It has been a LONG time since I posted

It has been a while since I last posted but that is because my parents are finally on facebook!  Plus, uploading pics on here isn't as easy as I had hoped it would be.  It takes forever!!  Then sometimes it doesn't even work and I have to do it all over again...who has time for that???
But I do think that I will try to update more here for my family who isn't on fb.

Ok, so I have no clue what we did in august! Something did happen and I will do a separate post.  Kind of a blur.  It feels like forever ago.  I vaguely remember the blue sky and the warmth...hard to believe considering what the weather has been like now.  We did play outside often.  The kids got a trampoline in the summer and they love it!  Still have it up since they play in it even with all the snow.
August was also filled with trips to Calaway Park and the splash park.  Lots of fun!!

Ahh, September!  Miss Katie started Kindergarten.  She goes for 3 hrs a day.  They alternate the Fridays.  At first the kids had to go to the education center since their school wasn't finished but Tuesday was their first day at the school.  She seemed to like it.  They were taking the bus which was fun for all of us.  She was gone almost 4 hrs so Kyle and I got a lot of time together but now with walking, it feels like she is only gone for 2 hrs...not sure how I feel about that;p

Kyle turned the big 3!  Can't believe my baby boy is 3!!!  Time goes by so fast.  Chris also celebrated his birthday...his last year in his 30's!  Big month in this house!

My parents were able to come visit us in September also!  It was a great visit.  We went to Kalispell Montana and got to celebrate Mom's bday there.  It was nice to get to spend her birthday with her.  All of us had a great visit and look forward to the next one...hint hint:)

Chris's xmas party is this Friday and both of us are looking forward to it.  Got the babysitter all lined up but it sucks that we have to pay so much for sitters.

Auntie Cindy is coming out for a visit Dec 15-28.  Not long enough:'(  We are really looking forward to her visit and getting to celebrate Christmas with her and my bday.

I'm really getting into the Christmas spirit and want to start decorating now but Chris is in school this Saturday so we are going to decorate Sunday I think.  We also got the kids their own tree this year.   It will be downstairs and they can decorate it any way they want.  It can be super gaudy, and I don't care.  I wish the xmas lights that my parents had when I was a kid weren't a fire hazard cuz  I would so ask Cindy to bring them out.  I LOVED these lights as a kid.  They are these big frosted globe lights and were just awesome!

One of many summer storms

Hopewell Community Picnic

Love this picture of Katie

1st official day of school

She jumps so high!

A lady bug

Look who is a Spark!

Early morning road trip!

HAHAHA!

Selling girl guide cookies.  They were so good and Katie started to up sell also!

Kyle's last night of being 2

Good morning to my 3 year old!

Guess that is it for now.

Banana Buttermilk Blueberry Loaf

Katie and Chris had a Daddy Daughter Date on Sunday so Kyle and I had a date also!  We decided to bake this yummy dish...

This is the recipe...

Buttermilk Banana Bread (adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod):
Yields 4 mini loaves
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup blueberries---I added 1 1/2 cup

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat four 5 3/4-inch mini loaf pans with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Beat in eggs, buttermilk and vanilla until well combined.
Beat in bananas until well combined.
Gradually add flour mixture to the sugar mixture at low speed, beating just until incorporated.
Add the blueberries and gently toss to combine.
Scoop the batter evenly into the loaf pans. 
Place into oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before inverting the cake onto a wire rack.

My handsome date

Helping with the mixing

YUMMY!

June and July 2012

I am so thankful to Tyler for fixing my computer!  My flash stopped working and he fixed it for me:)

So, June sucked weather wise! Sooooo much rain!  I can't even remember what we did because I did my best to block it out! LOL
We went camping for the first time as a family and I have to say that Katie and I are the campers in the family;p  Chris and Kyle enjoy the daytime activities but not so much the sleeping in a tent part...To be fair, it was freezing the first night!!  Sooo cold you could see your breathe.  We went with our friends and we realized that we are social campers and will try to go again this summer...with friends of course;)
Katie graduated from preschool.  She did great and we are so very proud of her.  Kindergarten in the fall.  Going to miss having her with me:(

A Day At The Zoo

So we finally renewed our zoo memberships:)  About time! LOL  We went with my friend and her kids.  All the kids are good friends so that makes for a very fun day:)
Hope you enjoy the pictures because we sure enjoyed our day!! I have been trying to upload pics for 12 hrs but they won't upload.  Frustrating