Our Christmas Newsletter

The Zoo Report of 2008
The Comings and Goings at the Aldridge Zoo...

This year has been filled with blessings, a few "inconveniences", fun visits with family, sports, and lots of excitement! Seth and Luke started out our year with birthday celebrations! They turned 9 and 11 and had a great time at their annual "movie party" with their buddies. Seth also got braces in February and we had another exciting event! We had some minor flooding...twice...when some of the younger monkeys decided it was a good idea to flush popcorn down the toilet that was already filled with toilet paper! We did get new bathroom floor, new carpet padding in several areas, and a beautiful ceiling fan! You must look for the blessings...

The spring brought some really fabulous fun times with family and friends. We went to "Busch Gardens" in the spring with Tim and Ami (Stacy's sister) and their delightful family and enjoyed a last adventure before they moved to Texas. We also had an amazing time at the beach in May with some friends who let us stay in a multi-million dollar beach house in exchange for us providing some meals. They got heartburn and we got to soak in the hot tub, frolic at the beach, and leave all our cares behind...does that seem fair??

The kids wrapped up the 2007-2008 school year in June...Macy wrapped up kindergarten and is now a fabulous first grader and reading like a champ! Luke said good-bye to third grader and is now reigning "spelling bee" king in his fourth grade class. He's kept his "straight A" streak alive! Seth graduated from elementary school and is enjoying the perks of middle school---cuter girls, new friends, more independence, and eating pizza almost every day at lunch....He got the "Super Charger" award for being responsible the first nine week! They all do so well at school! What a relief for Mom and Dad!

The summer was filled with days at the pool, more trips to "Busch Gardens", a broken AC that enabled a fun trip to North Carolina, and another adventure for Mom and Dad to Utah in July. We had a great time watching the fireworks. Jack was TERRIFIED and clung to my neck the entire time! Unfortunately the trip out west was because Mark's dear Aunt Sheryl passed away. It was sad, but also a good time to reunite with Mark's family and see Stacy's friends the Bakers and the Bringhursts. Mark's Dad was also hospitalized at the time and it was so nice to be able to visit with him. We're so thankful he made a full recovery!

In August, Jack turned two-yahoo! and football began....and that sport consumed us until the end of November. We enjoyed the practices and games most days...Mommy got to go to Kansas City in September to witness her best friends wedding. What a wonderful event! So the summer's end proved to be a great one!

The fall is fabulous and you can see our adventures for yourself on this blog...I started it in September. Just to highlight the events of the last few months...halloween was hilarious, Evan turned four, and Macy had her sevneth birthday. Mom made her first Thanksgiving turkey and we had a feast just the seven of us! It was great!

Just to wrap this all up....Jack tells Mommy almost daily she is "pretty" a "superhero" or a my favorite a "boozer"...he is chatty, adorable, smart, and mischevious...our little man! Evan is a sweetheart...sensitive, helpful, way into the computer, bright, and loving! Macy is a little lady growing up way to fast...she's social, obedient, and a beautiful singer! Luke has gained so much confidence this year and has become quite the football player...he's intelligent, witty, expressive, and a great addition to our family! Seth is also growing up WAY too fast...he's passionate, intense, funny, and a great help when I need him!

This final picture is from Father's Day...I want to let everyone know how great Mark is and how thankful we are for the wonderful provider he is---physically and spiritually. We are truly blessed to have him as our Dad and husband. We have so much to be thankful for!!!!!

We love all of you! Don’t be a stranger! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

My five little elves

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

"Mom, You're a Super Hero!"

Last night while laying with Jack in his bed, he put his little arm around me and said, "You're a nice boy, Mom."

I replied, "I'm not a nice boy. I'm a nice girl"

Jack said, "You're not a girl, you're a super hero."

Thanks, Jack for recognizing my true identity!

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Everett!

Macy is 7!

My baby girl is 7 years old! It's amazing...it was only yesterday that she was born in record time and gave Mommy the birth experience of a lifetime. This last year she has grown up so much and now she's a old pro at reading, a wonderful artist, independent, a beautiful singer, and awesome big sister! If you ask Macy to do something, she does it right away or you realize it's already been done! I appreciate that so much about her!

I came to lunch on her birthday with Jack and Evan and we shared cupcakes with her class. Later we celebrated with the rest of the gang. Saturday she'll have her friend party!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Thanks Jack...I Needed That!

We've started a new bedtime routine with Jack because he's in a "big boy" bed now. We read him a few stories and lay by him for just a few minutes. He's already figured out that the more books you read, the more time he gets to enjoy his Mom and Dad.

Well tonight he got three stories out of me...each one takes at least 5 minutes because he points to EVERYTHING and says "What's that, Mom?" It's quite the practice in patience... Well after the books were read and the lights were out, we bonked heads. I was tired so of course I started crying. He apologized obsessively over and over and hugged and kissed me. I told him I was going out and would be sleeping in my bed. I told him to be a big boy and not come out. As I went to get up he said..."You be baby Mom, lay down and go to sleep." I started to laugh. He started to go into hysterics. He has the cutest laugh EVER in the history of the planet. He kept telling me..."You be baby, Mom...lay down Mom." He puts his little arm around my neck and it's SO hard to resist!

We laughed and laughed together and it felt SO amazingly good! I felt so connected to him...it's hard to explain! Even though he's only two, he just seemed like an old spirit in that tiny body for a moment. We had the best laugh together. I am so thankful for those moments. The moments when it's just me and one of my precious children and we're the only people in the world. It makes it all worth it. He loves me unconditionally despite all my many flaws....he just loves me! I needed that moment!

Halloween Mania 2008

This year was rather "chilled" when it came to halloween festivities. We didn't make it to the ward fall festival...too much football that day. I never got out the halloween stuff, but we did paint pumpkins and make cookies. I decided to "simplify" this year. I only bought 2 costumes...well I guess 3 if you count mine...the rest I had from last year. Target clearance is awesome the day after Halloween!

Seth is almost 12 and this is his last year of "eligibility" for trick or treating in the Aldridge household. I sent the 3 big kids with Dad to get some good candy hunting time and I took the little ones to a friends house. That worked out great! Jack was a puppy because he loves dogs and my friend Melissa's dogs are black and white, like Jack's costume. He was trying to feed them his treats...luckily they weren't really accepting. Evan was "Iron Man" and what a cute one he was! He even had extra big muscles for the night! Macy was a "cheetah" and she loved getting to wear a little lipstick and having freckles. Luke and Seth were football players, what else could they possibly be.

I decided this year I would represent all Moms and be "Super Mom". It was fun getting to wear a cape and having super powers for the night. I suddenly was able to convince my neighbors to give us massive amounts of sugar....just by ringing their door bells! It was a fun night, but it's always a relief to be over and done. Hope your halloween was spooky and creepy and fun!!!

My little Super Hero Turns Four!!!!

I don't know how it happens or why it does...but it happens! KIDS GROW UP!!! It's a sad fact for Moms....one that I don't easily accept. I like one year olds. They rock. I love the other ages too. But it's harder to see your younger babies growing up. Especially now that our family is complete. I only have one more child that will turn four. In his case, bring it on! Two is not always the funnest...but I digress.

Evan Jacob Aldridge is now officially four as of October 23rd. He is a sweet, bright, loving, sensitive, super hero that I will love forever and ever! We ended up having several mini parties for him this year. We went to North Carolina to visit my parents and my brothers; two are now in NC. So we had a shin dig there and had a blast. The next celebration was on his actual birthday and that involved just the immediate family- Mom, Dad, and the monkeys. Finally the day after his big day, we went to Build-A- Bear and enjoyed some time there with his best buddy. Pictures of that day are limited to respect the privacy of his friend who would like to remain "off the web". But what a fun party week we had with our little man! One of the perks of motherhood are the fun parties!!!

The pictures show the most recent party first, then work their way back to the North Carolina celebration.