End of the Year

so obviously i'm behind on my blogging entries. but, i don't own a computer.
i know, i know... the 21st century and i don't have a computer... but our computer broke a year ago. (it was ancient anyway) and we've never replaced it. I do have access at work, but when you are busy, we don't really get a chance to play online.

So, here i am... first part of January and i haven't talked about Thanksgiving or Christmas. We have been snowed in for 3 days. ( i know, weird in Knoxville. Well, when it snows here, they don't have the man power to get it off the roads. so only the main roads get taken care of.)
So the end of 2010 was fantastic. Jon came in from Idaho to stay for the holidays. It was so nice spending time with him. He comes over and hangs out with the kids, then spends time with the adults having fantastic conversations. In depth and makes us think. It's great having another adult around the house to give a different perspective on life.

Then for Thanksgiving Brian and Christina came into town. And so did Dave and Rachael. Talk about fun. everyone together again. (well, except for Ben who is on his mission in the Dominican Republic.) Steph had her friend David come into town. And our family friend, Heather, was able to come for the weekend as well. There is always so much food around. Everyone is always eating. We have such fantastic variety of food. Something for everyone. Thanksgiving day we ate and ate then played football in the yard with everyone.





If you have ever been around the Ader clan while they have been adults... you are up for some fun. The range of conversations we can have. because everyone has done so many different things and been to so many different places... not to mention the wide variety of things we have studied in school. WOW. It's like getting a brain workout. You will come away with your mind spinning...

Taison and Daimon love when "the uncles" come into town. They spent time in the woods, and in the tree house... they even built a new fort in the woods.





For Christmas Grandma Stuart was able to come into town for a couple weeks... it was fun talking with her and spending time with her. (i'm not sure she had fun, but we had fun with her.) it was a good excuse to go shopping to all the little boutiques and flee markets around town that we don't usually get to go to. Everyone else came back for Christmas too. Tried Para sailing in the park

They played in the woods and made a rope swing.




and of course we went zip lining in the Smoky Mnts.



On Christmas we weren't able to shoot off Rockets like we have done for several years because the weather was too bad. But we ate (Sean made Prime Rib!!!)
and played games inside all day. Not to mention all the presents and fun.





So between the conversations, the baking and eating, and the fun adventures, we had a great holiday.

Halloween 2010

Taison - Grave Protector
Daimon - Alien
Jaison - Puppy

Taison and Daimon loved picking out Jaison's costume. I loved having a the chance to finally dress one of my kids up in a costume that wasn't scary, or didn't have masks.
But, my kids are set on "being cool"
Taison and Daimon specifically pick out costumes that are cool.
"cause we don't want the other kids to make fun of us, mom..."

I'll get a few more years from Jaison that i will get to pick out cute costumes instead of "cool" ones.

First Hair Cut

Jaison's First Haircut.
Poor kid.
Only 7 months old...
he didn't seem to mind though

County Fair

The Knox County Fair comes around once a year...(duh)
And we go every year.
The fair here is nothing like the ones back west.
At least in both Idaho Falls and Coeur d' Alene
They are way way bigger and better then the one here.
but, we still go.
and we still have a good time.

This year the boys got to milk Elsie The Cow. They each rode a few rides, played a few games and they actually brought home a pet... I don't have pictures of the pet quite yet...
Normally if you bring home a pet from the fair, it's like a gold fish they win at a game... Oh NO. Not this family. We go all out! LOL.
Stay Tuned for more info on Zeke...

Here are just a few pics I snapped while at the fair. I didn't get near as many as i would have liked... but, oh well.

Using all the Garden Leftovers

Last nite for dinner I made Pierogis with Kielbasa sausage. This is a favorite of mine. I think that my brother, Dave and I made it up while we were in college. We often ate dinner together (do you know how much easier it is to cook for two instead of just one)It was just one of those things that we threw together that worked well.

This recipe is great for using all your leftover summer garden veggies.


Kielbasa and Pierogi

1 Kielbasa link sliced in 1/2 inch rounds
1 box of Pierogi (you can find these usually in the freezer section by the ravioli)
1 medium onion diced or sliced
3 tomatoes, or 1 can of diced tomatoes
1-2 zucchini diced (depending on the size. last nite i actually only used a half of one because it was one of those ones that you missed while picking so it was extra large)
1/3 cup of mushrooms (fresh or a small can will work)
1/4 cup bell pepper diced (i used half of a green one. i didn't want to overload the taste with pepper)
2 TLBS of garlic finely diced
salt
pepper
season salt


In Large sauce pan saute onion, garlic, green peppers and mushrooms.
Boil diced zucchini in salt water for 5 mins
Add the zucchini to the saute
Add Kielbasa
Simmer until meat is heated through, and the veggies are fork tender
Boil pierogi in separate pot until they float to the top.
Add pierogi to veggies.
Add Tomatoes
Cook for additional 10 mins or so.(just until pierogi can soak up some flavor from the veggies)
Sprinkle with salt, pepper and season salt to taste (i usually just use season salt. about at TBLS worth)

Serve
Enjoy!

Zipping!

My family and I went zipping last sunday... yes... on sunday. My brother, Brian, and his girlfriend, Christina, work as tour guides. My cousin Jesse also works there. So, mid summer i went down with them and went zipping over the tree canopy. It was so much fun. But the rest of my family wanted to go as well. So, sunday we took a trip down to Gatlinburg to enjoy the day as a family. Dave was in town so he was able to go as well. We stopped first at a watering hole. we had a picnic lunch and played in the water. Then we went to the zip line place. It was so much fun. Taison and Daimon were able to strap on with an adult and go as well. Daimon is apparently the littlest one to go ever. so he was excited about that. We had such a good time. Such a rush... And what a beautiful view! You look out right over the Smokey Mountains. Dave took a few pictures of everyone. If you have never been zipping before... you should go! it's worth every dime!

Utah

As i quickly mentioned before, we made a impromtu trip to Utah this summer for my grandfather's funeral. The reason for being there of course sucked, but what a great chance to see family that i haven't had a chance to see in years. I had such a good time. I wanted to stay another few weeks... but, work is work... My mom, Steph, and my kids and I drove my van out. We hit construction and bad weather both ways... but, really it wasn't a bad drive.... and that's with 3 boys...

At the funeral and the lunch afterwards was when the whole family was together. i can't believe i'm related to so many people that i don't know!!! everyone looked familur... and i could usually guess who's kid went to what parent... but, there just wasn't enough time to catch up with everyone.

My favorite times while we were there is when we would sit around my Grandma's back deck and visit. That's when I felt like i really got the chance to get to know everyone so much better. Kim and Matt are about my age... but, we've never really spent much time together since we've been adults. It was so nice being able to bond with them and get to know their kids a little more. We have so much more in common then i thought we did. It was so much fun rememinsing the old days and hearing stories of their families. I was able to spend a little time at Debbie's house as well. I went to her house for a tour. But, in each room I was able to hear a different story about her, or her family. it was fantastic! Of course, we stayed at Julie's house. because they lived the closest to us for so long we know their family, it seems, the best. It was so good to see them, and see how old Julie's kids have gotten, but how young Julie still looks. We were able to spend a little time with Dan's family and Lori's family. I spent not near enough time catching up with Brooke (who was always my bestest cousin.) Dave and Jon were able to come into town as well. It's always so much fun to spend time with both of them. i don't get to see them as much as i would like. I'm so glad that my siblings and i are so close.

And then, of course, Grandma. She is such an amazing woman. She has raised such a fantastic family. She held up so well at the funeral and throughout that week. She was so funny. She would tell a story about Grandpa from years ago. She would have us all laughing so hard, and then she would end up with tears. Laughing to crying and back again in a matter of seconds.

She has such a fantastic heart. She spent one evening playing board games with a few of the great grandkids. they loved it so much. Grandpa and Grandma were so happy for so many years. Grandpa was such an amazing man. He was funny and extremely smart. The only problem was that as kids we knew he was brilliant, but he would tease us so much that we didn't know whether or not to believe what he was telling us. He had such a strong testimony of the gospel. Of family, and the importance of it. He left behind an incredible legacy. He did so many things in this world. Did the world know who he was? no, but, they should have!

These are some of my favorite pictures that were taken that week.