Reason #657 why I love this guy......

So Sara Evans came to town. I had seen the advertisements for her Holiday Concert, and honestly, don't even think I mentioned wanting to go to Brian. Not to mention that the guy does not like country music or Christmas music enough to want to go to a concert. However, he knew I would want to go, so he got tickets (best seats in the place), arranged babysitting, and then surprised me with a very special date. It makes me smile even as I am typing this post because I am so crazy in love with him!!! Everyday he makes me feel special and loved. I love that our kids see that, because it is exactly what I want them to find in a spouse as well.
Anyways, we had a great time and it was a very special kick off for the Holidays!!

Didn't take many pictures because she was almost too close to get good ones. Here are a few from my camera.





Our seats....Front row center....AMAZING!

I am actually shocked I got a "postable" picture of my hubby as he is usually hamming it up for the camera.

I LOVE YOU BABE!!!!!

More Thanksgiving

The Spread...


Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars




Pumpkin Rolls (Haley's Favorite)



Silky smooth Chocolate Fountain....YUMMY!



As promised.....The Dessert Table



EVERTHING tastes better covered with CHOCOLATE.....


CHEERS!!!



Awesome day with the Family. So sweet to listen to the kids as we went around the table saying things we are thankful for. They really are grateful for so many things, and it puts a new perspective on what is actually important to them. Brian and I had a great time in the kitchen (all day) we make a great team if I do say so myself!!

Thankful

I LOVE THANKSGIVING!!! What a great time to slow down and enjoy life. Our family has so very much to be grateful for, healthy, happy kiddos, great parents and siblings, fantastic friends, wonderful, secure jobs Brian and I happen to love. Gosh, I sat down to write this post and spent the first 20 minutes listing each and everything that I am grateful for, but bottom line, I am grateful for it all. The good and the bad. Someone who I admire tremendously told me during a very difficult time in my life that "Happiness is a choice and no one can take that choice away from you" So True..... so I guess more than anything I am grateful I choose to be happy. If I can teach my kids anything, I hope this sticks with them....Life is what you make it, so make it a good one. Well that and CLEAN YOUR ROOM(wink) Its a work in progress
Hope you all are enjoying your Turkey Day and hope you know how much I love you all!!
Love and Hugs ~ Nici
P.S. Pictures to follow later. Wait until you see my desert table (that's right there is a table solely for the purpose of sugar induced comas at our house) LOVE IT

A week of Halloween

I LOVE Halloween, the costumes, the parties, the candy etc. However...after having 7 straight days of parties, I am done. You know its been too much Halloween when 2 of my kids didn't even want to wear their costumes to Trick-or-Treat last night because they were sick of them. (Don't worry I own about 30 costumes so I just had them pick out something else to wear!!) Seriously, I have way too much fun dressing up, and if anyone ever needs to dress as a pirate, call me, for some reason I have 6 different pirate outfits!!

The Girls (A.K.A. : Witch, Cat Woman, and Cheerleader)

...Yes, Sydnee is in my old Cat Woman costume. When they say "One size fits all" they are so not kidding!!!!

Trick~or~Treat


Kels and her "Flower Power"


Sydnee the purple witch


One of many events...


What?? We had to dress up to feed the kids dinner at the "Pirate Cafe"


The Menu...Bloody Brains (with some dandruff sprinkled on top), Mummy butt rolls, pumpkin juice and creepy corn (yah, we ran out of creative names by the time we got to the side dish!!)


And we can't forget Elyanna as she was our first Trick-or-Treater (only family comes by at 2 in the afternoon.) Cute little Giraffe huh.


And my adorable nephew Gabe...



Dear Gabe,
I still love you buddy, even though your Mom and Dad didn't feel like making the 5 hour drive over so I could see you in your costume. Even though your mom knows that Halloween is my favorite holiday EVER, even though our families have been together for 8 out of the last 10 Halloweens. It's no big deal...REALLY!! It's not your fault that I have not seen you for 3 MONTHS!! Don't worry, I am coming over to see you for Thanksgiving because I love YOU that much!!!
Love and Hugs,
Aunt Nici

Fishing

The place was Cousin Mike's house...BEAUTIFUL





Family renunion last weekend at Lake Stevens. Tons of Family, tons of Food, Tons of FUN.




So wonderful to see all the family! Can't wait until next year!

Happy Birthday Elyanna!!

This is my niece Elyanna. Today she turns 1. She is the cutest little thing, and really funny. She likes to dance and loves to play with Sydnee and Kelsei (I think she thinks they are her sisters.) She calls every animal she sees a "DUCK" and loves to throw balls. Today we are headed off to a BBQ at my brothers to celebrate. More pics to come. We love you Elyanna. Happy Birthday!!

Dancing in the rain

Big Storm tonight....

Seriously, like flash floods, thunder, lightening, etc...

Rain hitting the skylights so hard we couldn't hear each other talk...

Peaking out the windows, can't see anything but water, lots of water...

Michael says.."I wish we could go out there for a minute"

"Type-A Nici" first thinks.."No way, I just finished bathing all of you and you are all in clean p.j.s, and it will make a mess, and, and, and......."

"Fun Nici" grabs his hand and pulls him into the rain to dance in the driveway as all the kids follow....

So fun for a minute, all the kids loved it, run back to the house only to be greeted by my husband who won't let us in till he gets a picture...

Run back out into the rain while Brian tries to figure out how to take a picture in the dark with the rain...waiting, soaking, kids not smiling anymore...finally a picture...

Guess what it did make a big mess in the entryway, and all of us were soaked to the bone, and the kids all had to put new p.j.s on, but it was so fun!!

I am so relieved that "Fun Nici" still lives somewhere inside "Type-A Nici"!!! Hopefully she comes out more often!!!

SAN DIEGO

Brian and I just got back from California. He had a training that he was attending at the University of San Diego, and I went with him just for fun. We had a great time. There is so much to do, and we were without kiddos so we took in as much as we could in the 4 days we were there..

Day 1: FIESTA ISLAND
Took the motor home right on the beach, watched the sunset, and then a fantastic firework show




Day 2: Sweet ride and San Clemente



Our friends gave us their convertible corvette for the week. Brian was in HEAVEN!!



Day 3: Torrey Pines and Old Town

Breakfast at the Golf Course



Watched the paragliders over the ocean (They offer tandem rides so next time we are totally going!!!)



Old Town...so cool and best Mexican food ever.....





THANKS FOR EVERYTHING MARK AND LIZ. WE HAD A GREAT TIME AND CAN NOT WAIT TO COME BACK WITH THE WHOLE FAMILY!!!

Baby GABE

My sister and her husband welcomed their first addition to the family... Baby Gabe. He is so cute. It is fun to think of my little sister as a mom. She and Tyler will be amazing parents!! Can't wait to meet the little guy next week!!

Uncle Andrew

We have been lucky enough to have Brian's brother Andrew visit us twice in the past few months!!! Our whole family looks forward to him coming, and the kids hang all over him non-stop!! He is tons of fun to have around and I am so glad he lives closer now!!!

Kelsei turns "7"

She had a great Birthday party with 12 other little friends. We decorated cakes, did manicures/pedicures and had a talent show. So much fun...So glad its over!!!



It is hard to believe that my "baby" is not a baby anymore. This was a big year for Kels. She did great in 1st grade which she loved thanks to the greatest teacher in the whole world Mrs. McQuilkin...........


Kelsei competed in her first track competition... and got second place!



She got a "Big Girl Bike" (still pink of course) and is racing everyone in the neighborhood.


She is super fun to have in our family. She still tries Brian's patience on a daily basis, and bosses all her siblings (and parents) around, but we love her just the way she is. Life never gets boring with Kelsei around!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELSEI!!

~TAYLOR SWIFT~

I need to say that I was a SUPER COOL MOM (for once) and took Syd and Kels to see Taylor Swift. The front row tickets I bought cost way too much and it was on a school night, but I didn't care. They love her and know all of her songs, and so we went! Let me tell you it was totally worth every penny. She is great to her fans, and the girls had the time of their lives!!! We were so close they could almost touch Taylor when she came out!! They are still talking about it. I will say that sometimes you can't put a price on special memories!!!