Estes Park

We love going to Estes Park in the Fall. We stay in Ernie's cousins cabin. They have really big rock around the cabin and the kids go out all day climbing on them. When we go down into town we like to take pictures of the kids by the river, as you can tell they had a lot fun in the leaves. For the first time we went and walked around most of the lake. There were HUGE elk everywhere. We didn't get very close to them like some crazy people do. It's always a nice weekend when we go there. It's only about an hour and a half from our house, we need to go more often.

Trick or Treat

This year for Halloween Kaison was a Jedi, Aspyn was Bell from Beauty and the Beast and Courtlyn was a chicken. The kids had lots of fun trick or treating, it was nice weather so we went to a lot more house this year. For the first time Kaison and Aspyn went up to the doors by themselves while Ernie and I stayed on the sidewalk, that was nice. Aspyn kept commenting on how many cars were in the driveways and things in the peoples houses. She didn't stop talking all night. They couldn't wait to get home and dump all their candy out... we got enough candy to last a very long time.

Carving Pumpkins

The kids had a great time carving their pumpkins this year. Kaison picked a skeleton on a pirate flag, Aspyn picked a cat and Courtlyn had a fun smiling pumpkin with two teeth just like her. Kaison loved pulling out all the insides and squishing it in his hands. When Aspyn stuck her hand in her pumpkin she wasn't sure if she liked the feel of it, so Ernie did most of hers. While those two were doing that, Courtlyn was enjoying her pumpkin lid. It was a fun night.

Fun times around the house

Aspyn loves to get Kaison's Batman costume on and pretend she can fly like Batman. I always tell him he's very lucky to have a sister who like Batman, Spiderman and Star Wars. If only he liked Barbie, Princess stuff and babies there would be hardly be any fighting around the house. Kaison took the last picture of Aspyn with her mouth open, not a bad picture. This was the only one I kept of all the sky, toys, grass and TV pictures he took in the few minutes he had the camera when I wasn't down stairs. It's amazing what they think of together when I'm not watching.

Courtlyn loves to eat

Wow Courtlyn is a messy eater...she loves her food! If I leave her in the seat most of the time she falls asleep, it's so funny to watch her eyes getting sleepy, her head getting heavier and finally crashing. She's getting better at picking up food too, sometimes she can't figure out why her food is still in her fingers after she put them in her mouth, soon she'll figure out that she needs to let go. The kids love feeding her too and think it's so fummy when she sneeze all over me as soon as she has a mouth full of food. She's such a funny and sweet little girl!!

Swim Lessons

Kaison and Aspyn have been taking swim lesson for a few months and love it. They are both doing an awesome job!!! Kaison was swimming after only a few lessons...he started out being terrified to put his head under the water. Aspyn cried the first lesson but now loves it. A few weeks ago Kaison jumped off the diving board for the first time and is swimming more then half of the pool length. Aspyn just started the next level up and is getting ready to start swimming on her own!!

Kaison goes to Kindergarten

We are so happy for Kaison!! We can't believe he's already in school. He was a little nervous at first...but now he is doing great. He's made a lot of new friends, one lives right across the street.

Our 2008 Summer

Wow I can't believe how fast this summer when by. We had a lot of fun this summer.

We went to Lava Hotsprings, Idaho for the Hunsaker family reunion. While we were there we played at the big pool, went down the river and had a lot of fun with all the cousins. There were about 100 of us. This is all of my family and my Dad's two sisters families...the Shoemaker and Walkenhorst families. My family has been going to Lava for over 70 years now and we don't ever get tired of it.





A few weeks later we went and spent a week on a houseboat at Lake Powell with my family. With the kids having 18 first cousins there they had so much fun. Kaison caught his first fish, Ernie got his toenails painted...with most of the other boys, Aspyn made mud sandcastle with her Aunt Steph, Courtlyn was a perfect angel and I got a tan. We couldn't keep the kids out of the water. We love Lake Powell and can't wait until next year!!






All of our Lake Powell and Lava pictures are on the slide show...mixed with others from the year.

The Disney Princess I am...

http://www.greatestjournal.com/quiz.bml?Q=16354"> size=+1>You Are Pocahantas!

Free-spirited and wise. You have a strong passionate spirit that touches and changes all who know you. The wisdom and common sense that you have is really what guides you through life. Even so, you also have a very playful side that loves adventure and excitement.

Which'>http://www.greatestjournal.com/quiz.bml?Q=16354">Which Disney Princess Are You?

Kaison's 5 1/2 Star Wars Birthday Party...

Every year we have a 1/2 birthday with freinds for Kaison because he was born on Christmas. This year he wanted a Star Wars party.

We started the party off with some Jedi training games. On the first challenge had to do a obstacle course...

that ended in a water gun shooting challenge.
The second challenge was a bomb throwing contest. The kids had to get wet "bomb" and throw them in the target.
The last game a balance challenge. They had to balance on one foot and get marbles with their toes.

They all completed their Jedi training tasks.

after the games...

After the games were over we broke the pinata...those don't last long. Kaison was the only one who got to hit it. I guess you are suppose to pull the stings under it to open the trap door. After it fell to the ground they all picked a string and pulled it all together.

The had a lot of candy to get.
Then they opened presents, he got lots of fun Star Wars stuff and a cool water gun. Everything Kaison loves.
Then it was time for cake. Kaison loved his cake I made for him it was spaceships flying around the space station.

All the kids seem to be having a fun time.

they became Jedi's.

The kids finally finished all their training and became Jedi's.

The kids loved their new costumes I made for them and the bubble wands that became their light sabers were a fun thing to pretend fighting off the evil empire. It turned out to being a great party.

First trip to Julesburg this year...

Fun with the cousins...

the kids hadn't seen their cousins Ty and Kenzie Zion for a very long time.

They came over and had a lot of fun playing in the water