Happy Birthday Miss Brynley!

Friday January 10th, 2013 

Brynley Grace turned 3!! Wow how time flies!! And because she is 3, that means that by July I will have a 10 and an 8 year old! YIKES!

Well the morning started off with fun. 

I made her favorite banana muffins the night before. She was so excited for the candle aka fire that she blew it out before the song was over!

Next for the morning after the kids went to school was to pick up our friends Natalie (3) and Kamber (Natalie's mom!) For a morning of fun at Jabber's.

The first thing they did was snag a grocery cart before they were all gone! They are a hot commodity!! 

Natalie loaded up on veggies at the farm stand!

"Hey what do you have in your cart?!" 

They eventually made it over to the climbing structure. She sat at the top and watched all the kids go down the slide. She went down once and was so scared she cried and came out, never to go back in!! We played for almost 2 hours and then headed to Costco. She was so excited to have a hot dog and "smoody!" 

Enjoying their lunch! 

A true smile!! She was so happy! What 3 year old wouldn't be happy with Costco and her best buddy! 

Since Travis had to work both Friday and Saturday evenings we waited till Sunday to celebrate with family. 

After her birthday dinner of waffles and sausage!  She opened present. 

Grandpa and Grandma McDowell sent her this cute bunny that plays a personal recorded message. She loved it! She sleeps with it and squeezes it while she falls asleep! 

She got more Legos from Auntie Nicole and family.

She got 2 more Klip Klop ponies from us and Bailey and Ry. Cinderella and Ariel!! Now there is enough for everyone (the 3 girls) to play without fighting over ponies!

And a cute baby alive baby that wiggles her feet. 

"Thank You Ry!" 

The Klip Klop Ponies did not get in the picture because they were being played with!!

Sharing her new colors and paper with Ry!

About a week before her birthday we asked her what kind of cake she wanted. She said a purple cake with purple frosting and sprinkles! And that's what she got! This is us singing to her

It was hilarious to watch her blow out the candles. 

Finally daddy helped!

Enjoying the purple cake and pink ice cream!!

She had a really fun weekend. We think that since she turned 3 the sassy factor has gone up but she is still as cute and fun as ever!! 

Happy Birthday B-Boo!

Merry Christmas 2013

Well we hope everyone had a great Christmas and is gearing up for the new year. We were pretty low key this year. We started a Christmas Eve tradition a few years back (something like 5/6 years). Our good friends the Ratnayake's and us if we are all in town, head to McDonald's or something to the effect. This year it was the new Burger King. We eat and talk and let the kids play. 

The guys! Raja moved at the last second and made it ook like he was afraid of Travis. In reality they are good friends!

Madison and Andrew (both 9) have been friends for almost 7 years!!! Zachary and Natalia are pretty good friends too. 

After dinner we headed over to Shannon's for the traditional night before Christmas activities!!

We gave the kids new Christmas pj's, and played the night before Christmas gift exchange (a tradition for the McDowell familiy!)

The cousin picture! All looking at a camera and all somewhat smiling! 

Then we went home and got ready for Santa!

Carrots for the reindeer, milk, egg nog and cookies for Santa! These are cute little mug mats that my grandma sent. They will be added to our Christmas traditions!

The kids slept well all in one room (also a McDowell family tradition!). I forgot to get a picture. Madison and Zach were up talking at 6:30a and then Brynley woke up around 7a. We told them that they couldn't get us till 7:30a!  

Madison got a 4th generation iPod touch! 

Zach got a Wii and a bunch of games!

Brynley got the Little People Klip Klop Princess Pony Stable. It came with 2 princesses. And for her birthday in 2 weeks she is getting more!

We had a pretty fun and relaxed morning. After all the unwrapping was done, I made a large brunch/lunch. The missionaries serving in our ward came over and ate with us. We also put together stockings for them. 

Then Shannon and her family came over for dinner. Yummy ham and all the fixings. We then all took turns playing the Wii. 

Travis and Madison boxing. 

I just love this picture. Zach got legos for Brynn. And while he was putting his set together, she had to play too!! She got the hat from Grandma and Grandpa McDowell and wore it all day!!

Well I hope everyone had a great Christmas. 

Fall 2013

Before I post Halloween pictures, I forgot to post about an event that Madison did a few weeks ago and her field trip to Celebration park. 

The Old Carnegie Library was 100 years old. So they did a celebration. There was a program, cake, and a tour of the old library. 

Madison was in a childrens choir. It was 3-5 grade kids from 3 elementary schools. There were about 100 kids. They learned their song during regular music time, but not all kids were asked to participate. She got a free t-shirt and had a good time. 

She is in there somewhere! I didn't make it to the front for a picture. There were a ton of people there. 

Enjoying her cake! We also took a tour of the old library. It was crowded and stinky! But the kids had fun so that's all that matters right!

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The next day we went on the 4th grade field trip to Celebration Park. It took forever to get there and I kind of got bus sick!

The first thing we did was go on a hike up the the bridge. 

We had a quirky guide. She was kind of odd, and told funny jokes. 

This is the view as we were walking along the river. 

The guide would stop ever so often and explain different parts of the bridge. It's supposed to be haunted so the kids enjoyed hearing that story!

Madison and her best friend Kennedy on the bridge. 

After the bridge we had lunch then to an interpretive center/classroom. 

Then they learned about rock carvings.

It was a lot of walking around on rock and looking at rocks, and talking about rocks!

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Now on to Halloween!

We did the trunk or treat up at the church and were done in about 30 minutes. Then we went to our usual friends houses and one street that has a scary house!

Madison as a "Dia de los Muertos" candy skull. I made the veil, and did her face paint. 

Zach was a NCIS Jr. Agent. A few days before halloween he won a costume contest for most original costume.  He was really excited! 

Brynley was a princess. This year she actually understood trick or treating! It was pretty fun. She is crying here because she didn't want to stop and have her picture taken!

Done with the first house!

Madison was helping Brynley up to the next house!

It was Brenda Shuey's house! Quote, "Here don't take the crappy candy, you can have the good stuff!" 

The next house was the Larson's. They also gave us the "good stuff!"

The last is a video of Brynley. After she would get candy from one house. She would run to the next and yell, "More treats!" She was so funny!

The great pumpkin carving of 2013

This past weekend we carved pumpkins. We each had one this year. We just usually let the kids do it, but this year we got all of our pumpkins free! So why not!

Let the carving begin! Travis started on Zachary's first.

Madison started.........

And this was her reaction! Hilarious! She has never been a fan. But this year she did it all!

This apparently was his favorite part!

Zach chose a cyclopes with toothpick teeth!!

The one on the left is Madison's, it's a headless guy. Mine is the other one. 

Travis attempted an Oregon 'O' not bad for a first attempt!

Brynley chose a kitty! She was very proud of it and kept meowing at it!

It was a pretty fun afternoon that ended with Oregon beating UCLA!

More costume pictures to come.  

End of Summer into Fall = blog lazy!

Well now that summer is officially over, and we are 7 ish weeks into school. I thought I should post something about the goings on in the family!!

Madison did a symbols of Idaho project at school a few weeks ago. And she chose a Peregrine Falcon. 

For a while, and she probably still is obsessed with these birds! They are pretty cool, and have some cool features! We used a Dr. Pepper bottle! She traced and cut out all the feathers. I glued the beak and head so it would be ready to paint when she got home. I was simply the glue gun operator! She decided the pattern of the feathers by looking at a picture we found on Google! We got the grade back last week and surprise, A+ 100% 

moving on.......

We took the kids to their first drive in movie! We have lived here 7 1/2 years and have never been. So I found a great coupon and the kids were so excited! The movies were "Disney's Planes," and "White House Down." We only stayed for the first one because Madison and Zach would have never fallen asleep! Brynley did great! 

And....................

Brynley and I went to Linder Farms with a group of moms and kids. It was sooooo cold. It was like 50 but the wind chill had to have been 30! She is wearing 3 layers in this picture with my gloves on!!

While we were waiting for our hay ride. The kids got to play in the corn box!! She loved it! It was probably 3 ft deep of dried corn kernels!

She had a hard time finding the perfect pumpkin! First she chose this little one. Then she decided on this one...

A little bigger but just as cute to her! She kept saying how cute the "cupins" were and how she loved her "cupin!" We have tried correcting the "cupin" but she insists on calling them that! Too cute!

We had a fun time and were happy to get back in the warm car!!

Happy Fall!