Yachats!

We spent a beach weekend with Tracy & Martha at their beach house. We had some great nighttime storms that shook the house and rattled the windows, but the days were as nice as they could be for the month of November.We took a quick walk on the beach the first morning, it was high tide so we couldn’t go very far, when Martha got wet over the top of her boots for the second or third time that morning we headed back to the house to clean up and head to the aquarium.

I felt like we rushed a bit viewing the animals, but then again we were with five year olds and they are always in a hurry to see the next thing. It was a good time to be there, feedings were happening so we got so see quite a bit of activity with the animals.




Here Tracy is helping Jo touch a sea anemone. I think Tracy was having more fun with this than Jo, and I know Jo had a blast!

Martha found this great dance along Crab Dancing video. Jo managed to move her hands like claws, Cole did his claws and moved his body a little bit. And Martha? Well she boogied out the crab dance better than any human could crab dance! We have video to prove it!

(for a little $$ we
will send it to you)

That night we roasted hotdogs for dinner and then made smoores for our desert. The kids are not huge smoore fans so that just left more for the adults.

On Sunday we boated out into the bay and did some crabbing. The boat was very full (understatement) with people and crab gear but we had a good time. It was a little choppy but not very cold, tons of boats had already dropped their gear in by the time we motored out there. But with Martha’s driving skills and Tracy manning the pots (with a little help from us) we dropped our pots in the mix. I really have no clue how Macy (Martha/Tracy) keep track of where they drop the pots with all the other floats out there too but they do and did! It was a good afternoon of fun.

Macy have some cool kites that have no sticks, they just stuff them into small bags that fit into your pocket. The kids got to fly them, but were disappointed when the wind died down, so the kites wouldn’t stay up. Next time maybe.

And here we are with our catch. Nine crab in about three hours and we got a few that were huge! Jo had a great time catching the crab but she has learned that she does not like the taste of crab even thoughshe was very excited to start cracking them open. I’d say sad really, but if she wants to catch them we will always have people around to eat her catch. Cole managed to pull all his crab meat out without eating any of it until he was done cracking (Oma could not control herself that much). Then he would take a handful of crab dip it all (including his hand) into the butter and stuffing it into his mouth. Four or five handfuls and he was done, butter dripping down his arm and face…those crab bibs were made for guys like Cole! Asked if he would like more and he said “No, I’m good”.

What a wonderful weekend!
Thank you Macy!

Time Away & Funnies

The kids had a good time trick or treating this year. They actually made it a few houses more than they did last year before getting tired. The neighbors treat them well, getting a coloring book, reading book, marking pens and some toys. Can we say spoiled? But I think if you have kept up with this blog you probably already knew that.Jo got to wear the Cat-Woman outfit that G’ma Marie made for cousin Derian a few years ago. She was very happy! Tried to make the whip crack often. I think she liked the feeling of power? We may be in trouble later on in life.

Cole stuck with Batman thank goodness. After watching The Great Pumpkin (Charlie Brown) he wanted to be a ghost. Momma was like “What?” You can be a pirate, Batman, Darth Vader, Spiderman, Superman and so many other things right now out of your room. Momma does not have a white sheet to make you a ghost. Go figure! He again at the last minute decided to be Batman without help from us.Momma took the kids out of town for a few days. A needed and wanted get away from life you might say. G’ma Marie and G’pa Norman took us up to Susan Creek waterfalls. It was a short hike that took us out of the fogged in town. The kids ran, played, fell often (Cole did any way) and wore themselves out! It was a good afternoon topped off with some greasy home fries and burgers at Munchies in Glide. Yummy!

Ok, here are just a couple fun shots of the kids and some funny things they have done or said.

Cole:
He has trouble saying the “r” sound.
Practicing saying the word “girl” he got frustrated and finally told us.

“I can just say woman”.

Using an outhouse he said through the door,

“I can’t reach the soap box Momma so I used the bar of soap down here” (the one in the urinal).

Momma could not get his hands clean enough after that.

Jo:
Asking Oma if she could use some dental floss.
“Can I floss my dental?”

Some people say

“Oh, dang it”
She says

“Oh, Parnables”

(we really have no idea)

A conversation:
Jo: The earth is farting.
Momma: What?!
Jo: You know, where we saw the elephants die,

the earth is farting there.
Momma: Oh, La Brea Tar Pits?

Jo: Yes, there, the earth farts.

Finding words and a place in my head

Lucy Lahr!
Aug. 23, 1962 – Oct 18, 2007

My dear friend, roommate, sister and many other words could describe Lucy. I have not been able to find the right ones as of late. My friend was killed by a hit and run driver on Oct. 18, 2007 and I am still lost for words and have not found a place in my head to file this information. This is the first time someone I care for so deeply has been ripped from my life and I hope deep down inside that it will be the last.

She made me laugh, grow, ponder, she pissed me off at times and she could challenge my way of thinking and living. She held me when I have cried and I got to listen to her talk about her day. The last words I remember saying to Lucy was “I love you”. I know some don’t say it often and maybe not at all but we did, every time we saw each other.

I love you Lucy and miss you.
Tina

Busy Month ?

Can’t believe it’s been over a month since our last post, but it has. Part of the time just very busy and part of the time not, and didn’t really have much to say. Then when I was ready to post life kind of went to heck.
So we bought a Wii for all of us to create Mii’s and say WEEEeeeeeee…or if your older than 20 then you really don’t say Wheeeeee…it’s more like ouch! Yes, the next day us older people were sporting Wii soreness. And everyone who has walked though our door older than 20 have said the same thing…ouch. Oh, one or two said they were not sore but then when we talk to them a bit longer they admit they woke and just took pain pills before they felt anything else. Wimps!
Grandpa Norman had a doc appointment in our area and it was a multi day type thing, so the Grandparents parked their RV in the driveway for a few days. While here, cousin Hannah had her birthday so we all gathered for a bbq, let the kids play, the big kids Wii’ed, and all celebrated Hannah’s Birthday.

Jo’s frog Pegasus (Magical Pegasus for the full name) died this past week. It was a very sad day for the kids. Though they have had some family members pass this year, this was the first “every day” connection that has died. They helped wrap Pegasus in a paper towel and placed her in a baggie in the fridge until Oma got home from school. While they waited for the burial they drew pictures and decided where in the yard she should be placed. They both said some nice words about Pegasus and that was that.

Derian came down for the kid’s school Harvest party, they dressed in their best and we walked to school to play games, eat popcorn with candy corn mixed in, and pizza. The kids had a good time. We have here, Batman (because of Jo’s costume), Catwoman and then Darkness.

Met up with Uncle Todd and family at a farm to walk through a corn maze and other activities. The kids were spending the weekend with them so it was about a half waypoint of meeting and playing too. Here they got to pan for fossils, way fun, and then over an hour in the corn maze. They played quite some time at this farm before heading out. Betting they were tired that night.Sunday we finally got to carve our pumpkins. The kids grew them in the garden next door at Dale & Francis’ house. They had a good time watching them grow and kept changing their mind on which pumpkin they wanted as each one grew larger.
Almost time for more candy!

That’s about it, in a nutshell. For today anyway.

Soccer-Blading-Scooter Jumping

We have been busy with family and just stuff this month. We visited the Smith family for a weekend and had a wonderful time. We watched Lanna and Maggie play in soccer games and then watched Oma and sister Carol play soccer against their high school varsity team in an annual alumni game. Way fun and funny. No oxygen was needed on the sidelines but there were many missed kicks with an “Oh Geez” to follow from said player. Sandy and I had some good laughs from the grandstands.

We didn’t take any photos that weekend but if you wanted to see a couple they are on the “Ruiz Family 4” website, the link is to the right here under "Other Sites".




Cole is playing soccer now too, the running is good for him and his coach likes the way he listens and follows directions. Cole says he also likes his coach, and is learning quite a lot. Did I mention that Oma was coaching his team? I didn’t? Well she is.The “Beaver Volcanoes” played their first two mini-games this past weekend and Cole had a very good time. The other teams seem to dominate the direction of the ball but we do have two or three boys that “get” the game enough to challenge them. Cole seems to understand the angles pretty well, running to those to cut off the ball or for an accidental pass from his team…or from the other team. He even made a goal, which made him turn and say “Yeah” with a fist and a smile.

Jo and Momma kicked the ball around a bit before Cole’s game and she had a very good time. I did ask her if she wanted to play soccer on an all girls team and her words were. “Please don’t make me play soccer again, Momma.” How could you force that? She might try it another time but not this season. This day like so many others, she played in the dirt and was very…very happy.
(fyi, she starts swimming again this week)

After almost a full year of owning roller blades Jo has finally pulled them out and started playing on them! (we have not pushed her) In just a few days she has gained much confidence on them and has even gone down our ‘hill’ at the end of the driveway. (if you have ever been at our home you know that it is barely a downgrade but it’s enough that she rolls without pushing) She is working hard, smiling and laughing the whole time! Oma and I are having a wonderful time watching her and helping her here and there.

Cole is becoming quite the hot dog on all things with wheels. Here he wanted to prove that he could jump a piece of sidewalk chalk. And he did. He has taught himself how to jump like this, along with doing a little wheelie, and now trying a nose wheelie. He has started racing his bike around the yard so fast that all vehicles have to be moved from the driveway. (A couple close calls with hitting them while riding very fast.) Anything we can do to help him keep the teeth he has left until they are ready to leave on their own.

That’s about it for now. Busy but all good.