.Melissa’s Connell Shower.

Melissa’s first bridal shower was on Saturday in Connell. Special family and friends hosted: Kim, Karlye, Amber, Amy Kleinbach, & Tiffany Schneider.

It was so…Melissa!

Melissa asked for a Pampered Chef party and was treated extra special by her sweet friends and our dear friend Kendra, the Pampered Chef consultant.

Karlye and Amber played Vanna for a matching game that was very fun!

 

Here are some of the special people that helped us celebrate!

Melissa & Grandma

 

Mom, Melissa, & Ryan’s Mom, Michelle

 

Melissa’s reaction to hearing how much money people gave her in the “Wishing Well!”

 

We played Pampered Chef Bingo!

 

Melissa and her bridesmaids:
Amy, Tiffany, Melissa, and Angie – Kelli wasn’t able to be there.

 

Our beautiful Heider family:
Karlye, Kim, Amber, Melissa, Grandma, Mom, and I

 

Melissa and I

 

Amy & Melissa

 

Melissa and her Connell Elementary teacher friends:
Sarah Dinkins, Bonnie Weir, Melissa, Karol Hockaday, and Kimberly Brandner

 

Grandma and Mom with Melissa

 

Melissa was blessed by her wonderful friends and family and got to pick almost everything she wanted out of the Pampered Chef catalog! It will be like Christmas!

.supah star.

My cousin Craig sent out an email on Friday night said, “If you’re watching The Oscars on Sunday night, you might see a familiar face.” Um…what?! THE OSCARS?!

We watched with anticipation and were so excited to see Craig singing with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles during the opening monologue with the host, Seth McFarlane.

So totally cool!

The song was called “I Saw Your Boobs,” which I thought was hilariously ironic for the Gay Men’s Chorus!

 

Yeah Craig! So proud of you! :)

.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!

.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! :)