $2-3 million range.

Top of Lombard St. Click on the picture to enlarge and see San Fran Bridge in background.

Alcatraz

San Fran Take 1

OLD FRIENDS
There is lots to talk about so I'll start with one of the highlights of the trip....Meeting up with old childhood friends! My good friend Izzy, lives in San Fransisco with her husband Mo and son Musa....she also has a baby on the way and is due in Feb. Her husband is a chef and she owns a wedding planning business called Flora Bella. Andy is an engineer and works in his field however his passion is ministry and he spends all other hours in youth ministry. We spent most of the evening reminiscing about old times...we all laughed a TON about all the silly embarrassing things we did as teenagers. We had a great time!

Kim and Andy

Kim, Izzy and I...Like the bibs!

Vi's 4!!!!

It's just about time to start dinner and I have a minute to blog so here goes my first catch up blog (i'm really behind!)...
VI'S BIRTHDAY!!! She is a 4 year old red head that in our opinion is the most beautiful, smart and sometimes sassy little chickie around! She loves horses, grandparents, meatballs, singing and her mom, dad and brothers. She does not like to see injustice and has a tendency to stop someone in their unkind tracks and tell them to stop and ask forgiveness, she loves to look pretty and does not mind getting dirty, and would really like it if i stopped brushing her hair! She has an intense desire to learn and is trying to read on her own, we are trying to slow her down a little to give her brothers a chance before she passes them up! She likes people a lot but needs a little time to herself, she is our most precious Vi and we all love her dearly. I can not believe she is already 4!

Vi and her "horse" cake

Very proud of her cake!

I have to say I did a great job for some one who is NOT that creative!

We had a little party at the local pumpkin patch. The kids got to take a hay ride and eat their carmel corn in the TP made from corn husks...Then they all picked pumpkins to take home and carve...I love fall birthdays!

Girls Weekend...

I'm off to San Fransisco! I'll be back Monday and will fill you all in on the last week. We had Vi's 4th birthday and I have some cute little photos! Have a great weekend!

Tinted Windows

I have decided I need deep, dark, tinted windows on my van. First and foremost I can't tell you how many accidents I have almost been in as a result of seeing a police officer while talking on my cell phone! For those of you who don't live in WA it is a traffic violation to drive while talking on an actual cell phone...that only stops me when I see a police officer however...thus causing me to shout at who ever I am talking to...or drop my phone in my lap and try to do something ridiculous with my hands to make it look as if I was not holding the phone. Secondly, I always have people I only sort of know come up to me while I am living in my van waiting for one of the kids to come or go from school. I am constantly in a panic that they are going to somehow see the absolute PIT that exists next to and behind the drivers seat. Sometimes while I'm talking I can see peoples eyes moving around taking in the surroundings. I hope it's just a quick little gander at the two little cuties who live in the car seats behind me and not a gander at the 2 week old PB and J that has been mashed into the carpet of the van by 50 different little feet...Did I mention that whenever I see someone headed my way I quickly throw stuff in the back, or hurry and get the wet ones and wipe off the dash to get yesterdays spilled coffee cleaned up....Aggg....I'm actually not a slob just a busy mom who needs tinted windows!

New Found Buddies

This school year is proving to be quite different since the pack leader (Tage) is in school all day. The three littles have had a hard time getting started playing because they are all used to Tage directing traffic...and frankly so am I! Simon and Vi have both started enjoying each other much more and in the picture above Simon is reading to Violet. It is so cute because he can't read yet and makes it up as he goes, Violet has this particular book memorized and corrects him through the whole book....who's reading to who here! Such a different kind of play than Simon is used to...I know he misses Tage, but he is working really hard at playing with Vi...He's a great brother.

Bringing Him Home

This weekend we loaded up and headed over to Moscow, Id to visit family and participate in a very important fundraiser. Brant's sisters' family will be adopting my new little nephew sometime around the new year from Ethiopia (see her blog here). It has all been sort of cyber knowledge for us until this weekend when we all participated in a walkathon to raise funds to help bring him home. We some how all really became attached to him this weekend through pictures sent from the orphanage and through all my nieces and nephews love and devotion for their new little brother. It is bringing tears to my eyes as I think of my youngest niece (3yrs) already talking about the things her and N. are going to do together when he comes home. Also, today Tage our oldest took his picture to the 1st grade class, Tage said they prayed for him and will continue to do so until he comes home...UGGGG...He also carried his picture around this afternoon and said things like...I can't wait to meet him....and...He sure is a cute little guy...
Thank you so much to The Schumakers for opening our hearts and minds to the orphans in this world. It is such a big thing to swallow when pondering our responsibility to them. It is so important to educate yourself whether it be on domestic or international adoption or both. Before you close your mind, do your research, read your bible and pray about where your hand should be in the lives of orphans around the world.

Brant, Grandpa and my youngest heading back...The walk was 4 miles
Ben and Omega had it easy
Qualls girls. B and K are both adopted from Ethiopia
Staging area

Brant, Simon and Vi with our good friend Heather

New Look

I'm still thinking about it...we'll see if it grows on me in the next couple of days...