Blake got Family Dinner Games for Christmas. It's a little box of cards that has games you can play together while you eat. We tried it out tonight and the card he picked was Food Twister. One person starts by naming a food, and then everyone else has to add to their food, using the same letter. We had, steak, sausage, salt, spaghetti, Sprite, Sesame Chicken, sour cream, salmon, sushi, strawberries, spices, salami, sweet potato, sauce, Swiss cheese, salsa, Salt and Vinegar chips. Griff got stuck on salsa. It was pretty fun. Hopefully all the cards are good ones!

Last weekend it snowed. Big time! That is Griffen behind the snow pile, and as you can see, it is taller than Blake.

Our backyard.

The boys wanted to build a snowman. Now, I am more a beverage and blankie kind of gal when it is cold outside, but Ben talked me into helping.

Griff, Blake and Kyler, showing off the masterpiece that Ben mostly did alone. That snow was freakin heavy!

I guilted Jerri into coming down, because after all, it's only fair that if I am outside, in the cold, with children, then she should be too.

It was the first time we had used our "Snowman" kit, and it turned out pretty cute. The hat and scarf were smaller than I thought, but it still worked out. After these pics were taken, Blake decided our snowman was missing an appendage, so he gave him one. My sweet little Blakie! Jer has pictures of that on her camera, and I don't want to post them, due to Snowman Porno liabilities.

On Saturday night, we took the kids around to look at Christmas lights.
First stop, Fantasy at the Bay.

My preferred mode of transportation.

After driving around we got some snacks. Griff had a scone and hot chocolate, and Blake had a hot dog.

They also had deep fried Oreos that we had to try. They are delicious little melty bites of goodness. I would recommend everyone try one if you have the chance.


We went to see Santa, and got there just in time.


Blake asked for a Power Wing.

Griff asked for a long board.
Santa said if they can stop fighting, they will get what they asked for, so I guess on Christmas morning they will see if they did a good job at not fighting.
We walked around the little village that they have there and this was our favorite booth. The Elf Police had the Grinch in jail, where he belongs!

Then we drove around town and looked at peoples houses. This house was the winner.

I couldn't even get the whole thing in the picture, and this is just the front of the house, there was more in the back!
After that we went and did doughnuts in the church parking lot. The truck doesn't do the best. Too bad the red car died. The boys LOVED when it would snow, so they could go do doughnuts in the parking lot with Ben. We had a fun night.

Decorating the Trees!

Every year I let the boys pick out an ornament. This year Griffen wanted a Broncos one.

Blake chose a Bolt one.

They love going through the ornament box, finding their favorites.

We have some shiny and glittery red balls that I put on, then I turn them loose and let them finish the rest.

I think they do a pretty good job. They get better at it every year!

We (and by we, I mean I) have been busy getting ready for Christmas. I only have one more person to buy for, and maybe a couple of other little things, then I am DONE! Yay! It has to be a record.
Today was supposed to be my Grandma's Christmas party, but because of the weather it was canceled. It has been snowing like crazy all day.
This morning Griff had basketball, then we went to lunch with Jerri and Kyler. After that, Blake and Kyler had basketball. Griff went sledding with some buddies, and me, Blake, Kyler and Jerri went to Old Dogs. It was pretty funny. Much better than I thought it would be. I would recommend it. :)
On Thursday, my brothers (yes, brothers. Gordo is back. He has to have knee surgery.) and sisters went on our annual shopping trip with my dad. I now love internet shopping even more than I thought was possible. PEOPLE ARE STUPID! We ate at the Olive Garden. I haven't been there for a couple of years, it's not my fave, but it wasn't as bad as I remember it being. It was, as always, a fun night.

Happy Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving we had Ben's dad over, so it was just the 5 of us. I made everything myself, and it was pretty good (if I may say). We had homemade rolls and honey butter, corn, stuffing, 7-layer salad, mashed potatoes and gravy, and of course, turkey. Everyone ate like little pigs. For dessert we had chocolate cream pie and a pumpkin cheesecake thing. By the time we were done, and everything was cleaned up I was SO tired. I laid down to watch a movie with Blake and fell asleep by 7 and slept until 9:30 the next morning! It was nice.

While we were eating, everyone wrote a few things that they were thankful for on a leaf, and Blake taped them up on the wall. Family, health, house, food, jobs, and girls were a few. It was fun and turned out kinda cute, I think.

Blake made the other decorations, a turkey and an Indian. Cute!

Nice Tip, Thanks A Lot!

I was running late one night and Griff told me on the phone not to worry about dinner, he had it under control. So, I was like, cool! what did you make? He said he ordered pizza and paid for it with the money he won off a bet on a Broncos game. I had no idea he had funds coming in from a gambling habit. That is something we will have to work on putting a stop to. But first things first.
When I got home I told him I didn't really want him ordering pizza and having it delivered when Ben and I weren't home. I don't like them opening the door to strangers for obvious reasons, weather they have pizza or not. I asked him how much it was and he told me and then he said, "And I even gave her a tip." How much? I asked. "Well, my change was going to be $7.34 and I told her just to give me the bills back and she could keep the change."

All Hallows Eve

We had such a fun Halloween! Blake was Snake Eyes from GI Joe and Griff was Master Chief from Halo! They loved their costumes. I think they turned out pretty flippin sweet!

Me and my nephew Caleb, and all 3 kiddos.

We trick-or-treated our neighborhood, then we went up and did around the kids old babysitters house. After that we stopped by a few friends houses and then went to Ben's dad's house and had some dinner.

Pumpkin Party!

The Anderson family had another Pumpkin Carving Party! This year we had it at my house. For dinner we had turkey, rolls, salad, veggies, chips, and spooky desserts. It was a good time! Ben and I ended up finishing the boys' pumpkins. They can't seem to see it through to the end yet. I thought I had a great idea and just carved a little one. It turned out pretty cute. We also watched Transformers 2 and The Adventure of Ichabod Crane.

Blake's is the monster, Griff's is the flame face, Angela's is the little skeleton, Brittni's is the pumpkin face, Casey's is the heart, and Ashley's is the Grim Reaper.

SPOOKY!

Oink, Oink!

Blake has SWINE FLU! I sure am glad we didn't take that trip to Mexico because we didn't want to get stupid swine flu while we were there. He has been out of school since Monday and will be out the whole week. He got a prescription for TamiFlu, (which was $85, my cost by the way) and seems to be feeling a little better. He still has a pretty bad cough. While we were at the Dr., he asked how I was feeling and I said I had a sore throat, and he said I was next. I have to stay home until my fever goes away. Since Blake has been down for 4 days, I bet that's what I'm looking at too. Hopefully nobody else will get it.

That's what cost me $85. Something smaller than a salt shaker!!!

A Little Update!

At the end of summer us and the Inman's have a campout in the back yard. Complete with smores, lotsa food, games, and of course, GLOW STICKS. They are all that matter.

Jerri, Cortnee, McKayla, Kyler, me, Griffen, and Blake.

My sister got married!!

First Day of School!
Griff in 6th, 1st year at the big school. Blake 2nd grade!

Griff had to have a pic of things he likes and this pretty much sums it up. Soccer, basketball, and skateboarding.

My boss gave me some tickets to a Broncos game and Ben and Griff went. They had a BLAST. Griffen was so happy he could hardly stand it. While they were gone, me, Blake, Jerri and Kyler went to the Dew Tour and stayed at Little America. Talk about 2 happy boys!

Meet The Teacher

Blake had his Intake Conference and meet his new 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Reeder. He was so nervous to go. We went to the classroom and said our hellos. She is very nice. She was trying to get a feel for where Blake stood as far as school goes by asking him some questions. She asked him what his easiest thing to do in school was and he said, "Math". Then she asked what he thought the hardest thing in school was. He thought about it for a LOOONG time and said, "Probably the monkey bars."

Pool Day

During the summer, every Wednesday is pool day. NO MATTER WHAT! It is a commitment that cannot be broken. We have graduated from the kiddie side to the deep end. If I never have to be in the shallow, kiddie area agian I will die happy. This year, we were even able to take a few cat naps while the kids were swimming. Fabulous!

Kyler and Blake

I felt so bad we had to leave Griff home for the last few weeks of Pool Day. So we wrapped his cast up with a plastic bag and lots of tape. Sadly, it only lasted for a few minutes before water got in. Dang it! Pool Day has been a tradition we have done for the last 4 years and it is one of our favorite things to do in the summer.

Happy Birthday Yoda!

It was Yoda's third birthday. We don't normally celebreate it, but we really wanted some cake!

Tuesday night me, Griff, Blake, Jerri, Corntee, McKayla, and Kyler stayed up way into the night to watch the meteor shower. Our neighbors probably hate us. We laid on the tramp in a big pile and waited for the big show. It was kind of a let down. We saw one huge one that went all the way across the sky, but other than that they were kinda small. They were bigger than shooting stars, but it wasn't really what we were expecting. We decided to call it a night around 3:30.

Blake was so excited to see all the "falling stars". He asked me if we got to wish, and I said, "Of course." He said he was just going to make it easy and wish for everything in the world and if he got anything that was junk, he would just get rid of it. He's always thinking ahead. :)

I love when I go to open a door or do something that I just do every day and get a little suprise like this. I will be sad when it doesn't happen anymore.

I will not, however, miss paying for broken bones. No more pool days for poor Griffy. BOOOO!

Blake has decided that instead of a fireman, he really wants to be an assassin. hmmmm

HP6.....Six Thumbs UP!

A friend I work with was able to get me and the boys tickets to the 7:00 pre-pre-screening of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It was really good. The best one so far, we think. Before the movie started they were having a little ticket raffle, 2 blankets and 15 water bottles full of candy. Before they started calling numbers they asked for anyone who didn't have a ticket to come and get one. Griff didn't have one, so I said he could just use mine, but he insisted that he have his own, so he went and got one. Alas, we didn't win. He left to go refill his drink and popcorn, and while he was gone they decided to raffle off a huge Harry Potter cardboard cut-out. "451" she says, and Blake is all "Holy crap! That's Griff's number!" Well, he was gone and we didn't have his ticket, so they called another number. I felt so bad, but what are ya gonna do, right? Wrong. Griff got back and Blake let him in on the news. So Griff is bound and determined to get that cutout. He couldn't find his ticket, so he is looking all over the floor with the light by his cell phone until he finds it, and then he just takes off. I was like, what the heck is he doing now? After a little while some people in Alpine shirts start whispering and flittering around, and I just thought, Oh, my.....that has to be about him. He comes back, and says, "It's all under control. I get it." I couldn't believe it. I was really proud of him that he would take the initiative to do something like that. If it would have been me I wouldn't have done anything. We got out of the movie around 10 and people were already in line for the midnight showing. It was pretty cool to be able to see it early like that. We had a fun time, and recommend it!

Griffen's 11th Birthday!

So, I know his b-day was June 17 and it is July 14.....I do what I can.

For everyone's birthday, I make them whatever they want for dinner and this year Griff said he wanted sushi. I do not make sushi, so off to Takara we went.

Starting off with edamame and egg rolls.


California Roll, Mexican Crunch Roll, Aggie Roll, and a Last Samuri Roll

and he got a free dessert! (which he did not like)

He got a bike and a skateboard, a helmet, some movies and stuff to take to the pool. If you look closer, notice the wrapping paper. Ben was in charge of that, and he thought Birthday Faries would be a good choice. He also got money, a baloon animal kit, and my mom and dad took him out to dinner at a restaruant of his choice, Wingers.

Here he is with his cakes. I swear the candles weren't trick, but he had a heck of a time putting them out.