"recap of 2009......happy 2010"

Today is a good day. I only had one client and then I came home and checked emails, picking up house and blogging. (before it's time to pick up kids at school and get them to practice).
We got a new coffee maker for Christmas (our old one was just fine!) It's one of those that doesn't have a pot?
LeRoy showed me once.
I was kind of paying attention. He made coffee yesterday(and every weekend since Christmas) and it was perfect. Today after 2 attempts of me trying to make a decent cup of coffee, they were both still undrinkable. How hard is it to make a cup of coffee? I remember a post awhile back of my sister Donna that said she didn't know how to make decent coffee either. ha ha! What is wrong with us? So I texted my hubby and asked him to bring me home a cup from the station when he came home for lunch. Sweet hubs brought some home :)
I have been so busy since September when school started, I have slacked on my blogging. I am going the recap some of the hightlights in the last couple of months.
(this picture was Christmas 2004, my how much my kids have grown since then)
Let's start with New Years.
LeRoy and I have been so busy working and running kids to school and sporting events we haven't had time for much else (not that I mind, I love watching them play sports). We bothed worked on New Year's Eve and were invited to several parties, but I was tired and exhausted and just wanted to stay home. I didn't make anything special for dinner (so unlike me), didn't have a single drink of alcohol, and just wanted to chill out. All four of us just stayed home (pizza for dinner), and all made it until midnight. We watched the specials on TV of the ball in Times Square (takes on a whole new meaning since Nicole and I have been there!) and at midnight we all 4 piled into my bed to watch the countdown and the ball drop. Then we went to bed. Nothing too exciting, but we were all home, together and safe.

I worked so much over the holidays I am exhausted. Being a mom is alot of work expecially when you have a job.

Oh and the shopping, wrapping, hosting, cooking, cleaning, working, decorating, working, sports, driving kids, parties and all of the obligations that come with the holiday season.

Basketball season is in full swing for both of the kids so that takes up alot of our time and evenings. Nicole had a game last week and she played awesome. Her personal best. She was aggressive and made her free throw shots and was awesome on defense. I don't know how many points she scored (lost track at around 11) but she really shined out there. It was great because it was a home game and alot of her friends (boys and girls) from school were their watching the game. Proud of her. Tylers games haven't started yet, but he has a great group of boys that he has played with since 1st grade and an great coach we have had in the past. Looks like he is going to have a good season too. I really enjoy watching my kids play............................. I actually had 3 days off over New Years. I don't know what got into me, but I went on a cleaning rampage. I mean crazy...........

Dusted, vaccumed, moved beds to vaccum under them, cleaned and organized my closet (that alone is about a 2 week ordeal), cleaned out Tylers room and closet, clothes, old toys. His room is perfection right now! Mine is "almost" done. Nicole worked on her room and got rid of "stuff" too. I had to go back to work, so still working on a few little "piles". Got rid of most of my clothes. (a lot of them were too big anyways). Organized, sorted, donated, got rid of a lot of "stuff". Such a great feeling to start the new year that much lighter.

I took EVERYTHING out of my closet and piled it on my bed. My amazing husband went to Home Depot and got me rods to organize my closet. (like I said. If you know me you know I have WAY too many clothes, shoes, purses, accessories). I'm thinking he might have regretted the $40 he spent that led to all of this! (I still have too many shoes, but whatever!) So no relaxing for me on my days off. But the next days off I get maybe I can relax? Doubt it. Chores are never done.

This is the "before". This pictures gives me anxiety.......................... "After"............................... looks like a hotel. Enjoyable......................... I bought a new comforter back in August for when I did the big clean out project. So nice to have it done.
Saturday I spent the day shopping with my sister Donna in Salem. We weren't after anything in particular. Just had a great day talking, going out to lunch, looking at fabric, (I tortured her at the makeup counter in Nordstrom's, not her thing), coffee, just hanging out. It's been a long time since we have done that. Probably before kids. Our oldest is 14. Been too long.....................I miss that.

"keizer lights"

We decided to drive up to Keizer and look at the christmas light display. Hard to believe we have never done that before? The light were just "ok" but the evening was great. The picture quality is bad, but I didn't even think to bring a camera. My cell phone doesn't have a flash, but you get the idea. It's Santa.............

I made the girls (Nicole, Ali & Angie) homemade brownies before we left. They ate the entire sugary pan before we left. Nicole had made sand-art brownies in school that day and they were more sugar than anything else. But delicious.........

The car ride up was pretty quiet considering we had a car-ful of kids (teenagers!). I think they were very lathargic in a sugar-coma. But they perked up. They were taking pictures of themselves being goofy. Giggling, laughing, snorting, just being funny. Of coarse Tyler got in on the action. (LeRoy drove and doesn't think we are as funny as we really are!)

The lights themselves were "ok", but the time I spent in the car with the kids and my family was priceless.............................

"she wore the dress again"

My sweet daughter was asked to another formal event.
The banquet for Santiam Christian High School.
This is a very sweet story................
Here is Nicole getting ready. No make-up, eating and clowning around. She was DONE with me taking pictures and her date hadn't even arrived yet! Mom, I'm done, no more pictures. Gotta love it.

I was so happy she wanted to wear the dress again. Different function, different boy, different crowd. Glad I got my money worth. She said she will wear it again when she is a senior if it still fits her! T.J. arrived looking dashing. Tall, dark and hansome and in a tuxedo. And it was his 15th birthday. So sweet. And his very 1st date.............................................They went to the Bentley Hotel in Salem for dinner. (His mom took some gorgeous pictures that I am patiently waiting for!) and the event was at Mission Mills in Salem. Nicole said the decor was gorgeous and they had a great time. (when they were still at Bentley's taking pics a little boy about 6-7 years old thought Nicole was a princess from Disneyland and asked if he could have a picture taken with her. so cute.)

All I can say is...........................STUNNING............................

When he arrived I answered the door and was such a proud mom to let him in. He looked so handsome and of coarse had flowers. When he stepped in and saw Nicole his eyes lit up and he got a huge smile and said "Nicole, you look beautiful".

The story of how he asked her was very sweet. She knows him thru mutual friends since he went to grade school in Albany. They have hung out at football games, he came to her Halloween party etc. When we went to Eagle Crest for Thanksgiving, like we do every year, him and his family were there too! Nicole took Cassandra and Jasmine with us and they know TJ also. So they all hung out and watched movies, played basketball, sat in the hot tub (supervised, of coarse!) and Tyler hung out with TJ's little brother who is the same age. Had a great time. I could see that they kind of liked each other (nothing gets by us moms).

So 2 days after we got back from Eagle Crest, TJ called our house and asked to speak to "Mr.Mary". He was calling to ask LeRoy his permission to invite Nicole to the Santiam Christian Banquet (their equivilant to prom). Gotta give that kids some props. Calling LeRoy and asking. Are you kidding me. Most considerate, thoughful, sweetest thing ever!

So him and Nicole were talking later that night and he still hadn't asked her. She was dying. Of coarse I had to tell her what happened. 2 more days when by and still nothing. She was dying.

So on Wednesday I was gone in the evening decorating a tree for the BGCA and she had just gotten back from basketball practice. I was just leaving and Nicole called my cell in a panic "mom, where are you? you need to come home. NOW". I asked if everything was ok and if LeRoy was home. She said "yes, come home now, I think TJ is on his way over to ask me and I want you here!". So I headed home. She called me 2-3 more times (I was 1/2 mile away!) "Mom, should I give him my address? Hurry home, what's taking you so long?" So I pull down our street and can see a car parked in front of our house. He was so sweet to come over in person and ask her (and I met his mom!)

So after all that we came inside and she had something in her hand. It was a handmade (later found out his grandma made it, cute) personalized invitation asking Nicole to go with him.

It had all the details and asked if she would accompany him and he would wear a "penguin tux" and was so fabulous and handmade. And..........he gave her a cute little penguin ornament with the invite. And I later found out that he bought the ornament at Eagle Crest before we left because he knew he wanted to ask her.

HOW. CUTE. IS. THAT?

This kid is a keeper. I told her to always use this experience as a standard of how respectful boys should always treat her.

"Yachats 2009"

We have started a tradition (2nd year) of going to Yachats Oregon for the annual hot rod car show. Grandma and Grandpa Mary go too and they do their thing with all of their car club friends. I am not at all interested in the cars, but love the view, the company, wine, the beach, the condo's we stay in and well, just love it there.

This is the view from our balcony. So enjoyable. Friday we took the kids out of school in the afternoon and headed to Yachats. What a beautiful day, sun was shining and it was warm. This was my Friday evening. Sun was setting, kids were playing, had my glass of wine and was enjoying the the warm sun.....................

I have a similar picture of the kids from last year.....

Nicole took her friend Raelyn. She is a great girl. Funny and goofy just like Nicole. They had a great time and laughed the entire weekend.

This was my plan for the entire weekend. Hanging out reading magazines and going to the beach. I think I only got 3 pages read. ha ha! Our friends Mark and Becky and their kids came over on Saturday and us adults went to the casino (don't even remember which one cause I'm not much of a gambler, but we gotta keep the guys happy!). Grandparents were watching the kids. We didn't leave them home alone...... I made fresh homemade salsa and guacamole. Becky and I were happy as can be with that and our wine!

Went we got back we took the kids to the beach. Becky and I had a great time watching the kids play, taking tons of pictures, talking about how much they have all grown and how much we enjoy the beach.

The girls wanted to go into town and go shopping but we were down on the beach longer than we thought and then when we got back to the condo they all went swimming in the pool.

This is my favorite picture taken all day. The girls were hilarious and silly. It took a few shots to get them both in the air. Darling teenage girls...................love them...............

Me and Becky.

Here is our gang............cutest kids ever! Nicole, Ali, Grace, Tyler, Rae, Luke........

Nicole and Gracie look like they could be sisters! and so photogenic. Grace loves Nicole like a big sister :)

The clouds came in on Saturday night and it rained. What is better than being at the coast listening to the rain and then the next day it is beautiful and sunny?
Me and Tyler. They all (except Nicole and Rae) wanted to just "wade" in the ocean. Before we know it they were all soaked! That's part of being a kid at the beach. Sand in your underwear and freezing because you went into the ocean fully dressed. ha ha!

Gorgeous girls...........

I love Yachats. And love that we have started another tradition with our kids. The weekend was lovely and we had a great time visiting with our friends and the kids and got some awesome pictures and great memories.

"tyler turns 10....in September"

Tyler did turn 10 this year.
It was a school day so he didnt get to sleep in. I got up and made him pancakes and eggs for breakfast (Nicole was happy with that because she ate too!). He was very excited about "the cake". So cute (and sweet). Tyler and the cake! I made a double layer chocolate cake, frosted it, put kit kat candy bars around the edge, tied a blue ribbon and filled the top with M & M"s. voila! Perfect cake for a 10 year old boy!

I love this pic for 2 reasons. My hansome boys of coarse. But it looks like the cake has flames shooting up from the candles. It's on LeRoys shirt. Or looks like his shirt is on fire. ha ha!

I took Tyler his favorite Hasty Freeze burger and fries with a grape slushy to school for lunch. So fun to still be able to go to school and eat lunch with my boy :)

In the afternoon I went back to school and took the class chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting with chocolate and white milk. A lot of chocolate, I know! But that was the birthday boys request..........

And for dinner Tyler wanted to go to Red Robin for dinner. This kid ate alot today! When he was little he was scared of the Red Robin bird. Wasn't there this time, but I'm sure he would be fine. He's ten now...... then we went home and opened gifts and cut the cake...........