Creme Filling

Yes, Toby is mostly known for being quite serious.

He also can be very silly. :)

He also gets to be the creme filling in a sister sandwich.

Here's to you, buddy--looks like you're going to need it! :)

Baby sister is due June 3rd. :)

A hunting we went

Well this post should have been done a few weeks ago but it's still Christmas time and still snowing. :) We went tree hunting by Greenough Lake a few weeks ago and here are the resulting pics. Pulling Toby in the sled didn't last long but it was a good attempt!


Rainbow Brite anyone? :) At least she didn't get snow in her boots!
Jeff kept cracking up about her "cankles".


Kurtis & Suzanne, there's your tree. Off to the right. The darker one. :)

We got one! And yes, Toby did protest from the backpack.

Olivia rescued from walking through the drifts. That's one strong daddy!

Mmmm.....hot cocoa! She looked sooo cold!

Toby tries the trough approach.

Time for a smooch.

Don't even think about it. It's MY hot cocoa!


We brought along the Chariot so we could get in some xc skiing. Our last attempt at Riverfront Park the kids did not appreciate. at. all. We made some modifications in our set up for them and they had a blast. Laughing and playing peek-a-boo together even! The weather and snow were absolutely perfect--so glad we brought all the ski stuff along and that the kids cooperated!

This was taken before we left. Toby rarely smiles for these ones--for more than one reason I'm sure-- so I figured we'd better post it.

The parents. :) We had fun too!

Liv had fun being the big helper. There you have it. :) Merry Christmas!

A calculator in the kitchen?

When you're married to an engineer, it's a very likely. :)

We made Jeff's grampa's famous (and delicious!) party mix this afternoon. Cereal box sizes have changed a bit from the time the recipe was written so we had a little bit of leftovers of most of the ingredients. Believe it or not, cereal boxes are smaller than they used to be so we had to buy 2 of most everything. I would have made other snacks with the ingredients and probably been having various chex cereals for breakfast for a couple of weeks but Jeff figured out that we could 1.4 times the recipe. That's right. 1.4

Jeff's grampa Cowger was a very detailed and exact man. Needless to say in following with tradition, the recipe needed to be followed and not guessed at. I did let Jeff know that I 1.5x the sauce/spice ingredients and I didn't get fired or maybe he didn't hear me. .1 extra flavor I figured and there's no way my brain would even want to figure out what .1 tablespoon or teaspoon would be. And even if I did, how would I measure it? :)

It really is such a blessing to be married to someone who has such a way with numbers and straight lines. I do not, it's quite obvious at times, and I have no problem admitting it. It was great getting to watch him in action in a different environment and of course the mix turned out just right! :) I'm so thankful our kids will have one parent that can teach them to draw and cut straight and with math homework later on! I also love that he uses the level to make sure the Christmas tree is straight in the stand--makes me smile just thinking about it. Jeff is such a patient and gracious husband and dad. Onery as heck sometimes but that makes life with him so much more fun! I'm so thankful that like my Savior, he loves me, forgives me, and doesn't stick me in a predetermined formula or expect me to behave like one. He knows the minute details but chooses not to enforce them in every area of life.

I love love LOVE my man and he can bring a calculator into the kitchen anytime he wants! :)

Olivia Throws Those Petals

Olivia had the priviledge of being the flower girl at our friends Rachel and Thaddeus' wedding this weekend. She had a rough time at rehearsal, so we weren't sure what to expect. She sure made us proud!

Can openers and catching up

Well waddya know...a post from the Heidners! :) Jeff was in charge of the blog before and therefore it got done. He handed the baton or what have you over to me last November and well, here we are almost a year later. I still have lots to figure out with the editing/blog format so bear with me for now.

I am sooo looking forward to my Pampered Chef can opener coming in the mail! My walmart wanna be from 8 years ago isn't crimping the edges the way it used to and I don't have pleasant memories of the can opener growing up so I'm determined to stick with the "safe" cutting kind.
Below you see the other devices I employed last weekend all in the name of making pizza sauce. Oh, there was also a knife involved but I broke about 1/4" off the top so it was already in the garbage. Yes, I'm thinking it would be in my hands' best interest to just buy a normal can opener for a back up but Jeff has a can opening blade on his Gerber that does the job for now. I also have the heritage of a grandmother who was quoted by the local newspaper as "fiercely independent" and a neighbor found out one visit that she had used knives to open cans. Grandma Schultz had severe rheumatoid arthritis and macular degeneration so a knife was about the only way she could get it done without asking for help. I do ask for help on lots of things but looking back, am thinking this was an unintentional yet none-the-less small tribute to my sweet Grandma who is dearly missed. :)

Ok, now for the catching up part. Jeff is still working for the same engineering firm and is still loving coffee. He upgraded to an official coffee roaster and we've been enjoying trying different beans and roasts with a little less hassle and mess.

Jeff was part of a relay team for the Governor's Cup Montana Marathon this year--2 years in a row! We're so proud of him and it was fun to cheer on other friends running in it this year too.

Here's Toby during harvest this August up at the farm. He's changed a little since the last post. :) The kids LOVED playing in the wheat and Jeff taught Liv how to make gum.

This was taken while camping with my folks. Blanca (family friend) came from Spain to spend the summer with my family and Liv and Toby thought she was the best!

Here's Liv doing a couple of her favorite things...wearing a dress and holding a kitty. :)

I'm still staying at home with the kids and am so thankful we're making it work! :) Still love gardening and everything except the corn grew well. God is so good to us!

"Cock et" (Chocolate) Treat!

We decided to dress up Olivia and Toby and take them around our block for Halloween. Liv didn't quite get the "trick or treat" part of asking for candy. We practiced beforehand and she could say "cock et treat" pretty good, but then when we got to the door of our neighbors houses she'd just go straight for the candy without saying anything. She loves her chocolate! Toby was zonked out by the time we got around the block. It was a beautiful evening with a full moon.

Fall Update

Somedays this just says it all

1st Snow!

Jeff tried roasting his own coffee beans using a air popcorn popper. 1 out of the 10 batches turned out okay. The others tasted "grassy" as Olivia liked to refer to it.

Olivia's Calculator Phone