PINEWOOD DERBY

THE BATTLESHIP
AWARD: MOST UNUSUAL CAR!!

REILLY AND HIS FRIEND M

REILLY AND HIS 'BATTLESHIP' CAR

ON JANUARY 27, 2009 TUESDAY. REILLY PARTICIPATED IN HIS FIRST PINEWOOD DERBY RACE. WE ARE SO PROUD OF ALL THE HARD WORK AND CREATIVITY HE PUT INTO IT. WE ASKED HIM WHEN HE FIRST STARTED 'DO YOU WANT A FAST CAR TO WIN OR DO YOU WANT A COOL LOOKING CAR'. HE THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND DECIDED HE WANTED A 'COOL LOOKING' CAR, SO AFTER LOOKING FOR IDEAS ON THE INTERNET, HE DECIDED HE WANTED A 'BATTLESHIP' CAR. BRENDEN HELPED HIM CUT IT OUT (THANKS FOR THE TOOL USE AND ASSISTANCE BJ) THEN REILLY SANDED IT AND SANDED IT AND PAINTED IT AND SANDED IT SOME MORE. THEN DAD HELPED REILLY PUT ON THE WHEELS AND THEN THEY TOOK THE GUN POWDER OUT OF BULLETS (THEN THEY BURNED THE GUN POWDER!!) AND REILLY PUT THEM ON HIS BATTLESHIP.THEN PUT COTTON BALLS FOR THE SMOKE AS THEY LAUNCHED.

WE ARE SO PROUD OF HIM AND ALL OF HIS HARD WORK.

I LOVED THE WAY THE LEADERS HAD THE BOYS DO A DRIVERS TEST AND GAVE THEM LICENCE'S AND THEN WE ALL GOT PIT PASSES. IT WAS A GREAT TIME FOR ALL.

POCOHONTAS

MY DAUGHTER C. WANTED TO SLEEP IN THE TENT HER GRANDMA BERTA MADE FOR THE KIDS FOR CHRISTMAS. I TOLD HER IT WAS WAY TO COLD OUTSIDE TO SLEEP IN A TENT AND SHE GAVE ME A CRAZY LOOK AND SAID SHE WANTED TO SET IT UP IN HER ROOM. SHE HAS SLEPT THE LAST 2 NIGHTS ON HER FLOOR IN THE TENT. I HAVE TAKEN TO CALLing HER POCOHOTAS. THIS TENT HAD BEEN SO MUCH FUN FOR THE KIDS, REILLY WILL SET IT UP IN HIS ROOM AND WILL HAVE A LEGO CITY INSIDE OF IT, OR CHARLEE HAS SET IT UP IN HER ROOM AND PUT ALL HER PILLOWS IN IT TO HAVE A READING CORNER. THEY HAVE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME WITH IT. THANKS GRANDMA BERTA

TREES

Reilly,Charlee and Brenden playing with the (blurry) Lizard.

A hitch-hiker from working on the trees.
Brenden and his little hitch-hiker buddy.


A few months ago we had to cut down one tree on the east side of our house because it was so diseased and the middle was hallow, but we were like no big deal we still have this other tree to shade the front of the house, but on Friday evening we were out front and I just put my hand on this other tree and it moved. So after calling Brenden over to look at it and having it move several feet we decided it was enough of a hazard to take it out immediately. All he had to do was put a chain around it and it fell over (scary), we dragged it to the lot next door to be taken care of later. It was Friday night and it was now dark, and we had family coming over soon (always love having Lauri, Jack and baby Parker stay with us). Then Saturday morning we had tennis for the children and my cousins funeral (we will miss you Gayle) and then we spent the remainder of the day visiting with family and friends. After church on Sunday, Brenden and the kids went outside and cut the tree apart to put in the back of the truck. Brenden said it was mainly hollow too. I guess for a tree to have leaves, it only needs the bark intact. So now we are checking the rest of the trees, because we have ones that are bigger than our house. Hopefully we won't lose anymore of our huge shade trees.

BUBBLES

SO WE HAVE BEEN HOMESCHOOLING REILLY FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS AND IT IS GOING VERY WELL. WE ARE HAVING FUN FINDING OTHER EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES. THIS WEDNESDAY WE WENT TO THE ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER FOR THEIR SCIENCE CLASSES AND THE CHILDREN HAD A WONDERFUL TIME. (WE TOOK CHARLEE OUT OF SCHOOL FOR THIS) THIS ONE WAS ON WATER TENSION, AND IT WAS GREAT, EVEN I LEARNED A LOT. THEY HAD FUN AT THE END BEING ENCASED IN A BUBBLE.

REILLY'S PICTURE TURNED OUT, CHARLEE'S BUBBLE JUST POPPED.

LAUGHTER

I just had to take these pictures of Brenden and Reilly, they were on the couch playing video games this week and all of a sudden I hear them laughing. It was so funny to watch them having so much fun together.

HOCKEY GAME

THIS PAST WEEKEND THE 10th OF JANUARY, WE WENT TO THE HOCKEY GAME WITH BJ'S FAMILY . WE HAD SO, SO MUCH FUN WITH THEM. THE GAME WAS GREAT AND ALL THE KIDS WERE AWESOME. THE KIDS WERE ALL EXCITED WHEN WE GOT THERE AND THEY WERE GIVING OUT LITTLE HOCKEY BEARS.

I JUST WISH WE HAD REMEMBERED TO TAKE PICTURES.

GO COYOTES

THE 2ND SNOWMAN

ON THE WAY HOME CHARLEE AND REILLY WANTED TO MAKE ANOTHER SNOWMAN, BY THEMSELVES. IT WAS SNOWING AT THE TIME. SO BRENDEN PULLED OVER AND THEY MADE A SNOWMAN BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

SNOWMAN

REILLY WANTED TO MAKE HIS 1ST EVER SNOWMAN AND WE CAME ACROSS THIS GUY STRUGGLING TO MAKE ONE, HE IS FROM ISRAEL AND HAD NEVER MADE A SNOWMAN EITHER. SO REILLY GOT IN THERE AND HELPED HIM PUT ONE TOGETHER.

THE GRAND CANYON

THIS ANIMAL WE SAW RIGHT BY THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. NO- I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT REILLY, HE WAS JUST WAITING FOR THE SNOW TO FALL OFF THE ROOF ONTO HIM, HE THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT, CRAZY KID.

SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL VIEWS

WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME TRYING TO STAY WARM AS WE ENJOYED THE BEAUTIFUL VIEWS AROUND US.

Jeep (mud) Riding!!

Reilly and his cousin Jackie, just back from riding in the Jeep, they found some good mud!!

Snow Ball Fights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ohh NO, a snow ball in the FACE!!!

Reilly sure wasn't shy about throwing a snow ball at Mom, the big white blob is a snow ball.

Shall we throw a Snow Ball at MOM!!!!

Our Polar Express Train Ride was so much fun!!

Charlee and Reilly having FUN!!!!

Hot Cocoa for all!!!!

In the train having a fabulous time, singing, and laughing!!!




Charlee and Reilly with the Conductor.

WE STARTED OUT THIS YEAR WITH ALOT OF FUN AND ADVENTURE. FOR OUR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR WE WENT ON THE "POLAR EXPRESS TRAIN RIDE" IN WILLIAMS, AZ. IT WAS SOOOO MUCH FUN. WE LOVED THE TRAIN RIDE AND HAD SO MUCH FUN SINGING (YES - EVEN BRENDEN) AND DRINKING HOT COCOA AND HAVING COOKIES. THEN SANTA CAME ON THE TRAIN AND GAVE EACH CHILD A BIG BELL. IT WAS AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE.

LATER THAT NIGHT WE HAD A SNOW BALL FIGHT WITH FRESH SNOW, IT WAS SNOWING ON US!! REILLY NEVER WAS COLD THE WHOLE ENTIRE TIME, EVEN WHEN HIS SHOES CAME OFF AND HIS SOCKS WERE ENCASED IN SNOW.

THE NEXT DAY WE WENT TO THE GRAND CANYON AND HAD EVEN MORE FUN, IN THE 25 DEGREE WEATHER. WE LOVED SEEING THE BEAUTIFUL CANYON, ONLY MY 2ND TIME THERE AND THE KIDS FIRST. CHARLEE AND REILLY ALSO MADE THEIR 1ST SNOW MAN, AND THIS WAS THE 1ST TIME THEY SAW SNOW FALL.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

My goal for this year is to start and keep up on this blog.