Monday, November 29, 2010

New Header and Thanksgiving fun

A big thank you to Nikki who designed a new blog header for me!  How nice!! I had been debating whether to change it but I don't know how to do all that fancy photoshop stuff. Thanks Nikki for helping me out. Please check it out!

We are alive and well. Had a great Thanksgiving week with the whole family. Here are a few of the things that we did:

-Flew to Sacramento, CA (Yes, the WHOLE family) where we met my parents (AKA Opa and Oma) and spent the evening and night with our dear family friend, "Aunt Sharon"
-Visited the CA State Railroad Museum and strolled.......with 7 children and two grandparents...... through Old Sacramento, enjoying peanut butter taffee and early Christmas decor....a FUN experience
-Experienced the famous In-N-Out Burger...YUM.....wish they had 'em in Oklahoma
-Drove with my parents to Reedley, CA where we spent a few days in my aunt and uncle's guest house and enjoyed my aunt's and mom's wonderful Thanksgiving cooking and chased kids around
-Spent some quality time with one of the best Grandmas I know
-Picked some of the best granny smith apples I've ever had in my life
-Listened to my kids perform and my dad preach at my grandma's Sunday night church service at her retirement center
-Spent a day at my uncle's mountain cabin where the kids rode snowmobiles and had snowball fights
-Watched my boys learn to work with wood and metal, thanks to my Uncle Steve. We brought home a homemade knife, a handcarved "Jude", and a set of farm benches for my long dining room table (YAY).
-Received a surprise visit from Santa Claus (AKA Uncle Steve)
-Said a tearful goodbye to my 92 year old Grandma....Man I wish she was closer!
-Three-day road trip from Fresno to Tulsa, via 15 passenger van with Opa and Oma
-Took 7 kids to the Grand Canyon (Can we say STRESSFUL)
-Visited Grandma Urban in New Mexico, plus John's brother and family
-Arrived home late last night with a million and one things to get done today.....


Thanks to Opa and Oma for a super fun trip! Thanks for putting up with all the noise and bickering in the backseat, not to mention 101 potty stops for Zoya, whose bladder must surely be no bigger than a walnut!

Pictures coming soon.......

14 comments:

Morgan Paige said...

love the header! what a great picture!
sounds yall had a great trip!!

Deb D. said...

YAY! You're back. Missed you all.
Love the new header!
Another wonderful Urban adventure. Another reason why I think your children are having treasured childhoods. Laughed at the "stressed" comment about the Grand Canyon. Can't imagine how you got the benches home!
Sounds like everyone had a great time.
And wondering if it is just me and my computer, or is some of the headings on this page odd? The title above this comment box is "eae ou commeDt". For the "Choose an identy" options, I have "oog Aoa Sig 0", and Op, R, and Aomo. Just wondering. :-)

JennyH said...

WOW!! you crammed a lot into a small time frame. Grand Canyon? I want to go but I want to wait until the kids are a little older.

Sounds like fun all around.

Cammie Heflin said...

Love the header, missed you guys! Glad you had a wonderful trip!

June Berger said...

So glad you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family.

Mandy said...

You are insane going to the Grand Canyon!! But then again I am afraid of heights and about had a nervous breakdown seeing other people's kids while there! LOL

Merany :) said...

Y'all are the bravest people I know. Haha. Awesome blog header! :)

Anonymous said...

I shall call you Braveheart!

Jan

Anonymous said...

Always love to read your blog! Wonderful family you have, inspiring it is.
Opa and Oma??!! That sounds familiar!! Where are you from??

Greetings from the Netherlands :-)

Charissa said...

Anonymous from the Netherlands,
My great grandfather was Dutch, thus "Opa" and "Oma". :)

Kristy said...

Love your header!!!

jennifer... said...

Oh my goodness! When you said you "drove in from your Thanksgiving trip" I thought you meant to Marlita's or something. Ha!

Anonymous said...

Hi from Sacramento.
So glad you are back safe and sound with new memories to cherish. You enjoyed your first visit to Old Sac? Fun, huh? I'm so thrilled I could be a part of your adventure, and cherished every moment with all of you, including the earlier meeting with Marlita and Juan and their sweet kids. I DO love the new header! Yikes, the Grand Canyon....I don't remember Opa saying anything about that one, but it doesn't surprise me that you tackled that, too. And benches? How did you get that in the van? Good grief! You guys all amaze me.
Love you all,
Aunt Sharon

Anonymous said...

Thanks Charissa, so you're a little bit Dutch as well :-) Such a nice surprise!

Warm regards!