Just a quick note to let you all know that we had Kade this morning around 8:30. He was 8 lbs 15 oz. He is having some complications and is in the NICU. Mom is doing fine. Here are a few pictures I got before he was taking into the NICU. We will update as we find out more.

Yes, We are still making progress on the basement. I am sure Julie is convinced that it will never get done but do it yourself projects do take time. Here are a few pictures of what we have been doing this week. The Baby hasn't arrived yet but the Cabinets have! Here are a few shots into the downstairs bathroom.



Brian's First Tile Project

The Holiday season is in full swing around the Homer house. It is proving to be a challenging time to complete all the gift gathering,wrapping and keeping the kids from peeking. Colby has definitely acquired Julies talents of pre Christmas gift snooping. He has been busted opening gifts already. I caught Karissa and Colby coming out of the Living room after Julie read them the Santa Riot Act of 2008. I hope he gets to come this year!
He decided this week that we need to get all the presents under the tree opened this week so Santa has room to put all the things there that he asked for. Colby is obviously concerned about the economy and wants to provide the Homer stimulus package of Christmas spending this holiday season.
Colby participated in the Kindergarten program where he sang Nursery rhymes to the rest of the school. You can see that Hickory Dickory Dock was on the program.
He has really taken to school and is learning to spell many words. Oh, and for the record...the only trip to the Principals office for Colby has been for good behaviour....good thing I am not a betting man! Of course Karissa has been to the Principals Pick 2 times for her excellent work in school. She is such a huge help around the house and is looking forward to her new brother finally arriving.
Kyle and I had the opportunity to take Julie into the hospital this week on our first dry run. Julie has not been taking it as easy as she could have, trying to complete everything for Christmas, attending work party's and doing the general nesting activities before the baby arrives. Everything checked out and we were sent home but Kyle is still very concerned about "that hospital building" as he likes to call it.
He asked the nurse if they were going to put a zipper in his mom and get the baby out. These kids know way too much! All signs are pointing to the fact that this baby is coming sooner than later. We will keep you all posted when the big day arrives whether it be Christmas first or the baby first or maybe both? Yikes!

8 Shows I LOVE to watch: Cooking shows on Food Network, Design on a Dime on HGTV, Sweat Equity on DIY, Chuck, Grey's Anatomy, Collage Basketball, Red Sox Baseball, Boise State Football.

8 Things that happened today (this morning): Got Karissa and Colby ready for school, Took Kyle to Joy School, went to the Bank on the way home, packed my hospital bag while it had my music on really loud because I could, wrapped gifts, got Kyle from Joy School, ate lunch, tried to work out a nice outfit for Brian work dinner tonight (it's hard when most of my pg clothes are to small now. YES, I'm that big.)

8 Places I love to eat: The Snow Bunny in Hailey ID, Louse in Meridian, Bone Fish, Tony's Pizza just down the street, Fosters Grill by Tony's, Cheese Cake Factory, any good Chines place, Taco Time I miss.

8 things I'm looking forward to: Having this baby, Christmas, my parents coming to see us and help, getting the basement finished, being able to workout again, having friends come see us (you are all invited anytime) I can't think of any more.

8 things on my wish list: Having my house paid for, a million dollars in the bank so Brian wouldn't have to work like he does, a toned body, my kids to always be healthy, a Cabin (house)where Brian can hunt and fish, to see as many LDS Temples as I can around the world, to always have a clean house, and that the laundry would always be done.

8 people I tag: Annette, Autney, Anie, Jill or Mike, Angela D, Angela G, Kelly, Mom.

Homer The Moose has arrived in Virginia and found his new home. As many of you know, I was fortunate enough to draw on a once in a lifetime Idaho Moose permit in Bear Lake county last year. I Flew into Boise from Virginia in September where I met up with an expert hunting guide Philip T Homer (aka-Dad, Grandpa, "but don't call him late for Supper") and planned out the hunt. We spent the week with Uncle Glay out in the "Homer Boy's" stomping grounds. I will say there were many historic stories shared along the way and the scenery was fantastic. Oh how I miss the mountains of Idaho. We finally tracked down a Moose after several days of searching. We were able to back the truck right up to the scene. The biggest problem came when I flew back into Dulles Airport and Colby was expecting me to walk out of the airport with the Moose in hand. I think he now understands why that was not possible.
Thanks to all of you who had a hand in getting Homer the Moose to Virginia. We do appreciate all the hard work that went into hauling, crating and transporting such a large package. What would we do without Family and Friends.


As you can see, the Moose has already been involved in several sword and gun fights with the kids. We had to get him hung up before all of the hair fell out from all the Love he was getting.

Today was Brian Birthday. The BIG 35. The kids have been telling him Happy Birthday since 6:30 this morning. Brian's folk to him out for lunch at Fosters Grill, the fries are made from Idaho potatoes and they are to die for. The baby must be growing because I downed one of their "big" burgers and was still hungry so I filled up with fries. The kids and I made Brian a Birthday sign and his gift came UPS just today. (He order them from Grizzly on Friday.) We ended the day with some Costco cheese cake, Brian's fave. We love you Brian! You are the Best!

Today we went for for a drive in Shenandoah National Park. It was a beautiful day, a little on the cool side but sunny and no wind. So we enjoyed the wonderful views and the wild life. The Appalachian Mountains are not the Rocky Mountains that I love, but they have their own beauty. I think our kids love the Rocky Mtns too because Kyle kept asking "When are we going to be in the mountains?" the whole drive. We only did a 3rd of the drive today and I think we will make a trip in the spring. I hear the wild flowers are amazing.

The last two years Brian's folk have come out to visit over the Thanksgiving Holiday. So on the morning of Thanksgiving we have gone to see some sites and it has been really nice because not a lot of people are out. Last year we went to the Air and Space Museum, this year we rode the Metro to the Mall.(The DC National Mall) We saw Washington Monument and wanted to go up but we were to late to get morning tickets. So we walked to to the WWII Memorial and that was really cool. The art and what things mean was just amazing. Karissa and I wanted to go the Lincoln Memorial but it would have been to long of a walk to get there and back to the metro for this pregnant gal.


We did walk by the White House on the way back to the metro and saw the National Christmas Tree.
We had fun taking it all in even if we didn't stay to long. This is a tree that we saw on the way to the White House I think it's the high light of the trip for the kids. We made it back home so we could get the turkey on and have a lovely Thanksgiving Dinner. After we were done eating I asked the kids what they were thankful for. Kyle yelled "Jesus!", Colby said "Church and school because I learn different things at each.", Karissa wrote a poem at school about what she was thankful for so she read it and she is thankful for her family.

The Gospel, a Testimony of Joseph Smith, the atonement of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon, the Temple and Temple marriages, my parents for raising me the way that they did and for their Testimonies, my brothers and sister and their endless love, my husband, Brian who I love with all my heart, the wonderful, hard working man that he is, for all that his does for me and our family, my kids and their sweet spirits and for when they make me laugh, a beautiful roof over our heads, my wonderful friends through the years that have helped me grow to be who I am today, and most of all I'm grateful for the knowledge that I have a loving Heavenly Father that has blessed me with all of these things. With love, I hope that you all have a Thankful Thanksgiving!

Look at this.. Wow I know I get big but I have never taken photos to show how big I get every few weeks. I have 5 week 3 day until my c-section. You know I have not really started to nest yet. I keep thinking if I get through the holidays then I'm good. Just the hole getting the house Christmasie and wrapping the gifts then I may want to get out the baby stuff. I'm at the point when the Doctor say to "Take it easy." "Don't over do it." How do you do that with 3 kids that need you. I try but man it's hard and I already feel like I don't do anything. Well enjoy because as soon as I have the baby these photo are off of here.

Well, Brian's folks are out visiting us. This week has been a chilly and windy one, and Brian has been at work, so we haven't gone out to the sites. They have worked on the basement taping and sanding and I'm grateful for that. We have done some shopping at the Outlet Mall. This coming week Brian has off and we will be working on the basement some more, hopefully painting and tiling. There is still much to do, hang doors and cabinets, trim, and carpet. We will also try to make it around to some sites too, oh and have Thanksgiving Dinner. I'm not going shopping on black Friday for one I don't need to my Christmas shopping is done and two I don't like shopping with tons of crazy people.

Oh on Friday I went to see Twilight in the morning. WOW! It's a good movie. I loved it. It goes along with the book but I would have to say I love the book more. Like most book that are movies the books are better. I'm going to see it again with some friends ether Monday night or Tuesday. You know me I will be buying the movie when it comes out. And I can't what for New Moon. Yes they are going to make the next one. Isn't that just the coolest. Check Stephenie Meyer website and see for yourself. Oh speaking of a good books I just read The Hunger Games. I could not put it down. I read it in 2 days. I really liked it. But I'm mad that it just ended I have to what for another book. I hope I don't have what to long.

This year we have a blower and boy did the kids have a blast in the leaves. I think Brian was having fun too. The boys had to have their lightsaber out to kill and leaf monster. They always have them on hand to save the day. Karissa this is her favorite thing to do in the fall.

I took some photos of Kyle for his school photos like Karissa and Colby had done. He thought it was cool to make faces at me.

Here are Colby and Karissa. I going to take some photos of them like I did with Kyle. School "Portraits" make me laugh.

Today we went bowling for Brian's work party. The kids had so much fun. Of course Colby was mad the first go because he didn't hit all the pins down. Karissa, the soft hearted girl, cried when we gave her a few pointers. So the first few minutes were just calming the kids down, we even had bumper, but once they got a few bowls under their belt we had a hard time stopping them. The kids had a fun time using this bowling ramp. They would line it up and give the ball a good push and away it went. Kyle like that the best. On the 2nd game Kyle was the top bowler with 163 pins. Here is Kyle just after he got a strike.