.books i read in 2012.

I’m afraid I didn’t get as many books read in 2012 as I have in the past…perhaps Pinterest took up too much of my time?! ;)

• Middlesex
• Summerland
• The Future Homemakers of America
• Most Talkative
• Skinnydipping
• Becoming Sister Wives
• Flat-Out Love
• I Am Nujood, Age 10, and Divorced
• The Pioneer Woman: From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels
• Mockingjay
• Catching Fire
• The Hunger Games
• Eva's Story
• One For the Money
• The Pregnancy Project
• The Magic Room

.pickle backs.

Yesterday, I got to go to the Tri-Cities with Nick, Kate, & Kamryn to run some errands and then meet up with the Clark’s!

Kamryn had super cute french braid pigtails – seriously adorable!

It was so great to see Chris, Candace, Delt, & Libby! I was at the Lake this summer and missed seeing them, so it had been about 10 months since I’d seen Chris & the kids last. They are growing up so much!

 

 

These two are so cute together!

 

 

 

We left the kids with Dale & Ginger, Chris’ parents, and went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Even though it was past our birthdays, Candace took a quick ride on the saddle!

 

We went to the mega liquor store – did some browsing and a little beer tasting…

 

and then met up with Delt, Mari, and their friends at Uncle Sam’s Saloon. They had been there for quite a while and were having a grand old time! One of their friends ordered Pickle Backs – which look as nasty as they sound. I didn’t even have one and they still made me cringe. It was supposed to be a shot of whiskey followed by a shot of pickle juice – but they came already mixed together. Dis.Gust.Ting. Chris had THREE – and we made a quick getaway after the 3rd so he could get something to cleanse his palate. I think it’s permanently damaged after that nastiness.

It was so fun to get to be with Chris & Candace – but makes me really miss getting to be around them all the time. We are keeping our fingers crossed that they’ll come back to the area before too too long!!!

.christmas eve with the Heider’s.

Even though I would love to go to Mexico for Christmas every year…I was so happy to be back with the family for Christmas Eve and our traditions.

We went to Mark & Kim’s for lefse dinner before church – and the grandchildren picture.

Where’s Grandma?!

We went to Grandma’s new house after church for the exchange game – and I know why it’s sometimes called Dirty Santa! It was a rowdy game this year and lots of fun!

Alex got to open the first gift

 

which Mark wrapped himself! 40 scratch tickets wrapped around a jar of homemade pickles!

 

It was so fun and relaxed this year – everyone really enjoyed themselves! There were great gifts that got traded around A LOT – makes the game much more fun!

 

 

This was the funniest moment of the whole night! Kim opened this gift – a “Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul” book. She flipped all through it and was nervously laughing - “what’s this about?!”

She finally looked underneath it and found a Nordstrom gift card! We were laughing so hard and Amber was the one to point out, “Mom! You got schooled at your own game!”

Kim is famous for giving gifts like that in the exchange. An enormous bra with a Victoria’s Secret card…a paper plate with a gift card to a restaurant…a hideous 80’s sweater with a gift card to a clothing store. It’s always fun to see what she comes up with – but it was even funnier to see her caught at her own game!

 

Mark & Kim gave Grandma this locket with a picture of her and Grandpa in it. I think it was the best gift of the night – she loved it and it was so special!

 

More family pictures…

   

Scenario: Grandma just took a shot of Fireball!

 

Scenario: Amber just threw up…

again…

 

We miss you Lisa & Melissa!

 

 

Scenario: F U Melissa for not being here!

 

A wonderful Christmas Eve – love my family!

.christmas.

I did a lot of baking this year before Christmas…truth be told, it kept me from doing any more online shopping once I was “done” with my Christmas shopping! I tried some new recipes from Pinterest and made some of the tried and true ones too.

I made White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge (click for recipe). It calls for Peppermint Extract…I made one batch with the extract but it was too overwhelming. I made the 2nd batch without extract and it was much more enjoyable!

Mom & I rolled out Sugar Cookies while watching “White Christmas” on my iPad. It was perfect! That’s one movie we watch every year without fail – but it was the first time we watched it on the iPad!

 

Christmas morning was low key – just Mom, Dad, & I and then Dad picked up Grandma later in the morning. We were all up early so we watched “The Family Stone” at 6:15am! We got ready for the day, made breakfast, got Grandma, and then finally opened gifts around 10:30am. We enjoyed opening gifts, called Felix & Elsbeth in Switzerland, and scratched our lottery tickets. Mark, Kim, Karlye, Amber, & Alex came in the late afternoon and we played some cards and Just Dance.

Coco loved her new “Koko Chanel Perfume” toy!

 

We had a White Christmas! It began to snow around noon. We got about an inch and a half or so. Just enough to cover everything and give us a White Christmas.

 

.crayon wallet.

I made this little crayon wallet for Kamryn for Christmas. I saw some of these on Etsy (where I did most of my Christmas shopping this year!) and bought a pattern.

I thought Kamryn would enjoy it and it’s the perfect size to throw in a purse or bag to have paper and crayons at the ready!

.heider hooligans 2012.

For a few years now, my extended Heider family has been saying we need to get together…we need to get together…let’s see each other somewhere other than a wedding or a funeral! We used to get together at Christmas time each year, but haven’t done it for about 20 years. Since then, the 3 Heider brothers have passed away (my Grandpa Walt and his brothers, Robert & Alvin) so they were greatly missed at this party – but would’ve LOVED it if they were there!

We went to my Mom’s cousin Jim’s new “man cave” – it was unlike any man cave I’d ever seen! Jim has been on a few safaris and has brought back some incredible animals. I’m not into that, but it was pretty amazing to see all of them. I think he was just missing a giraffe and maybe a hippo. :)

It was so great to see everyone and just get to hang out! We don’t get to do that often enough!

Here’s some pictures from the day – most of them taken by my Mom’s cousin Lori.

This was the whole group that was there.

Ping pong was popular – although mostly with the Ritzville Heider’s. :)

Wendy and Kim – they were friends growing up and then Kim married into the family so now they’re cousins! So fun! Wendy claimed one of the fox pelts and wore it around throughout the night!

Jim, Amber, & Mark

 

Amber rocked Alaina to sleep and then Alaina stayed asleep in her arms for a few hours!

 

The original Heider girls – Lori, Mom, and Wendy

 

Alaina – the new generation!

 

Shane & Gavin

 

BJ & Amber

 

Martin & Wendy made the trek from Bellevue – it wouldn’t have been the same without them.

  

My aunt Kim, Wendy, and my Mom

These three handsome guys were all born the same year -
BJ, Mark, & Jim

They were having Black Velvet and water in honor of their Dads!

 

These three lovely ladies all teach 5th grade – the best Heider 5th grade teachers in the state!
Aimee, Amber, & Wendy

Gavin and Shane

 

Uncle Gavin and Alaina

 

Grandma and I – I think someone else must’ve been taking a picture of us!

 

My crazy Uncle Mark!

Go Grandma Go! :) Fireball with Wendy!

 

Handsome bunch of men – BJ, Kelly, Jim, & Dad

  

so cute – Lori & Mom

The A’s – Andee, Amber, Alaina, and Aimee

 

 

AH! Karlye finally got here!

Gavin, Karlye, & Mark

Ah – we left early and missed this fun cousin picture!

 

The Jo’s – they have all the fun!
Mom, Karlye, & Wendy

 

Karlye double fisting it to catch up with the rest of us!

 

 

 

Can’t wait for the next one! Love the crazy Heider’s! :)