Year at a glance

Whoa, just where did the last year go. After Lance graduated and we left Pocatello someone hit the fast-forward button and we haven't been able to catch up. With new degree in hand, we all packed up and headed to Yellowstone for a extended family vacation. Well almost, Joseph and I got to leisurely tour the park, hiking everywhere four-year-old legs can go. Which got to be pretty far, if only that energy could be more evenly distributed though-out our life. Unfortunately Lance had to work most of the time which is why we were there. He was hauling gravel in for road work later that summer. But after a long day who can help needing a little break from hiking.
Not really He was just bored and thought it would be funny to pretend to sleep for awhile. After a long day of touring all he wanted to do was go for a little walk or really a race around the camp.It was a great trip, and we did get to all go out a few times together. We got to see the elk calves, mt. sheep babies, tons of buffalo babies, and the newest was an antelope born in the gravel pit literally minutes before we got there, it was great!

The next highlight would be moving into our very own home on Christmas Eve.We LOVE our little home! I'm going to take pictures of the outside when the porch is done. The past year was great!

Some highlights from this semester:
John Deere Days- Joseph won a cookbood and hat. We all had tons of fun.
Joseph made the bed for Uncle Justin to stay with us one night and he even put candy on the pillow.
Colton and Lulu come to play on Wed. mornings and Lulu came with a goose egg on her head so Joseph put a bandaid on for her. It was so cute!
A huge double yolk egg from our chickens in Kooskia.
Joseph was helping me cook and then we went to vaccume the van but he still had his apron on. What a helper.
Joseph's cousins came and stayed with us for a few days. Avery is on the couch Brooklyn is next to Joseph and Kinley in the pink.
This is the only time Joseph has spiked his hair. And he has started sticking his tounge out every time I take his picture. Isn't he a little young for that?

Thanksgiving

Raff family Thanksgiving
Joseph lost the memory card from our camera. He thinks its really cool to see it pop out when you push it. Anyway so the only pictures I have are from other people and therefore mostly of their children. Lance's parents had just got home from their mission in Arizona so everyone went to Kooskia for a reunion. The whole family was there which has never actually happened before so that was fun. We got to spend and entire week together. But come family picture time someone was so sick they couldn't be there so we'll have to try again next year. This is Joseph looking especially like his dad.
Grandma and Grandpa Raff had someone make all the grandchildren these little rock animals. All the kids loved them and I think they are so cute. Joseph got a little green and yellow turtle. This is all the grandchildren together well minus one twin that was sick.

Lance was really tired I guess. Vacation will do that to ya.

Craft Fair

I just posted a link to pictures of all my sewing items. It was easier than uploading them twice. I'm really glad the whole thing is done. My family is happy to have me as a wife and mother again. We're getting ready to head to Kooskia for Thanksgiving and then only three weeks of school. If Lance, or when Lance passes calculus we will all be relieved. Anyway check out the pictures if you're interested.

craft fair 2009 (18 photos), by Laureen Raff

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
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Trip to Jackson

Well my camera is broken right now, but I really wanted to update this. My brother Jay and his wife Carrie had their baby on Sunday. But naturally I don't have any pictures. But his name is Spencer and he is VERY cute! We have been doing alot of home improvements but without pictures they're pretty boring. We painted the front of the garage and patched the front stairs. Everything looks way better! We talked to the Realtor on Wednesday about selling our house but we won't list it until Feb. or March. Lance just has to be sure and pass all his classes. Becky Kesler and I are working on a craft fair booth together for Nov. 14th in Rigby. I have been sewing every spare minute of the day.

We took a trip over to Jackson Hole, Wy. when we first came back to school. Joseph loved it and everything was beautiful and crowded. This is Phelps Lake I think. It was a short little hike that we could all do. Even Joseph walked most of the way.
We stopped at the visitors center or Elk Refuge place and looked at all the stuff. We had been there before but Joseph didn't remember. He gets excited about anything new so this was almost heaven.

Pictures

Here are the pictures that are supposed to go with the next post. Sorry I ran out of patience.

Where to Start

I have no idea what to say about this summer. How about some random pictures and will go from there. This is our apartment in Kooskia. We drove around for at least an hour looking at the colors on houses and after all that choose the same color of siding as the shop. Pretty boring but it was the only color that Lance and I both like. I'm just so glad to have it done. The unfinished part is for the porch roof which will go on next summer.

 

This is how Joseph took his nap every day. I wish I got a little bigger picture. He sleeps between the trucks and the garage door on camping mats.

 

Joseph begged me forever to make a bow and arrow for him. Then one day he stopped waiting and made his own. He used a bungee cord for the string. And started working on his dad to find an arrow. He LOVES it!

 

We took my family to the Dwarshak Dam this summer in Orofino. The best part was when a storm started blowing in and the static electricity made the girls' hair stand straight up. It was so funny, especially the longer hair.

And then we had a picnic and the kids were seeing who could jump off the curb the farthest. Big familys rock!

For those who don't know these people they are, from the left: Mel-8 (my youngest brother) Audra-12 (my youngest sister) Corbin-18 (brother, going on a mission in Dec.) Justin-21 (brother, just got home from a mission

Update

Hi Everyone we're still alive here in Kooskia. We spend our days working on our place and getting ready for the fire season. Since it has done nothing but rain, I'll be surprised if a fire can even start. So far we have gotten our well drilled (which was quite a deal) and our septic system in, (which was amazingly easy). The siding is also all done. Joseph is growing like crazy. My brother Justin is home from the Lima, Peru Mission. Congratulations to Jay and Carrie expecting a little boy in October. It was great to see the Vickerys in May and the Laws at the reunion in June.

Almost Summer

I have been being lazy for months. We're still here in Pocatello, but just busy. Lance's older brother, Quinn, passed away on Easter morning, after a struggle with brain cancer. It seemed long but this last challenge only lasted about a year. He was only 40 years old and has left behind 5 children. We have been blessed enough to get to spend some time in Utah with him. We have had a beautiful time with family and a reminder of what is important. I am sooo grateful for the gospel in my life! I love the plan of happiness. The hope that we can have through the Savior and His Atonement is so wonderful. When everything around us is unpredictable, hope cannot be taken away without our consent. I have hope in a better day when all things will be made right. The Lord has promised us compensation for our tears that we cannot understand. There is nothing on this earth worth giving up the blessings and promises of heaven.

Randomness

Joseph talking on the phone to Grandma. He is really good at carring on a conversation. I just sit and laugh about the things he talks about. "Should we go on a picnic Grandma?" "I want to have spaghetti for dinner after my nap" Where does he get this stuff?

Before Christmas my family came over and we all went to the Museum of Idaho in Idaho Falls. Here Joseph is serving up the beans to Abbie and Audra. All the kids had tons of fun and actually we all enjoyed it.

My brother Kyle taught Joseph to wink. He is getting pretty good at it and his newest trick is moving his eyebrows. Lance taught him that one. It took along time to convince him that he did have eyebrows because he couldn't see them in the mirror.

Finally, I made Joseph new pjs so we could wash the candy pjs. Yes I know they are pretty big, but he grows fast and this way he can love them for a long time. We have been reading, 'Make way for ducklings' 'Ping' and 'Do like a Duck Does' so he thinks hes pretty cool.

Christmas

Just a few highlights from Christmas. Since Joseph finally got the whole song thing to work for his Birthday, he thought it would work for Christmas. We had tons of fun in Emmett. Joseph even got to be a shepherd for the Vickery Christmas eve party. His favorite part was the cane.

All the children were 'thrilled' to be part of the nativity scene.My amazing mom made pajamas for all the the kids still living at home and the grandkids. Everyone loved them of course. Who wouldn't?Joseph will now only wear his candy pajamas. He loves them so much. I think I need to make another pair. They do have to be washed occasionally.

3rd Birthday

I'm just going to post some quick highlights of the past three months. The most important is that Joseph turned three. He thought that if he could get me to sing the birthday song that he could open his presents. He had it all planned, I am quoting him exactly I only wish I could add the emotion he put into the whole story. "Everybodys going to sing and I blow out the candles (pretend to blow) and the everybody claps, yeah, and then I open my presents." It was so much fun to listen to him explain that I could hardly wait but the day finally came and he almost forgot what to do. We had a party in Kooskia and another in Emmett a few days later. By the second one he got it all right and had tons of fun.

I think his favorite present was his boots.

Sugar Plum Craft Fair

I'm doing a craft fair here in Pocatello. It's a pretty small one but about all I can handle. This is my display. I sell Christmas vests with bow ties, receiving blankets, baby shoes, beaded socks, the stick horses aren't in this picture because they block the other stuff, but I'm working on that, and my friend has wipe covers and changing pad sets.





Knitted Mary Jane Booties. Knitting is pretty new to me but these are cute, easy, and quick.







And of course we have to have beaded socks. My hands are so tired of beading socks that the pinkie on my right hand goes numb after the first ten beads.

You Choose

I'm finally writing this story that happened a few weeks ago but still makes me smile. I usually try to give Joseph choices or options (you can wear motorcycle or frog pj's)It seems to make things easier if he can choose but I still get to give the options. I am also trying to help him understand that he can choose to be happy or sad by the actions he chooses. (It makes us sad when we are naughty and have to be in our rooms alone or happy when we are nice and don't hit) So the other morning we were shopping and the store was out of something. I was upset because I had driven to this specific store to buy that thing. So we got back in the car and Joseph says, "Its your choice mom, You can choose to be happy, you choose." At least I know he listens to me. Then a few days later I had given him two options that he didn't like and was getting pretty upset. Eventually he just said to me, "Mom, I need more options." Pretty much he cracks me up. I never know what he is going to pick up.

Bear World

Joseph and Abbie loved most of the rides, but this scared Abbie when it started moving she really wanted off!

The animals are so tame in the petting zoo Joseph liked it alot as long as someone was right there with him.

We were able to see the bears really close but of course we couldn't roll down the windows. It was so fun to see so many bears. My whole family came over and went through in the big van so we could ride together.

Walking through an old cedar groveThis is how Lance took most of his meals. On the go. Sometimes Joseph and I would ride with him on the two hour round trip, but we had to share a seat and it was pretty bumpy.
The last day we hiked into a hot spring. It just comes out of the side of a hill and people have made pools that mix with river water to cool it down. We had to be careful because it was a clothing optional area. But there are lots of different pools so we had our own private resort.
Walking out

Summer job

This is the pit where Lance loaded up his truck.
Joseph thinks life is great! I would clean his face and hands a couple times a day and then try to wash him before bed. But we had to haul all our water in or use the freezing creek water. BRRR!
This is why Joseph was always dirty. He loved to 'swim' down the piles of gravel. It was like one big sandbox.
Okay, so we all ended up pretty dirty. But I sure love my little family!

Vickery Family Reunion

Joseph and Abbie. They loved to just play together.
Splashing Aunt Tauna

Shooting off a rocket.