Christmas with the GANG!

The Gang and I had a great Christmas weekend. Not only did Michael and I not have to work Christmas Eve Night but we didn't have to work all weekend. I am truly blessed to have such an awesome job!

Well that being said...

Christmas Eve was full of fun, Joanna and I made Brownies for Santa and cut up apples for a special treat for the reindeer. Michael and Kayla were watching Lethal Weapon (Novak Favorite). We all opened one present, Joanna got her Christmas PJ's, Kayla got a leopard print bath robe, Michael and I opened a present from Dad and Mom and got Choc. Peppermint Martini Mix AWESOME! So of course we had to try it out, Yummy! It also came with crushed peppermint for the rim. Ya Baby! So we made Santa a special Drink a Milk Martini, with the rim decor and milk inside. It was so cool. Joanna left Santa a note that she was sorry she couldn't find the bell that fell off of Santa's sleigh and left on the ground last year to give back to him. And then she left the pad of paper and the pen (a frog pen) just in case Santa wanted to write her a note. So Cute! Well with that done we all settled in to bed to wait Santa's arrival.

Christmas Day the girls woke Michael and I up around 7:30am (could be worse, I think back on the days we tried to wake Dad up at 4am). The Gang scrambled down stairs and found the brownies eaten, apples all over the lawn (mess made by the reindeer) and yes a note from SANTA!! It said that Joanna was forgiven because she was such a good girl this year and thanked her for the brownies and apples, he loved the milk and that she had a great pen. That was a hit! The girls each found a present outside pushed off the sleigh   from the reindeer. We opened our Stockings and then Joanna passed out all the presents under the tree. Taking turns we all opened the wonderful packages, finding the goodies inside. After all the present were open I made french toast for breakfast. We spent the day playing with or new treasures and putting things away. Christmas night was spent with all of us looking at the stars relaxing in the hot tub. Michael and I of course had Choc. Peppermint Martini's in our new Martini Glasses! It was a wonderful Christmas! I was so exhausted I can't remember Friday or Saturday! Love Christmas, but glad when it's over. Thank You All, Love You and Miss You Very Much! Merry Christmas!

The Gangs All Here

I am very happy to announce that at 7:20pm last night, with no bruises, broken bones or bleeding; Kayla Novak walked of her 7 1/2 hour flight from Dallas, TX to Spokane, WA! It was a beautiful sight to see Dad and Daughter embrace after 12 1/2 years apart. Now we have the two most gorgeous girls in Washington (yes I am bias). Thank you to all the friends and family that could make it to help welcome Kayla to Spokane. And for those who couldn't I know you were with us in spirit, and I thank you as well. Friday we will enroll Kayla in school and then get ready for Christmas! Love you all, hope you are all as Ecstatically Happy as the Gang and I.

WOW! What a Weekend

Well this weekend was non-stop!!! Saturday morning the gang and I went to Breakfast with Santa at the Carousel! So COOL! We got there early and started on craft projects, Joanna made a cute Carousel Horse that we are going to convert into an ordainment to put on the tree, while she was doing that I took advantage of the Carousel being still and took pictures of it. I have never been there while it was just sitting there, and I was screaming TAKE MY PICTURE!! LOL So after Joanna was done with her horse we started to color Snoopy Christmas pictures they had there and before we were done they started giving rides on the Carousel, SWEET! Joanna road alone a couple of times and then the BIG MAN IN RED walked in and the place went crazy! Then Santa announce that he was going to ride the Carousel with everyone and he did so Two times to make sure all the kids got the opportunity to ride with him and so all the parents got pictures. Then we sat on Santa's lap,ate breakfast and road the Carousel over and over, we even got Michael the ride too. So much fun!!

Then Saturday night we had the Blue Masonic Lodge 1st Annual Christmas Party! It was great food, great friends, all round Awesome. We all chatted up a storm and listen to Christmas music! Maybe next year we can talk the Lodge into a live band and dancing!?

Sunday we almost had a big disaster, our heater went out and we called a couple of places that do emergency repair and went with the lower bid. The guy came out and he said all we had was a clogged tube and he fixed it and then to our surprise said Merry Christmas, No Charge! WOW! Makes you believe there are good people out there and that Christmas is real! Thank you Repair Man and Merry Christmas! Then that night we took Joanna to Santa Express in the Crescent Bldg, this is a place where kids can shop and then wrap what they got for the family with out parents help. Very cool! They get help with someone that is helping out, All Volunteer! Joanna went home and re wrapped her gifts in real wrapping paper instead of the white bags they gave her. After she shopped we went and had dinner in the food court at the Mall and then went to the Kress Gallery to see what they had displayed and then home! Very Busy but a Wonderful Weekend!

Breakfast with Santa

Looks Like Christmas

Last night the Gang and I went to the Davenport Hotel and checked out the Christmas Tree Elegance Event. If you don't know the Davenport Hotel does this every year where business's and donors decorate around 10 or so Christmas Trees each one with it's own theme. And they decorate them very elaborately!! There are a lot of prizes that come with each tree like laptops to TVs and even cash, jewelry, ticket to shows and hotel stays and more. Well you buy raffle ticket's for $1.00 a piece and then put them in a box by the tree you want (each tree has it's own box) and then this year on the 12th this month they will draw a name for each tree and the winner takes the tree and all the prizes that came with it. All the proceeds go to charity, this year the money is going to the Spokane Symphony! I just like to look at the way they decorate the trees, it is a very beautiful and wonderful event.

Christmas Tree Elegance 2009

Go Zags!!

Yesterday the Gang and I went to a Women's Zag's Basketball game. We were invited by our boss! It was a blast!! They have a awesome facility with all the bells and whistles. Jo Bear bought a program and then we all grabbed some chow (Pizza, Hot Dogs, Nachos, Popcorn and Pepsi). We even had an across the court rondevue with a good friend. They started texting Michael asking him how he was enjoying the game and his food. He couldn't figure it out for a minute and then we saw Nancy McLaughlin, City Council Woman and family on the other side waving at us! So Funny! We had a great time!

Dentist

Joanna Bear just got the news from the Dentist that for the 2nd annual check up in a row she is Cavity Free! Ya! Go Jo!

The Gangs Getting Bigger

Well I am ecstatically happy to tell everyone that we are getting a new roady! Kayla Novak, Michael's Daughter, has made the life changing decision to move all the way from a little town in Texas, to the big town of Spokane, Washington.

I hope everyone will help us welcome her with open arms and warm hearts.

We originally had planned on Kayla coming to visit this coming summer and seeing how things went. But with many discussions, text messages, and long emails she will be flying up on December 15th, 2009. What a Christmas present! The Gangs all excited! Even Joanna is anticipating having a BIG Sister! If you are on Facebook she has a Facebook Page, tell her hello and get to know the new member of the Gang!

Thanksgiving Day

The Gang and I had a great Turkey Day!! We went to Aunt Jan's house and got to see Jaken, Jerod, Grandpa Provoncha, Randy, Russell and Rushele. We meet Aunt Jan's husband Dan and his kids Matt and Rachel.

There was so much food, and it was all so yummy. I made my specialty, "Hot Wine" and it was a hit. We all ate the expected too much and spent the rest of the evening talking and catching up. Jo had fun keeping Jaken, Jerod and Aunt Rushele busy wrestling around. And she did an excellent job on tiring them out.

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving Day!!

John Ahern Campaign Kick Off

On Friday we all went to John Ahern's Campaign Kick Off Party at one of our favorite places, "Latah Creek Winery" AWESOME!!

Well anyway we had a lot of fun and John is a great guy, GO JOHN WE KNOW YOU WILL WIN!!

Jo and I had fun taking a lot of picture's for his Campaign Manager, and Everyone thought Joanna was and I quote "so cute, so wonderful, so well behaved, so lovely, so mature" She was the hit of the party. Ya that's right she's my little Angel!!

Wine Tour

Well, I finally have the time to write about this last weekend.

It was a blast, Michael and I went on a wine tour of the Spokane area with our friends John and Charity. Brandon and Gillian met us 3/4 the way through but we all had fun just the same. This was Michael and my first date back in 2005 and we couldn't wait to go back and visit all the same places again, kind of like walking down memory lane. AH LOVE!

We found out the hard way that a couple of the winery's were not open and started to call them before we drove out to BFE! and found that out of 11 only 3 were closed that weekend. It was great!! Then afterwards we all went to Twigs and had a drink and something to eat.

Did I mention WE LOVE WINE!

Halloween

We all had so much fun this Halloween, Joanna went as Abby from N.C.I.S. and she looked great! And all I really had to buy was a few accessories. Well I did have to make the lab coat from scratch, but that was no big deal. :)

So we all packed up (Michael, Joanna, and Catherine and her 3 sons)and went to Medical Lake for some trick or treating. We meet us with two of Jo's school friends and had a blast. It didn't take long for all the kids to get tired, but that worked for the parents! Hope everyone had a good Halloween!

The weekend before the gang and I went with some friends to Seamer's up in Green Bluff and picked some pumkins. It was really cool up there, they had two train rides, a corn maze, a big inflatable slide and all kinds of vendors. It was great and all the kids had fun, how can you beat that! Later some of us went to lunch at Frankie Doodles. I love the Fall!!

Busy

Well I have been really busy latly, with Beta, Work and all around life! We just had Fun Night for Beta Sigma Phi, the theme was All Around the World. Our table was Italy, and we sold wine. We all dressed up like Waitresses! Very fun!

Just last weekend Michael, Jo and I went to Green Bluff and picked some pumkins. We went to Seamer's and they had kid rides and all kinds of vendors (food and other things) it was a blast. We met up with my Beta Sister and some friends from High School that I recently got back in contact with. We have a BBQ at the beginning of October. It's so good to see everyone.
Last Night I was at a Woman's Event in the basement of the Jazz Salon down town. There was a bunch of vendor's all dealing with women and so Alpha Alpha went and set a table up to hopfully get some more members. Dana and I maned the table, we had a lot of fun. While there I got to see one of my friends from high school that I haven't seen for ever, it was so wonderful to talk with her. We spent it seemed like two hours in the middle of the room talking, only moving if we were in someone's way, in our own little world. It was fantastic!!

CRAZY

Well, I know I haven't blogged in quite some time. For that I am sorry!
I have had a "Crazy" few months, Since April Michael and I have lost 5 relatives between the two of us to include; my mother (Michele Rubidoux), his step-mother (Sherry Novak), his cousin (Terry Novak), and his uncle's (Uncle Dave Derrick and Uncle Robert Novak). It has been very "Crazy" I am still not over my Momma and have to try my hardest to be there for my wonderful husband and hope not to fall short of the task.

School has started for our Angel Face Joanna, she is now in 4th Grade, WOW! She has a great teacher and loves school. Her favorite subject is Music and Art.
Beta Sigma Phi has started again and we are off and running! Really Running!!!
Life never slows down even if you wish it too.

Yesterday was Michael and my 2nd Anniversary and we spent it with his family in Elk, at a funneral, "Crazy" where life puts you huh? But I always tell him, it doesn't matter what we do or where we go - what matters is that we are there together! We got each other Military T-shirts and Hats. 2nd Year is cotton of course! Love you Baby! Thanks for sticking around! "Crazy"

Passover Dinner

Last night we all went to A Traditional Passover. I was so cool, we went last year and had to go this year as well. We went with our friends Dan and Jamie. Dan's sister was also at our table along with his Dad and Mom. What was really funny was Jamie, Roy, Amy, Ginny and myself were helping serve the meal and Dan had to work the sound equipment. So the only people at the table that really sat there the whole time was Michael and Jo (with Dan not far away, the equipment was next to the table). So we all voluteered Michael to be the Leader of the table and he got to do all of the ceremonial things, which he did a fabulous job at.

While everyone was eating the children had to find what is called the Afikomen Sack, it is hidden on purpose and the children have to find it. Joanna was the one that found it and received a gold $1.00 coin from Rabbi David. After dinner (which was fantastic) there was dancing and Joanna joined in. Very well worth going to if you get the chance.

VACATION

Wow, I have been back to work only 2 days and I can really feel how far behind I am. Let's see after painting the Living Room and Dining Room, Moving all the wall art around and putting up curtains we have two very beautiful rooms. But needless to say when my wonderful Husband asked if I was ready to paint the stairs and hallway, I'm guessing the look I gave him said No! So he said he would do the deed himself next weekend, Good Choice!
We took Joanna Swimming on Friday at the YMCA in the Valley. We didn't really have much good weather to do much else. She had a friend over that night, and she stayed most of Saturday. Michael and I (No Kidding) played UNO all night and had so much fun. Two Type A Personalities playing a game like UNO is always interesting. Then on Sunday we all went to Church and then hung out with our friends Dan and Jamie. A perfect ending to a weird and tiring week. I need a Vacation from my Vacation, that's why they invented work I guess.