Annual Pre Christmas Party at the Baptistas

Traditionally the Gouveia/Baptista/Gonzalez families get together at the Baptista's house the Saturday after Thanksgiving for a family pre holiday party. Thank you for hosting Mena and Alfredo!

Wow, look at that spread!

Dylan and Eli trade Nintendo games.

Our beautiful nieces Sonia, Maria and Carolina.

Every telling silly stories.

Don't mix too many drinks!

Apple Hill

Our annual trip up to Apple Hill this year was a wet one. Makes the picking of the tree a bit quicker.
Everyone deciding which way to go to look for the perfect tree.

Abbey, Eli, Isabella Ron and Tommy ready for the hunt.

Eli very eager to get his tree. He found one pretty fast. "This is the one", he says. He helped cut the tree down with the "cutter".

Joe and Eli waiting to get the tree strapped for the trip home.

Thanksgiving

Uncle Michael put Eli up in the tree to get the spiky balls from the top. The boys were up to some shenanigans with them in the yard.

Uncle Penn carves up the tasty bird.

The boys waiting for dinner to be served.

Our hostess Liz putting the finishing touches on the table.

Delicious!

November 26th is Uncle Penn's birthday so we celebrated that, Patty and Alice's birthdays as they fall close to the day too. Happy Birthday All!

Conductor Drew leading the chair train.

Everyone relaxing after a nice meal. Thank you Crowley Family!

The boys in their traditional Christmas p.j.'s.

Eli, Kaden, Liam and Drew put on a dance show. Those boys have the MOVES!

Bunco Babes

Our annual P.J. Bunco breakfast at Shannon's. This year there was a twist, wig night too! Shannon Lorrie, Maida and Leslie show off their gorgeous locks!

All the Bunco Babes from the top left to right: Chrystal, Katherine, Natalie, Darlene, Shannon, Wendy, Suzy, Lorrie, Leslie, Carrie, Camille and Maida

Last Color Belt

Joe is on his last color belt, then on to the first degree brown belt. Most of next year he will be testing for the 4 degrees of brown belt. By next year we will have a black belt in the family!

Unwelcome Visitor

Got a call from the El Dorado County Deputy letting us know that we had a bear break in at our Tahoe house. Apparently he just pushed the front door (solid wood) out of the door frame. That's one big bear! This particular bear has been causing a lot of trouble in the neighborhood. Broke in to our neighbors 2 doors down as well.

Eli a little unsure if it is safe to go in the house.

He ate: a 5 lb. bag of sugar, 1 lb box of powdered sugar, 2 gallons of ice cream, 1 cont. of Coffee Mate, chocolate syrup, linguisa, turkey burgers, tortillas, jar of mayo (only the organic kind, he didn't touch the reg. mayo..whatever!) He also somehow opened a can of oysters. He cut himself doing that as there was a bit of blood around.

Inside of the freezer all slimy

Counter top slime. Thank Goodness he knows how to open fridges and cupboards or those would have had to have been replaced as well!

This is the deadbolt to the front door which was found down the hall almost in the kitchen. Just popped it out of the door...

Halloween

Sophia and Eli hard at work on their pumpkins. It is a tradition that we carve pumpkins with the Pereira's every year

Very spooky!

Eli as 'Bumble Bee' the Transformer

Eli's school parade

Our Halloween party hosts the Mitchell's; Isabella the princess, Abigail the 70's mod girl, Thomas the farmer. Ron and Suzy taped the candy "Smarties" to their clothing. Suzy was 'Smarty Pants' and Ron was a 'Smart A**' Very clever!

Eli and Wolverine (Jeff)

The trick or treaters show off their fabulous pumpkins!

How many parties do you know where Slash (Chris) from Guns n Roses is the DJ? Everyone had a blast dancing to music from the 70's to the 2000's.

Eli getting down and his school parade

Getting Ready for Winter

The beginning of a 2 weekend project..

Before the boys leveled out the back yard.

Running the french drain so the deck won't get flooded

After the back is level.

Putting the pieces of the puzzle together

Finished patio (we ran out of stone). That will have to wait until spring!

Had to clean up the yard for fire safety and get prepared for winter

Alfredo trimming up the branches on the front tree

Mena having at it with the chain saw. You go girl!

54+ bags of yard waste and 3 trips to the dump with a full trailer each time. You can EAT off that yard!

17th Year Anniversary

We celebrated our anniversary as usual by taking pictures at the church where we were married and the hotel where we had our reception. Already into my second photo album!

Get a room!

In the rose garden at St. Appollinaris

We went into the ballroom where we had our reception (we think it was the right one..hey it's been 17 years!) and re-lived out first dance as a married couple....awwwwwww

Outside of the ballroom in the courtyard

Who's that in the window?