fix it day

It seems like we hardly ever have a Saturday that we have time to do home improvement projects. We had fun joking around and doing family projects together. Keagan putting new knobs on the doors.

I love this one because he is concentrating and making a ......

Ray face!

Love it!

We tease Ray about making this face all of the time.

We painted a light grey in the bathroom. We painted a couple of months ago and still haven't put a second coat on. Someday I'll post the final project finished.....

Before the ugly bathroom cabinets and UGLY knobs...

Luckily Melissa is so tall so she can reach the skylight.

My Page

Melissa gets to be a page this week for the WA state House of Reps. She goes to work at 7:45 a.m. and finishes at 5 p.m. Some of her duties include giving the Reps. notes while they are on the floor, going to page school to learn all about the legislative process and delivering supplies. House pages are not allowed to use the elevators and she has to do lots of walking and climbing stairs. You have to be 14 and can't be older than 17. They have to wear black pants and a white shirt, with the black jacket being provided.

There are all kinds of other rules, too, but I don't know what they all are. I know there is a certain way they have to deliver the notes on the desks of the Reps and they can only address the Reps as Representative (last name) and never the first name. Even the children or relatives of the Reps have to do this.

With Ray working at the capital, this is something she has really looked forward to. This is her first year, she has been an honorary page before going for a half day, but not a regular page. She works for the whole week and even gets paid - a little more than $200 for the week. It also has been more exciting because last year and this year we have been housing pages, now she knows firsthand what they go through.

It is a special privilege to be able to carry the flags in right before they open for the day. (It helps that her dad works there) This is what she got to do yesterday. I recorded channel 23 (the local government channel) to be able to watch her and they only showed the senate side that morning.. grr. This is her and a fellow page on the House floor with the flags for the day's opening ceremony.

Valentine's Fairy?!

Did you know that there was a Valentine's Fairy?! Melissa dressed up for Valentine's day and spirit day combined. She likes to really get into it.. :) She even has some wings that she hadn't put on yet!
Melissa & Keagan (and Aurora) were really excited to go to school today because of the Valentine's parties.
Melissa's leadership classes were passing out candy grams that students had bought. She even bought one for herself... I asked her, Did you say it was from your secret admirer?! haha
Also, I get to go to Keagan's class later today for his party. He was really looking forward to it. Hopefully they are not too hyper. Every Friday afternoon I go into Keagan's classroom. It has been a lot of fun. I love to see who he sits by, who are his friends, etc.

It must run in the family.. a little, Aurora (her little cousin) had on heart pants and a shirt that said cutie in red/pink.

Happy Valentines day!

Snow Day - Dec. 14th 2009

The perfect snow day! It started snowing Sunday afternoon, snowed for a few hours, was cold enough to stay a little while to play in, and warm enough the next day to melt and go away. The kids had a 2 hour delay so we got to sleep in and not make up school at the end of the year. Ray does a small paper route at the capital and he takes the weekend papers their on Sundays so he doesn't have so many to do Monday morning. The capital campus is always beautiful, but the snow was so much fun to see there.

Keagan playing in the snow at the Capital.

Here are the lights that our youth put up for a service project.

It was sooo cold the week before that there was ice in the Capital Lake! The snow was sticking on top of the ice on the lake.

Someone wasn't very careful.. this is near our house, the corner of College ST.

Our house when it was snowing, I always seem to get the neighbors across the street when it is snowing outside, not our house.(usually because I don't want to go out in it)

Formal Dance

Aren't they beautiful! These 3 young ladies have known each other since they were born and have always been good friends! This was their first formal, A church dance at the Elma Stake center. They had a lot of fun. Leslie drove and went along for the ride, we had a load full of kids in her suburban and had a great time. Les & I went to the Rusty Tractor for snacks and visited while the kids were at the dance. I wish I would of gotten a picture of all the kids that drove with us.
I know I'm a proud parent, I feel like she's a baby again (still?) and every pose is just soo cute I have to post it! :) She finally smiled for me so I would stop taking her picture.

Love this one, the teenager look, MOM!!!

Mother!

Are you done yet?!

Isn't she beautiful?! I'm grateful that she is as pretty inside as out! :)

Computer problems

We've been having computer problems the last couple of months.. (sigh) Our (MY) biggest problem has been that the computer hasn't recognized my camera SD card. I never realized how much I use that feature and upload pictures. I went and got a SD card reader that plugs in the back of the computer, so now I will be doing blog overload to catch up on all of our fun December pictures. :)
Hopefully in the next couple of months we can get a new computer. (Before the old one dies, we did go get an external hard drive to back everything up in case it does). Any suggestions?

Christmas Day

Our Christmas Tree, one of the things I enjoy the most is having all these ornaments that have special meaning to our family, from the homemade to the special ones I have gotten over the years from good friends or special places we have been. (I like to get an ornament when we go somewhere on vacation- if they have one) I have an angel on there that is falling apart but from one of my YW leaders who is fighting against cancer right now. I also have a little soldier man that I made in 3rd grade and lots of cute kid ones!

Our stocking hung by the chimney with care

Keagan leaving cookies for Santa with a note..

Keagan woke us up at 7:30, which was what time I told him he had to wait. He was soo excited! I love the pure joy and excitement he had!! Even though he didn't get a DSi.

Keagan handing out the presents.

Melissa excited about her Santa present, a $50 visa card! Wow! Santa was nice this year!

Keagan couldn't believe it! I love it!

I love this picture of him!

Keagan got lots of k'nex toys.. Melissa spent most of the afternoon reading the instruction book and building this! Go Melissa!

We had a great Christmas Day! We had quiche for breakfast, Grandma & Grandpa came over, we watched some movies, read the story of Christ's birth in the scriptures, relaxed and didn't even get dressed! Perfect! Keagan loved his new coat, too. This is how he fell asleep that night, still in his new coat, clutching his $50 visa card. :)

Onto shopping the next morning..