Nothing Beats an Extended Birthday Celebration!!

Let me begin by wishing you all a very Happy New Year! I am so sorry that it has taken me almost the entire month of January to post on our family blog! I think that is a record and not a good one. :-( I guess things here slowed down quite a bit and believe it or not, I haven't had my camera out very much at all since Colton's birthday. I do have pictures of family on my mom's side from a little earlier in the month that I would like to share, but I need to get them from my mom's camera. My step-grandfather, Hugh Gardner, passed away at the beginning of the year, quite unexpectedly. He had been married to my Grandma Gardner since before my parents were married and I was born and was a very good man with a great smile and filled with love for the Lord, whom he now gets to see everyday!! Besides that positive, another great thing was seeing family and I will share those pictures as soon as I get them. Colin also lost his grandfather, Grandpa Mac, the day after Christmas at the age of 94. He, too, was a great Christian man and he had quite the sense of humor! We did get to take the kids to see him in May, while on our vacation in Durango, and we are so glad to have had that time with him!

Those things are really what have kept us busy so far in 2010, as well as having to say goodbye to Colin's sister, Leigh Anne, her hubby Parker and their adorable baby boy, Luke, who returned home to Washington a couple of weeks ago, and then getting the kids back in the swing of school and Colin back to work! It was then time to celebrate the only January birthday on either side of our immediate families - mine!
I turned 34 on Friday, the 22nd, and as part of my birthday gift, my wonderfully romantic and thoughtful husband took me to Ruidoso on Thursday for a night at the Inn of the Mountain Gods, where I had never been and had always wanted to (he's been there a few times for his summer retreats at work). We left around 3pm on Thursday, and arrived around 4:30. After checking into our beautiful room, we got ready and left the Inn for dinner. He wouldn't tell me
where we were going, but he had it all planned out and had already made reservations!Turns out it was the Texas Club - a very popular local steakhouse that I had heard so many great things about from him, my parents and a few others! They were all right - my filet was delicious and Colin enjoyed his ribeye. Easily the best steak I have ever had - I felt so spoiled!

They were calling for lots of snow there that night and I am being honest when I tell you we were both hoping to wake up to lots of the white stuff, maybe enough to snow us in! Well, imagine our surprise when we awoke to rain and wind!! No snow, unfortunately. We had plans to go on a walk around the lake that morning, but due to the weather, those plans changed! We got ready and went downstairs to the lobby to take some pictures by one of the fireplaces:
As well as the beautiful fountain shaped like an Indian Bowl:Here is the lake that the Inn overlooks. Still beautiful on such a drizzly day! You can see in the front where it was frozen.Since we couldn't go hiking, we decided to go enjoy the breakfast buffet and it was very good! After checking out, we spent a little time driving around and stopping at a few shops. Had plans to walk the downtown area and go into all the wonderful little shops there, but hard to do that with the rain, although by that time it had turned to sleet. Around 11:30, we finally decided to head back home and see the kids. By that time, the sleet had turned to snow and it was starting to stick. Here is what the drive looked like from Ruidoso through Mescalero:It was slow-going, but oh so beautiful! Being the snow-lover I am, I was so excited to see it on my birthday!

It was the best trip! I love that Colin and I are able to get away as a couple every once in a while - we both find that so vital in a relationship! Being my birthday made it even better!

We did want to celebrate with the kids, though, so after picking them up from Colin's parents (thank you so much, John and Sara), we went to eat dinner at Chili's, where we got a White Molten Cake to share! It was very yummy! I loved it even more since they no longer sing "Happy Birthday" to you there and just bring you a free dessert instead! :-)
On Saturday evening, I got to celebrate again, this time with family and friends! Colin had invited some people over to the house for dinner. My parents came all the way from Mimbres, and brought along my Grandma Gardner, Gramma Mary came, as well as John and Sara, and our friends the Hamricks, and the Giffings. It was so much fun - one of the best birthday parties I can remember having.

Colin got me my favorite cake - white with chocolate frosting from Sam's Club (REAL buttercream stuff, NOT whipped). He asked for light pink flowers and writing which looked beautiful with the brown. Here I am with my two grandmas. It was so nice to have both of them there.

I was super excited to have Mom and Dad there, of course!!
Grandma Mary wanted a four-generation picture real quick:

Here I am with two of my best gals - Sherri and Joy:

The kids had fun, too, especially playing with stuff in Cady's dress up trunk! Joy said they almost made the Village People! :-)

It was a very special night - thanks to all who came! Nothing beats celebrating with those who are special to you!

Colton's 8th Birthday Party!!

EIGHT!?!?!?! Is it really possible that our little boy could be EIGHT Years Old? Seems like only yesterday that Colin and I were all alone in Seattle, awaiting his arrival at Christmastime. My how time has flown! It has been a wonderful 8 years, though, and I am so proud of Colton and what a sweet, caring young man he is becoming. He brings so much joy to our lives and makes us laugh all the time! I don't believe he has a mean bone in his body and if there was ever someone who fit the "old soul" description, it is him - even though he is still a child!

He is still our little cowboy and anything to do with horses, rodeo or cowboys is still his favorite. He also LOVES GI Joes and is very into history. Loves reading books about our presidents and life in the olden days. When it is his turn to pick a movie to watch, 9 times out of 10 he will choose a John Wayne or Tom Selleck western, Davy Crockett or Apple Dumpling Gang over the newer Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks films that are coming out. Still loves Math and anything to do with money and is also very into science-related things right now. George Strait is still his favorite singer and Wranglers and boots are still his favorite things to wear. He is also excited to be getting ready to take his Hunter Safety exam so he can start hunting with his Daddy! Yes, we are very proud of our Colton and wish him the best in 2010!!

Now, usually, due to his birthday falling in between Christmas and New Years, we postpone his party until January, when everything has settled down. A couple of months ago, though, he asked me if he could have his party on his actual birthday and I felt so bad for him that he even has to ask that!! So, since it was going to be a small party anyways, we decided to try it.

His two best friends (since the time they were babies) were invited over and we took them over to the Launchpad Cafe (a fun little space-themed restaurant at our newest movie theater located at our mall). The Hamricks, Grampa and Grammy Mac, Nana, Auntie Leigh Anne, Parker and Luke all met us up there for some yummy food. It was so nice - due to the time, it was practically vacant up there, so it was like we had the whole place reserved!!

His cake was made by me and was the biggest challenge I have had for a birthday cake yet! The theme was GI Joe and he asked if I could do a camouflaged one. Well, I did it, although it took me an entire hour just to decorate! Very tedious work, but I was very happy with the results, and more importantly, so was Colton!Here are some more pictures from the party at the Launchpad:

Colton was so happy that Auntie, Parker and Luke could be there!! Nana got him the new Toy Storia Mania game for his Wii!
A new Dallas Cowboy football from Tyler:
A new metal detector from Mama and Daddy, which he (and Daddy) have wanted for a couple of years now. He can't wait for Colin to get home from hunting so he can go try it out!

After opening presents, we all moved into the theater to watch "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel". It was soooo cute! Great movie! We then said goodbye to Nana, Grammy and Grampa and the Hamrick Family and took the boys and Cady back to the house where they would finish the night with a sleepover!

When they weren't chasing eachother, pillowfighting, or wrestling, they were playing the Wii:
Instead of a tent this time, they decided they wanted a fort. So, Colin helped them build one and this was their bed:It was great fun!! They were up until midnight, but once they laid down and stopped talking and giggling, they were all out pretty quickly! I love that they have been friends for 8 years now, even though they all go to different schools and don't see each other every day like they used to when going to daycare together. They are all good kids and we will have them over for another sleepover soon!