We'll be coming over the mountain...

Due to Jesse having managers training in Spokane this last week, Erica and I and the kids were able to make a trip across the state. We don't have a vehicle big enough, so we rented a SUV, loaded up the kids and our piles of crap and headed out on a cross state adventure. All in all the trip wasn't too bad, kids are kids but french fries fix everything! It was nice for Erica and I to have lots of visiting time with the grandparents, because we haven't had much the last couple of times we were there. I helped grams make chocolates, though with the kids I didn't get much done, saw some of my cousins, and even took the kiddies to chuck e cheese for the first time. By the end, we were ready to get the kids home, and I am sure grams and papa were ready to have their peace and quiet back, but it was a great trip.


The kids in the back, zoned out to a movie. The space in the vehicle definitely made me want one, but I don't think there is one in my immediate future.


Peyton's favorite part of the cheese was skee ball. He loved it so much he assumed any one else playing was doing it for his benefit and going up and taking their balls was completely acceptable. The kids cared nothing for the tickets and they were hanging out of all the machines.

I really wanted peyton to do the whack-a-mole type game but he only cared for about a second, then he was off running again.

We did get Madison to do this ride, even though she doesn't look to be enjoying it here, she actually liked most of it. I couldn't get Peyton near anything ride like, wuss!


Monica and Brady scoping out the scene. Everyone helped out holding Brady and Parker so we could chase our kids around.


The three boys and their papa. They were all born within two months of each other, but the Cameron and Dylan make Peyton seem like he is way younger than them.


I don't know if you can tell, but to recap this picture, Dylan had just "tackled" papa and cameron was on his way to do the same when they felt the need to tackle each other as they passed by. Peyton got pig piled a few times, but since he had no previous experience with it, he wasn't a huge fan.


This is Cameron showing me his muscles, I just thought it was too cute.

Napkin! Napkin!

To insure that our son is a well groomed young man, we have been working on teaching him to clean himself up, especially after meals. Mostly we have been using napkins as our teaching tool. In a way, this has ended up backfiring on us, because now our son is a pansie! Every time he sees something on himself he runs around saying "Nakin, Nakin!" He is helpful when he spills something because he attempts to clean it up, but sometimes he or the mess can't be cleaned. The other day he looked at his knee and noticed a mark. Assuming he could clean it off, he took mom's finger, licked it, and tried to scrub it off. Unfortunately, it was an owie so it could not be removed and this frustrated him to the point of a slight meltdown. Then he promptly pulled his shirt over his knee so he couldn't see it, problem solved. This begs the question, what happened to my adventurous son who played in dirt and didn't care? I guess now he is my son who accidentally paints himself and screams for a napkin!

Monster Mash Bash

Growing up, I always used to look forward to Halloween even though I spent a lot of them in a trash bag. Some years we had parties others we just went to the school carnival or trick or treating. But after last years debacle, I decided if I wanted Halloween to be fun now, I would have to do something about. Thus the idea for a Halloween party was born. It also helps that I like to plan parties and make treats! Unfortunately, our house isn't huge so we couldn't have as many people as I wanted, but we were able to have my family and some friends over. Almost everyone came in costume, some we had to improvise here, and we had all the usual activities. A costume contest, which was won by Nate and Stacie for the adults and Payton and well technically Madison but she was too young to care about a prize, so Makenna had the next highest amount of votes. After that some of us tried to learn how to do the Thriller dance, it did not go so well. See below exhibit. Then it was a mummy wrapping competition and bobbing for apples (which Melia ended up being the overall champion of.) Other than that it was just a LOT of eating and chatting. I hope everyone had fun because I am already thinking about next year. Prepare for lots of pics!

THE ABRAHAMSON FAMILIES
Mom and Dad went as Aliens in the infamous trash bags.
Erica, Nate, and Madison went as pirates and Parker was their Monkey.
Melia and Isabell also ended up being pirates, though they looked more like wenches or bar maids.
We went as Dorothy, Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion.

THE MUMMY CONTEST
Peyton wasn't too enthused about having to leave the back room to come partake, as you can tell by his face. Kinley was one of the first kids done, but the official winner was...
Jillian, team Gifford was on fire because Doug and Clarissa were also the adult winners, though it seems his outfit led to an advantage. Stacie and Jason got pretty close.
Melia had some issues with Isabell. They may have won had Isabell not kept pulling off the TP!
I was at a severe disadvantage because I had to wrap Jesse and Brady, plus I really sucked!
And this is Peyton in the back room about and hour after the contest was over, so oblivious when Dora is on!


THE COSTUME CONTEST WINNERS
Both Makenna (Hermione) and Payton (Indiana Jones)
Nate as a Pirate, missing tooth and all
Stacie came decked out in 80's garb but I couldn't find a good pic of just her.

APPLE BOBBING
Melia on her championship run. She beat out Jesse after beating me. Jesse beat out Doug, who beat out Dad, after beating Andy. Confused?
Not too many kids were able to go beacause of illness, but Payton, Drake, Savannah (who lost her tooth in the bucket), and Hunter went.

I just love Isabell's face. Andy was trying to dodge out of the way after using Iz as the starting gun.

The Reveal

Well, most of you were able to get it right...Boy #1 is Brady and Boy #2 is Peyton. And yes Alesha, you did cheat! My mom did get it wrong if that is any consolation. I am curious to see if they will continue to look alike. If they do, there may be more challenges in your future. I will stump you!

Can you tell who's who?

Everyday, Brady freaks me out more and more because he looks just like Peyton...and moves just like Peyton and smiles just like Peyton! So since I can't tell the difference very easily, I thought I would send out the challenge to see if any of you can. Who's who?

Boy #1

Boy #2

100 years of livin!

The Birthday Girl, she looks awesome!

My Gramma P has made it 100 years and this weekend we headed over to Spokane to celebrate this momentous occasion. I always love having an excuse to go to Spokane, even though getting there is a bit more difficult and it takes a bit longer. After taking off Friday afternoon, we began our journey across the state, with only two stops we made decent time. Saturday was the party day and the morning was full of lots of prep. Melia and I stayed back with the kids because they would just slow the process down. By party time, the kids were jazzed to run around, even though it was really a sit event. One of us spent most of the time chasing them around, but we all got in a little visiting time. It is nice to see everyone, we are all just so shy that we have a hard time branching out and talking to others. Gramma P looked great and came to the party even though she didn't really want to! Her descendants did a presentation of her life represented by 100 of an item that created a memory with her. Jesse and I did roses, Melia movie tickets, Dad tulips, and Peyton closed the show with X and O's. By the time this was over Peyton and Isabell were approaching melt down stage so we took them home for naps. The rest of the evening we visited with family and ate some pizza. Unfortunately, we had to leave Sunday, it seems like we never get to hang out for too long. Hopefully we can go back soon and stay a few days. Happy Birthday Gramma P!

Dad walking Brady around, all the old ladies loved him!

My aunt Jeanette with little Allison (my cousin Monica's girl)

My cousing Molly with her niece Millie (my cousing Sarah's daughter)

Molly and me, Molly has a mouth full of food!

My Gramma P's hairdresser, that is some stellar hair!

My great aunt Linda with Brady.

Melia and my aunt Debby

Big Brother, Little Brother

Aren't they cute? Brady wasn't too excited for that picture. For the most part the two have been getting along pretty well. Peyton is finally starting to act out a bit to get our attention, which I admit has mostly been on Brady (especially in my case.) But overall not too bad.


Peyton is now 27 mos old and still very much in his own world. I wish he would join our world more often because then maybe he would listen to me better. There are some days when Brady comes very close to being an only child, but I always restrain! Like I said, he has been acting out more which makes him harder to deal with, especially with Brady always on me. In other Peyton news, he is currently doing his favorite activity, dancing around with his hats singing "Preschool Musical" from Sesame Street. It is that song 24/7, and he only knows the chorus so it gets a bit repetitive for everyone else, but somehow still cute. Since he still prefers not to talk all the time, he has begun moving us to what he wants. He pushes and pulls, then moves our fingers to what he wants. It is interesting, but i still wish he would just talk. I guess he has started saying more stuff on his own, he loves to say "Buh-bye, I lud you, kiss" to everything we leave (sharks, people, the playground.) Let's see, oh he has also learned how to play on the computer all by himself, well Sesame Street. He can open the Internet, find the page, and then move the star to what he wants to play or watch. It's a little scary that he is so good at it already, but also handy at times.



And then poor Brady. Well, actually he has been doing better. The new antibiotic, plus some gripe water seem to be helping, but he still has trouble chilling on his own and calming down to sleep without being wrapped up like a burrito. It is still hard to look at him and not see Peyton. Even Peyton looks at baby pictures of himself and says Brady. At this point he doesn't seem to have too much of a personality, there is the occasional smile, but nothing that he is totally controlling. All of his hair is still intact, as I imagine it will continue to be. Now that he is out of the newborn stage (he doesn't really curl up on my chest ans sleep anymore, sad) I am looking forward to when he can sit and play on his own, but I don't really want him to move. We'll see if we can work that out.

There have been many tears shed by all three of us, but slowly, very slowly, I am beginning to handle this all better and adjust to a fussy baby and an, um, adventurous toddler. I desperately want to enjoy this, especially Brady's first months, so I am trying to adjust my attitude about getting stuff done. It's just that keeping them both alive and fed doesn't feel like enough of an accomplishment, so I spend all day trying to put Brady down so I can do other chores around the house and I feel like that is jipping me of time with both of them. I will have to work on it, so if you come over and the house isn't clean, well know that I want it to be, but I am spending some time with my boys!

Zoo, finally!

This is so way past the point, but I wanted to make sure I had it documented.

It was about the middle of August, on a semi-warm day. Three sisters, two kids, and a Gramma headed to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. What awaited them, no one was prepared for. Ok, it is hard to write like that, but it is dramatic. So, anyways...Erica and I dropped off the newborns at a family friend's (it was the first time I was away from Brady) and took off for an adventure. Unfortunately, Melia wasn't able to join us, but then we only had two kids to keep track of. We always find this zoo to be the best because at an aquarium you have guaranteed sightings and you can get really close and the youngens seem to like that.

Peyton really enjoyed chasing after the peacocks trying to talk to them.

He also liked looking underwater at the walruses but got super freaked when they came right at him.



As always the water and toy area was pretty much their favorite part. Not to mention, it is Alesha's favorite spot to pose for pictures.



I did manage to get Peyton on the carousel, but of course only on the lame seat that doesn't move. He still really hates those things. Madison is much more adventurous.

Luckily, we all enjoy the Zoo or it wouldn't be much fun yet, the kids don't completely care where they are. We could have taken them to McDonald's play land and gotten the same level of enthusiasm, but this is really becoming a nice tradition.