Ali turns 2 on November 12th although we celebrated early yesterday. We sure had a house full. Thirteen kids, their parents and Grandma and Grandpa Johnson. It was so much fun though and the kids behaved well enough.

Ali was a little unsure of the smoke after she blew out one of her candles.

The baby doll set was a hit. Thanks Aunt Kim. She even slept with it. It was a playpen, stroller, and highchair set. She's been taking care of her "baby daughter" all day.

We got Ali a play kitchen and she got all the things to go with it as presents. I think Ty likes it just as much as Ali. He helped me put it together and is quite good at keeping secrets unless tortured by his dad.

Ty was not too happy about having his picture taken. Too much candy I suppose. Grumpola instead of Dracula.

OOOH! Scary huh?

I helped out at Ty's class Halloween Party. He's hiding behind the striped hat.

I had to dress up of course. Can you guess what I am?

Ali's Mom and Tots class decided to dress up also. They were all so cute.

This was Tyler's field trip to the pumpkin patch.

Casey surprised me by refurbishing my 308 Winchester and lining up his mom to babysit opening weekend. We didn't get anything that weekend other than sore muscles. The second weekend Casey watched the kids at the cabin while I hiked up and down several canyons. That evening Casey's buddy Ryan whose cabin we stayed at took me to sit on a clearing up the mountain and that is where I shot this bad boy. TA step up from my first buck (on the right). I shot it at 170 yards. My first one was 300 yards. I can finally say I'm a good shot. I never quite knew if it was just luck the first time. Pretty cool huh?

Aunt Kacie told me about a pumpkin she had seen that was wrapped in gauze to look like a mummy. I only had ace bandages and they kept slipping off. So Ty grabbed one and wanted me to wrap him up like a mummy. Of course Ali had to do it too. They were running around the house pretending to be scary mummies. It was hilarious. The finished products.

This was a while ago but we were just decorating cookies.

Ali seemed to eat more than she frosted.

Ali got into the markers. I had too try really hard to keep a straight face while scolding her. None on the face though.

What a handsome little devil. Ty is doing well in kindergarten and loves picking on his little sister. Today we are going to frost and sprinkle the Halloween sugar cookies Ali and I made this morning.

My little baker(cookie dough eater and flour thrower).

We're gonna make ourselves sick if we don't quit snitching. We lost a whole pan because I didn't hear the timer. Fire alarm and everything. What a space cadet I am.

Love you all.

We went up to the lake house for one last weekend before the winter hits. We had beautiful weather although the fishing was horrible. We brought our good friends Ryan and Kelli with us.

That's Ty and Kelli way up there.

Ty raced at Dayton Days this weekend. He had a ton of supporters. Grandma and Grandpa, Ryan and Kelly, Jon and Kelly, Becca and Andy were there with Katie and us of course. He had a whole cheering section. In his first race he got the hole shot but wrecked and couldn't quite catch up. In the main he finished first by a long shot. He was so proud and so was Casey. I asked Casey if this was his first thought when he found out we were having a boy and he said yes. They went riding Sunday at the track also. Casey enjoys working on the track with the tractor so that the kids have fun and have new stuff to ride. It's pretty fun to watch.

Ali had her first ER visit Friday. 3 hours later she was liquid stitched up and ready to play. We think she fell on the edge of the slate steps out back. She is such a tough little cookie.

Casey took ty out grouse hunting. All day and one grouse later here he is proud as ever. He's a real hunter you know. He even ate it for dinner.

We entered the business in the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days Parade. We all had a fun time preparing for and being in the parade. Shana and her kids helped pass out candy and flyers along with our part-time employee Steve and his family. Ali rode in a wagon with a ton of candy and Ty was running back and forth from the wagon with handfulls of candy and the parade goers as fast as his little legs could go. The toilet we made had a working pump spewing water out the bowl to make it look plugged. It was so cute. The crown loved it.

Ali making a silly face after going for a day hike.

This is Ty on his first day of school. He is loving it. He has several friends that live just a couple houses down. He is so happy to have buddies to play with. He was a little worn out by this weekend and came down with a little stuffy nose. I'm sure he'll get used to it. I can't believe he's getting so big. I'm definitely having a harder time than he is.

Ty caught a decent small mouth bass on the Pend Oreill River with no reel just a rod and fishing line (he forgot to throw his rod in the boat).

Little surfer dudes! Kim bought the kids a floaty that looked like a pirate ship it was a hit with the boys. They had oars, a sword, squirt cannon and steering wheel.

Summer Fun 2009

Fun up at the lake. Casey caught a turtle while fishing and brought it back for the kids to see.

Fishing with Dad. Waiting to catch the lake record.