when we wern't dancing....

We were at the park this weekend. 3 differnt times to be exact. ( but what else do you do when it is over 80 in March.) The boys have been having a great time developing a love for skateboarding. It was a little scary for me at first, but my confidence is growing in their ability. Here are a few pictures of the boys "ripping it up"

you make me wanna dance

This weekend we went to the mother/son and father/daughter dances at school.Michael and I went on Friday and Pete and Allie went on Saturday. Our school goes all out to make this a really fun time with your kids. It was Hawaiin theme this year, and the decorations were better than my highschool prom! We had a live dj and had a great time "getting down" with the kids. This was Michael and Allie's last year to attend(that was sad). So friday, Michael and I joined his friends for dinner first, and then danced it up. Allie and Pete went to Red Robin first and then the dance. Mostly it was great fun for us to see how uninhibited our kids are at having fun.

Everyone is healthy

Just wanted to thank any of you who prayed for us last week! We are all healthy! Pete managed to escape the plague, which must be the Lord's protection! The kids are back in school, and I am a little burried in"catch up". But that's ok! Wanted to share a picture of my dad, from a dinner a few weeks ago. Please keep him in your prayers! Have a good, HEALTHY week everyone!

Look away if your grossed out!

The boys finished the steroids, it had been doing a great job of fading out the poison oak, and then when they finished the dose,,,,BANG! the stuff is showing up again, in new places that a mommy cannot even talk about! Please pray for Michael and Alex, they are tired, tired of being sick, tired of itching and burning and plain fed up.

I have spent the last few days on the couch grounded with that awful virus that hit us last week. It takes a lot for me to ignore dishes and lay down, and it was all I could do to not cry all day sunday from aching so bad. I don't think I have had a fever like that since childhood. When I went to the doctors yesterday( to make sure it wasn't strepp or something) I had a fever of 103...weird for me.

All that to say,,,I am going to try to blog some GOOD things this week. So keep praying for us, especially the boys. but here is something good...The kids are going back to school tomorrow! SO here's to a better week!

poison oak continues, and the virus hits Allie

And we are STILL the sick house. Allie has been added to the list. She has had a high fever for 2 days now. Michael and Alex's fevers still continue going into day 5 for Alex and day 4 for Michael. This virus is the talk of the town, hitting adults and kids. Our school had over 1/4 of its kids gone this week, and some classes had only 5-6 kids in them(out of 25). In addition to the virus, the poison oak is healing on Alex and getting worse for Michael, although this morning, he doesn't have any new spots, so maybe he has gone through the worst already. We watched Fiddler on the Roof this morning, and I have Sound of Music for later. Normally, I could never get my boys to sit down and watch musicals or classics, so I am taking advantage of their sickly state, to show them some "good old movies". It is still raining outside, so atleast they are not missing any action. I am ready to go on a VACATION!!!

The worst was not over!!!

Yes, the doctor said the worst was over, but no, he was wrong. The boys have gotten more and more blistery spots over the last 24 hours. What is so weird is how it can take so long for it to show up, but after more googling this morning, my research matches what the doctor said, which is that days 8-12 are usually the worst. So come on steroids do your thing, cuz these boys are MISERABLE. Itchy and burning! and I am bored of being home! Michael let me take his picture today, so you can have some symapthy for him too. :):):)

My Sick Babies

Alex is really sick. He has a 103 fever and Poison Oak all over,,,,did I say ALL OVER! So after 2 Dr. visits this week ( one because it looked bad, and the second, becuase it looked REALLY bad and we added Michael to the patient list.) Alex now officially has a virus, AND poison oak, and Michael has poison oak too.! Alex has horrible blister like lesions all over his arms, hands, back , stomach, and neck and lower cheek. They put him on a steroid and gave us some cream. Michael has the blisters all over his arms and hands, but he doesn't want his picture posted :) They put him on a steroid also. Luckily he didn't get it as bad, but nonethelss he is very uncomfortable . So it has been a weird week, with it getting worse for both of them over the last 3 days, but especially today. Weird stuff! I guess it can take anywhere from 1-12 days for the skin to react after being exposed. The oil goes into the skin and actually ruins the skin cells. Supposedly we are through the worse of the breakout. Please pray for comfort for the boys, and for Alex's fever to go away. As for this week, we are couch potatoes!

Alex loving baseball!

Alex will dress all up in his gear and carry his bags around, even if there is no one to throw him a ball. SOOOOOO, I am learning how to throw a baseball, but not quite hard enough for his liking. He does LOVE baseball!

Junior High Here we come!

Michael and Allie received their letter today, stating their acceptance into University Prepatory School for the fall! They were so excited, and we are too! We have an open house in March that will explain things a little more, but as Michael announced tonight... I'm on my way to junior high! I told him, he has to let me enjoy the last months of the school year without reminding me of what is to come! Yeah Michael and Allie! and yikes, I remember junior high!

Puppy Love

Look at our little Rylin, she loves Puppys!

February, or May???

We have enjoyed almost 7 weeks without rain, which is good and bad. But nonetheless, the kids are enjoying being able to play outside everyday. Yesterday, during the superbowl, it reached 75. Weird! The skies have been beautiful! Here are some pics for you to enjoy

My finally own chocolate chip cookie recipe...

For years, I have despised needing to use recipies, they are confining, and there is no freedom. for years, I have used other people's cookie recipies , while making many attempts to come up with my own. But they were never quite right. too flat, too puffy, not sweet enough. Well, I think I finally perfected one that has won favor in my house.....so let me know what you think....and remember there have been hundreds of cookie batches made over 10 years to get it! But even if there were several failed attempts, how bad can a cookie be?
Happy Eating! and here's to choc chip cookies!

Bre's finally good choc chip cookies

2 cubes room temp. butter ( now this is the key, so no substitutes)
1 Cup Brown sugar
3/4 Cup white sugar
Cream with a blender, until it is soft and fluffy,
add 2 Eggs
Blend again for a few minutes until really fluffy!
Add 1 Tbl of Vanilla coffee creamer, or real vanilla if you don't have the creamer
3 Cups of flour
1tsp salt
1 1/2 bak soda
dash of nutmeg
mix together and add 1 bag of choc chips
Use a icecream scoop to make big rounded heaps and drop onto a cookie sheet or stone
cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, or golden brown
Enjoy!

shorts and basketball

It is January and my kids are wearing shorts still. This is great! We have had a BEAUTIFUL winter with most temps in the 50's and 60's and bright beautfiul blue sunshine days, But this week it has been around or over 70. It is so nice to open up the house and get a little "spring fever". Besides that, we have gone back to school and started back with basketball. The twins had awesome games today. They raked in quite a cheering section today with my sister Jenny, her girls and michael's friend Taylor. Alex screamed so loud he even embarassed himself a little. So not too much happening here. Please keep praying for my dad, he is coming up to watch the kids games next week, which is a sacrifice, considering how painful it will be for him to sit in a folding chair, but pray for pain relief for him and for him to know the peace and joy of God right now. Have a good January! Bre

Haaaaappy New Year!

We spent New Years Eve up at Mt Shasta last night. They had a live band, and a torch light parade that came down the mountain. It was fun, cold and the first time that Pete and I rang in the new year in a car. We left the mountain at about 11:30 and made it home about 20 minutes after 12. We ran into our neighbors and some good friends while we were up there. Despite all the crashes everyone is still walking today. We hope you all, Have a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas to all

It has been a full, very fun weekend, starting off saturday with Pete and I's first ever, all grown up Christmas party. We had so much FUN with all of our friends, dressing up, visiting, and playing games. We are truely blessed with some amazing friendships. We shared some fun family times going to dinner on Christmas Eve, meeting Kaitlin's roommates, opening gifts, going to church and finishing it off with a trip to Bunny Flat, to go sledding this afternoonn. Pete and I can't believe how much Christmas has evolved for our family over the last few years, and especially this one. The kids are still excited and they get crazy in the mornings, but despite the fact that we are sad that there arn't toys to put together any more, it is so cool to be able to talk about Jesus and have them begin to comprehend what He did by coming. Even some of Allie's observations about Mary, made me wonder about things I hadn't before. I do miss the lego directions though. Anyways, that 's all for now, so, " Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

fun in the snow Christmas afternoon

Christmas morning

In our jammies

In our new jammies and all ready for bed

the five of us