Wouldn't it be nice

Braden knows it must be cool to sit on the pot, but he doesn't quite have it all figured out.  But, everytime we change his diaper he runs to the bathroom, sits on the toilet, holds his hands in this position, and sits there while I sing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and then he jumps down, flushes the toilet, and gets a diaper back on.

Someday it will happen that he goes to the pot before he needs the diaper changed.  Until then, we'll enjoy the thought...

Happy Birthday Dave

Dave turned the BIG 32 on Oct 22.  He said that he had been thinking about turning 31 all week and how old that seemed, then it dawned on him that he was turning 32.  We had our traditional waffles and ice cream for breakfast, and since harvest is basically over, he stuck around that morning long enough to have a little party.  He opened his presents, a T-fal pan set (he always whines about how much he hates our pans and loves the one T-fal that we have. Now he has a whole set!) and a new, fluffy pillow.

I can't believe how grown up Braden looks in this picture.  :(

The boys had such a good time using our old pans to play "cook" with and they have played it nearly every day since.

 Then that night we went to a Halloween Murder Mystery party.  I was Pummy Kenface and Dave was Tankenstein.  He grumbled about having to dress up, but he went all out and looked great. It was a fun evening without our children, and enjoying the company of some friends too.

Then on Saturday we celebrated with a steak and shrimp dinner (homemade, thank you) and a tractor cake.  When we first moved here we went to a service auction put on by the YW in the ward.  They were selling services and we bought a birthday cake.  I was a little worried that it would be a nasty cake decorated like a 12 year would do, but boy was I wrong.  I was a fantastic surprise.  She did a wonderful job and the cake not only fit Dave perfectly, it was very tasty.

I think he is feeling a little depressed here by the fact that the cake is nearly on fire because of so many candles.

We have some of the BEST blowers!!

We sure love our Daddy and hope he had a happy birthday!

A Fall FHE

For FHE we got together with some of the friends in our ward and painted pumpkins.  It was fun for everyone.  Braden especially had a great time. He is letting the artist in him out lately, and painting is one of his favorite ways to do so.  He had paint on the chair, table, pumpkin, his hands, arms, and face. 

The Pumpkin Patch

For preschool on Tuesday Colty's class, and a few extra kids from the ward, went to the Country Mercantile Pumpkin Patch in Pasco.  It was awesome.

We started with a hay ride to the pumpkin patch

Mariska, Colty, Bronx

Then got to pick a pumpkin

Then went to the top of the straw pyramid

Then through the straw maze

 to the petting zoo

 and ended with a cookie and punch.
 

Colty with best buddy Bronx

Colty with his latest girlfriend, Sadie

All for $3 per kid.  It was fantastic!!

Harvest Time!

Tanner didn't have school on Friday, so we took a trip out to the Farm to see Daddy for lunch.  It is potato harvest, so Dave is very busy, and works long hours.  We miss him at home!  It was so fun to see the harvest operation and meet the people that he works with.

I think it is silly to admit that I have never really seen a harvest operation.  I lived in Idaho the last 10 or so years, and my Granddad is a potato farmer, but, that is how it is.  So here it is for all of you as "sheltered" as I...

The potatoes come out of the ground with a digger that fills up a potato truck.  The truck drives to the scale and weighs itself, then comes here to dump its load, which goes down a conveyor belt into a booth where ladies are picking out the vines, rocks, and rotten potatoes. 

Then the spuds continue down the conveyor to 2 other pickers, catching the missed vines, rocks, and rottens, and then continue down the conveyor to the cellar where they are piled high (like 100 high, is what Tanner said!)

Dave took us into the cellar and showed us the fans that blow cool air into the plenums which keep the piles cool, which keeps them from rotting. 

 

The boys were really nervous about being in the dark cool cellar, but it was neat to stand at the top of the cellar and see the pile of "100 potatoes".

Dave is in charge of all the storages, making sure that they stay the right temps and that the refrigeration units are working properly.  It is kind of an important job, since millions of dollars of potatoes are sitting in there.  I am so proud of my potato farmer.  He is so smart and is learning so much.  He seems to fit right in around there, and considering the fact that the only thing he knew about potatoes before this is that they make fries and chips, he has come a long way!

We will be so glad when Harvest is over though.  He comes home at night so tired, so he eats and goes to bed, which leaves me up alone wishing my friends and family would update their blogs so I had something interesting to read while I sit around!  (hint, hint!)

Offer Accepted!!

Wahoo!!!  (you should have seen me and my boys do the "we get a new house, a yard, and my washer and dryer back" dance when I got the call this afternoon!)  We have a close date of October 30th.  It will be the BEST Halloween treat EVER!!  We will be in a new house in November!  It hardly seems real!  Truly, our prayers have been answered, and this is where we are supposed to be!

We found one!!

We found a home that we like and we made an offer! IT is a 2008 home in a beautiful neighborhood of similar home, all part of a home owner's association.  A lady that lives there told us that it feels like "Leave it to Beaver" with wonderful neighbors and friends.  This home is owned by a company that has been renting it and is ready to be done renting, so they are selling.  Because it has renters in it, it has some "neglected" areas of the house, like nicks in the walls - things that will be so easy for us to fix.   Here are some pics....

The front of the house. I forgot to take a picture while we were there, and when I drove back the renters were back and the door was open.

inside the front door, looking upstairs.

first bedroom at the top of the stairs.  There are 4 bedrooms.  The laundry room and a bathroom are upstairs as well.

The master bedroom.  I think it is HUGE!!

another angle in the master. Dave likes to stand in every picture it seems

Master Walk-in closet

Master Bath.  We really wish it had a garden tub and double sinks....maybe next time.

back at the front door, looking  into the family room.  The door in this pic is a 1/2 bath.

the family, dining and kitchen

the spacious 3 car garage.  We will convert the 3rd stall into a storage room. 

Very nice kitchen

Kitchen from another angle

looking back at the family room from the kitchen.  Nice tile floor in kitchen and dining, as well as all baths

the backyard.  The house is on .19 acres.  Not huge, but sufficient.  It will be SO nice to have a yard again!

the back of the house

the view from the back of the house.  It is all zoned commercial, so someday they may develop it into something we wish wasn't there, but for now, it is tall grassy-weeds. I think we will plant trees along the fence and create a hedge.