VANDALS WIN THE BOWL GAME!!!

We went down to Boise for the Humanitarian Bowl. Steve is the Team doc and we decided to go along. Derek and Steve were so excited for a bowl game - me , I would have been more excited if we would have been able to go some where cool - NOT BOISE! Jackie and Justin drove up to meet us and it turned out to be great fun! The Vandals had an incredible win in the last 30 seconds of the game and we were there to enjoy it! We were a little frozen by the end but we warmed up pretty fast with that great finish! If you didn't get to see it - turn on ESPN they keep showing it! HA Great way to start the NEW YEAR!! We are off to dinner and movie for New Years Eve! Maybe even get to bed before midnight - that is my favorite tradition! Yep - you think we got special treatment - NO those are our seats way up in the nosebleeds! I guess thats what you get when you get FREE tickets! HA
Our band before the game spelling IDAHO! It was like a home game so many Vandal fans!
Everyone rushing the field after the win! That blue field has never looked so good as it did after we won and had so much black and gold on it!

Here we are after the game

We had a Fabulous Christmas! Jackie and Justin made it home just in time to spend Christmas eve with us! We went to see the Chipmunks and then over to our Neighbors for a fabulous meal as always and my favorite punch! I look forward to it all year and drink about 2 gallons! It was great to stay in our pjs all day and just play with all our toys and enjoy each others company! The whole crew after the nativity!

Christmas Eve PJS!

We love having Laur P home!

Grace gave the best presents! Lauren & Savannah got Bean bag chairs - Not sure how Lauren will take her bean bag on the airplane! Maybe that was Grace's plan she will hold on to it until Lauren comes home this spring! HA
Steve and Grace working out the Ipod touch that grace LOVES! and notice the big TV in the back! It was a GREAT Christmas!

Derek getting some love from the Big Sis

And some more love! Maybe this is why he is such a tease!

Grace and Derek got mini remote cars they were racing around

Mario and luigi!

Christmas Vacation

As soon as Derek had a break in Basketball we left for a few days of Skiing! We had a great time! We missed our Dad who was hard at work supporting our expensive habits! It was a great way to start off our Christmas Vacation!

Christmas at Schwietzer Mtn.!

Our legs were so tired after the 1st day! It was so nice to relax in the Hot tub!

Grace Jumping in the pool!

Laur P. - Grace is right behind in the Blue

Derek and Grace! She did so good going down the blue's!

Savannah snowboarding!

Derek P
- Grace and I spent most of the day together the other kids went to the black diamonds at the top and the favorite quote of the day was from Derek when he was trying to take lauren down what she said was a cliff to her death "It's really not as bad as it looks!" HA

Lauren and Annie - Together at Last! They really missed each other!

Basketball Season 2009

Basketball Season is upon us! Savannah is in her AAU season to get ready for School ball which will start after Christmas! She has had just one tournament and they did okay! But she is getting better and better and she is growing so she should have a great school season! Derek started a few weeks ago and is off to a great start! He had 22 points in his last game! He averages about 10 points every game so that was a great game! He was pretty happy!Savannah with her Defense face on! I didn't get very many good pictures at her tournament because the gym was so dark but we will have more when school ball starts after Christmas!

Derek with his Mad offensive skills

I thought you would all enjoy this one! It is so hard when you are trying to watch the game and take pictures! I got a little excited and forgot I was taking a picture! HA But there is his head!

Another Great shot showing his shooting skills

Winter Formal

Derek got asked to the Girl ask Guy Winter formal. He went with Jennifer Hansen. They looked so nice and had a great time! He is so funny about pictures! What a goof! I hope his pictures at the dance turned out better!

Turkey trot, 50th anniversary, Thanksgiving

We started off the Holiday with Annual McDonald School Turkey Trot! They have 100 teams. Each team has someone from each grade 1st, 2nd,3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th. They line up the grade and let them run a 1/2 mile or so to the finish line. As the kids cross the finish line they get a stick with the place they got 1st all the way to 50th place. At the end when all the grades have raced they add up the score of each team and which ever team has the lowest score each member of the team wins a turkey! This a tradition at Mcdonald Elementary for the last 19 years. All my kids have participated and this year I finally got pictures!
We then left for San Diego to have Thanksgiving with the Penningtons and celebrate Steve's mom and dad's 50th Wedding anniversary! It was so fun! We had a house right on the beach in oceanside! We played on the beach, watched movies, went to movies and ate more food than anyone should! It was great to play with cousins and see Steve and his brothers together! They are so fun! It was great to Honor Steve's Parents! 50 years! That is incredible! They are so good to us and our kids! We love them!Here are all the 3rd graders lined up ready for the race - Grace is in the middle with the brown jacket with blue gap and grey pants
And they are off! Yes they run no matter what the weather! This year was fairly mild - no snow falling!
Here she is coming into the finish line! Her team actually won 2nd - no turkey - but they got to come up in front of the whole school and be acknowledged for being 2nd! She was pretty excited! She got like 28th for the 3rd grade out of 60 or so
We landed in San Diego and went to the SS MIDWAY - It is a navy airplane carrier museum. It was pretty cool

Lauren looking pretty fierce flying the Helicopter

They were pretending they were crashing! HA funny kids

The beach was so great! Lovely Weather!

Grace and her cousin Megan! Lots of seashell finding! I think we even brought home a rock! It was really special!

I even taught Heidi how to make my famous drip castles!

The water was pretty cold but the weather was in the 70's

More playing at the beach! We love the beach

Some of the Cousins hanging out

What Matters Most

I finished my gratitude fireside last night and one of the YW leaders sent me this link! I love it! You will love it too! And I love all of you!!

Silent gratitude is of no use to anyone! So thank you for all you do and all the love you give by leaving me comments! And those of you who don't leave comments Thank you for being interested in how my family is doing!

November the month of GRATITUDE!

A little bit of Catch up!

A few pictures to catch us up!Homecoming Parade for the University of Idaho - No one we know on this float but I liked it!

Grace on the PEG float!

Trick or Treating! Grace is a Smurf! It was a crazy night! We had a Uof I Ball game and Stake conference!

And he Turns 16!!!

While we were gone to the funeral Derek turned 16. Since I was going to be gone and he didn't want to do anything I made up a little surprise for him! I had 30 shirts made with a Happy Birthday Derek Pennington and a picture on them. He was surprised!!! He had no idea! He thought it was so funny! Every class had people wearing the shirts and they would sing Happy Birthday to him! He said it was pretty fun! Thanks to my cute neighbor and his friends for passing them out and wearing them!Here he is opening his Presents early Sunday before we left!

Savannah and her friend modeling the shirts for me! Since I was gone no one got a picture! The funny thing is I have had people ask me if they can get one! They are all gone! HAHAHA

The Funeral

It was so nice to see so much family at Grandmas Funeral! I know she would have been very happy! Although we will miss Grandma very much it was a nice day to visit with everyone! I know she is very happy with Grandpa!Lauren and Grandma Marlene

Steve and Derek BFFS

My husband is such a goof!

I love this one! He is such a hoot!

Grandma Bagley

This Picture is the way I will always remember my cute little Grandma! She taught me so much! She also loved me so much! When our family was going through so much she was the one who came and took care of us! She taught me how to sew which I use almost everyday! She taught me how to make swiss steak - A family favorite! She also spent many hours at the piano and I continue to use that talent in church. She also taught me to crochet little baby bibs - which I will start again and try to keep her legacy in that small thing to pass on to my grandchildren! She always called me her cute little Dru! I loved hearing that! I knew she really loved me! We will miss you Grandma but know you are very happy now with Grandpa!

Who Knew!!!!

Derek had another football game tonight- We knew he could catch . . . . he is a wide reciever - We knew he could tackle . . . . he is a linebacker - But what we didn't know is he can also kick! Our Kickers were out for various reasons and when we showed up to the game tonight guess who was kicking off? Yep - Derek! He also had 3 PATs! After the game he told us he was as surprised as we were! HEHEHEHE I guess his younger years as a soccer player really payed off! Here he is setting up the ball for the Kick off! He did great! I know I shouldn't be surprised but when you have watched your son play football for 6 years - And have never seen him Kick the ball - I was a little worried!

Here he is with one of his Extra points!