The Farrar Christmas Get-Together 2010!

We are always so happy to be included and invited to the Farrar Christmas get together. Thank goodness Johan and LaNae's house is big enough for all of us: Mom and Jay, John & LaNae, Scott & Lisa, Ryan, Noah and Micah, Levi & Lauren, Elizabeth & Steven, Christine & Jeff and little Jack (1 yr), Kristi, Martin & I and the girls! Whew! It's such a great celebration and it is especially fun to watch the kids play together. They love each other so much and always have such a good time. We are truly blessed to have been brought into this wonderful family through Jay (who we think the world of). All of each brought appetizers and we made a meal of munching and snacking throughout the night. Kristi, me, Lisa and LaNae

The kids getting their plates filled with yummies!

Sweet Micah....our big 3 year old!

Sofia and Noah (5 and 5 1/2)

Best friends and cousins....Ryan (10) and Audriana (8)

More filling of the plates....

Grandma and Grandpa with the younger grandkids.

I don't know why I didn't think of getting Jay with all the grandkids (Levi, Christine and Elizabeth, baby Jack, too!)

Sisters....Lisa and LaNae. I am so happy to know both of these ladies, and to call them friends. They are both such great women whom I love and respect very much. Lisa and I have really become close throughout the last 8 years (I guess mainly because of our kids...but I think she and I would have been close even without the kids!).

Jay and his daughters...

Scott & Lisa and their beautiful family...

I guess daddy was taking this picture.....it's a sweet picture of a proud mom (me!) and her angel girls.

Santa arrived and surprised the kids! Grandpa Jay missed all the excitement though because he had just left for a walk in the snow. But the kids told him all about it when he returned back to the house.

Each child got to sit on Santa's lap and tell him that they had been very good. Then he gave them each a little bag of goodies and toys! : )

Audriana loved her StarWars set that John and LaNae gave her...she also loved the Rocket thingy from the Sandbergs, and an awesome green and black flannel shirt from grandma! Wow!

Opening gifts...this one was a cute frame of the cousins for the girls from the boys. : ) It will go perfect in the bedroom.

Sofia loved her Hello Kitty lighted mirror from John and LaNae. Plus her Baby Alive from Grandma, and her big set of Littlest Pet Shoppe miniature pets from the Sandbergs! What a night to remember!

Sofia's Montessori Christmas Program 2010

Sofia sang her heart out today during the annual Montessori Central Holiday concert. They sang many holiday songs and did great! Unfortunately, the kids were not on risers, and Sofia was in one of the back rows, so I couldn't see her very well -- and didn't get a good picture of the group on stage. But, I did get some other really good pictures...see below! Nice job, Sofia. We are always so proud of you!

Grandma and Grandpa came, too!
Dawn Pipela is at the head of the table serving the punch -- look at all the goodies! The kids sure had fun choosing what they wanted! : )

Here is Sofia with friends, Gwenyth and Addy.

Here is Sofia with Sophia Thompson.

Merry Keeney Christmas 2010!

The Keeney's!

Barbara Keeney-Schurra, Tom Keeney, and Dave Keeney. We miss and remember LaVonne Keeney (Aunt Tonn!), and Grandma and Grandpa Keeney (Heidi and Gerald). They have kept this tradition of all of us getting together for over 35 years. This year, our celebration was hosted by Tom and Bonnie at their beautiful home in Bellevue. I think there was 27 of us (only missing Todd, Pam and the girls, and cousin Davey Keeney). Good memories and wonderful traditions grace our family......
Here is mom, me and Kristi

Martin and Linda (who is 20 weeks pregnant! Congrats Jeff and Linda!) We found out they are having a girl, who is due April 23rd....they will name her Jocelyn Lucille Thi Keeney.

Audriana and her Godmother, Aunt Kathleen, with baby Clara (who will become a big sister sometime around March 9th 2011). Congrats to Neil and Shannon! They are having a boy who they will name Ethan David DuCharme!

My sweet family in front of the beautiful tree!

Cousins Clara and Sofia....

Here is Uncle Tom stirring his famous chili (it's the fillet that makes it "his"!). So good! Lots of snacks, appetizers,Keeny Corn, salads, bread and good wine make the meal complete!

Congrats Jeff and Linda -- waiting for baby Jocelyn to be joining us at the next Keeney Christmas!

Clara opening up a big coloring book!

"Cousins" -- Marc, Jenny and baby Hannah (8 months), Conor and Emily, Tim and Sabrina, and Neil and Shannon (where is Shannon? On the floor with Clara opening presents!).

Audriana and grandma Teckla (Bonnie's mom, 90-something years old!)

Uncle Mike and his nieces!

Conor's wife, Emily, holding Marc and Jenny's baby Hannah. They live in North Carolina and came all the way for our celebration. We are hoping that they will consider moving "back home" soon! We just found out that Davey will be moving back from Boston in a few weeks! Now if we could just get Todd, Pam and the girls back home we would really be complete!

Uncle Tom, Linda, Teckla, Aunt Bonnie, and Jeff Keeney!

Cousins

Oh my......so sweet....so dang cute!

Aunt Bonnie and Pam

Mom and Jay -- isn't this a great picture! These next few photos were shot in the lobby of the hotel (Redmond Residence Inn by Marriott) the next morning.

Aunt Kristi and Uncle Mike with my angels.....they love their nieces so much! Believe me, the feeling is mutual!

Our sweet little family!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day!

We are thankful today of so many things....and I would be remiss if I didn't mention just a few of them.

1) We are thankful for friends and family (always our #1)

2) We are thankful for our health (a very close #2)

3) We are thankful for our home, cars, and heat (it's below zero today!)!

4) We are most thankful for our 2 delightful little girls, who make us smile everyday and remind us to count our blessings every day.

Proof of our La Nina winter!

This is what we woke up to on Thanksgiving this year -- Snow...and lots of it! It actually began falling last Sunday (Nov. 21st) and has been snowing on and off ever since. The temps have dipped to -8, with the highs not even reaching 20 degrees! This snow is not going anywhere. Welcome La Nina Winter! : )

Disney on Ice Nov. 2010

Girls Night Out -- at the Spokane Arena to see Disney on Ice!
We couldn't believe the prices of the "stuff" they were selling! I had promised to get the girls some cotton candy (to share, of course!)....typically you expect to pay up to $5 for a small bag.....but not tonight....it was $12!!! It came with a mickey hat, but still, that is insane! The popcorn was $12, snowcones were $15, lemonade was $14, and the lighted spinning toys were $22! Ridiculous. By the way, I stayed true to my word and got the girls the $12 cotton candy...but it was tough!
Grandma bought the girls' tickets tonight.....what a sweet memory for the girls. They just loved the show -- from beginning to end. Thanks Mom! We love you!

Here we are ready for the show! Aunt Kristi somehow got us excellent seats....3rd row back from the ice! The girls loved being so close to the action.

Old memories...........from 1982!

These pictures are small...my friend, Meg Belcher (above on the far right) scanned them in. My oh my, what memories. Kara Hoggan, Kelly Bagley, and Meg must have been at a dance at Odle Junior High. 1982, so we would have been 14 or 15? I remember that dress...my mom made it for me. It was taffeta and I loved it!
1981 or 1982. Miracle Ranch camp -- also known to us at Motorcycle and Horse camp! We stayed 1 week, I think. I need to look up where exactly this was, but it must have been near Seattle somewhere. This is me, Kelley McCaffray and Chrissy (?).

Me at Miracle Ranch....on a motorcycle! WOW!

Number rods at Montessori Central!

Sofia on the Moveable Alphabet!

Sofia can Jump Rope!

Well, here is another example of how fast our little girl is growing up. I'm quite certain that her little legs and arms are going to hurt tomorrow because she practiced jump roping for the better part of the afternoon today! She is so much like her sister in that they keep focusing and practicing something until they have it down pat! Very cute.