We love Grandma & Grandpa!!

The kids and I had a fun visit with grandma and grandpa on Friday.



We went up while the older kids were at school. The older kids don't like it when we do that, but it's fun for the little kids to have grandma's and grandpa's attention for themselves once in a while!



We had a blast and fully intend to do it again some day soon - but don't tell the school kids!

Student of the Month

Melanie was selected to be Student of the Month...hmmmm, it's the middle of November, so maybe it's for October? I'm not sure, but whenever it was she was awarded today! (red shirt)



She got to have her picture taken with Deputy Craig whom locals may recognize from Q-6 News spots (Hopefully not from personal encounters!).



Where's Waldo? We were able to find Malorie sitting with her class...can YOU find her???

'Tis the (Volleyball) Season

Madilyn had her first volleyball game last week in Colville - because of about 400 committments here at home and with Scouts, we didn't attend, but Grandma Janet & Grandpa Gary and Rex & Lindsay went to cheer her on!



I forgot all of the silly cool traditions school teams have!



Service!



We won 2 lost 1 vs Riverside last night!!!

Family Night / Cannon Ball Wound Ointment

Last night Jared was in charge of refreshments after family night. He and dad chose to make donuts...the kind where you pop open the can of refrigerator rolls. Mmmmmm!!!






A little known fact (before I published it on the internet anyway) is that I have a sincere fear of refrigerator rolls...well, of the cans they come in I mean. It all ties back to my hatred of being startled I guess (and a little bit of having the flesh torn off my hands...)

When Jared tore a can open, it popped with enough force to 1) give mom cardiac arrest and 2) to make a mark on his chest!!! (Validation!!) Luckily, we have Jacob around - he's our resident quick-whit who instantly called out to me and said, "Mom, Jared needs the cannonball wound ointment!!!" You'll probably have to enlarge the picture (and squint) to see the red circle in the center of his chest...but it's there - and you'll have to be a Brian Regan fan to appreciate Jacob's joke!




His reference to the cannon ball wound ointment is in the last minute and a half of this video! Enjoy.

She said I could!!

Ok, maybe she just didn't say I couldn't...is there a difference? Either way, I told her I was putting this in my blog today and here it is!

JA and Susan will be married in the
Albuquerque New Mexico Temple On December 8, 2009

More Cousins...

I snapped this quick picture of the Scout-Cousins earlier this week at Shane's Eagle Court of Honor!

"This sucks!"

I tried to think of a more dignified title for this entry...one a little more respectful maybe...but then I figured a direct quote from her daughter was probably fitting!

Our dear friend Marge passed away 2 weeks ago. She is my sister-in-law, Mindy's, mother...shouldn't that make her my mother-in-law-in-law or something? Whatever she is (or isn't) to us on paper, she is a dear friend who we love like family and who will be missed!

Mindy told me that the day will come when Marge will get a tongue lashing for this! I supposed you'd have to understand their relationship to really appreciate the humor in that! :) But just so Marge knows...I'm on Mindy's side - and I may not be as vocal when the time comes, but you can bet I'll be standing right behind Mindy nodding and wholeheartedly agreeing...maybe even gutsy enough to shake my finger!

All joking and kidding aside - our family loves Marge...we will miss her until we are blessed to meet again!

And then there were 15...

Our home keeps pretty busy with nine children going in every direction...this week we had family visit from Boise and in an instant we had 15 children going in every direction! It was GREAT!! We've vowed to do better at visiting family from now on! It's so fun to see the cousins pick up their friendships where they left off from the last visit without missing a beat!



"Brothers don't shake hands, brothers gotta hug!"



It's quiet in our house now that they've headed back to Idaho - well, as quiet as our house ever really gets. We sure do miss them already!!

Math is Cool!

This weekend was Jacob's 3rd or 4th (a good mom would know for sure off hand) Math Team Competition! No surprise, the school failed us once again and didn't provide a coach for the kids so Brandon stepped in and did the job. With only five opportunities to practice with the kids, Brandon got the team together and they did pretty darn well!



Dillon, Bobby, Daniel and Jacob placed 7th in the 7th Grade, Div II teams! Unfortunately, only the top five teams advance to Masters.



Jacob won the award for best team individual and was given this cool little flash drive. After we got home with the packet of test results, we could see that Jacob was only 2 points from scoring in the top ten individuals over-all. For some reason, they combined the 7th and 8th graders when they figured individual winners this year. It never fails, just when I think I understand this whole math-team-thing...they throw in a monkey like that to keep me guessing!

Happy Halloween

Back L-R: Jared - Dinosaur, Megan - Inmate, Jacob - Musketeer
Front L-R: Joseph - Shark, Malorie - Cheeta, Meredi - Spongebob, Melanie - Witch



We took the kids to Pumpkin Lane again this year. Local merchants hand out candy...it's great!

And just like that...it's been 14 years!

I know I've said this before...truthfully, I could say it daily - I miss my grandma! Today marks 14 YEARS since she passed away...and I still miss her as painfully as if today only marked 14 days.



I think about her when I make bread - and have just recently, within the past couple of years, stopped thinking to myself as I'm kneading the bread that I should call her and see how she's doing. (Yes, I could still dial her phone number.) I make bread because Grandma made bread. I love the whole process. I love the challenge of not killing the yeast. I love gently covering the dough and waiting for it to rise. I love (and so does Jacob now) "punching it down". It goes without saying that I love the smell of freshly baked bread in my home. But mostly - I just love the memory of all of these things being done countless times throughout my childhood with my Grandma.



I think about her while I watch my children grow. Madilyn was my newborn 14 years ago. Jason was only 14 months old. I never got to share my children with Grandma. But I do get to share the priceless nurturing traits with them that she passed on to me. My kids may never know how much they truly owe Grandma Nichols!



I could go on and on sharing the times I think of Grandma. She raised a wonderful daughter - she raised a happy granddaughter - her influence is raising wonderful great grandchildren...and I can say without reservation that there will be many more generations that will benefit from the wonderful woman that she was. I miss you Granny Goose!

PLUG!

None of our kids are very fond of sudden, loud noises. They come by that honest - neither is their mother. Joseph is going through an especially sensitive phase right now - and unfortunately for him, Gracie is going through a very loud phase right now! The other night, during one of Gracie's "wind ups" (the long, red faced inhale before the even longer, even redder faced cry) Joseph warned everyone at the table by yelling, "Plug!!!" and putting his hands over his ears.



Jacob finds "Plug drills" to be hysterical - He will sneak up behind Joe and say, "Plug!" and Joseph, without batting an eye, will put his hands over his ears...I'm sure assuming that his little sister is about to blow! We sure enjoy Joseph!

...More Maddie

As I'm sure most of you suspect, our home has people coming and going...always! Maddie's birthday was no exception. Thursday night is Scout night and Youth Night and Achievement Day night (hmmm, they should rename that)...anyway - we had to rush through Maddie's gifts in order to make it to the church for everyone's activities.

Grandma Janet stopped by to visit the Birthday Girl and give her her gift...



A lime green vest...Maddie's favorite color!



Then we rushed through family gifts...(more hideous lime green...nail polish)


(She did get more than just nail polish from her family - in the interest of time and bandwidth, we're only sharing this one picture! lol)

Then it was time to rush rush rush out the door to the church. Tonight happened to be Madilyn's Young Women's Evening of Excellence. Aunt Jane organized a wonderful evening...a Fiesta!...complete with a little surprise recognition for Madilyn.



Grandma Janet helped gather the sombrero and the beads...



Madilyn was a great sport and left her festive attire on all evening!





And just when you think her birthday must surely be over...NOPE! One more party!! Madilyn and two of her friends, Jessica and Taylor, all had birthdays within a few weeks of each other. With the crazy schedules of summer, it never worked out for the girls to have their parties so a joint surprise party was planned!!







Here's the gang! What a great group of kids young adults ;) This is where, as a mom, I'm really tempted to write something mushy about how grateful Brandon and I are that our children are surrounded by so many great friends...I'll refrain!



Happy Birthday, Maddie Belle!!
Your nerdy family loves you!
xoxo

14 Years Ago

Madilyn Joy Lee
Sunday October 1, 1995
7 lb 11 oz

Ready to go home from the hospital.



Birth Announcement picture - this girl is all Briskey (Thomas)!



This is one of Maddie's favorite pictures. It was taken at Grandma Janet's house in August just before Madilyn's 2nd birthday.



We'll celebrate her birthday tonight, complete with more pictures that we'll share later - but I wanted to get this little stroll down memory lane up first thing today!

Happy Birthday Maddie Belle!!