A Quick Little Update . . .

  I found some pictures that should have gone with my last post. And I'm adding some recent ones too.

This is from a recent coast trip we too. She loves stripping down

and running up and down the sand dunes

Wildlife Safari trip. This was so much fun. No one

was there and we got to see so many neat animals. 

We will definitely be going again.

Our Sun River trip. 

Best buddies

Back home during the snow. Jordan got a little risky

and decided to play on the froze over slew

Austyn and KODA playing in the snow at home

Picking out our Christmas tree

We went to Bounce in Corvallis for a Birthday party.

It was so much fun.

Austyn and her cousins at Nana and Grandpas for 

Christmas Eve. They all got jammies for presents.

What a neat idea! Then they all had to put them on :)

Quade was napping so Austyn is holding his up.

Our most recent coast trip. It was so beautiful there. 

I love the coast.

Quade is crawling now. And he didn't even eat the 

sand. 

This girl would literally play on the beach all day long

if she could. She just loves it. 

Austyn had her first horse show! She did all the gaming

events and had an absolute blast.

  We have been so busy with so many fun activites lately. Hard to list them all. We totally took advantage of all of Jordans time off. Our poor kids didn't have naps for like 5 days straight. I think we were all ready for Daddy to go back to work so we could get some rest :) We had the best Christmas ever! We spent the morning at our house with my parents and brother. Then went to Jordan's parents for the evening. So laid back and slow paced. Just right for the kids. 

  Quade is full blown crawling. I love it so much. And Austyn is starting to ride horses in some gaming events. It is so cute to watch her bumping around. She really loves it too. Her next one is in February. Can't wait. 

  I think in the next few days we will be going to the Bandon Zoo and then to Charleston to see some really cool Christmas light displays. And then after that, Jordan is taking me Antiquing for my Birthday present. I'm really excited to go. I'm hoping that 2014 will be not as big as 2013 was for us. That was one fast and furious year. Probably one of the best years of my life, but I would like a more slow, relaxed, and just enjoyable year this year. But I'll take whatever is thrown my way, as long as everyone is happy and healthy. 

My favorite thing to do is make my resolutions for the new year. And here are mine for 2014:

• Be the best mother and wife that I can possibly be
• Get myself healthy. As is diet and exercise to some extent 
• Find away to contribute financially in anyway shape or form that fits into my schedule

  There it is. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to achieve at least the first two. But the last one, I'll have to wait and see what happens. And see if any opportunities come my way. I hope everyone has a great New Years. Stay safe.

Christmas Time With the Petersen's . . .

  OK, so I've noticed that we haven't slowed down too much since Jordan came back from Elk hunting. But it's been just enough to be able to enjoy our time.We were able to go to Sun River for a few days over my Birthday this year. We got to go with our best buddies, The Bishops! I was kind of bummed to go when we were supposed to get snow at home, but turns out on my Birthday it started snowing in Sun River too. We ended up with 8 inches or so. We had the best time doing nothing. It was a cool house, it had a fireplace which was awesome to have, a hot tube that we never got in, and season passes to the local activities. We went swimming one day and the kids had a blast. Quade had the most fun of all of them. What a water dog! We all want to go back next year. We also just had our annual Christmas party. Another fun night was had by all. It was fun having it at the new place and having everyone over to see our new house. We were very fortunate through all the cold weather we had that none of our pipes froze. So many people were out of water, with broken pipes. What a mess that would have been. Through the cold snap my poop Dad was in charge of 7 houses to keep unfroze. He managed to keep 6 out of the 7, and if the 1 set of renters would have listened to his advice (keep a faucet dripping in the house, and a heater turned on in the pump house, and unhook and turn off all hoses) they wouldn't have froze up. Some people are just too stupid to help sometimes. Needless to say, he was ready for it to warm up a bit. 

  The kids are doing wonderful. Both are growing like weeds. Austyn is still loving school. Even after her 6 snow days in a row! That's got to be some kind of record. She is so funny and the joy of all of our lives. Quade is still a mommy's boy, but getting a tad better about it. He has started crawling. He isn't too interested in it, he would rather walk with our fingers instead. He is also cruising along things and beginning to stand by himself. He can feed himself and drink from a sippy cup. And to my heartbreaking dismay, beginning to wean himself from the bottle :( I could just cry. By this time with Austyn she was down to just 2 bottles a day, morning and night. But Quade is getting 3 still. I just can't bear to give it up, even though I practically have to force at least on down him a day. MY BABY IS GROWING UP AND I HATE IT!! I hate to admit this too but, I am slowly finding out that Quade might have a bit of a temper. I was hoping that he would be like my brother as a baby, sweet and cuddly and even tempered. But he's showing signs of little temper. Oh well, I'm use to one kid with a spark, might as well have two. 

  Jordan has slowed down a bit. He actually will sit down once and a while and do nothing. He's been able to do a few projects that were needing to be done. And I'm pretty sure he's enjoying the slower pace of things. I can't even think of his next trip/project/job planned. Although, I do know that there is an annual Coyote trip in January. I just haven't heard anything about it yet. 

  And as for me, nothing new here. I am enjoying our house hold not being sick with some kind of ailment. I'd better knock on wood, but I've probably just jinxed myself. Our last experience was head to toe poison oak. Jordan had never been so miserable. He had to go to Urgent Care, and you know if he goes to those he thinks he dying. Poor guy. And I'm not complaining, but I did get it on my thighs too. But nothing compared to him. It was awful. So now that that's over, Austyn and I are now having some of our finger nails fall out because of the hand foot and mouth we had two months ago. They said it might happen, but it would be a while after we had gotten over it. Always somethings. 

  I hope everyone has a wonderfully perfect Christmas and New Years!!!