Birthday Girl

Numero 10 is a pretty big deal. I mean, this is the first number with double digits. Then there is always the significance that most of us have 10 fingers to count, and ten toes on our feet. AND the most common number system used today is based on the number ten. The term of 10 years gets a fancy new name...a decade!




After this very official introduction, I would like to present to you our very official 10 year old daughter, Rebekah! Can I believe it? Why no I cannot believe it! It seems like just yesterday I was rocking my little baby, and now she is a big tall 10 year old!


It is our tradition that we often celebrate Bekah's birthday on her HALF birthday. I mean, we do celebrate her actual birthday on the day, but her party is usually planned on a different day further from Christmas and closer to warm weather. This year her birthday fell on Daddy's surgery date, so we made some adjustments. We did the usual tradition...breakfast in bed.

It isn't common for her special day to be on a school day, so she was pleasantly pleased to be with her friends at school as the princess of the day! We sent snacks and she had a great time. That night we had Mexican at the local dive and they sang a Spanish version of the birthday song. They even put a little ice cream on her nose! She received some super presents, and gave the day two thumbs up!

This was one was from Mommy and Daddy. Bekah is our crafty kid, so this was given to her along with all the materials for hours of fun and piles and piles of messy and fabulous projects!

This was a big hit, compliments of Grandma Dorothy. It could, quite possibly, be the most annoying present in the entire world. It's a voice manipulator...but it was a big hit. Bekah even asked, "Mom, when this runs out of batteries...will I be able to get new ones?" She already knew the answer.

A new pink watch...it even lights up!

"Scratch pads" of money! She's rich!

10 dollars for a 10 year old...Thanks Aunt Sally and Uncle Jeff!

She also got a movie for her Disney Mix Max...iPod thing!

Operation...

How does it always happen that I am weeks behind on the blogging and then I have to post like three times to cover all that has happened in the weeks before?! Are there ever enough hours in the day to do all the things we would like?

I am sure some of you are curious just what sort of "operation" news I have to gab about. My daddy has had yet another procedure...but this one seems to have been a tremendous success! For those of you who are not in the loop, my Daddy, Steve, is a throat cancer survivor. Unfortunately, one of the many side effects from radiation result in paralysis of one vocal chord. His voice was not much more than a strained whisper. After a failed voice procedure in October, he was referred to larynx specialist in Kansas City.

On January 8th he had surgery to correct his voice. The doctor implanting a piece of material inside his throat that moved the immobile chord toward the other, thus producing sound again. He will always have the paralyzed chord, but now he can speak with some volume! You will never know just how much of a burden has been lifted from his shoulders now that his voice has returned! Hooray for Daddy...we love you sooo much!

A Horse is a Horse of Course of Course...

One of the special things we got to do while we were celebrating Christmas with the family made Christmas even more fun. Rachel was house/horse sitting for our family friends the Frasiers. When she was not feeding the dogs, letting the out every four hours, feeding the horses, breaking up frozen water troughs and checking on the house...she was was able to ride (weather permitting). One afternoon the weather was perfect for riding...so Papa, Jerm, Bek and Savannah...and yours truly...headed out for an afternoon in the arena. We really had a great time! I was a little worried the note to Santa might include a pony after this day, but who needs a pony when we can visit six everytime we visit Grandmommy and Papa?

A Birthday and the Luminaries

Saturday, December 20th is my baby sister Rachel's birthday. There is usually some sort of Christmas event on or near Rachel's birthday. This year we traveled to Hutchinson, Kansas to visit "Grandmommy" and "Papa" and the rest of the family for Christmas. We left on the 20th so we could celebrate Rachel's birthday and stay through Christmas.

Each year Hutch celebrates the season with a night of luminaries in the downtown area. We have been able to see this several years. However, this year it was FREEZING!!! We walked just long enough to see Mr. and Mrs. Clause. Here's to Rachel's big 2-0! Christmas here we come!!!

Promotion Time

December 19th is Jeremy's anniversary for promotion. This year marked year two for him, which meant a promotion was in order. I could not have been more proud of him. My parents made the trip down with Rachel to attend this special occasion. The girls were able to participate in the promotion too. Rebekah changed the rank on Jeremy's beret and Savannah ripped off the old rank so I could put on the new. There was a huge turn out! Chief Warrant Officer II Jeremy T. Welch...we are soooo proud of you!

Savannah's Home SWEET Home

December 17th was Savannah Kay's last day of school and Christmas Party. Savannah was ready-spagetti for us to come and participate. Jeremy was able to take the morning off and join us! Each child was given a bag of candy, graham crackers, icing and a plastic knife. We had a wonderful time, and her creation was PERFECT!

Hellllooooo Snow!

Today was the very first real "snow day" we've had in our newest location! We were all pretty excited because we haven't lived in a snowy place since we moved from Texas. It started snowing around 3 am, and it continued all day. I think we got around 4 inches. When the big kids got home from school we dressed up in our snow-gear and headed out for some neighborhood fun. I, of course, had the camera in hand. It was a great afternoon!!! Hooray for snow...it really feels like Christmas time now!!!

Me and my favorite fella

Snow tubing debut

The Daddys' doing what Daddys do

Snow angel...

Snow face!

Below: Toots in the snow...sporting a 1990 throwback, compliments of Auntie Rachel, who is now almost 20!

The Crew...