Raider's birthday!

I know, I know, but, we had to celebrate Raider's 1st birthday.....
It was a treat for him, to just be in the house.

His special dog cake, just for him! I searched the internet to find a "dog safe" cake for his tummy and sure enough found several to choose from.....this cake is made out of 1/2 cake mix, 1 egg, applesauce, baby food-(carrots, vegatable beef and chicken w/rice.) topped off with lots of milkbones and baby sausages....and peanut butter to hold it all together!

Look how big his eyes are! He could not dig into it fast enough.(he probably thought we were going to take it away....)

Happy New years! I'm back!!

I know you are looking at this picture wondering why my kids have underwear and bras on their heads and bodies. Well, New years eve brought our first game of TRUTH or DARE with our children. It was a good clean game, that happened to have underwear as the main threat. It was pretty funny. They totally enjoyed putting their underwear on their head, pants, or someone elses(clean) underwear on their head or as you can see my bras. No picture of me with Daryle's underwear on my head-of course I was the one behind the camera.
Daddy got into it and had to take his pants off and put them on his head!
Yes, he is having a good time-huh? He loves 2B silly.. MIDNIGHT......we barely made it...Lindsey and I were drifting on the couch....
Thank goodness......12:01a.m.......time for bed!
***A side note on my computer.....finally got it back Friday and as much as we can tell all is well again! Goodness....I sure the heck hope so...I have spent almost 3 hours this morning posting and just surfing.....Oh Mr. Computer-you complete me...ooh.. how I have missed you and my internet world! I feel whole again.....

Friends

Me & Tracy~nothing like a margarita to start the day off right!
& our 5 kiddies... wow they got big fast! Gregory(her oldest) is almost the same age, we were when we met in high school all those years ago......that is a really strange thought.
I love Christmas time because you always get to spend time, not only with your family but, with friends. We tried to hook up with everyone we could during our 2 week break. Of course, two weeks is not enough time to see everyone we wanted but, here are a few we managed to have our schedules work out to see... My Michelle....never enough time together....
Some of our favorite friends.....the Jones'....we have such a good time together....

Christmas Day 2007

We had a really nice Christmas day with just our little family in the morning to open gifts and see if Santa had remembered us! He did not disappoint! We spent the morning with just the 5 of us, opening new gifts, and having a yummy breakfast. Later in the day, Grandma, Great Aunt Joanie, Nana & Pops came over and we opened more gifts and a yummy prime rib dinner with twice baked potatoes, veggies, rolls and lots of cookies for dessert! The kids kept saying all day, "this is the best Christmas ever......!!" which made me feel so good because you know as they get older, you just don't know....you try your best but, you always want them to be appreciative too. It was so nice to hear that from them. That was the best present ever.

Christmas eve 2007

Our usual Christmas eve dinner was a little different this year. We usually spend it with our closest friends but, due to illness we needed to have an alternate this year. Chris and Lisa were wonderful at hosting it, with just our little Pickup family. It was nice having that special time with everyone....(never long enough though......!) We had yummy French dip sandwiches(which my kids have already requested again.) and of course, presents.....!!!

Even Daryle was thankful for the gift for mom. I told him we were all going to go in and get mom new Knives for Christmas and he said, "THANK goodness!" I'm not sure how much she thought she needed them as much as we did!
A gift from Uncle Greg.....a Slurpee machine! Thanks Uncle Greg.....we will not forget this!

Anxiously awaiting the, "go ahead" to begin the Christmas present opening marathon that would last about 24 hours. Spoiled little boogers! :o)

I know a few others who could use a remote that big!

Christmas eve started at Daryle's folks house and we spent some time with Ron and his girlfriend Cindy. It was nice to have sometime together before Daryles' extended family came over. We just don't get to see everyone enough.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaa......my little Christmas angels!

Lindzer Mae! She has her smile all down now for pictures and a lot of times they are very cheesey smiles! This one is actually pretty good-sometimes her eyes are as big as baseballs when she is waiting for me to take a picture. She had to make sure that missing tooth was showing in her picture though.
My Natie.....She complains about getting all dressed up sometimes, with tights and everything but, I know she loves it and the attention she gets. She loves to look pretty, I think with all women sometimes you just don't want to go through all the trouble.
My boy!!!! I'm so thankful he is so good about posing for me still.....

I am still here......barely!!

Well, to make a long story short.......our computer crashed around December 16. We sent it in to get fixed and it came back December 28 with a new hard drive and new video card....Went to get it all set up again-(just like we did 6 months ago!) and the smart computer geeks, did not add any of the software to it......yes, nice-huh?!?! But, I am not suppossed to be upset because all people make mistakes........(not my words....the guy from Hp's words of wisdom for me....) So, hopefully when we send back to them AGAIN later this week......they can get it right this time. I sure hope so.....Just wanted you to know where I was....in case you were wondering.... :o)
P.S. it has made me realize how important.. it is to do those computer back-ups that pop-up every so often and to get an external hard drive.....I guess I am going shopping!

Santa time!

Santa overload! We got to visit Santa everyday last weekend! It started off on Friday, with the Winter family party at school! You should of seen the look on Santa's face when Natalie told him she would like an "old-fashion" stroller with a real baby in it! She meant a baby doll but, it sure did make you think twice on what she was saying!
The next Santa, we saw on Saturday at the annual Golf Club Christmas party....He sure is a cute Santa and again he had to re-ask Natalie what it was she was asking for on the baby doll! This Santa probably gets a little nervous with Lindsey because she really gives him the once over and checks him out, up & down! I think she knows he is not the real Santa and must be one of the helpers!
On Sunday, we drove to Oakdale and took a train ride with Santa and his helpers, wear PJ's, hear stories, sing songs, drink hot chocolate and eat cookies. It was suppossed to remind us of the Polar Express....... well,,,,,not really but, it was a fun time and we all thought it could of been much longer. The whole ride was only 1 & 1/2 hours and it could of easily been double that. The kids had a good time and it was a nice family day for us.

Catching up!

Just a quick up date of our last few weeks. We have had so much going on.....I have fallen behind in updating and adding new pictures.....so, here is a quick re-cap of our last few weeks. Now that things are slowing down a bit-(does that ever really happen.....?????), I will try and be better about updating more often..

My baby is 7.....what a pretty girl we have......Lindsey you are so special.....we love you so much! Thank you for being born to us!
The birthday girl is getting ready to "Swack" that pinata. And the pinata, was so cheap, that it only took the birthday girl to bust it open!
She does this every year(closes her eyes and thinks!) as she is getting ready to make her wish! I love it. I wonder what she is wishing for?!?!?!?!?!?!

Lindsey's Bulid a Bear party! It was a huge hit...& worth every penny! The kids have so much fun and the birthday girl felt so special.....

Thanksgiving day 2007! We got to spend the day with Daryle's brother

and family.
The girls were having a great time with some old clothes and hats.
He's a little too happy to dice up that bird!

The BRONCO fans come to town! Thats o.k. We still let them hang with us!

Lindsey taking a shift in the school cafeteria! She was in charge of the pizza sticks!
What a catch! Before the dreaded oil spill in the SF bay, Daryle got invited to go out and catch some crabs with the guys! He brought home 10 LIVE crabs and 14 that had been caught the day before and were already cooked! They were Delicious!

How cute!

I came across these cute pics of both Daryle and I with our brothers-way back when! The date says April 1979. I guess I was about 6 & 1/2 then. Chris would of been about 8 & 1/2 and Greg 2 & 1/2. There is no date on the photo of Daryle with his brothers but, I am going to guess he was pretty close to the same age as me. I will have to get some feedback on that to see if I am right! Isn't he so cute with his shinny specks!

Happy 7th Birthday Lindsey!!

Wow, another birthday, another post down memory lane. sniff,sniff..... My dear Lindsey Mae, I cannot believe you are turning 7 years old today. Seems like I was just telling your Daddy how much I wanted a 3rd baby and now here you are, 7 years later. What a difference you have made in my life. I want you to always know how much you were wanted and how very much we love you. You were and are what makes our family complete. You can always make me smile and you can always make me swallow twice when I think about the years to come. You will be my one to test my patience but, at the same time you always make time to cuddle and you always give me lots of love, kisses & hugs. I love you with all my heart....... Happy 7th Birthday my Baby girl! May all your wishes come true.....

Birthday pics

Well, we finally made it to get Natie's birthday pictures done.....They turned out really nice. I was a little bit worried when I saw the person that was going to be taking our pictures-(a middle age man!) but, luckily my kids are well trained so, we got good results!