Have a Yule that's Cool

Christmas favorite things:

Picking out a tree
12 days of Christmas gifts from Bella
Ryder! All we want or need this Christmas
Trent building his rink
sub-zero temps (for the rink)
"Sparkly lights" -- Gabi
Mary's song on the CD player in the car "This is Jesus's mudder's song!" -- Gabi
The "big kids" catching the vision of what Christmas is all about
Teague reading the 12 days of Christmas stories each night
Granny is coming to town!!
Cancer days are long forgotten as we hug our boy full of health and strength and wisdom
New friends
The classic movies: Grinch, Elf, Christmas Vacation, and It's a Wonderful Life
Wondering what Trent could possibly be surprising me with?
Thinking of others
Dark evenings so I can't see that I haven't dusted
Ryleigh already negotiating how early she can wake us up on Christmas morning
Ryleigh waiting for Santa's letter back to her
This:




Quote: "Cleaning a house while you have children is like shoveling while it is still snowing!"

Like winning Lord Stanley

This weekend we went to Missoula MT for a hockey tournament. It was Teague's team, the Spokane Jets. His first year, his first tournament. They earned their way into the championship against Idaho Falls (who beat them earlier in the tournament 9-4). It looked as though they would lose a hard fought battle again as Idaho Falls carried a 4-2 lead into the final 10 minutes. But the Jets soared in those final 10 minutes scoring 3 goals, the winner with 25 seconds left to hand Idaho Falls their only loss of the tournament and earn the championship!! Teague said it felt like he had just won the Stanley Cup.

I never knew that coaching could be so rewarding and that I could feel so happy for that group of 16 kids who worked so hard and were so excited. It was fantastic to see Teague feeling that sense of belonging with his teammates and accomplishing something difficult to do. Every second I see him on that ice is like a miracle to me and I know that it is just the beginning of many more miraculous memories to come. It was difficult not to think of the last time I saw Teague pointing skyward when he was going through a battle of a different kind. This time he points his finger skyward with joy in his heart for the success he felt...this time like any 10 year old boy would feel.

Teague's Poor Wife!! & my Sales Pitch

I have been a Heritage Maker for a long time. I am a founder of the company... I am a teacher by trade and I am just learning to be a sales person. I have learned from both my teaching a sales experience that you have to share what you are passionate about and so, with that, I have a sales pitch for you this holiday season that I just can't pass up sharing on my blog.

This is one of my Christmas gifts to my 10 year old son-- a poster for his room I made of Teague and his dad at Halloween. I excitedly showed it to a friend the other day and she gasped, "His poor wife!"



"What? My son is ten!!!" I replied.

Then she explained. "Your son is ten and he is going to love that poster and he is going to hang it in his room and then carefully peel it off his wall and take it with him to college, then he will insist that his wife let him hang it in their house.... He will NEVER throw that gift away. His poor wife."

"His poor wife." I agreed.

Side note: this gift cost $12.95 and everything else he has asked for on his list is over $100 each. I am also MOST excited to give him this little gift over every other. It will never be thrown out.

Heritage Makers helps you make heritage-rich gifts like this. Heritage is more than old photos it is Halloween, for example, that Halloween party was more fun GETTING READY for than the actual party... Teague and Dad going to the thrift store looking for just the right stretch pants in the women's section. Looking for platform boots and spraying them silver, finding the perfect rocker hair... It wasn't just a costume party, it was a bonding experience, it was a dad sharing his love of life, & his passion for 80's-hair-bands, with his son.

How can you get started with Heritage Makers?

I recommend starting simple and trying out our online system of just dragging your family photos into our fun holiday templates... start with our greeting cards this year.

Everyone needs a great Christmas card and we have AMAZING prices until Monday, Nov. 23rd. See prices or ask me how you can get yours FREE (hint: by sharing these great packages with your mom, aunt and so forth, see break down of sales rewards)



This would be a great intro to the Heritage Makers system. AND I am here to help... I will even throw in a free poster credit if you do one of these card packages and you can memorialize your own crazy memory and drive your son's future wife crazy! :)


Check out what I made for my brothers and sisters, mom and dad for Christmas all at once-- photos are from our family reunion in July and I asked all the grandkids what they thought it meant to be a "Gibb":


My website, if you are interested is www.doctorstorybook.com (I do the business with my mom, Sharon Murdoch).

You can email me candacemay@gmail.com or call me at 509-688-9250 if I can help you with something.

Celebrate your heritage with your children! (Even if it involves silver-leopard-women's stretch pants).

Candy

Our little Pumpkin, inside a pumpkin

Me: (Great idea enters brain about taking a photo of Ryder in a pumpkin, I process idea and figure I have a couple minutes to make it happen so I could then have a lifetime to enjoy this photo) Go get that huge pumpkin outside!

Trent: Why (Yankees are on TV, no desire to move from couch, it's Halloween at 5pm, hungry)

Me: I want to take a photo of Ryder in it.

Perry (Trent's dad who always tells us what MIGHT happen): You can't do that he will freeze in there Candy!

Aaron (our friend): If "Vanilla" won't get it for you I will! (Calls Trent "Vanilla"--long story)

Aaron brings in large, 32 lbs. pumpkin & places on kitchen table

I move kitchen table closer to natural light

Candy: Sid, put the baby inside (he was wrapped in a yellow blanket so no pumpkin guts get on him and to keep him warm)

Sid, Trent's lovely mother, is always ready to go with my crazy ideas.

snap, snap, snap,
turn him this way,
snap, snap, snap

Edited out some background distractions in photoshop.

Note: The baby was not cold, he didn't even cry once. Memory captured and already Heritage Makers project of 4 12 x12 prints (celebrating my 4 little pumpkins over the years) have been ordered. (Thanks to Jan Tenney for taking the one of Gabi as a chicken).

Click here to see the project... I plan to frame them all and use a Halloween decor for the rest of my whole life. (note the images will print clear, this is just a representation on the image)

Party like a Rock Star!

We were invited to the Alteneder's annual Halloween party last night. Aaron didn't think Trent would dress up and if he did dress up it would be as a Yankee. Well Trent showed a new side when he showed up as Kiss Rock Band!!

We had a blast! Here is a shot of Paul Stanley, Rock Star, getting into his minivan with his four kids and rock star wife. He also had to stop for pizza.

Gene Simmons (Teague) had a blast getting ready for this fun night!

Gabi was Snow White and had her eye out for any poison apples. She got to wear "makeups" said, "Mirror, mirror on the wall.... who's the fairest in the mall..."

Ryleigh was a "Puffle". This costume is the envy of all her puffle-crazy friends. Mom felt like a hero making this costume happen for her this year with the help of a very kind neighbor.

Ryder cried and cried as we got ready for the party. I think we scared him with our face paint. Poor little guy. He was a kitty-- the 4th member of the band, but he stayed in his car seat and slept through the traumatic party.

These are the days we will always remember.

Poop Happens and the Best day ever!

Funny photo of Teague discovering that maybe he doesn't want to "raise" the new baby "as his own"...





Teague helped clean the baby up by helping give him a bath... (love this shot)





See that little blemish on Teague's chest? It is where his "central line" was surgically placed when he had his 11 months of Chemo. This little mark is a constant reminder of the blessing it is to have our boy with us in great health. We are so grateful. Which leads me to this...

Saturday, Oct. 10th was a "perfect day" in Trent's book. He watched Teague have his first experience playing hockey. All parents feel pride seeing their children experience fun, new things, but there a little sweeter satisfaction when your child has been through all that Teague has been through.

Trent gave Teague advice before the first practice and said, 1. have fun... these are the best days of your life 2. Don't worry about how good other people are 3. and HUSTLE (If you are going for the puck, give it all you've got!)

That is good advice for us all, isn't it?




Meet the new "Gretsky" (no pressure Teague)...

He listened to his dad's advice and had fun, and hustled out there! He scored a goal during a 1-1 drill and I cheered like he was in the Stanley Cup playoffs! I have a little bit of my Grandma Gibb in me and I don't care if none of the other parents cheer during practice.

GO TEAGUE!!!

our boy

Can't stop taking photos of this wee boy! He just napped and ate... like you can't tell that from the photos!

I regret to inform that his eyes look like they will be brown like the others, I only regret this because I was hoping one might look like the mother. I must admit, I love chocolate eye color and having 4 sets of these gorgeous eyes looking at me is wonderful!

Happy October!!!!

First smile captured!

Manly- corn

Shania Twain??

our little pumpkin!

Ryder's Blessing Day

Trent blessed our 4th and final baby today at church. It was a wonderful day!!



Gabi Started dance last Tuesday. She will be successful in dance if she keeps the attitude she had this very first day. She was so enthusiastic and listened to her teacher. She refers to herself as a baller-ella.


















Gabi after her birthday party... almost falling asleep coloring.

Yankee Tradition/ Gabi turns 3!

So much has happened in a month...

• New baby... July 27th
• Bella and Granny visit
• Yankee game in Seattle... Trent wanted to take both his boys and start a yearly tradition
• Candy & Trent's birthday --still in the 30s! (THANKS for the camera mom, you will notice my photos will be looking better now)
  
• Cross the CND border for immigration
• Gabi's 3rd birthday
• Back to Seattle to Children's Hospital for a check (tomorrow)

The best of this month has been our new baby, visits from family, gifts and well wishes (thanks so much... we feel loved and spoiled by our friends, neighbors and family), and just yesterday our little girl turned 3 and we had a nice celebration.
















Gab-a-licious the "d-lo", chocolate eyes, "what's your favorite color? now ask me my own favorite color." x 100, screaming at Teegee, sharing a bed with Ryleigh, PINK is her favorite color, friendly to everyone she meets, "Are you a poppa?", talking on the phone to bella, granny, & poppa, "Daddy you came back, I knew you would come back!", nursery aka "church", momma's girl (maybe the next one will like Trent best), shoes, purses, make-ups, and "pretties"... looking forward to the next 3 years with our little Gab-a-licious!
















Daddy: Gabi, what kind of cake did mommy make you?

Gabi: One with boobies on it.
(so nice to have older siblings)

More images of Ryder. he is a good baby. went to the yankee game last week... will post photos of that soon.

I love boys!

Born Monday at 2am

Ryder T. Grayson May

9 lbs!!!! glad he is our last one!

I just love having a little boy in the house again.
He is perfect.

the HOTEL

A friend of ours came over and saw the monstrosity that Grandpa bought for our kids and called it "the hotel." That is exactly the perfect term for it.

Thanks Grandpa, the kids will love it and it will be the best babysitter while we welcome in a new baby in just over a month from now.

We won't be leaving the house after July 4th, but, thanks to Grandpa, the "hotel" is a vacation in and of itself.

Some Favorite Photos of Spring

Slides
Sunshine
Sleep (because of all the sun and fun)

Tulips