Nostaglia...

I got a coupon for a free Shutterfly book...and since I'd just made one of the kiddos I was at a bit of a loss. This coupons is too good to pass up...so what would I want to put my time and creativity into for posterity? How about that FFA scrapbook I never did/completed? PERFECT!!
So here is a link to my creation:

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly allows you to customize your photo book just the way you want.

Long overdue update...Fall 2011

Now, sorry I've been terrible about keeping in touch the last couple months...it's been a steep learning curve with my new job and it's definitely been keeping me on my toes - get home at the end of the day and by the time Chuck & I get the kiddos wound down, well I'm just ready to crash!


DeMCougs have been staying busy to say the least. As I mentioned, I'm getting the hang of being a college faculty - loving my students and wanting to shake sense into them at the same time. :-) They are a bright and naive group, but I learn from them when I least expect it and have been learning more about me in the process too.

Chuck is keeping busy at the furniture store and when he does have free time, he and Dustin are out lowering the coyote population. We both went out deer hunting - he was successful, I was not - and we both went elk hunting with Dad this year. It was a great get-away and camping trip, and we saw some elk...none we could shoot, but good to see animals anyway.

We are headed to Chuck's uncle's cabin for Thanksgiving...it was something I proposed as a nice get-away back in August...and now it's turned into a big DeMeerleer deal...cousins, aunts and uncles, grandma, you name it except for Chuck's immediate family who are staying on the Westside of the state. It should actually be a lot of fun - lots of card playing, 4wheeler riding, snow *hopefully* and football games (the Cougs have their annual rivalry game next Saturday). Not the quiet holiday I was originally thinking of, but hey, there's always Christmas right?!

Grace is loving preschool - they have "class" on Tuesday and Thursday down at the daycare which is VERY handy...and she's still doing gymnastics. She's working on a cartwheel right now - needs to get the core strength to get her feet over her head, but she's got the concept anyhow.

Kellan is talking up a storm...and now we can understand more than we don't so it's starting to get really interesting since he's picking up EVERYTHING...from us and from Grace. He's also getting into coloring lately so we have to keep an eye on him because to him, tables, walls, arms, Apollo...are all fair game to add a little color to. :-)

 
 

I think that's us in a nutshell for the past couple months...I will definitely try to be better on the updates - and I already have our Christmas photocards printed...hoping to get labels printed and decide whether to write and include a year-summary letter this weekend so I can get them in the mail after Turkey Day.

VetMed raft trip 2011

Fun times on the Lower Salmon River!! It was a beautiful closure for me and my 6 years with the College of Veterinary Medicine. Thanks so much for the fun, sun and of course, for bringing the Cougar flag!

VetMed raft trip 2011

We had an incredible 5-day float with 17 DVM students/partners and 3 faculty members. The sun was shining & hot, the water was cold & running fast and the waves & rapids were gnarly!

Here's the link to the pix: VetMed raft trip pictures

G's ABC dance recital

Graceful Grace



The moment before the fun begins....



Click on this link to see grace in her winter recital...she is in the front row on the far end.

 Grace winter recital

Grace's Point of View

For Christmas Grace got a pink digital camera. These pictures are her perspective on the world! Click on the picture and it will link you to her point of view.

The Aftermath



DemCougs Christmas 2010

Well, Christmas has now officially come and gone and the 4 of us survived...for the most part.  K is in the background having a tantrum right now from lack of sleep/battles with sister over new toys/enough juice & sweets to kill a small rodent.

While Christmas Eve was a late one for us, Christmas morning G & K actually slept in until 730-ish...which might lead you to believe that we slept in also...but NO.  I was up at 6am and that was that.  So, last minute cleaning, starting on some of the days cooking, hot water for candy cane green tea (a new favorite thanks to my awesome sister) and Sirius Christmas music.  Finally, once everyone else was up and at 'em...it was time to see if Santa came & what he brought.  Grace was tickled pink to get the Sleeping Beauty doll and mermaid Polly Pocket that she had been asking for (it's because Santa got her letter - according to her).  Kellan got a CARS chair kinda like a pink one his sister has, but when it bucked him out twice in a row...he wanted nothing to do with it.  He also got a light up spinning wand that was a big hit.

Later that morning when the family arrived and we'd stuffed ourselves silly with Smoky Chicken, rice, stuffed peppers and more (yes, we went nontraditional thanks to a communication snafoo between me and my sister) we relaxed in the living room and let the chaos begin.  All in all G & K did very well and got some cool stuff that they have been playing with non-stop since the wrapping paper hit the floor.  Chuck and I were also blessed with some great gifts from our family - but the best was just seeing and spending time with all our family...especially Chuck's parents who were able to come over for the weekend.  We also trekked out to Uncle Jim's house to see some extended family, witnessed some killer karaoke and the first half of the Coug game.  Although the Cougs ending up falling to Butler...we all agreed they were going to have a great season!!

G picking out our Christmas tree & LOVING the snow.



Not quite Rudolph, but you're getting the idea



Really Mom...bows on my head??



  

 

Loving his tractor & horses



 

Grace & her Aurora

 

Our family is close but also quite spread out and our thoughts always came back to those who were too far away to be with us in person, but they were definitely in our hearts as we celebrated the season marking our Savior's birth.  Hopefully all of you had a great Christmas as well and remembered the true reason for the season!!  Blessings~~  

Karaoke queens




Christmas Eve eve

Still up...as much as I should be getting sleep given the festivities that lie ahead, but after getting our Christmas cards out much later than I wanted and forgot the return address - as well as the year-in-review letter that I wanted to include...I figured maybe one or two people would look here for an update.  Maybe...
So with that, an update!
Grace is anxiously waiting for Santa and Christmas!!! Kellan...well he just wants to take about the lights on the tree and aggravate his sister in any way he can.  Letters went out to Santa a couple weeks ago (and so glad that I had to help write them to get a few ideas) and now it's just waiting to see if we'll get some snow to make it a white Christmas.
The semster ended in its typical whirlwind fashion for me -- I passed both my classes, even the mini-comp final in one of them (super stressful, but great practice for the real thing in a couple months) and got all the vet school stuff buttoned down.  Chuck has stayed busy at the store...as well as with city council, house projects and just keeping up with the kiddos.  We are both looking forward to staying home for Christmas and having a fairly low-key holiday.
I am starting to get sleepy, so it's off to bed and more to come soon!!!

Westside Thanksgiving

The kiddos and I made it to the westside Saturday afternoon for a week of family-time and a DeMeerleer Thanksgiving.  So far there has been LOTS of cousin fun, some baking and a few glasses of wine.  Here's just a few of the photos and videos of the fun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOZ47U4UJKM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA9gkTzpxv8

A quick moment...

I am supposed to be doing homework...I have a ton of it to get accomplished in an absurdly short amount of time (& I haven't even been procrastinating...) but I did take some time out this weekend to enjoy and be amazed by incredible family.  There are a bunch of new pictures on the Picasa site and some new Youtube videos as well.  I got to watch one of G's dance classes and got a video of the dance they are learning for their recital in January...as well as a couple videos of the kiddos in their respective swim classes.
So now, back to reality and homework...hope you enjoy these little moments!!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPc6-nRz8rw  (G's dance video...more on the DemCougs channel)