Warning!

Warning! Warning! For your own saftey please stay off the sidewalks! McKendrie passed her drivers test and offically got her license today! (You think I am kidding but she failed yesterday and had to retake it today) Wish us luck!

Sweet Sixteen!!

Holy Cow!! McKendrie is 16 years old today!! When did I get this old? I blinked and she went from crusin around in her diaper to crusin around in the car!! I am so grateful to be her mom! and so grateful for her sweet birth mom who so unselfishly gave me the chance to be her mom and give her the things that she could not at that time.

I am proud of the young woman she has become and the choices she has made! Many happy returns sweetheart! I Love You with all my heart!

ps. She already has a date lined up! And so it begins!

Life Happens

For the past few months life's events have left me wondering if my very ordinary every day life events were really worth writing down. Thus the big gap between posts.

Other events have happened and I have begun to realize how important the everyday things are. I also find myself recognizing the miracles that happen everyday in my own very ordinary life. I began blogging because we have been asked to keep a family history. It is the easiest way for me to do that and at the same time keep in touch with people that I love! I write because I want my kids to remember and appreciate the things that happened in every day life both big and small.

Here is the last 2and 1/2 months in a nutshell.

We spent Thanksgiving in Anabella with the Sanderson's and Aunt Peggy's Family. We had a wonderful dinner, played games and enjoyed the company!

The next day was our annual trek up the mountain to find that perfect Christmas tree. We hiked all over with snow up to our waist's. I love the snow in the mountains.


The Christmas season was filled with Christmas concerts

party's and other activities.

Keeping with tradition, Grandma Sanderson came over for our annual gingerbread cookie making,

then Christmas at home this year, kind of looked forward to it after being away to Disneyland last year. We had a party with the Wrights on Christmas Eve. We played a hilarious game called Stuff Santa.

Mom and Dad came to spend it with us, the first time in ten years! It was so fun to have them!! The kids were spoiled (as usual!) we had an awesome Christmas! We have so much to be thankful for!!

Yesterday the girls and I gained a new appreciation for the Men and Women who serve our country as over 900 flags were held by High School & Middle School students and other members of our community on both sides of the road 3 and a 1/2 blocks long for the funeral precession. At the end of all the flags was the National Honor Flag the flew over Ground Zero after 9-11. We were there to honor and pay our last respects to Officer Josie Greathouse Fox, killed in the line of duty protecting others. I was truly proud to be an American, and gained even more respect for the people who are in harms way serving us as citizens.

Briley The Blast From the Past !

This week has been Red Ribbon Week at Briley's school and yesterday was 70's day. Her outfit was way to cute, so I thought I would share! Sad thing is I actually remember having the feathered hair and wearing this stuff.

Deer Hunt 2009

As a woman I don't think I will ever understand the hunting thing and spending the equivalent of two tasty grain fed beef in the freezer for yucky deer meat!

Never the less I love to go camping so we loaded up the trailer Friday and headed for the hills! This trip was a lot more expensive and eventful than we wanted it to be!! On the way we blew a tire on the trailer. Russ tried to change it and one of the lugs was bound on so we headed to the nearest town to get some help. $75.00 later we were on our way again with darkness approaching rapidly! Russ's truck was getting hot so we stopped at a convenience store and bought some antifreeze then went up the canyon only to find out the heater core had gone out in the truck. By the time we got there it was dark so being in a hurry to get set up, Russ didn't slide the hitch on the trailer back and between the incline and the sharp turn he hit the back window with the trailer and shattered it. Oh well stuff happens!!Sitting around camp

The Grandpa, Grandma Gang!

The rest of the trip was great! Lots of fun hangin with family and good food! What more can you ask for.

This is what happens after 3 days of deer camp!

The things you learn at deer camp! Grandpa can't curl his tounge!

Russ ended up with a little 2 point and unfortunately so far McKendrie got skunked but still hopeful.

Beware of insane chainsaw man!

Last Weekend

Last week was Homecoming week here. Their theme was Rockin Through the Ages. They got quite a kick out of dressing in the 60's 70's and 80's styles. Mckendrie's High School Band has a new advisor this year who helped them start a new era. It has been 25 years or more since the band put on uniforms and marched complete with formations at half time for a football game. These kids have worked so hard practicing at 6:30 in the morning 2 to 3 mornings a week and it really paid off!! They looked fantastic!! It was awesome to see. Only one little faux pas' while they were marching off the field McKendrie's drum set fell off ! She got that deer in the headlights look very briefly then picked them up and bowed to the audience. Pretty funny stuff!

Mckendrie's bow after dropping her drums

Monday due to budget cuts we had the day off from school. Russ is off on Mondays as well so we headed out west to see if we could find some pine nuts. As you can see I found a few NUTS among the trees but look at what we also found. Oh if it just would have been the right season!!(that what Russ and

McKendrie were saying!

Briley's New Do

For Briley's birthday she wanted to go to the salon and have her hair cut and highlighted, so Tuesday we spent an afternoon of Beauty.



Before



During


The end result.