The Question

Last night we were driving home from the beach late (that's for another post....) and Avery said, "Mom, can I ask you a question?" The tone and sincerity in her voice was so sensitive and curious that I thought for sure she was using this quiet moment to ask me where babies came from or some other question that I would have to stammer my way through....

I took a big breath and said, "sure, what is it?"

Avery responded, " Can you walk around when you are on an airplane?"

Oh to be a child and have the thoughts and worries that only children do....

A Christmas in Pictures

It was a great Christmas Season..... and a busy one. I really feel too tired to even add commentary... but I'll try a little.

At Bri's parent's house for Christmas Eve:

New basketball gear.

New jammies

With baby Addie:

One of Grace's fave gifts, a new doll house.

Showing Poppa what we picked out for him.

Christmas Eve with all the presents

Christmas morning....still dark out.

New X-box Game:

This child always looks disheveled:

Her new pearl necklace, she got to dig the pearl out of the mollusk by herself.

BB Gun!!!

Christmas Afternoon at my parents:

Pillow pets:

The kids piled on my parents bed watching Ben Hur. That was a cute sight.

Johns Hopkins matching shirts for the grand kids:

It was a truly blessed Christmas. We have so much to be thankful for.

Santa's Visit

My Animal Activist

The other night we had the kids get on their pj's and loaded them in the car with hot chocolate to look at Christmas lights. A business in our town always does a "live" nativity scene, with animals, music and the Christmas story playing in the background.

Well when we got there, Avery was just appalled that the animals had to stay in that one little spot and listen to the same music over and over and over. She could just not get over their "conditions"..... Bri was trying to convince her all the good things the animals had and that they were happy. I just sat and laughed.

This Girl

I tell you .... this girl is putting me through the ringer right now. You would never know it by her angelic look, but trust me. She has taken to dropping to the ground, lying flat, and holding her hands close to her whenever I count to three to get her to do something. It's like she's been through the drill before with the police. It's actually kind of funny. She did it the other day in front of bri and I and I couldn't even continue to punish her...bri and I just started laughing.


As it's been said, "this too shall pass" .... Well let's just say, I say that to myself a lot lately.

Christmas Date

This years Christmas Date: The play "Annie" and Italian food in Downtown Portland.

This is something Avery, and Brian for that matter, look forward to all year. It truly is priceless.

It is the only time of year Avery actually asks me to 'do' her hair. I am usually in heaven! How I love those curls.

Ahhhh this red wool coat. How I wish I fit into it!

Over the river and through the woods...

This is the song I often sing in my head when taking the back roads near our house. Sometimes I can't get over how picturesque it is.

We found our 9 foot Noble for 20 bucks fifteen minutes from our house! How great is that.

Grace has been trying out some humorous posses lately, with her boots on backward.... always backward!

Jake helped with the saw this year. Again with the posses....

After: I wish I knew how to photograph this tree so I could capture how truly sparkly and beautiful it is. My favorite part of the day is coming downstairs to turn the lights on, well it actually is a close second to bedtime for the kids.

Avery's nutcracker ornament:

My favorite 1$ ornament from Wallyworld

My early B-day present to myself. Sadly, it was time to replace my fave black table. I just was getting a little too cozy at dinner time.... not enough elbow room. I love the benches and extra room!

Happy Birthday to me in a few more days!