Oops......Sam did it Again!!!

1st place in Pie Contest----Best Over All.  Can you believe it??  I know!  If you missed a previous blog post --- he also won 1st place in the Chili Cook-off a few months back.   I tried my best but I couldn't pull it off.  I got 1st place in my "category"  which I don't even think they got me in the right category.... but whatever.  I still got a certificate.  But Sam got the glory.  :)   The thing about Sam is -- he has the most confidence of anyone I've ever met.  He never doubts himself and he frankly doesn't care what other people are doing or what they are thinking-- he does his own thing.  He had the confidence that he can win these things -- and he DOES!!! It's crazy ..... it's almost as if the judges can taste his confidence in his food and that is why they vote for it. Sam does great at everything he does, it's almost sickening :) --- kinda frustrating to be married to someone who does just about everything better than you. BUT I do not pitty myself -- I am lucky to have such an accomplished husband. :) :)

***Side note::  Sam worked most of the day of the contest so when he got home he had to throw it together super fast, then when it was almost done and time for us to go --- the outside faucet broke off of our house and water was spraying everywhere and flooding our backyard.  He had to find the water source and turn the water off, plus call someone to try to fix it (which we are still waiting on).... with all of this craziness -- he still managed to win.   That must have been some good pie. (but we wouldn't know because it was all gone before we even had a chance to try it) 

Sam and his "proud face" with his winners certificate........

me with my certificate........... by the way ---- his score was 24, my score was 23...... so close
YAY FOR SAM!!!! :)

lucky preschoolers....

Gwen just finished her 1st year of preschool.  We feel so luck that both Gwen and Addie had amazing Preschool teachers - their first years of preschool.  Addie couldn't of had a better teacher than Mrs. B when she started at age 3- in California.  She still talks about her beloved Mrs. B (who happened to be a great friend of mine as well) 

This year Gwen started preschool - in Oregon.  I put her in Ms. Amy's class.  Gwen loves Ms. Amy and we are so happy that Gwen had such a great first experience with school.  I also really enjoyed this year because I got to work as the Teachers Assistant in Ms. Amy's class every Thurs.  Before this school year I knew who Amy was but never had the chance to get to know her.  I am grateful for the chance to work with my Gwenny, work with all the adorable 3 year olds in her class and work with Amy.  She has become a great friend.  She is moving away and we will miss our Ms. Amy but will be forever grateful for the fun, love and memories from her class. 

Gwen with her Ms. Amy........

Addie (cute little 3 yr. old Addie) with her Mrs. B..........
this is the kids at the Farewell Preschool Picnic.......

Elbow, Elbow, Wrist, Wrist..........

Sam signed us up for the Rhododendron Festival and Parade this year.  When I say "us" I mean he signed N-Hance up and then made me and my kids and Jessica's family be in it.  But it is "our" business and so we all pitched in. :)

Jessica taught us how to make these cute paper flowers and me, Jess and my mom stayed up late making all the flowers.  While making them it seemed like we had a ton -- but then when we started putting them on the kids and on the cars - it seemed like we ran out pretty darn fast. Good thing Sam and Tim woke up early the morning of the parade and scavenged the streets of Florence for rhododendrons.  Not sure if it was legal -- but we got us some flowers. :)  It all turned out better than we thought and it was a lot of fun.  It was A LOT of waving -- the girls were holding their arms with the other arm to wave by the end.  But it was fun and hopefully some good exposure. 

Don't they look so cute? 

Jackson and Dallin were in it too but I didn't get any pictures with my camera -- Tim did on his but I couldn't get them on my computer.   They were very cute too.  They were in little matching outfits and we pinned one flower to the front pocket of their shirts.  Jackson had his flower ripped off and shredded before the parade even started.  Dallin really wanted no part of the parade or waving for the first half but by the end he was really into it and very cute.  He even had a guy throw a quarter at him for waving. :)   We even made the dogs dress up -- which kids and dogs are quite the attraction in parades -- we got lots of positive feed back as we drove.  

Stink Face

Jackson has recently discovered his face.  He has a new "look" he likes to make.  He seems to be happy when he's doing it and he also will hold it like that for loooong periods at a time -- which makes us laugh even harder. Sam calls it his "stink face".   All my kids have gone through this funny face phase.  Here is a look back.....

first up our most current Stink Face Jackson.....

Next is little Gwen with her cute little Stink Face...........

And finally way back in the day our little Addie had her very own version of Stink Face........

Lil' Miss Lyvi turns 1

My niece Alyvia just turned one on Mothers Day.  She is so cute and still is about the same size as she was a year ago.  Jackson is 5 weeks younger and about double her size. She is like a little doll.  We went to her party at the park on Sat. and the kids had lots of fun playig at the park and playing in the little pool Paul filled up for the kids.  Lots of fun. Happy Birthday Alyvia.

 

you see how much bigger Jackson is??

the girl can hoop!!

the Easter Bunny brought the girls some cool hula hoops for Easter (hand-made by Kris Farrar). The girls LOVE them and have been really practicing and are getting really good. Gwen is especially good and practices all the time ---so much so that her little body is bruising from it -- but she doesn't care - she just keeps hooping. Here is a picture of her bruise and video of her hooping - it's pretty cute. 

***side note: Addie has been practicing too and is finally starting to get the hang of it.  She not what we would call our most coordinated one.... but she is getting it - slowly and surely. 

a boy and his bread maker

Sam recently talked his mom into giving us her bread maker - because she really didn't use it - so Sam decided he would.  So he has.  He sets it so we wake up to it.  He set it to be ready when we got home from church the other day.  He even made 3 loafs in one day and used one to cut up and make french toast.  It is pretty fun.  The kids will even eat the crust. :)  He also sews better than me, if your wondering.... :)