5 S's

After working in the backyard for a little while today, we decided to go do something fun! Everything we did started with the letter "S", so here is a run-through of our "S"aturday....

1. "Set up" about a bjillion targets.

2. "Start shooting!!" It is so cute to watch them!

3. Be so "serious" about each shot...look at this intensity!

4. "Smile!" (you gotta love a girl with a gun! HA!)

5. Have a "slurpee" to finish up the outing.

It was a "Super" afternoon! Happy Saturday!!

First Tournament

Carli participated in her first indoor soccer tournament this weekend. We are so proud of her!! She is an amazingly talented girl who is determined, fun, lovable, honest, kind, smart, brave....the list is endless!! She was put on a team with total strangers but she just stepped in and introduced herself and was their friend by the end of the first game. Her team had to play girls who were quite a bit older AND bigger!! Just look at the picture of the girl in white! She was almost twice as tall as Carli and definately weighed more than twice :) They didn't win but Carli had a great time in all 3 games and did a great job!! You are amazing Chuck!!!

I {heart} you...

We {heart} Valentines Day!! It's one of those holidays that don't have a lot of prep and I even love the decorations and hearts :) One thing I love about our girls is that they are happy with literally ANYTHING they get! It doesn't take much; a little bag of M&M's, markers, yarn, a cardboard box, craft sticks...they love anything simple! It makes them feel so special! That's why Valentine's Day is my favorite...its a day to make everyone feel special! This year we didn't spend much but it was one of the best!! We had a "heart" theme for the day which started with a pink heart pancake breakfast and sharing something they love and why (so cute and funny- Regan loves the chickens because they are good snugglers) The girls had parties in their school classes and got a bag full of goodies that got dumped out as soon as they walked through the door. (sidenote: It was so fun to watch them go through their valentines because it brings back memories of being in elementary school and checking to see what the candy hearts from the boys said) Chad made me a beautiful flower arrangement with my favorite- red roses. He is so romantic and talented. I made a candy bar arrangement for the family and each of us got to pick a candy bar after dinner. For dinner Chad and I made a "heart" dinner where everything was shaped like a heart: heart pizzas, salad with heart cheese cutouts, heart garlic bread, and strawberry ice cream with heart sprinkles. It was fun to be together with the people we love! Happy {heart} Day!!

Another Year

From December to January, not only do we have the holidays and festivities, we also celebrate my birthday, Chad's birthday, and our anniversary. We both made it another year older and had great birthdays together as a family. It's hard to believe that we are out of our 20's and WELL into our 30's! Time flies when you're having fun!! It's also hard to believe that we have made it to 12 years of marriage! It has been quite a roller-coaster in those 12 years but well worth the ride! We have been very aware lately of all the wonderful things we have been blessed with, which includes each other!! We are looking forward to another year full of laughs, fun, and memories!!

A New Years Like No Other

We had an unusual New Years Eve for 2011...we were home!! Every year since we've been married we've spent "NYE" with family but this year we had to rush home from our trip to AZ because of a big snowstorm Chad had to get home for (FYI: he has a snow plow he runs for his business) So we were home and not sure what to do! Luckily we have the greatest friends in the history of the world!! We planned a fun-filled day at the Glenwood Hot Springs and we ended up at the Quarnbergs for dinner, lots of dancing, the limbo, musical chairs, and ringing in the new year....it was definately a new years like no other!

*ps-I forgot my camera so I had to "steal" these pictures from Celeste...thanks girl!

Traditions

We have had a tradition each year since moving to Colorado of coming down to AZ right after Christmas Day. This year was no different! Although we had to rush home and couldn't stay as long as we usually do, it was a great trip with all of our usual traditions!

We fit in a quick dip in the pool for the Polar Bear Club (although no adults did it this year) The girls had so much fun having a sleepover with their girl cousins at Gma's too!

We were able to go out as adults without any kids and this is going to be a new tradition every year....it was awesome!! Its amazing how relaxing it is without 20+ kids running around! :) We even got to talk to my little sister Lizzy on the phone. She told us she is getting married!! Yippee! Sure had a great time laughing with my family!

The older grandkids might be sick of it, but my girls still love to act out the Christmas Nativity with all the cousins! Mollie was Mary this year and Dakota volunteered to be Joseph because Mollie wanted him to :) So cute! Regan and Carli were angels with the other girls. I have great memories of doing this with my cousins at my Gma's house when I was their age so I love it as much as they do!

Grandpa Whiting has a tradition of paying each grandkid a dollar for every year of their age. They LOVE it!! Personally I think he's crazy, but he knows how much the grandkids look forward to it! That's a pretty little bundle by the time he's done with all 23 kids!

We got to have some fun times at the park with Sally's kids. It wasn't long, but the kids were able to eat lunch and play together. We sure love our cousins!

Christmas Checklist

1. Pick out Christmas tree (took us 2 different trips to finally find one this year!)2. Let everyone have a turn cutting it down.

3. Take it home to decorate with LOTS of smiles!! :)

4. Finish shopping, parties, baking, and delivering (ps- cards didn't happen this year... next year for sure!)

5. Read "Tale of Three Trees" and "Night before Christmas", put out cookies and milk, and open new PJ's.

6. Be so excited you can barely sleep, get up early, and wait for parents (and Gma/Papa) to give the okay to come into familyroom. See gifts, squeal with delight, laugh, never stop smiling, and laugh more!! :)

Regan's new mountain bike

Carli's new razor scooter

Mollie's new soccer ball and zhu-zhu pets

New iPod speakers

Bumblebee Pillow pet

Ladybug Pillow pet

7. Remember about the "Pickle" and search the tree for the special ornament. Open an extra present!

8. Check to see if Santa ate the cookies and milk (and gave the carrots to Rudolph).

9. Open the gifts under the tree and completely trash the familyroom...can you even walk in there?

10. Try out the new presents!

11. Get into your sister's new makeup! Beautiful!!

12. Take the new gun out to shoot. The girls LOVE this thing!!

Papa tried it out (couldn't help but get a picture of this!)

AND Dad too!!

13. Have the best Christmas ever (so far!)

We got everything checked off our Christmas list this year!! We love everything about the Christmas season and were so happy that Grandma and Papa Dare could join us this year! Hope next year is just as good!!