Birthday Week Continued!

So to start off here are a couple of cute pictures of the kids. Bens sure does love to be with his sister and help her. Sometimes he wants to help a little too much but I think his intentions are good!

Kimber found her mouth last week but when I got the camera going she stopped making raspberries. When the camera was off she started again and I tried again... of course she stopped!

So Daniel's birthday was this weekend. We had a good celebration here. He had a nice lazy morning didn't get out of bed until 11! Soon after we went to McMinnville to partake in the wonder called Donkey Basketball. It was pretty funny as people tried to control their donkeys as they played basketball. Some had a difficult time getting onto their donkey's and staying on which made it quite humorous to watch. I don't think we will need to watch it again unless we know somebody that will be playing.

Before we left for the basketball game I let Bens play in the sink. I stripped him down and then put a picnic tablecloth under him to catch any water. He had a great time. By the end he had the strainer on the counter to the right and was filling it up with water with the measuring cup he is holding in the video. I was not impressed and had to clean it all up. I thought I had covered all my bases but of course Bens found a way to out smart me!


Bens fell asleep on our way to McMinnville. I just love his pouty lip!

Before we went to watch the basketball we went to my Aunt and Uncles house. Bens was our entertainment as he walked, ran and bounced in his special 'boots'.


He was pretty cute walking around in these!

After the basketball game (sorry no pictures!) we went out to eat at a buffet with my Aunt and Uncle. Boy did we take our time! We got there at 5 left at about 6:30. I then told Daniel that I needed to feed Kimber before we drove the 20 minutes home! I took a good 20 minutes to feed her and then insisted that we get gas as 'I had a feeling we were going to need it' on Sunday.

When we got home I kept asking Daniel to help me and wait for me but he opened the door to the house as I got to the sidewalk and heard 'surprise' from inside. I have been planning on doing a surprise party for Daniel since last year! I almost pulled it off. I guess he kinda figured it out about a week ago but Saturday morning I guess I said something that threw him off. I think he had a good birthday!

His cakes that I made. Oh I was sneaky... I asked Daniel what his favorite ice cream was besides Chocolate Mint was a few days before his birthday. I bought some Strawberry ice cream and Chocolate Mint and went to Bethany's (thanks for all your help Bethany!) and made him some ice cream cakes for his birthday. Next time I think I will use smaller pans but it turned out pretty good despite not being able to get the crust out when we served it. That just left more for Daniel and I to enjoy this week!

Here are a few of the guests that stuck around a little while. Thanks everybody for making Daniel's birthday a success! Daniel has told me that I did a really good job keeping the surprise a secret. He got tipped off by not being able to go into my email but other than that I gave no clues!

PS can you tell I have been enjoying my camera? oh and Mom... in the birthday song video I am wearing my new sweater I bought for my birthday.

Birthday Time of the Year!

As today is Remembrance Day and Veteran's Day here in the States Daniel's school held a service to honor those in the military. Last week an email was sent out asking for volunteers to sing the national anthem. I volunteered (thinking after that I sure hoped it was the Canadian.. it was) and Daniel spoke. It was a nice and simple gathering. It was nice to take the time to remember. In high school I always played in the band for the Remembrance Day ceremony and have missed being a part of one since then.

Now on to some other things going on around here! It is that time of the year in our home where there are birthdays. Last weekend was my birthday and this coming weekend is Daniel's birthday. Daniel spoiled me as per usual and so now you get to see a lot of video because of it! At midnight when it turned my birthday officially he gave me my 'big' or main present which was a video camera! I was so excited I opened it right then and charged it up so I could use it. Now you get to watch a number of videos from my birthday and the past few days!


The wonderful cake that Daniel made for me. He is kinda sad that he pulled it off though because it means I want to have one every year and possibly one for Mother's Day too!

This is Teresa getting Bens to smell the cake... so cute! He was so excited to eat the cake. The first thing said to us when we got home from dinner was 'Cake. Eat Cake!'

I got Bens to say Happy Birthday Mommy earlier in the day. This was the closest we got in the evening!

Bens wanted to help me blow out the candles but as you can imagine he got a little spit into the mixture! That is what the commotion was about!

Bens enjoyed having a new toy! He is such a cute little guy... what can I say?


Bens decided Kimber needed to wear a pair of sunglasses. She is so good to put up with her brother! She does make them look so good though!



He also loves his Popple... or his baby I guess. He takes such good care of it. I have donated a bottle to him so he can feed his baby like a daddy would!

Have a wonderful end of the week and an even better weekend! I will let you know how Daniel's birthday and Donkey Basketball were next week... yes you read that right! Should be interesting to see a bunch of people try and keep their donkey's in line while the try and play basketball!

Happy Halloween!

There are a lot of pictures and videos in this post. I will try and let them do the speaking! We had a great Halloween with a party and Trick-or-Treating!


Friday night we had some friends over for dinner a we carved pumpkins after.

This was the first time we had Bens help with the pumpkins...

He did enjoy it even though his face isn't showing it!

He is a great little helper!

While Daniel carved he had Bens picking out the pumpkin seeds so we could bake them!



Kimber was pretty upset while our friends were over but after her bath she was pretty happy!


Halloween... I love it! I let out a little of my inner angst I guess! Kimber was a monkey and me in my goth garb.


Bens was a pretty good dog! Yesterday he asked for his nose and looked in my pocket for the make up for his nose.



He was a little crazy at the ward party but he sure did have fun!

This was the bean bag toss... he enjoyed that especially after he got candy for doing it!


The best family picture we could get! Daniel was a stop light if you couldn't tell!


Our little Kimber during Trick-or-Treating.


Bens was excited for the candy but wasn't interested in walking!


The kiddies enjoying their ride.


Bens ab I on out getting treats.

We let Bens have one treat before he went to bed... he chose a kit kat.




Cute guy!


Daniel and I doing Blue Steel.

Kimber was a really happy monkey! Bens wore this costume his first Halloween (6 months old) and the costume fit them about the same! She turned 4months old last Monday!

Kimber was really happy last night but when the camera came out she stopped laughing as much. Enjoy! We hope you all had a great Halloween as well!

Diaper Cake

I was supposed to co-host a baby shower this weekend but came down with a flu during the week so I thought it was best the shower was held elsewhere! I hear it went well though and I am feeling much better now. I made the diaper cake for the shower and also made sure that everything I was supposed to do got done so here are some pictures of the cake!

Front view of the cake. The onesie coming out of the top tier is held up with some cake dowl? Not sure on that but Thanks Bethany!

Side view of the cake. There is a teething ring around the tip layer, a onesie on this side plus the rattle infront with hair bow clips around as decorations.

On this side you can see the other onesie.

Finished product all wrapped and ready to go! We put it on a regular cake stand that Bethany had at her house, pink bottom and all. If you couldn't tell it was for a beautiful baby girl!

Powell Butte

On Saturday we went for a walk with some friends on the Powell Butte hike. It was really nice. Ben and Meaghan we nice enough to take some pictures for us. I couldn't pick just one of Kimbers so here they all are!

I just love her smile! Can't get enough of it!

Here is the view of Mt Hood from the look out we walked to.

Family picture from the look out!

Thanks Meaghan for the pictures and for showing us Powell Butte!

For any that wonder.

30 years ago this oh so beautiful dress was given to my Mom as she was leaving Samoa from a dear friend. Upon landing in American Samoa my Mom sent it back with the pilot to give a late Christmas present to her friend. That is where this all began. The Dress has been passed back a forth ever since. It has shown up in an empty closet as we moved into a new house, boxes of decorations, at someone's work all wrapped up and waiting for them. It even surfaced at my wedding disguised as a gift for me. A couple of Christmas' ago my family made this picture into a puzzle and gave it to our friends... the dress soon came to grace their home. A few years after this was started my Mom shortened the dress and took some of the material from the ties and made a baby dress for a new baby. The baby dress resurfaced yesterday in a baby gift for Kimber. She also got a very cute swimsuit!

All I have to say is...

The Dress Lives On!