It is SNOWING!

Snow that finally sticks! Hannah is sure enjoying it! A little cold out there but it is beautiful :) Will be taking more pictures to upload ASAP!

The scare of my life!

Have you ever lost a child or not known where they were at? Doesn't fear strike your heart...well it did mine the other day. Skye wanted to ride Caleb's bike a little farther than what we had agreed upon. She came and asked me if she could ride one block further because it had a small hill she could go down. I hesitantly agreed...as she left I got back to work relearning algebra so I could help my husband study for his upcoming test this week..about a half an hour had past so I put the laptop up and went outside. Aaron was working on remodeling the shed and Melanie was outside, but I didn't see Skye or Calebs bike...I went out to the sidewalk and looked up and down the streets and didn't see her. I told her she could ride down one block in either dirrection and then down the little hill. So I got in my van to check and see if she was at the hill. She wasn't. I figured maybe we just missed eachother and she was home now. So I drove back to the house. As soon as I pulled up Aaron asked if I found her. I told him no and pulled out again. After another trip around the nearby blocks I headed back, still no Skye, that is when my heart started pounding more, my mind started racing, and I stared praying...my girl was lost. I heard an ambulance and a police siren, in my mind I imagined Skye bloody on the ground, that she had been hit by a car...but at least I knew where she was. I tried to follow the sirens but they weren't near the house...I knew Skye would not disobey me and go further than she was allowed...She is a good girl. She may give me attitude sometimes, but for the most part when I set a boundry she stays within her limits. I came home to get my phone, ans she still wasn't there, so Aaron got in his truck and went searching for her too. I tried looking for the non-emergency phone number for Anaconda, but couldn't find it online so I just dialed 911. I asked about the sirens I was hearing, telling them I couldn't find my daughter. They told me the sirens were for something out on the freeway. That was too far to be her. At first I was releaved that it wasn't her, but then all the other senerios started popping into my head...I took Sarah along with me to help look for her. My hands were getting sweety and I was starting to get sick to my stomach. After driving around what seemed like hours and was only a few minutes Sarah sugested that we check the super slide. I really didn't think she would go that far, but I was getting desperate by now...after talking with Aaron and finding out he hadn't found her either I went to check the house before going to the superslide...Melanie was standing out by the front sidewalk with Mariah. I pulled up asking if Skye had made it back yet. She told me....she has been here the whole time, sleeping in Sarah's bed...The weight of the world lifted from me, but I still felt sick to my stomach...I called Aaron and let him know that she was home and safe. So aparently while I was zoned out doing algebra for Aaron, Skye had walked in past me and went to take a nap...She had also placed her bike on the other side of the barn out of sight...I was thanking God and praising Him that she was ok...we both had to go take some tums!!!

We are here!!!

It was a LONG 15 hour drive to Anaconda, but we made it! :) I really hate packing! We found a house close to Melanie's, but won't be able to get into it for a few weeks. I can't wait to get unpacked and settled in! Melanie and Scott are so wonderful for giving us a place to stay, so is Caleb for giving up his room for us and Sarah for sharing hers with Skye! You guys are AWESOME! Aaron and Melanie are in Missoula right now getting supplies to fix up Mel's shed into a quilting studio for us :) We are SO excited!!! This is something she has always wanted and now that Aaron and I have some time on our hands...well we are going to help her out! I am just now starting to quilt so this ROCKS! Making my first quilt for Skye now, will upload pics of it soon!

Anaconda, Montana

Anaconda Montana! What a beautiful place :) The girls absolutely LOVE the huge slide here. Hannah has no, I repeat NO fear!!!! She went on this thing all by herself before I could even get to her. She didn't care that it was about 40 feet high and you zoom down like lightening...she enjoyed it, turned around and ran right back up those stairs for more!!! The smoke stack and the Copper Express are a part of Anaconda history and main tourist attractions. The mountains here are huge and I can imagine they are very beautiful in the winter, although it is not as green as Oregon :) We are enjoying our time here visiting family!

Multnomah Falls

Stopped by the falls on our way home from visiting my grandma in the hospital a few weeks ago. Girls had fun and it was a beautiful day! Nice way to wind down a LONG drive :) We let the kids play in the creek on the way to the car...they had a BLAST, the water was freezing but they didn't care! Mariah loves to eat rocks...crazy :)

Camping

Just a few pics from our camping trip last week. We had a blast! I caught my first fish on a fly rod while I was in Aaron's float tube in the middle of the lake. Such fun, I am hooked! Can't wait to go again!!!! Miah loved the water and wasn't afraid at all! Skye learned how to start a good fire with my help, Hannah had a blast.

My girls are growing sooooo fast! Skye is turning into a beautiful young lady, Hannah is getting older and wiser!!! he he he...at least she thinks she is :) And Miah has decided she wants to start helping more around the house! My girls are such blessings! The other day we went to the park and hung out, they played on the playground, then were lazy with me in the grass, then they cooled off in the little creak at the park! We ended the afternoon with ice cream from McD's :) Summer fun!