Surprise!

My Boise girlfriends and I have been talking about going to Vegas together for years.  We finally decided we needed an occasion and many months pre-planning.  After looking at the calendar and realizing it was going to be Teri's 40th birthday, our minds were set!  Teri's husband offered to buy our hotel rooms so we just needed to arrange with our families and buy an airplane ticket.  Oh yeah, and keep it secret from Teri for like 4 months!!!

It was hard but so worth it!  On Thursday morning after dropping the kids off at school we told Teri we had an early present for her.  She opened the envelope and saw an airplane ticket--thinking it was like a gift certificate or something.  "We're going to Vegas!" we said.  "When?" she said.  "In 2 hours!"  Yep, she was surprised!  Her husband and Melissa had packed for her so she had a few minutes to throw in some additional items and it was off to the airport!

I still can't believe we pulled it off.  And I can't believe that a bunch of 30 and 40-year old moms can party so hard!

December

Fun with Nuudles!

Peyton learns about climates...

Desert?

Mountains?

Grasslands?

We try to dress Charley as an elf!

Ashley loves to get her nails done...

...just like Mom!

Skiing

Geez, where are pictures of Peyton?  Oh yeah, he skis off in a flurry of snow to the "real" runs.  

Women I Love!

Utah Peeps

North End Lushes

Susie, Jen, Carolyn, Leanne, Carrie

Brenda, Katie, Teri, & Sandy

SNOW DAY!!!

Peyton is somewhere on Camel's Back...

Ashley is ready for a snowball fight

Ian, Charlie, & Geoffrey are ready, too!

Stranded in Idaho for Thanksgiving

Ashley is Thankful for...

(clockwise from top-left)

• I am thankful for my school
• I am thankful for my teacher
• I am thankful for friends
• I am thankful for Dad
• I am thankful for my cats
• Toys
• Food
• I am thankful for my brother Peyton

So I asked Miss Ashley, "what about Mommy? Aren't you thankful for me?" and she said "I ran out of room, sorry."  She really does love me best -- I think.

Toothless Ashley

Just in time for Christmas…

HALLOWEEN PHOTO BOOK

Click here to view this photo book larger

House Rules

I don't want to sound like a nag, but I'm about ready to post these HOUSE RULES in all rooms of our house:

• Candy wrappers and straw wrappers do not magically disappear when you stick them behind the couch or under the TV.  THROW THEM IN THE TRASH!
  
• Dirty clothes do not transform to clean when they are buried in the closet or stuck under your bed or left on the bathroom floor.  They will, however, be washed and folded by the Laundry Queen (aka Mom) if you put them in the proper laundry receptacle.  The Laundry Queen does not take lightly to complaints about lost or dirty clothes when this simple rule is not followed.  PUT YOUR DIRTY LAUNDRY IN THE BASKET!
  
• The Laundry Queen goes through the trouble of washing, drying, folding, and sorting your clothes into your laundry basket.  The least you could do would be to turn your shirts so they're not inside-out, unroll your socks from their stink balls, and un-layer your t-shirt/sweatshirt you wore together (that goes for underwear/pants as well).  HELP A LADY OUT HERE!
  
• If the trash can (or recycling bin) is overflowing with garbage DO NOT, under any circumstances, PILE MORE ON TOP!  It may seem easier at the time to "stuff and run" but the long-term consequences of Mom's insanity will not be pretty.  TAKE THE GARBAGE/RECYCLING OUT!
  
• If everyone were to consciously replace the remote control on the end table when they are finished with it, we wouldn't spend 28 minutes of every day looking for it.  
  
• Just because Mom is Laundry Queen and the most beautiful, intelligent, caring person in the house, does not mean she knows where every single item in said house is residing at all times.  Especially if it is an item she does not use (i.e. size 4 soccer cleat or Pink Princess book).  Items belonging to YOU, which are solely used by YOU, are YOUR responsibility.  Items do not "disappear" on a whim.  Think about where YOU last had that item.  Finding it may require moving around or lifting something up.  Finding it DOES NOT NEED TO INVOLVE MOM EVERY TIME.  
  
• If you retrieve an object from a drawer/cupboard/closet and do not intend to revisit that drawer/cupboard/closet in the near future, then CLOSE THE DARN THING!

Well, that made me feel a little better.