Polar Express 2009

Last Thursday we loaded up with the Putz and Falkenborg families and headed up to Williams for the Polar Express...Craig and I had taken the girls 5 years ago and it is a priceless experience!! There was lots of snow which helped the mood feel like Christmas!! The look on the kids' faces gives you goose bumps!!

The Whole Place was lit up outside with lights :)

Kelsey, Sandy, and I (and Brooke:)

All of the kids in their PJs before going to see Santa!!

Never too big to believe :)

Carli and Easy E (was easy until 2am!!)

Codi and Kaelyn just got on the train!


This picture sums it up!!

Merry Christmas :)

Thanksgiving Weekend!!

The 4 day weekend has been such a good weekend of family and friends!! The tradition has been going for some time that my mom comes over in the morning and takes over my kitchen!! :)




Food Coma :)...although I don't even think we had eaten yet when this was taken!!


These 2 harassed each other all day!!


Craig doing his traditional "Carving the Turkey"!! (Which I don't think he enjoys at all)


Codi and Emily


Cousins :)


This year for Black Friday--We tried a new plan with the Mall opening at Midnight---Kelsey, her sister Courtney, and I thought we would try it!! We took Carli with us---she was SOOOOOO excited!! Unfortunately we learned our lesson to just stick to the early morning Target/Walmart...the mall was full of teenagers (did their parents even know where they were????)...we went back home..slept from 2-4:30 and then headed to Target.


Waiting outside the Mall for it to open.


We hung out at the Putz house on Friday...the kids did a "painting with pudding" activity...


Friday evening we loading all the kids up on the rangers to have a camp fire. The guys built a great fire (minus JJ losing the hair on his arms during the actual "Ignition")


All the kids


The big Kids :)


It was a perfect evening :)

Controlling the hormones!!!

I know that people say "where has the time gone" all the time...but seriously...especially with Carli..she has become such a young adult in the last month or so...Along with the growing up so fast comes the transition "attitude"...I'm not sure if attitude is the correct word...but she is very expressive lately.

Which leads me to the best discipline strategy!!!...I am a genius!!...It took me a long time to give in to the whole cell phone idea for her...I work around 15 year girls all day..I have seen the bad choices they make with their cell phones. A couple of weeks ago a parent at Carli's school was thanking me for have such a wonderful daughter...to make a long story short...This parent's daughter has special needs and for the last 3 years Carli has been really good with her in classes..teachers have intentionally kept them in same groups knowing Carli would help out...Instantly I was reminded what a good kid she is and felt compelled to go buy her a phone.

...back to me (or Craig and I to keep it fair) being a genius...We now have a wonderful little piece of technology to dangle over her potentially sassy/moody/rotten 13 year old. :))


Yesterday we took some pictures at Cassie's wedding shower...standing next to her I realized she is quickly catching me!!!

Not our Traditional Halloween!! :(

It has been too long since I have taken the time to post some pictures and happenings going on in our life!! Things have been pretty busy...and with this past weekend of club tryouts...it is about to get busier!!!

Our normal Halloween tradition had to take a year off :( I had a tournament all day in Tucson, my cousin having a 40th birthday party, AND the girls having club tryouts very early Sunday morning forced us to postpone our normal Halloween gathering until next year!!! Craig and my mom got the girls ready in their costumes and they drove to the Dallmanns to hang out and trick or treat with them. Carli was a Hippie and Codi was a punk rocker :)

Superb Weekend :)

Carli's school team was in the Spikefest tournament this weekend...all the elementary schools in the district participate (25 schools)---Carli's team got 6th which was a good fininsh for their inexperienced team :) Carli played well and made the all-tournament team along with several other girls from her club team.

Carli is #20

Carli and Codi :) It kills Codi to just sit and watch!!!

All-tournament team :) Carli and Abby!



After watching lots of Carli's vball---Craig and I headed on the ranger with JJ and Kelsey for a quick trip to Crown King. We couldn't have asked for better weather!! We took our time stopping along the way...hitting the infamous "Cleatter Bar" (some serious redneck peeps up there!!!)--Kinda cool way to make you appreciate all of our "haves" in life!!! We had a great "Linner" (in between lunch and dinner) at the restaurant...hit the general store to get the kids some of their homemade fudge!!

Craig with his pink "Stachel"



Not too many full mouths of teeth at this bar :)

NAU alumni trip :)

Last weekend we headed up the hill to Flagstaff for our annual NAU volleyball alumni trip. I know that my eligibility has been up for some time but there is a group of about 5 from my era that have faithfully played every year :)...this year my era was down to 2 players :(...I was the oldest one on the court...Ruth and I stayed on the same team for all 5 games and never lost :)...It was definitely a more mellow since it was alumni playing alumni this year. We used to play the current NAU team but now it counts against their schedule (and we actually beat them before) :)...We played 5 games...hit the first half of the football game...hit the hotel happy hour...and then to the NAU/Weber State volleyball game to see Kelli play :) Ruth, Lisa, and I planned on hitting the town that night...didn't happen...we stayed in the hotel lobby with an ice chest having great conversations about old times there at NAU...Lots of fun!!!



Me*Lisa*Ruth



Craig was randomly selected to do a halftime promotion kick...he attempted to punt the ball into this bucket for $1000 bucks...his punt was literally a foot short of the bucket :(


Kelli in action....Carli and Codi had fun hanging out with the girls :)

Over due update!!!!!

It has been a few weeks since I have posted...the busy season has officially arrived :) The girls are officially swamped with homework and projects (which means I am swamped with "projects")...I refuse to complain...we/I chose this fun chaos :)



Carli has been practicing at 6am for school volleyball...they start games next Wednesday. I am anxious to see them play!!



Codi is only 6th grade so she has to wait one more year to try out for school ball..Nov. 14th won't come soon enough for her (club tryouts) :)



My girls' season and boys' club season are in full swing...the crock pot is the best invention ever :) (and Monday night Hungry Howie's 5.55 pizzas :)



Last weekend we left the girls with Craig's mom...Craig, Lance and his dad headed to Wrigley Field to watch the cubs/mets. Long story short...wanted to watch JJ throw too...but the big guy needs to rest that elbow!! It was nice that Craig got to spend some time with his dad and brother. They had a great time...(Craig promises to take me back there sometime) :)

While they were in Chicago...Carly, Kelsey, Elizabeth and I headed to Vegas...celebrating Kelsey's birthday. We had an awesome time...amazing hotel, yummy dinners, Jersey Boys Show, and playing a variety of games...mainly Pai Gow (poker game)...if the dealer is not a complete nim rod...it is a very fun game!!!

Here are some pics from both trips :)








Today is labor day...what a difference having Monday off means!!! All my chores are done...gonna hit up a movie :)