Foot Sitting

My nieces and nephews have discovered a trick my kids have been doing for years and years.. sitting on my feet.  Sydney is my biggest fan.

 Cole likes it, but gets nervous.

 Syd will sit there until I make her get down.

 Ezra spends hours and hours on my 'foots.'  He gets up and down and takes toys along to play with so he doesn't get bored.  It's sure fun.

Victoria's Dinner night.

When school started this year we implemented the 'kid's dinner making nights.'  It was great for me and helped cut down on the complaining when dinner was presented!  Victoria really likes to choose pizza for her night to make dinner.  She is very meticulous with how she decorates the pizza.  Ezra is always my assistant and has to watch and make sure he approves how Vika is doing.

 She has to have a section left with no cheese for herself.  We finally can have pizza again without complaining!  We just have to make it ourselves.

 Ezra watched it bake the entire time.  He was excited for 'Feeka's dinner'. 

Family Fall Outings.

Just before school started we tried to have a few last fun family outings.  Our kids are pretty hard to all please at once which makes more sense when you look at them all with the different ages and interests.  I'm not so sure how much they loved going to the Olympic park to watch the aerial show, (I know Ezra hated it!) but Spencer and I thought it was really cool.  Ethan wants to someday try it.  That would really be awesome!

 We went to the chocolate factory afterwards for treats.  I think that Victoria and Ezra loved that the most.  Mason did not!

 Ezra loved his chocolate sprinkle covered marshmallows.  I am just glad I had my camera!

 Another day we went to the local grocery store's big breakfast thing.  It was strange to go to a party at the grocery store, but the kids loved the little train they had to ride in.  Totally worth it.

 Another day we went to ride the Alpine Slides and roller coaster in the mountains.  The kids weren't sure how much they would like it, but they LOVED it.  It was definitely a fun day.

 Even Mason enjoyed it.

 I loved the rides too.  It was fun that all 6 of us could finally do everything.  In the past we would have to take turns taking Ethan on rides while the other person stayed behind with Mason and Ezra.  This was so much more fun.

 Ezra loved that I let him help me drive the sled.

 We tried the roller coaster this time.  So much fun.

 Ezra was a fun rider

 We went to the 'train lunch' place on our way home just for Ezra.  What a day.. finished off by eating in his own train car. 

 We took the kids to play at the lake.  We thought this would be the best day ever, but the water was WAAYY too freezing to do much playing.  We had a fun picnic and played in the sand though.  That was fun.

 Mason was happy as long as he was being held.  I love his little skinny rash guard look though. 

 Ethan and I wandered around the shoreline and came upon this beached buoy.  We both that that was pretty cool.

A Bike For Mason

Mason is a mover.  He loves to be on the go whenever he can.  Whether it is rolling, one arm army crawling, or wheeling in his chair, he loves it.  At school he gets to walk around the halls in his 'pony walker.'  He loves this thing too.  He is very good at it.  I love to see him giggle as he walks.

 The other thing he loves is to be on a bike.  With a little practice I am convinced he could actually ride on his own..  We have been to a few places and schools to 'test drive' bikes to see what will work best for him.  Ethan gets very involved and look and try the bikes too.

 This bike was fun, but Mason was more just a rider and didn't really try to do anything on his own.  He had a lot of fun with Ethan and I loved seeing his little legs moving so much.

 Ethan hooked them together to take Mason for a spin around the gym.  They had a great time.

 The best bike we have found is the Freedom Cycle.  A rep came to show it to us and fit Mason for one a few months ago and we took him for a spin in the parking lot.  This is Christina.  She is one of the PT students who comes to volunteer and work with Mason at our home.  He LOVED this bike.  He tried so hard to pedal on his own.  I loved seeing him ride it.  We are trying to raise the money to get this bike for him.  Someday my Mason will ride a bike!  Can you believe it!

  He really liked the squeaking dog they had on the front.  That made it really fun.  What a cute kid.  I hope we can get this bike for him for this next year.  Isn't he darling!?!

Vika

Just a few pictures of Vika...  Isn't she so helpful!  This was back when Ezra was still wearing diapers.  She was nice enough to change it for me once in a while.  Of course, it was only when it was just wet could I persuade her to help out.  Ezra thought it was hilarious and truth be told.. so did the rest of us.  At least she isn't dramatic, right?!

 This is one of Victoria's friends from Matveevka, Ukraine.  She was adopted and lives about an hour from us.  This picture was taken when Ashley was baptized in October.  She was baptized along with her 3 brothers from Ukraine exactly one year from the date the kids all came for the hosting program.  It was a very cool experience to be a part of.  What a year!

Our October Trip to Las Vegas

It's been a while since we have visited our friends in Las Vegas so the beginning of October we decided it was time to take Victoria there.  We were excited to show her downtown for the first time.  We typically don't venture there on our trips anymore, but it's fun to see a thing or two every once in a while.  I did learn that we shouldn't try to walk the strip with our kids anymore.. Too much to see if you know what I mean!  Here is Ethan and the Hartshorn kids at the garden in the Bellagio.  I love it there.

 Mason wasn't a huge fan of the crowds.  The real reason for this trip was to pick up a very much needed trailer hitch to put the wheelchair on the back of the van.  Since Mason got his new chair I can no longer get it in or out of the car.  Our friends found one for us and gave it to us.  It was the greatest gift I could have ever received..  mobility!  I can now leave the house with my kids.  Ethan and Mason explored the Bellagio garden and loved seeing the gianormous pumpkins..

 We walked over to the worlds largest chocolate fountain.  It was pretty cool.  The kids wanted to eat it. 

 Victoria loved this tree.  Truth is she loved being with Melissa.  She followed her around like a shadow.  It was funny.  She wasn't really a fan of Las Vegas though.  She kept telling me she likes it better at home where it doesn't smell like Ukraine (smokers) or people don't dress so strange (slutty). 

 The best part of the strip is the Bellagio fountain.  I could watch that thing all day long.  The kids liked it and we were lucky enough to catch a double show.  It was fun.

 The other place Victoria was dying to see in Las Vegas was the M&M factory.  Strange, but we went.  We watched the 3D movie and wandered around the huge crowd.  I haven't been in Las Vegas with it that crowded in so long.  It was not as fun as you might think!  The visit with our friends was definitely the highlight and I always forget to take pictures of that part.  We had a great time and I have been loving my wheelchair hitch. 

Ethan's sleepover with his Grandparents.

When the leaves were all changing Ethan was able to spend the night at my parent's house for a fun sleepover.  When he left he asked me for a camera to take.  This isn't something I normally would just send with my 8 year old, but my dad said he would watch him for me.  They started their weekend out on a drive to look at the leaves.  It was a photography drive apparently and thankfully Ethan had a camera so he could participate.  He really got into it too.  I was amazed at how great his pictures turned out.

 He took them from all angles and of all sorts of interesting things.

 He loves my parent's and had a great time.

 When I saw his pictures I told him that he should enter something into the reflections contest at school.  He had no interest in it, but with a little persuasion from the grandparents and his Aunt Karie he decided to put together a collage of his pictures and write up a paragraph about his experience.  He ended up winning!   He was so excited about it and did such a great job.  He got a trophy and a cash prize and everything.  Now his entry has moved on to the district level.  He is very excited about it.

 He managed to put the camera down to have a little bit of boy fun climbing trees and bridges and things too!