Merry Christmas!!

To all who didn't get a card I want you to know that it was a Doyle issue.  We underestimated the amount we would need!  So, enjoy this.  Not as good as a hands on one, but better than nothing. 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!!

First Snow

Yesterday was a crazy weather day here in the Northwest.  It went from blue skies and sunshine to snow in the quickest I have ever seen.  We happened to be at girl scouts down in Glenhaven, so we got to enjoy some snow!

I decided that I couldn't resist taking pictures of my boys even though they had no warm clothes.

Caleb wanted to taste the snow and he used a rock to do it.

By the time girl scouts was over the skies had cleared and everything was melting. The day in weather continued in its weirdness by raining, sun shining, and snowing.  So while it didn't last long we have had a first official snow!

Cake pops

Cake pops...... what can I say.  They are super yummy and a SUPER pain in my behind.  Okay, that might do more with my personality than the actual difficulty level, but man!  My kiddos LOVE cake pops and so I decided it would be fun to try our hand at it. 

I did like any mom and requited a friend for the ride.  I never realized you didn't need a special something to make them.  Other than a special, sweet, patient heart.  One I don't always have. 

I saw this post on a friends blog and away we went.  I must say that the one thing I tend to lack is a plan ahead kinda mind.  Turns out it is better with cake pops if you have that kind of mind. 

I was very glad in the end and I think the  kids were too! 

This is Josh yelling "For Narnia!"  his most favorite quote. 

A little while after we had some cake that was either going bad or needed to get eaten, so....... 

Cake balls!  I like them much better than cake pops.  There was no stick I had to try and get to stay put!  A small side note.  To get around the entire out of space picture thing I have added Jeff as an author.  He isn't really writing, but now I get a new round of storage space!  Thanks Amy for the awesome tip!

Missing Photos

I can finally share some of the photos that were missing from my Thanksgiving post.  I just think they are too cute not to post.

Because I thought you should know......

...just how good a guy my hubby is.  Our anniversary started with a trip for coffee and ended on beautiful Lummi Island, but it is all the in between stuff I plan to share.  We started off with a trip through a coffee stand. While waiting for our coffee one of the workers snuck around behind our car and came to my window. He presented me with a bouquet of white daisies. He said they represented the first three years of my marriage. Instead of a card they held movie tickets. I had expected to spend the day Christmas shopping so I was happy.  We ran around till our movie and then enjoyed a nearly empty theater and to much popcorn for our own good.  As we headed out the manager of the theater stopped me with a purple bouquet of daisies. He said they represented the next three years of our marriage. As we left a worker offered to take our picture. We stepped out and I looked up to see instead of the name of movies a message from my hubby. It said Happy 9th anniversary Ruth, love Jeff. I was blown away! We killed time and then headed to Lummi.  For those of you who don't know that is where we got married. My dad lives out there and let us stay in his studio apartment.  W had a yummy dinner where Jeff gave me a poem he wrote. Jeff then took me to where we were married. He popped the hatch of his car and played our wedding song. We danced in the parking lot under a full moon! Movie worthy! He then presented me with my final bouquet of yellow daisies. Yep, it was one amazing day!  And now I hope all of you can see what an amazing man my hubby is.  And if I was really cool I would some how put Jeff's mini movie of the day here, but I am not......

Best friends

It is a title that is most coveted, I think mainly among women. To have a best friend. To be a best friend. That person that you can tell everything to. The person who gets you. I had my best friend in high school and she was all that. We knew each others secrets, fears, joys. Then life happened and that friendship faded. Although if are paths cross now we tend to pick up right where we left off.  I thought I understood the best friend gig.  Then nine years ago today God should me what a real best friend is.  I am sure by now some of you are bored and no longer care to finish, so I think I will just write the rest to my best friend.
Dear Jeff,
I am so very blown away that God brought us together.  I still remember first meeting at work. First thinking you were the one for me and felling so sure I was the one for you. Then you showed off the huge bruise on your side and I glimsed the amount of body hair you had and started to second guess those thoughts. Yep, way back before you even thought anything of me I was planning our wedding.  I heard what you were looking for in a girl and just knew it was me you needed to find. Then you went and smoked in front of me. Yuck! Thank you for stopping that nasty habit. Could I be totally wrong about us? Well, you weren't convinced about us and set off dating to find a wife. I watched and waited. Then it happened you noticed me for more then a friend. A month later we were engaged. I was beyond happy and slightly scared. You always talked of Christ. Some one I had never thought anything of. Then an amazing thing happened Christ came to dwell in my heart. I give you credit for always telling me of him and for encouraging me towards Him. Yes, I know it was Gods work, but you were his tool(in a good way).  A month after being engaged we were wed! People thought we were crazy. And I am sure still do. But God has preserved us and carried us. And look nine years have gone by. Nine years of life, death, tears of sadness and joy. Nine years of me learning what a true best friend is. It is no longer a title I look at lightly. It is a title I am glad to give to you and no one else.  I love you friend and thank God for being the best match maker and best friend giver ever!
Your best friend,
Ruth

Thanksgiving the Doyle way!

So, I thought since I shared our Girl Scouts Thanksgiving I should also share our Doyle Thanksgiving.  It started with Jeff heading off to work.  Sad, but true.  Then the kids and I headed out to Everson to my moms.  I had all sorts of great plans for things to do with the kiddos, but I had been hit with a nasty cold and sty in my eye so I wasn't able to do any of them.  It turned out to be just fine because the girls loved just being with their cousins.  They are a cute bunch!  They are 9, 8, 7, 6, and 5.  The boys had a blast playing with my brother.  And over all family the theme of the day. 

And yes, I know this is not as good with only one photo, but I have reached my limit and need to decide what to do about it.  So once I know I will add the photos.

Thanksgiving, the Girl Scouts way!

Today was a day of fun for us.  We spent it doing Thanksgiving, the Girl Scouts way.

My girls dressed as Indians

and other girls were dressed as Pilgrims.  And some girls just had beautiful hair decorations.

The girls made a thankful tree.

 The boys tagged along and were super cute!

And cutest of all was little Jake Edward.  No, he wasn't named for a certain current popular movie.

  Today was a wonderful day and now I feel more excited for real Thanksgiving!

The Tale of the Teeth

Melia being seven has started to see all her friends loosing teeth.  At first it was no big deal, but when hers didn't start to fall out it became a big deal.  Oh how she longed for that first missing tooth.  And then it happened.  The very first tiny little jiggle that let her know soon the tooth would be gone.  Melia is a very determined little girl and before long that tiny wiggle was a hole.

And soon after the first one went the second followed.  She was so happy that she had two missing teeth.  And it wasn't long before I heard Kellina claim she too had a loose tooth.  Now as siblings know sometimes being competitive is par for the course.  And so of course I thought Kellina was trying to one up her big sister, but when I checked she also had a loose tooth.  Her different personality meant it stayed loose a lot longer than Melia's.  And when I wouldn't pull it we had to rely on my dear friend to save the day.  Then not much later the second tooth was loose and dad pulled it.  Now they both are missing two front teeth.

And they are both very happy for each other.

A big thought for a little man

The other day I walked into the boys room after nap.  A certain odor in the air made it very clear that some one had made a stinky. 
Me: Isaiah did you poop?
Isaiah: No. Monkey poop.  He then held up his new favorite monkey that he takes every where. 
Poor monkey, he never knew he was going to get blamed for things like that when he signed up for babies favorite softie.

Then and Now

Remember this tiny, sweet, newborn baby?

Well, she has grown. She is now a tiny, sweet, smiling, 6 month old baby.

Retakes

I know you have been holding your breath waiting for the retakes I promised.  Well, you may exhale.