"I have to check my e-mail!"

Peyton and Madison Playing PBS -kids(P's favorite. He Loves "Super Why")

You can imagine Doug's surprise as he was sitting by Peyton one day as he played PBS kids and seseame street on my laptop, when he heard him exclaim, " I have to check my e-mail" and promptly went to my TDS home page, then click into my e-mail and started starry stuff to be deleted when Doug finally realized what he was doing and stopped him. Kids do say the darnest things and Do the darnest things. At 2 1/2 he really does know his way around a computer. He is such a funny kid. We love him!!!.

banana bread

Madison (22months) & Isabell (20 months)

I was rushing around getting ready to head to the state 1B BX tournament in yakima, when the few day old bananas on the table were calling to me. Thought I'd whipped up a couple of loaves and maybe take one to state with me and Melia. It's one of the few things that sounds good to her right now.

  I guess I had one to many things to do as the bread over cooked. But, Madison and Isabell had so much fun helping as the pic's show, I guess it wasn't a total waste.

christmas

Abrahamson Christmas- in Pictures and Words!!!

     The A-TEAM  Alesha, Tressa, Melia & Erica

Erica and Alesha  Below- Above the 5 grandkids- Isabell(18 months), Brady (5 months),Peyton (2 1/2 yrs
,Madison (20 months), & Parker (5 1/2 months )

Christmas for the Abrahamsons went well. It is our favorite time of the year. Celebrating the birth of our Savior. We find celebrating with many decorations, lots of lights, family, many treats, foods, and gifts the best way to show our joy.

Alesha was home and the days leading up were full of cookie and candy making. One night we even made "rice crispy" treat houses and everyone decorated them. We watched lots of Christmas movies and wrapped lots of gifts. Our normal routine was changed as the Morgans spent Christmas eve in Morton celebrating Jesse's dads 60th birthday.

The rest of us had a nice turkey dinner with a few new dishes. it was weird to not have Tressa and Jesse there.

The next morning we did Santa Claus, had breakfast and opened gifts. By this time some of the kids where tired and back down for naps. So they opened their gifts later. It was a nice day. Just really different from years in the past. We added a ham to our Turkey left overs and had a nice feast with everyone

We tired to do some family pics' but, the kids were not very cooperative. And things really went south went Santa clause made an appearance.

The next day Jesse and Peyton headed back out to Morton. We did alittle shopping not much. Tressa was sick. Which was the theme for our Post Christmas week. Seems like some one was always not feeling good. Jesse ended up with strep throat. Bray and Peyton had runny noses and didn't seem to be feeling very well by New Year

Our New Years Party went pretty well considering everyone's health. Doug and I even made it to 12am and celebrated with the kids. Erica and Nate got really tired and headed out around 9:30pm. Which is pretty late for them.

We had a Mexican feast. And candy, dips and chips and pop for the evening. Kids played Wii- fit and twister and then other group games.

Doug and I watched "Wild Hogs" then we realized the New Year almost upon us. We had only mins. to grab classes, sparkling cider and try to prepare for a toast. Spencer's brother Austin suggested we pause the TV when it looked like we weren't going to make it. Something just didn't seem right with that picture. We did clang our glasses at midnight. Just in time!!!
We wish everyone a great 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

college grads, the #2, and Texas

The last month has kept as all busy and on our toes. Lets start with College grad.
Alesha graduated from BYU Dec. 10th. She is a cougar for life. For these accomplishments we are very proud of her. It has been a very long, hard road for her. This did not come easy or with out alot of extra work.
That kind of moves us into #2. Alesha's least favorite #. She has applied for lots of Teaching jobs in Utah, and has had a lot of interviews. So many, she doesn't even get nervous anymore. Of those many have resulted in call back interviews. And you guessed it. She always comes in #2. To someone with more experience. She even had one she came in #1. But, some people thought she is young and might leave in the middle of a year to get married or something. So they went with their #2. An older lady with kids in High school. I have been really excited for her, as most of these jobs have 40+ applicants. But, that doesn't pay the bills. She did get a 3 month long term sub job in a 4th grade class. This will give her the experience she needs and alittle better pay than a reg. sub. She starts Jan. 4th, so has spent alot of the break getting ready for her class.
Now on to Texas. As most people know Jesse and Tressa have lived here for 2 yrs. He is getting close to finishing his masters. So looking for another job and moving are two things they are starting to prepare for. A job for a controller in Plainsview TX opened up. They thought...very very long shot, but, lets get the resume update and ready for the spring. So he applied. Over time and interviews, even being flow to TX, Jesse was finally offered the job. We had been stressing and getting excited. trying to fiqure out how many airplane tickets a year we could afford. In the end the pay was not good. Not could for a controller in Cenex, not good for a controller in Plansview TX. So he said no. We felt a bit of disappointment for them as this could have been quite the adventure. Yet thrilled to have our little boys (Peyton and Brady) still close.

grandma connie

My mom came to visit after spending the weekend up in Seattle with her 4 sisters. They had a really good time. We were excited to see her. unfortunately timing as far as getting all the kids together was not good. So she stop by Melia's for a while on the way home and then Erica's. Though Erica was at a volleyball coaching meeting.

Then finally to our place. On Monday we did end up with all 5 kids at our house so Melia and Erica could go work out and Erica was looking at some housing out in Tenino. Was a bit crazy but fun. Always nice to see my mom and I know she loves to see all the grandbabies.

The Boys (as in babies)

I haven't had much of a chance to blog. I Keep telling Alesha I'll get photos of our two newest boys up. So here goes.

Parker is almost 3 months now. And Brady is 2 1/2 months. There is still a big size difference, But Brady has gown alot in the past few weeks.
Parker continues to be an excellent sleeper. He has since he was just a couple weeks old. He sleep all through the night and will take two 3 hrs naps a day. He is most awake in the evening, which is nice because Nate gets to spend sometime with him. He is happy. Starting to coo and talk. Smile. Though he is always getting his tongue in the way. He is a big and a very strong little boy. He looks alot like his dad. I sometimes call him "little Nathan" Just wish I could see him more.

Brady is still battling acid-reflux. So he eats only alittle at a time and more often. This causes him to wake up every two hrs at night to eat. And he does not sleep well during the day either.But as long as he is held and/or being fed he is pretty happy. He is really making cooing noises and smiles. he does the big open mouth thing that Peyton did. Sounds like he is really trying to talk to you. Still light as feather. He is strong too. He can stand on his legs when you hold his arms for a few seconds. Even trying to walk up you.

Love to have the two boys together. They are both so cute yet so different. It will be lots of fun to watch them grow up. Parker reminds of a gentle giant. Brady not sure. Crazy like his brother probably. I still think Isabell will be the boss of them all!!!!!

The journey is also fun

The journey with the kids and grand kids is more than half the adventure.

Wanting to get out of the house last week I took Peyton and went to town to pick up a few things for my Grandma's 100th birthday party. Now Peyton can be a bit excited when he gets into a store with all that room to run in, so it was with a bit of apprehension and a hope to start teaching him to not run away from everyone ( Tressa and Dee Dee have a hard time catching him when he gets going) that we under took our adventure. No teaching was really needed as he did real well in the store even saying hi to folks as we walked around looking for things. In fact he did so well that we had to go to Jack in the Box to get some fries.

Doug and Isabell looking at fire while Melia took pics.

On Friday I loaded up Melia and Isabell to head to Spokane for the party. Now the last time Isabell rode with me she cried for an hour straight, I thought there goes my quiet drive time. We had some excitement on the trip over but it was all caused from outside the car in the form of a forest fire at the top of White Pass.

When Isabell made noise it was just her talking, which she does so cute like even making a word now and then. I had a most enjoyable trip over and back with the two of them.

The big event was most enjoyable seeing family and all. There was work to be done to put on the party and clean up from it and I even managed to get myself out of the family doghouse. (I seem to be in there quite a bit because I have a hard time remembering birthdays, especially my Dad's. Go figure I can remember most historical dates just can't connect them with a date on the current calendar) I'm out of it because some of my cousins insisted they get to take my place in the house and worked (or failed to work) themselves in instead. Its nice getting to breath fresh air once in a while. My Dad, who has gotten used to overlooking my forgetfulness, was gracious enough to have some Longhorn ribs waiting for us Friday night when we arrived. I managed to

have ribs for three meals in the 40 hours I was in Spokane so it was all good.