Ok, so this is back-tracking a long, long way but I wanted to include these events in our blog. This is Amanda's whole family, all together (woo hoo) for David's wedding in Ogden, UT. They got married on October 20th and it was a blast getting all together. There was a couples shower, a wedding dinner with stellar entertainment (all the siblings), some late nights laughing and visiting including the night before the wedding when David brought all the guys home early from playing basketball because he had sprained his ankle. (David is the groom) Poor guy. It was so fun to see everyone and get to know Melissa better, she is a great fit for our family.

For Thanksgiving this year we went to Bear Lake, UT for the Strength of a Bear Stevenson family reunion, all of Amanda's brothers and sisters. There were 29 people there. We rented out a cabin that was three levels and had an awesome view of the lake. I'm sure without 29 people in it, the cabin is pretty large, needless to say it was "cozy". Despite the lack of leg room, we totally partied for four days, hiking/walking, hot tubing, eating, playing football, and eating some more.

The kids made neckalaces and had a talent show and had the chance to earn an indian name. Here is a picture a Nadine in the process. How it works is the indian brave comes before Chief Sitting Bull (Grandpa) to recieve an indian name, so then they have to obey the code of silence and "spread their wings" while the chief lifts them with only a few, clawlike fingers under the armpits from off the ground onto a chair and then back to the ground. From personal experience I can tell you it is excruciatingly painful. I was amazed at how all the grandkids actually did it! I think the Chief is a lot softer than he used to be!

We had the Stevenson Family Olympics in the gym at the church. We competed in high and long jump, sit-ups, push-ups, sit and reach and an obstacle course. There was some serious competing going on and I know some people were sore for many a day. The best was the races to the end of the gym and back. I so wish I had a video of the 50+ race, my mom against my dad! It was sweet seeing them run their little hearts out.

For everyone I think the pinnacle of the reunion was the inaugural SF3, Stevenson Family Film Festival. Each family had to put together a film and present it. Of course there were awards, but I was totally blown away at how awesome they all turned out. Amanda's oldest brother Dan put together a clip of the highlights. Enjoy!

This is just a sample of them, I wish I could put them all on here for you to see. If you really want we can probably work out a way for you to see them. A high standard was set for the next SF3.

New Skills

So, our kids have acquired some new skills this week which have me a little worried for the future but right now they are still cute and funny.
Nora has picked up from somewhere a few different techniques of pouting. I don't know where she got it, Nadine and Naomi have never been big pouters, maybe from her Dad. The pouting can be so theatrical and forced it just makes me laugh, except when she starts hitting herself on the head, that just makes me sad. She'll usually will walk a little ways off and bury her face in her hands and start crying, or into a corner or lay on the floor and cover her face. It's so cute I'll have to get a picture or video sometime, which shouldn't be that hard because she does it over almost anything.
Nadine has learned the skill of manipulating people, mostly Naomi falls victim to this one, poor girl. Yesterday Klave was watching the girls and told them not to get into the gum. After a few minutes Nadine came in and announced that Naomi has gum. Klave goes in to investigate. "Naomi, do you have gum?" Naomi says, "Nadine gave it to me!" Then again at church during sacrament meeting Nadine leans over to Naomi and sweetly asks if Naomi wants to sit on Mommy's lap. Naomi gets up on my lap and Nadine smiles and stretches her whole body out over the cleared bench. She's so sly!
Naomi doesn't have a special new skill this week but her favorite thing to say lately is, "Sorry!" "Oh, sorry Mom, I was going to sit by you." "Oh, sorry Mom I forgot." "Oh, sorry I didn't know." It's really sweet whenever she says it. This is one skill I hope stays around a while.

Look-a-likes?

Ever since the David and Melissa's wedding Nadine and Naomi have been naming their dolls after all of the relatives they can remember. It's funny to see who they choose to be who. All the way up until the video the pink carebear was David and the doll with the long white pillowcase dress was Melissa. I think the stage fright got to Naomi and she renamed it Grace. They had so much fun at the wedding and so far the highlight of their lives was being able to hold Melissa's dress up off the ground so it wouldn't get dirty!

Finally Halloween

Finally we post our Halloween pictures! It seems so long ago but we just threw away our jack-o-lantern at the beginning of the week so it couldn't have been too far past, right? We took the girls to the trunk or treat at the church, they were pretty freaked out at first with all the older kids in maskes and scary costumes. About half way through the parking lot Naomi started saying "Trick or treat" and was getting more energetic about everyone giving her candy. I don't know if Nadine ever really liked the idea of taking candy from strangers. At some of the cars she rathered not get candy than approach these people she didn't know. That's probably a good thing I think. The best part of the evening for the girls besides being princesses and wearing makeup and glitter was passing out candy to the kids that came to our house. Now they keep asking for it to be Halloween again(:

Measles?

So, this morning Nora woke up with this ugly rash! We were just waiting for it to go away but by the afternoon it wasn't any better and she was so sad. Our neighbor across the street is a nurse so I took her over there, like I always do before going to the doctor. (That's one reason to stay where we are) She thought maybe it could be measles and that I should take her in. That was a little scary, I don't really know anything about measles except that no one is supposed to get it anymore. So we went in and it turns out it was a reaction to the amoxicillan that she was taking for her ear infection. Still not good but better than the measles!

The Chandlers in Moses Lake

Hi everybody! I'm so excited to have a blog and keep up a jounal of our family's comings and goings. Lucky you that get to read our journal!! We moved to Moses Lake at the beginning of this summer into our first house. When we finish the landscaping in the front yard we'll get you a picture. We spent the summer hanging out here and rotating our time between the Aquatic center, the lake (yes there is a lake in Moses Lake), our backyard and all the family that came to visit. It was a great summer and it felt so good to have some space in our home and a yard. Here are some pictures of the girls at the lake, sorry but there won't be any pictures of Klave or I in swimsuits this year.... and probably not next year either.








The girls love to make "cookies" out of the sand, Nadine is holding one in her hand. Nora took the pretending a little too far and really kept eating the sand. SICK!!