He's not the really, REAL Santa.

When Tessa came home from preschool she informed me that "Fake Santa" came to their class today. She said, "His beard was totally grey and he had sneakers on !" Oh, well.

Sanks-giv-ink

This was our 2nd Thanksgiving in Oregon and I attempted to host it this year. Two of my friends had just had babies (like a few day before and a couple weeks before) so I offered my house and my meager cooking abilities. I'm deathly afraid of the poultry cooking, so I had one friend do the Turkey and the other friend's mom did some drinks, a relish tray, layered jello, and a pie. Other than those things, I did the rest. It was actually a lot of fun, and nothing was a total bomb. Of course I wouldn't even think about taking a picture, so luckily a smart thinking guy snapped this one.

It was a relaxed affair and I'm pretty sure we were all sufficiently filled. The only semi-crafty thing we did was the girls made place mats out of leaves we collected and ironed between wax paper. My children absolutely live to play with this little group of friends so I think they were very grateful. Good times!

Tessa's 4th Year at OneTrueMedia.com

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Little Olys

Tessa started preschool in October. She asked everyday, for weeks, when she was starting school. It's a great program, done through the High School and she loves ALL her Teachers (the 17-18 year olds, taking Early Education Classes). We pay next to nothing and it's amazing! They have awesome activities, great snacks, and tons of one-on-one attention. Her birthday was the week before school started and when we walked in the first day, all the Teachers treated her like

she was the most special person EVER!

This suitcase is for the kids to bring a show and tell item in, and this is not the outfit I planned for the first day. Emory still lets me pick out whatever she wears, but with Tessa, it's a fight to get her to wear anything when she has her mind set on something else - generally a dress or skirt.

All Hallow's Eve

A large thank you to my mom for the costumes. Introducing . . .

Calvin and Hobbes!

Emory always wanted to be Calvin, but Tessa originally wanted to be an Angry Bird. My mom made the costumes and then still pumped out a Hobbes costume, in case Tessa changed her mind. She did, and that meant that the cute Angry Bird wouldn't get shown off. Enter Mom.

Sadly, the super cute stuffed Hobbes didn't get pictured, but not to worry, he is well worn and played with!

Life

I took a sabbatical from Blogging, Facebook, and Pinterest. It has been so relaxing and a joy to just live my life, instead of worrying about updates, new posts, or pinning something I don't give a crap about :) I highly suggest it!

Life did continue on, and I still have to put it up here or I know I'll regret missing the month of October when I print my Blog Book out at the end of the year.

The end of September, Cory's grandma came to visit. We had a good time, but mostly stuck to the regular routine.

The day we picked Grandma up, we went to the beach. It was going to be one of the last days Cory could surf for awhile.

It was cold and the tide was out, which made for some interesting finds. A pile of horror-movie looking sea crap.

A star fish.

We made some yummy clam chowder and homemade bread bowls.

We went to the Riverfront Park and enjoyed some sun and the Carousel.

The Elaines.

Cory came home early one day and we went to Silver Falls to hike around.

I hope she had fun, and enjoyed a break from her busy babysitting schedule back home!

We had a week off before more visitors came.

During that week, Emory had the Jog-A-Thon. It was cold and drizzily, but she jogged like I champ! Gotta love the Adidas jogging suit.

Tessa turned 4! She is made of the Stuff of Legends, we never know what she'll say or do next, but it will leave you laughing (or crying) for sure. Her most recent antic is a little sacriligeous. One Sunday, a few weeks ago, as I handed the Sacrament water to Tessa I noticed something unusual. Tessa took the cup, drank it, and as she put the empty cup back into the tray she whispered, "I wish my mom can have a baby." Did that just happen, I thought? Then I remembered the week before, she said, "I wish I can be bigger," but I didn't think anything of it. Tessa is making Sacrament Wishes with her empty cup. There are no words.

She got some fun presents, but loved the quart of Cold Stone mint ice cream my mom bought her!

My mom came for Tessa's birthday and my dad joined a few days later. We did normal life stuff, but had fun doing it.

My mom did this cute fall treat with the girls. Acorns! They were donut holes, dipped in chocolate and sprinkles, with a pretzel for the stem.

We did more stuff, lots of eating and hanging out playing Camp; I just didn't take very many pictures. Part of the reason, my parents came is because BYU was playing OSU.

It was drama getting the kids taken care of etc., but once we got there, it was a blast! We enjoyed classic stadium food, screamed a lot, and squirmed in the see of Orange and Black. Luckily, when the win was inevitable, the Beavers quieted down. We did enjoy some outrageous Mormon comments on our walk back to the car. Poor, bitter Beavers!

Thanks to our visitors. Because of you I get asked, everyday, if it's Christmas and time to go to Utah, yet?!

How did that get there?

A couple of weeks ago, we were just sleepin' away and "CRASH!!!" Cory and I sat straight up in bed. It was an unearthly noise, the kind that makes you sweat and your heart race immediately. We look out the window and see that a little red car has crashed into Cory's car! The way the car was facing didn't make sense, though, to our still-sleepy-brains. Look at the clock = 3 AM. We head downstairs to check it out. Cory started to look up the phone number for the police, but decided to wait to call until after we saw if there was damage. I laughed, how could there NOT be damage!

Once we started investigating, I couldn't stop giggling because of the bizarre-ness of the situation. We live in the townhouse, second one up from the bottom. Cory parks on the main street next to the houses, but most of the people in our row park on the street in front of the townhouses.

As you can see there is no access from our street to the main street right here. Apparently, the red car didn't get the memo. It went up and over (and through-ish?) a large dirt embankment (loud noise) and Cory's car stopped it from going into the main street.

He just wanted a kiss.

The "Damage".

Crazy story short: As we were coming out, this truck pulled up. It was one of our neighbors, and the car belonged to his roommate's boyfriend. When the poor kid came out, he was baffled and so apologetic. He says his car was out of gear and his emergency brake was on. He also said that he was at the top of this hill. Lucky is what I say.

We were nice and didn't call the insurance, but it was one crazy night.

First of First

I have a child that goes to school all day long. Multiple times that first week I kept thinking I'd lost someone. It's weird. I have memories of 1st grade. Really weird. We're lucky she has a good teacher, a great school, and amazing friends in her class.

Emory, Kylene, and James

First time alone at the park, what to do?

First time running with one child in the double stroller. What a joy in this super, hilly neighborhood we live in!

We also had the Elders over for dinner the first time in Salem.

Cory's first wet suit. Let's just say it look some work, on both our parts, to get him into this thing.

The first surfing prayer circle I've witnessed. Amen.

Tessa's first bite of pita.

The first homeless person hangout I've dared enter. The girls kept wanting to go in there, but I'm positive the back corner was the "bathroom".

Done and Done

I vowed to finish the girl's room this summer. School starts tomorrow. Phew!

We'll miss the Dog Daze, but I'm looking forward to a schedule and some structure in our lives. I'm also looking forward to a having a 1st grader and preschooler =ing a little mom alone time.

Goodbye summer!

Camping

We camped at Beverly Beach last weekend with some friends. It was technically the "Ward Campout", but we barely saw anyone else from our ward. We have a great group of friends, with tons of littles to keep our kids entertained.

Our campground was, literally, Fern Gully. I forgot how the simplest things make kids the happiest. Camping was no different!

Awesome Tree Lady.

Tessa's true Oregonian layering is all the rage this fall.

Here are the kids climbing around Devil's Punchbowl.

The cool, mossy pools in the Bowl.

And, of course, surfing!

Back by popular demand...

This is what happens when Mom falls asleep, Emory decides to map constellations.

This is my personal favorite of Emory's creations:

one side of the paper is D'th Bear and the other is Facts About the D'th bear.

"The red part of D'th Bears face is it's mouth, which it uses to bite stuff. As soon as the rain touches it's skin, it turns into a box. The Mom Eyes, just like, kill the stuff that it sees. And the Dad Eyes, watch over the Baby Eyes that are on the tail. The Dog runs over to the toenails, and chews them off. He's thinking "!". The Cat runs to it's bottom, and a Baby Eye that's just born, and checks it. The little white Baby Eye, near the Poo Hole. Then the Cat runs to that Stinky Donut, eats it and dies."

Emory's poem for Adam, clearly a Bear theme going on here.

This is Tessa's latest letter to Adam.

Tessa said this in a fit of rage the other day. She was dead serious, and whisper/yelled it to Emory. "I wish you could get locked in an alligators mouth . . . and crunched . . . to death."

Emory and Tessa were playing pretend birds, pecking each other, and Emory said, "Hey Tessa, I just ate your Pecker off."

I was wearing a shirt similar to this and Tessa said, "Mom, you are looking gweat for Kawate (Karate)!" When I told her I don't do Karate she said, "It's okay, mom, go have fun with your Kawate fwiends!" It made me wish I had Karate Friends.

A ton of my friends are pregnant; cue my children's obsession with pregnancy and babies. Emory asked me, "What does breastfeeding feel like?" When I paused to think she suggested, "Tickling?" I wish!

We went to a favorite Thai restaurant that has an unusual Woodsman motif, saws and logging stuff all over the walls. (Only in rural, Oregon.) There was a particularly large saw hanging over our heads and when Tessa noticed it she ducked and whispered, "We're Suwounded."