Ho~Ho~Ho!

My three little bundles of Christmas joy!

Jacket & Boots

Miss Savannah got a new jacket and some (more) funky boots!! Of COURSE we gotta put them on RIGHT AWAY and pose for the camera!!

Peter Pan with Grandma

My mom has ALWAYS had a thing for musicals (I LOVE them as well!) and she's very good about offering to bring me and the kids along to support our local artists! This year at the Moorhead High School, they put on a "new age" production of Peter Pan...I know, I know...I'm always skeptical about putting a "new age" spin on classics, but this one was done REALLY well!

These kids have SO MUCH talent and even though we were in the back, our seats were GREAT!! They had the characters on wires so that they really flew and at the end, Peter flew above the crowd sprinkling fairy dust on us! All we can say is "THANKS GRANDMA PAM"!! We LOVE hanging out with you!!

Savannah and mom photo opp!

Oh Christmas Tree

We got our annual "live tree flocked in white"! This tree is sort of a disaster...it's not our favorite, but it will do! The kids and I worked HARD decorating it! "Just hear those sleigh bells ringiling, ting-ting tingling too...."

My Angel topper...We've had this FOREVER & I just love it! It has fiber optic wings that move!Merry Christmas!

Viking Hats

November 29th, 2009

Man-o-man...I DO mean STOCKING hats! This is what happens when we send Chad to the store BY HIMSELF! What in the WORLD was he thinking!?! We had to try them on and then he made us wear them to watch the Viking's game in the next day! What a silly boy I'm married to...those suckers ITCH!!

I'll be the first to admit, I do NOT look good in a stocking hat!!
Goofy faces...except Parker's ~ his is more CREEPY!

Lovin' the daddy!

Black Outfit

I thought this outfit was cute...

Always posing with the hand on the hip!
Savannah is QUITE fond of the sparkles on the pockets!! What a cute & happy little girl!

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! This year we spent part of the day at my mom's house with family, then we went to Chad's mom's for a while...then mom had to work overnight~ICK! At least the company was wonderful!
Sweet Pea with her Great-Grandpas!

Look at those yummy pies! Grandma Pat makes THE BEST PIES! Too bad I couldn't enjoy a glass of that wine along with it!

Yeah, I made them all get together for this picture...I think it turned out nice! Here are some blessings to be VERY greatful for!!

Aiden's Actual Birthday

Well, Aiden's birthday landed on Thanksgiving this year and I had to work a series of 3 overnights (w,r,f)...we really try to make sure that the kids' birthdays are special and do not get wrapped into other holidays (thanksgiving, halloween, christmas...). I hope Aiden didn't feel shafted this year!! Happy Birthday my little Aiden Lee...I LOVE YOU DEARLY!

He was up pretty early today...this little man is SEVEN!!
Ohhh boy! What's in here!?

It's my very own MP3 player!!

Grandma Pam & Emmett got me super cool GI Joe toys! Way cool!

Grandma Joey & Steve got me a cake, balloons & gave me C-A-S-H! I LOVE money!

Now blow the candles out my dear and make your wish come true! A VERY Happy Birthday TO YOU!

Star Wars Story

Aiden has started to take a real interest in drawing...it's great because then I get to see his amazing imagination in action! Today he came home from school and told me that he was starting a Star Wars comic book. Here is the cover:

I'm amazed at all the lines and circles! This had to have taken him a while...who knew he had the patience? Good job, Aiden! We love you & your imagination!

Theme Dinner

November 17th, 2009

Winter Hearth Dinner

Foods that warm the soul

I had made a "date" for my husband and I (which we NEVER get to go on) to a fun themed dinner. Long story short - my husband DITCHED me for a hunting trip to Montana so I took my MOTHER and made Chad pay for it! Yay Me!

This was the menu:

Appetizer: Prosciutto Wrapped Salmon & Citrus Grilled Shrimp
Pistachio Pesto, Bell Pepper Sauce & Balsamic Syrup

Soup: Brie Cheese & Pear Bisque
Marinated Dried Fruits & Puff Pastry Croutons

Salad:Petite Greens with Burgundy Poached Pear
Goat Cheese, Toasted Hazelnuts & Sherry Vinaigrette

Intermezzo: Pomegranate Granita

Entrée: Wild Turkey Cassoulet
White Bean Stew with Smoked Pork, Roasted Garlic & Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Dessert: White Chocolate & Pumpkin Crème Brulee
Candied Butternut Squash & Spiced Pecans

My mom & I decided to get a bottle of wine! Why not, right!?
This salad was SO YUMMY!

How cute is this!? I didn't get a good pic of the soup, but it was my FAVORITE part of the meal!

Creme brule is not my favorite (it's actually Chad's favorite...huh, go figure), but this was pretty good!

My mom and I had a fun night together (Thanks MOM!) so I guess it wasn't ALL bad that I got ditched...hope Chad gets a deer though because he's gonna need something to snuggle up to in the dog house when he gets home!

NEW MOON~Oh Yeah!

November 20th, 2009

Well, here we are...FINALLY! The WAIT is OVER! I got to spend the evening with my girlfriends Cassie & Kirsti taking in food, beverages, and HOTTIES galore! Cassie got me hooked on the Twilight Saga and seriously, I read all 4 books in less than 5 days (they are about 700 pages each!). I was very skeptical at first, but after the first few pages, I was HOOKED...and then OBSESSED! Don't ask me what "team" I'm on...I just can't choose! It was a super fun night - thanks, Cass, for making me read those books!

In the theater

BIRTHDAY PARTY ~ Ladie's Style!

November 11th, 2009

We are celbrating my friend Tracy's birthday tonight! First, out to eat at Doolittle's (yummy!), then out to THE HUB (yes, it's a bar...actually, a building with about 5 different bars inside it!)!

Tracy startin' off the night with her Mike's (she calls them Mike&Ikes!)
Blast from the past! This little lady grew up across the street from me! She was also Parker's FAVORITE daycare provider...love ya, Jenn!!
The whole crew - don't we just LOOK like TROUBLE!?! hee, hee!

A picture of me and the birthday girl! And LOOK!! She's SHOWING HER TEETH! So cute!

Tracy loves the monkey....

It's a ZOO! Hahahahahaa! What a FUN night! Thanks, girls and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRACY!

Let's DANCE

November 6th, 2009

I'm such a sucker for girl clothes! While we were out getting dance shoes, Savannah found this dance dress that's "a REAL dancer dress, mom!! Like the ones they wear on the dance shows!!" - had to buy it! It even came with a scrunchie and the poor girl just doesn't have enough hair for those things, but I COULDN'T tell her that!
What a cute nose you have!

You look BEAUTIFUL Sweet Pea!

Pink Outfit

November 6th, 2009

This DARLING little girl makes EVERYDAY an ADVENTURE! She is SO HAPPY and so FULL of life...and she certainly has her own opinions to boot! Today, we are going shopping with her "best girl" Grace. We are shopping for NEW DANCE SHOES because they start dance next week together!! Savannah is really looking forward to having Grace in her class! This is the outfit she picked out for shopping and a lunch date at Taco John's....
These boots are my FAVORITE and the fact she wants to wear them with skirts is ADORABLE!

So Sweet

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this picture...life is good!

Hunter Orange

November 5th, 2009

Chad is getting ready for his big hunting trip to Montana, which means he is frantically looking for all his hunting gear (honestly, we go through this EVERY YEAR!)...when he finds pieces, he throws them on the floor in the sitting room. Well, Savannah thought it was an orange pile just WAITING to be a fashion show! Ahhh girls....what FUN!
With a face THAT cute, the deer just might walk right up to her and burst out into song (like in the Disney princess moives!)

What a character!

What you talkin' about, Willis!?!