{ Beta Christmas Party }

Tonight was our annual Beta Christmas party! It’s always a lot of fun – full of traditions that get passed along each year.

The highlight of the night is the exchange game. I brought this quilt this year:

This is one that I made at Priest Lake this summer and had it quilted in Spokane. I like the braided look and love the fabric (Fruitcake by Basic Grey)!

The quilter did a fabulous job – there are different styles of snowflakes all over it with swirls.

We also revealed our Secret Sisters tonight. We have Secret Sisters from January 1-December 31. I had Kara Mauseth as my Secret Sister this last year. I gave her this table runner as part of her revealing present.

I love this table runner! It’s with Camille & Bonnie’s Cotton Blossoms fabric line. I actually sorta cheated…I bought this table runner top already completed from the fabric store in Chelan last year. I couldn’t leave it behind – it was so cute! I blanket stitched around each petal and quilted straight lines around the outside. I love it!

Melissa ended up with my quilt! Lucky duck!

Special Beta Friends:

Amy, Melissa, Marcie, Kate
Jessica, Martha, & Candace

The Koch Gals…

Plus one…love ya Maren!

It was a fun evening – lots of games, good food, and great laughs. Fun way to kick off the holiday season!

birthday surprise!

This afternoon, Grandma, Mom, Karlye, Melissa, & I headed to the Tri-Cities. We made the mandatory Starbucks stop and then got our nails done. We wanted to get something to eat afterwards and everyone decided we wanted Mexican. Melissa & Mom insisted on going to Hacienda del Sol in Pasco – even though it was much farther away than Azteca at the mall. I wasn’t going to argue, so over to Pasco we went.

I was so surprised to walk into the restaurant and see so many of my favorite people! Melissa pulled off a great surprise! I am so blessed to have great friends and family!! It’s not even my birthday until Friday!

Look at all these adorable babies and their awesome mommas!!

Candace & Libby, Lindsey & Ellie, and Kate & Kamryn

I didn’t get pictures with everyone – but here are a few…

Kate & I

My cousin Kevin & I with his scruffy “I’m a farmer now” beard…

Melissa & I

and my Mom and I.

Thanks to Mom & Dad, Melissa, Karlye, Grandma, Kevin & Tiffany, Amy Kleinbach, Fran & Gracee Waters, Jessica Perkins, Lindsey & Ellie Fangman, Doug & Tiffany Schneider, Nick, Kate, & Kamryn Johnson, Gavin Johnson, and Chris, Candace, Delt, & Libby Clark for making my birthday so special!

After lunch, we went to the Mall to shop at the Buckle & Macy’s, got another drink at Starbucks, turned on the Oak Ridge Boys Christmas album, and went to look at Christmas lights! So fun!

Thanks again to everyone who came to lunch and especially my family for the surprise birthday lunch! Loved it and you!

{ I scrapbooked?! }

I wasn’t sure that I still knew how to scrapbook since it has been since April that I’ve done it.

However, this last week with my sewing machine in the shop (which – it’s back! fixed and ready to roll!), I decided to see if I still could create a few pages.

Luckily, I had an inspiring subject!

Also, I haven’t shared these cute Christmas Countdown blocks yet. About two weeks ago, Jessica, Fran, Amy, Bobbie, & I got together to craft. Amy, Jess, & I made these – Fran made some other cute wooden blocks – and Bobbie made a really pretty vase filled with ornaments and Christmas lights.

Jessica found this website – Makia Creations – that we got the kits from. They were pretty quick and fairly easy to make. I think they’re adorable!

More quilt pictures are coming to the blog this week! Watch out!

…2nd in State!…

We got to leave with the cheerleaders at lunchtime on Friday to make our way to Tacoma. Luckily, the pass was bare & wet, so we had a beautiful trip over.

We checked into our hotel and bee lined for the mall. After getting hit by rush-hour traffic, we were all ready to get out of the car and move around.

We walked into Nordstrom (AHH!) and a lady told the girls, “You girls need to go see Santa – he’s on the 2nd floor.” You would’ve thought they were reenacting Buddy the Elf or something – “SANTA?! HE’S HERE?!”
The very nice lady helping Santa let us take pictures with our own cameras so we didn’t have to buy them. Only at Nordstrom!

We all got some good shopping in and met up again to go to dinner at Red Robin, which has become a cheer tradition.

After dinner, we raced back to the hotel to get some swimming in. They had a lot of fun stunting in the pool and flying the girls that are usually the bases. They even got Melissa to stunt with them!

We got up bright and early Saturday morning to get to the Dome in plenty of time to be able to practice on the field. It was really kind of nice to be the first game of the day!

We got in a few team pictures…

…a few with Eli the Eagle…

Then the football team came out and we were ready to rock and roll!

Our captains ready to flip the coin:
Kraymer, Alan, Bryant, & Rex

The boys being introduced and shaking hands with the Cascade Christian Cougars. Here we go again!

Game time! Here we go Eagles!

Coach Berry giving the play to the guys…

The girls cheered their hearts out. For as successful as our football team is, the crowd sure doesn’t cheer along much. The cheerleaders did a great job keeping the student section on their feet.

We made the first touchdown and from then on, it was back and forth between both teams. Up a touchdown – tied – down a touchdown. It was tied 14-14 at halftime.

During halftime, there are a couple traditions:
1. Two students from each school take around a red bucket for people to put cash and change into for Special Olympics. Paxton and Daniel were our two students last year and did such a good job that they got to do it again this year! And – we won! $371 to 320.

2. Ten students from each school stand on each 10 yard line and toss a football down the field and then up the field. It was a close match, but they called Cascade Christian the winner. I think it could’ve come down to a replay!

Here’s Kellie and other students ready to go:

The cheerleaders did a dance/stunt routine during halftime to “I Gotta Feelin’” by the Black Eyed Peas. They were excited to perform this dance and did a great job!!

Here come the Eagles after halftime! Let’s do this!

The game was so intense and the score continued to go back and forth between the two teams. The cheerleaders *may* have done a .little. more watching than cheering. Who can blame them?!

Great picture of Matt making a touchdown!!

This little Riner didn’t think this week’s game was near as fun since there was no snow!! Nah – just found a good place to watch from!

At the end, we just ran out of time! The final score was 42-35. So close. Such a good competition between the two teams!

Congratulations to Cascade Christian for winning the 1A State Football Championship…

and a HUGE congratulations to the Connell Eagles for 2nd place. Second place may be the hardest to swallow, but it is still a huge accomplishment to even get to play in the Dome!

So proud of these Eagles. They are a great team and were a lot of fun to watch all season. Thanks for the fun ride boys!

...blogging daily...

I have a little change in the lineup...

I tried to play along with the reverb10 game, but it's just not for me. Not my style. No guilt here - just moving on.

My friends, the fabulous Wood sisters, posted this blog challenge on their blogs, which seems a lot more realistic and manageable for me...Thanks Janica and Shanae!

30 Day Challenge

Getting to know me.

Each day of the month, write a blog post according to these guidelines below:

Day 1-Recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself

Day 2-The meaning behind your Blog name

Day 3-A picture of you and your friends

Day 4-A habit that you wish you didn't have

Day 5-A picture of somewhere you've been

Day 6-Favorite super hero and why

Day 7-A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

Day 8-Short term goals for this month and when you'll accomplish them

Day 9-Something you're proud of in the past few days

Day 10-Songs you listen to when you're bored, happy, sad, mad, hyped

Day 11-Another picture of you and your friends

Day 12-How you found out about blogger and why you have one

Day 13-A letter to someone who has hurt you recently

Day 14-'A picture of you and your family

Day 15-Put your ipod or shuffle on-first 10 songs that play

Day 16-Another picture of yourself

Day 17-Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why

Day 18-Plans/dreams/goals you have

Day 19-Nicknames you have and why you have them

Day 20-Someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future

Day 21-A picture of something that makes you happy

Day 22-What makes you different from everyone else

Day 23-Something you crave for a lot

Day 24-A letter to your parents

Day 25-What I would find in your bag

Day 26-What do you think about your friends

Day 27-Why you are doing this 30 day challenge

Day 28-A picture of you from last year and now-how have you changed?

Day 29-In this past month, what have you learned?

Day 30-Your favorite song

{goin’ home to the Dome!}

We had a send off assembly at school today for the football team. They’re leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for Tacoma. They are going to defend their state title! It could be a rockin’ weekend around here! They would be the first in school history to win back to back championships!

Bring it back home, boys! Good Luck!

{ december 1 }

Two years ago, I participated in a “Journal Your Christmas” class, I guess you’d call it. I enjoyed reflecting on Christmas’ past, present, and future; recalling old memories and traditions. I started to look around online for something like that for this year and found this: http://www.reverb10.com/the-prompts/. It was just what I had in mind! So – for the next 30 days, I’ll be journaling along with #Reverb10.

Today’s prompt is to “encapsulate 2010 in one word.”

I think the word that encapsulates 2010 for me is

Fresh.

For example:

• Kamryn, fresh from God.
• my new eyesight, a fresh perspective on things.
• time spent at Priest Lake, soaking in the fresh air.
• Fresh starts

What’s your word?

ok, after day #3, I decided this reverb10 thing is not for me. So - day 1 is my last.

Tonight at youth group is the night that we hand out “adoption papers” for the families we adopt. Each youth group-ie (as I like to call them) is asked to adopt a family member and they’re assigned either clothing or a gift. They’re also asked to bring household or food items (specific items listed on cards). I am always amazed at their open and willing hearts to provide for people that are less fortunate. They are so giving and so happy to be able to give these families a Christmas. I’m thankful for our youth tonight!