December Snow Days

One of the reasons why I love Boise - the perfect amount of snow, in my opinion. Enough to have fun in and play, but not too much to where it's miserable and keeps me stuck at home!

I love our seasons!! (But definitely ready for Spring!) :)

Jack is EIGHT!!!

Really? Was it really this long ago?!
It really is hard to believe.

Our youngest - our baby boy was born eight years ago. Like it says on the couch... no freakin way!

If Jack could dream up the most perfect birthday in the world...... this is exactly how it would happen...

Starts out with the traditional birthday couch in the morning.

It was full of little gifts, and Jack's very favorite treats. This kit with a 2 liter bottle of soda was the COOLest gift from Aunt Kris and Uncle Rob! Jack and Chip launched it in the backyard. Highly recommended.

A great book from Grandma Schultz! Sure hope they bookmarked this page - must have been a good one! :) Jack didn't put the book down for days.

Chip had the perfect plan for Jack's birthday. He took him and his best buddies to the local air force base to talk to a fighter jet pilot and fly one themselves in a flight simulator!

"tough faces!"

Then back home for airplane cake and 8 rowdy boys. Wow - glad Chip had them for the majority of the party - But it was a blast!!!

Ended the day putting the lego airplane kit together from Gramma and Grampa Kossub.

Wow, our last big eighth birthday party - Whew!! Good job Chip - what a lucky boy Jack is!

Boise Christmas Tree Lighting

The Saturday after Thanksgiving has turned into a very fun tradition for us! Boise has a Christmas Tree lighting ceremony downtown every year that we really enjoy going to. Everyone holds a red or green candle, and the sight among the crowd after the sun goes down is amazing!

There's just something wonderful about the people of the city you live in and love coming together and celebrating Christmas together by singing Frosty the Snowman and Silent Night - loud and proud! It really starts off the season right. I love Boise!!!

Thankful for Thanksgiving!

Aaaaahhhh... Thanksgiving. I LOVE this holiday! Always filled with the Macy's Parade, a 1,000 piece puzzle to be done before Christmas, home videos, and cooking all day. And believe it or not, that part is actually fun for me, since I save all my cooking and baking for one day of the year!

And please allow myself to pat myself on the back for a minute.... it actually all turns out pretty darn delicious! The family really appreciates the meal when the the rest of the year is hamburger helper, grilled cheese, and spaghetti! (from a jar even)

Mashed potatoes that didn't come from a box are a rare treat around here... once a year rare!

I actually love that I don't cook these kinds of meals often... (at all)... we would never enjoy it as much as we do on Thanksgiving! And I am ever so grateful for a wonderful family who all happily agree!

Unexpected Look-a-Likes!

My sister Kelley was looking at the baby pictures of the kids on our refrigerator and found a pretty striking resemblance of little Eleni in baby Jack!

He thought that was pretty neat.

I think they'll be pretty good buds. Jackson will be a great protector of her, I'm sure!

Buried In Leaves!

This was the last raking job before winter set in..... the kids definitely took advantage of the leaves first and had a blast!

This is one of my favorites!

Almost to the end of the year now - whew!

Veteran's Day Parade and BSU Game 2009

I am very behind here, but also have a very good excuse - surgery!! So, slowly I will catch up to 2010..... but for now, here is some of November of 2009!

We love the Veteran's Day parade every year.... it has become a family tradition.

I think my favorite part is when a local high school football team carries this enormous American Flag down the street. It always takes my breath away.

Great friends gave us 4 tickets to the big BSU game - Chip, Taylor, Aubrey, and Jack had a blast while Hannah and I went to the mall and got her ears pierced! :)

GOOD TIMES!!!!!

HaLLoWeeN 2009

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We tell our kiddos they can trick or treat till age twelve. There's just something about seeing teenagers trick-or-treating that rubs me wrong. Some might think that's weird. That's ok. :)

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So, this year was Aubrey's last! She threw a costume together the morning of the 31st. Way to go Aubs. Hannah and I found some black boots in the costume box and she decided she wanted to be a cowgirl, and Jack out of the blue announced one day he wanted to be the Phantom of the Opera!

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Taylor went to a church Halloween dance. She and her friends all went as Supergirl! The talented moms made the capes.... not me. :)

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I can't believe next year we will only have two trick-or-treaters! That really does make me feel old!