Beaver Dick Park

The past three weekends the weather has been wonderful!! To take advantage of this weather we have been going out to Beaver Dick Park to have a bon fire with friends before the snow starts to stick!! We love fires...Talan has been able to play with his friend Garret while we roast marshmallows, hotdogs have hot coco and enjoy some dutch oven cooking :0) This last weekend we roast apples on the fire...yum, yum!

Scotty, Talan and Garret


Our friends Caralee (who will be missed come December), Samm and AJ


Caralee and I mixed up a suprise (hamburger, bacon, potatoes, carrots, onions, mushroom soup and cheese)for dinner. After we arrived at the fire I realized we forgot a large metal spoon to stir things around and help serve so...Jon found a piece of finish work someone left behind and widled a spoon!

The spoon worked great for stiring and serving ;)

Talan got a little tired and fell asleep bundled up in his chair.

Ward Relay

So this is early October news but I just downloaded the pictures. Our ward participated in the Spirit Ward Relay...and our ward won..we completed 30 laps as the first married ward! I almost didn't go until Susan's husband called and said we should go...so I packed the kids up in the stroller and we ran to the stadium to help run a few laps! McKenna did great as well as Talan until the mascot came around...he has always been scared of dressed up characters. He came running over to me hugging my leg almost crying about the 'Pirate'...yep he thought the Viking was a Pirate and he was really scared :0) Talan's friend Gunner wasn't too fond of the mascot either! All in all Talan had a good time running and playing with Gunner and Dexter.

Heidi and baby Jack

Hike 'R' Mountain

After the Talans birthday party since the weather was so nice we decided to take a hike up 'R' Mountain. Scotty has hiked if for a geology class but we have never gone together. Talan wanted to walk and we put McKenna in the back pack. Iwas curious to see how well Talan would do. Over the summer he hiked pretty well by himself but there were always times when he wanted to be carried. Well...he did great!! He hiked the entire thing up and down all by himself. There were some areas that were really rocky that you had to climb up and he climbed without hesitation!! We were so proud of him.

Talan turned 3!!!

Happy Birthday Talan!! Boy how the time flies by. Talan knew exactly what he wanted this year. He informed me he wanted a 'Train Party' and a 'Chocolate Birthday Cake'! So of course that is what he got for his special day! The weather was amazing. Nice and sunny and no wind...odd for Rexburg! Talan thought the cake and decorations where 'really cool, mom' He spent the morning hanging out with dad while I cleaned. They went and washed the Rover, went Rock Crawling and while they were at Beaver Dick Park a guy offered to give him a ride on his boat-ooh, awhh. Scotty said he had alot of fun. His party went great they played a bean bag toss game and pin the face on Thomas the Train.

Cell Phone Tragedy!!

So I think our one family cell phone :) has had it...it's been ran over, dropped, thrown, drooled on...and has survived a good 2 1/2 years...well it has decided to quit charging!!!! Honestly the hardest part for me has been not being able to make the long distance calls that I have been wanting to make over the past few days and the alarm clock issue! Yes I use my phone as an alarm clock right under my pillow...now I have to use an alarm clock that I paid $1 for at a yard sale that Scotty really doesn't like :) He insists on using an alarm clock that he has had since he was like 14 or 15 yrs old...it's actually sort of cute.

So anyway we are in the process of decided to buy a new phone via the web or some other resource or to cancel our service all together and be 'cell phone less' What an odd idea this day in age! Scotty is having mixed feelings-he loves the idea of being touch less but he has also realized the nice convience as well...

Meanwhile if you need to reach us call the HOUSE phone or e-mail...we really aren't avoiding you...we just can't call!!!!

I have been Tagged!

(sorry this took so, so ,so long Brooke :0)
Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours-

Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them ( I don't know how to link :) I tag- Katelyn, Hilarie, Kathryn, Marnae, Sokimna, Diane

6 quirks....

1. I like to scratch my head...it doesn't itch or anything it just feels so, so good! I love it when scotty sits by me when we are watching a movie and he will rub and scratch my head, the bad part is I will probably go bald sooner!! I loose alot of hair sometimes...?

2. I really don't love chocolate! I know I am weird...unless it is a troufel (sp?) -thanks Hilarie-they just melt in your mouth. I prefer sour candies or vanilla ice cream!

3. I really like to read! This is new for me in the past 5 years! I love starting a new book and cannot wait to finish it to start another. It was great nursing McKenna, thats when I got alot of my reading done but she seems too interested in the book I am holding than nursing so that had to stop...therefore my reading has decreased dramatically as well :( I still haven't finished the partial draft of the 5th book to twilight)

4. I love to go camping with family! I don't care that I cannot shower for a week or have the normal amenities that are at home. I love the brisk morning air and noise of the morning birds...I love sitting around in camp chairs reading or talking. I feel I have 'no worries' when I am camping...mom, dad and JW I wish we were camping with you right now!

5. I have to burp! It's a problem, I know! Sometimes too often and it's not always lady like :0) I just don't like air pressure build-up...it's too uncomfortable. I try to be somewhat careful who I am around though. But, sometimes it happens and some people are annoyed..or maybe disgusted?!

6. I have a "clear" mole on the side of my left arm...and I hate it when people notice it and want to touch it. The mole tends to be extra sensitive!

Straw maze

We went to a Straw Maze outside of town with our friends the Allens!! It was so much fun. We thought it was going to be a corn maze and when we showed up and saw the straw bales I wasn't sure how fun it was going to be?? But...the kids and us adults had a great time. Hilarie and I were mainly with the kids running around when we were seperated from the dads. We thought we were making progress until we found Chad back at the beginning. Chad and Scotty had made it to the end. Scott was going to go from the end and Chad from the beginning to try and find us. Needless to say there was a whole other section we hadn't explored yet! The people who put it together did a great job. While we were waiting for Scotty to make it back out when ran into some friends from the ward who planned a work party and let us join in on their donuts and hot coco. Thanks Katheryn and Adam!

Woohoo!

So Grandma J gave me some great news...about Twilight! I guess there was going to be a 5th book...check out this site http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/

We can read the partial draft to Midnight Sun!
And yes...I have already started!

Fun times!

Talan and Brooklyn!! They were playing up stairs a little too quiet to so I went up to check on the two of them and found them in the bathroom with a bottle of lotion!! The lotion was all over their hair! They said they were getting ready for church (ha, ha) I guess lotion and mouse are the same :)

Saturday afternoon we took the 4-wheeler out by mesa falls to ride along an old rail road. It was really fun imaging what explores thought when traveling through such beautiful wilderness. On one of the breaks Talan of coarse was right in the sand building a 'sand castle'. Scotty said we traveled about 38 miles...my tail bone could definently tell the next day :)

Cute Pics!

Here are some cute pics of McKenna...I cannot believe how fast she is growing! She is sure developing her own little personality:)

Labor Day Weekend!

Katelyn, Dallin, Eric and Cassie came down for the weekend to take Eric and Cassie to the Oregon Coast. It's always so much fun to have all the family in town.
Talan and Great-Great Grandma, with a smile!!

We love having the chance to see Great Grandma and Grandpa Thompson.

Talan wanted to go run into the water at Seaside...crazy little kid that is obsessed with water! Well Jessica and Katelyn said the would take him out to get his feet wet. Talan thought that was really neat and as time went on he got braver and braver until one time when he turned to run away from the tide and fell flat on his face! It was pretty funny but he was a little scared...but not for long. After he calmed down and took his wet shirt and pants off he wanted back in...I didn't bring any other clothes so the only option was to strip down to the diaper!!! I am a crazy mom I know but the weather wasn't actually all that bad and I kept felling his legs which were actually pretty warm (he is just like his dad)!!! After awhile dad bought a kite and Granpa helped him fly it then the sat in the sand and built 'sand castles' for along time. What great day at the beach! Later of coarse we walked down the main strip and let Talan ride the carosel...as you can see he had alot of fun.

Aunt Katelyn and Mckenna...how adorable!

Scotty is all about camp fires!! It was great to have a fire in the back yard when ever we had the energy to do so :)

Aunt Kim and Bailey...we miss you!

Jackie is in Town!!

Jackie thanks for making time in your busy, busy schedule to see us!! It has been way...too long.

I am geared up and ready to go!

Whenever Dad gets home from work and geared up to go for a bike ride Talan ALWAYS wants to go so today he geared up just like dad...helmet, gloves, glasses and of coarse style :)

Someday he will be able to come along!

Mount St. Helens

Another hike exploring!! Talan really enjoyed it. All along the hike he gradually filled his pockets with rocks. He has become quite the rock collector. The weather was great. This is the first time I can remember being on top of the mountain were you could see!! Usually there is dense fog that you cannot see past the rock wall at the look out!

Mt. Hood

(August 16, 2008)

We went for a drive and hike up to Mt. Hood. What a beautiful place! Talan likes to call it 'mountained hood' McKenna is such a trooper. We are training her early for all the hikes and adventures that are sure to come.

Look at me mom!

(August 11, 2008)
Talan as usual come wakes up and come into our room between 5am and 6am. Well one morning I was a little tired and kept trying to bribe Talan to go back to sleep...well all of a sudden I wake up and I can see that Talan has his lamp on that is by his bed so we can read books to him before he goes to sleep. So, I was think maybe Grandma was in the room but then realized the actual bedroom light was not on which grandma would have turned on and I heard Talan talking. I decided I better get my butt our of bed and see what is going on, well this is what I found! He pulled a folding chair up to the crib and climbed in. When he saw me his first words were, "look mom, Kenna's awake!" Oh, I wonder why??

FOOD!

McKenna's First Rice cereal!! August 12, 2008. Boy does she like real food. Now she cannot get her eyes off your food when you are eating around her. Wow she is growing up so quickly!

Murrayhill Ward Camp-out!

We were able to go to the ward camp-out at Fort Steven's along the Oregon Coast! The weather was wonderful all weekend. Talan had a great time playing in the sand and riding his bike...he would ride his bike around and around the park making sure he hit every puddle! When he was riding around our site he decided to plant a tree (twig) in the trunk of his trike :) We were able to do some hiking around the sites. Grandma, Andrew, Jessica, Scotty and I road our bikes to Battery Russell..ok so it was raining then. It was really fun though!

It's breakfast time!

Summer Fun with Taylor and Haley

Talan always looked forward to playing in the water at Taylor and Haleys!

Haley and Talan found a Slug...how fun!

We visited Tualatin Fire Deparment and explored a fire truck. Papa would be proud. Thanks for such a fun summer Taylor and Haley!

I am WAY Behind!!

Sorry I went over an entire month before posting any of our great adventures. So I am going to attempt to make up for it. So much happened during August!
On July 26th one of my greatest friends from High School got married at Eagle Rock Lodge near Eugene Oregon and asked Talan to be one of the ring bearers. He was so adorable carring her 'Mr. Wrinkles' and Danielle was absolutely beautiful! The wedding wasn't until Saturday evening so we spent the morning exploring the beautiful mountains and found a lake we could rent a boat and float around in. Talan thought is was pretty cool! Michelle at the wedding was teaching Talan how to play the viola (sp?), hopefully Talan will have some musical talent :)