Melissa made the Central Valley Gymnastics Team!

We are so excited for Melissa!  She tried out and made the High School gymnastics team.  She has been jumping on the trampoline since she was born and it has all paid off!  She is so excited.  Actually, she tried out for volleyball in the fall and was so disappointed that she did not get put on the team.  But it allowed her schedule to be free enough to take a gymnastics class and learn some tumbling.  She loves it and is a natural.  Now she is able to use these skills on the high school team.  We are excited to see her in a meet.  Practice every day after school and some Saturdays.  Go Melissa!

Happy Thanksgiving Day 2012!

I really like hosting Thanksgiving Dinner.  It is fun to set the table and then have all the family around.  We had a great dinner and then planned the Black Friday shopping trips, played games, ate wonderful desserts and ended the night by watching "While you were Sleeping."  A great way to kick off the best holiday season ever!  Love Thanksgiving!  Best memories... Chelsea coming home from college with an adorable short hair cut.  Ryan bringing Oksana over, we love her!  Playing games with Jason and accusing him of cheating.  Julie and Ryan taking a break from the hospital, with Kyla.  Making a turkey vegetable tray - pinterest inspired. Cooking in the kitchen with the girls. 

Thanksgiving Decor

My goal in taking pics of décor is to make decorating easier the following year .  I love to fuss and decorate and when I get it right (after tooooo much thinking and time)  I want to remember.  Well, I always have to tweak something for new décor I've purchased, (I've vowed to never buy another piece of fall décor because I have soooo much)  or I've bought new furniture or made some other good change....  I also like to take a trip down memory lane and see my tastes and how they change over the years.  Too many pictures of my house?  Oh well.  I love my home and it feeds my sense of self to make it pretty.
Also having so much fun with my silhouette and holiday décor....

Happy Birthday Andrew and Katie!

This might be the last time these guys are together for awhile.  They've been sharing birthdays for 18 years now.  Love them both.  Next year at this time neither one will be home.  :( 

Happy 21st birthday to Andrew.      Happy 18th birthday to Katie.

 

Katie with Austin Folsom and Krista Petersen - good friends.  Looks like Italian Sodas for all. 

 

 Steven Braun - back from college for Thanksgiving.  He'll be going on his mission in July next year.

Marine Corps Ball

This year being on vacation at Arrowpoint made it a little different in attending the ball.  We had to travel farther but it was so fun to get ready at the resort in our plush master bathroom, and have the girls fuss about all the fanciness.  We stopped by home to check Annie on the way back to the resort.  There was a big storm that night on the way back as well and it was a very twisting and turning road.  We were glad to get back to the kids.
I always love going to the ball and seeing the beautiful dresses on the wives and girlfriends and seeing the pride in the Marines.  Mike has made some good friends and it was fun to sit with Niki and Brian Robins at dinner.  Sad to think we only have one more year to go to these balls.  We are taking the girls next year and it's at the Davenport Hotel!!!

I found a sleeveless, too short but beautiful sequined dress at Ross and had an idea to make it modest by adding sleeves and lengthening it.  So I bought two and pieced them together.  It was a fun inexpensive project and it turned out great.  I feel like a matrony look is okay for a Colonel's wife.  Oh but I stretched the matron boundaries by getting some totally awesome, howbeit uncomfortable shoes and new jewerly!  YES!