So much to be Thankful for!

Thanksgiving at mom and dads! Nothing like it! This year my two sisters and older brother spent thanksgiving with their significant other's families, but my little brother and Don and I were there! Also in attendence was my dear childhood friend Annie and her family. She has 4 beautiful children. Their newest, Viola, was adopted from Ethiopa and was brought home to Oregon in September. She turned one Oct 28th! It was a true blessing to spend her first Thanksgiving with her. Don's mom also made it to our Thanksgiving table, making the table complete! We had so much food and we just had a fabulous time catching up. I looked around the table and realized how blessed I am to have an enormous wondeful family, and dear friends to surround myself with. This year Don and I were blessed with another healthy baby boy! Little Kellen Patrick is pure joy wrapped in a tiny package! Our family is healthy, we are happy. Yes, so much to be thankful for!

Sheila, aka Maimo!

Dad and his beer!

Mom posing with the cranberries!

Mom and Viola! Look at that face!

Tom - Jubilant because he has a coffee nudge in hand, and because the Broncos are beating my Giants... Harummpf!

The kiddos playing!

More playing!

Kara and baby Kate come for a visit!

Kara with her baby Kate and Tasha's oldest daughter Ava.


One of my dear friends Kara whom I went to University of Portland with and we also studied in Salzburg together, married a Spaniard and moved to the beautiful San Sebastian to be with him - WHATEVER! Now we only get to see her about once a year! But we try to make the most of it when she comes to town. She just had a baby Kate in July, about a week before Kellen. She had to leave her darling husband Iker and their adorable almost 3 year old Ander at home! We all gathered at Tasha's house in NE for some soup, salad, wine and CHOCOLATE! It was a fabulous time! Oh, I almost forgot to mention Frank Galluzzo's (Kara's dad) awesome swedish meatballs!!!!! It was so great to see her, and so sad to see her go. She probably won't be back until next August.... Sigh.

My mom is 60! Holy Crow!!!!!

So my mom is 60, wow! So cool. The siblings and I have been planning a surprise party for her at the coast for several months now. We had several "planning" sessions which involved food, yummy drinks, oh and some planning too. We finally pulled it off last weekend. My dad drove my mom to the coast and when they arrived at the beach house "Surprise" we all jumped out at her from every nook and cranny. In retrospect, seeing as how she is 60, we probably shouldn't have startled her so much. But she survived and the weekend was a huge hit complete with a slide show on Friday night and a skit of all of our favorite memories on Saturday night. It was a fabulous weekend and I think my mom really enjoyed it. I realized when I got home that I didn't take as many pictures as I thought.... I think we actually took more video with out new FLIP. But here is what we took.

Little Stinker!

This is how I often find the diapers in the nursery! This usually happens while I am nursing Kellen. But how can you be mad at the little guy. He is just too cute.

Just organizing mom!

Little Stinker!