Dear Santa.....

T'was a couple weeks before Chirstmas and all through the house every creature was stirring except for the mice... because we have Blue Sky Pest control isn't that nice. But now back to the story of the house of McCabe's where they were busy inside on that rare rainy day. The kids were all sitting to the island you see writing letters to Santa as careful as could be. They made sure to think of all the gifts that they needed and with sweet little hearts to Santa they pleaded...we have been good kids this year as you plainly can see we only fought when there was a real needs be...I am sure when you were young you made little mistakes too there is no way at all you were perfect were you? I didn't think so- so give us a break and bring us the toys on list for heavens sake. Sorry, we didn't mean to sound so rude... we think your the best looking big red jolly dude!!!! So all I can say is Santa take into consideration how good we are when you compare us to the adults in our nation.

I love the letter Patrick came up with for the kids to send to Santa. Since it is not clear here is what it says...

Dear Santa,
I look forward to your arrival this fine holiday season. I hope that the elves are working to the best of their ability and that Rudolph’s nose is working properly this year. It would be a real tragedy if the delivery of my well deserved gifts were hindered because of a bad “headlight”. I mean that it would be a tragedy if you and your staff’s safety were put in jeopardy due to a bad “headlight”. Anyway as always you can count on the be$t cookie$ waiting for you at our house, enjoy!

All the Best,

Once the kids had written their list down we put them in envelopes and the kids went down to the mail box and Patrick let them put them in our mail box thinking that would satisify them and he would get them out the next day...however we forgot to get them before the mail came and when he went back they were gone...sweet there really is a Santa Clause and now I don't need to worry about Christmas shopping!

We were going to bypass the Christmas Tree in AZ this year but the kids talked me into it.

~MERRY CHRISTMAS~

Vacation Anyone?

Building our Vacation (hopefully home someday) Home!

Our Dirt Lot. Dusted with a light layer of snow!

A big hole with cement...progress.

Umm...Pat is suppose to be plumbing this house in few days. One problem there is no house.

Still not plumbable.

Amazing what workers can do with the right amount of pressure. Patrick was able to plumb the house that trip however as luck would have it there was a lovely snow storm that decided to present itself as he and Trevor (his co-worker) decided to get started. With no roof to shelter them they worked a few long, cold, wet days and finally the plumbing was done.

Ta Da! This Picture is of our most recent trip over Thanksgiving (thanks to those who prepared a great thanksgiving feast so we could eat and run. Sorry.). Now it actually looks like a house. Of course there had to be more snow showers while we were there but for the most part we were able to stay indoors. Minus the digging that Patrick had to do around our well. He had to drill the dirt because the ground was too frozen to dig with a shovel. But we got a lot accomplished (thanks to those who watched our kids). We Primered and Painted the whole upstairs, put down the laminate wood flooring in all but the kitchen, got the carpet installed in all the rooms, stained some of our cabinets, Jeff (Patrick's friend) came and installed the garage doors, and we got our pump put in for the well. All in all the trip was a success and we made plenty of memories along the way.

Here are a few photos of our marathon week...

Me on the Scafling spraying on the primer.

Patrick on the ground spraying primer...I think someone is a little afraid of heights!

Where do we pick up the prize for being the world's sexiest couple!?

Madison painted her name on the wall in the Master Bedroom.

Porter painted an alien...

Right now you are probably thinking oh no did he eat the paint?

The answer is YES! Jacob decided to paint the inside of his mouth... it just seemed more logical than wasting all the paint on the walls.

If you look closely you can see the look of distress on Jacob's face and if you could see the other kids faces they would look the same. This picture is right before we were getting ready for the long haul home. The room they are standing in has been their prison cell anytime they were at the house with us because of the many hazards that lurked around the rest of the house. I think they had about hit their breaking point. Poor kids!This picture is in the kitchen...I think I may actually have been asleep standing up in this picture.

Things we learned over the course of the week:

1. When using a sprayer, spray about 18 in. from the target area, go over and back in order to get the best coverage. It leaves fewer lines.

2. When you buy mistake paint at home depot make certain before you mix the paint that they are in fact the same sheen. For example don't mix semi-gloss and satin.

3. When installing tac strip for carpet there are arrows on the tac strip. They are there for more than just decoration they all need to be facing the wall. (A very important lesson I learned after laying three rooms of tac strip and then going back through to un-install and re-install about a third of those rooms again.)

4. Painting all day and staining at night makes Cami a very tipsy girl.

5. Patrick has a difficult time communicating after many days of paint fumes and little sleep. Example...At the Maverik we were getting some drinks and he mumbled a few undistinguishable things to the clerk, told her he was having a brain fart and then said "have a good night" perfectly normal had it not been ten o'clock in the morning.

6. Everything is funnier when you are tired.

7. Your muscles do have a breaking point when they simply cannot be used anymore.

8. We have very tolerant children and extended family.

9. Ice is quite slippery. Especially when you are heading down a slope to a stop sign. We did however end up in a somewhat desirable place considering the alternatives... the front lawn of the local high school. Patrick discoved his new theme song when he realized that he had no control of the truck or the trailer hooked to the truck. "Jesus take the Wheel" by Carrie Underwood. If you don't know the song listen to it and it will all make sense.

10. Never eat to many Chili Dogs from A&W. (Thanks to Jeff for discovering that.)

A Special Thanks over the Thankgiving Holiday to....

Home Depot for our many supplies. (Maybe they should be thanking us for all of our business)

All of our Family who took over our Parenting role for the week.

Jeff for his help with the doors and his tolerance of "Kiss the Girl" song from Little Mermaid all the way home.

Our neighbor who brought us dinner one night. It was so nice not to eat fast food.

Courtney and Chris for letting us invade their house again.

Kerrie and Toby for having us over for Thanksgiving and letting us stay at their house.

All those who loaned us tools.

Mom and Dad for braving our energetic kids and for the couches.

And I would like to thank the academy...Oh wait, sorry I got a little carried away.

Thank Heavens for good friends, good family, and good memories.

Hunting Update...EXTRA EXTRA

"And the TRUTH shall set you FREE!"

The Prosecution suffers a huge blow when the picture is finally uncovered and along with it the truth was exposed.

The Defense rests its case.

The McCabe legacy lives on!

Right on Brother...Right on!

Porter was such a trooper on this hunting trip. Grandpa McCabe came back to camp after getting his elk and took Porter with him to go and get Patrick. When they got there Patrick had been waiting on the side of the road for someone to come help him with the elk he shot while they were gone. So Porter got to hike (really really hike McCabe hunting style) all over up and down in the "Elk Woods". He had such a great time and still talks about it today and Patrick got to introduce part of the hunting experience to his son.

HAPPY Halloween

Fact or Fiction...You decide.

My Dad shot an Elk this big! Porter McCabe (little boy) and sister Madison.

Is this little boys tall tale fact or fiction?

Here is an inside peek into the prosecution's and defense's arguments.

Defense- This boys story is as true as they come and here is why. First off he is a McCabe and they do not take the sport of hunting lightly. No they go out and become one with nature, they hike, they scout, they stalk, they move in for the kill and they will accept nothing less than victory. He would not make something like this up...it is un-McCabe like. Secondly if you look closely at the photograph shown above right next to the stairs is a pile of bloody clothes; this is indisputable evidence that the hunter wearing those clothes was in fact successful. And lastly and maybe most importantly in the picture shown below that is the face of one happy camper. No McCabe would have such a strut and gleeful smile if he had been beaten by the mountain. It is fact people there is not denying it.

Patrick McCabe (the mighty hunter)

Prosecution- True some of what has been said may sound appealing and almost believable... but do not be fooled. There is one critical piece of evidence that is missing that will with out doubt dismiss any claims made by the defense and that is... there is no picture showing Mr. McCabe with is elk! Anyone who knows a hunter knows that picture is as important to the hunter as the tag he walked in with. Can you explain that?

Defense- The camera that held that picture was lost. It was lost!!!

Prosecution- A likely story.

Pretty Pumpkins to Spooky Jack-O-Lanterns

Madison, Porter, and Jacob hard at work digging out all of that "slimy stuff" preparing the pumpkins for their transition in Jack-O-Lanternhood.

_______________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Mom just gave me a huge orange thing full of slimy stuff and it's okay? I get to go around and get candy just for looking cute in some weird clothes! Who ever came up with this idea is a genius!!!

I love America!

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Where is the Baby................Peek a BOO!

...............................

Thats the look of some proud artists!

Why is Madis pumpkin so small you ask? She just had her first field trip to Schneff Farms. She got to pick her own pumpkin out of the pumpkin patch. She got to ride the bus for the first time. Whoo Hoo! And She got to ride on a roller coaster. "It was a little scary when we went down" she said. She had a blast. I love kindergarteners they have the best attitudes.

Why does Porter's pumpkin have such a huge mouth? THE BETTER TO EAT YOU WITH WHAAAA HAAA HAAA HAAA!. His pumpkin picking story is a little less endearing coming from a grocery store for free when we bought 4 - 12 packs of Pepsi. But I think that he may have come out on top!

...............................



Drum Roll Please.....................................

The Finished Product

Now that is scary folks!

My favorite converstaion during the pumpkin carving session.

Madison: "This stuff (the inside of the pumpkin) is like basketti (spagetti)."

Porter: "Ya, like slimy asketti (spagetti)"

Madison: "Porter it's b-b-basketti....not asketti."

Porter: "Oh"

I had almost corrected them both but thought they had plenty of time for pronunciation lectures later. Sometimes they just need to be kids not students!

________________________________________________________

Happy Halloween

________________________________________________________

McCabe's Day to Day

Well I am just trying to keep up with the latest and greatest so I guess "bloggin" is where it is at. It seems like a great way to keep in touch.

How to sum up the McCabe's in a nut shell...Patrick works a lot, goes to school, is in the Young Men's presidency, likes to golf, and is fully involved in hunting right now...tis the season (seriously if you came in our house I would challenge you to find a room that did not have something hunting related in it.).

Cami (me) I stay at home with our three kids, I am in the Primary Presidency, and well that is about it for me...my husbands keeps telling me I really need a hobby. I think he's right so maybe this is it. Can blogging be a hobby?

Madison is five and in Kindergarten and loving every minute of it although I can't seem to get anything out of her when I ask her how her day was I usually get a one word answer. She was sadly mistaken a few weeks ago (I don't think she will realize how mistaken until about her sophomore year) when she came home from school after they finished reviewing their letters and said "Mom we did the letter "Z" today! Now my school days are over!" Oh the sweet innocence of children.

Porter is our random child. He is here and there and everywhere and has lots to say about nothing. Every day is a new adventure. He too has become caught up in the hunting season (go figure) and after I put him to bed he runs into the bathroom saying I need to go pee and then quickly runs back to his room with arms full of hunting magazines.

Jacob is just about the happiest kid I know. He is always smiling and loves life. He has found a new love for the outdoors and the taste of dirt and rocks. He loves playing peek-a-boo around the island. He tries his best to keep up with his brother and sister. And has recently mastered the art of climbing onto the kitchen table, end tables, couch, stairs, chairs, dishwasher when it is open, and anything eles that looks unsafe.

I guess I could sum it up like this:

Patrick- Busy

Cami - "Madison's Mom"

Madison - Drama and all girl.

Porter - Random

Jacob - Happy