November 2012 in a nutshell!

So since my last blog post was pretty lame, I will make up for it today. November was a busy month. Full of Pow-wows, grades, road trips and family. 

I will first start off with Zachary. Every year the first grade classes put on a Thanksgiving Pow-Wow. They make headbands and sing songs. 

Here he is doing the "Snake Dance." 

(he's in the green!)

The little Indian! I love how he chose green and yellow for his feathers!

*******

Next came our road trip to Oregon. We got into town on Wednesday, and had Thanksgiving at the grandparents. Then we headed to Grants Pass to my mom's. 

On our way to Grants Pass, we stopped at the hospital to visit Grandpa Rod and Grandma Vickie. Grandpa Rod had surgery, and they weren't going to be able to come for Thanksgiving. So we made a stop to say hello. 

On Game Day, Travis and I went to Tap Rock for lunch. Travis had never been and Alex was working that day so we made plans to go. Alex (my little, taller brother!) Is the head guy in the kitchen! So after he made our lunch (which was delicious!) He came up to say hi!

Brooklynn and Brynley got a long great. However neither one of them would sit still long enough for a picture! Brooklyn is 6 months 18 days younger than Brynley and they are the same size! Brooklyn is a little taller but they weigh the same!!

Here is my mom with 5 of her grand kids! My brother and his wife had a baby on the 24th up in Seattle while we were at my mom's. Penelope Zara Naranjo. 

Now there are (in age order) Devick-9 1/2, Madison 8 1/2, Zachary 6 1/2, Brynley 22 months, Brooklyn 18 months, and Penelope 5 days old!

*****

NOW FOR THE BEST PART OF ALL!!!!

HEATHER!!! 

We have been best friends since we were 15! We are never in the same state at the same time! EVER! She came over and we hung out and talked for a while and made future plans to see each other! It had been about 7 years since we had seen each other! It was so fun to catch up. We email about once a week and send pictures. But it's always better when you can visit face to face!

Thanks to all our family for a great Thanksgiving weekend!

Blah...........

Well not a whole lot has been going on around here. Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is next week than Christmas. Has anyone else felt that the next 1 1/2 will go by way too fast? 

Anyway, I snapped this picture last week. It was pretty cute. Madison and Zach and been scared of the vacuum for a very long time. It probably doesn't help that Travis and I try to "suck" them up! I know awesome parents right here! 

In the past Brynley will cry when you turn it on if you are not holding her. So yes I hold her when I vacuum. Only until she calms down, then she is okay. So when Travis was vacuuming he convinced her it was fun and she wanted to help. 

Well that's all for now. Sorry it's short and lame. 

Bye

A Few Days Late...

Well I remembered yesterday that I didn't post Halloween pictures, and events. So I guess today is as good as any! 

We went to our Trunk or Treat. 

Brynn was not into taking picture!! All she wanted was her candy!

She was the cutest little kitty!

Zachary and his buddy Emalee!

She let me put the nose and whiskers on her, then I turned her around to look and she totally freaked out! So the whiskers got messed up!

Bailey and Ryleigh came over at the end of the night!

We stopped at our friends house. They had full size!! Beth took these pictures for us. 

**********

On a side note. 4 of Madison's good friends were baptized this weekend! These 2 are in or ward. Her other friend Lauren is in the Spanish Branch and her other friend Lacey B lives in Pocatello, Id.

Madison and Andrew have been friends since they were 2!! Being friends this long is like dog years! 

Madison and Hallye have been friends since they were about 3yrs old. Same with the other girls!

It was a fun week and a special weekend to share with friends!

Pumpkins!

Well there is nothing like waiting 2 days before Halloween to carve pumpkins! Travis left for band, I put Brynley to bed. Definitely easier without little hands to "help" maybe next year we will let her join in the fun.

Our neighbor grew a bunch of pumpkins and let the kids some over and pick one so we didn't have to buy them!

This year they were more willing to gut their own pumpkins! I scrapped down the walls and they had to dig them out.

This kid is not a fan of dirty hands. I think he was making the "Are you serious" face! 

Madison avoided using her hands and opted for a spoon! She did dig in once with her hands, yelled and proclaimed how gross it was, and ran to wash her hands!

She was pretty proud of doing it by herself this year!

There was some debate on what to carve. I wasn't in the mood for elaborate designs, I wanted to be done and they needed to go to bed.

Since Brynley is a cat this year for Halloween, I turned her pumpkin into a cat! The kids kept asking me if the ears were the eyebrows! 

All lit up and ready for the porch! Zachary's little pumpkin was really thin, so the whole thing glows!! Madison said it looked like a lantern!

Tomorrow is the big day! I will post pictures probably on Thursday! The girls costumes are AWESOME! And Zach's is pretty cool too. 

Open House

The Boise Temple has been close for renovations. It had taken about a year to complete. After a Temple has been closed for renovations and before it is dedicated, there is an open house. Everyone and anyone is welcome to come and take a walking tour. You can see everything. The tour and video takes about an hour. This was the kids first time to be inside the Temple. They were so excited. Even Brynley was quite and cooperative!

Travis's older sister and her kids come to town for the weekend. So we planned a big family day, and went together to the open house. 

Since parking is limited, we had to park a few miles away and then ride a bus there and back. This was the kids favorite part by far! I just noticed that Brynn is sticking her tongue out!

Our family along with Nicole and Shannon's families.

Our Forever Family!

Since we were not allowed to take pictures inside, here are a few that were posted at  

mormontemples.org

This is the new entry desk. The stain glass is beautiful!

This is the Baptismal Font. The kids liked this room the best!

This is a Sealing Room where couples are sealed or married for time and all eternity. 

This was a wonderful experience for our family and friends. If you live in the area and haven't been, be sure to go!!! Click on the link above to learn more!

Siblings Separated at Birth!

***CAUTION LOT'S OF PICTURES......AND CUTE KIDS!***

This past weekend we headed to Utah! Our good friends moved down there a few years ago. Our kids are just older than their kids. 

While Travis and I took Madison to General Conference (Saturday afternoon, see post below!), Kristen and Robert watch Brynley and Zach for us. they went to the park and made Halloween cookies. Madison was excited to help frost them when we got back!

All lined up and ready to frost! Brynley was at the table behind the kids!

Brynley and Courtney were given a cookie and a knife with frosting. They both chose to eat the frosting and not actually put it on the cookie!

Brynley and Courtney enjoying milk with their cookies!

I bought the girls matching Halloween shirts and made matching bows! 

These two would not sit still long enough for us to take a picture. They are only 2 weeks apart (Brynn being older). They played like they see each other every week and not once a year!

On Sunday morning of Conference, Kristen gave each of the kids a packet of activities. They were playing bingo with skittles! Gotta love the pj's and bed head!

This is what the little girls did most of the time. They both loaded up their strollers with their blankets and "babies" and pushed them around the house!

As we were loading up the car, these two kept themselves busy playing in the van! This is Courtney's "cheese" face!!

The boys were hiding from the girls!

These two had so much fun together! Madison and Carly have been friends since before Zach and Brandon were born! They are so much a like it's scary! Madison is 6 1//2 months older than Carly.

Again, another set of twins! I called them brothers from another mother! Zach and Brandon have been buddies since they were 1!!! They are now both 6. Zach is 2 months older than Brandon. 

Sadly it was time to go and these 6 were sad for that time to come. This has become a annual tradition. Either we go there or they come here! We all have so much fun together, even the adults. Travis and Robert play flag football, and watch a Duck game every time we visit!! Thanks again Kristen, Robert, Carly, Brandon and Courtney!! We had a blast! Let's not wait a whole year next time!

6 weeks are finally over!

For the past 6 weeks Travis has been at POST for training. He was able to come home every night, most people had to stay there on campus in the dorms! The days were long and the food was horrible! He left the house every day just after 5 am! And most nights he would come home exhausted and go to bed by 9p or earlier!

He was elected class president (voted by the class), and had the privilege of speaking at graduation. He was ranked 4th in the class, which was a total combined from everything they did and was tested on. 

The President giving his speech! He did really well. 

Here they are being sworn in, repeating the Peace Officer Oath by the judge.

All lined up and ready to receive their certificates. 

All DONE!! He was glad to be done! There were 9 in his class. 8 guys and only one girl! He made some lasting friendships, and great memories. 

We are all gad that he is done. His first week back will be very busy then we will get back on a regular schedule.