Primary Talent Show

The kids had a primary talent show. Liam, Kate, and Tate did the "Manamana" song from Muppets. It was hilarious!!! Liam, with his spiked hair and sunglasses stole the show, and Kate and Tate were awesome little muppets, singing along.

While Jacob wanted to stand up and tell jokes, he settled for performing his Star Wars piano number and was great too! We're so proud of our little performers.

Sales Meeting Camping

The Fall 2015 sales meeting was held at Camp Merriwether. The week before, we did a test run and had some training on Leadership and Self Deception. It was an incredible spot to hold a sales meeting.

We even had everyone in tents!

The games of the meeting were Can Jam and Spike Ball, and there were tournaments multiple times.

One of the highlights of the meeting was the various places we were able to do our trainings and 1 on 1 visits. We were able to meet in amphitheaters, around camp fires, on canoes with floating candles on the lake, and on the beachfront.

There was only 1 spot in all of camp to get cell phone reception, so Dani and I would talk most nights from that one spot. It overlooked the ocean, so it wasn't a bad place to talk!

I appreciate the creativity and vision of those who put on the sales meetings and leadership retreats to make them memorable!!!

Young Capitalism

One Sunday, there was a knock at our door, and a boy with a clipboard and a cabbie cap, surrounded by a few other boys, offered to wash our car for $4!  I couldn't resist - they were planning on doing it using squirt guns instead of a hose!

It was hilarious and cute to watch as the leader of the group walked around the car, inspecting his crew's work. We made sure the boys all would get at least $1.

Precoa Company Picnic

We love the annual Precoa picnic, but this year, we only got to attend for an hour, but the kids had a memorable time! As always, there were lots of things for the kids to do - Claire dominated the rock climbing wall barefoot all the way up to the top!

We couldn't find Kate at some point, and when we did, we found her, face painted, riding a pony... in heaven!

Liam got a fun balloon sword that he wore in an awkward manner

You can't lick your elbow

Before prayers and scriptures, daddy threw down a challenge to all of the kids to see who could lick their elbows.

 

Try as they might, no one was successful, but we did get some good laughs trying!

 

Mirror Lake

Since it was a three-day weekend and soccer season hadn't started, we felt we needed to take a family hike. We hadn't gone on a hike for a while, so we decided to take a longer hike up to Mirror Lake. When we arrived, we realized how much cooler (and foggier) it was up in Government Camp than it was in Wilsonville! No matter, we pressed on anyways.

Our group trucked up the mountain - I was amazed how fast and cheerfully our group made it - about 3/4 of the way! 

Near the top, we started getting calls for potty from Kate, which slowed us down a bit, but we convinced her we could find a spot at the top, and that helped get us there. Side note - we did find a spot, and she didn't have to go... but was much happier from then on.

Due to the fog (and a bit of a breeze), there wasn't much of a mirror effect at Mirror Lake, so we didn't go all the way around it.

On the way down, the kids really started to find some fun. They were singing, holding hands, and practically skipping down the mountain. It was fun to walk behind them and watch them bounce off of trees, jump off rocks, and move as a team. Also, it was hilarious to watch Kate's owl backpack bouncing!

We got a good view of the valley from the top of the rock slide, one place where the fog was a little thinner.

Torin was a little trooper, despite seeming to come down with a bit of a cold. It was a great experience to share with the kids

Tiny Torin at 15 months

Torin still loves to wave.  When he's outside, he likes to wave to people walking by or cars driving by. The wave also still is used to say Hi, Bye, Good Night, I want That, Thank You, etc.

Every once in a while, Torin will get into a kissy mood.  Sometimes, he gives a warning by making kissing noises.  Other times, he just starts planting them on you!

Torin has an opinion and he isn't afraid of letting you know it. Sometimes, he will see mom or dad, then start running to the front or back door, then start hitting it, fully expecting to go outside.

Favorite things to do:

- Walk/Run - anywhere!

- Climb on things - he loves to sit in the arm chairs and on the couch (he can't climb up there yet). He loves to climb up to the bed and run around

- Be outside!

- Snuggle with his hippo in bed

Nicknames:

- Goofus

- Tora-Torin or Baby (Dani calls him this)

Favorite Foods:

- Goldfish

- Fish Sticks

- Cheese

- Beans!

Words:

- Mama

- Daddy

- Hippo (puh-poh)

- No-No/Night-Night

- Ball

- Cheese/Shoes (ssshsheeehsss)
- Bath

Torin does love to sing.  Often, when we are in sacrament meeting (and on the rare occasion that we are in the chapel), we will start singing, and Torin will join in.  In the car, especially, he loves to sing.