Mid April

Tuesday April 7th

Paige is in 4th grade and is learning about Oregon history.  They learn a lot about the native Indians.  They have to make an Indian village--in years past it has been required, but this year it was optional.  Paige was so excited about making one because she's seen Maggie and Lydia make one with Garrett and she wanted a turn.  So this is her and Garrett putting together her village.  

Wednesday April 8th

A big part of 4th grade is putting on an Indian Potlatch, like the native Indians used to do. Paige had a few speaking parts in it.  

This is her headdress and necklace that they made for the potlatch.

Thursday April 9th

Paige had a busy week!  On this day, the 4th graders went on an all day field trip to the Oregon Coast.  They left at 6:30 in the morning and came back at 6:30 that night.  Such a long day, but she was so glad that she went! Here are some of the pictures that she took:

Sunday April 12th

Garrett and I after church

Garrett looking fantastic after losing about 100 lbs. I'm so proud of him!

Monday April 13th

Some friends of ours, The Kelley's had extra tickets to the Garth Brooks' concert and wanted to know if we wanted to go with them.  The tickets weren't together, so we didn't get to sit with them, but we rode there together and had dinner there.  I used to love Garth Brooks, but hadn't really heard his new stuff, but I was excited to go.

Garrett and I before it started. Such a bad picture with bad lighting.  

a panoramic view of the Moda center.  It was packed!

It was such a fun concert--he played mostly old stuff which I was really excited about!

Tim and Tonya were closer to the stage than we were, so I borrowed some of their pictures.  His wife, Trisha Yearwood was there and sang a couple with him and a few of her own.

It was a fun night!

Wednesday April 15th

Paige had another field trip.  This time they went to the Tillamook Forestry Center.

Thursday April 16th

Paige's Science Fair Project was about seeing which tomato plant grew best with what liquid.  She used water, sparkling water, crystal light, crush soda, milk and salt water. 

And this is Noah with a pig mask that he made at school.

Thanksgiving and November's End

Thanksgiving...come and gone...wow--where does the time go?

 I started making rolls and pies the day before Thanksgiving (the 21st)  Of course all my kids wanted to help.  They all had a good time with the flour.  Noah liked eating it. 

This is Thanksgiving Morning.  Jim and Georgia (Garrett's parents) were coming over to eat with us.  They volunteered to make the turkey, cranberries and a TollHouse Pie!  (My favorite, besides the banana cream pie that I made.)  The kids are helping get the bread ready for the stuffing.

And trying to get glimpses of the Macy's Parade. 

Little Helpers

Maggie set us a lovely Fall table

Turkey's Ready!

Grandpa and Noah

The kid table

We had a few too many pies.  In addition to the ones that Georgia and I made, Garrett bought a Pecan and a Pumpkin pie at Costco. 

Later that night before Jim and Georgia left, Garrett needed help moving our fireplace switches to the opposite side of the wall because we were FINALLY getting a mantel put in (yea!!) and it was going to be where the switches were.  Noah loves to drill and really wanted to help. 

Nov. 23

The kids got out the Wii and were playing Mario Kart.  Noah grabbed a controller and started driving, thinking he was the one making it go.  It didn't help that all the girls were cheering for him and really making him think that he was driving.  It was pretty funny. 

Look at that face!!

Nov 26

One morning after I got home from taking the girls to school, Bella and Noah were so excited to see 2 deer in our back yard, and they were really close!

Every 4th grader studies NW Coastal Indians in the fall and they get to put together an Indian Village for homework.  They call it a family project because they know that most of the kids will have adult help, and they want to encourage that.  This was Lydia's the night before she turned it in, after she and Garrett finished it up.

The Totem Pole

lady cooking fish

My personal favorite is the canoe.

Their longhouse...with the sleeping chief inside.

Mountains with the eagle flying over.

They did a great job on it. 

Nov. 27th

The Big Day

Before...

During...

and After!

Close-up view.  We love it and have been waiting forever to have a mantel.  Now, I'm having a hard time decorating it though because I want to make sure I put up something that is Mantle-worthy!  :)

Nov 30th

Along with making their villages, the 4th graders also put on a Potlatch.  A Potlatch is a big party or celebration.  Sometimes it included weddings and tall tale stories and always included feasting and dancing and trading.  We got there a little early so that we could get a front row seat!

The 4th graders sang songs, read poems, demonstrated dances, and read stories that they had written about how things came to be.  Like Lydia's was about "How the Buffalo Got it's Fur."  Such a cute story, she is very creative. 

Lydia is the very top row, third person from the left. 

She didn't have any speaking parts, but she did get to play the glockenspiel.?  Kind of like a xylophone. 

Lydia showing her native american hat and necklace after the potlatch. 

Wow--look at me all caught up to December! :)