Courtntey's Christmas band concert was very sweet...she's coming along on her clarinet this year. These are her friend's Kidd and Julia smiling for the love.
The concert is at the Junior High school...here's the whole 5th grade band.
Yeah...for bowling!
Melanie joined in on the fun!!!
Yummy pizza dinner at the Bangor bowling alley. We had the place to ourselves. They have new couches and fun music.
So of course, we acted like we were in the privacy of our own home.
Go Courtney!!
Chase is modeling for the new couch comfort.
Jumping high and..
flying higher!!!

A Ridgetop J.H. Home Game Vs. Cedar Heights

This is the only picture that I could get out of Chase after his game.
Go Raiders!!!!!

It's a time out. Chase is number 1 sitting on the bench.
Baylee like to keep her own score.

It was a full day of Christmas fun on Saturday...

We started the morning with a scrumptious Santa Breakfast. The kids got their pictures with Santa, we enjoyed live music and gifts from Santa. We have been so lucky that our realtor, Molly Ells invites us to her annual party.

This Santa coming down the chimney scares Baylee. She would not agree to a picture.
This year our cousins Melanie and Johvin moved here from Japan. We referred them to Molly and they bought their first house out in Seabeck. It is an amazing house with breathtaking views. We had fun trying our luck at the Christmas history quiz. No luck with a win from our table...but it was good to visit and eat yummies.
Our next adventure was tree shopping, we were off to find our favorite Christmas tree. We are enjoying the beautiful smell of our Douglas Fir. The kids decorated with so many ornaments, I just hope he makes it till Christmas.


FYI: this perfectly dressed, 13 foot tree in the picture is from the Rolling Hills Golf Course Club House where we enjoyed the party. I'll post ours soon.

The Gardner 3rd annual White Elephant Christmas Exchange

Here is the gorgeous, garnished Gardner Christmas tree. The White elephant gifts wrapped and bagged, just waiting for a party exchange. The kids went first and weren't shy about stealing the gift they wanted on their turn.
Apollo boy was loving his cupcake. I just love this picture of him enjoying every lick of frosting.
All of the kids got a picture with the adorable gingerbread man they name Gingie. so cute!!!
The kids were having way much fun in Sarah's room...if you couldn't tell from this picture.
All of the cupcakes were gobbled up in no time, including the cute "gingie" decorated ones.

Thanks for a fun-filled evening Diana and Steve. You are wonderful hosts and kicked off this holiday style in the spirit of giving.

Chase's Birthday Party

We started the night off with some dancing and a some special dancing from Johnny boy. Boy does he have the moves!
Thirteen candles on his ice cream cake!
Here's the whole gang, minus our lovely photographer Diana. Yes, that is Melanie behind my big head. Dawson got his head in there too.

Chase got some amazing gifts from family and friends. Thank you everyone :) This one is from Baylee, she saved up her money.

Our boy turns into a teenager...

It was on December 4 1996 that our first born son arrived at 8 pounds, 4 ounces. He came one week early. Brian and I were at a U of A basketball game the night before his birth. I remember parking too far away from Mckale center in my condition. The walk back seemed like five miles...this might have been what sent me into labor in the middle of the night.

We were the proud parents of our little guy, Chase Evan. He was so tiny and he was all ours. I have thought about that day a lot over the last week as I anticipated Chase's 13th birthday. The years have gone by too quickly, I have enjoyed every minute of all of them. I appreciate Chase for so many of his ways and gifts.

He is first and formost very loving to his friends and family. He has that ability to read people too well, just like his Dad. I can always count on Chase to tell me a story from something that happened at school and no one else can get a word in
otherwise. He is a great example to younger boys and loves to play and spend time with them. (Like the brother that he never had) He's close with his sisters and of course teases them from time to time. He is a great student and loves going to school. He must blow dry his 'beautiful' hair every morning. He texts like crazy fingers to make the time pass. He loves steak and gives me the biggest hug for his favorite dinner, Shepard's pie. He will stick up for what he believes is right. He looks up the temperature for the upcoming day and plans his outfits accordingly. He loves his XBox when he has a friend over to play with him or Dad of course. He wears his pajama bottoms inside out in the winter, hoping for snowfall that night. He likes to have fun and still amuses his sisters as the Dad and plays house. He is drawn to babies and will find one and ask to hold him/her when he can. He has ambitions to go to college and serve a mission. He is of course stinkin adorable, I can say that right. He says amazing prayers and is so thankful. He still tries to beat me in a good match of arm wrestling...it will be here soon. He loves playing sports, right now it's for his J.H. basketball team. I am thankful for the opportunity and priveledge that Heavenly Father has blessed us with to raise a son. It brings me such joy.

Happy Birthday to our now teenager. Your Mom and Dad love you soooo much. You have made us so proud of you.

Tonight was the Open House for our friend Shama's Photgraphy business. The kids took great pride as the elevator operators, they did a great job!!

This is Shama! She welcomes you to Shamaleaphotography.com




Brian announces the door prize winners and makes their night even better with awesome gift cards.



Courtney and Ashlyn LOVED their jobs tonight as the sweet elevator operators. Diana made their night when she gave the kids a $ tip. They had a blast going up and down and up and down...

Here is the Super Staff smiling with their cute shirts.
It was a beautiful night of delicious food, awesome photography and visiting with family and friends. Congratulations Shama...all your hard work and efforts really paid off tonight. You are an awesome friend and photographer.
The Anderson have loved being your practice subjects for many years.
Thank you for the memories that we have to enjoy for many, many years to come.

YES!!!! Chase just made the basketball team at Ridgetop Junior High

We are so proud of Chase. He has been playing PeeWee basketball since he was about five years old. He loves to play and watch the game...actually ball was his first word. Ever since then he has just loved it! We are looking forward to a fun season with no injuries ;) Way to go bud, we love you.

Skeleton parade.. The skeletons are out tonight, they march about the street. With bony bodies, bony heads and bony hands and feet.

I just can't believe how much candy these kids get in one night. We started out at our church for trunk or treat. Then a couple of hours trick or treating in our old neighborhood. The kids just love Halloween, I wonder why?
Chase was the scrumptious, tasty taco. Sorry, you may not have a bite.
Baby Boy Brian decided to break his Grandma's back this year.
I got to wear an awesome kimono straight from Japan. Melanie and her husband, Johvin have just moved here from Japan and let me borrow it. Lots of fun! Especially the red half lip thing.
My beautiful butterfly! She just had to have this awesome wig to finish it off. I think Courtney realized by the end of the night that they itch and had her fill of red wigs for the day.
Our smiling, buzzing bumblebee princess and all of her lovely locks. She insisted that my friend Shama come over and do her hair for the occasion. I think it looks adorable.
Baylee is our blonde Spanish Princess this year. She has the brown eyes working for her though. Something about little girls and princesses, they just love it! Don't they know they already are one everyday?
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Baylee and her friends at school.
Ashlyn and her great friend Autumn are twin buzzer bees this year.
Pumpkin carving at the Anderson house was a big treat when Brian brought home a 94 pound pumpkin on Halloween morning.
So, he got the honors of carving the Jack-O-Lantern himself.
An Anderson tradition that started some odd years ago...yes we get our heads dunked in a giant pumpkin seed bowl. It's a great facial, leaves your skin feeling so smooth and moisturized. You should try it. Enjoy the slimy, pumpkin seed faces. Lots of laughs.


Chase had stipulations this year... My shower cap!! He would only participate in our silly Halloween tradition if his beautiful hair (his words)would not suffer from the pumpkin juices. Almost a teenager, can't you tell?


Rascal Flatts were in town on October 29th at the Tacoma dome. What a concert they put on! We enjoyed a double date with Melanie and Johvin.

Opening up for them was the amazing Darius Rucker. Anyone remember Hootie and the Blowfish. Well Darius has gone country now and he has some great songs out there.
Chase got into the spirit this year at his junior hight for spirit day. All of the seventh graders wear red and for Chase this included his hair and face. You can't see it but he's wearing red, women's skinny jeans also.

He has one more day of basketball try outs tomorrow and we find out if he makes the team. Good luck to you Chase. He has been playing since he was a little squirt and absolutely loves it. He asks us to take him to the church in the winter months to shoot around. I'll keep you posted...

I hope all of our friends and family enjoy a healthy November. This flu mania is horrible. All of my love to you.

I'm so Proud of My Boy!

Chase came home from school on Friday with this "Student of the Month" certificate from his J.H. school. Yes, I have framed it and display it in the kitchen, until it will hang in his room. He is excited to go with some teachers to Burger King for lunch this week. :)

I was able to meet my sister Jacki and Quinn in Phoenix, last weekend. We had a great time together visiting our Mom, Dad, sisters and cousins.

Steve was giving us a tour of his house, it is beautiful!AKA, the model home.

This is a picture taken at my Mom's house before we went to the play, "Peter Pan."
My cousin's little girl Payton played one of the lost boys and did a fabulous job!
My cousin Angela made the most superb dutch oven dinner for us. I could go on and on about this mouthwatering feast.
I love my cousins. Kim, Ang, Monica, my Lil sis Jacki and Krista. It's always nice to spend time together.
We did a walk in Scottsdale, AZ for Hope Kids. It was my first walk for a great cause.
Jacki and I after the walk; wow is it ever hot in Arizona. It was all worth it for the sweet lil Trey. He is Steve's grandson and the son of Mike and Cami.

This is Cami pushing Trey. To see more about Trey you can visit the most beautiful blogspot that is so endearing to their journey. www.Ourtreystreasures.blogspot.com

John has started to teach Mason to play the guitar.
It was so good to see Lynn and Jess, they are like my second parents.
Mya, Monica and Sherry enjoying Olive Garden and playing catching up...
I was fourth in line this morning to have my hair dried and styled by Tania. What a doll!
This brownish water is a detoxification system that is supposed to help take the bad stuff out of you. My color indicated joint and gallbladder trouble. Yikes!
Sadie and Tania
I visited my high school for kicks with my friend Sonja. It was amazing that the same basketball and volleyball coach were still there. It made me feel a little younger :)I graduated in 1992.
Eating out again at Mama Louise's with Don and Judy.
I enjoyed a visit to the University of Arizona, where I went to school many years ago. This is Brian's Mom, Judy showing me her office at the college of Nursing where she is a professor. I got the grand tour!!
Mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches were a tradition growing up. Dad hooked us up everynight with one.
The little gang.
My Dad showed me the country club where he enjoys lots of golf in his retirement. Here's Dad showing off his big muscles.
I am only a golf model in this picture. I really wanted to smack it!
The sisters: Monica, Haley and Jacki. Cute Quinn joined in for the love.
I had so much fun in the hot tub with my niece Quinn, we could have played in their all night until our fingers and toes were prunes.