Christmas 2009

I know... I'm way behind. I'm getting lazy and busy all at the same time.

Ashton's School Christmas Concert

Family Home Evening- Building a Gingerbread House!

Family Christmas Concert

Ashton learned how to play Jingle Bells on his guitar

AJ learned Jolly Old St. Nicholas on the piano

We invited Grandma and Grandpa Likes and Aunt Nicole over for Christmas Music and Dessert. It was fun to show off the boy's talents, and Aunt Nicole even played some songs for us to sing along to. We enjoyed the evening.

Christmas Eve was spent at Grandma and Grandpa Likes'. We read stories, ate food, watch movies, laughed A LOT, and opened PJs. Ashton read The Polar Express this year. It was noted that it wasn't the same as Uncle Cam, but he did a GREAT job.

Christmas Morning

Smiles all around. Star Wars, Trains, Dinosaurs, Fishing Poles, Movies, Hunting equipment and Jewelry. Everyone got EXACTLY what they wanted for Christmas!

Ashton's 8th Birthday

Ashton turned 8 this past week. It proved to be a GREAT birthday, despite bad weather. On his birthday we had to cancel our day plans (McD's for lunch and the skate park) due to a sleeping baby brother and rain. That night we invited Grandma and Grandpa Likes and Aunt Nicole over for presents and cake. Ashton received A LOT of LEGO Star Wars from Grandma and Grandpa. Which he loves, of course. They also gave him a builable Light Saber. Jeff helped the boys build the LEGOS over the weekend. Aunt Nicole gave Ashton a Baseball DVD/ Board Game and a Star Wars card game. VERY COOL!! Aryk and AJ gave him Star Wars toys, and Dad and Mom gave him...

A Ripstick! He has been asking for one, for a while. We thought they were a little spendy, but Jeff found one on a steal of a deal, and we couldn't pass it up! He was so excited, he wanted to go ride it BEFORE he ate cake!


Here is his first try on the Ripstick. It was tricky, and it took him... one whole day to get it! He picked it up fast, thanks to a friend and the DVD.


This Birthday Cake isn't super exciting, but I was working on the party for the next day and Jeff helped keep this one simple. Ashton thought it was fun, and chocolate cake always tastes good!



Just ask Aryk...

He was really enjoying the cake, until we laughed at how messy he was and I started snapping photos and threatening a bath. SORRY little man!

The next day was Ashton's "friend party". We had planned for an outside Harry Potter "Tri-Wizard Tournament" pool party. But it was RAINY. Really rainy. Crazy, I never thought that weather would be an issue in August! So, we changed the party to a Harry Potter/ Wii party indoors. Yeah, I never thought I would have 10 boys in my house at the same time either! It was fun. Ashton has GREAT friends.

So... here's the set up...
We set up the counter to be "Honeydukes" the candy shop. We had edible wands, chocolate covered "cockroaches" (they were really cinnamon bears), "Bertties Bots Every Flavor Beans", sour worms, and gummy lizards. For the birthday cake I actually made Wizard Hat cupcakes. And we also had "Butter Beer". YUM!!! What a sugar loaded spread!

Ashton has been asking to learn guitar since he was 4 years old! We told him he had to learn piano first. So, when Ashton was 5, I started teaching him piano. He has done well. He knows the basics of reading music, and the notes on the staff. So lately we have been doing some guitar shopping. Looking at sizes, prices, what we are willing to spend. Ashton even offered to use his allowance money to buy a guitar. This helped, because we knew he was serious! Ashton received money from Grandma Holbrook, for his birthday, to help pay for his new guitar. He also received some cash from Grandma June, Grandma Ashton, and one of his friends. So... Jeff took him shopping, and they bought his guitar.

Jeff bought him a beginner guitar book and DVD, and he has all ready learned a few things. He is excited to take lessons. We are hoping his guitar teacher will be available this week!
Thanks to Grandma(s)too!

Rock On!

The boys held their first Rock Concert over the weekend. It was a BIG hit!! I think we have some budding talent on our hands. Ashton has been asking to play the guitar for about 3 or 4 years. I told him he had to learn to play the piano first. He has done really well with the piano. And he reminds me when it's time to practice and have a lesson. He even volunteered to play at school once! So, it might be time to get him a real guitar and guitar lessons.

AJ enjoys watching "Imagination Movers" on Disney Channel. He REALLY likes Scott and his goggles!

The captive and not -so- captive audience.

Our Family Christmas Dance

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Merry Christmas and...

Happy Anniversary to Alyson! Here is my early Christmas and Anniversary present-

We have been storing Jeff's mom's/ sister's piano at our home, for the past year. Nicole moved back to the Boise area this summer, and 3 weeks ago, moved her piano to her place in Kuna. Ashton and I were sad. I have been teaching Ashton how to play. He has loved playing. I have loved having music as a release. We heard about the Piano Gallery having a liquidation sale here in Boise. We figured we would go look, just to see if it was really a sale. We fell in love with this piano. It was the color we had talked about. The sale price was the price we had talked about. It looks really nice. We took four hours to look up the brand, talk about it with Jeff's mom, my mom, my sister, each other, call other music stores in town, look up customer reviews, etc. And FINALLY we decided to buy it. They delivered it at 10pm that very night! I have a piano, a nice piano, that I can play anytime I want! It is a Pramberger Signature Series 110t in Mahogany Satin Finish. Here is a link to their website http://www.prambergerpianoco.com/products/pv110t/index.htm

Here are more photos of us playing the piano in our home! With this new piano AJ has decided he like to play as well. With this excitement, I have started teaching AJ to play!

I am so thankful to my parents who encouraged me to explore my musical talents. I am thankful to my Grandma Holbrook for being my first piano teacher. I remember going to her house on Tuesday nights eating Ramen Noodles for dinner and sitting at the piano with her. I am thankful to Carol Peck for being my piano teacher until I was 16 when I decided I was too old, too busy, and too cool to keep taking piano lessons. I know these are all after the fact, now that I am grown... but I was thankful then too!

I am thankful for Jeff's parents also. They encouraged music appreciation too. Jeff actually took piano lessons for a little while. Can't remember a lick of it now, but he does have an appreciation for those who have the talent to play the piano.