Due to circumstances beyond the control of UPS....

my Christmas cards will most likely not make it before Christmas. They've been stuck in Pacific wich is like a half hour from my house for the last 2 days...apparently UPS trucks don't have 4 wheel drive. The snow finally did come....and then the ice...and tonight they (the news people) are saying we will have heavy snow with high winds for the next couple of days. (Everyone in Washington most likely knows this--I'm updating out-of-towners) Anyways....I know Christmas won't be the same without the Beaird Christmas picture and greeting, but try to put on a happy face and make the most of it!
p.s. I've learned my lesson. Next year I'll order them from Walgreens where I can pick them up myself!

Catching up....

Today school was cancelled on account that there was a high chance of snow. The kids were ecstatic. The snow never came. I got a little irritated thinking of this "snow day" we're going to have to make up in June. Oh well, never trust the weatherman. We've been having fun getting ready for Christmas. We had our ward and work parties last weekend. Last night Lily had a piano recital at a retirement home. She played "We wish you a merry Christmas" she did a great job. Taylor is in between sports right now and will be starting basketball soon. Hopefully I'll get some good pictures of his games (that's probably wishful thinking). Here's some pictures of the last month or so. We went down to Utah for Thanksgiving to spend some time with our "utah cousins" (that's what our kids say). It was sooo much fun for everyone, and we ended the trip by seeing the Christmas lights on temple square. Such a cool way to start the Christmas season!

A cute picture of Grandma and Grandpa Beaird with all the grandkids. (minus the "Nevada cousins" oh, and Sophie. She was sleeping.)

While I was in Salt Lake I had dinner with Susie and Behka. Two very fun girls I grew up with in Auburn. It was great getting to see them--all grown up.

This is a picture of Lily during her riding lesson. She has been taking lessons for about 5 months and is doing awsome! We didn't know anything when she started, it's been a learning experience for both of us. It takes a lot of concentration, and she has improved a ton. Way to go Lily, we're proud of you!

Peaceful sleeping

Kids look so peaceful when they sleep.....that's what I was thinking when I glanced at the couch and saw that Arick had fallen asleep watching cartoons. A closer look and I had to chuckle at the gun in hand, finger on the trigger position he'd fallen asleep in! I guess everyone's being a little protective of their right to have a gun since Obama got elected.

Sunday Smackdown

After trying to be reverent all during church, my kids have some energy to burn when they get home, so as long as I can remember, wrestling matches on my bed have occurred every Sunday. It's certainly not quiet or restful, but it does bring the kids "closer together". It usually ends when Lily gets ticked because Taylor has gotten too rough, or someone gets hurt (usually Travis.) I have a few videos of them wrestling, but I thought the music in the background of this one was pretty funny.

finding humor in the little things.....

The other day at the pumpkin patch, I made Taylor ride a little kiddy ride purely for my enjoyment. It was just a bunch of barrels with seats cut out of them and smiley faces on the front that were pulled along by a tractor doing 2 miles an hour. I don't know why this struck me as so funny, but it did, and I giggled the whole time he was on there. It wasn't just that he was way too old to be on it, but the fact that he was game to do it, even if it was slightly embarassing. Thanks T for being such a good sport.

I was once told "your a good laugher, you laugh a lot...even at stupid things." This was definitely one of those times. FYI --someone wrote that about me in Sunday school when your supposed to write something nice about the person anonymously. Thanks.

Here are some other pictures. (although I didn't think these were nearly as funny)

Sorry Travis, about your head being cut off.

It's already October 14!??

So, I'm sitting here alone in my house....during the middle of the day. Arick is in preschool 3 days a week, 2 hours at a time, and I'm really enjoying the small break during these days. Especially since he has stopped taking naps. ( I actually cut them out because when he took a nap he was starting to stay up later than I do.) Arick loves having me take pictures of him, he just never looks into the camera and smiles...this is the most normal one I got the other day when we were outside enjoying a popsicle. I think ever since school has started the days have gone by really fast!

Soccer is in full swing. This year Lily has played goalie and a defensive position ( I don't know the name of it exactly) She has loved goalie and is awsome at it! This year has probably been the most fun of any year I've watched her. Their whole team is really starting to catch on (finally) and they are winning most of their games, sometimes killing the other team. I don't even feel bad for the other team because heaven knows we've been on the receiving end of getting schooled...many, many times. So besides being the cutest team, they're now one of the best in their league!ok, I'm realizing there are alot more pictures of Arick then Taylor and Lily and I want to say sorry, but Arick is always hanging out with me when I have the camera. That's all.

This is a picture of Travis and I at an AIG conference in Dana Point a couple of weeks ago. (yes, it was in fact, that AIG conference--don't believe everything you hear on the news). It was awsome to get away for a few days, we had a blast. A very big thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Karpstein for watching the kids, we love you!

p.s. The massage at the spa was worth every penny.

Summer fun

I've been a horrible blogger lately, so here our some highlights from this summer:

This was at Cannon Beach, we were there with our great friends the Evans, we had so much fun! We went to church in Seaside and then stopped by the beach to take some pics. You can imagine how thrilled the kids were to be at the beach in their church clothes with me yelling "no playing, don't get wet!" It was great, but we did manage a few pictures.

It's a very rare moment when Arick looks directly into the camera. I'm never quite fast enough.

This little bull was born in our field sometime between August 14th and 15th. I was so disapointed I didn't get to see the birth. I wanted it to be a great experience for the kids to see, but oh well, it happened while we were asleep. This picture was taken when he was just a couple days old and it doesn't do him justice. He is soooo cute!

This was on Arick's 3rd birthday. He had a great day having Taylor and Lily all to himself to play. He loves his brother and sister and they are so good to him! I can't believe he's 3 already....

We had a lot of fun on the wave runners this summer. This was Taylor and Weston smiling and happy before they got dragged and whipped all around the lake by Travis.

Looking at these pictures makes me smile because we had so much fun, but also because I think it's time to buy Travis a new life jacket. He's lost a little weight since last summer!