About Me

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Our adventures started in amazing Alaska, but have since taken us to beautiful Spokane Valley, Washington. Our family consists of Nick (Dad), Becki (Mom), and our four boys: Alvin, Alex, Rilie, and Jackson. I enjoy homeschooling our kids and we're excited for what adventures Spokane has for us.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Merry Christmas!

Being away from family, and the hub-bub that we are used to, was challenging this year. We miss loud parties that happen just because you all decided to crash at each other's homes. We miss cousins running around and grown-ups trying to talk over them. We miss "experimenting" with someone's new recipe and telling the kids how awful it is, so we can eat more. We miss those crazy times! We miss all of you!

Even still, we did enjoy creating new memories. We spent this month doing new activities: viewing Christmas lights, meeting Santa Clause on his North Pole ferry, getting to know Great Grandparents better, learning magic tricks with Alvin, sowing with Alex, reading a Christmas Carol (original version), drinking fresh cider, teaching Rilie songs, and decorating a neighbors door (only to find out they moved the week before, but hey! it was a good effort!).

Here are some fun pictures of the excitement!

Christmas Breakfast with our ward. 

Alvin & Alex were shepherd in the nativity play.





Alex sowing a puppy.


Look at his stitching!


 Alvin has made many snowman and forts.  
The snow is wet and packs well.

Jackson enjoying the rattles Grandma Joel'lene knitted. 

Christmas bows are fun too... they crinkle! 

Soft blocks from Aunt Sam and Aunt Andrea. 

Beautiful bracelet from Joel'lene.

Doesn't this picture make my arm look freakishly long... and broken? 

 Christmas hats!

Santa brought Rilie a 24 inch T-Rex!

We have all sorts of fun with it!

Sweet Alex!

Alvin took this pictures. He's getting better!

Alvin show casing my new stroller, Graco Sit and Stand. 
It has a seat for Rilie to sit or stand on in the back. 

Jackson's car seat clicks into the front. 

Jackson enjoys oranges.



Beautiful quilt Joel'lene made. 
It's missing something...
  
THE BABY!  



Eagle Cruise
 Great Grandparents Welsh wanted to take the boys on an eagle cruise. They gave patches to those in Cub Scout uniform. Great Grandpa Welsh has two large blankets hanging with patches all over them!

Great Grandpa Welsh teaching how to play an electronic fishing game, while we wait int he port. 

Great Grandma Welsh, Nick, and Rilie. 

Thumb War!

Future Cub Scout.

Tired daddy... early morning!
Rilie enjoyed running around, but was very upset he couldn't jump into the lake.

Where are the eagles?

Beautiful Coeur D'Alene. Northern Idaho is so pretty!



SQUIRREL!


An eagle!

Two more... there were lots... but this is my favorite picture.


Friday, December 14, 2012

Cub Scouts & Holiday Fun

I wish blogger would let me upload pictures! 

Cub Scouts

Cub Scouts is going great. They have a robust program here, and I get overwhelmed keeping up with it. Between the Bears and Wolves, we have 9 cub scouts in our den. They are an awesome group.

So far, Alvin just finished his Bobcat badge and ALMOST his Wolf badge, 
along with a gold and silver arrow point.

Together, we've made an emergency phone lists, paper airplane collection, 
a kite from a paper bag, gone on field trips, and more. 

Alex has enjoyed this as well. Alex really likes the emergency phone list. Whenever I need to call Nick, he runs to the kitchen and reads me his number faster than I can look it up in the phone. 

Holiday Fun

We've enjoyed baking (Joel'lene's brownies, at least weekly); buying and wrapping gifts (this is the first year the boys have made/bought gifts for others); and time with friends and family. 

The boys have been so blessed with so many presents in past years; this year, we've decided to focus our budget toward holiday activities. Don't worry, they still have a tree stuffed with gifts from family (and us)... but instead of adding even more tangible gifts, we thought it would be more fun to do activities that aren't typically in the budget. 

Neighborhood Light Tour - Tonight, we drove around looking at many decorated homes. It was a lot of fun! I'm amazed at how festive our neighborhood is. People have life size cut outs of the Nativity, Santa, reindeer, and blow ups of other characters: Snoopy, Abominable Snowman, Frosty, etc. We even found a home where the lights are choreographed to music broadcasted on a radio channel. That was the boys favorite. 

Ferry to the North Pole - This is something we're really looking forward to. In Coeur D'Alene, they have a ferry ride with festivities, including Mister and Misses Claus. It floats around the beautiful lake, where locals have decorated their homes, businesses, etc. in Christmas splendor. There are estimated 1.5 million Christmas lights. We stop at Santa's workshop, where there are gifts for all the children on the "nice list". 

Down Town Carriage Ride - This is actually FREE! During certain times on certain days rides are free. The horses are decorated in Christmas best and children receive a free candy cane. 

Santa's Workshop - Yes there will be two stops to separate ones. There is a Santa's Workshop for children. All gifts are $0.50 - $8 (only for children 12 years old and younger). An "elf" will help the children pick out that special gift for someone on their list. 

A Green Bluff Christmas - My favorite farmer's market. Different farms have Christmas tree "orchards", hot cider, hay rides, fresh pies, roasted chestnuts... I could go on... 

While I am excited for these new adventures, it will be a different Christmas away from family... I miss the regular get-together with aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. 






Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Making Cookies and Cowboy

Blogger is being buggy for me... these were the only pictures I could get up.


Making cookies together. 
He thought it was great to blow into the cup and have it puff the flour everywhere. 



Cowboy
He loves Toy Story and is excited to dress up as Woody. 
My mom hand sowed the vest. 



Hopefully, I can get more pictures up of our other children.