WINNER, WINNER, Chicken Dinner

Congrats to Miss Lindsay for winning the cool Photo Challenge from the Standard Examiner.....

Better view of the winner....

Pinch me......I must be dreaming

As seen on http://www.people.com/

After months of speculation and rumor, the Kids are coming back. A well-placed source tells PEOPLE exclusively that New Kids On The Block are indeed getting back together. The band's Web site, http://www.nkotb.com/, which had been dormant, is now back up and running in anticipation of the official announcement, which the source says will be made in the next few weeks. The site currently features a television graphic with a fuzzy, flickering photos of NKOTB in their heyday, and a link inviting fans to sign up for info.The boy band, which made legions of tweens swoon in the early '90s, selling more than 50 million albums, became a worldwide phenomenon before calling it quits in 1994. Eighteen years later, they're still "Hangin' Tough." The oldest "Kid," Jonathan Knight, now a real estate developer, will turn 40 later this year. Since the band's demise, former members Donnie Wahlberg, 38, and Joey McIntyre, 35, have seen acting success, while Danny Wood, 38, has worked as a music producer and Knight's brother, Jordan, 37, has continued to record.

***Note from Andrea - Okay, now I used to be one of their biggest fans back in the day, but SERIOUSLY??? Come on now! ***

There She is......Miss America

Sunday night was our annual Miss America Pageant Viewing Party. We welcomed a new guest to our party, Miss Kaylee, since she has now reached the ripe old age of 10 and is eligible to attend the party. We enjoyed many many hi-carb treats (ya know, since we didn't make the final 16). And made sure to point out any and all flaws of each contestant. Dad/Grandpa dropped in for the swimsuit competition since, as he puts it, he's never met a bikini he didn't like. It was loads of fun, see for yourself!

Tiaras REQUIRED, sceptors optional!

Pageant inspired brownies

(That's a tiara if your pageantly challenged)

Talk about your sore losers - just kidding. We were acting out how we would like to see the crowning of Miss America go........

Oh and just for the record - the new "reality show" format pretty much blows!

Happy Birthday Marlee & Bradee

We had a combined family party for Marlee and Bradee since their birthdays are so close. It was nice to see everyone (for a few seconds at least). We truly appreciate our family.

Here's the girls with their cakes -

Marlee got an "Enchanted" cake and Bradee went for a Littlest Pet Shop cake.

Opening presents......

Here's one of Marlee's presents from the family.....

Yay! A big girl bed - all decked out in Tinkerbell! (oh and she's wearing tink jammies from Grandma Diane and Grandpa Dave - sooo cute!)

Mom's battle wound from putting the bed together

(it's a long story, but pretty much it's something only I could do!)

Marlee's other present from the family was her "ipod" She's so thrilled to be just like the big girls!

One more picture I couldn't resist.......

Ever heard the saying.....

"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart"?

Well we feel truly blessed to have so many "footprints". Thanks to everyone one who came, we love you dearly. And to those who couldn't come, we love you too and missed you being there.

Jek! We're praying for ya Grandma!

In Loving Memory.......

Gordon B. Hinckley

June 23, 1910 - January 27, 2008
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2560294

Polar Bear Club

While mom was trying to finish the last Chapter of Twilight Kaycee and Marlee were busy too..... They dressed up their babies for a day at the beach,

Then proceeded to dress themselves in swimsuits as well and layout in the entry way

Welcome to the Polar Bear Club!

They seem excited for summer already, I am too though with all the snow! Watch out swimming pool Grandma!

Oh, and be sure to check out Marlee's cool slippers she's stylin' with her swimsuit!

Re-takes!

We had to re-do our "formal" family pics cuz they turned out a little too dark the first time. Here's our family and the girls :)

The "Toothpaste Doctor" & lunch with Aunt Becky

Friday was Marlee's first visit to the dentist. She was such a big girl, she got up on the chair for him and opened her mouth. SO BRAVE :) Then they tried to do xrays, but.....she gagged too much! Surprise Surprise! She's like the rest of the girls in our family!

Here the girls are playing in the waiting room...

Marlee being such a BIG Girl...

After we dropped the big girls at school, we took lunch to Aunt Becky at work.

Marlee took this picture, I think she did an awesome job!
Love you Beck!

Heath Ledger found dead at 28 yrs old! So SAD!

So sad, I LOVE Heath!

Article from http://www.people.com/

Heath Ledger was found dead at his Manhattan residence, a police spokesman confirms to the Associated Press. He was 28. Police say the death may be drug-related. The NYPD spokesman tells AP that Ledger had a massage appointment at his Soho apartment. When the housekeeper went to alert Ledger the masseuse was there, she found him at around 3:26 p.m. He did not respond when they shook him, and the housekeeper called 911, The New York Times reports. He was pronounced dead at 3:45 p.m. Authorities later said they did not suspect foul play but that pills were found near the body. The New York Times also reports that the apartment in which he was found is owned by Mary-Kate Olsen. A source tells PEOPLE Ledger was subletting the apartment from Olsen. Ledger was last spotted publicly in London on Saturday on the set of Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Photos show Ledger wearing a clown costume. Other pictures of Ledger out of costume show him with long brown hair and a dark goatee. The Perth, Australia, native was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for 2005's Brokeback Mountain, on whose set he met – and began a romantic relationship with – Michelle Williams. Theirs was described by others on the film as love at first sight. (PHOTOS: See a complete timeline and photos from his life.) Their daughter, Matilda Rose, was born in New York on Oct. 28, 2005. Ledger and Williams, who shared a brownstone together in Brooklyn, split in September 2007. Ledger began his acting career in 1996, when he was 17, in an Australian TV series called Sweat. In August 2006, Warner Bros. announced that Ledger would play the Joker in The Dark Knight, a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins

Weeknight Fun

Well if you're ever looking for something fun to do on a thursday night, you're welcome to swing over to our house for a little Battleship or Karaoke on the Star Station :)
Marlee and Mom Playing Battleship

Bradee putting up a strong defense

Kaycee's friend Whitney singing her heart out

Kaycee suprised by sneaky mom taking pictures

HAPPY DANCE!!!

We sold our car, we sold our car! Wahooooo!!!

Cute Kids.....

We went and had family pictures done this weekend - here's a sampling....

Shantel Eddy did them for us, she is very talented. If you love what you see, I can get you her info. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to have your business! PS I recommend waiting till the snow melts if you have kids - smiles just aren't the same when they're shivering :)

Birthday Party Fun

Saturday was Savannah's Birthday Party at Classic Fun Center. They rented the "DJ Room" which had a cool DJ booth and black lights. Happy Birthday Savannah!

Kaycee & Marlee singin' "Bow-Chicken-Wow-Wow" in the DJ Booth

Bradee getting ready to skate

Dad, Kaycee & Marlee

Marlee skating - she preferred to stay on the carpet!

Lunch with Small Fry Farms

Kristel and I decided to check our kids out of school and take them to lunch and spend a few minutes with them. Kristel also watches my kids and others at her home, so we had most of the bunch at lunch with us. All the people at Arby's were looking at us like we were CrAzY!!!

THANK YOU!!!!

Okay, so I know I've already posted today, but I just wanted to put a big THANK YOU out there to all the snowplow drivers. Working in the environment I do, I hear a lot of complaints about snow plow drivers and how they should be doing their jobs. However, we have guys here that haven't had a day off since before Christmas - even when it's their birthdays. And they do the best job they can plowing around cars that are left on the road illegally and trying to clean out cul-de-sacs. So long story short, I wish everyone out there would stop criticizing the plow drivers and just be thankful you have them, so that you can sleep in your warm cozy house all night long while they're out there plowing! Way to go guys! You're AWESOME!!!

Breaking in the "new guy" and stretching their legs - did you know just one of our plow trucks drove enough miles during yesterdays storm to make it to California??? Show 'em some love! <3

Cold Morning at the School Bus Stop

We got to the bus stop a bit early today so we took a few pics since it was too cold to just make the kids stand there and freeze