fordfam: 2011

Chia Gnome

Here is David's chia gnome. All soaked in water and planted, with a bag over him so he remains nice and warm and damp....We shall see....

Bobbi

Really enjoyed her Christmas gift! It must have had cat nip in it cuz she really, really liked it.

Breeanna's Midget

Breeanna got a cute little car for Christmas. It will be a project for her and Robert to work on over time. Cute little thing...

Aimee and her friend Tami going to a spin

David and Anthony left Christmas night. Before Jordan and I headed home, we wanted to get in our mile and geocache along the Ebey Bluff trail. Lucy about pulled my arm off. After her surgery I will have to take her to classes, I cannot control her and she literally pulled me into the bushes more than once. Very hard to manage. Anyhow...it certainly tired her out!

Just makes a mama proud, doesn't it?

Rufi likes to be first. That's Aim on the bluff

Me and the Moosie.

Mom getting the coordinates on her GPS

We found one, but didn't look long for the other, it was really super windy and cold!

Heading back

Self portrait as we were coming back

It's a loong one!!! Christmas at the Messners!

Settle in...it's a doozy! Here is our beautiful tree after Santa arrived!

And the stockings were set on grandma's couch with care....My grandma Vi is still very much a party of our Christmas morning. She made the boys' stockings. They are felt with sequins and I love them! They are really special to me and we have to handle with care. And David's mom had David's and mine done for us years ago.

Late, late night...

Bree arrived in style...in her 74 MG Midget she got for Christmas. Cute little thing!

The craziness of the sorting frenzy...

Moosie didn't want to be left out!

One of the portraits we had done of Brandi for mom and dad. Larrie's friend Ann is am amazing artist and does pencil portraits of pets. She did one of Buddy that is so breathtakingly real it is hard to believe it is not a photo. And she did the same with Brandi. It is still very sad to not have her there, she was very much my parents 4th child and she is dearly missed by us all. The portraits will mean more later, but right now they are hard for my parents, and I can totally understand and relate. I still have a beautiful photo album Tanya made for me for Buddy, all personalized and everything and it has been over a year and I still haven't been able to go through the photo's and print them out. Too hard still. Anyhow....this was our gift to our parents.

Anth got Jordan a lovely t shirt.

Robert, Rufi and Moosie

Ha!

What??? I got an ipad???? Holy cow!!! My phone was bad enough...now...even more toys! Wheeeee!!!! This will be fun to figure out!!! Thankfully David set it up so all I have to do is play!!!

Jordan and his remote control helicopter that he can control with his ipod. He really seemed to like it! Yeah...don't think he hasn't already downloaded the app on my ipad!!!!

A cool VW bus Lego. That'll take awhile. He wanted to start it but I told him no. He is very particular about his pieces and abandons projects if things get "messed up" I want him to be able to do this one his way and have an awesome piece afterwards!!!! It looks so cool!

Anth got the shoes he has wanted for months.

Nanny

Dad with the other portrait of Brandi Candi.

Ummm...WHAT? There was a gift card to Ross in the package? Uh OHHHHH...Anthony had to do a little digging to find it! However....he did find it!!!! Amazingly!

The traditional breakfast spread. It is so good! Breakfast pizza, sausage, eggs, hash brown, milk, juices, deeeeelish!

Aunt Dian, Uncle Dick and Todd were able to come up this year!

Group photo. Sorry Christi....it's the best one I had that wasn't the funny face one.

Then we all went to grandpa Ernie's house to visit him. He fell and has a huge bruise on his back and is very sore so we travel to see him. No problem-o. All the kids there at once can be quite a lot but we wanted a group picture and he was a good sport about how many we had to take to get a decent one....and even then, Katie isn't exactly looking at the camera...

All of us at gramps house.

Jordan and his great big Reeces peanut butter cup.

Christmas Eve

We spend Christmas Eve with Papa Larrie. June and Marty, Tina and our family were all there. At the last minute DeAnna had to work so she was unable to come. David cooked a turkey and we feasted on delicious finger foods and June's snickerdoodles!!!

The feast

Papa Larrie and Tina

We draw names and have a gift exchange. June and Marty continue to amaze me with their spot on gifts! Without kids this age anymore, it is impressive how well they do choosing just the perfect gift for our family!!!! Thank you!