Happy New Year - With My Grandparents

We took a day and drove a couple of hours to see my grandparents - they are all four still living! My mom's parents have been and still are pretty spunky people. My dad's parents are in a nursing home and have greatly declined physically and mentally. It was hard to see them, sad, but very good as well. I was so glad to get to give them both a hug and a kiss, to sing to my grandma songs she sang to me when I was a little girl, to get pictures of my kids with my grandpa and grandma.
I don't know, I wonder, I hope...that they can pray, that they can think on Scripture and be comforted by Christ.

Happy New Year - Artistic Shots from Todd and Andrew

Happy New Year - Out in the Snow

Happy New Year - First in a Series

We spent a week in Lake City with my family over New Years and celebrated Christmas together. We had such a great time relaxing, being out in the snow, playing cards, visiting old friends, attending the church I grew up in, just spending time together! Eleanor received a tricycle, and Will a "retro rocket" from Papa and Mimi...lots of fun MOVING!

"Big Boy" and Gang

These are some pictures from my parents front yard/front door. They are crazy, but they are real, I promise!

What they're up to

We are vacationing in Lake City (headed home tomorrow) and have taken 665 pictures with our new camera! I am not kidding. I just counted. You'll be seeing a fraction of those, they'll come!

But for now, what my kiddos are doing these days.

Eleanor - singing songs, riding her new trike, counting past 16, learning letter sounds, wanting to choose everything and control her life down the color of straw she drinks out of or how her sunglasses are folded, asking lots of questions about God and Jesus, loving holiday sweets, using her imagination, doing lots of things herself, playing with Will and bossing him a little, talking all the time and giving commentary on her life, saying funny things like:
"Who is going to pray in this family?!" at mealtime...
"When my piggy jammies are dirty, I like to wear my hippo jammies, and when my hippo jammies are dirty I wear my piggy jammies, because I love them both and they are cozy and beautiful!"
"Can I see your underwear?" (She is not shy about asking this question - watch out!"
"Daddy, are you going to ask me about my day?"
"Can we go see some other old people now?" (visiting my grandparents at the nursing home)

She keeps us on our toes!



William - shaking his head NO (shakes his whole body actually), saying words "yep" or "yeah", "all done", "amen", "nana"(for banana), "juice", and now, in addition to "Dad-Dad" and "Mama", he is saying "Eleanor"! Her name sounds a little like "On", but he is definitely talking about his sister! The night after we got back from WA was the first night they hadn't been in the same room in a week, and when I put him to bed he cried and cried and pointed at the door, "On! On! On!" Oh my goodness melt my heart! He does a lot of animal sounds - bunny, frog, snake, sheep, lion, bear, tiger, cat... Also the sounds of cars, helicopters, and airplanes. Signs for airplane, all done, and please. He can identify 6 or so body parts. He loves to be outside, loves to be tickled by his Daddy, loves to play with Eleanor (often trying to destroy something she is working on!), loves to cuddle with and hug his Mommy. Doesn't love car rides, but enjoys then more now that his carseat is facing front! Loves to eat snacks and loves to be chased. Understands so much of what we say. Finds things he shouldn't have. Likes to play with non-toys, carries things around like tupperware and empty pepsi bottles. Still has a grin that melts me.


Wow, I love them both!

Promised WA Pictures