Thankful

Adult's Table

Kid's Table

Carin, Jeff, Nikki and Scott (the Butcher)

Zac so excited for food!

Scotty and his earmuffs....all the cooking set off the smoke alarms, so Scotty had to wear them and wouldn't take them off until long after the alarm stopped.

The girls: Nik, Shon, Max and Bree

Scotty and Me

This year was bittersweet because we were missing the most important part of our family, Jay, but we were able to host it at our house and spend it with my brother, Nikki, my nieces, Nikki's mom Dianne and her friend, Barb, and our good friends, Jeff, Carin and their two little ones, Alyssa and Alex. It was a lot of fun and the food was delicious! Everyone contributed to the day and a good time was had by all. We topped off the evening with dessert while looking through the ads for all the sales on BLACK FRIDAY, making our shopping lists and figuring out our game plan. Then we played a "quiet" game of Trivia, 90s Edition. We usually play crazy fun games like Pictionary, Catch Phrase, Taboo or Cranium where everyone gets wild and there is always screaming and a lot of laughing out loud. But Zac was sleeping by this time and we had to play it cool. Last time we had game night, we played that simple game called "spoons" and I don't think I have ever laughed harder. If you have ever played it, you will know how crazy it can get; My brother fell out of his chair (probably because I pushed him out of the way for a spoon), Nikki got arm burns from reaching across the table for a spoon, and Jeff and Carin ended up on the floor fighting over a spoon. It is amazing how a set of spoons can get a crowd going! A definite must for game nights, but not when you have a baby sleeping....
So onto Black Friday. I had my nieces stay overnight so I would have babysitters for the boys. I was up at 2:30 AM for some reason, so decided to just get ready for the morning rush. I was on the road by 3:30 AM and headed to Super Walmart. I was surprised when I arrived that people were already going into the store. It wasn't even 4 AM yet! So I followed the crowd. Everything inside the store, down the "action alleys" as they refer to it, was blocked off by CAUTION tape and most of it covered with black plastic. The deal was, they would let us in out of the cold, but we were not to touch anything until 5 AM. The good thing was, it allowed me to wander around the store and scope out the things on my list before the big crowd hit. And so it went at 5 AM, the mad rush of shoppers (no one was trampled to death fortunately at this Walmart), and I was out of there by 5:15. NICE. The rest of the morning went just as smoothly. The biggest wait we had was in Toys R Us, but even that wasn't as bad as I've experienced in the past. Obviously, the state of the economy kept most people at home this year. I was home by 10:30. Needless to say, it was a busy two days, but it was great spending it with people I adore. I am very thankful for all the blessings we have in our lives and even though Jay wasn't here to enjoy the day with us, he was on our minds and in our hearts. He's out doing what he loves, serving our country and keeping us safe so that we can enjoy these times with our loved ones. To Jay and to all our military members around the world that could not be with their families, thank you for all that you do.

NKOTB Rocked the House

NKOTB Fans alive and well in Tacoma

Nikki's guy, Joey

Just like old times

When they showed up mid-crowd

Donnie's looking right at ME!

The Boys....Donnie is looking right at ME again!!

Intro

Tacoma Dome Marquee

Shon & Nikki pre-concert

Taken at the KUBE 93 radio station kiosk

Yes, it's taken me two days to re-coop from my big night at the NKOTB concert. It was quite literally the best concert I've ever been to. They are older, but can still get the crowd going like it was 1988....and just as I suspected, the crowd was made up of gals about my age. Surprisingly, there were a lot of guys. Most accompanied their girlfriends or wives and we wondered how much they were being paid or exactly what was promised in return :) The evening started off at McCabe's Country Bar & Grill, down near the dome. We met our old school friend, Diana, there and had dinner. We decided to stay parked at the restaurant and take a taxi over to the dome, a few blocks away. I didn't take my camera but when we got there, we noticed the millions of girls that had their cameras. WHAT?!? The ticket clearly stated no cameras or recording. So we decided to go in and ask. As I was entering the door, I asked if we could re-enter because I was considering going and getting my camera. The lady said NO RE-ENTRY just as she scanned my ticket! Crap! Well, there goes that idea. But then brilliant Diana remembered that we had one extra ticket because our fourth person backed out. HA! I'll use her ticket to get back in. So 20 minutes til concert time, I called the cab back and had him take me the few blocks back to my car, grabbed my camera, and headed back to the Dome. A $12 cab ride later (thanks Nik), I was happily snapping pictures :) After a half hour of waiting and an hour of opening acts by Lady GaGa and Natasha Bedingfield, the New Kids were entering the stage. I don't think I've been more giddy about anything in my life. I know the joke has been that we're trying to be young again or relive our youth....say what you will, but I have to admit, I definitely FELT like a teeny-bopper again. The nostalgia of watching them perform their old songs and hearing those tunes we knew by heart way-back-when was the best feeling ever (their new album of songs is pretty kickin', too). And the cherry on top was at the very end when they left the stage and came back for an encore to my favorite New Kids song, Hangin' Tough. A fantastic way to end a fabulous evening. 15 years ago they walked away from it all and in one night they brought it all back. The best part was sharing the experience with two gals I shared it with 20 years ago. The New Kids still rock the house and I will be a fan forever.

Okay, okay!!

Okay, fine, since many of you just can't understand my excitement for my upcoming concert to the beloved NKOTB, I will stop the gagging now and insert a new post with recent pics of the boys instead. But you can bet, if I can sneak a camera into the Dome, I will be posting pics from the concert on Sunday and your gagging can begin again.....but I'll spare you until then :) For now, here's some pics from recent soccer games and playing at the park.

FIVE DAYS til NKOTB.....AHHHHHH!!!

"Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhh Oh Oh....HANGIN' TOUGH"

That's right. 20 years ago......I was a 14 year old school girl in LOVE with the New Kids on the Block. This Saturday Nikki, myself and our friend Diana, are heading to their concert. I AM SO GIDDY! Firstly, the very fact that I can attend a concert is amazing in itself (there were no concerts in Juneau....) and secondly, um, I'M GOING TO SEE THE NEW KIDS! Granted, they are older now and maybe not as spry as they once were. But I don't care! Donnie Wahlberg will always be a hottie. And guaranteed, the entire audience will be made up of 34 year old-ish women (and maybe a few gay men...) that were rocking to their music back in the day and that's okay with me. We're going to par-tay like it's 1988! :)

Playing Cars

Since Zac is now sitting at the table with all of us, Scotty has taught him a game he always played with his Gram. I guess he's slowly realizing that it's kind of fun having a little brother around.

I Concede

I've been debating whether or not to write about my feelings toward the outcome of this election and have had a hard time coming up with the words until I read my friend, Suzanne's blog. She emulates my feelings and I couldn't have said it better myself. Thus, I will insert a copy of her blog into my own blog so that I don't have to type it. I am surprised at how passionate I became over this election and it was inspiring to see how every other American was just as passionate. Though I am disappointed with the outcome, I am optimistic in our future as a nation. Though I did not vote for Obama, I will support him because he is now my president. Politics aside, it is a time to rejoice in the fact that history was made yesterday by the election of a black man for president (though I wish he wasn't a far-left Democrat.....). I was watching a snippet of Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a Dream" speech made 45 years ago and it brought tears to my eyes knowing that his "dream" is alive and well in America today. At that time, no one would've ever thought it possible. I am glad to be a part of this history and I am so proud to be an American!!

Now, on to Suzanne's blog......

Posted by Suzanne Baker, Juneau Alaska: 'It has been an exciting race for the White House this year. Passions ignited and issues debated. My "guy" didn't win and so I am a little worried that Obama might go radical on us, but I hope that because he'll want to be re-elected, that may keep him in check. As long as he can keep the Democratic Congress in check too. I'm not sure that he has the ability to stand up against people yet, but I do have these things to say: To Barack Obama, you have done well. You ran an excellent campaign, inspired a lot of people, and have made history. I hope you can prove me wrong and I pray that you will do a good job. To John McCain, you are a true patriot and I think, a guy who truly would sacrifice self for country. May you still serve the US well and your constituents of Arizona. To Sarah Palin, I believe you have gotten the most trash out of this whole campaign. I think you are a great role model for women and an inspiration for young girls. I'm glad you aren't done with Alaska yet, Welcome back. To Joe Biden....yeah, I got nothin'..... Thanks to those of you who debated issues with me and I hope we can continue to stay informed and involved over the years. May God Bless America and keep us safe.'

Halloween

All Scotty wanted to be this year was a Seahawk football player and I was pleasantly surprised when he chose to wear the helmet the entire time he was trick or treating. Apparently we have some Seahawks fans in the neighborhood, because a few houses gave him "extra" candy just because of his costume :) He did great and was really into it this year, willingly going to every doorstep and saying "trick or treat". Of course it helped to have his cousins along holding his hand. Zac wore the scarecrow costume I made for Scotty two years ago and he was a champ. He seemed to really enjoy going around the neighborhood in his stroller and seeing all the decorations. My brother & family joined us, as well as our friends Jeff, Carin and their three kids, for trick or treating in our neighborhood. It is just the right size with just enough houses to get a lot of candy and still have energy and time to go to the Haunted Ship in Bremerton. The USS Turner Joy, a Navy destroyer that once served in the Vietnam War, is now moored in Bremerton and serves as a museum ship and memorial. On Halloween, they turn it into a "Haunted Ship" and for $5 you can pay to have the living bejezus scared out of you. I didn't want to leave the boys (that was a good enough excuse, yes?), so I bailed out, and I hear that I should be glad I did because the ship was insanely scary. My niece, Bree, was full-on crying by the time the "tour" through the ship was over. I've also heard that several people fainted, pee'd their pants and/or had to be carried away by stretcher. No thank you! I have enough issues with my own imagination freaking me out, I don't need help in that department! But it sounds like they had a good time and it was a perfect end to the Halloween evening.