Look At Those Beauties!

Check out these cuties! We took some time this last weekend - well, actually, we took a lot of time! - to have the kids' pictures taken at Sears Photo Studio in Spokane. I bought the CD so I can publish and print the photos as I want. So here I am sharing them with you! These were a few of the best shots, though the kids are both very photogenic so there wasn't really a bad one. You'll probably be seeing one of these photos in your Christmas cards this year!

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for... gluten-free holidays! Yep, I was able to enjoy turkey and all the fixings (minus the bread stuffing) along with everyone else this Thanksgiving. My wonderful mother and fabulous sisters did some research and came up with recipes for gluten-free food and I gorged myself! I felt sick from overeating rather than from poisoning myself. Kind of a nice change - hee, hee!

The dinner was yummy but our weekend was even better. We really didn't do much other than eat and shop and play but it was nice to be in Spokane with our moms, my dad, Rod, Robyn and Erin. The kids came away feeling extra special!

As I write this, we are experiencing the first snowfall of the year. What excitement there was tonight! With all of about a quarter inch of snow on the ground, the kids prepped their snow clothes for tomorrow. In each of our backpacks we now have 2 pairs of gloves, 1 scarf, 2 hats, slippers for school and snowpants. Oh my! It sounds like a holiday song! Hopefully we'll get at least another inch or so. I might even have some pictures tomorrow! We'll see!

A Week of Birthdays!

Wow! What a week! It started out with a relaxing weekend of scrapbooking! Woo hoo! I know some of you are saying, "Ugh! I can't believe she'd spend a whole weekend scrapbooking!" I sometimes wonder how I do it also but I'm not going to question it too much. I got to spend 2 nights and 2 days at Sun Mountain Lodge scrapping away the days and nights! I did take a break to sit in the hot tub and to take a nice long walk. Otherwise - I was sitting at a table surrounded by other crazy (most of them crazier than I!) ladies! This was my birthday present from my parents. Couldn't have asked for anything more!

Sunday evening I arrived home to a wonderful dinner and a birthday cake (gluten-free!) created by my mother. She and my dad had come over to take care of the kids while I was gone. It was a fabulous weekend!

Dylan insisted I wear the sombrero like at Rancho Chico!

My yummy gluten free dessert! Chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce...mmmm!

Though there was no school Monday, I spent the day at work getting ready for parent conferences which were Tuesday and Wednesday. Long days! Very productive however.

I am now the proud parent of a 5 year old! I can't believe Lyndsi is 5 already! I no longer have any babies in the house. She's even old enough to go to kindergarten and next month she gets her kindergarten shots - ugh! Yes, Lyndsi had a birthday on Friday and a party on Saturday. We spent Friday at a cub scout pack meeting but made it out to dinner at a local Koala themed restaurant. They even have alligator toes and kangaroo ears! Lyndsi opted for old-fashioned grilled cheese :) The highlight of this birthday was the party on Saturday. We, and 16 other kids, went to the ice cream shop in town. This is a cute 50's style soda fountain place. The kids all made their own sundaes and Lyndsi opened more presents! Fun for all! I loved it because there was no cleanup at my home!

I made these little ice cream treat bags for the guests to take home with them. I got the bowls and spoons (all looking like ice cream cones!) from Oriental Trading Company and created a topping with M&Ms, mint candies and sprinkles. I was pretty proud of the final product!

Lyndsi with her birthday sundae. Look at those pink cheeks!

Halloween

Dylan - as the Great Pumpkin

Lyndsi - as a Fairy Princess Cheerleader (she thought of it all by herself!)

Another Halloween come and gone. Truth be told, despite my grumblings of busy nights and not enough time just being at home, I really do like Halloween. You really couldn't ask for a simpler holiday! Dress silly and go door to door collecting candy. Who am I to complain???

Anyway, both kids partied at school. Lyndsi's class went to two different nursing homes to sing Halloween carols. Dylan's (and mine!) class had an afternoon party complete with games, sugar and more sugar! The school day was hit with everyone. After a very quick dinner, all 4 of us went out trick-or-treating. We managed to hook up with a couple other kids - Reily, Max and Karina - and we went down to 4th street (our old neighborhood). Normally the street looks like a movie set on Halloween. Hundreds of kids mob the couple of blocks! This year seemed pretty slow. I think Wednesday night Halloween kept a lot of kids at home. We now have two buckets of candy .. mmmm...

Steve's soccer team is still going strong! They finished another game this evening though I don't know the results as Steve hasn't made it home yet. They play again on Wednesday and then possibly (if they win) on Saturday. These games are considered the pre-games for the State tournament.

Lyndsi will be 5 in two weeks - ack! - I can't believe it! She'll be getting her kindergarten shots next month. It doesn't seem right! This time of year always gets us talking about the kids as babies. They both love to hear stories about "me as a baby" in their words!

I am off to my 4th annual scrapbook retreat next weekend! Our former scrapbook store owner puts on this annual event at Sun Mountain Lodge each November. My parents gave me the weekend away as my birthday present this year. They are even coming over to take care of the kids while Steve is away at his soccer game. The scrapbook weekend is completely and totally relaxing and I look forward to it every year. Sun Mountain is a beautiful part of the Methow Valley and the lodge is pampering and comforting! Thanks mom and dad!

I got a call Thursday night that I have been waiting for for several months. I had been dealing with some stomach issues and finally went to the doctor in September. After blood work and an upper endoscopy, I now have a diagnosis! I have celiac disease which means my body doesn't tolerate gluten. In fact gluten wreaks havoc on me! The disease can affect your joints, skin, digestive system, hair, neurological functioning, you name it! Long term it can cause lymphoma of the intestines and other fun things! However, the good news is, it is completely curable!! If...I stay completely away from gluten. Did you know that gluten is found in - well - everything! So, if anyone reading this has any helpful hints I'd love to hear them! Right now I am feeling a sense of relief that I have an answer to all of my problems, problems that I have always blamed on arthritis, hormones, motherhood, whatever. However, when I feel the pangs of hunger and realize I don't have anything snacky that is gluten-free, I do feel twinges of panic.

Steve just arrive home and his girls lost in overtime. Sad for them - No more soccer, yippee!