Jackson and Sarah....

3-5-05 Photo taken for Steven's 3rd grade totem pole.

12-31-03 Getting ready for New Years Eve sleepover at Grandma & Papa's!

7-3-03 on the plane to Hawaii.....

POTD.. Photo of the day Challenge

I have been challenged by the girls on the photography board I frequent to take and post a photo every day this month! I am up to the challenge {I think}.

So I accepted the challenge kind of late today, 01-01-08 at 10:15 p.m. But I was able to get this shot of Jackson using the light in the hallway and no flash. I love to watch him sleep... he looks like he is thinking of something, focused on it somehow. He doesn't move much when he sleeps, waking up in the same spot in the morning most of the time. We are currently in the coldest month or two of the year and so he is bundled under the fuzzy, down blanket. But come February, he'll be splayed out with no blanket on his body, just touching his face.

Which is funny, since he has done that since he was a baby. He had a quilt Grandma made for him that he named (at 2) Sarah. He took it everywhere and always slept with it -the corner cuddled up to his face. He still does that now, even though Sarah is worn and ratty, barely held together really. He mentioned tonight he needs to find her. With the state of his room after the past weeks vacation, I am sure she is in there somewhere, to be found when we set everything to rights tomorrow.

ETA: I spent the last 30 minutes looking, but I found some photo's of younger Jackson with Sarah. I just had to put them up to share as well.

From our house to yours....

The boys are sleeping at their grandparents house -as they do every year. Yummy dinner, snacks, games and fun .. plus they get to stay up late! They have a great time and we are happy they are building those memories with their grandparents. Something they can look back on when they are older and be glad they did.

I have a moment like that.... I remember staying up all night at Aunt Lulu's house in Birmingham to watch Princess Di and Prince Charles get married. We toasted with champagne (which I developed quite a taste for, but it never tastes as good as I remember it being that night). At home I would never had stayed up to watch a TV program at 2 a.m. NEVER. But at Aunt Lulu's it was ok. I love that! I love that memory!

So Jon and I went to dinner out and were home by 7 p.m. We don't like to drive on NYE with all the crazy people out there. We watched some TV, surfed the net and are thinking about going to sleep. This is late for me, I don't like to stay up too late. I get grumpy. So ringing in the new year for me is much better done when I wake up -than at midnight.

Happy New Year everybody!

Christmas favorites....

My favorite was the food. Lasagna, ham, spaghetti & meatballs, all of it!
I enjoyed spending time with my family. I was glad that the gifts I spent so much time finding delighted the
receivers.





Presents are my favorite. But I liked church too!
Having a whole week off to hang with my family.

Christmas Eve...

We spent Christmas eve at my parents house with the whole family. There were games (The Christmas Game and Whoonu), yummy food (lasagna!), dad doing the dishes.... My boys, my parents and I left for a bit to attend Mass at Divine Savior --the kids mass is at 4:30 p.m. but you have to get there early to get seats. We were a bit worried when we got there 35 minutes early and the church looked full. No one was in the first row right behind the priest, so we got those seats, which we like.

This year after dinner, Brian held a Gauntlet... each of the kids had to get past him and touch the rocking chair on the other side of the room, before anyone could open gifts.. the kids loved it, so much fun.

Then there were gifts, desserts and we were home by 11:00 p.m.

More Cousins...

2007 before opening presents.
2003 before opening presents. Not much has changed!
Outside playing ball before we left for church. They were having a grand time even though it was only in the 40's this year. Not too warm.

Cousins

Except for the fact that I waited until after all 3 kids had eaten spaghetti... I love these pictures! The boys love each other and enjoy spending time together. How great it is to have cousins!

Christmas Part 1 ..Sunday

We celebrated Christmas a few days early with Jonathan's family. His parents and Marisa, Scott and Iain were able to come. We had a great time visiting and playing with Iain's new toy. The boys liked it as much as he did -so there was lot's of fun with it. Grandpa Jim brought the boys ukelele's from Hawaii. The kids love them. There isn't a day when I don't hear the ping, ping, ping of the strings.. in fact this morning I thought someone was playing the piano -the music was very soothing. We will have to find a book on how to play them so the boys can play actual songs..



Here is Steven with his...

Iain's toy... ball popper.. so much fun!











Marisa's family.... such fun to hang out with, we feel so blessed that they live near by now.