HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Hope you all had a fun Halloween! We did! Just some fun shots of the kids:

Daddy, making the "bedhead girl" look just right.

Here they are: Batboy, a cute little witch, Genie, and Bedhead

We are lucky to have a nice neighborhood right here to just walk around "the loop" and get all the treats we need, (and more):)

Sunday ramblings

Sorry, no pictures to post, but since it has been 2 weeks since the last one, I figured it was time to get you some new information. We are hanging in there, actually doing very well. We are very blessed to have the family we have, and the talents, and just everything we have. We're staying busy of course, and it is good for us. We aren't bored, and who wants to be bored?! EMT classes are going well... it is challenging, a lot of information in 8 hours a week, but Barant and I are both enjoying it thoroughly. We are excited to get to do some "ride alongs", where we will awaken to what it is really like. Those dummies we work on don't do any talking, and are just pretty dull. School is good for all of us, the kids all had good report cards, and great comments at parent/teacher conference. I really am grateful that I have good kids. They aren't perfect of course, but they're great! The fact that their teachers rave about their behavior says a lot. I am so glad they do know what respect is, and show it! So many just don't think it's important these days! Can you believe Logan is the one with the most complaints about talking during class?! I almost thought it was funny!! He apparently is a very social boy, who loves to talk and play around, even when the teacher is talking! Needless to say, we have talked about this and expect to see improvement from now on. Well, until next week, hopefully, take care!

"Survivor Hasek!!"

Well, we love camping, and we are trying to "be prepared" in these days of tragedy, disasters, and just never knowing what could happen next, so we decided to have a fake "emergency" on Saturday. It was very interesting, enjoyable, and we learned a TON! We have had our emergency backpacks ready for a while, the kids loved getting them ready! They have even said, "I wish an emergency would happen, so we could eat the stuff in our backpacks!" So, my clever husband planned an "emergency". We grabbed our packs, and left. We had great discussion the whole way, about different situations that could happen, and about choosing to be happy about this trip, instead of choosing to grumble. Anyway, here is some of what went on:

Yes, pretty much all of the kids were put out on the trek through the field to get to a "safe" place to stay. We walked maybe 1/2 a mile and it was like torture! Lesson #1: get more exercise!!!

And here is what we had to do next:

Make a shelter for us to stay warm in! It actually brought on smiles because the kids love to build and create! We all worked together, and are so thankful for Daddy's Scout brain!!

It came together nicely. It fit all of us, and was pretty fun for the kids to call home. Oh yeah, ignore the big white thing in the background. It isn't really there. We had to keep telling the kids that the whole time, we really wanted to just use what we had in our backpacks, to see just how prepared we were. We actually did very well. We gave in to the camper for a hot pad, (hadn't thought of that), and for a sleeping bag for Mom when she could not sleep at all in that crazy hut that night!!! Lesson #2: those funky silver emergency blankets that are so compact and easy to bring along are exactly like sleeping inside a potato chip bag! Seriously. Yes, they kept us warm, but holy cow, there was no rest for me with all the chips moving around in the sack!

Here is Logan's fire, he really made it, with supervision by Mom.

Of course Cassi and Alli ended up in the tree. They are part monkey, what do you expect?

Lesson #3: Jolly Ranchers get very soft in 6 months time.

Lesson #4: Generic Ritz crackers can be stale right out of the unopened package! (next time I'm getting the real thing)

All in all, we had a great time. I am so glad we could practice, and hope that every time we use our fun emergency backpacks, it's just for practice. We all decided we'd like to camp again soon, this is great weather for it, but next time we are looking forward to Dad's Gourmet Dutch oven cooking! We'll let ya know when we get to!!

Happy Birthday Barant

Another good year gone by! We can barely keep track of the blessings we receive! This was Barant's request for his cake, "Earthquake cake", YUM!
My buddy and I had a wonderful morning together a couple weeks ago. I took Logan to the dentist, where he did a great job opening his mouth showing his pearly whites! We could not simply drive past the park in Hamilton, it is a fun one, and it was quite enjoyable just Mom and Logan. He loves the tractor!! He has also gotten to ride with Grandpa Kevin on a real one, well in his combine this last week. He would be a great farmer, don't ya think?

Where do the days go?

This is Tank's "best friend", Cody. She is a Chocolate Lab who lives just 3 blocks away, so we get to see her often, and when they're lucky, we let them play! They play so great together, it is really fun to watch. We have to be sure we are in front of a large ofject, like a car, so that they won't crash into us, because they are so into each other, they don't even notice anyone else around! They are exactly the same age, which I think explains why they get along so great.

Here is a beautiful drawing that Alli drew in the classroom after school, while waiting for me to finish up for the day. School is going great for all of us! It is really amazing the way the time flies. The weeks just keep passing by so quickly, the kids brought midterm grades home today, they are pretty good, we are pleased. I am still enjoying my job there, especially seeing my own cute kids each day! I really love that part.
The 5th and 6th graders put on a play for all of us about Frances Scott Key and the making of the "Star Spangled Banner". They did great. Here is Kaylee, (in pink) with her best bud Jackalyn. They portrayed the women who worked hard sewing the first flag. (Uh, I'm pretty sure they never let the real flag touch the ground though!)

Well, as far as other activities going on here, there are few, but we seem to keep quite busy! Last week, there wasn't a single day when we came home from school and stayed here! Hilary and Zackary visited on Tuesday and Wednesday, which was awesome! Zackary is even more adorable, I can't believe I didn't snap a picture of him! He has grown so much! My new eyes are doing great, I highly recommend the Lasik procedure, the longer it has been, the more in awe I am. I can see wonderfully, and NO CONTACTS! And better yet, NO READING GLASSES! That is just a perk, I was to the point where I had to wear reading glasses on top of my contacts, or I'd get horrible migraines. Well, would you believe, I no longer am wearing ANY type of glasses, and I have NO MORE migraines!!! It was worth it for that alone! It really is amazing. So! Have a great week or two, until then.....love you all!

Happy Labor Day

The kids got their last swim of the season in today on this beautiful Labor Day! We spent the day working and playing at my mom and dad's.
This is Logan and Alli digging for gold by Grandpa's new building. Barant was helping get electricity to it today. Next time we go, I'm sure the holes will all be filled again, they got all the wires in. Good work guys.
Here is an adorable update of Zackary! Can they slow the growth down a bit for us aunts who don't see him as much as we want?! Anyway, have a great week everyone!

Seeing in a Whole New Light!

So, I had Lasik Surgery 5 days ago! It is miraculous that I can see perfectly now, after not being able to be without my contacts for the last 18 years! I am truly amazed. It worked, although I have to admit, and possibly warn any of you who are interested in this awesome technology, it is quite uncomfortable throughout the day of surgery. Granted, the actual surgical time is maybe 10 minutes, from the time I stepped into the surgery room, till the time I stepped out, but it was very stressful for me the last couple of minutes! I believe I was at the end of my rope as they were finishing up, I just could not stand that I couldn't relieve the intense watering of my eyes! And after, it wasn't any better! I couldn't do a darn thing to comfort my poor watery eyes all afternoon! I really wondered why I had done such a horrific thing for a while, but by dinner time that night, I could open them and I could see!!! And by morning, I blinked and felt more wonderful than I can ever remember! I have absolutely no more irritation, just a little dry now and then, (no doubt because I spilt all the tears I had ever made on the day of surgery), but I have plenty of drops to alleviate that. I was really in disbelief as I awoke the next morning and felt so perfect, and could look out the window and see before reaching for my scratched up glasses! So, I recommend the procedure, just be aware that it is not all sugar-sweet. There is no pain, but highly intense discomfort! So, do it, you will be glad in the end.