Traditions

We have many traditions during the holidays that we enjoy.

#1 Decorating the Christmas Tree
and talking about each ornament as it is put on the tree...



#2 Baking
Here are some Russian Tea Cookies that I baked today for a cookie exchange I went to tonight. I have another exchange to go to on Sunday so I need to come up with a recipe. Maybe peppermint bark? I LOVE cookie exchanges and coming home with all kinds of yummy treats!

#3 Time Spent with friends
About 20 of us girls got together last night at Gino's for an earring exchange. We had such a great time! How can you top great food and fabulous ladies!!!


Our annual Christmas Bunco at Judy's house! Again...lots of laughter and great food!

#4 Tree Lightings
Enjoying hot cocoa at the Meridian Christmas tree lighting

#5 Parades
Watching the Meridian Christmas parade

Those are a few of our favorite things this time of year. And that was only THIS week....we have lots more planned in the upcoming weeks!

Baby It's Cold Outside

Monday morning driving down our street on the way to school...


My friend Elaine and I decided to take the dogs over to the park...


Last night, on the way home from a ladies Christmas tea with my friend Mary, I noticed the outside temp on the car said it was 5 degrees! When I woke up this morning the newscaster on the clock radio was letting us all know that it was now -5 degrees at 6:30am. That's right folks...NEGATIVE 5 degrees!!!!

Mary and I at her church for the Ladies Christmas Tea. What a fun night!

Thankful...

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends in California. We ate too much, watched lots of football and enjoyed catching up with one another. It was our first Thanksgiving at home since moving to Idaho....and it was WONDERFUL having my mom's cooking again!!! The boys spent the rest of the weekend playing with their cousin, Lani, and visiting friends. My parents took the boys to see Christmas Carol 3D at the movies and they ate at In -N-Out more than once! Troy and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary on Saturday with dinner,a movie and visiting with our dear friends, The Espinosa's. We are truly blessed...
Here are a few snaps of our weekend.
We hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Thank you!

Be sure to fly Old Glory and say a prayer for all Americans who have served our nation so proudly. If possible, thank one personally. More than 25 million American veterans are among us.

A very happy birthday to me!

What a great day! Troy took the day off of work, which is very unusual and made me feel oh so special! The boys were off school due to teacher conferences...so I got all three of my favorite guys home with me for my birthday! We spent the day enjoying lunch at a fellow Pursuiter's restaurant, having family portraits done, cappacinos at Pamela's, parent teacher conferences, dinner at Gino's...Yum! and finished off the evening with our dear Life Group. What more can a girl ask for? Oh yes...a snuggie, my favorite beverage and endless photo viewing, of course. Chase gave me a BSU Snuggie, Tanner picked up a Dutch Bros. coffee gift card and Troy surprised me with a digital photo frame that holds 1000 of my favorite photos!!!!

My neighbor and friend, made me this delicious birthday cake! Thanks Cindy!!!

Halloween '09

We had a great Hallowe'en filled with fun and family traditions!

Tanner carved his pumpkin in a traditional style, but was most proud of the fact that he grew this pumpkin himself over the summer!

Chase carved a USC (Univ. of So. Cal.) on one side, TCU (Texas Christian University)on another and his football #42 on the the third side.

Trick or Treating in the neighborhood with Tanner and his buddies...




Chase and his buddies went out on their own this year...

Tanner as SCREAM!

Chase dressed as a "creepy old farmer guy"

The boys with their stash...

Sun Valley, Idaho (part II)

Mary and I with some of the Basque women...

Waiting for the Trailing of the Sheep


A cute bookstore... can't wait to get back in there on our next visit!

The sheep and the herders on their way through town, bringing their flocks to their winter destination.


Afterwards we were hungry and so we stopped at Wise Guys.This has got to be the best pizza I've ever had!

Cute pic of the kiddos...

Cool sign on the side of the building... kinda sad though after watching all the sheep go through town!

After lunch we stopped at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for some treats. Isn't this a cool model they made all out of chocolate?!



We had such a fun weekend with all the wonderful families from the WolfPack team. I can't wait to get up there again sometime very soon! I bet it's beautiful in the winter. Anybody up for a little snowboarding????