Thanksgiving weekend

This year it was Shannon's turn to cook the turkey!

The before picture...

Table decorations ~ cranberries are so festive :) I love them! Appetizers

So much delicious food!

The after picture :) I think she did very well for it being her first one!

mom getting the turkey all sliced up

Dad (aka Papa)

Guela :)

The group #1

And #2 from the other side

Not quite sure what Brock was doing (or saying....)

Time to go outside and take pics!

Me and my little man Brock (love his smile in this one!)

Brock was pretty fond of Grizz

Best buddies :) Brock is still trying to figure out why Grizz is at Dave and Shannon's but not Tucker...Brock is convinced they are cousins and should BOTH be at Auntie Shannon's house ;)

This started out being one of just shannon and I but Brock and Grizz joined in and it's one of my favorites!

Sisters :)

Or daughters #3 and #4 as dad would put it ;)

Tasha was inside with the baby...but 2 out of 4 isn't bad lol

After hanging out at Shane and Amy's, Guela and Becky took all of us cousins (I think there was 11 of us total!) to go see The Christmas Carol in 3D at Bellis Fair, and it was definitely an adventure! Going with those 2 are quite entertaining :) I think Truman, Taylor, Stacey, Jake and I quite enjoyed watching the craziness of our family :)

hopefully someone who had their camera will put some of those up!

we've got a performer on our hands...

Ok so in case you didn't already know, Brock has CD's that he loves to sing and dance to, well at least when I've over I'm pretty sure it happens every time I visit :) I'm bummed the video is sideways but you'll get the point of it I'm sure!

Brock's dance moves to "Life is a Highway"

So I totally forgot about these videos I took when I was home for Halloween, and thought if I have one niece on the blog I should have my nephew on here too :) plus his dancing is pretty entertaining :)

song #2 starring Caitlin

So the pictures are kinda blurry but I took them from our skype date with the web cam so I can't complain lol but the next song she was singing with guela and her enthusiasm was so precious! I just can't get over it!

Nephew #3!
The singer and cheeser! how can you not love that smile!

Skype date!

Well ever since little Andrew made his arrival I have been skyping with the whole gang up in juneau and this last skype date Caitlin was singing me all sorts of songs :) I really hope the sound works on it, it was so cute! She was singing me the ABC's and then asked me to join in, but ignore that part, not nearly as cute lol

consecration part 2

On Friday night we had our nursing consecration ceremony with all our parents, family, professors and friends. It was a great ceremony that recognized our calling to be a nurse :)

Love these girls! We've been through it all :)
Me and sara
One of the prayers that a student read was passed down from her grandma:

Prayer for a Nurse – Severena Skreen

Oh, my God: I am about to begin the day’s work.
Teach me to receive the sick in Thy name.
Give to my efforts success, sweet Jesus, for the glory of Thy holy Name.
It is Thy work: Without Thee I cannot succeed.
Grant that the sick Thou hast placed in my care, may be abundantly blessed, and not one of them be lost, because of anything that is lacking in me.
Help Thou me, to overcome every temporal weakness, and strengthen in me, whatever may enable me, to bring the sunshine of joy, to the lives that are gathered round me day by day.
Make me beautiful within for the sake of Thy sick ones and those lives, which will be influenced by them. Amen.

Charis read a few verses about "Holy Ground" from Exodus 3:1-6

I was able to read 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 and Crystal read a prayer that she wrote for our class. It was such a blessing and meant so much to all of us!
The whole group singing, "Speak, O Lord"

Me and Crystal afterwards - so glad we made it through our parts :)

Stacey DeJong came to support us :)

and...one more with the parents

My fan club :)

Thanks guela for coming and for the new devotional book, I know it'll come in use

Part of the ceremony was also receiving a white Gideon's Bible - I know grandpa scholten would be proud!

consecration weekend part 1

Well the first official stop of the day was at the Bodies Exhibit downtown, which was a huge success! With dad's driving and Guela's navigating we found parking right across the street from the exhibit. I think I can speak for all of us, that we loved it and now look at people in another way! (well I admit I started doing that while taking A&P but now guela and dad do it too ;)

By the end Guela starting naming the pieces, "A nerve-ous wreck", and "Out of body experience" were some of the best ones

So...the second stop of the day was Kerry Park :) I didn't realize that they have never been there or seen the view! (my bad... lol) so now they have :) and we were so blessed that the weather held off all afternoon and were able to see the city

me and my wonderful parents with the space needle in the background

me and guela :)

me and mom :)

the parents

inside a little piece of art

They had a flag on top of the space needle in honor of the police officer

And then....the Troll! Mom and dad had never been here either! We realized we've never really gone sight seeing while they've been here, its always been picking up or dropping off :)

Then we went to dinner at Ivars on the water and had a delicious dinner while watching the ferries coming in and going out

me and guela with our salmon caesear salad - soo good!

This is what Aunties are for.

So when I got to Tasha's last weekend, one of the first things she told me was that Brock really wanted to make Banana Chocolate Chip muffins. And of course, being the auntie I am once Bryce was down for his nap, off to baking we went :)

Brock was a huge help! counting out the eggs we needed...

Peeling the bananas...
And breaking them in pieces to go in the mixer - many, many little pieces I might add ;)

First, pointing at which hole he wanted me to fill, then telling me which ones needed more :)

Well I didn't get an after picture but they were delicious! We had a good bonding time, he was so talkative (shocker huh!) and so helpful! When Bryce was still talking in his bed he told me, "I'll go check on Brcye. Just to make sure he's ok. Cause thats what brothers do." (as he was ready to jump off the counter to go take care of little Bryce!) Amazing how brothers can love eachother so much at such a young age :)