2011 in review

Happy New Years!
This year was a QUIET one for us
No dunes for Dane and the kids
no parties we wanted to go to
It was just us and the kids
with yummy dinner and a good movie!!!
I can not believe that this year has come and gone so QUICKLY.
So much happened this year

January
celebrated 12 years together
Christmas in January with Goose and Grumpy
Brian got his first pocket knife and
read his first chapter book
Aubrie CHOPPED hair for the first time

February
Aubrie joined the 300 club
Aunt Valerie's birthday
Valentines Day dinner with friends
Brian signed up for Baseball
Aubrie started Tumbling

March
Dad built the Xtreme scaffold
we finally made it to Gavins birthday
Brian started on the Mudhens
Monster Jam

April
Aubrie turned 11
Brian had his first HOMERUN!
Goose and Grumpy came to visit
Easter

May
Mothers day
fifth grade field trip
Dad and son 51's game
School Carnival
Field day
and we finally met Rowan

June
Aubrie Graduates 5th grade
receives the Golden Presidential Award one of only 2 in the whole class
Fathers day
Duck creek camp out with Oteros and the Gonzales this year

July
Fourth of July with the Dugans
Aubrie said goodbye to her eyebrows and hello to some marker
Week with Goose and Grumpy
Dane turns 32
trip to San Diego
Travis graduates from MCRD!!!

August
Dane starts his new hobby
dutch oven cooking
parties with friends
Cold Creek with the Dugans and Garrisons
Aubrie starts Middle school
Brian starts 2nd grade

September
Alyssa left for college in Hawaii
Brian starts the Angels
Brian pitches for the first time
Holly threw me a 33rd birthday party

October
Baseball and more baseball
Goose and Grumpy come with Raquel
parties for friends
Halloween parties
trick or treating

November
fell off a ladder
Emile's party down town
Thanksgiving
Brian turned 8
Brian's first sleepover

December
Christmas parties
Pictures with Santa
Pancakes with Santa
Goose comes for a shopping weekend
Belligo with Grandma and Valerie
Grandmas birthday with Cafe Rio night
Family Christmas Party
Christmas

Is he really

Every year we the kids and I take down all the ornaments and find each box and put them away in the right box. It is something that we all dread but it has to be done.
We kept the tree and the all the decorations up till today. Then the kids and I started to take down all the decorations and the then the ornaments. I was busy getting all the odds and ends in the Tupperware and the kids started to pack the ornaments, when for the first time ever Dane sat down and helped the kids get all of them packed away what would have taken 2 hours only took 45 minutes with all of us working on it!
And before long we were done!!! The house is back to normal and every bit of Christmas is put away.

It is WAR

As we were shopping I kept getting pictures of the war that was going on at Matthews house. Each one got funnier and funnier. I found out that they went into Aunt Stephanie's makeup and just picked a lipstick because she had so many, Matthew did not think that she would care!

The day after

Aubrie has wanted to go shopping with us after Christmas so this year we brought here along! She was thrilled and being just as crazy as ever! We started out at Target and she got two gifts for next year. Then it was off to Pier One and Walmart! As we were walking around Walmart I heard a voice I knew say Hi Mom. It was Brain and Matthew who were looking for lights for Kyle and Jesse's wedding. As quick as they came in they were off and running down the aisle. As we were checking out Matthew and Brian came over to show us the Nerf gun that Matthew was buying for him and Brian to have some fun with!
We spent the rest of the morning shopping and then it was time for lunch, of course with Aubrie with us you know that we went to Cafe Rio. Aubrie told me that she had a great time and wants to go with us every year, she is also bugging me about black Friday shopping but until she does not believe in the big guy she is not going!!

Staying with Matthew

Before Matthew left he asked Brian if he wanted to spend the night with him at his house. I thought for sure that he would have said no since he had not gotten to play with his new games or toys. Before I was even done with that thought he answered "yes". I was shocked but I knew that he would have a great time and gave him a big hug and told him that I loved him and he was out the door.

Shortly after I got home I got this picture and a text telling me how much fun he was having! He was playing on Matthew's I pad with Jessica ( who is Kyle's soon to be wife).

Dinner and Family

Dinner was our usual Christmas dinner. Ham, Mormon funeral potatoes ( that is for you mom) and the left salads. As always it was yummy!

Dane headed home and we all loaded in the car to go and see Grandma and Grandpa Stucki. Richard and Stephanie and all their kids were there too so it was a fun time with all the cousins.


Last year Kyle called Brian and asked him if he had a Nerf gun that he could bring over to have a war at Grandmas and Grandpas! Brian was the one who called him this year and told Kyle to bring his and that it was on.

They ran around shooting each other and they were really getting into it, so we told them to go outside but it was dark so they were in shortly after they went out!
We had a great time chatting with everyone and then they said Goodbye and we gave Grandma and Grandpa their gifts and we watched the picture movie that Valerie made them.

Books for them

My favorite thing that the kids got where these books that Aunt Valerie made for them! Each one is all about the kids and all the fun stuff that they have done with us ( the girls). She tried to keep it a secert from me but she let me see them and I LOVE them!! They are something that the kids will be able to keep for a long time! They both read their books with aunt valerie and smiled at all the pictures of themselves!!

Finally Presents

Finally it was time for them to come home and open all these presents. They hit the door running and we all changed (except Dane) into our PJ's. I had our breakfast of bagels out and waiting for everyone to chow down while we were opening the gifts!!!

We all sat down in our circle and were ready for the kids to hand out the presents to each of us. Usually this is Aubrie's job but this year she was having issues with walking she almost tripped twice and we told her to sit down and that Brian was going to take over her job this year!

This Christmas just like every other year was filled with lots of laughter and excitement over gifts! Brian was thrilled with the presents that Grandma gave him, A Yankees shirt and his favorite a pair of Yankee shorts!!! He was all smiles because he got a lots of Yankees stuff!!


Aubrie got lots of girl stuff and gift cards! She is becoming more of a teenager every day! This year there was hardly any requests for games or toys it was all lotions, hair things shoes and clothes.


Dane got the usual stuff that he always gets but this year Grandma out did herself she got him a smoker that he wanted so badly. He got 2 more guitar hero games that he started playing that night. He really likes the country one that has all new artists!

I got everything that I wanted and at the end Dane went and got one more present he was hiding in the garage for me. I opened it and it was Oregon trail for the Wii!! I love this game, ever since I played in it in Elementary school.
Another wonderful Christmas has come and gone and now all we have to do it pick up the mess and put it all away!!
Or so I thought. Grandma told us that she had one more present for me and Valerie. Aubrie went and got them with the biggest smile ever on her face. Mom said we had to open them at the same time. So we did and we each had a can of Spaghetti'os. This was all a joke that started on Aubrie's birthday when she got 11 cans of Tuna!! Aubrie is still laughing at this one.

Church

I had to snap this because I love when they are all dressed up!! All smiles even though they were leaving the presents behind. When they left Dane and I could not get over how weird it was that we were alone with nothing to do on Christmas. So we did what I never thought I would do on Christmas, we cleaned made beds and straightened up the house then we had nothing to do but wait......

Stockings

Since Christmas was on Sunday the kids decided that they wanted to go to church. They picked to go to Aunt Valerie's church so it would be over at 9 instead of 10. So we were going to wait for them to come home before we did anything but since they both (well Brian) got up so early that we decided to let them do their stockings.

Brian's stocking

Brian was most excited about the Denver Broncos shirt that he got and could not wait to show Grandma!!
Aubrie stocking

Aubrie was thrilled with her wonderfile that will hold all of her babysitting stuff!!
Soon after it was time for them to get ready and go to church. I know that they wanted to stay home and open their presents but I was proud of them that they went to church with a smile on their faces!

Cookies and Carrots

Where did the day go or really where did the whole month go? Already time to pick cookies for the big guy! They both got to pick a cookie and before I could help them they poured a HUGE glass of milk! I said oh my hope he is thirsty tonight.

Brian really wanted to leave a treat for the reindeer. So he peeled and helped me slice a carrot for them. Then he ran out and placed the treat in the middle of the walkway to the porch so they would not miss it!


After all of this was done it was time to go to bed. No fights they were ready to sleep and where out in a few minutes and so was I, until I woke up in a panic and realized that I still had a lot to do!!!

One present

Time for the one present! No more PJ's since Aubrie caught one way to fast. So the kids were ready to open them. Then I realized that since I had not put the presents under the tree that I had no idea where they were. So after a few minutes I found them and they decided that Aubrie would go first.
They both got books, Aubrie liked hers but Brian was bummed that his was not a chapter book. I thought he would be thrilled with a super hero book but he informed me that he would like to have chapter books from now on!!

Christmas Eve

This year Grandma and Valerie who are always trying to change up the traditions voted that we should not do a Ginger bread house this year that we should frost cookies instead. The kids were not to thrilled but when they saw sprinkles they started to come around.



We frosted for what seemed like forever and finally we were done. So we all enjoyed a cookie and moved to the couches! All the frosting really wore us out Ü
Dane was so so tired and was trying to get the kids to sit with him, they sat with him for a minute then they were up and making us laugh!

Brian somehow got a second wind and started arm wrestling Grandma then it was Aunt Valerie! He was using two hands against Grandma and was losing so he moved on to Valerie who lost ( i do not know if she really lost or let him win) he was thrilled and kept going back and forth between the two of them.

Place cards by Aubrie

Aubrie was helping me set the table for dinner when she said I have the best idea. She went to the closet and got out some paper and started working on these!





Every ones has a little personalization!! Everyone had a great time showing off their place card that she made! We all liked them so much we saved them for next year!

Over the Hump

Dane and Chuck had made plans to go to Pahrump today to go shooting and have some rhino rides in the mountains. Gavin ended up being sick, so it was just Brian and Dane. Brian was thrilled that he got to spend the day just him and his dad!
When they got the girls and John were ready to go. They spent the day shooting and exploring the mountains!
Dane has become so good at always remembering the camera! So this time he forgot to take it while they were out so they had a photo shoot after in the backyard, I left out all the kids holding the gums shots that he loves that I am OK with not sharing!




Brian had such a great time that he was out as soon as they were on the highway. When he got home he was still sleepy but ready for some YUMMY dinner!