Busy Little Elves

Really?...... Has it been a month since I have done a blog???? Time is flying and again I am struggling to keep hold of all the memorable moments that are racing by. We had a great Thanksgiving and it only took minutes for the kids to unload every container that said "Christmas stuff" on it. They have been very busy "decorating " the house and they are very proud of what they have done. I am leaning more toward the "less is more" theory, but, I have clearly lost that battle. Blaine has waisted no time working on his exterior illumination project and even added a three story lighted Christmas tree to the back of the house. So if you are in town....its not hard to find us!!

With the decorations have come the Christmas movies, hats and of course the never ending wish lists.

We did take some time to do the tree of sharing this year and let each of the kids choose a child and we went to by gifts for them. I hope this is a tradition they carry on themselves.

So from the crazy Dodson clan, we really hope everyone is having a great holiday season and takes some time to record all the memories!!!!!

Some Days

I took this picture in my laundry room last week. I think it is a good representation of life right now. Moving forward....a little messy and chaotic sometimes.....but we are getting it done!!! However this is not a one time thing. My laundry room looks like this a little more than I would like. The good news? It does get cleaned out about once a week and I am thinking about painting it green!!!

Halloween Craziness

In between all of the homework, sports and house painting this week we did take a little time to have a little fun. We started with pumpkin carving Wednesday night followed by a couple of little school parties and ended the week with the BIG night. TICK OR TREAT?????
Hayden was as proud as ever of his jack o lantern. He wanted it to look just like him. I think the resemblance is remarkable???????

At Hayden's preschool there were no costumes this year but lots of fall fun!!!

His favorite part of class was singing the pumpkin song.

Hayden and I joined Bryden at his school party. I think that these parties are defiantly job security for Blaine. Sugar, sugar and more sugar with that please!!!

You will have to excuse the horrible picture but Indiana Jones, the Pirate and Bumblebee were not dressed until dark and the lighting was bad.

Sis at her school party.....

Hayden as Bumble Bee. When people would ask him what he was going to be for Halloween he would say "Bumble Bee...The Transformer not the stinger one".

Dear Blog

Dear Blog,
I know it has been so long since I have updated you. I know it seems an eternity since I have downloaded new pictures to save as memories. I know everyone probably thinks I have forgotten you completely. The truth is I think about you everyday. I know I have been so busy that I have neglected you BUT........ I promise to update soon. Its just crazy with three kids playing soccer, basketball, swim team and flag football right now. Seven days a week we go go go and one day I will stop and reflect on the craziness. I PROMISE!!!!

Just Another Saturday

The days of lazy Saturdays are DEFINITELY over. With three kids all doing different activities our days seem to all mass together into a long week of school, homework, and practice. The week then culminates with Saturdays in which we rise early, scatter for shoes and uniforms and we are off to a day of games. Three to four every Saturday..... but really... what else would we be doing on a Saturday afternoon??? Truly I forget what it is we used to do!

Makena is busy with her 4th year of soccer. This year the field has gotten much larger but so have the goals. She equates this to a lot more running.

This would be Hayden's inaugural year to any extra activities. For years he has followed us to games saying "When can I play soccer?" Now he is getting his chance to "play" soccer. It looks a little more like him chasing the crowd. He is still a little unsure of what to do. It is really cute watching the little guys and a little sad he is my last one!!!

Bryden has chosen to give up the soccer and take a chance at flag football. He does love the "pushing" or tackling but other than that I am not too sure he knows whats going on out there. Those coaches have such patience.

And when it is all said and done this sports fan is tired and ready to head home for some R&R

The Happy Dance Recital

So for nine years now I have been home "raising" the kids. A job I have loved but I will have to admit in the back of my mind I was dreaming about the day all of my kids would be in school. What would I do with myself??? I would be free at last, free at last.....
People, that day has come and Hayden started his first day of preschool yesterday. We have talked (and dreamt) about this day for so long. The whole time Hayden really hasn't said too much about the topic so we did not know what to expect from him. The weekend before school started we took the kids to dinner at our local Mexican restaurant. In the middle of dinner Hayden decides to bolt under the table and is crying "I want to go home..I want to go home...". Come to find out his teacher is two tables down. Score one for Hayden..mommy zero! The next day we all accompany Hayden to his preschool open house. He proceeds to attach himself to the post outside the building and refuses to go in. Score two for Hayden..mommy zero...!

As the first day of school neared I found myself getting a little stressed about this first day. This may or may not have been due to the fact that his teacher asked me to be the last car in the valet at drop off. So if they have to peel him off of the car door he doesn't scar the other clueless preschoolers. So day one I put my battle gear on and off we go.......
that is after I peeled him off the staircase.......

I did get him to give me one pose for a quick silly face picture to document the occasion, good or bad. We hopped in the car and were off. We pulled in and waited patiently for all the cars to get in the valet and placed ourselves in the back. He studied the kids jumping out of the cars very intensely. I held my breath. His teacher opened the car door and out he jumped. Although he looked a little confused it was a done deal and he was a big preschooler!!!!! Yaaahhhhh!!!! Score one big one for mommy!!!

I do have to admit that driving away I was the happiest mommy in the world. My mother thinks I am cruel since I didn't cry my way home. After nine years, I had three kids in school (even if it was only three days a week for a few hours). I had dreamt about this day and it was finally here. Now what do I do with myself????? Ha!! Lots. I have had nine years to think about it!!

When I picked my big school boy up we celebrated at McDonald's and I continued to do the Happy Dance AAAALLLLL day long!!!!

Happy Dance Day

side bar- I can never get my pictures to load in the order I want them to. They are way out of order here people!!!
So after a busy and wonderful summer,on I once again got up and put my dancing shoes this morning. That is my happy dance shoes. That would be the dance we do in anticipation of the kids returning to school, a routine returning to the house and a calm returning to all involved. Today we danced ALOT!


So after the morning dance session and school send off us moms partied like rock stars at the thought of returning to a normal life. Well, we partied with coffee, snacks and maybe a little mimosa!! It was so good to see everyone and catch up on our summer adventures.

I did bribe my two out of bed with the idea of hot chocolates and donuts before school. So off we went to Safeway. Of course the morning was not complete without one of the hot chocolates ending up on the floor.

This was the hazy view we woke up to, which was fitting for our new fall routine. It is sad to see summer go.

And after the dances were done, the tears were shed by moms and kindergartners alike this was what I was left with this afternoon. Don't get me wrong, it was sad to see the kids go but this mom has a little smile on her face today and I might even do a little happy dance before bed too!!!

Nine Years

This weekend we celebrated Makena's 9th Birthday. She wanted to do the same thing we did last year which was to go tubing behind the boat and then head to the resort for dessert. This year however, we had ten extra nine year old girls. It was a little crazy but I am pretty sure they all had a blast!!!!
We did a little swimming at the dock before we headed out on the boat. It was a little windy but that didn't seem to detour anyone.

Off to the resort for Gooey Desserts. I always love to see the eyes of kids that have never seen the true size of these desserts.

The party was great but it is always hard to see them grow up sometimes. You don't want to forget what they were like as babies and toddlers. You want to remember everything and at times just freeze them how they are. They however are always in such a hurry to grow up. I guess with each birthday they have it makes you yourself a little bit older too. Since my baby girl is now nine that makes me......ummm.....25 now?????

Summer Bacation

First thing Monday morning I can hear it from the side of my bed. "Lets go on BACATION"!! Its Hayden eagerly waiting for everyone to get up so we can go on vacation. Well, that's what the kids are calling it. As parents WE all know when you travel with the kids its a TRIP, not a vacation. This year our summer trip was to a cabin on the far side of the lake. Far enough away from home that we didn't go home once but close enough that we had many family and friends join us throughout the week. I think it is safe to say EVERYONE had a great time!!!

We did have some major highlights from this trip including Bryden finally catching that first fish, Hayden mastering both jet sking and tubing and Makena swimming like a fish from morning till night. I may or may not have feel in love with the huckleberry ice cream across the bay.
For Hayden being on "bacation" was hard work. He needed a little cat nap.

Bryden wanted nothing to do with jet skis or tubes. He was looking for peace and serenity. I think maybe we all found a little of that.

UMMM!! Smores time was the best part of the evening!!

Daddy even got a little of the fishing action.

Had a great time and I am sure the kids were very sad to have to come home. I however had eight layers of sunblock on my body and was craving my own bed. Great memories were made and now I must hit all that laundry!!!

TO TRI OR NOT TO TRI...

For the past few years I have watched and cheered on friends in some of our local triathlons. All the time thinking I could do this, can't I?? So this year I stayed up till midnight in October to sign up for the the sprint triathlon that takes place right out my back door. By 12:10 a.m. I was signed up and I was in!! That was the first step, now I had to actually do it. AND I DID!!!!

With much support and some training that had to be fit in between my families schedules I accomplished my goal for the summer and had a great time doing it. It was so great to see almost 500 women all there to have a good time and meet those goals we always have in the back of our minds.

1/3 of a mile swim, 12 mile bike and 3 mile run later I was a Valley Girl Triathlete. I think I am ready to sign up for another one. Maybe even a longer one next year!!

Of course I can't leave out a little about my eight year old inspiration that completed her 3rd triathlon this year. She never fails to amaze me. She does make it look easy.

I think if I had to go head to head with her in a swim, she may win!!!

Now that I am done with my triathlon its back to the mommy marathon. There is allergist appts...ortho appts...and Makena starts a softball tournament today!!!!

Twilight Mania

I do have to start out by saying that I too was a complete sceptic when it came to the Twilight book series. Who has time to read four huge books in a matter of days? How interesting could vampires and the city of Forks Wa. be??? Well, after watching the movie I knew there had to be something more to these characters, so I borrowed the the first book (because I would never OWN on a teenage vampire book). I sat down to read and a few weeks later I finally got my nose out of these books and joined reality again. I LOVED them and for me this says a lot considering the last book I read was What to Expect When Expecting 9 years ago!!!

Come to find out there were several people out there with my new passion and some friends and I began to organize the Twilight discussion group. i.e. A reason to get together and celebrate the end of the school year. Book discussion sounds so much better though. It was a blast and here are a few pictures. My friend Jen and I had a blast decorating!!!

See we actually did have a full discussion about the four books!!

Of course a few drinks to help move the discussion along.

The party planning crew!!! It was as fun to plan as the party itself.

Complete with door prizes, quizzes, and team Jacob or team Edward tags.

Although the movies are never as good as the books I can't wait for New Moon in November!!! Maybe we will have to throw another party!!!