2nd Annual Triplet Christmas

This past weekend we went up to Phoenix to celebrate the 2nd Annual Triplet Christmas. The three families get together for the day and it is always a lot of fun. This year, they decided to have a golf tournament for those that wanted to golf. I wasn't planning on golfing, but someone backed out at the last minute and I was able to step in. We had 16 people in our group. It was so much fun. It was my first time golfing and there were a few other cousins who hadn't been before too. We spent most of the afternoon out golfing and have a blast. There was even an exploding golf ball too. I am hoping to get the video of it, it was hilarious!

When we got back we had dinner. This year Oregano's catered it. One of our cousin's manages an Oregano's so we got hooked up. It was delicious and there was virtually no clean up. We also decorated gingerbread houses again. Tanner enjoyed eating the decorations instead of using them to decorate...but that just shows that he is a true Spade. They love their chocolate! We also played games around the fire, it was so much fun.

There were sooo many kids this year, nine to be exact. They all ran around in the backyard, played on the swing set and got a lot of attention and love from everyone. Here are some pictures of the event :)

 

Tanner shooting some hoops

Playing games 

Playing Football

Hanging by the fire

Playing football with Caters

Loves his gingerbread house

Decorating

Tanner checking out all of Aunt Steph's Christmas Decorations

Tanner and Parker looking at the cool lights

Stacy and baby Maddie

Watching him "build" his house :) a.k.a. eat his house :)

Tanner with his nana

Christmas is in the air!

We LOVE Christmas around the Spade house. We try and do anything and everything we can during the holidays. This year so far, we have went to the Reid Park Zoolights. It is much smaller than the Phoenix zoo, but I think we liked it better. Much cheaper, less crowded and more to do. We invited our friend Mike along and Tanner just loves him. We don't exist when he's around, lol. Sorry the pictures are sideways, I can't get them to upload to blogger the correct way...I need to save them as .png files, but I can't for some reason... Just tilt your head ;)

 This is how the night started...with a grumpy, napless toddler...

 Poor Mike carried him most of the time, Tanner was so attached to him, it was adorable

 Tanner LOVES lights

 Not a good picture, but the only one we could get before he squirmed his way out of my arms and into Mike's

Some of the lights, it was really pretty.

 Tanner checkin' it all out

Best buds :)

Each year we go to this street in Mesa where EVERYONE decorates their homes for Christmas. It is amazing. I have been going to the same street for over 10 years. It just isn't Christmas without going. We get hot chocolate, bundle up and walk through the street. Tanner LOVED it. He would yell, "WOW!" and "LIGHTS!" the entire time. It was pretty cute. 

 "WOW!"

My mom just came down this past weekend. While she was here, we made sugar cookies. This is becoming our tradition. Tanner was able to "help" this year. He enjoyed eating all of the cookies that broke apart. He said, "YUM!" all day. I also made snowman pancakes on Sunday morning. It rained all day Saturday, so it was really cold, and nice warm pancakes were just what we needed. I added chocolate chips as the coal.

We also put up our tree last week. Tanner loves to look at it. We got a new star for the top that changes colors. He picked it out. Our tree looks soooo small in our big, empty front room. We really need to get furniture or do something with that room...

Turkey Day...A Little Late!

This was the first year that Adam and I hosted Thanksgiving at our home. We were really excited to have our family come down and stay with us for the holiday. My uncle Matt did the majority of the cooking, but everyone pitched in. We spent the day cooking, watching football, playing football, napping and playing games into the night. It was a blast. Here are some pictures of our day :)

 Tanner is hanging out on the basketball court while the rest of us play football.

 My mom and part of Adam at dinner

 Tanner enjoying his mini-feast

G

 

Getting a little shy because everyone at the table was watching him try his food

     All done with his food :)

 

Walking around out front collecting his rocks

 

Tanner Met Santa...

This year we are so excited to experience Christmas through the eyes of a child. Tanner was still too little last year to understand what was going on. This year, we took him to see Santa. You know, sit on his lap and take a picture...well, Tanner wasn't having it. We got to the mall around 9:30, thinking that it would be on holiday hours, we were wrong. Didn't open until 10. We walked around and found Santa's area. Tanner walked around, pointing out the lights and Christmas decorations. At one point, he snuck through and ran around to where Santa was getting ready. It was pretty cute.

Santa was nice and came over to us and said hi. He gave Tanner a high five and talked to him. Then we went to sit on his lap...he was happy fine talking to him 3 minutes prior. The second we sit down...he starts screaming. We even sat with him and he wasn't having it. The photographer continued to snap away. We went with the funniest picture they took

Thankful #22

We are thankful for the Christmas season. We both LOVE this time of year. It is filled with family, friends, baking, eating, games, shopping, lights, decorating and giving. There is always something to do and someone to see. People seem to be in a lighter mood and are more aware of how they treat others. I wish it could be like this year round. We hope everyone has a FANTASTIC holiday season!

Thankful #21

Today we are thankful for doctors and nurses. My mom had successful surgery this morning. She had a lumpectomy and is doing well. We find out in a few days what the results were. We are thankful that her mammogram caught it early on. Also, Tanner had a little rash on his tummy and we took him to urgent care on Sunday. The doctors and nurses were amazing with him, despite him screaming bloody murder almost the entire time. He is NOT fond of the doctor's office. By the end of the visit he seemed to be much calmer. It turned out to be nothing major, but the doctor and nurse helped calm our fears.

Thankful #20

Today we are thankful for Thanksgiving Day. It was always a big day for my family growing up. Everyone helped cook all day, football was always on the t.v., we played games well into the night. It is something I look forward to each year. This year we got to host our first Thanksgiving at our house. My mom and uncle, cousin and his girlfriend all came down and stayed with us. Matt did most of the cooking, but everyone helped a little. I took my mom and cousin on their first black Friday shopping excursion. They were surprised at the deals, and I think I may have hooked them ;)

We hope everyone else reading this had a fantastic Thanksgiving and enjoyed it with their loved ones!

Thankful #19

We are thankful for our co-workers. I started a new job and I have found my co-workers to be amazing. They have been so helpful, thoughtful and positive. It is never easy to start over and be the "new" one, but my transition has been as smooth as can be. So thank you team, you all rock my socks off! Adam is also thankful that he manages a branch with people that have been there for a long time and are dedicated to the company. We are both lucky to have jobs, and to work with great people.

Thankful #18

Today we are thankful for not having to set our alarms and being able to sleep in as long as Tanner let's us. We have both been working long hours and not getting enough sleep, so this four day weekend is nice because we don't have to set an alarm and we get to snooze a little longer :)

Thankful #17

We are thankful for FRIDAYS!!! Fridays are what keep us going. We can always countdown to Friday and see the light and the end of our tunnel. Getting to Friday feels like an accomplishment sometimes and the weekend is to celebrate making it through! Sooo....Happy Friday Everyone!

Thankful #16

We are thankful for music! Without music, our days would be very dull and boring. We both listen to music throughout our day and on our drives to work. We teach Tanner new things through songs and he also is a lover of music. Music can lift our spirits when we are down. We all have songs that we can hear that bring us back to a certain time in our life, whether good or bad. Music makes our day! :)

Thankful #15

Today...we are thankful for Caffeine! We work long hours and have a toddler. Enough said! Caffeine gets us through our long days!

Thankful #14

We are a little behind on our thank yous....

Today we are thankful for all of our pets. I felt a little bad only giving a shout-out to Oliver earlier. Bailey, Charlie and Chloe are all part of our family. They all provide us love in different ways. Bailey is super sweet. She will walk over and put her paw on your leg/lap/face (etc.) so that you will pet her.

Chloe is a sweetheart too. She is a cuddle-bug and loves to be around people. She is always there. :) She has been keeping us warm since the weather cooled down.

Charlie a.k.a. "Mr. Independent" is cool cat. Pretty much too cool for us, but he does occasionally come around and let us pet him. He has been with me since college and I love him lots :)

Courtney and Jeremiah's Wedding

It has been a year full of weddings! On 11-11-11, Courtney (Adam's cousin) and Jeremiah got hitched! They had the ceremony and reception in Kent and Karen's back yard and it was beautiful. Tanner got to go and he was dressed up and looking handsome. It was fun seeing family and having a great time. Courtney was absolutely stunning and her daughter Natalie was so adorable! After the wedding, the siblings (Adam, me, Ryan, Katie, Catie) and Kent went to Cracker Jacks to ride go-carts and play mini-golf. It was hilarious. We were the only ones there, so we got to keep going on the go-carts, and going and going, to the point that we pulled over and asked them to let us out! Haha, we all felt a little nauseous when we were done. It was good just getting together and hanging out. With everyone being so busy and some living far away, we have jump at the opportunities that arise.  Here are some pictures!