The Newest Allaire

A couple of days after Christmas, we got a new puppy. She is a lab, chow, terrier cross but what a cute thing she is. The kids have named her Maggie. We decided we needed a younger dog for the kids to grow up with, especially Gavin. Our other two dogs are older (0ne is over 12) and do not like playing with the kids so much. Maggie loves to play, and loves the kids. She has made a great addition to the family!

Christmas 2009

Cannot believe what a great Christmas we had. I figured since Gifford is currently looking for work and the economy being what it is, Christmas would be pretty slim this year. But due to some careful planning and some wonderful friends (thanks to the Swanks), we were able to give the kids a very memorable Christmas indeed.

This is what the tree looked like the night before...after Santa came of course. You may notice that we are at my mom's place. Our house is sooooo small that we left a note for Santa, asking him to put our gifts there. The kids made quite a haul!

Mom opening her gift from the kids...new long johns WOO HOO!

The kids have been wanting a wagon for the past couple of years and I was able to find one for a great price (thanks to Gifford's mom). Ashlyn is working on her song writing skills and Gavin has so many toys in the wagon, he doesn't know what else to do with them, except sit on them.

Quality time with dad.

I decided to buy a kit to make a gingerbread house this year, rather than try to make one from scratch. Ashlyn thought it would be fun, and Gifford said he had never done one without it falling apart. The box said it was fool proof, so I decided to give it a try. It turned out very cute and the kids enjoyed helping daddy put the decorations on.

Ashlyn is very carefully putting gumdrops along the sidewalk.

The finished product!

Miss Krissy's Preschool Program.

This is Ashlyn's class this year, minus a couple of sick kids and one boy who was sitting in mom's lap in the audience not too happy. I think he was on sugar overload. Thank goodness that wasn't my child. Just wait until Gavin gets in the class...that should be something else.

Ashlyn looks so precious here. Sitting with her legs crossed, like the little lady she is. Too bad her dress was in her hands. *sigh* I guess at least she wasn't covering her face (yet) and she had tights on, so that we couldn't see her panties. Haha~ The funniest thing is, the little boy in the plaid shirt in front of her is the son a guy I went to school with. It always amazes me how people from these little towns seem to stick close.

Because my school had a snow day, I actually got to go to Ashlyn's program at school. This was quite a treat. Both me and her dad got to be there....Too bad she spent most of the program with her dress held up and didn't sing a note.

Christmas Parade

It has become a tradition in our family to start the holiday season off by going to the Holiday Parade in Ontario. Here local merchants build floats and local bands play ringing in the season.

Ashlyn and Gavin, patiently waiting for the parade to start. It was very, VERY cold that day. The kids have on something like 4 layers.

Mommy...it's the flag from daddy's army. Ashlyn is so profoundly adult sometimes...

And the fat man himself. The kids got to see Santa. He is on his way!

Photo Time

The night before everyone left, we decided to have group pictures. Unfortunately, Scott and family had pulled out early that morning, so did not make it for pictures


Betty with Big's family. Although technically he is not family. He is in every aspect except for blood.


Our family...4 generations

Andrew...

Buck's...

Mom, dad, grandma and the boys. Too bad Trey couldn't be here for this.

All of us girls. Me, Megan, Sam and Cori

Believe it or not, most of us actually made it into the photo.

Buster's group, plus his girlfriend Renee and her daughter.

Grandmother with all the kids.

Bowling 101

So, the Saturday after Turkey day, we decide we are going to take the family bowling...all of us...plus a few more. We were supposed to start bowling at about 4:00, but didn't even get to the bowling alley until after 7. So here we are, 8 preschoolers in tow, almost bed time, at t a noisy, bowling alley. What fun! No really. We had a fairly good time.

They had this really cool ramp that allowed, even the little ones to bowl. Here is Gavin, watching his ball travel down the lane.

Scott, Lonnie, and their three Rocky, Payson, and Rylynn.

Grandpa and Brody (Andy's youngest son)

Payson (age 14 months ?) having a turn

Bailey (18 mo) having fun. Daddy and mommy (Buck and Sam) looking on
.
Scott helping Rocky with the ball.

Uncle Big, entertaining the little ones, Bailey and Payson.

Ashlyn's turn. She actually got a strike...better than mommy did!

Westin, Andy's oldest, watching intently as his ball goes down the lane.

Brody's turn.

What a great time we had. The little ones got a little cranky and by the end of the night, the older ones were cranky also. But a great memory!

Happy Birthday Scotty!

Thanksgiving day also happened to be Gifford's cousin Scott's Birthday. As apparently tradition serves in large families full of boys, they decided to see what it would take to get him down for the all important birthday spankings. They managed to get in, 15 of the 28 he had coming to him.


The birthday boy!


DOGPILE!

It took most of them to get him down...he is not a small man.

Playing in the Leaves

With all the children there, you can imagine the fun we had playing in the leaves. Even the adults got involved. This time of year has always been one of my favorites. I love the fall colors and playing in the leaves.

Here we have Ashlyn, Rocky, Bailey, Westin, Brody and Conrad having a leaf fight.


Oops Ashlyn, crack kills. Taking after grandpa I guess. :) They were burying Conrad in the leaves.

What a wonderful time had by all!

Lots of little ones!

What a blessing little ones are. At the Allaire's for Thanksgiving, we had a total of eight preschoolers, with Ashlyn being the OLDEST. The next generation is alive and well in the family, that is for sure!




My sister-in-law Cori is a preschool teacher and brought ornaments for the kids to paint for their Christmas trees. Ashlyn decided it would be fun to paint her angel several different colors. I got her plate ready, with the different paint colors on it, and she in turn, mixed all the colors together, making a nice poopy brown color. I yelled at her, and she wanted to try again...I'll be darned if she didn't do the exact same thing. Grr.... I don't know how I had the patience to teach Kindergarten earlier in my career. I do not envy her teacher next year...very head strong little girl!

My nephews Brody and Westin with Grandpa, eating Vienna sausages.

Westin showing off his raisin smile

The youngest of the pack. Little Rylynn was snoozing away while all the excitement was going on around. She is Gifford's cousin's youngest. What a sweetie!

Anyone for turkey?

So for the Allaire portion of our Thanksgiving, we had this huge turkey that Marilyn raised. The label said it was 44lbs. This bird weighs more than my oldest child. It was probably a good thing we had one this big because we had 35 people at the house for dinner. I put a picture of my niece Bailey next to it, to show its hugenormous size!

Playing Beauty Shop

Ashlyn has just recently gotten into playing dress up and such. Well, we have been putting curlers in her hair now and then, for church or a special day at school. All of a sudden, she got the idea to play "Beauty Shop" and guess who her first "client" was...