Tis the season...

For HOT COCOA :)

HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDES

(with good friends)

HAY RIDES

(with my favorite uncle Andrew & his girlfriend Emily)

SANTA!!!

(Gracie said "This is the REAL one!!!")

(Gracie said, "This isn't the real Santa cause he has a big nose.")

To be CRAFTY...

I was invited to set up a booth at Arlington's Handmade Holiday craft show to sell some of the crafts I have made. I am so glad I went! Here was my table at the event...

Here's a closer look at the things I sold...

These are children's activities that I have created to help children learn shapes, colors, numbers, letters and foreign languages. I make them on pizza tins and magnetize all of the pieces.

These are Rebus Rhyme hand puppets.

These are snowmen made out of a fallen cedar branch that my dad quickly cut into small rounds for me. (Thanks Dad! :)

These are festive ribbon trees.

These are one of many different types of wooden coasters I sold. Made of cedar and hand burned.

Candles I made. Two people fought over them - that was nice... and awkward.

This Santa was made from an old peice of burly wood that my dad had given to me nearly a year ago. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, but I knew that someday a bright idea would pop into my head and I was glad when the Santa idea emerged. I wanted to keep him for myself so when it sold I was happy that my Dad was the one to buy him :)

Again, my dad had recently given me a nice branch from a Medrona tree. This is what I created - "Birdie Branch". It is much prettier when the lights are dimmed and you just see the soft glow of the white lights illuminating the white bird in her nest :)

Once again, another peice of wood that my Dad had given to me. (Are you seeing a theme here?:)  I hand burned pinceones and needles along the top, then lightly painted over them. Also, I hand burned the words 'Hat', 'Mittens', and 'scarf'. Then I put 3 hooks on it. It sold within minutes :)

These were little scraps of wood that... you guessed it - my dad found interesting and gave to me. :)

These angel ornaments sold like hot cakes :)

Happy Halloweek... end

That's right, you read it, a whole week  and weekend of dressing up and partying! And now, we're exhausted! Here's why: Wednesday we traveled down south to Marysville to party with my in-laws at their church halloween function. Here's Gracie doing the cake walk. She was so determined to win! Despite nearly winning at least a dozen times (we're talking very close EVERYTIME) she didn't quit or even get discouraged (which surprised Mommy & Daddy) - kuddos to you Gracie girl! :)

Bobbing for donuts... the things we make our children do! :)

Even our Jeep showed some Halloween spirit!

It was unofficially deemed the most decorated car at the trunk or treat - woo hoo! :)

Then on Thursday Gracie put her 'Butterfly Princess' costume back on

and partied with her classmates till the break of noon.

On Friday night we carved our pumpkins...

We TREATed Gracie by promoting her to "big girl status" and allowing her to carve her pumpkin all by herself this year. She gave us quite the scare when she screamed "I cut myself!" However, we searched both her hands and we couldn't even find a knick - we were TRICKed! 

On Saturday we traveled down south again to go trick or treating down the main street of Arlington with our good friends,  The Houstons. It was their son's 3rd birthday and what a great way to celebrate!

Butterfly princess & Sock Hop queen

Gracie with her boys; The hot nerd and The bad dog

On Sunday we went to my grandma's to watch the worst team in football, The SeaCraps, and celebrate my birthday... it was a  great afternoon spent with my loved ones. They made me feel very special... I could get used to this! :)

And finally, on Monday Gracie went trick or treating in our neighborhood!

She was excited to use the Bat Basket that her Grandma Marlene sent her from California.

When she came home it was definitely full!!!

Party animals

We are lucky enough to have a core group of friends that get along well and love to party!! So, for every stinken occasion that I can think of, we do just that! :) Halloween is one of my favorite parties and as usual this year's bash was fun!!

Gargamel & his kitty Azrael

GAMES!!!

Smurfette with her skeleton pal Connor

Smurfette with her wizard pal Camille

All the kiddos: Gracie, Camille, Gabe, Caden, Connor, Ryder,

& the cutest chicken you will ever see, Kylan.

The Francis'

The Kinnears

The Knotts

The Skiles

The Houstons

And last but not least a glimpse at Mark working towards an Oscar in his role, "Gargamel, the pedophile".

September Shananigans

Despite the fact that my title suggests that this post is all about the month of September I am going to start by posting some pics from August; they are from a hike that Mark and I went on with a sprite 17 year old leading the way. The hike was a 12 mile roundtrip trek, entirely uphilll, and at times very treacherous. We hiked up with our bikes the first 5 miles, then hid them prior to becoming "billy goats" - climbing up the rest of the mountain. Think loose rocks in a cold, windy, downpour of rain. How did we like it?

The pics say it all...

AT THE TRAILHEAD, READY FOR ADVENTURE...

1 MILE IN, BREAKING A LITTLE SWEAT...

 3 MILES IN, TIME TO COOL OFF...

5 MILES IN, RAIN FALLING...

AT THE END, THE RAIN WAS RELENTLESS, BUT WE DID IT!!!

Despite the freezing cold rain and the difficult trek up, we thouroughly enjoyed ourselves,

As you can see, we're still smiling (sort of).

OKAY, NOW ON TO OUR "SEPTEMBER SHANANIGANS"...

At the beginning of the month Mark's brother Brian and his family surprised my in-laws with a short visit over Labor day weekend. Gracie thoroughly enjoyed playing with her cousin Dylan. It was as if they were best buds! Everyday was spent doing something fun and here's proof:

awwww....

our lil king kong :)

cheese balls :)

Notice the deep concentration on the lil kiddo's faces? The tongues sticking out? It's a Francis thing. ;)

Two weeks later we made a 14hr. road trip to north Idaho where we stayed in a cabin owned by my brother-in-law's family in 'Island Park'. The cabin was about 35 minutes from West yellowstone. We visited yellowstone on two occasions along with some of Mark's extended family. It was great spending time with Mark's sister Ann-Marie, her husband Bryan, and their two little girls. Gracie had a great time!

(At the cabin)

Pop walking his girls in West Yellowstone.

20 car pile up, Bison style. (Only in Yellowstone ;-)

Gracie and Laenie (?) (still not sure on the spelling... I will get it eventually)

Gracie & Tori. Just a couple cheeseballs! :-)

Awwwwwwww.......

As usual, September was full of new beginnings for us.

Gracie is now a "dancer". In our eyes, she has always been one, but new shoes, new clothes, and a dance instructor have made things official!

At the end of the month Gracie awaited her first day back to pre-school. the day finally came and she was super excited! Here she is on her first day...


Nothing amazes me more than the way my heart keeps growing
to make more room for the love I have towards you.