Thanksgiving's 2009

Let me just start off with saying how grateful I am for family! We are fortunate enough to spend time with both families. Not on the same day luckily because that just gets to be toooooooo much! The Sunday before we get together with the family we will not be spending Thanksgiving day with and have Thanksgiving with them also. I love it because I think being with family is VERY important.

Stalder Thanksgiving

This year we spent Thanksgiving Day with my family. It is weird we didn't have any little kids here. My little brother has the youngest kids but they are back east. The skin is one of the first things to go at my mom's house.

See they come running for it!!
My mom had a little mishap with the flour. She was pretty upset but we all just laughed it off and took pictures so she can remember. It's all about the memories right?

I was the lucky one to carve (mallyhag) the ham.

These kids are so much fun. I love seeing how grown up they are becoming. The 3 boys hang out and so do the 3 girls. I am glad my kids have cousins they can hang out with and who are good examples as well. The boys headed out to see "The Christmas Carol" while the girls stayed back and headed to the park and played games.

Ratcliffe Thanksgiving

Brett carving the turkey at his parents house. Cole and his girlfriend. She's a real dog but he REALLY loves her :)

Grandpa and his girls.

The boys and their dogs. It was kind of like a dog kennel with 5 dogs at the house! Grandma's 2 little dogs do not like our 2 big dogs (I think our dogs would just think they were chew toys) and Brett's sister's dog Buddy, was deciding if he wants to be friends with our dogs. Ours are just big and scary to the little dogs. Buddy braved it and hung with our dogs for a little while and then Spade was just to much for him.

The dogs trying to stay out of the rain. . . within an hour and of half of this picture there was 3-4 inches of snow on the ground. Let's just say it was a scary ride home. Madison was in the back of the truck saying many prayers and singing hymns so that we may arrive home safely!

Again I just want to say how Thankful I am for family! We have truly been blessed with love and support from our families!

Showering the New Mommies to be. . .

Sorry for those of you who have been waiting for me to post these pictures. Having a bit of computer problems this weekend and haven't had a chance.

We have such exciting time ahead of us and we were able to participate in a shower for 2 of the babies to be born into our family next year. (which sounds crazy because it is just around the corner).

Cute little GIRL cake Grandma Anderson, Aunt Charie and Aunt Aubree made.

Cute little BOY cake Grandma Anderson, Aunt Charie and Aunt Aubree made.

Lucky for us we are getting a BOY and a GIRL. I loved how they got the same item only one was pink and the other was blue. All the wrapping was similar as well. I am glad these girls planned that out nicely for us! :) Tiffany
Shantai

Aren't these girls darling? I love their bellies! I had to rub them.

Tyson and Tiffany are due in February. Sorry guys I had to put this picture up I thought it was funny, it looks like Tyson has his cut off finger in Tiffany's belly button.

Coby and Shantai are due in January. Not too much longer and we will get to meet this little guy.

I am so excited for both of these couples. They will be wonderful parents and I am looking forward to watching them with their own families. There is nothing quite like being a parent and now they will get to see how worth it it really is!!!

New Moon

A friend had rented out a theater for his wife's "Surprise" 30th birthday so we had the privilege of seeing the movie a few hours early. I knew there was no way I could do another midnight show and get to work again like we did last year so a big thanks for having our show time at a descent hour!

The Movie. . . MUCH better than Twilight! However, I really have a hard time with Bella A.K.A. "Blinky" and Edward. I do not think either of them are very convincing. Again, better this time but for me they are very hard to watch. Edward always looks like he is in so much pain just to get a word out it drives me nuts. Now to Jacob. . . I have always liked him so much better than Edward! He did a great job in the movie and must have spent a lot of time in the gym!

The funniest part of the evening was after the movie, we were visiting with neighbors (since a good portion of our neighborhood was there) and someone asked where Madison was. (Dance performance and yes we are crappy parents and went to the movie instead). As we explained this they asked who was with us which happens to be my niece.

So the story begins. . . We didn't think much of it but Cole and I went into the theater first and Brett stayed out to wait for my niece to show up from work. So there we are just chilling in the theater and Brett and Charie come in. Brett is waving to people and looking for us, they see us and come and sit down. We watch the movie an are leaving when the above happens. Apparently some people wondered who Brett was bringing to a "Ward" function because they had not seen me there. A mistress? They were giving him a bad time after that you don't bring your mistress to a function where a good portion of the neighborhood would be. We laughed pretty hard about this. It was only a few years ago we were at a baseball tournament and took this same niece with us and we were asked if she was our older daughter. Yeah - one we lock up and only let out at special times I guess :) Now as I look back at the two of them walking in I guess it did look a little funny.

Madison does get the opportunity to see the movie. She's going with the same neice and her family. Hopefully she enjoys it.

Congratulations Boys!

Last night 2 of my nephews received their Eagles. What a huge accomplishment for them. One of my older nephews gave a talk and said after he received his he teased that his mother earned it for him. Later my sister mentioned that she did not "get" the Eagle for them but she did "encourage a lot". These two boys are her last ones, With all 4 of her sons earning the rank of Eagle I would have to say she "Encouraged" a lot. Maybe with a little encouragement from Cole's best buddies he may want to receive his.
Way to go boys!!

Was it worth it?

I sure hope so!

Our Pediatrician suggested, and with my hands in people's mouths all day that we get the H1N1 vaccine Oh- and lucky us it so happened we could get it the next day at a mass clinic (this was last weekend I'm a little late in posting). So we got up early on a Saturday and headed out. Needless to say I was amazed at ALL of the cars lining up along the road. There was no where to park. We parked well into a neighborhood and got in line. Now mind you we started at about 6:45 a.m. and the line was winding into the neighborhood. We spent 6 1/2 of the longest hours ever waiting to receive the vaccine. It was a cold morning and some of us did not go prepared for the elements. Let's just say I thought I had frost bite on my toes since I wore flip - flops. I had no idea it would have been like this. My biggest concern was the many people there with health issue and the babies out in the elements for such a long time. Maybe they will have it run more smoothly when the next shipment comes in. Oh- and maybe they could have concessions. I would have been a happier person if I had food and hot chocolate! Cole was not happy at all!!

This was the line in front of us at about 10:00 a.m. or so.

Cole was trying to find somehow to keep himself entertained

Madison trying to have a great attitude!

The line behind us. . . This was where they cut off the line and told these people there was no way they would be receiving the vaccine.

Trick or Treat

This is one of my favorite days at work! All of the employees with little ones, nieces and nephews of employees and the Dr's grand kids come in to Trick or Treat around the office, and yes we pass out candy! I love seeing all the little kids in their costumes and they love to come and show us! At work we are always talking about all of these little kids but we hardly get to see them so today is was fun to hear all of their little voices and see how much they are growing.

The ladies in the front office were the "Tooth Fairies"
We had so many different costumes come through.
A bunny, mouse and a chicken, pirate, rock star, witch, monkey, batman, superman, Dorthy's, Dinosaur and Jack skeleton.
The best part is giving them way more candy than they need and sending them on their way. Lucky parents :)
This little dinosaur (oops I mean T-REX) was in character the whole time.

We ended up having a couple of Dorthy's blow on in. I wasn't able to get pictures of all the kids since I was busy working in people's mouths. I wish I would have been able to.

Us in the back wore our Halloween attire the best we could. One of the other ladies had left and she and I matched. Now I just look out of place. Oh well that is as dressed up as I get!

Frightmares

We have really enjoyed having our Lagoon passes this year. None of us have ever gone to Lagoon during Frightmares so this was our first year. It was interesting how much they decorate for Halloween. Everywhere was decorated for Halloween. The costumes were fantastic as well.
Madison outside of Deception
Not for little kids it said

Cole with the cheerleaders of Hal O ween High

Our family on our favorite ride

Tilt O Whirl

I know Cole is looking a little unhealthy

I really love these two! It was fun spending the evening with them!Feed me she says!

Maddy and her daddy someone that will always be there for her (look at the headstone)

My favorite kids

A few week ago we had Maddy's cousins go with us. I have never seen Lagoon so busy. There was no where to park it was that full. Pushing a stroller through the crowd was interesting and the lines were insane. In the time we were there we rode on 3 rides and one was a kiddie ride. Where the little kids bumper cars are they have turned it into a spook ally for the little kids. (Not scary at all) It was fun to take the little girls trick or treating through the Spook-A-Boo.

Back in September Madison and I headed out for a couple of hours.

The Hurst is really pimped out! Music is blaring from it. Madison wanted nothing to do with the characters that were dressed up even though they kept following her around.