Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Boo Bear is 8! What? Abbey Jean is 21? What?

We had a fun game night up at Geah's house one night with the other volleyball coaches, spouses, etc... It's a great place to have a game night because the kids just play and play and play while we play games. They had a great time in the hot tub. The lights change colors. It looked like a disco out on the porch!
My girl is 8 years old! That is hard for me to believe. She woke up, saw her One Direction Banner, and was ready to open some presents. She was also dressed like a prisoner from the 50s, but she makes it work.
She really wanted a disco ball! It has really improved upon our dance parties!
We also got her a Beauty and the Beast Lego set. It has all the characters and is super cute.
The year just wouldn't start right without a new One Direction calendar.
I know this is blurry, but I couldn't resist. This is what she changed into to try out the new light show thing we got her and her new disco ball. It's very Jim Morrison I think.
Time to build. She is very good at Lego's. She also looks so cute in her new Hermione nightgown.
Time to open some stuff from Grandma and Papa. She got spoiled as always! Both sets of grandparents, aunties, Great-Grandmas, etc... You guys are the best!
These two are very similar...
Disco party at night! We made a disco playlist filled with classics. No one wanted to go to bed that night!
Another sledding day! It's been absolutely freezing here, so we have kept all our snow. Every once in a while there is a day above 30, and we took advantage of it. Kyle didn't get to go last time, so he was happy to have a sledding day.
Jordan and Terri joined us. They are always up for sledding. These are two very pretty girls.
Teague did a lot more digging than sledding. He found a plastic axe that someone must have left up there. He loved it!
My friend Lori and her dog Bo joined us up there. Bo is a black lab/border collie mix with lots of energy. He loves kids, and they loved him. Carter probably threw the Frisbee for him 25 times.
A family picture (ax included!)
Kyle is getting really good at making strange faces in all my pictures! Ha ha!
Lori and Teague were good buddies too. She helped him "mine" things out of a snow pile.
Carter went down the huge hill a ton!
Jordo and the boys. This is awfully cute.
Laney has become cuddlier in her old age. She really loves these guys.
Party day! We had her party a couple weeks later because it's just easier. We were very glad that our buddy Callie made it over for a visit. Ave jumped in her arms immediately!
Everyone loved her Star Wars cake. It tasted pretty fantastic! Liam was worried she would have a "girly cake" - he was thrilled with the theme!
Teague did not appreciate Carter blocking his way!
Avery only wanted to invite 3 people from her class. She just didn't want a bunch of people there! She, Paige (in pink), and Korin had a great time together. They are good kids. They built a fort for Austin to hide in!
Brooklyn made quite a cool house too. The big girls complemented her on the roof.
Teague just does his own thing. He makes me laugh.
Liam has no fear. He was just launching himself off the slide!
These two are always so cute together.
Almost time to sing! I guess I caught Ave dancing here!
The cake table
She will keep this forever!
She got so many wonderful things. She is a really lucky girl. Thanks everyone!
Abbey Jean celebrated with some chicken curry wraps for dinner and a beautiful cake. I can't believe she's 21! I remember her at my softball games as a toddler!
Happy Birthday Abb!
Carterman got interviewed at school for Martin Luther King Jr. day. He did a great job and talked about how black and white people can go to school together and are friends. He makes me proud!
Just a tired boy. He still looks like a baby when he sleeps.
We took a walk on a rare sunny day. Teague of course had to pack goggles, a slinky, a light saber, binoculars, etc... You know, all the essentials.
Our friend Michele Shea was trying to get rid of some of her youngest son's stuff. He is now 15. I told her I knew a couple kids who would gladly take some giant animal pillows. I thought Teague was going to faint! He was so excited about the huge crocodile!

Croc made lots of new animal friends the first night at our house!
Happy 35th Birthday to my dear friend Callie! She is quite honestly one of the best people in the whole world. We love her!
My Googles stayed home sick today, and she never misses school. We are just passing germs around left and right. I washed all the sheets, blankets, and pillow cases today. Maybe I'll go spray Lysol everywhere now! I hope everyone else is feeling okay and having a good January.

Monday, January 9, 2017

Back in Butte (Christmas #2)

When we arrived back in Butte, it was time to have Christmas #2 at Mom and Dad's house. Ave was super happy with her markers from Lincoln. She really wanted some good smelling markers!
Teague was quite happy to dig right in to presents after he went through his stocking in 5 seconds!
Bionicle guys! He loves these things and plays with them all the time.
Carter's newfound love for the Carolina Panthers is well known. Dad got him a cool shirt from Fanatics.
Teague got the funniest present from Hawkins. This mask changes his voice to sound like Batman!
When we got home, they had three presents each from Kyle and I. Teague was absolutely thrilled to get the Haunted Mansion. It's the one thing he's said he wanted from the beginning of December on.
Aver's Lego Set was the new Frozen castle. It's quite lovely, and she put it together like a champ the next day.
Carterman got the Star Scavenger from the Disney show "Star Wars Rebels." They all like all things Star Wars!
On Tuesday it was time for the annual friends' get together. The kids started out with some pizza. The best thing is, we haven't seen Dana's kids for a year and you would never know it. These guys get along great together!
Kolt is used to hanging out with his sisters. He thought Carter's room full of Transformers/Nerf/boy stuff was the coolest. He thought Kyle was a genius for being able to transform all the toys!
We have some great kids! From l-r: Maddie, Jada, Avery, Myla, Madisyn, Mason, Kolt, Teague, and Carter.
The babies: Myla (3), Teague/boy who couldn't smile (5), Kolt (4)
Our middles: Ave (8), Mason (8), Maddie (9)
The big kids: Madisyn (10), Jada (10), and Carter (9.66)
Group picture! We seriously have the best time together. We could visit for hours.
Time for the present exchange.
Carterman is so handsome.
Mason was hilarious that night. He arm wrestled Kyle once, got thrown in the snow by Jason, and played Beanboozled with no fear!
Dana and her girls made homemade slime for the kids.  It quite impressive, and they all had fun playing with it.
It's a madhouse!
All the girls are very artsy. They colored and made some Beado creations together. I just love our little friends' tradition.
Wednesday was my birthday. I got the afternoon off work to meet these cool kids for some sledding. It was a perfect day for it. Here are Abb/Teague and Erica/Hawkins getting ready to go down the hill. Hawkins wasn't that impressed by it. He was a tired guy.
Two pretty sisters.
Lando and Ave went double a few times on the purple sled.
Lando coming right at me!
Carterman having a wonderful time.
I love these three little turkeys.
After Hawkins and Erica took off we decided to head up to Tech for some steeper hills. Carter was a little afraid to start (he forgets every year that it's not scary), and Lando was unsure about the wind. Luckily, they both had a wonderful time! Ave had a blast from the get go!
Carterman getting some air!
If you can zoom in on this, he has the happiest face!
They look so far away from me! It was busy when we first got there, and then it cleared out nicely.
Teague likes to make the adult go in front of him to block the snow from his face. I love this picture of him and Abb on the double slide!
It seemed to work out pretty good for him! We had the best time! Only one crash...poor Terri!
Later we met at the KC to have a cribbage tournament meeting and a couple drinks. We had lots of laughs! Kyle and the kids got me a new Giants sweatshirt too. I like the dark sleeves.
It was so nice having Lando and Hawkins here for a long time. We missed our Linky Lou though! Of course, they had to have Papa read the "Grouchy Patsybug" once.
Ave opened her birthday present from Erica and the kids while they were still here so she could thank them in person. Hawkins happily helped her open them. He and Ave get along famously!
Best buddies/cousins. What a cute picture!
Hawkins also adored Jordan (and vice/versa). He's such a good natured little guy.
He thought it was great fun having Uncle Kyle/Uncle Yaya throw him around.
Erica was trying to get him to sleep early. That didn't happen. He was in a silly mood and desperately needed some goldfish.
He really liked taking Carter's hat off and wearing it sideways. It's a good look! We miss them already! Can't wait until Feb when we see them, Kels, and Link again. Thanks again for everything everyone. I know how fortunate we are to have the most wonderful families on both sides.

July - August 2019

My friend Michelle was in town from Las Vegas. Her brother and sister-in-law always have a fun barbecue for everyone here in town. Dana, Jas...