I Am Thankful

This morning I was reading a friend's blog and she had the neatest post about all the things she was thankful for. It really got my thinking. People, I've got a pretty darn good thing going here! I am very thankful and excited that tommorrow I (along with the help and support of my wonderful and handsome husband) will be packing up TWO healthy and wonderful children to go to not one, but two Thanksgiving dinners with family; where we will eat an enormous amount of tasty food under a warm roof after thanking God for the many blessings He has placed in our lives.

It is so very human to get into a Bigger, Better, BEST sort of attitude. But these things are fleeting and we must remember to turn our thoughts to more lasting treasures if we are going to be truly happy. I know the grass may sometimes look greener in someone else's yard, but remember there is also someone out there thinking that YOU have the best yard on the block!! So today step back and don't look at your lawn with such a critical eye. Ignore your weeds and dry spots and instead focus on your ROOTS!

HAPPY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

p.s. when I asked Caleb what he was thankful for, he said....all his hockey pucks! Then I said, "that's nice, but I was thinking of something you have that not everyone else has, like your brother or your friends"....to which he replied, "yeah mom, but not everyone has as MANY pucks as I do!" (of course--I just had to chuckle...why would this even surprise me at this point?!).

The Week in Review

Just thought I would give you the overview of the past week's "happenings" around the ol' Elfering Homestead! It has been a fun one as always.

Drayson found his toes...so fascinating!

Exercising in the Jumperoo--he loves it as much as Caleb did!

Snuggling with Daddy

And it really wouldn't be a week at our house without some sort of hockey! On Saturday Caleb played at both intermissions of the Tri-City Titan's game with some of the other kids from his hockey team. He really wanted to score a goal, so one of the older boys (he's like 6) told him to go stand in front of the net and he would get the puck to him so he could score...so cool! He then decided he liked scoring so much that he even scored on his own goal...and he celebrated just as hard! The kids don't really care who scores and neither do the coaches...they are just out there having the time of their lives!! The Titan's guy's were really nice and gave the boys "knuckles" after the end of the periods on the way to the locker room and hung out after to sign autographs.

In awe of the Big Boys

Ready to Go

Here is a little video clip of the game. My apologies as it is a terrible film job. I only had my digital still camera and the rest was definitely operator error and mommy inattention!

Thanks to all of Caleb's "fans" who showed up to cheer him on at his first "game." (Papa Larry, Auntie Kassie, Papa KevO & Nonni, Scott & Becky, Papa Bob & BJ)

We also had an awesome time hanging out with the Dodson Crew on Friday night. It is so fun to catch up with friends!

Star of the Week

So this week at preschool Caleb is STAR OF THE WEEK! We got to fill out a worksheet all about him and then he was supposed to draw a picture of his family. Just lately has he started to draw "people" and I just think it is awesome to watch his little mind at work. Check out his masterpiece of Our Family below. Who would be the blue-haired monster like person you ask...yes, that would be Mommy! I have no idea why I stand out in his mind like this, but there you have it. If you can read it--the last statement says: "when I grow up, I want to be... a COACH." The teacher says in all her years of teaching she has never heard this one before...only in our family I guess!

I have also been snapping away, trying to get some decent picture candidates for our Christmas card. So before I decide on a couple you all get the pleasure of seeing my cutie pies. This was Caleb's idea to get the matching jams!



Before heading off to church on Sunday. Aren't they both getting big?

Since this summer Caleb has been obsessed with his Converse high tops. Well my mom found these mini converse high tops a couple months back and Caleb has been itching for the day that they finally fit Drayson. I just love this pic.

In other news, Southridge football lost on Saturday after making it to the round of 16. So their great year finally came to an end, which is sad, but also means that we have Chip back! YAY! Hopefully the "Honey Do" list that has been sitting stagnant since August will get dusted off and kicked into high gear before the holiday season gets into full swing.

Good Times with Nonni Donna & Papa KevO

On the mornings I go in to work, my mom is awesome enough to take the boys for me, and my parents love to take them on other occasions as well. They always do super fun things. Mom had all of these awesome pics and videos stored up on her camera and I finally got them!

Drayson "cheesing" at Nonni

Nonni's Big Helper
More smiles for Nonni

Making Brownies...yumm!

They love to go on walks to the skate park that is right down the street from their house. She takes Caleb during the day when all the big kids are in school so he has free reign of the park and doesn't get run over. He loves that the concrete is SO smooth...so he can skate super fast!


Video of Caleb at the Skate Park



The other day Caleb went to brunch with my parents at my grandpa's retirement place. My dad is always more than willing to take Caleb outside when he is getting a little cooped up. Look what they found to do....

Daily I think about how blessed we are. Thanks Mom and Dad for loving our kids with an everlasting love. They will never forget these good times that you have helped make with them.

We have had a fun-filled past couple of days. On Saturday we had some friends over for a "big people only" dinner (thanks Nonni & Papa for taking the boys). Sunday was a hockey game with a "Skate with the Americans" afterwards. Then Tuesday my sis and Trav came down to visit with Parker (and since Chip had football practice, we would like to thank Uncle Trav for getting used as the stand-in Daddy Toy. And you better believe I had my camera ready, though I did not snap any pics at dinner on Saturday...I know--shocking! All my friends teased me at dinner that anything you do around Sara can turn into a BLOG post! haha.

Enjoy.

Video of Caleb at Skate with the Americans


On a side note...Caleb is TERRIFIED of "Winger" who is the team mascot. So he spent a lot of his time looking over his shoulder instead of enjoying himself as much as he could have. I think that there is no in between on the mascot thing...kids either LOVE them and want to be held by them or they HATE them and run crying in the opposite direction. The latter would apply to our child!! Speaking on his behalf though, they did get a new costume for the bird this year and the head looks SCARY. I'll try to snap a pic next time....although Caleb never lets us get very close to it!

Caleb with Kruise

Caleb & Makayla

Above is them NOW, below is them THEN. What a difference a couple years makes!

Caleb, Makayla, Kruise & Eric

One of Caleb's favorite things to do is shoot on Chip. They talk smack to each other the whole time and Caleb goes crazy when he scores on Daddy (it is truly hilarious). Chip does not "take it easy" on him like most fathers would with a 4 year old, but I guess when your child yells things like "oh yeah, baby, you can't stop my slap shot, I just took you glove side/upper V, Dad!"....maybe he isn't just "any" 4 year old!

Action shot of Daddy playing Goalie

Just so you don't think the only thing we do is watch hockey or play hockey, or if you were worried that Drayson fell off the face of the earth.....

Drayson trying to roll over

Caleb feeding Parker (so helpful)

Parker & Drayson hanging out at the "baby gym"

Holding hands...too sweet

Chunky pants with Auntie Jamie

While You Were Sleeping

Caleb worked so hard yesterday and at hockey practice that he just couldn't stay awake for the end of the Ams hockey game last night. Besides missing the Ams victorious shoot-out win, he missed Kruise Reddick being named #1 Player of the Game! For those who don't know, Kruise lives with Dan & Retta (our good family friends) during the season, so Caleb thinks he is just "IT!" Well, Kruise is very nice and always thinking of Caleb, so he was looking for Caleb after the game because the #1 star gets to autograph a stick and then give it away to some lucky young kid in the stands. Long story short, Caleb sleeps like the dead and could not be roused (even for a hockey stick) so my Dad carried him over on his shoulder and got the stick from Kruise.

Here he is passed out after the game

He even woke up once during the middle of the night to go potty and noticed the stick sitting against the wall (I knew he would). But he was still in his sleep walking stupor and only had time to mumble "hey, how'd I get that stick?"

But you better beleive it was ON when he finally woke up this morning. His reaction was somewhere between his birthday and Christmas morning!

Checking out the autograph


Caleb says:
"Thanks, Kruise...you're the best!! Good luck against Spokane tonight!"

P.S. "I used the other stick you gave me at practice last night--it works great--I scored a SWEET goal!"

Just Because it's Friday

Here are 2 quick videos of some of the fun we had today. Caleb had to "warm-up" before his hockey practice tonight. And the second is of Drayson and I goofing around while Caleb was shooting (you can hear the shots in the background).

Shoot-around in the Kitchen

Mr. Chuckle Pants

Happy Birthday, November!

I am trying something new. I am terrible about buying birthday cards way in advance and then forgetting to send them. So I thought I would try a new idea...I'm gonna call it

"BirthdayS of the Month"

I think this will be a fun way to celebrate and recognize all of my closest family and friends on their special days (some ages have been withheld to protect the sensitive)!

So here you go all my Turkey month babies!

November 1st-Larry

(Jane, Larry & Drayson)

My FAVORITE father-in-law (I know he is my only father-in-law), but he is still the BEST!

November 5th-Grandma Janet(Mom, Me, Jamie, Grandma Janet)

Such a big heart. She inspires me to be a better Christian, woman and mother!

November 6th-Natalie
(Me & Nat on a houseboat vacation)


(Jon, Nat, Me & Chip @ the cabin...back when we were still "Swick" & "McCue"!

(Me, Nat, Kynda, Chip @ Meg's wedding)

So excited that we now live in the same place again. One of my oldest and dearest friends, she is so thoughtful and caring. She loves my kids and I know she will be a wonderful mother one day (this is not a hint, only an observation) haha. We always have such a good time together. And even when we don't see each other for awhile it seems like no time has passed at all when we get together. Look at some of the "oldies, but goodies" pics above...I couldn't resist!

November 11th-Grandma Sy

(Julie, Naomi, Grandma Sy, my mom, Kathy)

Gone but never forgotten. We miss you so much and think of you always. Thank you for all the wonderful memories and love!

November 17th-Aunt Naomi

(Naomi & Jamie at Jamie's bridal shower)

I will never forget day trips to Walla Walla, sleepovers, Batman videos, sponge rollers. Thanks for being such a wonderful aunt and such a "great" aunt to my boys as well.