Alyssa took my camera

and look what she took with it. She walked around the neighborhood taking pictures for photo class. She is doing really good. She took over one hundred pictures, but I just picked a couple of my favorites. Enjoy!

Do you see the bee on the flower?

She has to take pictures and do a report on them. She thinks she is doing flowers or trees or butterflies. I liked the flower pictures best.

Do you remember Snow White?

Last year, Skyline 3rd and 4th graders put on the play Snow White. Alexandra was one of the Snow White's (they had 2). She was a little nervous when she had to go on stage in front of all of those people, but she did it! She spoke loud enough for everybody to hear and she had a great time.

She had so much fun in fact that when sign ups for this years play came, she got that paper turned in the first day! Last year, she went back and forth, back and forth. I want to do drama, no, not really, ok maybe I will try, but not this year, ok I will....... On and on she went until the day of the final turn in when she said "Yes, I will do it but I don't want a speaking part" I told her that would be fine, there would be plenty of parts for everybody and she wouldn't need to speak. Imagine my surprise that next week when they handed out parts and Alexandra said she asked to be Snow White!!! I told her that Snow White had speaking parts....probably LOTS of speaking parts! She said that was fine, she didn't care.

And she got Snow White............and did FABULOUS!!!

Well....this year....they are doing Pinocchio. Guess who wanted the part of Pinocchio? Guess who got the part they wanted? YEP! Alexandra. She will be one of 4 Pinocchio's performing at Skyline Elementary on Thursday November 5.....so mark your calendars!

Have a great Wednesday!

Ferndale Football

McBeath Style.....

McKenzie and Alexandra (Fall 2008)

I think maybe Ferndale would have a better year this year if they let these two join their team.

Two weeks ago we lost to Blaine 28 to 21. Last week we lost to Lynden 31 to ZERO! This week we play Squalicum (who is supposed to be ranked very high up there) at Squalicum.

Maybe I'll talk to the Ferndale coach and see if we can come up with a surpise play that lets these two football players on the field.

They have helmets. (Who says a baby carseat can only be used to carry babies in?)

They have lots of padding. They might be cold sleeping at night because their blankets are stuffed in their shirts! Or not....

They are very, very fast. And being so close to the ground, I bet they could score a couple touchdowns before anybody knew where the ball was.

I think we should give it a try.....Ferndale can't be any worse if they let these two players play!

And they are cute!

Have a great Tuesday!

I thought Sunday is a day of rest....

French Braids....the next day :) You should have seen her little braids. They were so cute. Her hair is finally long enough again to braid. It was a little hard at the end, but we managed!

Then there is this beautiful long hair! It was super curly. I did it really tight and little so it was very, very curly. I can't believe how long her hair is getting!

We (I) did not get to rest very much today. The girls and I went to church this morning, but we left Alyssa at home in bed to sleep. She got home at 2:30 this morning from Silverdale where they had their first competition. (they got 2nd in Finals!) I should have made her get up and go anyway because she slept on the bus on the way home, but I didn't talk to her when she came home last night except to say "hello, congrats, goodnight, I love you" I stayed up for a while because she was supposed to be home around 1:00 am. I should know by now that the band has NEVER. EVER. NOT ONCE. came home when they said!

After church we went to Fred Meyer to get some fruit and veggies. Then we came home to eat lunch and get some house work done. The kitchen is mostly cleaned. Alyssa did the dishes :)
I worked on the front door area for most of the afternoon going through the bags for consignment and goodwill. The girls went through their shoes and put other stuff away. It looks nice and clean now! I did some of my craft stuff, but not very much. I can only do one big cleaning job at a time! Now it is time for me to sign off and get some much needed rest.....It is daycare tomorrow!

I only took 293 pictures....

This photo was taken by photographer McKenzie



...at the soccer field today! McKenzie had my camera for part of Alexandra's game and she took about 53 pictures. If you do the math.....that is a lot of pictures!!

Alexandra getting ready to score her goal!

She is so fast!

Alexandra's game was at 9:15 this morning. She played Lakeside (they are ranked #1) and they did an AWESOME job! The final score was 4 to 6 (we did not win) but the coaches told the girls to not count this as a loss, because they played hard and they played very well! Alexandra got 1 of the goals and assisted in at least one other one. She is such a fabulous player. I love to watch her zip around the field. One second she is in front of you, the next second she is across the field. It makes getting pictures a little hard with her zipping around everywhere :)




This was a fun shot! She was laying on the grass playing with the ball, so I started snapping pictures. Then we decided to put the ball on her feet. Cute!


McKenzie had a 12:30 game. They got to play the pumpkin team :) They played Blaine, but their colors were black and orange and they looked like pumpkins! McKenzie is FAST!! I don't remember her score but I am pretty sure they won. I think it was 5 to 4?? I know she got a couple of goals. I love the determination on McKenzie's face when she is going after the ball. Nothin' and nobody better get in HER way!




The other team seemed to be a bit taller than our team. There were a couple of girls on their team that we wondered how old they really were.
McKenzie scoring her goal!! It really did go in!


When McKenzie saw Alexandra doing it, we thought we would give it a try. Too Cute!


Alyssa had her first color guard competition in Silverdale today. She just called me with the update. They didn't do very well in the prelims. In the finals, the got 2nd in AA!! Yeah team! She was pretty excited! I was too! I am planning on going to the finals in Auburn in November and I don't want to travel that long for a non winning team. And since the Ferndale football team is not doing very well (we lost 31 to 0 last night to Lynden!) we need a winning band/guard team!



Ignore the creative mess under the curtains please!

In other random news....I have new curtains! They were a pain in the patootie to put up, but they look so grown up. I can't wait for next month when I will try to get the curtains for the big window! (PS mom, I might need a helping hand with the hemming up of the too long part :) you will need to come over for a peek!) This is not the best picture, but they are beautiful!

Have a happy Saturday!

Only 3 months until Christmas!!!

Are you ready? Have you made a list? Checked it twice? Started your sewing, crafting, baking? Me either! The weather has been so beautiful lately...It is hard to think that it is already fall and that Christmas is right around the corner! I do have some ideas for Christmas gifts this year, but nothing has been started.

I bought curtains for one of my living room windows yesterday. I even bought a curtain rod to hang them on! I am trying to put them up now. By hand. With a manual screwdriver, not a power one. I am a little frustrated. Although when I am done, it is going to look sooo grown up! All that I will need to do is clean my stampin' stuff (again!) and get curtains for the other super big window.

Today was a work day at Launching Success. It went by pretty fast. We were very steady. It was the last day for MP3 to charge their homeschool stuff, and I couldn't believe how many people came in and shopped for their stuff today! (OK I kinda can believe it!) SSOOOOOOO much inventory to put in...11 more boxes today! On a happy note....we got the shipment of Signing Time DVD's in and I put them in the computer! I am so excited that we are carrying those DVD's! I love them! THey are for younger kids, but the girls and I watch them and we have learned so many signs from them.

This is Alyssa at the Puyallup Fair with her camera and her sock case! Very creative!

(I hope it is a clean sock Alyssa!)


Tomorrow is a super busy day. Alyssa has her first Color Guard competition tomorrow in Silverdale. She has to be on the field at the high school by 7 o'clock tomorrow. And yes, that is 7AM!! They have been practicing quite a bit so we will see how they do. GOOD LUCK ALYSSA!

These two cuties....

Alexandra

McKenzie

have soccer games again tomorrow! Alexandra's game is at 9:15 AM!! and McKenzie plays at 12:30. So.....if you are not doing anything......come and watch! It is a lot of fun to fight the traffic, wade through the little soccer people, dodge the random soccer balls flying through the air, stand in the wind, rain, beating down sun, (all usually in the same game!) and watch these two fabulous soccer stars play a great game!!

Hope to see you there!

P.S. Don't forget to start on your Christmas stuff!

Tonight is Stampin' Up!

Tonight is Stampin' Up! at 7:00 at the Ferndale Senior Center where you can make these two fabulous cards!

This is a cute Fall/Thanksgiving card using texture plates and water color pencils.

I love the way the colors are very bright, but still look like fall. The texture on the paper and the brads are so cute! I love the way this card turned out. It came together so easy! I (Actually Lesley did it) took my Color Wheel and spun it around untill I found a set of colors (with Bravo Burgundy in it) that I liked that looked like fall. I cut the papers in half and started cutting and folding. I knew I wanted to use this stamp set (Gifts of the Earth) and it just came together really quick and turned out Fabulous!!

This is a beautiful Christmas card. The outside idea I found online, but I changed some of it. The inside is a gift card holder!

Inside uses the LOOK HERE die. I didn't have a gift card to put in there to show you how cool it looks with one in, but trust me, it does! I love the two colors together. It is not your traditional red/green that most people use on the holidays. I used brocade blue and soft suede and very vanilla for this card. I love it!

This is a beautiful Christmas card that Lesley made from an idea she found in a Stampin' Success magazine. We changed it up a little and instead of embossing, we used window sheets and ribbon. I LOVE the Merry Christmas stamp! It will be one of my new favorites, I think.

In other news.....we had a police officer show up at daycare today. He kept us all very safe!

I was playing around with the settings on my camera a little bit. The first one was shot in auto. The second one was shot in something else :) I loved his smile in the second one, not so much the colors. Like Alexandra said when she saw the second photo. "His face looks purple!"

Wouldn't you feel safe with this police officer watching over you?

Have a great Thursday!

Happy 2nd day of Fall!

Yesterday was the First Day of Fall....and it was 85 degrees outside!!! It certainly did not feel like fall. McKenzie went to school yesterday crying that her tummy hurt and she couldn't go to school. I took her to school, dropped her off in her class room, still crying, and left to take daycare kids out. I stood outside her room for a couple minutes (where she couldn't see me) and waited. I checked on her after a couple minutes and she was not crying anymore. When I picked her up after school, she had a HUGE grin on her face. She said she had a great day!



The daycare and I went to Bellwood Acres to pick apples. They are not a u-pick farm. They had yummy apples, but they were a little pricey for me and the daycare. We will go back to Sm'apples and pick them for 30 cent a pound instead.


Brandon, Logan, and Xander with the big pumpkins!

Since we were there and I had unloaded all the boys, we decided to stay and go on the self-guided tour. We walked through the garden and saw some BIG pumpkins, then we saw the packing house were they sent the apples down the conveyor belt and sorted them out, for the stores, the farm, and school, and then the 2nds (the ones with a spot or something that they sell at a discount). Then we came back around and she let me take them out to the fields. In the golf cart!! That was fun! I had never driven a golf cart before. Much less one loaded with kids! But we had fun. We saw cows, lots of apples, pumpkins, tractors, and horses. We drove up and down the rows. I think I will take my girls back out there and drive them around!!! :)

All my boys on the golf cart!

The other news yesterday was that Treasury of Memories (my very favorite scrapbook store) had the first day of their closing the store sale. Happy for the sale, sad they are closing. I loved taking classes there. I loved walking around and looking at samples, getting inspiration, asking questions, and losing track of time. I am very sad that they are leaving.
Xander and I went in after we dropped Logan off at preschool. We didn't get anything yesterday. There was a couple of things that I wanted, but I didn't see them (except for canvas and they had lots of that left). The line wrapped around the store. ALL the way around the store. I had a friend that was near the front and she said the line was about ONE HOUR long!!! I have a gift card, so I may go back later today or tomorrow. WITHOUT ANY KIDS!!! They will not have a fun time and I do not want to be rushed!

Happy second day of FALL!

We are feeling better!

We are feeling better! McKenzie stayed home from school yesterday and just hung out on the couch. She was able to eat breakfast and lunch. After lunch she took a nap for about an hour. After we picked kids up from schools, we came home had an early dinner (Alexandra had soccer and Alyssa had color guard) and McKenzie ate almost all of it. She drank lots of water yesterday also. After soccer, we came home and Alexandra had another dinner and McKenzie got clean and shine-y in a shower. She felt so much better in clean jammies and fresh sheets! I called Alyssa (still at color guard) and asked her to please find a ride home because I was going to bed (at 8:30!!) I am fighting sinus stuff :( and my head hurt so bad last night, that I put the girls to bed and called it a night. I woke up this morning feeling lots and lots better!

So.....knock on formica (I can't find wood!) I think we are all going to be healthy!

And in other news..... This cute girl......

was invited to be a part of the National Honor Society. She received a letter inviting her to a meeting to learn more about it and enjoy some ice cream. She went for the ice cream. She is not sure if she wants to join because she has to write an essay...but I thought it was cool that she was invited. I told her I thought it would be a good idea for her to at least try for it. We will see what happens.

I was looking through summer pictures. These are from the Lynden Fair this year. The girls got to hold a real alligator! They were pretty excited! Jay...not so excited! I think he left his glasses on so you could not see the fear in his eyes! :)

Alexandra got to hold it all by herself!

Enjoy your Tuesday!!

Icky Sicky Kids!

No pictures on this post.
McKenzie woke up last night, SICK!! She was up every couple of hours or so. The good news is that I have been meaning to shampoo my hallway, and I did get that done about 1:30 this morning. I will be doing their room today and the hallway again.
Alexandra just came out of her room (she has been up for awhile) and said her tummy hurts.
Alyssa is not up yet. 2 out of 3 of my children are sick....let's not go for all three. Or two and a mommy!
Today is not looking up to be a very fun day!

Gotta go clean some more!

Ferndale Red Lions Soccer

Saturday was soccer day. Alexandra had a double header (@ 11:45 & 1:00) and McKenzie played at 11:20. For having to be at the field for three games, it worked out pretty well!

It was also picture day. McKenzie's team opted for the picutres, instead of doing it ourselves. I opted for the do it yourself anyway! :) I snapped a couple of individual shots of McKenzie in her black jersey :) and then stood behind the photographer and snapped the team picture. Save my self some $$$$. The sun was pretty hot and sunny, so I have a bit of glare, but I have all season to fix that!

Alexandra's team opted for the do it ourselves :) We were missing a player and a coach, so we will do it at a different game.

We woke up in the morning to puring down rain!!! Yuck! Not good for soccer. (it gets my camera wet :) ) So I had the girls get dressed warm, in layers, with extra clothes to change into right after. Then they came to work with me until it was time for soccer. By the time 9:00 rolled around, the sun was peeking out. AS we get to the soccer field around 11:00, the sun is out, but there are clouds. Ssoooo, we bring our raincoats and umbrellas. And I end up lugging them all around, along with some of their extra layers because it ended up getting pretty warm. But, I prefer that, than the other way! :)

McKenzie had the first game. They played another Ferndale team, and because we were home team, we changed our jersey's around. That means we were the Black, Red Lions :)

We played a good game. This is the first year for goalies, and defenders, and forwards. We have practiced defenders and forwards in the past, but this is the first official season where we put it all together. Most of our team has stayed together since kindergarten and we have some pretty good players. They work pretty well together, passing and scoring goals. McKenzie scored 3 goals this game! :) Good Job Big Mac! (Big Mac is her nickname on the field. A couple of dad's gave it to her :) ) The final score was 11 - 0. Not so good for the other team, but our girls were happy! They were pretty good sports about it, we did remind them that it could be the other way around!

Go McKenzie!

Alexandra had a double header! Two games, back to back! They were so worried they were going to be tired! Their first game was against Southside. They were good! It was a very intense, evenly matched game! LOTS of action! I came over right after half time (from McKenzie's game) and the score was tied 0-0. As soon as I walked over there, Alexandra took the ball away from the other team, and scored a GOAL!!! Yeah AJ!! The final score of that game was 1-0! It was a great game!

The snacks after the first game were orange slices and granola bars to give them a little energy for the second game. Not too much food, so they wouldn't get tummy aches, but enough for energy. It worked!

Alexandra enjoying her orange slice!

The second game we played Northside. We were not so evenly matched. The score was very lopsided! These are the Team Captains for this week. Each week at Friday practice, the coaches pick one girl and the girls pick a girl to be their Captain for Saturday's game. Alexandra and Jayden were picked this week. Alexandra said she was so excited! The girls picked Jayden, but the COACHES! picked her!! She was so excited!!

Alexandra scored a couple (2 or 3) goals this game. She had some great assists also. Almost all the girls on her team scored a goal at this game. :) Only two girls did not get a goal. On the other team, not one girl got a goal :( The final score was 12 - 0! It sorta makes me sad for the other team when the score is so lopsided. After one team gets ahead by a certain number of goals (I think about 5) they let the other team add players to help them out. Sometimes they will ask the ahead team to play down a player. We played a good game. The girls had fun both games.

Next week....Alexandra plays at 9:15 AM! and McKenzie plays at 12:30

Firday Football (Really it's all about the Cheerleading and the Color Guard!)

And don't you forget it!

We went to the Ferndale vs Blaine game on Friday night. We lost. First time Ferndale has lost in a few years. It was crazy! The score was 21 - 28. It was close the whole game. They got the first touchdown, we got the next one, kinda back and forth. In the end...we lost...in the last minute or so they scored the last one.

But I don't go the the football games to watch the football! Noooooo. I go the football games to watch Alyssa doing her colorguard show at halftime! She is the best! (Just ask anybody! I'm sure they will agree! ) At this game, however, the halftime show was a little different. The Color Guard did a pre-show (at 6:45. We didn't get there until 6:55ish so there were no pictures of Guard tonight)

Tonight...at the Football game....the Eaglettes performed!

Just how cute are they?!! They practiced all week long with the Ferndale Cheerleaders and performed at halftime. They did great!

These pictures are in the gym during their warmups. The lighting is really bad. I am still learning to take indoor, flouresent lighting picutres.

How can you resist cheerleaders with smiles as cute as this?!!

The Puyallup Fair...Final Post!

Alyssa's FAVORITE rides were the roller coasters! She loved, loved, loved them! Her and Alexandra went on the going through the water roller coaster. McKenzie was a couple of inches too short, so she wasn't able to ride them. Later in the day we all rode the WILD CAT roller coaster. WOW!!! Scary stuff! It was a pretty big roller coaster, not the biggest one there, but I thought it was pretty big. Alyssa and Alexandra rode in front and McKenzie and I rode behind them. McKenzie was tall enough for this one, but I think half way through the ride she was thinking she might not want to be tall enough. She did great (me too!) but neither one of us wanted to do it again. Alyssa did though! Later on, Alyssa's last ride was the big coaster! It was too dark for me to get a good picture, but she had fun!

We also rode the Ferris Wheel. When we were up in the air, Alyssa took some pictures of the ground and some of the fair. It was pretty cool. We saw tons of places that we missed! It was pretty late in the day, but we saw a couple of things that we wanted to see.

Alexandra, McKenzie and I rode on the swings while Alyssa did the BIG COASTER!

Near the end of the day, we walked past this tent that said "Take a tour of Africa". Since Alexandra and us, just adopted children from World Vision, we thought that would be so cool to see what it would be like in Africa. When we walked in the tent, Alexandra said, "Look Mom! There are more kids to adopt!" It was a World vision tent! We got to take a "passport" and tour different "parts" of Africa. They had a different sections were they saw and did different activities. There was the Clinic, the School and work. They got to carry water from the "village" to the "clinic" to see what it would be like. It had lots of fun information and facts. The girls even got to play African instruments (that's what they are doing in the picture), and grind corn.

It was a great display. I think the girls (and I) had a great time learning and getting a first hand look at where our "kids" are. It was probably my favorite part of the whole day.

I couldn't resist this picture! McKenzie's favorite animal is an elephant. We saw this cardboard cutout and I told her to stand next to it. When I looked on my viewfinder to preview the picture, I couldn't believe it! It totally looked 3D!

All in all...the day was a fun one. We left the house around 8:30 Sunday morning and got home around 10:30 that night. It was long! It was FUN! I would do it again if we got free tickets, free rides, AND some food coupons! I would even buy the rides if we got a good discount on the food!

We shall see what happens next year! For now....it was a great time, and if I scrap it soon....we will remember it for a long time!