We finally have a job...

With the scholarship payback looming over our heads, we've had a stressful few months of trying to figure out where we'd end up for the next four years. It ultimately came down to two good choices, both of which offered him a spot.

We had to choose between this little dot on the map in the midwest...

And this:

Needless to say, we went with Hawaii. Jason will be working in a small rural clinic on the North Shore of Oahu. So, every day we'll see the ocean and beautiful views of the Ko'olau mountains

And we get to live right by this

We feel so fortunate to be able to do our payback in such a beautiful spot of the world where our kids will learn so much about culture and be exposed to a more relaxed, less competitive lifestyle for a while. A few months ago we thought we would be destined for either American Samoa or an indian reservation. The site in Hawaii came up just at the right time. Maybe the scholarship wasn't such a bad deal after all...

(Girl's trip 2011 in hawaii anyone?!)

New Arrival!

It's a Girl! Sophia Juliet
Born December 2nd

6 lbs 4 oz

17 3/4 inches long

We have successfully brought another beautiful baby girl into the world. She such a perfect precious baby. Needless to say, we are all wrapped around her tiny little finger (especially daddy, who is snuggling with her every chance he gets) We couldn't be happier and I couldn't have asked for a better birthday or Christmas present than this sweet little bundle of joy. It has taken me a little while to post this but this season has been a little busy for our family. Ten days after the baby was born Eden was also baptized. So I had to add that announcement as well. She is so grown up now and I love hanging out with her! What a fun stage she is in!

Anyway, I think I am the luckiest mom in the world and my life is perfect! God has given me so much more than I have asked for or deserved and I feel truly blessed! Anyway, love you all!

P.S. I can't find a pink double stroller! I am now finding out they are only made in singles (like no one has more than one girl!) So, if anyone knows of any place or website that sells pink or more girly double strollers let me know.

New blog for mom's and families

I just wanted to share a blog I am writing with my sisters. The link is http://successforkids.blogspot.com/ and it is kind of a hodgepodge of info and articles for moms and families with everything from recipes to health tips to product reviews. We only started it about a month ago, but I wanted to pass the word along. Feel free to add it to your blog lists on your blogs as well!

Grigg Halloween

Halloween was a bit of a bust this year. I ended up running a half marathon in Ohio Halloween morning so by the time we drove back home we ended up digging through the costume box to find costumes for everyone. But here is a picture of every one carving pumpkins a few days before. Andersen's parents were visiting so the boys were having a great time. I don't know why Coolidge wasn't in this picture because he was rolling around in the guts the whole time.
This is the only picture I got on Halloween. Luckily a lot of people had given me hand-me-downs for Waverly and there happened to be a costume in the mix. So here is my little pumpkin on her first Halloween. I can hardly believe she is already three months old!

Here we all are just before my race. It was a cold windy race but I managed to finish in under 2 hrs. 1hr 56min. I guess that's alright for my first half marathon.

I even got a trophy for second place in my age group. These are all the ladies from my ward that ran with me. It was great having such a good sized group to run with. That always makes running more fun when you have someone to run with.

Anyway, that was our Halloween. Glad everyone else had a great time too!

I need HELP!!!

Hey, does anyone have any ideas for keeping an autistic spectrum child entertained on a 25 hour car ride? We're driving to Utah for my brother's wedding, and Nathan doesn't do well driving to the grocery store, let alone cross country.

He doesn't play with toys (other than throwing them) and only really loves to push the buttons on our dvd player at home over and over and over again. He also loves Dora, but we can only watch so much Dora before he needs something to throw, or someone to bite. Let me know if you have a stroke of genius.

Also, he learned how to unlatch his carseat, and will not leave it on. I'm almost to the point of duct tape, but wanted to know if any of you have had this problem, and found a good solution.

Thanks for your support, and help. I really need it.

Katie

Weber Halloween

We didn't get many pictures of Halloween, because Rachel and I had Swine Flu, so here's one. She was really feeling better, so here she is as a blonde "fancy lady". Shaun went as a skeleton ninja, Nathan went as a hyper active 3 year old, and Matthew went as an angel (which he didn't have to dress up at all for :) I went as a frazzled, overworked, under-appreciated mother, and Steve went as a zomby (both of which didn't need costume or makeup).

DeMill's Halloween

We had a great Halloween. Emery was a pumpkin. Addie was a witch. Dashle was a boy with an AWESOME bat hat that he refused to wear so instead he was a Cougar Fan. Coy was Baby Dracula. They were all very cute! We live in a great neighborhood where everyone hangs out in their driveways so the kids don't have to walk up to the doors and knock. We also live next to some pretty great neighbors who have adopted our kids as surrogate grandchildren. Out here we have what is called "Beggar's Night" if Halloween falls on the weekend. So our kids trick-o-treated on the 29th instead of the 31st. I agree with the idea. It keeps our children safe. Besides that, Thursday night was a lovely evening and Saturday, the 31st, was windy, rainy, and very cold. I must be getting old. I care too much about the weather.

Shyler loved me enough to don the bat hat since I made it and Dashle wouldn't wear it.

This is my pumpkin costume my mom made decades ago. Still pretty cute especially on Emery.

The best kind of fangs are baby ones!

Hope everyone had a great October! We created a lot of fun family memories and traditions. Can't wait for November and December family fun!

Happy Halloween

My kids had a great time this year and the weather actually cooperated for us. I posted more on my own blog too so if you want more info it is there.

The Banks Bunch

Here is Jenny kids, mine and the girls friends at the ward's trunk or treat party.

Brynn was a witch.

Aubrey was a self titled "princess" ghost.

Brayden was Luke Skywalker. He was so happy that he got to look like Dillon. He loves being around Jenny's boys. He gets his boy influence that way. :)

Little Kali was a bunny.

Brett enter a ugly mustache competition at work, so this is his really mustache, but not really hair. :)

Brett and I had a few costume party this year. We started with a 70's party a couple weeks before Halloween so we decided to just keep that theme throughout.


We had a great Halloween. All your kids looked so cute.

Yes, Jenny I would love to do a costume swap. Love ya all.

Interesting Idea... What do you think??

Hey ladies.  You know how hard it is to find costumes and plan for all the kids and stuff?  What if next year we host an online costume swap?  We could post pictures of the costumes we have that we'd be willing to swap for.  Sounds like a good way to save $$, eh?  Just a thought.  Post your thoughts and if you think it even sounds feasible.  

Bingham Super Heroes

Super, super Girl!!
Put my Batman shirt on for Jeremy's family Halloween Bash, Tay was okay with being matchy with his mom.


Our super team unites!

I love Halloween. I love to see all the little kids and make the kids costumes its so fun and sometimes hard to decide what they want to be. We went to Magic Mountain in late summer and they got capes, that was our inspiration for our super hereos. At our ward party I was the supervillain, Professor Evil, but you have to say it with a crazy accent. I love to see all of our kiddos in their halloween costumes, so big and stinkin cute. Thanks for the reminder Jenny.

Bassett Halloween

Halloween is pretty big here. We got SO much candy. We went to 3 different trick or treating events. The kids loved being able to dress up so much. Jordan was in heaven being able to wear her ballet stuff out in public.

PS So for those that will be done this coming year, does anyone know were they are going yet. I know Rachel J knows. But I don't know if I heard from anyone else. We should be deciding in the next month.

Shelton Halloween

Everyone's kids are getting so big...and cute. I think I already announced that I was expecting but we found out this week that it's a GIRL!! Yeah...I am so excited for Amelia to have a sister. Anyway...Halloween was a blast as well. I posted more details on my family blog so check there if interested. We also just finished moving in to our new house, still on the Minot AFB, but they are tearing our very old house down, so it was a busy month. Well, here are my kiddos. They were tons of fun and I am looking forward to the holidays this year.

Manwaring Halloween '09

Whewwww....it's been a while since I've posted....thanks Jenny for the reminder. We're here still pluggin away at residency. Life's busy but VERY happy!! Here's our fam...this year will go down in history as my very favorite Halloween of all time-we had a GREAT night!!

We had tons of fun. Hope yours was great too.

Hope you all had a great Halloween :)