Christmas 2013

This year was a Yates' Christmas, we have been successful to alternate each year without any problems. We spent a nice Christmas Eve together, Sean and Shelley spent the night, then we had a great Christmas morning. We invited Elder Webb and Elder Green over for breakfast. I tried a new recipe, baked French toast. It was a hit!!

 

 

Gavin turns 9!

We scheduled Gavin's birthday to be before Brenton and the boys left back to Okinawa. Kingston and Chayse had a blast. Gavin loved having his boy cousins here and loved not being the only "Yates Boy!" Aunt Melissa had to head home the day before but she made sure her absence went noticed by leaving great gifts!

Gavin is turning into a great young man! He is so loving and compassionate. He is a math whiz, and a naturally smart boy, school comes very easy to him. He loves sports. He loves snowboarding. He loves his Mom and is quite protective of me. He loves and admires his Dad, they are turning into great buddies. I am happy to be his Mom, I am very blessed!

 

 Gavin opening presents!

 Aunt Shelley and Chayse

 Victoria, Lauren, and Maddalyn

 MORE PRESENTS!!!!

  

 AND MORE

 And then some more.......

 Sweet Chayse

 I love his big brown eyes!!

 Make a wish sweet boy!!!

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAVIN!!!! 

 Kingston, Gavin, Victoria, Maddalyn, Alyssa, Chayse, and Grace

 I am a very blessed Mom, I am blessed to be Mom to three wonderful children!

Corn Maze, Pumpkin Carving, and Halloween!

We got a great deal on tickets for the corn maze at Liepold's in Boring, OR. So we took the kids and enjoyed the beautiful fall day. The only downfall is that everyone else got a great deal too, so it was packed!! The kids had a blast.

Then when Aunt Melissa got here we carved pumpkins. Uncle Brenton and the boys came 3 weeks earlier than Aunt Melissa, she didn't have enough leave to be here for the entire trip. Which is why we waited to purchase and carve pumpkins, it was totally worth the wait, the kids had a blast!!!

And then we all got dressed up and went trick-or-treating!

October at Timberline with our Okinawa visitors

Blayne and Uncle Brenton took the kids (except Tori) up to Timberline so Kingston and Chayse could see the snow for the first time, well that Kingston will remember anyway. Its been almost 3 years since Brenton and Melissa have been in the States. We are so excited to have them getting out of the Navy and coming home for good. The countdown to May 2014 has begun!!