Annual Pederslie Holiday Letter

So for the past several years I have always sent a letter with our Christmas cards. This year I just didn't feel like it. I wasn't even sure if I was going to send Christmas cards. Not only do I send letters but I have always had some type of homemade card too. Again, this year I just didn't feel like it, but had a change of heart a few days ago. Luckily I have made enough holiday cards over the past few years PLUS have participated in holiday card swaps that I was able to come up with enough cards to send out! But...no holiday letter.

Now I know many of you are going "What the....???? How will I survive without the Pederslie holiday letter? My holiday is not complete with out it. SAY IT AIN'T SO!"

So I figured I would write one, but post it here instead.

So this year has been....interesting. Lots of changes, some good, some not so good.

Early this year we flew to San Diego for Stacy (Chad's sisters) wedding. While we were there we took a few side trips. We went to Chip Foose's shop (for those not in the know, Chip Foose designs/builds hot rods). While we were there Chip actually showed up to pick up some items for an episode of Overhaulin'. Chad got his picture taken with him!

 

Before heading home we headed up to D-Land and California Adventure. We hadn't been there since CarsLand went in so we had to go! Of course Shelby wanted nothing to do with getting her pictures taken with any of the characters but I did! Below is a picture of me and my good friend Jessie.

 

While we were away, my brother got engaged! He reconnected with a girl he had gone to school with (via Facebook, which I would like to point out he had teased me about for AGES, and said he would never join!). He found a good women in Christine. Well let me rephrase that...he found someone that will put up with his constant teasing and will give it right back! She has a son and a daughter so we gained a few more cousins/grandkids in our family. Oh and a furry cousin/grandkid too! Our furry kid, Harley, likes this!

They got married in August down by Mt Rainier. What is up with these destination weddings though? A half hour drive is all I ask! Just a quick trip to attend the wedding people! Hee, hee!

On a sad front, one of our cats disappeared this summer and never came back. I just keep telling myself that some old lady in the area is lonely and has taken in a bunch of cats and that our cat is keeping her company! Shelby & I immediately wanted another cat. Chad said no! But little did he know....Shelby & I are the decision makers in this house. Okay, maybe he knows but he pretends like he still makes the decisions!

So for Shelby's 11th birthday this year we decided to get her a kitten. We took her to the Humane Society in Bellevue. Even after walking in and seeing all the cats I don't think she totally understood why we were there. If only I had gotten a picture of her face when she put it all together! She was so excited! 

Meet Pinto Max Pederslie!

He came with the name Pinto and we thought about changing it but decided not to. Shelby wanted to name him Max at first but then we decided Max would become his middle name. Though I think we call him everything but Pinto! Pinto Bean, Little Dude....

So as you can image we were a bit unsure of how he would fit in with our other furry kids. Luckily he is a little spitfire and has no fears at all! Right away he was like "Out of my way! I want to play with my new brother & sister!" Harley seems to enjoy him as she now has a playmate. Tiger on the other hand just tolerates him. Hopefully that will change!

If I am very, very quiet he will never know I am here!

I wuv you!

So as the year comes to a close I am getting ready for my last day at Honeywell. Due to some role changes, my job is being eliminated. It is quite bittersweet because I work with a great group of people at our facility. I have also made some very good friendships with coworkers at other sites. Luckily I have been there long enough that I will get a nice little package that will at least get us through the holidays and into the first part of the new year. Though I have been working for the past 18 yrs so I actually would like to find a new job sooner rather than later! Luckily I have a great support group with my family and friends so I have been able to get through this trying time with a small smile on my face!

So I think I am ready for the new year. We will be welcoming a new baby to the family next year. Not me of course! Stacy is having a baby boy early January. Oh how I love little babies that I can hug and snuggle and then give back to the parents when they get fussy!

I hope the new year will bring me a job, some fun times and no serious life altering situations! I think I have met my quota of those for at least another year!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

Steph-ology

Saw this on a friend's Facebook page and thought t would be fun!

***********FOODOLOGY***************
1. What is your salad dressing of choice? Blue (or is that Bleu?) Cheese
2. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Red Lobster
3. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? Cereal!
5.What do you like to put on your bagel? cream cheese or butter
 
***********TECHNOLOGY***************
1. How many televisions are in your house? 3
2. What color cell phone do you have? white w/a blue cover
4. Have any idea how may Megahertz your computer has? 1 megehertz not enough
***************BIOLOGY******************
1. Are you right-handed or left-handed? right though I can write with both (and my toes!)
2. Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Does a baby count?
3. What is the last heavy item you lifted? Isn't that what my husband is for? To lift heavy things? And fix my car!
 
4. Have you ever been knocked unconscious? No
************BULLSHITOLOGY**************
1. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? No
2. If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I already changed it...when I got married! Best day of my life! :)
3. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? Hmm, maybe for $1,000
************DUMBOLOGY******************
1. How many pairs of flip flops do you own? 1, 289
2. Last time you had a run-in with the cops? Hmm, within the last 8 years but not sure exactly when! I run into them at Starbuck's quite often. Does that count?

3. Last person you talked to? Chad
4. Last person you hugged? Shelby
**************FAVORITOLOGY****************
1. Season? Summer (hence the reason for my 1,289 pairs of flip flops!)
2. Holiday? Halloween
3. Day of the week? Saturday
4. Month? June
***********CURRENTOLOGY*****************
1. Missing someone? Sure! My friend Nikki in AZ.
2. Mood? Unsettled
3. What are you listening to? Airplane Repo on TV
4. Watching? Um Duh....
***************RANDOMOLOGY*****************
1. First place you went this morning? Back to bed??
2. What's the last movie you saw? Burlesque
3. Do you smile often? I try to!
***************OTHER-OLOGY*****************
1. Do you always answer your phone? Heck no!
2. Its four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? Why am I up at 4 in the morning checking my texts?
3. If you could change your eye color what would it be? I like my eyes!
4. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? You can add flavor? I just get a Cherry Limeade!
5. Do you own a digital camera? I have one, Chad has one, we have a nice big one....Yet can never find a camera when needing to take a picture!
6. Have you ever had a pet fish? One Fish, Two Fish....
7. Favorite Christmas song(s): Sipping in Seattle's LatteLand
8. What's on your wish list for your birthday? Well you can check that out at www.amazon.com.... :)
9. Can you do push ups? I can eat Push-Ups.... :)
10. Can you do a chin up? I  keep my chin up, does that count?
11. Does the future make you more nervous or excited? Excited....I think.....wait.....um......
12. Do you have any saved texts? Ugh, I hate having things in my in box! I delete, delete, delete!!
13. Ever been in a car wreck? Yes
14. Do you have an accent? Ya sure ya betcha?
15. What is the last song to make you cry? Hmm, don't know though I probably only cried because the song was used in some scene on a TV show or movie
16.Plans tonight? Well considering it's 9:30 on a Thursday and I have to work tomorrow...I have a date with my pillow!
17. Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? Yes, and I enjoy it so much that I hit it again going 90 mph!
18. Name 3 things you bought yesterday? Coffee, um another coffee and dinner!
19. Have you ever been given roses? Yes
20. Current worry? Work, my child, finances
21. Current hate right now? Stupidity, though this is a daily issue
22. Met someone who changed your life? My dear hubby of 13 yrs!
23. How will you bring in the New Year? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............
24. What song represents you? The Lazy Song by Bruno Mars
25. Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? Probably not, because I wouldn't be where I was today without having taken the path I did
26. Have you ever dated someone longer than a year? Yes
27. Do you have any tattoos/piercings? Both ears pierced twice
28. Will you be in a relationship 4 months from now? I hope so! If not, Chad will have some es-plaining to do!
  29. Does anyone love you?He better!
30. Ever had someone sing to you? Oh god no! And if they did I don't think I would keep from laughing!
31. When did you last cry? Last Friday
32. Do you like to cuddle? Most of the time and especially if it's w/my little cuddle bug!
33. Have you held hands with anyone today? Shelby!
34. Are most of the friends in your life new or old? Are we talking about age?? Ha, ha! Most are new friends that are old??
35. Do you like pulpy orange juice? Yuck, pulp free for me!
36. What was the last band you saw live? Huey Lewis & The News? But going to go see Bon Jovi next month!
 
37. What was the best thing that happened to you today? My daughter said those three precious words "You were right" And my work here is done!

Phew! We made it!

Hard to believe but Chad & I celebrate 13 wonderful years of marriage today. 13 years ago today we professed our eternal love for each other in front of friends & family. Well honestly I don't know what we agreed to that fateful day as my memory is a bit fuzzy. I am pretty sure someone must have drugged me, and I am pretty sure Chad was about three sheets to the wind BEFORE the ceremony started...

Seriously though...I sure lucked out when he came into my life. And what a story that is!

So around Christmas of 1997 mutual friends of ours invited me to a Christmas Party. My friend's husband and Chad worked together. I met Chad, and even hung out with Chad but Chad does not remember me....Three sheets again!

Fast forward to June 1999. I had recently broken up with a guy and had moved out on my own. Our friends wanted to introduce us again (sober this time!). You know, so I could have a good guy friend that I could hang out with and who wouldn't "try to get into my pants". Later I mentioned this to Chad and he said "I'm a guy. If give the opportunity to get into your pants, I would have!"

So our friends set up a blind date. Well blind for Chad because, if you remember, we had met before but only ONE of us was sober! Chad tried to get the 4-1-1 on me beforehand and was only told "She is a nice girl that has her own place" Well to Chad nice girl=not so pretty girl and her own place=trailer park. So you can imagine his hesitation going into this date! It did not help that our friends drove by the trailer park on the way to my apartment!

Our first date was at Ivar's in Mukilteo. I don't think Chad & I said a word to each other at dinner, and in fact our waiter was hitting on him! Afterwards we all went back to my apartment. I think it was at that point, when Chad saw my little Corvette Hot Wheels car that he knew he had found THE ONE. For me it was when I found out he had a DVD player (which were fairly new at the time). You know, the important things....

We were engaged 4 months after we met and married 11 months after we got engaged. 13 years later we still tolerate each other and have a beautiful daughter as a result.

He makes me laugh, he makes me cry (from laughing so hard), he cares for me when I am down and is the best father to our daughter.

Happy Anniversary Chad! I love you!