Best of 2011

I try to steal ideas from Kelly only when I think they're really good :)  But halfway through this project, I realized, I don't really like summing up my whole year in 12 little pictures (although I'm sure my husband would love that ;).  But, it's good discipline, so this was the best I could do!

January:

 February:

 March:

 April:

May:

June: 

 July:

 August:

September:

 October:

 November:

 December:

Happy 2011, you all!  And best wishes for 2012!



Anniversary Vacation

So, it's official.  11 years!  And since I recently bought a 2011 steelhead fishing license, and fishing being the thing du jour, I let Joe talk me into a trip to Orofino for our anniversary.  Orofino happens to be a very small town in Idaho, a town whose claim to fame includes not only a state prison, but also an insane asylum.  But, it also boasts some of the finest steelhead fishing in the state.  At least, in December.  And, even better than that, a Best Western with the roomiest little suites I've ever seen:

This is one half of the suite.  The other side has a kitchen and a full-sized hot tub.  Not too shabby, Orofino!

I can do a decent amount of casting if I'm promised a long soak in a hot tub, and a 50 foot view of the river, TV, & fireplace all from the comfort of my pillow.  Joe threw in a fine bottle of LV and I was sold!

See, I'm fishing!!!

 The company was fantastic, but the fishing was no good.  We didn't even get to use the fish-cleaning room in the hotel.  I kid you not:

There was a moment there, when my lure was fraternizing with the moss at the bottom of the river, that I thought I might've nabbed one of those little buggers, but. . .no luck.  The adrenaline lasted me another 1/2 hour or so, so I think that's promising!

Christmas Day

Finally, morning arrived.  We got all ready and ramped up the Christmas music and the kids all came running.  Not one of them needed waking up this year, which was a first I believe.

Ben was especially impressed with his orange :)

Joe doles out the piles of gifts. . .

We tidy up our piles of fun, and then head back to the grandparents for even more. . .

We have cinnamon rolls and pack up our little treasures and again head back to our home for more napping.  Meanwhile, grandma and grandpa are back at the house roasting up a prime rib for our Christmas dinner!

We bring over our favorite toys, eat, reflect, and relax.  What a beautiful way to wrap up our celebrating!

Merry Christmas!  Especially to our parents, who shower us with many blessings and gifts, cook and bake and clean for us as we come and go.  We know how fortunate we are and we feel so blessed.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve morning starts at the Rosauers parking lot at 9 am.  We caravan with the cousins out to Viola and do some more gift-unwrapping and once we are completely crowded in with toys and ribbon and wrapping paper, we get out brunch.  It's always the same and always huge!

The kids still have gifts to open from the cousins, and then the run off and tear the place up.

We party ourselves out there, and then every one of us heads straight to bed for a long Christmas nap. . .then dress up and off to the Christmas Eve service.  Which I love!  It's reading the Christmas story and singing all the Christmas tunes, including Joy To The World, which Ben has been polishing up all year.  There is nothing like little kids' voices lifting up Christmas hymns at the top of their lungs.

Then we head over to the Casebolt clan, and everyone is there!  We have more amazing food and play the newlywed game, which Joe and I won yet again!  Yahoo!  Josh and Shawna are quickly catching up with us, so we might actually have to study next year :)  More cousins, more champagne.

. . .and wine and chocolate, of course!

Eventually, Joe and I head home, tuck our little cherubs in to bed with stern Christmas warnings to stay put until the Christmas music plays the next morning.  And then we set to work. . .moving furniture out of the way so all the gifts can fit.  God has blessed us, and I love showing the kids how much.

Alas, the sleds are yet unused. . .no white Christmas (or even December) this year. . .

Does anyone ever sleep Christmas Eve?

Happy Christmas Eve Eve!

It's possible you've been introduced to the Casebolt family Christmas schedule, but maybe not.  We like to start a day early and do everything at least twice.  It's a big holiday, so why not spread it out over 3 whole days?

Christmas Eve Eve at my parents'.  Really awesome food.  Lots of cousins.  Missing this year, our Sawyer branch who were down and out with the flu-bug :(  Fortunately they were all bright-eyed by morning, and fortunately, we celebrate over multiple days.

A touch of champagne for the littles.  In the smallest wine glasses ever.  Ben love love loves the stuff :)

After dinner, Gpa reads the Christmas Story and I'm assuming these reverent little fellas are bowed in prayer:

Then we like to do Gma and Gpa presents to the kids that night, when it is exciting to break in early.

Then the kids all cuddle up for Garfield's Christmas (a Sawyer fam fav) and the adults play some bingo.  This year, powerball was on the table.  I haven't heard yet if we've won the 125 million dollar prize, but I have my wish list ready :)

So festive, and as I'm typing, already so far away. . .can't wait till next year!

Happy Birthday Joe!

We started celebrating Joe the weekend before his birthday, when all the Casebolts from the North could make it down. . .we lit up his cupcakes like the 4th of July.  Fortunately, he had lots of little help to extinguish the flames.

 He spent his actual birthday on the river, which ended up being the best fishing day EVER!  They had the river all to themselves and landed three large steelhead.  Joe made it home in time to open some gifts with the kids. . . and then the traditional 4 lb. king crab leg dinner.

 Kelly calls it "the Susie-Homemaker". . .

Dee-lish!

Happy Birthday, husband!