Canadian Partay!!

Ok, Here are our favorites from our Canada Vacation!!!

Chester's

#1:  Softball with the family 

#2:  Staying up til all hours with the brothers.

 #3:  Motorcycles

#4:   His own beard

Julie's

#1:  Erin, my sister from another mother.

#2:  Mona, my other mother :)

#3:  Watching softball with Mina Miss.

(Thank you Amber for the photographic evidence

of my existence in Raymond each year)

#4:  The smiles on the faces of my happy, happy children.

#5:  Mona's magical everything... this happens to be cherry pie.

Rulon's

#1:  Riding in Grandpa Gordie's dump truck...

...and kickin off the dirt on the hitch

#2:  Watching softball and running the bases

#3:  Riding on Uncle Mark's Harley

#4:  Cousins, cousins, and more cousins!

#5:  Watching the fireworks with Auntie Amber

Mads'

#1:  The parade, cousins and candy

#2:  Hitting

#3: And running

#3:  Riding on Uncle Mark's Harley!

#4:  Food and drinks at the softball games.

(Watching the games was secondary)

Mina's

#1: Grandma Mona!!!!!

#2: Cousing Ophelie, who looked out for her as much as possible.

#3:  Watching the softball games... closely... from the back of her head.

We miss you Raymond Powelson Family!!!!!!!!!!!

See you soon!

Where have we been?

I cannot believe how LONG it's been since I posted something, ANYTHING!!!

So here goes everything.

In the last month...

Chester tried really hard to break his ankle but only succeeded in almost breaking it.

Better luck next time babe! This was before it got all swollen, seriously.

What better place to recover than at home in Raymond?!?!

It was like having his ankle on ice 24 hours a day!!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, who goes out in that kind of weather?

The men go out in that kind of weather! They did some hunting...

 IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!! How nice, Steph is giving that poor hurt deer a sled ride!

 They went to a football game...

 Good grief, what a buch of crazies.  I love them ALL!!

Chester had the best trip ever, he was spoiled rotton and got to hug and kiss his momma and tell her how much we miss her.  He was so sad to leave that he told me he had to hug his mom extra long to hide the tears filling up his eyes when it was time to go.  We love Mona and Gord so much.  The boys were super sad they did not get to go to Raymond with their dad!

A few days later it was time to celebrate thanksgiving.  Mads was thankful for his food, his bed, his body and Heavenly Father and Jesus.  Rulon was thankful for his family, his sister little Birdie (he mentioned her specifically), and for pilgrims... and food.

Lets see... Then it snowed a bunch! The boys were bouncing off the walls to go out and drive their vehicles in the snow like the "ice road truckers" we watch on TV.

 Mads was packing snow in to the back of his mini coup and then eating it... like packing a lunch, right?

 Chester got an early christmas present... and Mads tried them out.

Ta Da!!

 I have done a few things with the boys to raise my "cool mom points."  The boys have been on a pirates kick lately so we made telescopes in one afternoon (papertowel rolls, tissue paper, mod podge), and treasure boxes just today... I think I was the "best mom ever" for like 5 whole minutes!!!

 When we make things two things are sure to happen: Rulon will get a bit frustrated that his project is not as perfect as he wanted it to be (uh huh, I  know it's my fault, genetically speaking) and Mads will get more paint, glue, water, dough... on himself than on the project.  Either way, they have fun and I love watching them be themselves!!! 

At the end of each day I wish I could have half the energy of my little Madser... he is determined NOT to stay in his bed.  I suppose sneaking out of his room for the 10(hundredth)th time and finally falling asleep in the living room fort is not the worst thing in the world.

I am so in love with my family, how blessed I am.

We Love Raymond!

How do we love Raymond?!? Let me count the ways!!!

#1.  We love to see Grandma Mona & Grandpa Gordie!!

Mina finally met her Grandma & Grandpa! Somehow Mona can calm Mina down WHILE SITTING DOWN, amazing... I cannot do that.  It was wonderful.  Mina gave grandma more than a few big smiles to offset the tears.

Mads got to ride on the lawn tractor with grandpa... kid heaven I tell you! AND grandpa treated the boys to a slurpee or two also.

#2. We love our Aunties, Uncles & Cousins!

Look mom, no hands!! (ps.I love you Erin)

Look at that belly!  No not yours Steph!!

Uh, what would it be like to have triplets MaRee?? Lets not find out!

Chester read stories and made up stories all night!, Mads loved it!

Nikora got Mads to hold still for a few minutes too.

The place to be is... Mona & Gords house!!!

#3. We love the July 1st Parade!

The Powelson bleacher outside of Grandma Ruth's place.

Mads and Maslin just looooved having their picture taken, well, mostly Mads loved it.

This is how Rulon watched the parade...

And this is how Mads watched the parade.  They did free up their hands briefly to collect some delish candy.

#4. We love watching the famliy play Softball!

We especially love watching dad.

#5. Mona's tasty cooking

Ok, so I don't have a good picture for this category... but TRUST ME, I'm drooling a little as I type.

Rulon will someday realize that rice and soy sauce do not compare to the real meal that is offered... but until then all we need is Peggy around to threaten to eat Rulon's food for an hour or so to get him to eat a little something substantial! (Thanks again Peggy!)

Oh boy do we ever love Canada!!! We miss you guys!