Busy, busy, busy!

Ok, so it's been a year (almost) since I last posted.  I think blogs are becoming a very outdated thing.  I've always been socially late in everything!  Everyone is facebooking, but I just don't have time.  There's not enough time in the day to make comments on moment-to-moment stuff.  By the time the family is fed, house is cleaned (or close enough!) and everyone else's needs are taken care of there isn't a moment to spare in my day.  How do you juggle your social media and your life?  I'd love to hear from you.

Our big news is that we moved this summer!!  We needed more space and Ruston wanted to be closer to work.  We now live on a nice, quiet street in town which means we can walk everywhere!  School, office, library, bank, store, you name it!  The house is pretty big, so there's lots of room to spread out our stuff.  My cookbooks have come out of the storage unit (after four dusty years) and are displayed in the kitchen.  Ruston's beautiful chinese artwork is displayed through out the house too.  We miss grandma and grandpa, but are so happy to be on our own.  Our new address is 810 Reece Ave. Nyssa, OR 97913.  If you didn't get a card that says "we moved" then I don't have your address.  Reply to this post with your address (I won't publish it) and then you can be sure to get a christmas card from us.

But in other news, Elli has started 1st grade at Nyssa.  She loves it.  She knew a bunch of kids in her class from church so she has instant friends.  She is learning subtraction and about the human body.  She is also happily waiting for the classroom guinea pigs to have their babies.  Big news for 1st grade!

Addison is in preschool here in Nyssa.  She has two wonderful teachers that she adores and is learning letters and even wrote her own christmas wishlist today.  It's not entirely readable, but in her own 4 yr old way - it's perfect!  She is still crazy about princesses and hippos.  We aren't sure how the hippo thing got started, but this year for christmas she wants a whole family of plush hippos.  Could be worse I guess!!

Cami will be 2 next month.  She is trying out a few new words, but still doesn't say a whole lot.  She loves her sisters and her baby doll.  She loves to color (sometimes on the couch) and hates having her teeth brushed.  She is a ham in front of a camera and will often be found singing "twinkle twinkle" at the top of her lungs through the aisles of walmart.  It's classic!

On a side note...what do you get the two year old girl with two older sisters for a birthday or christmas?  She has enough toys, dolls, clothes, hair bows and "stuff" to fill a semi.  She doesn't even know what a birthday is.  Does she really need more?  We did a charity birthday last year and donated the money we would've spent on gifts to the JDRF.  We could probably do that again, but I thought I should get her something.  I need ideas of consumable (not necessarily edible - just something that can be used up) stuff that a toddler would enjoy.  What do your kids like?

Ruston is incredibly busy these days.  He is still working at his own office in Nyssa and has recently added Braces to his list of services offered.  This has been a huge boom to business.  He is actually in California this weekend (and 6 more times over the coming year) to learn how to do it.  It's a big investment in both time and money, but it will be worth it in the end.  He also works at the State prison still and teaches sunday school when he is in town.  He recently returned from an unsuccesful moose hunt in canada this past week with his dad.  He says he had a good time, but decided that it was basically a really expensive camping trip.

My life is pretty much the same as usual.  Being a mom is the greatest job ever.  Some days the pay isn't enough, but then I see my girls playing nicely together or hear them loving my dinner and it's all worth it.  My prayers are petitioning for our family to grow, with no success yet, but hopefully by Christmas we'll have news.

This summer has been filled with vacations and it's nice to finally be settled down again.  The family went to the Oregon Coast and Bend.  We went cabin-camping at Unity State Park with grandma and grandpa.  Ruston and I went on an anniversary weekend to McCall, ID and then on another vacation to Yosemite Nat'l Park in September.  Both were amazing trips - without kids!

Oh, other great news is that my parents are moving out this way from Portland, OR!!  They are working on getting a house just outside of Nyssa with some property.  It will be great to have everyone close for the holidays.  No more traveling at Thanksgiving/Christmas for us!  We've done it too many years in a row.  It's too hard.  I'm looking forward to spending some time at home.

I'm planning an awesome Halloween party this year too.  I'm thinking the Sat. just before Halloween.  I'll post pictures afterward. It should be great.  The kids are having a blast decorating the house with me.

Hope things are well for you and yours!  Comment if you want.  I'll try to be better about writing on the blog...in my free time (haha)!

Love, Alesha