The Happy Ketter Family Blog

Esquire Hills Talent Show 2012

2012-02-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

This year both Kassie and Madeline asked if they could participate in the Esquire Hills Elementary School Talent Show. Of course, I obliged. Madeline decided she wanted to Hula Hoop and spin like a circus act and Kassie chose to sing a song by herself this year. My, what a difference a year makes with Kassie. Her confidence has blossomed. Needless to say, I am very proud to be their mother! Both of them showed great courage to be on stage in front of a large audience while showing off their amazing talents. Below are the videos of their acts respectively.

Madeline and her Hula Hoop Circus Act

Kassie singing Get It Right

Didn't they do a great job! We surely think so.

Here they are after receiving their roses for performances well done!

My girls ROCK!

And even more snow...

2012-01-19T14:32:00.000-08:00

Yep, it's still snowing. So much snow has fallen over the last 2 days that WA State governor Christine Gregoire has declared a State of Emergency and called in the WA National Guard to help aid people. Over 200,000 people in Western Washington are without power. Lucky, we are not. We have about 8 inches on the ground and it's still coming down. Here are 2 videos I took of it still snowing. Sorry, the movie quality is not great. I took it on my phone. But nonetheless, you can kinda see what we are experiencing. Enjoy. :o)

Snow Day!

2012-01-18T13:01:00.001-08:00

So with all the news predicting the massive snow storm we were to get, I really didn't think much was going to come of it. After all, weather forecasting in the Puget Sound area is spotty at best. Understandable somewhat because the terrain is so different from mile to mile. We are in the middle of two mountain ranges, right next to a rain forest, and sometimes you're at sea level and other times 500 feet above, depending on where you are. That might be why they say it is the hardest region to forecast. Yeah, ya think?!?

Anyways, long story short, we got the snow they said we would get. YAY! We were so happy to see it! The girls got out there and froze their little patooties off. As I type, Andy is busy building a snow fort. It's a beautiful snowy day. Here's a few pictures I captured earlier.

Even Parker enjoyed freezing his little feet to experience it.

Of course the big girls had to have a snowball fight!

They love the snow!

--------------------------

*UPDATE*

As I said earlier, Andy was busy making a snow fort for the girls. Well it's completed now. Too bad the girls are frozen solid already after playing in the snow for a few hours. But... I managed to drag them bad out there so they could play in it a bit. Low and behold, they wanted to play more! Crazy girls. Here's them in the fort. (Yes, Sydney is wearing shorts. She said she only came outside this time to take the pictures. She swears she isn't cold...)

I also wanted to get pictures of me and the girls in the snow. :o)

#proudmama

And finally, Sydney being a goofball and trying to make a basket using a snowball. The second shot she actually made it! Silly child...

Gotta love snow days!

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T09:12:00.000-08:00

Wakey, wakey children. Up and at 'em! Time to unwrap gifts! Christmas is here!Christmas was fun and exciting as usual this year. The girls got mostly everything their little hearts desired. Hey, even Andy and I got what we wanted, too! Amazing. :o)

Merry Christmas from The Happy Ketter Family!

Twas' the night before Christmas 2011...

2011-12-24T23:18:00.000-08:00

And look what mommy did!

...Um, maybe that's not how it goes...

Oh well, look what I did!

Nighty night, children. Sleep tight.

Fun times happen in the morning!

Oh, Christmas Tree

2011-12-05T21:53:00.000-08:00

Above is a photo of our 2011 Christmas Tree Cutting Adventure. We spent the rest of today decorating it. Kassie picked it out for us this year. She did a great job! We decided to go against our normal blue spruce tree this year. Instead, we opted for a nordic fir. They are a tad more pricey, but they don't shed their needles like the spruce does. It has a different look to it, as the branches on the spruce are more to *my* liking. It smells great, which is a plus. I can say overall, I am pretty pleased with the tree. Even our cat seems to like it. Dexter keeps chewing on the branches! Here are a few pictures of the girls decorating the tree.

And below is the picture of it decorated in all its glory.

Now we can't wait for Christmas!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

2011-11-25T22:08:00.000-08:00

Or at least to the local mall. :o)

The girls and their annual picture with Santa. Pretty soon they'll be too old to to enjoy this so I gotta take advantage of it while I can. They love it. Too bad Santa won't be getting them all their requests. (Ahem. No live hamsters...) Hee hee.

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T21:35:00.000-07:00

Fun times this year!

Andy and I did not dress up this time. We just didn't feel like it. But, of course the girls did!

Madeline as Tinkerbell

Kassie as Sailor Girl

Sydney as Tickle Me Elmo

(She did not get away with dressing up like that without me tickling her! I got her good!!! :)

This was taken at my parent's house when we first started to go Trick or Treating.

They got so much candy. I see a trip to the dentist in our near future....

Happy Halloween 2011!

Cowgirl Madeline

2011-10-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

Madeline decided to play dress up as a cowgirl and use Sydney as her horse. Sad thing was, Sydney actually let her do it!

Just proves the fact more and more that I have goofball children...

School Pictures 2011

2011-10-22T00:10:00.000-07:00

They're here!!! Hot off the presses. Enjoy.

Sydney - 7th Grade

Kassandra - 4th Grade

Madeline - 2nd Grade

_______

Yes, they are all wearing the same shirt. This year when they went shopping for back to school with my parents, Sydney made the suggestion to dress in the same shirt. So, they searched for one they all liked and this is what they chose. Then, they surprised me with it when they got home.

I thought it was cute. :o)

Happy 10th Birthday Kassandra!

2011-09-27T21:51:00.000-07:00

So I'm sitting here, planning which pictures I'm going to put on the blog of Kassie's Birthday, when my daughter comes up to me and says, "Mom... are you going to put the pictures on the blog?" Now you'd think it was the birthday girl asking me this, but no. It was Madeline. I'm not sure why she cared so much, I mean it's not her birthday. I'd like to think it's because she just loves her sister so much.... (crickets) :o)

Kassie says she can't believe she is 10 now. Neither can I. It's yet another case of time flying by. Ugh... Anyways, much to her (and her sisters) delight, here are some pictures of the birthday girl opening her presents.

And blowing out the candles...

Happy 10th Birthday Kassie!

Doin' the Puyallup

2011-09-20T22:37:00.000-07:00

Today we took the girls to the Puyallup Fair. Fun times! We saw animals, rode lots of rides, stuffed ourselves with "fair foods" (aka deep fried treats), play lots of games, and walked about 5 miles. Ya know, typical fair stuff. :o) Madeline was so excited because she was actually tall enough this year to ride most of the rides. Here's some of the pictures I captured. Enjoy.

First Day of School 2011

2011-09-07T09:03:00.000-07:00

Another year... yay!

Today Sydney enters the 7th and her first year of Junior High. Kassie enters 4th grade and Madeline enters 2nd grade. I have 3 super excited and semi-tired girls. Here are their first day of school pictures. Enjoy.

I'm kinda bummed because my camera wasn't working, so I had to use my cell phone camera. At least I got pictures, though. Something is always better than nothing. :o)

Sun Lakes Birthday Getaway

2011-08-24T23:58:00.000-07:00

Most. Beautiful. Place.

That is, here in Washington State. My word, this place was awesome.

On Monday, Andy, me, the girls, Jamie, Sarah, Brian and Ben packed up and headed out to Sun Lakes State Park, in Eastern Washington for my birthday. The temperature was, well... hot every day we were there. Perfect for swimming, sun bathing, and Water Wars. What's that you ask? Well, they have this thing there called Water Wars where there are 2 stations/sides that compete by pelting water balloons at each other.... all to get soaked. It was awesome. You were a winner if you successfully got another person wet. That's it. Totally fun, especially when it's a solid 95 degrees outside. And, no matter how much sunscreen you put on, it really didn't matter. The sun shined constantly.

We rented cabins. Ours was right on the lake. The picture below is our cabin, with views looking off the porch to the lake.

We also rented paddle boats and paddle trikes. They were so much fun. We paddled out to the island in the middle of the lake and then let the current and wind take us back in.

Then, Andy, the girls and I headed up the road to Dry Falls. This place was so awesome. It looked like a miniature Grand Canyon. I didn't know they had landscape like this in Washington State.Below, in the picture, is the story of Dry Falls. Amazing how it was formed. This place was truly spectacular.And finally, we hiked around to some of the other lakes in the area. Beautiful scenery everywhere we went. I enjoyed it so much.

Now, we are all sunburned and tired. Back to reality....

Horseback Riding Adventure

2011-08-12T20:28:00.001-07:00

Last week we took the girls up to Leavenworth for a quick 2 day getaway. It was fun. We planned to go water rafting, but the river was still too high, so we didn't get to. We did, however, get to go horseback riding. The girls always beg me to take them riding, but we really never have time to. So... I made time. Oh, we had so much fun. Everyone got there own horse, even Madeline! The only thing was that she had our guide hold the lead rope on her horse. We all loved it. It was an awesome experience for the girls. Here are a few pictures of the outing.

Yeah, Andy even got a picture of me on the horse.

The trail was 5 miles long up and back down the mountainside.

And the last picture is the view from the top. Our car was but a tiny speck from way up there! All in all, it was a fun time, and I'd love to do it again soon. If you are ever up there, we rode at Eagle Creek Ranch in Leavenworth. They are fantastically priced, have awesome horses and have a very kind family that runs it. You should check them out.

Madeline's 7th Birthday

2011-07-14T23:02:00.000-07:00

Presents....check.

Friends....check.

Party at Chuck E Cheese....check.

More presents when we get home....check.

One happy, happy 7 year old....priceless.

Happy 7th Birthday, my darling baby girl.

May this year bring you all the luck in the world!

My Not So, but Kinda, Extreme Coupon Shopping Trip

2011-07-10T00:33:00.000-07:00

Okay... a couple months ago, I was told by my co-worker and my husband, at two completely separate times, that I would make a fantastic "extreme couponer." Whaaat!?! I had never heard of it before. Andy said I should watch the show. There's a SHOW!?! I was in complete and utter disbelief. No way had I never heard of this before.... He explained to me what these people do. Hmmm, I thought. I was kinda upset that they would think this way of me. No, no, no, they explained. It's a good thing. It's your, um, controlling, no, that's not the right word, um... anal personality that makes it a good thing. WHAAAT!!! Now I was really pissed. But alas I was curious, so I watched the show. Oh-em-gee... These people are NUTS! I could never, nor ever want to, devote that much time and effort into shopping. Un-uh. Not happening. Oh, just collect coupons and give it a try, Andy says. You never know.... Okay fine. I'll collect coupons. I'll shop "frugally." But I will not be THAT extreme, I said. So over the course of the next 2 months, I collected those coupons. Every Sunday, my darling mother brought me her coupons out of the Sunday paper. I went online and signed up for weekly coupons, from big name companies. I also kept all the ones from my mailbox without throwing them away. Then, I used my paper trimmer (yes, I already had one) to cut out those wonderful "money saving" pieces of paper. End result? Check out the picture below.

It might not look like it but that's $252.37 worth of items. 66 items to be exact. After coupons, my total came to $81.77. That's about $1.21 per item. In the end, the bottom line was I saved $170.60!!! Not too shabby. And thankfully not as "extreme" as those crazies I see on the show. I will actually use all of the items I purchased within the next few months. This is not some crazy stockpile (as you can see) like those guys. Uh huh. See, I'm sane... somewhat. :o)

3rd Annual Ketter 4th of July Party

2011-07-05T15:47:00.000-07:00

As is our tradition, we hosted our annual 4th of July party again this year. This time, the weather actually cooperated! It was an awesome 80 degrees. Beautiful sunny skies. Perfect for family, friends, food and lots of fireworks! Everyone had a blast. We are so blessed with everything we have. It's good to celebrate and enjoy it with friends.

This is what happens when you give a short-armed person a camera and she wants to take a picture with everybody.

Lots of half-faces, lol....

We got a floating lantern this year (like the one from Tangled, which is Madelines favorite movie, so she was thrilled.) It was tricky to light, but the end result was awesome. I wish the pictures would have turned out better.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July!

Sydney's 6th Grade Graduation

2011-06-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

Time flies....

I am so super proud of you Sydney. You are growing up to be an incredible person. Don't ever let anyone stand in the way of your dreams. The future is bright, and ready for you!

Love,

Mom

Madeline and the Macarena

2011-06-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

The pictures speak for themselves. :o)

Happy 12th Birthday, Sydney

2011-06-11T23:07:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe. Another year has passed and sure enough, my oldest daughter is now 12. My, oh my. Lord, have mercy on my soul for the years to come. I've been told it's all downhill from here. :o)

Here are a few pics of the birthday girl opening her presents.

New shoes from Grandma and Grandpa

A new outdoor basketball.

A shirt she was "dying" for.

Cash... Look at her expression.

It's almost like she doesn't know what to do with it.

And lastly, the other Nike outfit we got her.

Happy Birthday, Sydney. Please quit growing up.

.....

She makes me feel old.

Meet Dexter...

2011-05-16T22:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know. We just had our precious cat, Mr. Meows, laid to rest yesterday. Last night was probably the roughest night I've had to deal with as long as recent memory serves me. It was unbearable. I needed my kitty. He was gone, and I was grieving uncontrollably. I could not bear it. I cannot help it, I am an animal lover. It also didn't help any that my three girls were also crying to no avail. Plain and utter sadness loomed in this house... Well, that was until today. After school got out, Andy and I loaded up the car with the girls and our kitty kennel. I was on a mission... A mission to fill the void left in my heart from the passing of my darling Muggles. So, off we went. Now, I'm a firm believer in adopting a pet from the Humane Society. The work they do with animals and the amount of love and devotion they have for them is astounding. Not to mention the huge difference between the Humane Societies cost and the cost in spaying/neutering them and getting their shots at the vet. Plus, I'm a sucker for a non-profit org. Anyways, the Kitsap Humane Society didn't have a kitty that jived well enough with us so we went to the Tacoma/Pierce County Humane Society. They apparently, according to the lady at the front desk, are the largest humane society in the state. And boy was she right! They had so many kitties to choose from. And choose we did. A little boy, well in kitty years a "preteen." His name is Dexter. He is 10 months old and is a tabby cat. He was a stray, but now he has a loving home. The girls are so in love and so is my softy husband. He loves that cat. They are new BFFs. Here are a few pictures I captured as we introduced him to his new home. (Mainly my bedroom.)

See the girls. Yeah, they're all smiles.

Sydney is in love...

Kassie is too...

And of course so is Madeline.

Dexter is thinking,

"Whew, I had a long day. Time to relax..."

Now when do you think I should introduce him to our dog Parker.......

RIP Mr. Meows

2011-05-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

This morning after a long and hard 2 days, Andy took Mr. Meows, aka Muggles, to the animal clinic and had him laid to rest. He had an abdominal abscess that ruptured. The vet said it is almost impossible to catch in long haired cats. He was a ragdoll cat. It has been really hard on the girls (and me), so Andy did it while they were at church. He was a wonderful cat and loved by us all. He was very special and important to us and will be missed extremely.

When I first got him...

He loved to lay on/with me...

He was my snuggle muggles...

He loved the bathroom, but hated baths...

Big Blue Eyes... I loved him so.

RIP my darling Mr. Meows.

2008 - 2011

Mothers Day 2011

2011-05-08T23:54:00.000-07:00

Best. Mothers Day. Ever.

Andy and the girls took me, my mom and the rest of my family to Safeco Field for Mothers Day. It was wonderful. The sun was shining just for us. Granted the Mariners lost, but it was still an awesome day.

We bought hats at the game. We walked around downtown Seattle. We ate, then we caught the ferry back home.

I love my family!!!

Like I said.... Best Mothers Day, ever!!!

Happy Easter 2011

2011-04-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

After a wonderful service, these are some photos I took from the Easter Egg Hunt we had for the girls at my parents house this afternoon.

And... the hunt is on!

And then we ate a fantabulous Easter dinner with my parents, and now I'm stuffed and tired...... ZZZzzzzzzzzz..........

Spring Break Vacation 2011 Slideshow

2011-04-05T23:17:00.000-07:00

So..... After a few days of being back, I figured I just might want to post the slideshow of pictures from our vacation. It was so awesome this year! 8 solid jam packed days of fun and sun. I couldn't ask for more... well, except more time, hee hee.

Well, without further ado... here it is! Fresh off the presses. Enjoy!

Personalize your own free slideshow

Congratulations Sydney

2011-03-06T19:39:00.000-08:00

Congratulations Sydney, and the rest of the Lady Gators,

On your 2011 Undefeated Regular Season!!!!

Nice having a bye all the way to the Championship!

Various Happenings of Late

2011-02-23T23:07:00.000-08:00

So.... lately we have been very busy. So many things are going on. It's crazy with three active girls!

First off, last Wednesday night, Kassie and Madeline were playing around. Madeline was acting like a dog and was play biting Kassie's sweatshirt. Well, Kassie pulled her arm away, ripping out Madeline's very loose remaining front tooth. It sounds bad, but it really wasn't. Both girls just laughed their little heads off at it. Silly children of mine..... Here's a picture of Madeline's smile now with BOTH front teeth missing.

Then, last Thursday. The girls had no school so we had a girls night out. We went and had sushi and teriyaki and then I took them to see the Justin Bieber movie - Never Say Never. Oh my goodness, I have never seen those girls more excited. Good thing was, I made it through the whole movie, getting only a mild headache. (It's because the movie was 3D and those glasses give me headaches, not because of the obsessed girls screaming for him.) Anyways, here's pics of them mowing down at our favorite sushi joint.

Finally, on Friday and Saturday, Sydney had a huge basketball tournament up in Port Angeles. 2 days of fun with 2 games each day. If they win all games, they'd win the championship. Well guess what. They won both games on Friday, with Sydney scoring 4 points in the second game. Then on Saturday they won both games as well, with Sydney scoring an additional 5 more points in the first game and she shot a 3 pointer! So... they won the 2011 Presidents Day Championship! Way to go Lady Gators! This is a picture of the team after they won.

So all in all, like I said.... we've been busy. But it's really worth it because it's so much fun!

Valentines Day

2011-02-14T18:07:00.000-08:00

Turtle!!!

Awww, I feel so loved.

Kassie in the 2011 Esquire Hills Talent Show

2011-02-03T20:33:00.000-08:00

Tonight Kassie and her BFF Jazlynn participated in the 2011 Esquire Hills Talent Show. It was a fun night filled with a lot of different talent. Singing, dancing, karate, flute, jump rope, violins, more dancing, more singing, and on and on. My baby girl shined up there when it was their turn. Check out the video below of their performance.

They rocked! I'm such a proud mommy!

*Last Names have been edited out*

Madeline and her Chopsticks

2011-02-02T22:46:00.000-08:00

Really, the title says it all. Tonight at Girl Scouts, Madeline and her troop were learning about Asia. They got to make chopsticks and learn how to pick food up with them. Madeline is a pro though, she's been using chopsticks for years. Anyways, below is a couple pictures of her showing them off. :o)

Sydney's Basketball

2011-01-31T21:16:00.000-08:00

So after a lot of begging and pleading and promising she wouldn't give it up, we let Sydney join basketball this year. (We had a long talk with her about dedication to something you want to do after the whole violin debacle.) She plays for North Perry, and has been having practices since November, but they just recently started playing games against the other teams. She loves it, and is really good at it, so it is a lot of fun to watch her. Tonight she had a game in Port Orchard at Sedgwick Junior High against the South Kitsap team. Above is a picture of her getting ready for her game. Below is pictures of her in action. She's #20.
They won, yay! It is so super exciting to see my big baby girl doing something she loves. She's growing into such a wonderful young lady.

Elks HoopShoot

2011-01-19T13:22:00.000-08:00

*WARNING - PROUD MOM MOMENT*

If you don't know what the HoopShoot is here is the link to the website for it. Basically, it's been going on since 1972 and it's just a friendly nationwide competition that the Elks host to see who can shoot the most free throws in the appropriate age division. Yes, you get awards and such, and it can be a pretty big thing if you make it to Nationals, but it all starts at the childs school. That's where my oldest daughter comes in. This year, Sydney who is in 6th grade, beat all the other girls in her age group at her school in the Elks HoopShoot. So, that meant she got to go to Ridgetop to compete against all the other local schools. She did great. She shot 10 out of 25. She placed third. The two other girls ahead of her shot 11 out of 25 and 12 out of 25, so she was right there with them. Unfortunately, she doesn't get to move on (they only take the top 2) but she thought the experience was awesome. It was so fun to watch. I don't remember ever doing this when I was in school, nor have I heard anything about it from my kids in the previous years. Anyways, here are some of her shots I took pictures of.

She did so good. I'm so proud of her!

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

2011!!!! Happy New Year and New Decade!

For Grandma, Grandpa & James....

2010-12-27T18:11:00.000-08:00

Here's the things they got today when we went to the store. I thought you might like to see them. Sydney's shoes are the same ones. They still had 2 pairs left.

They are all smiles!

Thank you Grandma Shawna, Grandpa Dennis, and James!

Gingerbread House

2010-12-27T17:58:00.000-08:00

Here's the pictures of the girls and Andy making the gingerbread house last week. It was officially eaten today, partly by the dog..... Anyways they really enjoy doing this every year. I'm starting to think Andy likes it more than they do. He's the one who kept pestering me to let them do it. :o)

Front

Back

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T14:26:00.001-08:00

The tree was trimmed and full of presents underneath.....

The Stockings were full and hung by the chimney with care......

The girls were tired, but ready to open gifts.

With presents in hand, the fun commenced.

Sydney....

Kassie....

and Madeline all enjoyed opening their gifts!

Then came the big one...

A NEW TV for each of them!!!

Then the thank yous......

and the stockings with the boys!

Merry Christmas from the Happy Ketter Family!

Kassie's Christmas Choir Concert & Santa

2010-12-15T23:30:00.000-08:00

So Kassie, my little performing artist, had her Christmas concert last night. They sang all the traditional holiday songs, and afterwards they handed out hot cocoa to wash down the goodies they were selling at the bake sale. How quaint. Then after that, Santa Clause came out and all the little boys and girls (who wanted to) got to sit on his lap and tell him ~~how they wanted to clear out Mommy and Daddy's bank account~~ what they wanted for Christmas.

Madeline and Santa

Kassie and Santa.

Sydney did not want to participate in the joy of Santa. She was all "Bah Humbug." Guess she's too old now. Hmmm, I wonder if she'll get what she wants then.....

All I Want For Christmas....

2010-12-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

♫♫ Is my two front teeth. ♫♫

LOL.

You have the song stuck in your head now, don't ya?!?

Hee hee....

Madeline just lost one of her upper front teeth.

Now she's missing 2 front teeth. One up, one down.

She just laughed and said, "Now, I have 2 holes in my head!" :o)

I suspect the Tooth Fairy might be stopping by tonight!

Christmas Tree Decorating

2010-12-06T23:16:00.000-08:00

So today, as planned, we got to work on decorating this years Christmas tree. I purged all my old ornaments this year (we donated them to Goodwill) and bought all new ones. We also bought new tree lights that are LED and they are in the shape of snowflakes! They went along perfect with our new star/snowflake tree topper! Anyways, check out what we did!

While decorating the Christmas tree, I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus....... ahem. I mean Daddy.

Madeline is proud of her work and our beautiful tree!

Kassie, joyous as always, loves to decorate.

Oh yeah. Sydney is having a ball trimming the tree!

Our finished tree! Isn't it beautiful!

I'm so excited for Christmas!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

2010-12-04T01:01:00.001-08:00

Lookie what I did! While we won't decorate the tree until Monday, I took the liberty of putting up the stockings and getting a new star for the top of the tree since the old one is done-zo. Oh yeah, I also wrapped a few presents I had already bought. Hee hee. I can't wait for Christmas this year!!!

Adventures in Christmas Tree Hunting

2010-12-01T22:35:00.000-08:00

And so it was. Today we trekked out to our favorite local tree farm and got this years Christmas tree. It was a tough decision on which tree we would take home, but in the end I do believe we made the correct choice. Here are a few pictures we took on our journey.

All the girls are ready to cut down a tree!

Sydney is always the little goofster trying to hide the saw....

Madeline hugging a tree, Kassie petting one, and Sydney staring at them. I don't know which child is crazier! :o)

We found the tree! Now for the fun part... choppy choppy!

The owner of the tree farm was so impressed with us finding such an awesome tree. He was amazed with how good it looked! (They normally pick the best ones and cut them down first to sell at the stands.) He said we got the nicest tree there. (We knew that already, lol.) The last picture is of Andy and the owner checking the rings on the tree to see how old it was. They counted 13, which means our tree is a teenager! :o)

I love how our family always makes something so simple into an awesome adventure.

So that's it! Now, Andy and I both work this whole weekend, so we won't even get the tree decorated until Monday. When we do though, I will surely post the pictures!

Boots

2010-11-30T16:47:00.000-08:00

The girls got boots! Lovely, warm boots.

Can you guess which boot belongs to which girl?

Sydney got grey ones....

Kassie got dark brown ones.....

And Madeline got light brown ones....

The girls love their boots!!!

Thanksgiving '10

2010-11-25T18:02:00.000-08:00

Things I am thankful for on this wonderful Thanksgiving day..... (in no particular order) Football, Food, Friends & Family. Of course, there are many more things I am thankful for. Those are just the ones that stand out today. ;o) I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you are just as thankful for the things you have, as I am!

Our traditional Thanksgiving feast....

And our Happy Family....

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hello Snow.....

2010-11-22T15:39:00.001-08:00

Me & the girls.....

Cars.....

Trees.....

Madeline eating the snow.....

Kassie in front of the tree.....

Sydney making snowballs.....

Andy looking thrilled.....

Parker confused by all this white stuff.....

The girls.....

And me..... enjoying the first snow of the season.

Happy Ketter Halloween!

2010-10-31T20:09:00.000-07:00

Trick or Treat!

Really, could you deny these faces candy?!?

Sydney is the "Blind Referee"

Kassie is a "Southern Belle"

Madeline is a "Playful Kitty"

These were in front of a house they trick or treated at.

The guy said "Take a picture of them in the faces!"

I was so glad I brought my phone so I could! They are too cute!

Now all together now...... "Gut Rot!"

Hee hee, just kidding.

But really, this is enough candy to last us months!

Happy Halloween 2010 from the Happy Ketter Family!

Madeline on the Farm

2010-10-20T23:10:00.000-07:00

Today we went with Madeline and her Girl Scouts troop to the ever popular Pheasant Fields Farm. They got the full tour complete with the corn maze and then they got to pick out a pumpkin at the end. Here are a few pictures....

Going to the farm...... yeah, it never gets old. :o)

Awww, Parker!!!

2010-10-18T20:15:00.001-07:00

My other baby, and my only baby boy, Parker, got his little paw bitten by a mean old grumpy dog today. And, by bitten, I don't mean just a little nip and that's that. That dog bit his paw hard, piercing his skin, and held onto it for 5 minutes before our neighbor came out to stop him. Andy was even poking the other dog with a metal rod, and it wouldn't let go! Now, what happened was Parker and the next door neighbor dog both dug under the fence so they could get to each other. (This hasn't been the first time we've caught them doing this.) The difference between the dogs is that our Parker just want to play, the other dog actually wanted to attack.

No, we're not hating on the next door neighbor. He is super cool. He felt really bad and wanted to help. Good thing both the dogs are currently up to date on shots, or this could have been worse.

So, he's told us about his dog before. It's just a small Jack Russell, but the animal is like 14 years old, or something like that. And, as he explained to us, the older that dog gets, the meaner it gets. He knows this, so that is why it stays in the fenced back yard, with no contact to other dogs or people, (not that he's ever been mean to a person.)

Anyways, we got Parker back in the house, took him into the bathtub where we doused his paw with H2O2, aka Hydrogen Peroxide. Then we took him down to Petco to get some doggie bandages. The helpful employees there led us to them and also told us to use neosporin on it, just like you would for your own cuts. (Now, that's something I would have never thought of!) So, we got home and bandaged him all up. Here's a picture of our bandaged baby boy.

Poor thing. Even though he seems to be smiling in this picture, I think he feels like he lost his swagger. For the last 2 hours he's been so super mopey. I just hope he gets better soon!

Fall in Front of the Fireplace

2010-10-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

Remember when TV hadn't been invented yet. When kids just sat in front of the fire and read books and played. Okay, me neither. But..... I did catch Madeline and Parker doing just that.

Those two love fires. They will sit there forever.

Don't they look content?!?

School Pictures 2010

2010-10-12T16:39:00.000-07:00

They're here! Brand new school pictures. Take a look...

Sydney - 6th Grade

Kassandra - 3rd Grade

Madeline - 1st Grade

Friends....

2010-10-04T18:20:00.000-07:00

Kassie and her best friends Chantel and Jordan.

They are inseparable.

Miss Kassandra's 9th Birthday

2010-09-27T22:55:00.000-07:00

Yep. She turned 9 today! Wowza.

And.... no birthday would be complete without presents and cake, so here's the pictures of both!

Here she is in the outfit and with the flowers

Grandma Shawna and Grandpa Dennis got her.

New Littlest Pet Shop creatures! Her favorite.

Just what she asked for, a new Bobby Jack bed set.

Isn't she excited! This is how it looks on the bed.

And then came the big one.....

A new bike!!!! She'd been dying for one!

Look at her go!

With her favorite new pet.

And then came more Littlest Pet Shop creatures!

The boys got them for her.

Here is her awesome cake. Ice cream cake, that is.

And blowing out the candles on another great birthday!

First Day of School 2010

2010-09-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

Yep, the time has come once again to start another school year. 6th, 3rd and 1st are the flavors this year. I love this time of year, and hate this time of year. I love it because the kids get to go back, start anew, and learn. I hate it because I have to get up early, send them off (meaning less time with them) and all the little nuances that I don't have to deal with (that sounds bad) during the summer.

Anyways, check out the images I captured on this, their first day of school 2010.

Goofing around, let me just take the picture! We're gonna be late! :o)

Awww, they're saying "I love you, Mom" while I take the picture.

My big 6th grader!

My big 3rd grader!

And my big 1st grader!

Here's to a great 2010-2011 school year!

Dancing Brush

2010-08-31T16:20:00.000-07:00

This summer, we found our cool hangout. It was Dancing Brush. I've known about it for a while but I never had gone in. It's a neat little shop where you can go and paint pieces of pottery to your liking, and pick them up a week later. Our first time we went there, the kiln caught fire and damaged some of our pieces. They really didn't turn out so bad, but they gave us a full refund and a gift card to come do it again. So we did. This time our stuff was fine. Below are the pictures of the pieces we painted.

Madeline painted a frog. Ribbit....

Kassie painted a bowl that says "Happy Family"

Sydney painted a block with the NIKE logo.

Andy painted a piranha. Chomp!

And I painted a new coffee mug for me!

It was so much fun! We're definitely gonna go back again and again. They get new shipments all the time, so there are endless possibilities of things to paint!

Silliness With My Girls

2010-08-24T22:33:00.000-07:00

They are sooo much fun when they are being goofy! I love them!!

The 11th Anniversary Of My 21st Birthday

2010-08-22T22:14:00.000-07:00

Was so much fun! Andy and I went to the Seahawks preseason game last night against the Packers. It was awesome! Great seats + great game = great time! (Thank you Troy and Dusty for the wonderful birthday present!) Here are some pictures I took.
Then today, Andy and the girls surprised me with a couple of paintings I had wanted. (They're so wonderful! How'd I get so lucky?) Check them out!
Needless to say, I had a great birthday and I can't wait to do it again next year!

Let's Go To Illahee

2010-08-10T21:45:00.001-07:00

We always have fun here! The beach is cool. The dock is awesome. And the trees by the shore make for good backdrops in pictures. Here are a few.

Parker enjoyed the cool water.

Down on the beach....

Up in a tree.....

Daddy & Maddie

So happy!!!

Great Wolf Lodge Adventure

2010-08-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

The. Funnest. Time......EVER!

We all totally played as hard as we could. It really brings out the kid in you! I mean that literally. This was the first time I've worn a bathing suit since I was in high school...... (Please don't do the math.) The waterpark was huge. Tons of things for kids of all ages to do. 4 huge rafting waterslides, a fort with water just dumping down on you from every which way that had 2 more huge slides, a kiddie pool/wading area with 2 more kid slides, and an awesome hot tub that went inside and outside. But in my opinion it was the wavepool that kicked some serious butt. I loved it. Every 5 minutes they would turn on the "waves" like earthquake style! They knocked you up down and all around. When I got out of it, it felt like the waves were still hitting me. Totally awesome. Not to mention, the rest of the hotel was pretty amazing too. Their arcade was completely cool. The food was great. And our room, well, the kids got their own "cabin" complete with bunk beds, a flat screen TV and game system. Incredible.

Take a look and enjoy the pics!

Now we all can't wait to go back!!!

Squint....

2010-07-20T22:01:00.000-07:00

Do ya think the sun was too bright? LOL.

Madeline Turns 6!

2010-07-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

Oh my gooseness, how time flies. Today, my baby girl Madeline turned 6 years old! That's crazy!!! Here are a few pictures of her opening her presents this morning.

A Barbie, A Pillow Pet, A Tinkerbell Bed Set, and A New Bike. I think this girl is set for a while! She got everything she wanted. (Read spoiled) Lucky duck!!!!

Then, as if she didn't get enough already, we took her to Chuck E Cheese, like she requests for her birthday every year. Here are some pictures of that.

Happy Birthday my big 6 year old!

Hot Time Summer in the City

2010-07-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

♫♫Back of my neck getting burnt and gritty♫♫

On The Menu Tonight

2010-07-06T22:23:00.001-07:00

A hot summer day needed a cool summer treat. YUMMY!!!

(A special thank you to my mom for the wonderful ice cream bowls!)

Ketter's Annual 4th of July Party 2010

2010-07-04T23:55:00.000-07:00

Once again, we hosted our annual 4th of July Party. Once again, we had an amazing time with our friends who have become our "extended family." Below are some highlights of the day.

Of course, we did the piñata again.

It is always a hit with the kids!

I manned the grill all day. I barbecued 2 tri-tips, pork, chicken and beef kabobs (about 100 total), hotdogs, and chicken. It was delicious and wonderful, if I do say so myself!

And after the sun set, we had our wonderful fireworks display.

It was an awesome end to an even awesomer day!

(Yeah, I like to make up my own words.)

Monday at Blueberry Park

2010-06-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

It was a nice day, so we took the kids to the park. I made us a picnic for lunch to take with. We felt up to a little baseball so we also took our bat and gloves. I love summer fun!

Summertime Is Here.....Finally!

2010-06-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

And my, what a long wait it has been. We were all definitely wanting and needing the beautiful sunshine to arrive. (See our untanned legs in the picture above....) But, it is here now, so lets have some fun!!! Here's a few pictures we took today while enjoying the sun here at home, then later at Jamie's BBQ out on Lake Tahuyeh.

Sydney looking so beautiful in the natural sunlight.

My little white girls need some sun too!

Andy playing washers out on Lake Tahuyeh.

Patrick aka "The Crazy Uncle" and Madeline.

Oh my goodness, Madeline loved the boat.

She actually even got to drive it!

She wanted us to pose for a picture together.

And she wanted a picture of her and daddy too!

YAY for Summer Fun!!!!

Madeline vs. The Kitchen Counter

2010-06-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

The counter won.....ouch.

She's not too fazed by it though.....

That's my tough girl!!!

Happy Father's Day!!!

2010-06-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

I hope all the deserving fathers enjoy their special day! I know Andy is!!!!

Adventures in Kitty Hunting

2010-06-14T20:14:00.000-07:00

Whilst trekking through the jungles of the house, we came across an unusual sight. One that you might not get to see in your lifetime. There he was enjoying the cool feel when all of a sudden he spotted us......
Mr. Meows.....what are you doing in the BATHTUB???????

Sydney's 11th birthday

2010-06-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

We had Sydney's 11th birthday dinner for her early, since she will be gone on her birthday. I made her exactly what she wanted, barbecued teriyaki chicken and corn. Yum! I also made her birthday cake. She's so lucky!

The girls waiting for dinner to be ready......

I ♥ them!!!

Sydney is sooooo happy!

♫♫Happy Birthday to You....♫♫

Oops, she didn't get them all!

And then of course, comes the silliness I know and love.

Those are my girls!!!!

Happy 11th Birthday Syd!

Manic Monday

2010-06-07T22:08:00.000-07:00

Well, you don't say. More fence building. More silliness. Hmmm, kinda goes together doesn't it?

Brian making "super screws." Really. Don't ask.

Jamies' artistic interpretation of Madeline. I dig it.

After Brian and Jamie hijacked my car and drove me around the block, (Driving Mrs. Ketter is how they put it) Madeline got in the car and found this old hat. She is now the Statue of Iberty. No wait, Biberty. No, that's not right either.....Oh yeah, Liberty, that's it. Silly girl.....

Goofing Around

2010-06-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

We are down at All Star watching Andy bowl the juniors in the Western Washington County All Star Tournament. I am so proud of him!

Mean while Madeline and Kassie are goofing around.

Like father, like daughter.

Silly, I know.

It's Fence Building Time

2010-05-31T22:29:00.000-07:00

So, Andy and I have wanted to replace the fence in the front yard for a while now. Finally today, with the help of the boys, we started work on building our new fence. We didn't get it all completed today, but next Monday we will finish it. Check out our hard work.

The boys supervising. Rough, I know.

It takes a woman to tell them it's straight.

Casualty of the job.

Better hurry up it's getting dark!

This side is done. Our hard work paid off, and the boys said they feel more like men now that they have built a fence. LOL. Next week we work on the other side.

Our Garden

2010-05-26T18:53:00.000-07:00

So this year, we actually did what we planned to do last year. We planted our garden. This is the first one, we plan to put the second one right on the other side of this one.

Before we put the plastic wrap around it.

After we put the plastic wrap around it.

(It will help keep the animals out.)

We planted red & yellow potatoes, lettuce, spinach, carrots, red & yellow onions, butternut squash, summer squash, zucchini, lemon cucumbers, and regular cucumbers. Our fruits and berries are gonna go in the other garden when we get that done. Yummy stuff! I can't wait to see the results of our hard labor!

Green Tongue and Lost Tooth

2010-05-18T19:49:00.000-07:00

Nothing to spectacular, just Kassie and her green tongue.....hee, hee. Adorable.

And.......Madeline lost her second tooth. Once again she pulled it out all by herself. This girl is amazing!

Crazy Chaos

2010-05-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

So every Monday, the boys come over and I feed them dinner. Every Monday, chaos ensues. I'm now the proud parent of 2 adult boys and their "crazy uncle." (Really they are just our co-workers, I just treat them like the kids they are......)

These pictures don't even do it justice, but enjoy.

And then, once they all calm down, I get my favorite shot of the day in.

I ♥ it!!!!

Driving Range with The Boys

2010-05-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

So the boys (Jamie, Brian and Patrick) came over tonight. I fed them some dinner and off we went to the driving range. Fun times.

Madeline is lovin' her some Patty O.

Trying to see who can hit the bunny first. Jamie, pull up your pants!

And finally, learning to properly swing from the master. Just kiddin.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

To all the mothers out there, enjoy your special day!

I know I will!!!!!

♥ The Happy Ketter Family

Family Fun Night @ the Kitsap Pavilion

2010-04-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

So today we went to the Kitsap Pavilion where they were hosting CKCC's "Family Fun Night." It was free to get in, and there was fun stuff to do like face painting, making balloon critters, pedal cars, and lots of other things to do and see.

Sydney rode around on the pedal cars.

While Kassie and Madeline both got their faces painted.

Everyone had lots of fun, and of course they didn't want to go home. It was an awesome family fun night, indeed!

Girl Scout Trip to Skateland

2010-04-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Madeline's Girl Scout Troop went to Skateland for a troop activity. It was her 1st time ever going there. Here's some pics.

Getting her skates on.....

See, aren't they cute!

Whoa........

I don't know if I can do this......

Ok, I'll test the water.

Hmmm, this isn't so bad.....

Yeah, I got the hang of this!

Dancing queen.....

She had a blast. She said "It was the funnest thing I've ever done in my life!" :o)

I wish they never grew up........

The Rest of the Road Trip Pictures

2010-04-06T23:26:00.000-07:00

Now if you've got time, and I'm assuming you do since you are reading my blog, check out the rest of the pictures I took. There's over 350 pictures in this slideshow alone. Most of them are while we were driving along on the road trip. But it is well worth it, because I have some awesome shots in there. So, go ahead, have at it. Kill an hour or two. You can thank me later. :0)

Grand Canyon

2010-04-06T23:18:00.000-07:00

Here is my slideshow of the Grand Canyon pictures I took. It is simply breathtaking. Enjoy.

Las Vegas!!!!

2010-04-06T23:14:00.000-07:00

Hey! How 'bout a slide show of Vegas pictures. You gotta check 'em out!

Shark Reef @ Mandalay Bay

2010-04-06T23:08:00.000-07:00

Below you will see a slideshow of pictures I took from the Shark Reef. I recommend this place to anyone young or old when you go to Vegas. While it's not too pricey, only $16.95 for adults and $10.95 for children, it is way too awesome to pass up.

Spring Break Vacation 2010

2010-04-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

Days of travel

Seven days (March 28th to April 3rd)

States we travelled in order.

Washington. Oregon. California. Nevada. Arizona. Utah. Idaho. Oregon. Washington.

Places we visited in order.

Mt. Shasta. Reno. *Vegas. Hoover Dam. Grand Canyon. The Painted Desert. Salt Lake City.

*In Vegas we did a ton of stuff. Adventuredome @ Circus Circus, The Shark Reef @ Mandalay Bay, The Lions Den @ MGM Grand, The Arcade @ New York New York, ESPN Zone, we went up to the top of the Stratosphere, M&M's World, Rainforest Cafe, Hard Rock Cafe, and we got all dressed up and took an old time (western) photo.

I have lots of pictures, as would be expected. (I took 600+ pictures.)

More to come........

Outdoor Fireplace

2010-03-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

So back in December, Andy and I were trekking through our local Lowe's when we found an outdoor fireplace in the clearance aisle. It was originally being sold for over $200 without assembly, but this one was fully assembled and it was marked down to $45!!! This thing was in perfect shape. Nothing wrong, no parts missing. Looking at one another, without words we knew we agreed. We had to get it. So we did.

We never got one before, because well first off, they are pricey, and secondly we didn't think we'd ever use one. When it's warm outside we play cards out on the back deck, but if it's cold, we stay in. Well I'm happy that we were wrong. We used it for the first time last night and boy was it awesome. It really put out some heat, not that it mattered because it was nice outside. Silly me though, I didn't have the stuff for smores. So next time, momma is gonna come prepared. I'm looking forward to a fun, outdoor fireplace filled spring and summer!

Girl Scout Cookie Selling

2010-03-08T22:32:00.000-08:00

The name of this post really says it all. Here is Kassie all bundled up selling Girl Scout cookies in front of our local Safeway.

Her and her friends even made up a song to sing so they could get more people to buy cookies.
Andy said it all when he exclaimed, "The person who thought of taking cute little girls and having them sell outrageously overpriced cookies was genius, just genius! Who could resist a face like that!" I have to agree, it was very clever.....

Beauty

2010-03-02T20:29:00.000-08:00

A rainbow this evening in the back yard..........

And the sunset tonight from my front yard.
It's awesome to witness such natural beauty! Thank you , Lord.

Lions Park in February?

2010-02-22T18:34:00.000-08:00

Yep. Another beautiful day today, so after school we took the girls to Lions Park. They love going there and it was good to get out of the normal we have been doing on Mondays. The tide was way out when we were there, so Parker just loved trying to go after the seagulls which were enjoying the low tide. The sky was so clear that you could see Mt. Rainier very well. The wind was blowing just a bit to cool of the beating rays of the sun. Not that it was that warm, but it felt nice. The trees were budding and the flowers were starting to bloom. It was a perfect "almost spring" day. This is the very reason why I love the Pacific Northwest.

Kassie and Madeline played on the jungle gym........
.......while Sydney and Andy hit the ball back and forth to each other.
I walked around with Parker, while taking a ton of pictures. (Like always.)
Cherry Blossoms!

Parker wanted to get to the birds so bad!

If you look closely you can see Mt. Rainier in the background. Also, see how far out the tide was!?!
Looking for rocks and shells.

Time to go home and eat dinner now......

I know, I know

2010-02-19T23:42:00.000-08:00

My poor little blog. Oh, how I've been neglecting you. I do apologize, but I have been extremely busy as of late. I make no excuses though, I still should find time for thee. I will make a point from now on, to never go 2 weeks without a post. Something. Anything. Just to show I still care about you and my beloved readers.

Ahem.....sorry about that.

Yeah, yeah, so lately I've been busy. You want pictures? I've got pictures!

How about this one.......

Or this one.........

Maybe even this one.......

Ooh, and I really like this one......... (Hi, Wyndee!)

And of course I have to show you this one........
Oh wait.... how'd that one get in there. And where did that huge bear come from? Well, that bear was one of my Valentine's Day presents. See the orchids next to me? Yep, those were too! My hubby is great. No, not because he buys me gifts. It's because he spoils me rotten. With everything......no exceptions. He loves to see me happy. What a great deal, because I love to be happy! Hee hee.......I know I am a brat.

Well, last but not least for this post, I must leave you with this picture.

Why? Well I just thought since I was telling you how wonderful he is, he deserved to get some face time on the blog, too! And believe me, looking at that beautiful face everyday never gets old! (Yes, I was talking about Andy, not the dog Parker.......)

Seeing this never gets old either.......

The morning sunrise from my back deck. Ok. Last one, I swear!

Parker Lovin'

2010-01-26T22:40:00.000-08:00

Parker and the girls posing for some more pictures.

All smiles!

Sydney and a very alert Parker

Kassie and a much more relaxed Parker

Madeline blowing kisses to a pooped Parker

All my children......

To a mom like myself, taking these pictures never gets old. :)

Sydney's Orchestra Concert

2010-01-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

Sydney is so awesome, she has mad skills on the violin. This is her at her Orchestra Concert tonight. She played so well! My little musician.

Girl Scouts

2010-01-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

So a few months ago, Kassie tells me she wants to go to Girl Scouts. Madeline overheard her ask me, and asked if she could go too. So, I took them down to the center and I enrolled them. They absolutely love it. They are in different troops, because Kassie is a Brownie and Madeline is a Daisy. Ever since that day, they have been having fun and earning their badges. Now it's cookie selling time (YAY!) so the girls wanted to get their vests and display their badges they earned, all whilst selling the deliciousness that is Girl Scout cookies. So, being the dutiful mom that I am, I went and bought them their vests, and carefully applied their badges to it. Here they are proudly wearing their vests.

Aren't they so cute!

Watch for them selling cookies at a neighborhood store near you! :)

Happy Birthday Jesus!

2009-12-25T14:03:00.000-08:00

To celebrate your birthday, we bought each other lots of gifts and had a jolly time!

Here's some of the highlights.

Thank you for giving us the joy of Christmas to spend with family!

Merry Christmas from the Happy Ketter Family!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

2009-12-24T23:54:00.000-08:00

And all through the town, only the adults were stirring, while no children were around.

They all hung their stockings with such great care, in hopes that St. Nicholas would soon find his way there.

He showed up and delivered gifts with such great precision, when we open our gifts, the favorite will be a hard decision!

He ate all his cookies with such great might, he left a note that said, "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

Merry Christmas everyone!

Santa & The Girls

2009-12-22T17:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas Picture with Santa at the Mall 2009.

Even though we had to stand in line for a long time,

it was worth it & I love it!

Peter and the Wolf

2009-12-17T22:43:00.000-08:00

Tonight Kassie's 2nd grade class put on a cute production of Peter and the Wolf. Kassie got to play the cat. She looks so cute dressed up in her orange cat outfit that Grandma Shawna made for her!

The class did 2 shows, so all the kids could play a part. I only recorded the first one which Kassie was in, but unfortunately I'm having a real hard time posting it. If I get it to work, I will add it later. But, they all did such a great job! Afterward, the class posed for photos, asked and answered questions about the play. It was so much fun!

Feliz Navidad

2009-12-16T21:32:00.000-08:00

Okay. The following is Madeline wishing everyone a Merry Christmas by singing her rendition of "Feliz Navidad, a capella." Too Cute!

Oh Christmas Tree

2009-12-02T00:07:00.000-08:00

Well we did it. We successfully got our Christmas tree up, and it is a stunner. We all helped in decorating the tree, while drinking hot cocoa and enjoying some wonderful almond cookies. Below I have posted some pics of us while we were busy fixing it up.

Here, I think Madeline is daydreaming of a White Christmas.

Daddy helping his baby girl gently put the ornaments on the tree.

Kassie really enjoyed helping!

Sydney and the santa hat. Gotta love it!

They even captured a pic with me decorating, too.

And here is our beautiful tree in all her glory.

I leave you with the annual family picture in front of the Christmas tree.

Merry Christmas!

The Adventures in Christmas Tree Hunting

2009-12-01T17:09:00.000-08:00

Today, as in years past, we went to our favorite Christmas tree farm to pick out our Christmas tree.

When we got there we walked around for a while, taking in all the beautiful trees.

Kassie and Parker were checking out the scenery.

Not long after, we found our tree.

Sydney wanted to have the honor of cutting it down this year, so Andy got her started. Then she went to town on it, sawing it the rest of the way down.

Go Sydney, go! It really is a beautiful tree.

We then brought it back to our car, and we loaded it up for our journey home. I love this tradition we have, and I'm sure when the girls get older, they will remember these days and cherish the memories, as I do so very much. I'll post the pics when we get it up with all the lights on it, which is what we are about to do now.

Happy Thanksgiving 09

2009-11-26T19:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from the Happy Ketter Family!

Turkey day went off without a hitch! Great food and great family & friends to share it with. My favorite holiday of all. I am so thankful for everything I have. I am truly blessed.

So, the girls every year get to pull the wishbone and see who gets to make a wish.

Here they are before they break it.

And the winner is...... Kassie!!!! Her first win! I wonder what she wished for?

Well, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and loved ones!