Last of the Halloween photos...

On November 1st, Ryan and I went to a Costume Party. Costumes were required and we decided to go with a "Witch and Warlock" theme... Ryan borrowed his mask from our neighbor and it was pretty darn freaky! It was fun, we had not dressed up in I don't know how long! Ryan won for scariest costume and I was just asked a few times if I had cut my hair and temporarily dyed it black... come on, I'm not that die hard!!

Aren't we just a lovely couple??

Our November...

GREAT WOLF LODGE... (Outdoor View)

Toward the beginning of November, the kids had a random Thursday and Friday off from school due to teacher prep. days... That week, Wednesday after school, we prepared to go on a little mini family vacation. Last spring, down south of Olympia, an awesome indoor water park/ lodge opened and we had been dying to try it out. We (the kids and I) got a late start and got stuck in rainy weather and terrible Seattle and Tacoma traffic. Ryan had flown to Spokane for the day for work, so he left straight from the airport to meet us down there. It was a slow-go for him as well, but... when we arrived, it was straight to the water park to check out the great, wet fun! We were not disappointed. Now, I do realize that there are far better and bigger indoor water parks in other parts of the country, but this all-emcompassing lodge and park was fantastic for all ages and when I say ALL ages, I mean it... Kelsi had about four lifeguards ask for her number! Those redheads! You can't take them anywhere, they just ask for attention ;)...

The "Kids Cabin" inside our lodge suite

Wyatt, "pretending to surf"

Abby, stopping only a moment for a courtesy camera shot

More clean, (but not so dry) fun

The older kids' favorite ride, the "Howling Tornado" sends the tubes up for their next victims!

Water, water everywhere...

They had about everything to do in water

Ashtin, getting "dumped" on by the oversized bucket

The little kids loved standing under this one

Seth had to ease in, but then we really had to keep an eye on him!

Lovely Kelsi, how about some more original poses??

HERE WE GO AGAIN...

A picture like this says a thousand words. So, yes, we are pregnant again... we are due June 26th (although the Doctor hopes we get to the end of May, based on my history!) We are excited to get our last little one here- and yes, I did say LAST... as far as I am concerned, we will definately have done our share at multiplying and replenishing the earth ;)! I have had nasty morning sickness, which I hope diminishes by Christmas... then I will most likely have a good three months before going on bedrest for pre-term labor... and why are we doing this again? (Oh yeah, so we can have a sweet little baby that then turns into a toddler, etc.- so wait... why are we doing this again?? :)

GOOD EATS AND TREATS

Ahhh, another year of pumpkin carving, sugar cookie eating, and Trick-or-Treating... we intricately carved five pumpkins this year while eating homemade frosted sugar cookies, mmmm. For Trick-or-Treating we somehow managed to not get photos of Ashtin or Cortnee in their costumes (they go with friends now, because they are just so cool), but Ashtin was a bank robber and Cortnee was a "glow-stick girl". Kelsi was a "fashionable" bank robber, and Abby was a midieval princess. The boys were Woody and a Frog, respectively... Good times!

Ready to go!

Woody and his friend, Buzz (his friend, Adam)

Kelsi, the "fashionable" bank robber

Time to pay up on the "Dad tax" :)

Ashtin's loot, can you just "feel" a cavity coming on??

Sugar cookies with TONS of sprinkles!

The pumpkin fumes must have gotten to Cortnee!

Ewwwww.... gross!!

Pumpkin guts feel nice...

I'm not afraid!

Yummy frosting!

Pumpkin Farm & School Carnival

Toward the end of October, we went to our favorite pumpkin farm and also to the school fund-raiser (er, I mean Fall Carnival)! We really did have so much fun at all the activity booths at the school and we also had a blast making our way through the annual corn-maze, when at the farm. A few of us (I won't mention any names... Kelsi, Ashtin, Cortnee) got lost in the maze, but eventually made it out just before dark!! Seth loved being toted aroud by Ryan- Good times!

Into the maze we go...

Ya gotta love fake animals!

Kelsi and Ash

Can you tell that Abby needed the porta-potty??

Abby was a zebra for the School Fall Carnival

Cortnee, her friend Morgan and Abby

Cortnee with her contact lenses in!

Wyatt, Woody the cowboy

My little frog and I...

GOING PRIVATE...

Hi family and friends! I have so enjoyed blogging and being able to show you photos and tell you of our adventures. To protect our privacy, I feel very strongly that it is time to take our blog private. We would love it if we didn't lose your readership, so please leave a comment to let us know that you would like to keep up to date on the Markowski Clan! (If we don't have it already, we will need your e-mail address to send you an invite... send an e-mail to: hmarkowski@sayitsimply.com )

RYAN AND HEIDI- 15 YEARS AND COUNTING...

In the middle of October, Ryan and I FINALLY got to clebrate our 15th Anniversary (which was really August 12th). We headed up North about an hour to where the famous Northwest Tulip Festival takes place each Spring. No tulips of course, but lots of welcomed "quiet time". We headed over to Deception Pass and hiked a few trails near the beaches and by some miracle we were able to score absolutely beautiful weather!!

Relaxing in our hotel room, WITHOUT kids!!

Deception Pass (Whidbey Island, Wa.)

Ahhh, the beautiful northwest... notice Mt. Baker in the background

This scenery was so cool looking up, I had to snap a shot!

Are you coming??

Proof that we were both there...

Quaint cafe that we ate at, also same quaint cafe where I left our camera at our booth... they graciously mailed it to us.

My "hot" man!

Into the forest... I hope there are no vampires!

We had so much fun on our mini getaway... hiking, eating out (without the HUGE restaurant bill), and just laughing at our own lame jokes. These past fifteen years have flown by, and I suspect that the next fifteen will as well- and technically could also bring Grandparenthood, Aaahhhhh.... The scenery at Deception Pass reminded me a lot of certain areas near the coast and Port Angeles, can you say "Twilight"? :)

Tagged...and finally responding!

I was tagged by my one of my best buddies from Jr. High, Amy ... I don't know that my facts are very "interesting", but here ya go, none the less!

1) I absolutely adore covered porches. On my coffee table, you will find a book titled "Second Homes" by Better Homes and Gardens. Showcased are the best porches, decks and patios ever...

Our front porch, Oct. 2008

2) I LOVE world history... Several years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Europe three seperate times. I was absolutely fascinated with the history. My oldest brother has lived in England for over 20 years and he was our personal tour guide there and then Ryan served his religious mission in France. I got to see so many castles and old landmarks, I couldn't get enough! One trip, we were in England, then took a ferry across the English Channel to the Beaches of Normandy (in France) and then onto Paris (Ryan had served in both of those areas and we had a blast meeting up with old friends... one friend took us to his mother's home just outside of Caen and when I learned that the structure that she lived in was originally built in the 17th century, I was absolutely amazed! Another trip to France took us to the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps- sooooo beautiful. On our third trip to France, we made our own medieval castles tour through the Loire Valley. (We even stayed in a castle that I swear was haunted!)

3) I have an obsession with eyebrows- weird, I know. Most people will look for certain qualities in a partner like: their eyes, their smile, etc.. nope- not for me, it's all in the brows. When I was in High School, I dated a guy who had half an eyebrow on one side... I know he couldn't help it, but after a short while, I just couldn't even look at him- I guess it's an OCD/ symmetrical thing!

4) I frequently sleep with my right arm resting on my forehead. I Have since I was little. The older I get, and the deeper I sleep, the worse my arm falls asleep and I have to "drag" it behind me when getting out of bed in the morning!

5) The ocean freaks me out. Not so much the ocean, I actually love being out on the water (in a boat or ferry) or at the beach, it's just swimming in it with all of the sea creatures. Snorkeling isn't so bad, except you still only have so far out you can see, but swimming blindly- not knowing what lurks beneath- is a bit freaky to me. Two years ago, in Hawaii, Ryan and I swam with Sea Turtles and various tropical fish- that was cool, but seriously, all of a sudden the sea turtles would just appear... but the most exotic Sea thing that I've done was also on the same Hawaii trip, Ry and I went down in a cage and had sharks circling the cages!! I have a DVD somewhere to prove it, as soon as I find it, I will post it... talk about freaky!

One of the sharks, circling the "cage"

6) I was going to have 3 or 4 children and be done by the time I was 30... so what happened? INSPIRATION! -Just be careful what you pray for ;)

7) I have larger pupils than average. That's right... seven and a half years ago, I was scheduled to have Lasik surgery to correct my nearsightedness, as well as my astigmatism. We had saved up for the occasion and I was soooo excited. After wearing my glasses (as opposed to my contacts) for 2 months, I went in for my pre-opt. appointent and much to my disappointment, learned that my pupils were too large for the laser to correct my "secondary astigmatism". So, I went away very deflated and to wait for technology to improve my chances. Five long years (and lots of annoying contacts/glasses moments) later, I was referred to an Opthomologist who was determined to correct my vision, large pupils and all! So after wearing glasses for 23 years and contact lenses for 18 years, and getting the long awaited surgery 2 1/2 years ago, I am still holding my new vision at: 20/15 in one eye, and 20/20 in the other- what a HUGE blessing! (Every once in a while, if I wake up in the night and I'm super out of it, out of habit I reach for my specs!)

My last night with "four eyes" (March 2006)

I now tag Cassity, Mitchie (Michelle), Tammy, Shay, Chari, Heidi S., and Carri!