Cherish The Family... Some Times They Are Here Today, and Gone Tomorrow

Just a week goes by and the next thing you know you've lived through another historical event in your own life. Saying good-bye to yet another precious family member. Gathering together with the loved ones you have here and remembering the ones that were just here last year. Our family has certainly had it's fair share of emotion in 2009, yet...we are thankful for all that we do have, and most especially for the strength that we didn't know we had inside of us to keep going. We love our family so much, those that are here, those that have left us to live in heaven and those that we wish we could see more often because of the miles between us.
This week was a bit chaotic, we lost Grandma, had the funeral the day before Thanksgiving, had Thanksgiving, went to the Black Friday sales, and had a game party at our house for the

Here are few candid family moments this past week. Not necessarily in order...but they depict some of the history we lived this last week.

Saying "Good-Bye" to Grandma Carma Helmcamp. Stephanie's Grandma by blood, and Joe's by chance. She was a wonderful lady and will be missed!!

December 3, 1920-November 22, 2009.

reunited again with Gene

Rawley, our Standard Poodle is back to his "Normal Self" after his conquering the taste test with Rat Poison. Luckily the dog won, with the help of our vet... (to the tune of $2100 I may add) Being weird and silly after our Thanksgiving Dinner we enjoyed at Grand America this year.
We opted to break tradition in lieu of emotions not having Josh, Dean and Grandma this year.

Ashley's hair is so long, it kept tickling my face, so I decided to make that hair
useful and see what I'd look like as a man. LOL. Not so cute.



My brother Darren making some fun of his own, by showing off his talents lifting his eyebrows...Dr. Spock? Or perhaps he inherited the talent from Grandma Carma? She used to do that when she was mad at ya. lol. Watch our Darcie and Ben....Dad has that look!

Joe and Ashley letting the food settle. The food was awesome at 'Grand America' I must say!

Stephanie and Ashley...Hmmmm? I guess we do look more alike than I realized

Our cute little family now that Ashley's brothers are on their own. Just leaves her to hang with her Mom and Dad...But, what a cute Kodak moment this was!

Bill and Judeen Hughes (Steph's parents) on Thanksgiving.

It was a fun family day even if the price of dinner was much higher than McDonald's. LOL.

Awwww... Isn't that the cutest couple ever?

(Stephanie and Patrick Swayze, oops I mean Joe)

A look at the dining table we had reserved. There was Bill, Judeen, Emma, Ashley, Ellie, Samantha, Matt and Colin in this pic.

(We had Mom, Dad, Matt's Family, Darren's Family and Joe, Steph and Ashley at dinner)

This is our "Neener Neener" face that we got to go to Maddox and you didn't!

A little sister comparison eating our chocolate covered mint sticks at Maddox

(Steph)

And....Andrea (my sis) Crazy how much we look alike now!! LOL.

All Stephanie's siblings together! And....dressed up!

in order of appearance and birth order-

Stephanie, Matt, Jason, Darren, Andrea & Adam