Jeff and Jackson

Kristina posted a picture of Jackson a while ago on FB, and I thought he looked so much like Jeff. Well, today I pulled out a box of pictures to get ready scan some stuff ;o), and I found the picture of Jeff I was looking for.

Just look at these two! You can definitely tell they are related! With Jeff moving over there this Spring, I think it will be fun for him to watch these guys grow up too, and have a relationship with them. I AM JEALOUS!!!

Black Friday

Jess and I, of course, had our annual Black Friday outing. By mid day on Thanksgiving, things started warming up and it started to rain. So, by the time Friday morning came, the roads were pretty much clear. Yea!

We are not 3:00 a.m. crazies. We leave the house around 6:30 a.m. It's perfect, because you still get all of the sales but the craziness of the crowds are gone. We usually aren't after the sales anyway. We just like to have our annual date together. We finish up most of our Christmas shopping, get some breakfast and take our picture with Santa. We go to the same place every year for said picture (The Supermall) so it's the same Santa every year. Too fun!

Black Friday is one of my favorite days of the year!

Breakfast at IHop - our traditional place

Gettin' in line for Santa picture

Actually, we are always there early enough that there is really never a line. This year we just walked right up. No little kids in our way ;o)!

I LOVE Black Friday!

Thanksgiving

What a different Thanksgiving this year! We woke up to a very peaceful snowfall. I love it when it's snowing! Especially when no one has anywhere to go, and my family is all snug at home. It was very beautiful. Snow on Thanksgiving around her is extremely rare. I can't remember a white Thanksgiving before, especially this much white.

The down side? The grandma's were to afraid to drive in it, so they didn't come over. The other down side to the day.... Aaron woke up sick. We made the best of it though and had a very good day. Jess helped me cook our humble dinner for four, we played games, watched football and movies and just enjoyed being together. That is extremely rare as well these days.

We had a great Thanksgiving.

Winter Humming Bird

Jess caught a picture of this little guy yesterday while at her friend Tori's house. We have been noticing A LOT of humming birds in our neck of the woods lately. I think I really want to get a humming bird feeder! (Good Christmas idea ;o)

HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY JESS!

18 years old today! Man, how time flies!!! Now my legal obligation to my children is officially over ;o). We had a great weekend celebrating Jess's birthday.

On Friday her and I went out for a girls day, lunch and massages. Relaxing!!! Saturday she got to go out with Alex to dinner and a movie, Mega Mind. Sunday it was out with the family for another movie, Harry Potter, and dinner. Then it was home for games, presents and cake and ice cream.

Jess had a friend bake her a cake from school
She even got a divine present from up above: SNOW!

Dad got her a couple of books.
You can never go wrong with books for Jess!

Jeff got her the movie How to Train Your Dragon.

Alex got her a new camera, since she dropped and broke the one I bought her for Christmas! She is quite spoiled that one!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESS. We love you a lot!

First Snow

I don't think that Jess has ever had snow for her birthday before, or that we have ever had this much snow before Thanksgiving. Thank goodness for global warming.

Couldn't resist! Just had to go for a run in the snow.
It was a great run.

Family Pictures

We got together with my family last weekend and had Alison do some family pictures for us. The weather was sketchy, so we weren't sure how it was going to go but we forged forward anyway. We ended up getting about 45 minutes clear. Poor Jess was super sick, but when you have this many peoples schedules you are trying to work with, you do the best you can. All things considering, they turned out great. We even got Jess to smile in a few.

It's Official

Jess got her acceptance letter in the mail yesterday to Central Washington University. She has been thinking for a long time that is where she wanted to go, but when we visited there last summer and she found out about their new degree - English with an emphasis on Writing - she was hooked.

Central is over in Elensburg, so it's far enough away that she will be completely on her own, but close enough that she can come home for the weekend if she really wanted to. It's just about a 2 hour drive (in good traffic).

So, in less than one year my baby will be flying the coop, even if it's just on a school schedule she will still be gone. I am super excited for her!!!

Go Wildcats!

Happy Birthday To My Sister!

It was a few days late, but I finally got to take Kris out for her birthday. We met at Red Robin to have lunch and a great conversation. Afterward we went over to the mall to walk around an burn off a french fry or two.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRIS! I enjoyed our annual date!!

Halloween with Chrome Molly

These are the pictures that were posted on the Chrome Molly FB Page. It was fun to get some pictures that were more close up than the ones we asked someone sitting by us to take. What ROCK STARS!

The thing that is the most fun for me of this whole thing is doing it together. It used to be we'd go and Aaron would jump up on stage to play and I just sat in the audience as the silent supporter, taking the pictures. Now I'm right up there with him and that's awesome. I love it!