Thanksgiving 2011

This year we had Thanksgiving dinner at home, just the 5 of us. It was alot of work, for a few minutes of indulgence! Mom made all the favorites: Turkey, stuffing,cranberry relish, green bean casserole, roles,yummy gravy, and very runny mashed potatoes. Everything was great except the spuds. Later that day we joined a few other families at the Kennards for dessert. Relaxing, fun day!

Girls on the Run

This year Meg participated in a program for 3 months called Girls on the Run. This was held at school. Two days a week for three months she would meet with a group of 12 girls for 1 1/2 hours and train for this 5 K. She had two coaches, who motivated the girls with lessons on self esteem, self worth and confidence boosting games and exercises. This was on the 5K which took place on the Notre Dame campus. It was a beautiful fall day in Nov. Daddy was a good sport to run with her, since Mom did the practice run with her the week before the race. Mom, Morgan, and Madeline were on the side lines cheering them on at every turn. Meg made it! Great job Meg!(she came to the conclusion afterward, that she doesn't enjoy running so much)

Morgan's 14th Birthday

This year Morgan chose to have a date with Mom and Dad. We went for dinner at the mall after she went to Buckle and got the Silver jeans she had her eye on. She then went to her very first stake dance. So, so sad... Where have the years gone?

Halloween 2011

This Halloween Morgan hung out with her friend Alli Worthen, Madleine trick or treated woth some of her friends in Fox Chase, so Meg and I went to our old stomping grounds, Covington Shores. She was happy as to be to make the rounds with her BFF Nicole Marshall(poodle skirt girl). While walking around we saw her other really good friend Renee (witch) from school. Dad stayed home and handed out goods with Maggie.

LeeAnn's 60th BDay

My cousin Georgi (top right in burgundy), her brother Sam (bottom center in burgundy), and I surprised her Mom (my Aunt) LeeAnn (Top right in grey), by flying home to ID for her 60th BDay in Oct. It was so good to see Mama (who also flew in from CA, bottom right in plaid). And wonderful to see Grandma (bottom right in peach). The house was crazy with aunt's, uncle's and cousins all in one house for the Big Dinner Sat. night. My cousin Georgi recently had her gorgeous girl Ansley in April. The center of attention. I just couldn't get enough of her! I held her as much as possible for 3 day's and miss her so much already. Georgi had three boys about the same ages of our girls, then out of the blue a surprise 4th pregnancy came along. She finally got her girl. She is such a doll!

Wheeler's New House

On my way to Idaho last month I was able to stop over for the night to see the Wheeler's and check out their new house. Hearing about it and seeing pictures for the last several months does not do it justice! It is truly amazing and spectacular in every way. Here are a few of the better pictures I got. The kitchen is about 4 x's that size, but I only took a shot of the one angle. The view is from their back patio (on any level(they have patio's on the back of the house on all 4 levels. Spiral staircase that Nicole is posing from goes from the top floor down to the bottom basement. The wall of windows is in the great room, off of the kitchen. I was so glad to spend a little time with my dear Lisa that I miss so much!

New Bedding

After hunting for months and months for new bedding.... I finally found what I was after. I had seen this bedding that I loved at B,B,B (this same coverlet Chrysanthemum made by DKNY in charcoal for $320.00. I just couldn't do it! That would be crazy! Then each sham was $69. So I left the store with my head hanging low and kept searching, and searching, and searching. Finally one day, I happened to stop in Tuesday Morning and there it was! Not in charcoal, but in this light aqua color that I also love. The deal of the century. I got the coverlet for $65, and each aqua sham for $14.99! For that price, I then grabbed the cream shams for $9.99 ea. and found the bed skirt and throw pillows at TJMaxx for ($9.99-$14.99). So thrilled and happy. Sleeping much better now that we are back into a King( we slept in a Queen for over a year while transitioning from our old house to this house). The Sleep Number Bed is the way to go!

Goodbye top the Williams

Not long after school started this year we had to say Goodbye to our dear friends the Williams. It was a very sad, sad day for us(hence Alexa's red teary eyes) We have come to love this family that will never be forgotten! Jody, Wendy, Jake, Alexa, Audrey & Wyatt are off to bigger adventures in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Girls forst Day opf school 2011

It's been a while since I have updated. I can't even remember the actual date of the first day of school and honestly too lazy to look it up. Let's just say Aug. 2011, good enough.

Meg is in 3rd grade again with Michelle Bogart. Having her good and bad days. Much less stressed this year in general, but still very anxious when it's test time. She is involved in a program twice a week after school called "Girls on the Run", that is a self-esteem booster, and training to run a 5k in Nov.

Madeline has adjusted much better to Middle school than I could have ever imagined. She likes going, and is doing well. After 5 years at elementary struggling through Math, she would up being in Honors Math this year because of the end of year MAP test last year. She is doing great! She is involved in a after school program called 5 Star that she likes and is fun for her.

Morgan the "Big Dog on campus" this year is busier than ever keeping up her straight A's, Honor Society standing, and now Social Life!

Oh and they all still compete in gymnastics that keeps me running to the gym 6 days a week(sometimes several trips in one day)!

Meg's Baptism

Meg's Special day was full of fun things. Dinner with the girls at Hacienda while Daddy was gone was a treat. She even got a sombrero. Grandma Linda and Grandma Rudy came for the Big Event. Standing room only at the baptism. Lots of special friends came to share the special day with us. Daddy was sure excited to baptize his baby, but sad too! We have so many dear friends, and are grateful for our Indiana family.

July 4th, 2011

July 4th at the Williams was super fun! Cupcakes to celebrate Meg's Bday, Boche ball, badmitton. So fun!

Disneyworld 2011

Fun, Fun, Fun!!!

We took about 150 photo's. I just picked a few to highlight. The pool at our resort was very nice and boy did we get good use out of it. We caught lots of characters. Especially at our character breakfast with Pooh and friends. That was amazing having them all at one place. Right outside our room at the Animal Kingdom was tons of animals. Our favorite were the giraffes! The tiny green frog was at the pool croaking. We had to investigate and find the little guy, but it was only about 2 in. long. Thanks Mama for an amazing time with you!

Animal Kingdom

Entry to the Animal Kingdom. Gorgeous resort! So much fun.

Snack drawer

Grandma was amazing packing an additional suitcase filled with just snacks. Boy was it great. We didn't quite eat it all over the week, but we came pretty close.

Tink

The girls main goal to this entire trip was to find TinkerBell. We did just that! And she was darling. Spent so much time with us. Meg was thrilled!

June 2011,

What an amazing Grandma we have! We were so fortunate this past June to go on a family trip to Florida... Our very first trip to Disney world. We took so many incredible pictures that I couldn't possibly blog all of them. We did have some super amazing times though, that I will blog about then at the end I will just post some random pictures. How lucky we are to have the best Grandma ever who took us all on the best trip ever!!!

Farewell to Larsen's 6/20/11

This summer has been an emotional one for me. So many good good friends leaving Granger. I guess because we were also supposed to be included in that group... it makes it even harder. First the Jeppsen's, Jacobson's, now Larsen's. I took Becca out for lunch at Panera on Monday, then later that night we met the Larsen's and Hurst's at Chubby Trout for a farewell sushi date. What an experience. We arrived at 6:30, then waited outside for 1 1/2 hours (even ordered, so that when we got inside they would already have our order) .Once we were seated, we had to re-order because they never put our order through. By the time we actually got our food it was after 9:00. We will not be re-visiting Chubby Trout!!! But I was very glad to spend a little more time with my dear friend Becca. We have served together for years in YW, before we were both released in Dec. I will miss her! They are moving to Harriman Utah, where Clint will join his Father's Podiatry Practice. While we were at our marathon dinner, Madeline was baby-sitting for there 3 little ones Braden,Natalie,and Rylee. Her first gig, which she pulled off without a hitch!

Amazing Discovery

So our yard here at Arrowhead Circle continues to amaze me. First the peonies popped up, and I enjoyed them for a very short 2 week period, then they were gone. Much too quick if you ask me. They were gorgeous! Beauty keeps popping up everywhere I look. So much color. I just love it. Most recently our by our mailbox, these beauties emerged. Have no idea what they are called, but I am enjoying them while I have them. You can see they are already starting to shrivel at the bottom. They just bloomed about 1 week ago. They soon will be gone I'm sure.

Father's Day 2011

This year we had the Lee's, Kennard's, and William's over to help us celebrate our Daddy's. It was a super hot day of grilling, eating, playing of the dock, and yummy desserts! It was a fun time. Next time we'll have to do it on a Sat. maybe so we can also swim. Mariah got the award for" most sourcrout eaten", and I think Coleman definetly got the double award for "drinking the most pop's that weren't his" and "driving his mom absolutely crazy"! It was a fun time in the Lasley's new pad.

Madeline's Up-Do

So one rainy day last week, Madeline and Morgan were upstairs for hours together ( I didn't know what they were doing, and didn't care... they weren't arguing, and I heard no yelling), sort of a miracle. Well out of Madeline's room emerged this beauty queen. Morgan had done her first up-do. Not bad I thought. The next day, I took the girls for a trim, and Nancy cut off about 3 inches too many off Madeline's hair. She was less than thrilled!

Chuck's 40th Birthday

We had some surprises in store for Daddy this year. The day started off at Veldman's Gas Station... We had a fundraiser for Gymnastics selling Port-a-Pit chicken for 3 hours.. Just what Chuck wanted to do on his Birthday! Well we got thru that then he stopped and bought a new trimmer for the yard, and did his second favorite thing, yard work for another 3 hours. We had planned on going to dinner that night with the Snelson's. (Little did he know I had a surprise waiting for him). The Snelson's never showed, they were in Fort Wayne for a tournament, but waiting at the Restaurant were the Lee's and Hurst's. It was a fun surprise, and delicious dinner! We followed it up of course with Cold Stone ice cream. Yum!!

Beauty on Arrowhead

I don't know what kind of flowers these are... But we have a whole bush of them in our yard! I have never spent so much time in the yard as I do now at this house. We had a big yard in Covington Shores, but mostly grass and a few shrubs. Almost all green and yellow. Not alot of color. In our yard now, we have just about every color you can imagine. Beautiful varieties that I have never seen before. I'm not much for roses, but we also have some real pretty ones! Hopefully I can keep everything trimmed and looking pretty all summer.