We're Ready!!

We've completed the Christmas orchestra concert . . .

We've got snow . . .

We've baked and baked and baked! Come on Santa we're ready!!

Thanksgiving 2009!

Wonderful holiday -- spent with family! We went to Colorado this year (yes, we drove our new Tahoe! -- it was great to have the space!) Would you belive that I forgot my camera!! Of all things -- thanks Lynnea for sharing your camera and photos with me! Daelyn and Tyler both came from Arizona. We partied every day -- stayed up late and woke up early when the kids got up! Thanksgiving morning we went to the zoo with Jessica's in-laws. It was a perfect day full of sun. The animals really put on a show for all of us!


Back to the house for the feast! We just keep eating, eating, and eating. Mmm, Mmm, Good! Shopping started at 10:00 p.m. -- so away we went to the outlets! I must say, the older I get the less I like to be in crowds. But, we had fun and Sid especially liked staying up with us until 2 a.m.!

The rest of the time was spent playing cards, playing catch with the football, playing in the creek, and napping!

To end our trip, we spent time with Aunt Carol and Uncle Larry on Saturday night. Aunt Carol is a great Grandma! She really entertained us with pizza dinner and making play dough with the kids. We laughed and laughed at some of the play dough art the kids came up with! The amazing part -- Cole's snowman and Sid's Christmas tree actually made it home! We are grateful for a perfect, relaxing holiday!

Pumpkins and Leaves!

Just a sampling of what is to come . . . the trees are still FULL of leaves!

Grandpa and Grandma Anderson came to visit this past weekend. Perfect time to carve pumpkins when Grandpa is in town to help!

Fall Break

This year for fall break we had the opportunity (thanks to Grandma Joyce and Gil) to go to Yellowstone! It was a Gierisch reunion! The kids would have been completely happy staying at the cabin for a week! We stayed the first night in Burley with Grandma and then headed to Yellowstone.


Joycie's turn to have HER picture taken!! I think this is the only picture I got of "adults."


The highlight of every "camp" experience (cabin is my kind of camping!) is the fire!!



Can't find the boys?

Landon is Rett's idol!

On our drive through Yellowstone this is what we came across on the side of the road! There was also elk, but I really wished we could have seen bears for the full experience!

The last stop on our Yellowstone trail -- Old Faithful! What a great trip! This may become tradition!

We Did It!

Yeah - yeah, we did it!! Rett has finally decided he is ready to be a "big boy" and not wear any more diapers!! What a happy day! The last potty training I will ever do! WOO- HOO!! It did take buying a couple of different pair of underwear before we found the right character who would help get the job done. Thanks CARS!

Tyler's Wedding

Twice in one year! I got to go to Seattle a couple of weeks ago to see my little brother get married in the Seattle temple! We had so much fun! All of the kids on my Dad's side of our family were able to be there. Dale was so good to me and stayed home to take care of the kids.


Daelyn hadn't been to Seattle for several years, so we got to go and do all the sightseeing. We ate plenty of fish and chips and spent time at Pikes Place and the waterfront. This trip was so good for both Daelyn and I to escape life a few days!


Dad took us around to see the "old houses" where Daelyn and I spent our summers growing up. It was so fun to bring back all of those memories. We even got to go inside one of the houses -- the house in Kent where we spent our "teenage years."



I finally got to meet Heidi - my new sister-in-law! It was great day!



This is all of us (excluding Tyler and Heidi who were long gone on their honeymoon!)! We were just heading out for our last bite of fish and chips on Alki beach, then off to the airport to head home!