It's been 6 months...

So, I figured I'd update the old blog again. Lets see, what's happened since Alexis started kindergarten? Well, we celebrated Halloween (Alexis was Batgirl and Luke was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle), Thanksgiving, Christmas, Luke started preschool and gave up his binky on the same day, then we celebrated Alexis' 6th birthday. Chris did a lot more work on our house (it looks like a real house again and I love it!) This was possible because in October the company that Chris worked for ran out of work. He's been collecting unemployment since then. It's been a bit of a blessing really, because I know the house wouldn't be even close to as finished as it is if he was still working. On January 8th Horizon Bank (where I've worked the last 12.5 years) was closed by the FDIC and taken over by Washington Federal. On February 10th they "eliminated my position". So, now I'm collecting unemployment too. We are most likely moving back to Snohomish county once Alexis finishes Kindergarten. Chris is going to work for his cousin and uncle at their construction company. I will hopefully find another part time job. The kids will both start school some place new in September, we're just not sure where yet.
Ok, here's some pictures from the last 6 months. They are out of order. I hate uploading pictures to blogger:

Ferry ride to Kingston in February 2010. We went with Gramma Joan just for fun. Didn't even leave the terminal in Kingston, just got back on and rode back to Edmonds. It was really fun!

Luke watching a movie at the ER at Children's. He sliced his finger open on Christmas and we thought he might need stitches. After 3 hours we were sent home with a bandaid.

The Francois Family Band. March 2010

Edmonds Beach. February 2010. They are watching scuba divers.

Alexis' 6th Birthday Party

Luke's first day of preschool

Pumpkin Patch, back in October

Professional Pictures in December

Family shot from December

First Day of Kindergarten!

I'm a terrible blogger, I know. It's so much easier for me to just log onto Facebook and see what's going on! But, I had to post about Alexis' first day of Kindergarten! She's been so excited about it all summer and finally the day came. Her teacher's name is Mrs. Graham and she goes Tues and Fri from 9-3:30 and Wednesdays from 12:45-3:30. I will drive her today and tomorrow then she'll start the bus. Luke was so sad that he didn't get to go to school too. I'm going to try and get him enrolled in preschool but first I have to figure out how to fit it all in - work, school, preschool - yikes! Here's a few pictures from this morning.

All ready to go!

Waving goodbye.

I got Luke a few preschool workbooks for him to work on while Alexis is at school. Poor guy wants to go so bad!

He is having a lot of fun tracing the lines in this book. And, it's reusable! Dry erase pages :)

Concentrating hard.

Great Wolf Lodge

We took the kids to the Great Wolf Lodge a few weeks ago and it was so much fun! It's a big indoor water park just south of Olympia and I've been wanting to go ever since I heard about it. We were lucky enough to get a gift card from Janet and Bill for Christmas and finally were able to find a weekend to get away. The kids had a lot of fun playing in the pool, but they were pretty scared of any of the waterslides and the wave pool. I really wanted them to go down at least one waterslide, but it just didn't happen. They also have this game there called Magi Quest. I don't know how to describe it, but you go all over the hotel and find different things and complete these "quests". Alexis and Chris spend quite awhile our second day there working on this. Here's some pictures from our weekend!


Looking down at the wave pool.

This 1000 gallon bucket dumped water about every 5 minutes on the water fort area.
On a quest. You point this magic wand at different things in the hotel and get clues of where to go next to complete your quest.

Completing a quest

Ready to go home
On another quest
Part of another quest

Alexis in the wave pool - she only liked it when the waves weren't on!

Luke on the squirting jet skis. He could have spent all day on these and he called them squirting camels!

Waiting outside the restaurant for dinner.

Looking down at the kiddie pool area

Happy Birthday Little Man (a few days late)

Luke turned 3 on the 12th! Where has the time gone? He is such a smart, funny little boy and makes us laugh all the time. He can be very gruff and when I ask him why he's yelling at me he says "I'm not!" I think it's just the way he talks - a little like his daddy?! He really is a sweet little boy and loves his Sissy so much! We're working on potty training and he's doing quite well. He never wants any help and needs his privacy, so that makes it a little tricky sometimes. He still loves his binky way too much. When I tell him he needs to give it to me because he's a big boy now he insists he's not a big boy, he's still a baby. Any other time we ask if he's a baby the answer is NO! On his birthday we went to Billy McHale's for dinner then to Build a Bear. He built a monkey with a Sonic's uniform on. Very cute, but I forgot the camera so haven't taken a picture of it yet.

May 13, 2006 - 1 day old

May 12, 2009 - Gotta love the fake smile!

Wearing his favorite new Spiderman PJ's! Thanks Eliot! Still has the adorable dimples!

The last 6 weeks in pictures

Luke wrote his first letters on March 25. He wrote an L and an E!

He also drew his first person! Not bad if you ask me.

At the park across the street from our house after the Easter Egg Hunt.

Dying Easter eggs at Grammy and Pop's house the night before Easter

Easter morning at Grammy and Pop's house.

Dressed up for Easter dinner and Gramma and Papa's house.

This is the closet Chris and I have been living with the last 10 months or so. It's white plastic and has moved from room to room in our house. I'm so very happy to report that it is now at the dump because we have a real closet! Chris worked his tail off last weekend and got our closet all put together. I've never had a closet I can actually walk into before! There is so much storage space in it!
Lower half of my side

Upper half of my side

Chris' side. There will be a different dresser in here and a rod on this side also.


I love this tree in our yard! I look forward to it blooming every year. I wish it lasted longer. It sure does make a mess on the grass when the blossoms fall off, though.

I'm 33 today!

So independent!

This afternoon Luke asked if he could play games on the computer. I wasn't in the mood, so said not right now. Alexis offered to play with him, so I said sure. I have been so tired lately and all I wanted to do was lay down, so I went into Alexis' room (nicest room in the house by far right now!) and layed down on her bed. I was just listening to them play and dozing a little. After 30 minutes I got up and did some laundry. After an hour they decided they were done. Not once during this hour did they argue or even say my name. It was so nice! I even heard them tell each other "I love you" once. They are getting so grown up and play together so well (most of the time anyway!)
I think I spoke too soon. I hear screaming now...

February Fun

Here's a quick recap of our February.

We started off the month celebrating Alexis' birthday.

Next came Valentine's day, complete with heart shaped pancakes!

Chris installed the skylight in our "soon to be" bathroom and also got all the sheetrock up and plumbing done! Yeah!

We had some nice days that led us to believe spring was on it's way, only to be tricked by mother nature and wake up to snow the next day.

We spend a night at Grammy and Pop's while Chris worked on the house (the usual) and played with Baxter and Eliot.

Jon and Heather, the rockstars, visited. They came up with the names all on their own and got all ready for their fancy party.

This is their new favorite way to sleep. They go to bed together almost every night in Alexis' bed. I move Luke to his room once he's asleep. It's so sweet!

That pretty much sums up our month!