Christmas Card 2008

Sorry it is coming out a little bit blurry. You can click on it and enlarge it if you want. I can't figure out how to post a pdf instead of a jpeg. Anyone know? If you still can't read the text I will put it right here:

The Tyler & Shantelle Flake Family Christmas Letter 2008

Merry Christmas! 2008 has been a fun year for us. We wanted to give you a little update on what is going on with our family.

We had a new addition to our family this year; he was born on Valentine’s Day. We resisted the urge to name him Cupid, and settled with Austin Dennis (or Lil’ Pumpkin as Ty calls him). They are a super active pair, which keeps me very busy at home.

We are so blessed to live near both of our parents and two of Tyler’s brothers. We are never short of babysitters with all of the family around, nor are the kids short of attention! Ty is bewildered when people at the grocery store don’t gawk over him singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. Since Ty turned two in August, he is pretty sure he’s got everything figured out. When I compliment him on something he has learned to do, he responds, "I teach you, Mama."

The other day his grandpa showed him a Charles Russell painting of a grizzly bear attacking a cowboy on a horse. The horse was bucking and the cowboy was almost to fall off. When grandpa said, "The cowboy will get hurt when he bangs his head on a rock!" Ty declared, "Then he'll say, 'I want my mommy."

This past year I have enjoyed playing volleyball several times a week. I play any chance I get whether it’s with friends, on a city league team, or in an outdoor tournament. In fact, the city league championship game is what sent me into labor with Austin. In October, I went to Indiana to see my sister, Samantha, play in the National Volleyball tournament for Southern Virginia University, where they placed third! It was especially fun to be with my parents and all three of my sisters.

Tyler is enjoying his job. He keeps busy with school as well. He is getting his MBA and is looking forward to graduation in the spring! He also really enjoys playing football with his cousins, and pick-up basketball.

The past year we have been on a few vacations as a family. One of our favorites was traveling back East with Tyler’s parents. We went to Virginia where they spoke at Southern Virginia University. We also went to Suzanne (my older sister) and Nelson’s new home, and had a lot of fun spending time with them. We spent a few days with Tyler’s sister Melinda in Baltimore, and on our way home we spent a night with Tyler’s brother Read in the Chicago area.

As I’m sure it does for you, the Christmas season heightens our awareness of the many blessings the Lord has blessed us with. We are so grateful for family and friends, and most of all for the gospel of Christ.

Love,
Tyler & Shantelle, Ty & Austin

Lately...

We had such a great Thanksgiving dinner (or more like luncheon, because we always do it early). We had tons of food and fun at my parents house with all the family. I have never had such good turkey. My mom has got it down! Then something I want to make a tradition that we did this year is to go on a walk after the meal. It isn't always nice weather for Thanksgiving, but we lucked out. Then we came back and ate pie. My mom's coconut cream, and Amanda's buttermilk and tollhouse pies were a BIG hit. Yum, Yum!

Ty showing off his new trick, Uncle Grove taught him.

I thought I would post a picture of our Christmas tree. Ty gets so excited about it. Every morning and after his nap, the first thing he wants to do is to see the tree. He was extra excited when we put our first presents under the tree. We will see how long they stay wrapped for. I remember last year it was so hard to keep Ty from pulling the tree down or undecorated it. This year it is Austin. Fortunately the treee hasn't fallen, and we just decorate the top half of the tree.

My dear sweet husband risked his life putting up our Christmas lights. When we moved into our house, the owners had them professionally wired. They said that they were the kind that you can leave up year round because you can't see them. Ha. It was the first thing I noticed when we drove up to see the house. So because I am so picky we have to take them down and put them back up again. Maybe I will take a picture of them sometime.

A couple weeks ago, Ty got invited to his first Bday party. It was for one of his friends in the ward, named Jens Cutler. It was so fun, because I got to go as well. Holly did an incredible job on decorations and planning the party around a theme. She is so dang creative. She did a construction theme. She had plastic yellow hard hats and yellow lunch pails for each of the boys with their name on it. You can see in the pictures the dump truck brownies and little orange cones (made out of ice cream cones, graham crackers, and chocolate frosting, with skittles inside).

A couple days later we went to another party. It was Ty's cousin, Ethan's party. I didn't take many pictures at this party but Amanda did a fantastic job as well. I am always in awe of people's creativity! I have a picture of all the kids with Ethan's awesome birthday cake, a treasure chest! They played one of the best games that I need to do with Ty again at home because he loved it so much. Amanda got 500 pennies and scattered them in the grass. Then all the kids went on a treasure hunt to find them. Whatever "treasures" they find they keep. The kids looked for about 20mins and didn't even get them all. This reminds me of a joke my father-in-law tells. If your kids are driving you nuts, you throw 99 pennies outside and tell them not to come back inside until they find all 100 of them. I will have to try this one when Ty can count higher than 10 and not skip 5 and 6 everytime.

Way too much writing, not enough watching my kids.

Last week I did something I have never done before. We went to a cave, or spelunking as the pros call it. (It was actually an old mine)

I don't think I can call myself my husband's wife without having done this. Austin loved it most of all.

Very possibly child abuse. He doesn't look amused, but trust me he was.

In order to get to the cave we had to cross a creek. It was only knee deep, but the water had ice floating in it. So, Troy, being the best brother-in-law that he is carried not only me...but Austin across. See movie below. I don't know whether to laugh or feel bad for him.





Not only did he do this for me, but he did it another 2 times for his friend, Brooke, and then for my niece and nephew, Kendall and Lily. Tyler and Cannon climbed across a cable to avoid the freezing cold water.

Our Halloween

We had such a fun halloween. Even though Tyler had class that night, we still got to be with him for a little bit. We went to Tyler's work and did trick or treating at the offices. Then, we went to our ward's trunk or treat, and just incase we didn't have enough candy we went to my parents and inlaw's ward for another trunk or treat. Ty loved it! However, he wanted to eat each piece of candy when someone gave it to him. He couldn't quite get the concept of saving it for later.

That night I knew that we weren't going to be home the whole night so I put out a bowl of candy. I went to our ward trunk or treat for about 45 mins and came back and realized all the candy was gone. I thought at first that somehow there must have been a lot of trick or treaters, but in the next 30 minutes we didn't have anyone. So...one lucky person got a bunch of candy in one stop. Not that I am going to miss it or anything. I am thrilled to have it gone. But..sorry to anyone that came by and didn't get any.


At Tyler's work. Yes, Tyler did dress up. If you want to count the skeleton shirt his work gave him.

My cute lion and pumpkin.

This picture doesn't necessarily reflect their personalities 100% of the time. Only about 90%.

I dressed up as a cowgirl, my default costume when I am not feeling creative.

Enjoying the nice Halloween weather.

He was mistaken as a carrot a few times. But for the record, he was a pumpkin. (see front of costume)

Ty with his cute friend, Nakota.

Samantha's Volleyball Nationals

Last week Austin and I took a trip to Indiana to see Samantha play in the National volleyball tournament for SVU. She did fabulous, and her team ended up placing 3rd! We were proud of them. It was so fun having all the girls together in the family! It was so fun to go back to Fort Wayne because Suzanne and I both have so many fun memories of playing in the same tournament for SVU.

Coach Pendleton was so cute with Austin.

Tyler's cousin, Audrey, happened to live just a couple miles from where they played. She came and watched a game. It was so fun to see her.

SVU team and proud family

My darling sistas

At times it got a little crazy.

Family shot.

Austin couldn't wait to see Aunt Suzy.

A little fun during conference...

I couldn't resist these...

I am still laughing about this one since I took it.

He can do no wrong when he is that cute.

Enjoying the Canyon in the Fall

Thanks to Cannon for taking these photos.

No, this wasn't edited in photoshop.

Is Ty throwing the rock, or is he about to get hit?