Game Day Birthday Party and Slow-Cooker Chili

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you! 

Thank-you for stopping by! 

I'm sure many of you are football fans

and here in Seattle our '12th man' fans

are legendary. 

The fans inside our football stadium

are so loud that they

actually register on seismographs 

used to monitor earthquakes in the region! 

My two sons always get season tickets

to our local football team, 

The Seattle Seahawks. 

For the season opener game, (which was 'away')
 my Daughter-in-law, Jen hosted a special birthday party for 

my youngest son, Dustin.

She did a wonderful job! Aren't these brownies so cute?

Hard to believe my youngest is now 34! 

He's still a big kid at heart, though!  

Here he is in his official 'man cave' upstairs,

where he shows his true loyalty as a fan. 

All things 'Seahawks' rule here!

Lucky enjoys hanging out with 'the boys'. 

His nickname is 'Big Chief'. 

This cat has personality plus, and 

nobody messes with him :) 

Helmet and football for impromptu 

touch football games. 

 Some favorite fan photos with family and friends .....
Dustin and Jen are in the middle photo :)

Skittles are a fan favorite. 

Of course, you must have a Seahawks cooler, too! 

A life-size wall decal of Russell Wilson, 

a 'bobble-head' doll and dollar bill! 

The game begins! 

I head back to neutral territory downstairs........

Dustin and Jen are newlyweds who have been 

working very hard to remodel their 1980's style home. 

They just installed beautiful new floors, painted the walls, 

and are having new trim and windows installed 

before remodeling their outdated kitchen. 

Big Chief looks out the new French doors

(minus trim) at the neighbor pup standing

on the bench with his head inside a bucket of

water :)

It's those little moments in life that 

truly make you smile. 

Dustin holds Big Chief while Jen looks on. 

He is showing me the new brick walkway that he 

just installed himself.......

And the woodshed he just built. 

Good job, Dustin! 

It's so gratifying to see your children

grow up to value home and family. 

I'll tell you, when they are teenagers

you sometimes have doubts. 

You just have to have faith........

and plenty of love :)

Jen made a delicious crock-pot chili 

for half-time. 

Her secret ingredients were green peppers

and mild chicken sausage. Yum!

I made some tiny cornbread muffins to go with. 

Here's a link for some Slow-Cooker Chili Favorites. 

The cake.....

Make a wish! 

Wishing you a wonderful year, my son! 

Opening gifts. 

Daughter-in-law, Erica takes sweet grandson, Ethan

for a stroll in his Russell Wilson jersey. 

I can't get enough of those chubby cheeks <3

Father and son, Gabe and Ethan, 

enjoy the game together. 

Both of my sons live in the same neighborhood

and are in the same profession - computers. 

Gabe is with Microsoft and Dustin runs his own business. 

I am glad that they are so close. 

When they were boys they fought

like cats and dogs :) 

Typical brothers.....

Son-in-law, and soon to be new Dad, Eric watches the game. 

The siblings...

Jennie, Gabe, Heather (soon to be new Mom) and Dustin. 

They are very close, not only in age, (5 years 

between eldest and youngest) but also in spirit. 

We are truly blessed. 

xoxo

"Siblings: Children of the same parents, each of whom

is perfectly normal until they get together."

- Sam Levenson - 

"What can you do to promote world peace?

Go home and love your family."

- Mother Teresa -

"The strength of a nation derives

from the integrity of the home."

- Confucius -

xoxo

Today I am linking with: 

Cooking and Crafting with J&J