Turkey, Friends, and Family

I know I have not been writing much since coming to Sitka. We have been busily running around visiting friends and family. Wednesday we kicked off the Thanksgiving festivities by meeting at Eliason Harbor at 9am and jumping onboard the F/V Jeanine Kathleen and cruising out to False Island. After cruising at 7.5 knots for 6 hours we arrived at our destination. I had already been slow roasting the 70# of ribs we brought up, so we started the corn and the 20 friends and family members out there had an awesome dinner! After dinner the girls left our children and husbands and headed out on a 4-wheeling excursion.

The next morning we got up and went 4-wheeling. Hank had never driven one before, and Diana taught him well. He was racing the logging roads at 40 MPH in no time. That night we had the biggest Thanksgiving dinner that I have ever seen. There literally was a pie for almost everyone there.

Friday we came home and enjoyed hot showers again! We were all exhausted and fell into bed at about 8pm.

This morning we went to a Christmas bazaar, spent time with a couple of friends, Brie got her ears pierced, and then we had dinner with Kai (and his parents) and Aidan (and his parents).

I still have not downloaded any of the hundreds of pictures we have taken, so I am hoping to get that done so you can enjoy some of this vacation as we have. Aidan’s mom actually took this picture and I stole it from her for this site.

Seattle Fish Expo

Last night we were finally all packed up and left Astoria for Seattle. This morning started early for me with budget and board meeting and tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday I will be working a booth at Fish Expo.

Ron helped set up my booth today while I was in my meetings and then he, Hank, and Brie checked out the Science Center. Hank loved the IMAX theatre. I guess it was too loud and freaked the baby out.

Only a few more days until we head up to the land of sea and snow.

Ladies Night Out

Last night was ladies night out. Linda had two tickets to the Ty “I don’t know his last name” concert and asked me to be her date. So we left our husbands home together with the children while we went out to see Melissa open for Ty Herndon. We got great seats, 5th row, and all in all it was a good night. Melissa did an awesome job! She can really sing. After the concert we all went out for some munchies and a couple of drinks. It was the first night out I’ve had since the baby. I happen to think that it was well deserved.

Weekend at our house

Just in case you were wondering what our family was up to on our FIRST weekend without football since AUGUST, here’s a glimpse at what we’ve been doing:

Friday night we all went to the Astoria High football game against Tillamook. Ron did another article for the paper. Astoria won, but it wasn’t enough to take them to the play-offs. Now they are done for the season.

Saturday morning we stayed in, then at 4pm Hank’s friends came over for his birthday party. Yes, over a month overdue. We had it planned for the weekend following his birthday, but had to reschedule due to Brie’s chicken pox. Hank’s football schedule and his friends’ soccer schedules have been very busy. This was the first weekend that we could get everyone together. The boys went to the pool, enjoyed pizza, cake and movies. To my suprise they were passed out by 12:30am, and awake at 6am.

Ron had to be at work at 8am today. I made the boys breakfast and they continued to play video games and run around outside playing with paint balls and a slingshot. After they all went home at noon I shampoo’d carpets (white carpets are HIGH MAINTENANCE) and then Hank and I went through his closet to evaluate what still fits and what doesn’t.

Chances are that he will need some more warm clothes before we head to Alaska! The kid keeps growing and growing. While we are home in Sitka we plan on doing some hunting and camping. I’m hoping that Hank will get to shoot his first deer. Our entire family is headed out to False Island for Thanksgiving… so far 20+ people are planning on going! Should be fun. I can’t wait!

Pumpkin Fun

 I admit it… This last week I have almost fallen off the face of the planet, but I will try to redeem myself with kid pictures. This last week has been full of kid activities, work, and volunteer activities. We have all been running non-stop.

In the past week I have had two special meetings for the Star (Hank’s school) school board. Although I am not Catholic, you could say that I am knee deep in Catholicism. – Which may or may not be a good thing. Since I don’t want to actively bash on anyones religion, we’ll stop there.

Hank had his last football game of the season Saturday in Ilwaco. They won again Warrenton. It was a cold, clear day and fun was had by all. After the game we stopped and had chowder down at the dock, yum!

Yesterday we loaded into the car early and headed to Sauvie Island to go here. We all had a lot of fun hunting for pumpkins, playing in the hay, and eating caramel apples.

Now that football is over basketball season begins. Practice starts today and I think that their first game is next Monday!

We are all getting excited to go home for Thanksgiving. Only 19 more days until we board the airplane en route to Alaska! Hank is really looking forward to seeing family and would really like to shoot a few deer. Bringing home a lot of meat would be great, our freezer is getting pretty bare!

Note: Mikey (far left) only wanted an apple on a stick, no carmel on his 

Football and Pizza

I admit it, I have not been a good blogger mom for the last week… here is my attempt to play catch up.

Saturday Hank played football in Clatskanie. They won against Vernonia. When the score was like 34-0 (we were winning) Ron took out all of the good kids and threw in kids that have basically never played. Vernonia got a touchdown. We won, woo hoo!!! We ended up winning by so much they actually turned off the score board, most likely for the kids of the opposing team.

After the game we went and had pizza with an old high school friend of Ron’s. One day we stopped in Scappoose on the way home from a Portland trip, we were leaving and this guy runs up to Ron, turns out they played football together and *possibly* went to an occasional party together. Since then we have kept in contact, and occasionally get together when their family comes to town or we stop in Clatskanie. It was fun for to catch up and talk about old friends.

Diamonds are NOT always a girl’s best friend

I love pearls! My wonderful husband knows this and for a wedding present he gave me a beautiful pearl necklace, bracelet, and set of earrings. I only wear the necklace and bracelet for special occasions, but have made the earrings something I wear daily… until now.

I feel absolutely horrible.

Last night I looked in the mirror to find I was missing my right pearl earring. Ron found some others online and offered to buy me replacements, but I don’t want replacements, I want my wedding earring back.

Chief’s Dinner

Last night Ron and I went for a rare night out. It was to the Chief’s Indoctrination dinner, a long Coast Guard tradition. It is also rare I post a picture of myself on here. Here is a photo of Ron and I at the dinner out last night.

5 months already!?!?

I know, I say this constantly… Time goes by so fast. I can hardly believe that my little girl is getting so big! Today she is 5 months old. Every day that I spend with her I love her more and more. I love the little personality that she is starting to develop and I think it’s the best thing in the world when she looks at me and smiles at me like I am the best person in the world. Last Friday she weighted 12# 12oz. That’s 50th percentile for length and just under the 10th percentile for weight.

Everyday Brie is doing more. She is getting closer to rolling over (in actuality she has rolled over twice, but since I haven’t seen her do it – she did it in her crib at night- I am in denial). She reaches to play with things in front of her, and she loves eating big girl food. Favorites at this time are: sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes. Carrots are just ok, and peas were not such a big hit.

Brie usually goes to bed about 8:30pm and sleeps until 5am. It’s amazing to be sleeping again, and I think that I love her more just for giving me sleep at night!

She had a great time visiting with grandma and grandpa. Grandpa babysat while my mom and I went for facials and pedicures. They did great together for two hours, then Brie started crying. Grandpa tried everything… the bottle, the pacifier, and snuggling. When the big tears started dropping on grandpa I think that she could have asked for (and gotten) anything she wanted. Luckily the day spa was right across the street from his hotel, he brought her over and snuggle time with mom made it all ok!

So many updates…

Were do I begin???

Yesterday Nistassa came over and we helped her buy a new car. I worked with the sales person to get her a great car. She was able to buy a new Toyota Corolla. She traded in her Neon (with 189,000 miles) and is very happy to have a new, reliable car!

Yesterday was Hank’s 11th birthday, for his ”birthday dinner” he chose to have steak, baked potato, and steamed carrots. After dinner we opened presents and then went to Dairy Queen for a birthday blizzard. Believe it or not the kid didn’t want cake!

This morning Ron and I were all set to take Brie to Portland for a check up with her surgeon. We noticed a few small bumps on her body, and decided to have her local doc check it out JUST INCASE it was chicken pox. ~We wouldn’t want to infect everyone at OHSU… Good thing we did, She has chicken pox! Looks like I won’t be getting out much in the next couple weeks. Her doc says that she can be contagious for up to the next three weeks. She is up to 12 pounds, 12 ounces! What a big girl!

Now I am off to call each of the parents of kids that Hank invited to his birthday party this weekend and reschedule the party!

Pictures from Hank’s birthday coming soon!