2009 Reflections

What a busy year we have had and how fast it has gone by! Cooper turned 4 in January and has had a big year! He has started preschool at our church in preparation for Kindergarten. He has made lots of new friends and is really enjoying it. He has learned to ride a bike and recognize TONS of words by sight...which I guess means he can spell! He also learned to swim after some private lessons in NaNa and GaGa's pool. Cooper and Ryan also did lots of hunting...with Cooper's first dove hunting excursion. *Please note...they made me add that. Cooper also went on his first fishing trip with my parents this summer to Rock Bridge...I think this will be an annual trip! Sadie girl...where to start? In the last year she has learned to walk, talk, potty like a big girl and sleep in a big-girl bed. She now has a mouth full of teeth and a head full of hair. Her vocabulary is HUGE and she's starting to string words together. She is definitely a girly girl! She has an opinion about her wardrobe and shoes. She love babies and her new kitchen! Ryan started a new job with API in February and has really enjoyed the change of pace! He is gearing up for session to start here in a couple of weeks...boo. We have also been lucky enough to travel quite a bit this year...Canada, Mexico, Chicago, Texas...just to name a few places! I have just wrapped up my first year in the cupcake business and am thinking I may be ready to move to the next step...which would be marketing my business. We will see where that goes...I'm thinking of starting with a food blog and some freebies on Facebook! Will you be a fan?? I also turned 30 in November...enough said on that one. We have also had a residence change this year...selling our "first" home and moving into a GREAT new house! We were even lucky enough to be welcomed into my parents home for a little over a month during the interim...FUN! Our new home has plenty of room for everyone to have their own space and is the perfect place for entertaining! There is a big yard for the kids and...dogs. We have a new addition to our family in the last couple of weeks. I will save this for a post all by itself...but we have a new lab puppy named Zac. We were very blessed in 2009 and can't wait to see what 2010 has in store for our family! Happy New Year!

Breakfast with Santa!

NaNa and I in our holiday wear...

so not planned, but happens ALL the time!

She has great taste!

Sadie patiently waiting for Santa to call her name.

When the time came, she had nothing to do with him

and wouldn't even take her gift!

Cooper giving his best, "Ho! Ho! Ho!"

Bo Jangles the Reindeer...this was too cool!

Have you even seen a reindeer?

This weekend we headed with my parents to have breakfast with Santa. This has become a yearly event and we all enjoy it! It starts with a great spread and then moves into a visit from Santa. Santa has a gift for each child and calls them out by name. It's so great to watch them in anticipation! This year Cooper and Sadie were some of the last to be called and you could see the fear in his eyes. Was I good? Am I on the Naughty List? Oh no! After the chaos of the gift opening we were able to meet a real reindeer...complete with a sleigh! Sadie was too into her new baby, so she missed the outdoor fun!

HO! HO! HO!

Christmas Blessing Mix

Cooper was given a treat bag of Christmas Blessing Mix from his very thoughtful Pre-K teachers. Attached was this message. As you enjoy this treat, turn your heart and mind to the first Christmas.

• Animal crackers remind us of the animals at the manger.
• The chocolate star reminds us of the star that announced Jesus' birth.
• The pretzel sticks help us remember the shepherd's and their staffs.
• The bugles remind us that the angels trumpeted the arrival of Jesus!
• Cheerios remind us that there was ZERO room at the inn.
• Lifesavers remind us it is only through Christ's free gift we are truly saved.
• And M&M's...turn them upside down to make W&W and remember to Worship & Wonder at the arrival of our great king this season!

It's been fun to pick through the munchies and talk about each part of this message!

Christmas Cards - Take 235

Oh. My. Goodness. There is a reason we hire professionals to take pictures of our families. Here are a few of the "out-takes" from the first and last Christmas Card Photo Shoot at the Rowden House. How hard could it possibly be to get them to 1. look at you, 2. smile, 3. be nice to each other, 4. sit still and 5. at the same time. It's IMPOSSIBLE! As you can see...I finally threw in the towel and gave them candy. Merry Christmas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Thanksgiving Part 2!

Some of the Rowden Boys

Ryan, Stanley, Grandpa Rowden, Aaron, Wade, Jake and Ronnie

Most of the crew!

Thanksgiving Day

We have so much to be thankful for! Here are a few pictures from our turkey day. I was so disappointed to not get pictures of the turkeys! They were gorgeous, but Ryan was excited to get them carved! We hosted a houseful of Ryan's family and had a wonderful time! I have some pictures of the whole bunch, but for some reason I can't seem to get them posted all together...boo. Anyway, our first holiday as host went off without a hitch...if you don't count the roasting pan problem. I thought I had it all figured out. I needed 2, 2o pound turkeys to feed this bunch. I would cook them together in the early morning hours. I borrowed 2 HUGE roasting pans and had them side by side all week long on my stove...and they fit perfectly. However, as I excitedly dressed and tied up my turkeys, I slid them in the oven side-by-side and shut the door...or NOT. Are you kidding me?? They were too deep...DUH! So...this happy hosted spent the night on the couch waking up every hour or so to butter up my birds and cook them one at a time! I have a couple of new dessert recipes we tried and LOVED! The first one came from Betsy...pumpkin cheesecake truffles and can be found here. I omitted the orange zest and doubled the batch. Tasty! The 2nd recipe I found on Cuisine Nie for pumpkin spice whoopies. It can be found here. I dusted these with powdered sugar to make them pretty and served them on a cake stand...so yummy and easy! Enjoy!

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Cooper referred to this one as the Binky Pie. Pie was cooling and Sadie Re LAUNCHED a binky...marvelous. This one was quickly spread with Cool Whip.

Daddy and Sadie reading before the guests arrived.

Mommy and her helper.

Here are some of the little guys (Sadie, Cooper, Case and Clayton) enjoying their lunch in the laundry room. Whatever works, right?