New York, New York

In early November we went to New York for the 2nd time to visit Suzanne and the family. Paige was getting baptized and really wanted us there. Not to mention the kids really wanted to BE there! So- we went. My mom went with us to help me out with 3 kids. First time flying with Joshua- so it was nice to have her there. It was so much fun. It's always nice to get away for a little bit. The one special thing we did while we were there, besides the very special baptism of Paige Mckenna Quillen, was to go to New York to see the Statue of Liberty. It was GREAT!!! I loved it, and the kids LOVED it! I don't think they will EVER forget it! So here are the pics of that wonderful event!

Suzanne, Paige and Samantha sang a really pretty song at the baptism. Samantha still sings it. Maybe she will want this one sung at her own baptism in May this next year. Hmmm...

Oh- Aren't they cute together?

Paige opening birthday gifts and baptism gifts.

Perry stole Paige's hat. It did look really cute on her!

On the ferry to the Island to see Lady Liberty herself!

And there she is!

Do we look good or what?? I decided that being the Statue of Liberty for Halloween next year would be a good idea.

The (big) kids!

Me, Samantha, and Jacob

At the airport waiting to head home....Joshua

Jacob

and Samantha (she is such a big helper!).

I think this at least catches me up to the first week in December. Phew!! Now to just get my last Mt. SI hike pictures and Christmas pics up. It's on the list! Anyone want to take a guess on how long it will take for me to do that???

More Catching up....

So- I also have some pictures of Samantha at Soccer. It was her first year playing. She LOVED it! She couldn't be still... she would bounce around all the time, she was so excited!

She played defender best... so she only did goalie about 1 or 2 times.

and of course- have to eat the oranges at half time!

This is a pic of the cake I made for the Banquet. It was actually a half circle soccer ball cake. It was my first ever attempt.. so, not the best, but it worked! :) Her team name was the CHEETAHS..

This is at her Awards Banquet. She was so excited to get an award! The boy with her was a brother of one of the other team members. Coach Lori couldn't make it, so he handed out the awards to the girls and tried to make each one of them special...it was cute! Can't wait for next season!

Some Serious Catching up...

Okay- so I have some serious catching up to do. I was looking at my pictures these past few months and noticed I havent' been updating this very well. LOTS have been going on. My brother Alan FINALLY married Christie! It was a beautiful wedding! And, it is especially wonderful to OFFICIALLY have Christie part of the family now! Here are a few pics of the wedding day. I have lots more, but these are just a few.

Cutting Cake and eating Lunch

Carroll Family pic- (at least all of us that were there).
Keith, Rochelle & Alayna

Donny and I and then my Mom & Dad

Then, my brother Mike and his girls Stormy and Tessa.

Alan & Christy with James right after the ceremony.

Keith and Brandyn

Christie's Sisters and Cousin (bridesmaids)
Alan and his boys (best men)

Donny and Dad

Alan & Christie (love this pic)

And here are two really cute pictures of my boys in the bath. I know, one of these days I am going to REALLY be in TROUBLE for these ones! Oh well! LOl!
Joshua eating his "Y"

Jacob & Joshua

Who said so??

So- I was teasing around with Jacob the other day, bugging him about growing up... I said- "You have been growing! Who said you could grow?? I thought I told you that you weren't supposed to grow anymore!" He said- "Daddy said I could"- Daddy denied that! then he said "Samantha said"- Samantha denied it too! A little while later he said- "I know who said I could grow.... Heavenly Father!!" I said- "Well shoot! He trumps me big time!!! I guess I can't argue with him!". Jacob thought he was pretty cool and funny.... I think because he finally thought of the only RIGHT person! Cracks me up! He is such a smarty pants sometimes!

Joshua has definetly been teething! He is such a crank! Not his norm. His little bottom is so rashed that he is bleeding and has blisters where the raw skin is. The desitin won't even stick to the raw skin. I cake it on so thick, hoping that it will get better... but it doesn't really. Today- I started using neosporin- I'm afraid it is going to get infected! Poor baby! Makes me want to cry!

Samantha had her teacher conference today. She got a good report card! She is doing very well. Last night she was reading her library book to us. She decided that she was going to read it with "EXPRESSION". So- she stood up in the front of the living room on the step and read the book to us, with expression, and stood the whole time. It was cute! She really is a good reader! I hope all my kids are that good in school- and stay that way. Donny did really well in school too, Hopefully they get his skills for good school work and study skills. Life will be much easier on them if they inherited that trait!

I- climbed Mount Si on Saturday with Melanie Willden and Brandyn Parks. It was great! 4 miles to the top- where there was snow! I wore just my short sleeved shirt the whole time until about 50 feet from the top. That was when I decided I was getting a bit chilly (sweating the whole time until then... I think the sweat started to get me cold at that point) and put on my fleece jacket. When we got to the top, we were going to eat something and then head back down. We started eating lunch and then a big gust of cold air came... BRRRR!! It was VERY COLD! So- that was when I put on my jacket. There were some birds up there who would come and get food right out of your hand. It was very cool. Beautiful birds!









We did Thanksgiving dinner for Donny on Sunday. He left today and will be gone on Thanksgiving day too! I wanted to make sure he got a nice Turkey dinner, so we invited Don and Ginger over, (Jamison and Callie came because they were staying with them for the weekend- Scott was out of town), and Ken, Amber, Chad and Natalie too. It was a nice little get together for Donny! It was very yummy! Happy Thanksgiving Honey!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you too!! Hope your week is a safe and Thankful one!

Happy Halloween!

Today is Halloween! We had such a busy day! Samantha's last soccer game of the season was at 9:30, then we went and got flowers and cute little trinkets for Wendy's grave, went to the grave- also cleaned off David's and Jewells grave. Then came back home, got ready for a Halloween party at the Super Jump. We were really late, but we made it for a little while! Then, grabbed some groceries and came home for just long enough to let everyone use the restroom, Get Daddy, and off to go to a little get together at Kentlake Highlands and then FINALLY- Trick or Treating!! Man! What a day! We didn't get home until after 9pm! Samantha stayed at a friends house overnight and Jacob and Josh came home with us. They didn't get in bed until after 10. Jacob wanted to sleep in our room on the floor because Samantha wasn't home and he was afraid. So- he is on our floor in our room. Crazy kid! But, we all had a fun day, the weather was PERFECT, and everyone got along! Really a great day! However, so glad it's over! Im tired! Joshua was a little monkey..Jacob was spiderman...Samantha was this pumpkin spice girl (which she wanted to be because she wanted to wear these orange fake eyelashes and nails. When we tried to put them on, the eyelashes weren't sticking and the glue got in her eyes- at which point she was no longer interested in those... when we put the fingernails on, they wouldn't stick. I finally got them on, but they soon fell off and she just pulled the rest off and told me it just wasn't going to work.- I HATE- yes, a strong word, but HATE those cheapo fake fingernails!) ... I was Medussa, and Donny... Well, he kept telling me to tell everyone he was the Invisible Man! (Because he's usually MIA).. kind of funny! But, he DID go trick or treating with us tonight! That was fun! He doesn't get to do that every year! I hope the kids had fun hanging with their dad! I Hope you all had a wonderful Halloween too! Pictures to come... I really mean it this time!

2 Teeth! and more!

Well- In all that has been going on lately.... I forgot to mention that Joshua has 2 teeth already! I didn't even know they were coming in! They just appeared out of nowhere! They are so cute! and now- he BITES! OUCH! But, he is still soooo cute! At his doctor appointment two weeks ago- he was 17lbs 11.5 oz., 27 inches. He is growing sooo fast! Crazy!

Samantha on the other hand has been losing teeth! She just lost another one last week and got $2 from the toothfairy.... She is so excited to lose more! Crazy girl!

Jacob and Samantha have both started soccer! They play in the Maple Valley league. They have a Pee Wee league for Jacob. It is so fun to watch them play! Samantha had her first games on Saturday (Jamboree). She won her first one (2-1) and lost her second (1-2). But, all the girls on the team did so well! I can see some great games in our future! I will take some pictures of them playing as soon as I buy a new camera. I broke mine a couple weeks ago..... :< Very SAD!

We got to go to the cabin for a few days last week. It was so nice. LOVE going there! Gets me away from all the fuss in life...... SOOO did not want to come back. We got the jet skis out one last time.... and then put them away for the winter. That is always a sad day!

I have decided that I am going to train to hike Mt Rainier next summer with a friend of mine. I think my sister Ronda is going to do it too. I have no idea what that all entails.. but I am ready for an adventure.. and it sounds like it will prove to be a great one! I am really looking forward to it!

I think that is all the updates for now, so I will sign off. Still no school yet... teachers on strike. Hope a contract gets signed soon so that life will be NORMAL...... Kids are supposed to be in school in September.... not home aggravating their parents! LOL! Bye for now!

The death of my oldest brother, Dave

I don't know how many of you already know... but my oldest brother died this last week- Monday August 24th. He had been diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer a little over a month ago. I was able to see him a few weeks ago and I could tell he was in so much pain. I am glad that he doesn't have that pain anymore. I am also glad that I had a chance to tell him that I love him and how much I appreciated him as my big brother. I hope he knows how much we will all miss him. Im a little jealous that he gets to be the first one to see my little sister again, although, Im not ready to go yet. I think of his kids and how terrible it is to have to lose your father. I know that losing one of my parents would be very difficult for me to go through, and I am so much older than them. It just doesn't seem fair to have to lose an Aunt that you were so close to, and then to have to lose your father all in 18mos. If that doesn't challenge a testimony, I don't know what would! I am so glad that I have the gospel in my life. I am so glad that I know the plan of salvation and that it is TRUE! How much more difficult this would all be if I didn't have that knowledge! I pray for my family. I pray that we can all stay strong and faithful and know that our Father in Heaven will not leave us alone. He loves us! I know that he will help us all get through this pain... I love you family! I love you so much! Remember that!

David Robert Carroll August 8, 1966 - August 24, 2009

Rest in Peace, David- We love you!

This song is for you Dave! (Silent Lucidity- Queensryche)

Family May Birthday BBQ

So- We have a birthday BBQ every month for all the birthdays in the family for that given month. And this is the MAY Birthday BBQ. We had a really big turn out this month- Alan and Christy made it from Idaho, Jerry, Victoria and Rebekah were there, and then of course now that Kathy, Brandyn and Brittney are back - it makes for a huge feast! We had so much fun! I think there are more pictures somewhere- but I can't find them. It was a little chilly that day and the mosquitos were out having their little feast too!!! If anyone else has any pictures they want on here, just send them to me- KK??? (That's for you Britt!)