A Whole Month of Christmas!!!!

So excited for the Christmas Devotional tonight!!!! One of my most favorite things I look forward to each year!!!

Overwhelmed or just plain whelmed.

I know it's been months.

Too much to say.

Too much.

But, today I have an extra hour, being daylight savings and all. So, I will share briefly, August, September, October and now November with you.

August:
1. Our house became officially ours again. Scary that a bank can have so much power where rules can be changed at their whim. Banks are very, very evil.
2. Grandpa George is moving very slow and having a hard time living on his own.
3. Mike and I continue the life of empty nesters and took some adventures.

September:
1. Mike's dad George goes in to the hospital because his vitals aren't great. We think he will come home the next day. And then the next day. And then maybe the next day. His blood pressure drops and he dies. They revive him, but his organs never recover and he passes away September 8th.
2. We take care of funeral arrangements for the better part of the month and George's funeral is on September 26th. It was very nice.
3. I say goodbye to the Luttinen Family after caring for their girls for two years and say hello to the Friedman Family. I love my new job!

October:
1. I celebrated my 44th Birthday.
2. We cleaned out George's Apartment.
3. Mike and I have an fun adventure in Seattle.

November 1st- Jordan contracts the H1N1 virus and Mike flies down to care for him.

Happy Fourth of July!

This weekend has been great and crazy. Kendal called me at the beginning of the week and told me she was coming home for the weekend and was wondering if she could bring some friends from the Young Single Adult Ward from Vancouver. I said that it would be fine, but how many would she be bringing? We had planned on already having nine people and Kendal said she had invited seven! It was going to be a PARTY! We had a great time and it was wonderful seeing Kendal and Taylor. Just wish it didn't have to end so soon!

Memorial Day Celebration and Barbeque

We had a wonderful time celebrating Memorial Day!

We invited our neighbors, family and friends.

We also listened to George tell us about serving in the Military during the Korean War.

Thanks Grandpa George!!!

Our Evening With the Celtic Woman!

I had the most fantastic night in Seattle last weekend. I was a little unsure if I would be going to Celtic Woman since Alex was on a whirlwind tour and wouldn't know if she could get any tickets to the show. But Friday night, I got an email from her saying that it was a go and that there were two tickets waiting for me with backstage passes at the box office for the next night!!! I was thrilled and felt very blessed that I would get to see Alex perform again. I was torn as to who I should take, but felt impressed to take my good friend Amy Anderson and I'm glad I did. (My husband's father was in the hospital so he understandably didn't want to go.)

Alex was absolutely beautiful and sang like an angel. In my opinion, Alex also has the best stage presence and I couldn't help but watch her the most. She has this twinkle in her eye when she's on stage and it just makes me smile : ) She truly is a joy to watch.

Amy was a blast to go with. Her reaction to everything made the evening just that more fun! She would grab my hand during the show and squeeze it saying, "We're here!" We had the best seats too. We sat about 15 rows back, center, in the same row with the other cast member's family and friends who were guests too. I sat next to one of the choir member's (he played the poor man "At the Ceili") girlfriends who had flown in from Dublin. She was very sweet. Amy sat next to the drummer's guests.

After the show, the guests (about 12 of us) congregated to the side door and were taken downstairs to the break room. We waited and then Alex came in the room! It was really great seeing her again. We talked, took pictures and had a nice time visiting. We talked about my family, her son, her fiance, her upcoming break and then Lisa, Chloe, Mairead and one of the drummers came in. We took pictures, got autographs and visited with the other girls. It was a real treat and it felt very relaxed since the girls were in street clothes, just visiting with friends. Amy and I talked to Lisa about her baby, how her children were handling travelling and that her baby was teething and not sleeping well on the bus. Here we are, Amy and I, with these amazing, talented women and we're just talking about everyday stuff! It was such a treat!!!

It was getting late and Alex kindly offers to walk us out, so we got on the elevator and so do Chloe, Lisa and Mairead. Chloe had the coolest blue rose she bought at Pike Place Market and told us how much she loves it here in Seattle. As she and I are talking, Amy starts to giggle! I can't really explain it, it was a low, short giggle and I don't think she meant to do it. It just came out! It was sooooo funny and I thought I was going to die! But, I stayed cool. Then Amy leans over and whispers "We are riding in the elevator with the Celtic Woman!!" I still remained cool, though it was very difficult not to giggle myself. We all chatted some more, Lisa almost gets out on the wrong floor and then we're outside by the vans saying goodbye. Then the girls went off signing autographs to the fans that were waiting. Elated, Amy and I crossed the street to head to the parking garage and Amy raises her arms, screams, then breaks in to "♪SING OUT, SING OUT, SING TO THE WORLD...♫"!!! As we rounded the corner, I put all my coolness aside and joined in!!!

WE SAW CELTIC WOMAN!!! It was a night I will never forget! Thank you Alex for such a wonderful evening!!!!

♫Bloc Party♪

Christian and I went to the Showbox in Seattle to see Bloc Party last weekend! They're an Indie group from England. We had an absolute blast and after it was over, I was laughing all the way to the parking garage saying, "That was AMAZING!!!" I hadn't had that much fun in a looooooooooooooong time! The lead singer, Kele, crowd surfed all the way back to where Christian and I were standing, which was against this half wall separating us from the bar. Kele stood on that wall and sang. Too cool!!!! I'm so glad we went!

Lisa DID IT!!!!!!!

After 5 years of going to school while working, being a wife and raising a son with autism, my sister-in-law Lisa has achieved her goal! She is now a nurse after graduating Tuesday evening from Everett Community College. 13 members of the Mantzke/Teays clan were there to watch her accept her diploma. Lisa is amazing and we're all so proud of her! She even has a job already working at Providence Hospital. She's going to be an awesome nurse!!!! Way to go Lisa!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! (Yeah, I know it's a little early)

I thought that I would share with you a tradition that our family has enjoyed for a while, thanks to my mother-in-law, Marilyn. She has Irish ancestry, so that means my husband and children share that as well. Marilyn's grandfather married an O'Connor, and that's where her Irish lineage came from. When Kendal was in Middle School her grandpa Mantzke told her that he too was Irish, an O'Mantzke, and that when they immigrated to America they dropped the O. Kendal thought this was true, but in reality it was just a fib grandpa would tell on St. Patty's Day to get a free beer at the pub. Anyway, Marilyn cooks corned beef with cabbage, potatoes and carrots. It's always so good and since we only eat it once a year, a nice treat as well. Thanks Marilyn for a delicious dinner and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Grandma's cat Shelby, is an Irish kitty too : )

Happy Birthday Mike and Derrek!!!

Sunday was Mike and Derrek's birthday. Mike turned 47 and Derrek is now 20!! We had an amazing weekend, because not only did we celebrate birthdays, but everyone was here for it and that's what made it so special!

It was so awesome seeing Mike's reaction as he opened his gift and how much this painting touch his heart <3 It's titled, "Prayer at Valley Forge" and has a quote from George Washington that reads, "I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last solemn act of my official life by commending the interests of our dearest country to the protection of the Almighty God and those who have the superintendence of them into His Holy keeping." I'm so glad Mike loved his gift!

I ordered Derrek's Griffey jersey from the Seattle Team Shop right after Griffey's return to the Mariners was announced. They told me that Derrek's jersey was the first to arrive in Kitsap County! Pretty cool and he LOVED it!!!

Derrek, Hanna, Katy and Taylor building with Kapla blocks! Very fun!

Thanking Grandma Marilyn and Grandpa George! We love you!!!

This crazy bunch are all suckers for backrubs! Must take after Mike!!!

Happy Valentine's Day

This weekend has been great and full of surprises! After working all week and still broke, I was on my way home and feeling sorry for myself. It was Friday and I was missing my kids (mainly Kendal) and was in the mood for some girl fun so I called Paige. (Kendal's best friend) and as we were talking, she decided to come over. It was awesome and just what I needed!!! We watched Mama Mia!, and decorated for my Valentine party that I was having for my Primary class the next day. It was great! Then Mike walks in and says "Beth, you better get ready because we're catching the 6:50 ferry and you need to wear something sexy"! Paige wanted to help me pick out an outfit and accessories, so she did. It was so much fun having her over. She left and I finish getting ready. Mike and I had so much fun together and he tells me that since this year we will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, we should celebrate all year, starting today!!!

It was so romantic!

The next day was my Primary party at my house. The kids had a great time making cupcakes for their families. As I was dropping the kids off, I told them I would be stopping at Rebekah Fry's house to drop off treats for her and her family too. Rebekah was just diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of Leukemia and was able to leave the hospital for a few days. Some of my kids wanted to come too, so we went over together. It was so great seeing Rebekah! She loved her Valentine goodies too.

It was a wonderful day!