Our big girl is 10!!

Happy Birthday to our big girl Nicole.  Friday was her 10th birthday (double digits baby - as she would say).  Last weekend we spent time in Sequim with our family celebrating Nicole, Uncle Rick and my birthday.  It was a great time and TONS of fun.  For birthday dinner Nicole chose Famous Dave's.  It is a barbeque restaurant.  Saturday she had two of her school friends over for a Sleepover party.  Fun was had by all.  Today we are going SHOPPING!!  Looking forward to the next 10 years and what is to come.  We are so proud of Nicole and the young lady she is becoming.  Here is her birthday interview:

Favorite color:  Yellow
Favorite food: Cheese, pickles and tomatoes (not all together)
Favorite singer:  Carrie Underwood
Best part about being 10:  Double digits
Worst part about being 10:  Sometimes you still aren't old enough to do things like sit in the front seat and babysit yourself 
What should people know about you:  You love animals 

When she was born - she was a fighter.  We were so scared.  It was day to day for awhile.  But she was strong and she was meant to be in this world! 

2 lbs 8 ozs - February 25, 2001

1 year birthday!

10 year birthday!

 New webkinz (I'm telling you - we should invest in this company)

 SHOPPING BABY!

 Great grandma and great grandpa Bekkevar (my mom's mom and dad)

 Fun balloons

 Again - SHOPPING BABY (thanks G-mama and Papa)

 Movie time!

 Girls just want to have fun

Wii - Just Dance 2

Happy Valentine's Day!

Cards from the Wilskey's - my sister is SO creative

Nicole made this card!  The best Valentine's card EVER!!

Week of February 12th

The weeks are flying by - which is typical for tax season.  We are fast approaching a few monumental days in our family.  Valentine's Day (I guess not monumental - but lovely just the same), my birthday on the 18th  and Nicole's birthday on the 25th.  We will be heading over to Sequim next weekend to celebrate the birthday's with my family as well as bowl in my dad's building association bowling tournament (just for fun - not that we are good bowlers).

Here is what we have been up to:

Nicole has been sick for over a week now :(  Missed all last week of school and had high fever, runny and stuffy nose and horrible cough.  She seems to be getting better (slowly) and is really hoping to go to school tomorrow for Valentine's Day.

Nicole and Marty are working on her first science fair project.  Science was not my thing.  I didn't do well in it when I was in school and am not the creative one in the family.  She is doing an experiment on what produces the most fizz when you combine it will diet soda - rock salt or mentos.  She thought mentos...it appears the tests are saying it is rock salt.  Experiments are due end of the month  - will update you later on how she did.

Ashley started and ended her basketball career :)  She was going to do YMCA basketball and went to two practices and realized it isn't her thing right now.  She likes to dribble and shoot but not so much all the other stuff right now.  She would much rather be cheering on the sideline doing kicks, jumps and clapping.  She will be starting jazz dance class next week :)

Here are the girls with their new Webkinz they got for Valentine's Day from grandma and grandpy (thanks!!).   I will some day post a post of the Webkinz invesment we have at this household - it is insane - but these stuffed animals are something they play with more than any other toy they own.

Hope everyone has a great week!
Happy Valentine's Day

A New Pet

So a few weeks back Ashley got her first pet.  We haven't killed it yet :)  so thought I should introduce it to you all.  This is Angel.  She is a goldfish that Ashley picked out as her first pet.  As most of you are aware Ashley is allergic to cats and dogs.  So, of course, what do our kids want more than anything...a dog.  We have a cat, Princess, who is Nicole's. Once Ashley became allergic she became an outside cat and is actually quit content with that..coming and going as she please.  Knowing that we can't get a dog...we thought maybe the fish would fill some of that void of needing a pet.  Ashley fed it for probably a week and now it has become dad's job...along with feeding the cat.

Starting into my busy time of year...so will do my best to post now and then.  We have birthday's coming up this month and next...so I will at least be posting for those.  Can't believe our 1st born is about ready to be 10!!  She is growing up fast.

Have a great week!

Busy Week and Weekend

Don't have pictures to post but had to get a shout out for the Seahawks game tomorrow.  Had a busy week at work and "kicked" off the season with a work bowling party last night - which was a ton of fun! Now will be at work M-Sat to get it all done.  I love my job and this time of year is exhilarating and exhausting all at the same time.  It is when I get to see all my clients and make a difference in their financial life. 

Heading out today to the Monster Truck Show.  The girls and Marty (not sure who the most :))  LOVE it.  I am indifferent but they have so much fun I wouldn't want to miss out!  Will post some pictures of big trucks soon.  Then tomorrow watching the game at home.

Have a great weekend everyone and let's hope our Hawks can make it happen tomorrow!!!

Go Hawks!

I got a great surprise yesterday....Marty's friend Chris called him to ask if he wanted to go to the hawks game with him.  You might not know, but Marty isn't a hawks fan.  Don't get me wrong, he doesn't dislike them but he didn't grow up in this area and followed them since he was in 4th grade, going to numerous games with his dad, idolizing Curt Warner and Jim Zorn.  Ok, ok...that was me.  So in the end, the person who had the tickets (a friend of Chris') ended up selling them to ME!!!  I decided to ask Nicole to go with me - but she didn't want to go.  It ended up working out ok...because when Ashley came downstairs and heard I got two tickets she instantly lit up and said "yeah...I want to go SO BAD". 

So...we headed out at 3:00, got up to Seattle, parked, walked, found our seats and cheered on the Hawks to an awesome win!  She was a trooper and was really engaged in the game.  Almost as much as she loved her popcorn, licorice and rootbeer.  We left a little early (it was a late game and Ashley had school the next day), but on the way to the car we already started planning the next game and how we were going to take the train up and bring dad and Nicole!

This brought back wonderful memories of going to games with my dad.  He started taking me when I was in 4th grade.  I loved the Seahawks and loved spending those Sundays with my dad and hope that one or both of my girls will become huge Seahawks fans and we can celebrate the football seasons together.  I look back and wish that I hadn't stopped "loving" the Seahawks when I got into college.  Just like I wish I hadn't stopped practicing piano when I was 13.  Why do teenagers/young adults do the things they do?  Easy to look back on it and see how it didn't really make sense now but then it made perfect sense? 

So here is to many more Seahawks games with my girls!  Go Hawks!!

Busy....busy...busy

The days are flying by right now...lots going on around here with school, work and the Holidays.  Saturday Nicole, Ashley and I went to the Christmas parade in downtown Puyallup which ends with Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving on a firetruck.  We hadn't been to this event before and it was alot of fun.   They then did a tree lighting ceremony.  We decorated the house as well as did some shopping.

I have been taking vacation from work every Tuesday and helping in Ashley's class in the morning and Nicole's class in the afternoon.  It is one of the best things I have ever done on "vacation" and am going to miss it when I am not able to go during my busy season  Today was report card day and we are so proud of the girls.  They are both great students - excelling in their classes and they LOVE school.  Being able to see them in their school setting has been very rewarding for me.

Tonight we went and visited Santa and then more shopping.  Tis the Season!!