Don't Squat with your Spurs On!

Giddy up friends! Last week these lovely ladies and I took a half day off of work to enjoy the vast scenery at the National Western Stock Show! 

We started with lunch at the Dusty Boot and made our way down to the Complex where we enjoyed an Angry Balls beverage...

...or two!

Kim joined us for some cow-petting later in the evening!

 In years past we didn't give ourselves enough time to enjoy every aspect of the stock show. This year we were able to enjoy the food, animals, and merchants for a few hours before the rodeo began. 

Really, you have to remind people to keep their hands out?

I guess I can imagine why!

They're as dangerous from the back as they are from the front!

 We walked around for a while letting our inner-children shine!

Here is Cara looking good on some machinery...

...and in some machinery! 

Cara even took the time to clean up after a heifer! 

We even got a chance to make uneducated opinions about trucks!

Ram Good (based on how may gangstas you can fit in the cab! 

Silverado bad, based on...who knows! 

Jen won this blue ribbon in the Pedal Tractor Competition...but not really! :)

After lots of walking, and learning, and giggling, we took a break in the Cowboy Bar! (Pregers wasn't the only one who needed a break!) We hydrated and Kim spent some quality time with her giant phone :)

 Then we made our way to our seats to enjoy the rodeo!

 

My favorite part of the night was getting a selfie taken with and by the rodeo clown during the rodeo!

Such a fun night! I'm already looking forward to next year!

Celebrating a New Year with New Friends

2014 brought with it a lot of joy for our family. We shared in some great summer memories year round! I graduated from college and started a new job! And then I turned 30! The girls went on to Pre-K and 2nd grade! We were all happy and healthy! We also had the opportunity to make new friends and to strengthen our relationships with our old friends.

As with every holiday it seems, we had a tradition, NYE was spent ringing in the new year with the Syers' family. We had done so for about four years. However, Santa Clause brought the Syers family a vacation to California this year and they departed on Christmas day. 

So, us VanDusseldorps decided that we would attend the neighborhood NYE party! But, first we would enjoy a German feast with some of our closest neighbors and friends, the Freemans and the Gullicksons. 

Nate and I prepared some schnitzel, spaetzel and potato pancakes. Our friends also brought a dish to share. We gathered on the last night of 2014 and enjoyed a lovely (I will not even pretend that the salad on the table made this a healthy meal) German feast and some Dunkle! 

The kids enjoyed a pizza at the kids table! 

Then, we all left for the Hornsby's NYE party. The Hornsby's are members at the neighborhood pool and we have gotten to know their family a bit better. We joined other neighbors and pool members at the Hornsby home! 

However, the excitement and late bed times do not settle well for Elizabeth, so we decided to head home to ring in the New Year is a quieter environment. Jeff F. joined us because Debbie and their kids went home early.  

We poped the champagne and the girls toasted with a glass of pink lemonade! 

 Then we let the kids pop poppers and toot their horns in the front yard to remind all of the sleeping neighbors that it is 2015!

And then...as usual, at about 12:08 a.m. we were ready for bed! 

We brought in 2015 in a different way than usual. But, with a new year, comes new things. Who knows what the last day of 2015 will bring! 

Happy New Year friends!

Days of Christmas!

After much anticipation, not only for the children, Christmas Eve arrived! We spent the day finalizing our crafts and last minute shopping. Great-Aunt Betty passed away this year on Christmas Eve morning. She was missed this holiday season. Mom and Dad spent most of the day sorting out details and mourned their loss. They still had it in them to join us at Great Grandmas for dinner and gifts!

Uncle Mike played Santa.

Then we went to Christ Community for the Christmas Eve service. We went back to Bruce and Maggie's for meatballs following the service.

Then we went home for the traditional Christmas Eve package! Every year we get the girls a set of pajamas and I was surprised that they though otherwise this year! Sometime they'll catch on!

We added robes this year! 

We put out the Christmas cookies and milk and carrots for the reindeer. 

We read Twas' the Night Before Christmas!

And then Santa arrived!

He brought many fun things! 

Abby got a bike from Mom and Dad. Elizabeth got a Zoomer as well! 

I was amazed when I found out that Santa brought the girls a phone.

After our Christmas morning at home, we went to Bruce and Maggie's house.

 Maggie explained the meaning of Chrismas. 

 And uncle Jer cheated at the game of Twister!

I think that Owen had a busy morning!

 Then we went to YaYa and Pops' house for a Christmas day celebration! 

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! It was over as quickly as it came and I'm sure it'll be the same situation in 2015. Regardless, we really enjoyed the holiday season among friends and family. I think that the girls had a wonderful Christmas and have grown an appreciation for God, family, and tradition! 

More holiday festivities!

We did a number of fun activities throughout the holiday season. More than anything, the girls loved our trip to SouthGlenn for some ice skating fun! 

A couple of years ago, we took Elizabeth skating and it was an epic fail! So, we didn't have very high expectations this time around. To our surprise, the girls did really, really well! Elizabeth took a few spills but was skating on her own. I shadowed Abby along the rails, but it wasn't long before she was bouncing on and off of the rails all on her own! 

Then we took a minute to warm up by the community fire before hitting Parry's Pizza for dinner.

 And then back home for sure warmth with Christmas in your Mouth and a nice warm fire! 

 We also spent some time baking some cookies! 

We had fun baking cookies and doing Christmas crafts. Nothing like waiting until the last minute! 

The day after Christmas we went to Clarkson Park and did some sledding....

 ...and wiping out....

 ...with friends and family! 

We've had some fun enjoying some winter fun in the past few weeks. We've gotten lots of snow so far and hope that it continues so we can continue to the fun!