Nothing unusual here

We're just up to the same ol' stuff.

Ivy is a notorious escape artist. 

Violet always loves to surprise me when I pick her up from school by popping up in the passenger window. This time she had an extra surprise. 

I'm not sure what it is but the kids love going to our properties whenever a tenant moves out. They help clean if it needs cleaning but usually they just love playing in an empty house.

We usually spend Friday mornings at Mamie's house with cousins. The girls were excited to decorate a gingerbread train together. Getting ready for Christmas!
 

Halloween 2020

Due to rising Covid numbers, we decided not to go trick or treating this year, but we had a fun Halloween party that was just as memorable!

We decorated the house and played some Halloween music to get us in the spooky mood. Then we pulled out the pumpkins and knives and carved some silly and sad faces (Ginger wanted a crying pumpkin). 

The kids took a break downstairs watching some nostalgic Disney Halloween cartoons while Travis and I took a breather and prepped the next activity, pin the spider (or ghost or pumpkin) on the web! It was harder than they thought.

After another break of Halloween clips, we decorated Halloween cookies and cooked the Jack o Lantern pizza Grammy and Pappy brought us a couple days ago. Nothing better than pizza and soda.

We took pictures of costumes and the kids trick or treated at our own door. Then it was jumping on the tramp until it was time for one more old cartoon and then bedtime. 

The kids had so much fun, I'm not even sure they missed trick or treating. ;)

Fall Break at the Cabin

We've been long overdue for a vacation. The kids wanted to go back to the cabin in Idaho since we left it a couple years ago. We weren't able to go to the same one but... the kids have a new favorite cabin!

This trip was special because we've never been up in the fall before. It was definitely cooler! We loved spending time together inside and outside. 

These two are the cuddle bugs of the family. Really.

We did our usual visit to Ponderosa State Park. Did some hiking and took pictures on the cliffs (my anxiety is usually pretty high keeping everyone at a safe distance).

Went to Cascade Lake for some fishing, since swimming was definitely not an option this late!

Violet caught her first fish (Rainbow Trout- good size, too!) about 10 minutes after casting. She didn't want to see Travis gut it but she did try a tiny taste of it back at the cabin. Ginger couldn't eat enough of it.

Travis also showed the kids how to make a lantern from a can, sock, and lamp oil.

We also had fun with slingshots, frisbees, hammocks and exploring. And when it was too cold they played with Legos and Blu-track inside while Travis and I just relaxed by the fireplace. Violet found a "sleeping" chipmunk and brought it inside to show me...that was fun...

We're already missing the peace and quiet, and all the adventures. But they know we'll go again!

School Starts (Pandemic Edition)

In an effort to social distance, our school district decided to split the kids up alphabetically and have them attend 2 days a week, the rest being online. Our days are Mondays and Wednesdays. They were SO excited to go back. I was too. ;) It's been nice being together for so long, really, but Jaxon needs to continue working on his social skills, and that can't happen without being around other kids. Add in the Chinese immersion factor and back to school they went. They have to wear masks in the building at all times and each desktop has a tri-fold, transparent wall.

Jaxon is in 3rd grade now. He chose a Boxcar Children Book- he read a ton of those over the summer.

Violet is now in first grade. All day school, plus her first year of Chinese. She chose her Princess book, always a favorite.

And Ginger started preschool! I was nervous she'd have a hard time since Sunbeams was a bit traumatic for her, but it looks like she's grown up a little since March. :) She was so excited! Her school is on our same street, so it's super nice just walking her over. She skips and giggles the whole way there, she just loves it (and so do I- she's really been needing this!)

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She'll have two years of preschool, which I'm fine with since it'll give her more time to learn English.

Everybody has loved going back to school. After being away since March, it's been a welcomed change!

End of Summer

We've been having lots of fun the past month. A couple days before school started we spent a morning picking berries at McBrides. The kids always love it so much, it's been a fun tradition. We used them to make jam later on.

The older kids had a sleepover at Mamie's with cousins. They had been looking forward to this for a long time.

Violet goes to the ice rink a couple times a week to practice. This day there was only one other person on the ice besides Violet. She thought it was great!

Violet left this note in her tooth bag (with her tooth) under her pillow for the tooth fairy. Guess money isn't enough anymore?

"Tooth fairy, please give me all kinds of powers."

Brad and Kami invited us to their cabin their building on Labor Day. The kids loved exploring and riding the four-wheeler.

We're excited for school to start!

Making Progress

One good thing about this whole social distancing thing is that it provided small class sizes for swim lessons!

The older kids made great strides this year. This was Ginger's first time in swim lessons and she LOVED it so much! She didn't pass to the next level (Preschool 1, ha), but as long as she had fun I'm okay with that.

But she is making good progress on her sight words!

Violet's ice skating classes started up again. She's been able to get lots of practice in this summer.

It's so weird to have to wear a coat in the chilly rink and then come outside to 100 degree weather!

Jaxon planned a "circus" for the Talbot cousins. He included this homemade pinata made from nothing more than paper and staples, and paint for decoration. I have to admit, I was worried this would be one of those, "Oh, he's putting so much hard work into this, but I'm afraid it's not going to turn out and he'll be so disappointed!" kind of thing. But it actually went through 2 kids before the third one cracked it open!

 

He also loves helping Travis fix and build things.

And this one is crawling all over the place.

Book Worm

 We let our kids read themselves to sleep every night, but that isn't nearly enough for Violet.

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That's okay, we'll check out even more next time!

Glimpses of Summer

This is a semi photo dump of what we've been up to this summer.

Feeding the ducks

Hadas de limpiar
(cleaning fairies- they surprise me and clean something up. I love it when this happens)

Fathers Day

We love this tree

Silly with cousins

We definitely need a pool upgrade, but with the virus everybody had bought them up and we couldn't find one that was worth the crazy inflated price. I was sooooo grateful we still had our kiddie pool.

Violet: "Look mom, they're listening to the prophet!"

Jaxon loves playing with the hose and trying to make fountains and dams with bricks.

Fourth of July

Picnics and splash pads

Ginger has always loved meat. For her, Tucanos=Heaven.

Violet and Ginger's cards to Travis for his birthday. Even though Violet can read, she still insisted it was the prettiest card for daddy.

The girls love to dance as Travis plays the piano.

Ginger's developed a slight obsession with mail and making letters to send. I'm sure our mailman is so confused by the things she leaves in there.

She tends to be the moody one of the bunch, even while celebrating the 24th of July.

I told her to smile. Didn't feel like it.

This summer has definitely been different than years past, but we still had just as much fun!