Mark traded about a dozen "vintage" skateboards to Seaside Surf Shop for this pretty new surfboard. Mark had a smile pasted on his face all day! Nothing like having a happy man around :) While Mark surfed, the kids made a big long line of drift wood sticks. It was pretty cold, but they did not even seem to notice.

On Monday the 7th the kids did not have school. This is what happens when dad stays home with them during the day, they make crutches and duct tape casts. Oh yes, and stilts. Mark gets dad of the year, he's way too fun!

Race day and the Zoo

The school district had a Turkey Trot a few days before Thanksgiving. If you won in your age group you brought home a turkey! Curren raced around the big track two times and had a great time. He said "it made my throat hurt" he perserved though.

On Saturday I took the kids to the zoo for the day. The Lorakeets were extra hungry.

Mom, I was up at 1:00 a.m. reading Calvin and Hobbes!

This is Curren's new favorite book collection. I have most of the Calvin and Hobbes books, and Curren has found a new love! I think it's funny because Calvin totally reminds me of Curren :D

Visit to Denver

In November I went out to Denver for a trade show. I was able to go a few days early to see Mom and Dad. Nikki and Dan took me to Garden of the Gods too. I was so glad I could see them. I've been lucky to be able to see Lilyanne 3 times since she's been born :)

Lilyanne was trying to order some Chinese food!

The big kitchen project

The house is currently under construction. Our dishwasher had been leaking for an unknown amount of time (I don’t even want to know how long…) So, it ruined the flooring. Mark ripped out the old dishwasher, the old floors, and the trim. He has put in new hardwood floors in the whole kitchen / dining room area. After that big job he went to China for a week to take a break from it. When he got home the week of Thanksgiving he painted, put new trim in and bead board on the walls. It looks amazing! We still have to sand down the nail holes and paint the trim and beadboard. It’s coming along really nice. I love the paint color, it reminds me of the ocean.

Old carpet OUT!

New hardwood floors, IN!

Walls painted, and bead board starting to go up.

Bead board, trim and chair rail go in.

Mark says it’s “weird” and “really green” so I can’t tell if he likes it or not. We rearranged the furniture too. We put the computer desk where the table was, and moved the bookshelf upstairs. The table now has a really big area, and you can walk all of the way around it. It should help declutter the room. I’ve been on a major “dejunking” phase. I am giving everything to Goodwill, they must love me by now. It feels really good to clean out.

While Mark was in China, I had the kids’ photos taken by my friend Jen Korth. For those of you who live in Utah, call her up to take your family photos, she’s awesome! I've posted these on Facebook as well...

Curren before his haircut...

and after...

He told us "sometimes, you just have to let things go!"

I miss his long hair, I'm not ready to let go!

The Giant Pumpkin

We grew a GIGANTIC pumpkin this year, by accident. I planted seeds for giant pumpkins last year, and they never grew. Over the winter the seeds must have germinated because a monster grew, it weighed 90 pounds! Mark carved it into this...

Happy Halloween Everybody!!!!

On October 23rd, we went out to Roloff Farms to get some pumpkins and play. Roloff farms is pretty close to our house, and it was good to finally get out there! We met up with the Jarvis' and some others and had a great time :D

Jack, Taylor, Jessie, Lily and Curren

Lily and Jessie are good buddies

Jack is trying to smile...

All of our kids hanging out with the Roloff family!

Puerto Rico!

Mark had a business trip planned to Ponce, Puerto Rico this month. He took me with him! We celebrated our 10 year anniversary, how lucky am I? Our awesome friend Denise stayed at our house with the kids, so thanks to her it was possible, I love my friends!!!

We stayed at the Hilton in Ponce, and while he worked for most of the day, I managed to make myself useful by the pool...

He'd come and check on me periodically to make sure I hadn't burned to a crisp in the hot sun.

We went beach walking all over the island after he'd get done working, it was fun!

On Monday we headed up to San Juan, and went to the Yunque rain forest, it was amazing!

Here is the sunset from the airplane on the way home, over New York, it was pretty.

We are home now, and we had a great time! We have to go back someday :)