Thing #6 is 19, and Thing #7 is 16

Here's the final product of Chad and Nellie's birthday cakes, candles and all
Lemon cake with rainbow chip frosting

And here's Miss Nellie's "breakfast in bed". She's a funny girl because she won't eat any fruit, yogurt and etc. so this is what we ended up with. She loves chocolate so here's the leftover wheels from her cake, some chocolate milk and scrambled eggs with cheese on top.

She got up earlier than usual today and was actually in the shower when I went up with my tray "~, so she hopped back into bed (for me), turned off the light and pretended to be asleep so I could give her the traditional "treatment"

Here she is in her birthday dress

Nellie's birthday dinner request was barbecue chicken pizza, and chocolate milkshakes, and Chad's was steak, mashed potatoes & gravy, and rolls. Doesn't Chad look thrilled? He SHOULD he's got a nice T-bone steak on his plate :)

Birthdays must really take it out of you . . . this is what I saw as I was cleaning up from dinner and getting ready for the extended family to come for presents and cake & ice cream.

Chad with my "warm and cozy" that Lee gave to me :)

A new coat for Chad

Em and Paul's gift of safety to Nellie - Emilee seems to be having a hard time with her little sister growing up, so she wanted to help her be safe :)

New shoes

Clothes that she wanted

Chad's new favorite book; "Change Your Brain Change Your Life"

New boots

A family picture for Chad's new "pad"

Key chain with KEYS and other misc. items

MMMMmmm!!

The battery died in my camera as we were blowing out the candles so that's all there is folks!! Happy Bird-day to Chad and Nellie :)

Nellie's truck cake

I realize that this cake looks like _ _ _ _, but I tried :). I was attempting to make a white truck like the one she'll be driving when she gets her license . . . let's just say it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. The black thing is supposed to be a windshield wiper, and that's supposed to be her driving. Looks like she's been sneaking my chocolate chips again (hence the messy mouth).
That thing on the back is supposed to be the tool box in the bed of the truck

There's her happy passenger on the side

Happy Birthday Princess :)

Now all I have to do is finish Chad's cake - his is easier thank Heavens!!

So in an hour or so my baby turns sweet 16!! It seems crazy to me that she can be that old . . . but on the other hand, I'm ready for a little relief in the taxi service area :). She is understandably QUITE excited for this birthday as it means so much more freedom; driving, dating and etc., so she was doing her impression tonight of the Molly Shannon I'm 50 - except it's Nellie Soptich - I'm 16. ENJOY!

Girls Shopping Trip 2009

Here's my cute "Mama" on the first night of our girls shopping trip. We go every year for a few days/nights and shop, talk, do hair, watch movies, tell stories, eat LOTS of treats, laugh, stay up late, talk some MORE (sort of a group therapy type of thing I think), and just plain enjoy each others company. Tammie belongs to World Mark (?) Resorts, so we get to stay all together for a very reasonable price, which is so nice :).
Miss Connie AKA the smoothie maker, and hair dresser ")

There was a cool Murphy bed out in the living area so we pulled it down the last 2 nights and look what happened - I guess Debbie and Tammie were BUSHED

This was our delicious breakfast Tuesday AND Wednesday; Connie's special smoothies (yes, she hauled her vitamixer all the way up there), and Cinnabons - YUM!

Enjoying breakfast

I made some shirts (Billy made the transfers) for all of us that read: "My Sister has the Best Sister in the World!", so here we are modeling them - L to R Mom, Connie, Me, Tammie and Debbie.

We always have to take a CrAzY picture too, so there ya go :). I was using the timer on my camera which was up on top of the TV with a notebook and DVD underneath it . . . I guess it had slipped and I didn't know it - oh well, still a fun picture.

We decided to pretend to be riding a roller coaster here - that's why Tammie and Debbie are holding onto the "imaginary" front of the car - and I look like I'm going to BITE someone or something.

Another roller coaster shot

Then we went down to the lobby and asked them to take a picture of us all together. . .

. . . and decided to make Mom strike a "pose" - it was pretty funny! You're looking at women who have had 25 kids all together so it's dangerous when we get to laughing too much :)

We always make a VERY important stop at Red Robin for dinner AND. . .

mud pie!!! The people at Red Robin didn't give us a hard time about having our own, like they usually do. They even brought us balloons (see above picture)!!

We had a great time. I absolutely LOVE this tradition and hope it continues for many years to come :).

Yay for me :)

Well this is how I'm feeling right now, but good job to me because I just ran (jogged, shuffled, lurched, drug myself along - whatever you'd like to call it) 11.2 miles (10+ last week)! It's been quite a while since I ran that far, so even though I didn't set any land speed records, I'm happy. I'm feeling a little "creaky" but other than that, I'm fine.
Life is Good ")

Halloween 2009

We had ourselves a little (pre trick or treating) Halloween party at our house - complete with Grand goblins and all!! We ate mummy pizza, bone bread sticks, sugar cookies, and pumpkin cheesecake, and we drank some WITCHES BREW and Halloween pop. It was dee-lish!
Lemondrop dead, spookiwi and candy corn

They looked more like bones before they "rose"

Elfaba??? (Wicked). Here's one witch daughter

The witch Momma

Really, is ANYONE surprised?? ")

Abby was a witch too but you couldn't really tell with her coats and hat on

. . . and here's the OTHER witch daughter. All the Stokes gals were witches.

This looks like a picture off of a Natl. Enquirer or something where "Elvis" is hurrying to get his glasses back on

Another witch, and Mrs. Peepers

Tinkerbell all bundled up

Elvis striking a pose

Yep! Happy Halloween Everyone :)