Christmas 2008

Christmas is finally here. I put together a hodgepodge of pictures and I can't seem to move them around tonight so out of order but hopefully entertaining here we go.Angela and Adria opening presents.

I think Adrian likes it but I'm not sure.

Adria feels about clothes the same way I did. She opens the box, sees that it clothes and tosses it aside. She was so happy with her gifts. Then she was told this blue one was her last one. She ripped off the paper, saw that it was clothes, and said to herself quietly, "And it ends badly". Fortunately there were some more packages for her. Mom loved the kids clothes though.

Amara wanted everything on the commercials this year so she was so excited to get this game.

I got clothes, what did you get?

Trade you.

Vanessa and Eric got a dog house. They look like they like it but......

Amara and Mike having a moment.

Leanna gets to open and Mike gets to strain his back.

Now this is how you open a present!!! Yeah Steph! Jonah says, "Nah, don't like it". Joe has learned how to hide his opinion of Coach purses.

Jonah and Joe having a talk.

Caleb caught on right away.

Aidan and Dad getting ready for Aidans Cars shirts. He liked his clothes.

Jonah and Joe catching a power nap.

Jonah loved the bows.

Now for a sad story. I got so sick on Christmas Eve I couldn't even sit up. Jim had to finish all the wrapping and fill the stockings and finish putting it all together. Stephanie and Leanna helped him. Thanks guys, you did a great job!

Oh, I forgot to mention frosting the cookies.

Poor Michael. He came in at the wrong time and got cookie duty! They came out really good and we had them for Christmas breakfast.

Jim had lots of help putting up the tree this year! It was a fun Christmas, one that was as close to perfect as you can get. We went to California and finished off Christmas with my family. Everybody stayed and visited until the wee hours. I had so much fun with my sweet nephews this year. Hope everyone had a good time!!!



Oh yeah, Jim took his vacation the week before Christmas so he and Adria spent a whole day working on their time machine. Great Stuff.

Sugar and Spice

It's officially Christmas time. The gingerbread houses are getting decorated and so is the house! Adria and Amara are working hard to get the candy on and still have enough to munch on. They had so much fun! Next week is baking and stringing popcorn for our edible tree. With Jonah and Aidan this year it should be interesting.

Such focus!

Very creative.

I did a lot of licking the bowl.


Anticipation!

Hope you are all enjoying the season. If not, come on over, we have cookies to frost.

Sweet MaMa's Boy

Aidan is such a sweet little boy. Yesterday he picked this rose for his Mom. He waited all day for her to get home to give it to her. He plucked the leaves off of it and had me take off the thorns. As soon as she got home he gave it to her. When we go for walks he stops at every flower bush and picks me flowers. I smell them, let him smell them, and then thank him with a kiss. It takes us forever to get anywhere but when you're a grandma you're not in that big of a hurry.

Mom loved it!

A FULL WEEK OF BLESSINGS

Jonah's mom and dad went on their belated honeymoon and left their angel with Jim and I for the week. We call him Joe no no. He loves to get into mischief!!! We didn't get a moments rest while he was awake. Jim took his vacation time to help me. I had 6 grandkids all week. Believe it or not it was fun. We got to watch the kids interact and they got lots of cousin time. Jonah and Caleb love each other. Caleb just lights up when he sees Jonah and Jonah is always wanting to play with Caleb. He loves to shake his saucer to give Caleb an extra fun ride.

Courtney got to spend the week with us. She was a big help! This is bubble blowing time. Jonah studies them and Aidan attacks. We baked alot and took kids to the playing places.

We took the two boys to Sea World for some one on one time. Jonah studied everything but especially loved the double stroller and sharing popcorn with Aidan. Aidan loves Shamu. He came out of the show saying, " Shamu is my friend, He loves me."

Aidan loved feeding squishy fish to the dolphins. The week before we went he kept saying ,"Today we go see Shamu?" Everytime we opened the door he thought it was the day. Next time I won't tell him in advance. He gave me a list all week. "First Shamu, then feed the dolphins, then popcorn, then cotton candy." When we got there we had to do it in order. He is so funny.

Jonah loved the manatee. He laughed and watched them swim for a really long time. He wasn't happy with the fake one though.

The shelf for the manatee tank was perfect for them to fit on. Sure beat having to pick them up to see. Jonah weighs a ton. The tank also had a sucker fish that kept coming up to the glass and giving them kisses. They loved it!

Back at the hotel. I think we wore them out. They look so sweet when they sleep.
I feel like they look. It was a great week and I am beat. We picked up Joe and Steph at the airport with Jonah. He was so happy to see them and they were so happy to see him. One of those picture moments. They had a great time and are thinking about moving there. I don't think I can go that long without a grandma fix.

Halloween is here!

Halloween is here and I was so blessed to get to be a part of most of my grandkids celebration. We had quite the group! Caleb dressed up as a cowboy and boy was he cute. This kid loves to dress up. He never complains. One of Leanna 's new hobbies is to dress him in all kinds of adorable outfits and costumes. He is adorable!!!

Leanna dressed as an Indian princess and she was gorgeous! They made an great pair.

Jonah dressed up in a sweet little monkey costume and he liked it too. He didn't even try to take off the hat! He is our little monkey.

Just one more to show off. Isn't he precious?

Adria wanted to be a vampire. The days of princess are over. She is 8. She is always in character and definitely should take up an acting or modeling career.

My grandaughter Vanessa and Eric. Eric is Zorro but we couldn't talk Vanessa into dressing up so she just went as a pregnant woman. She is 6 months along and we're going to have a boy!

This is my great grandaughter Serena as princess Dora. Aidan is Diego. For those of you who don't have preschoolers they are cartoon characters.

Aidan is a dead ringer for Diego. When it's on tv he always says, "There I go!" He is so cute and is talking up a storm.

Amara wanted to be a scary cat. She was too cute to be scary. She is in Kindergarten and had her first costume parade. She loved it!

This is the group that went trick or treating from our house. Adrian made all the other men in the neighborhood envious. Not only was his costume great but he claimed Angela looked like a stripper instead of a fireman. Costumes are so much fun!!

First ones back were Leanna and Caleb. He got wiped out. He weighs a ton when he is awake but when he sleeps it doubles. Leanna was as tired as Caleb Everett.

Serena and mommy and daddy survived also.




And yet Aidan was still buzzing. He was taking his suckers two at a time.

We ended the night getting to sit and talk, eat pizza, and just relax. Joe and Stephanie headed home last. It was quite a day.

Fall is here!

Fall is finally here and so is the fun. I'm ready! This summer has been long and hot. It's still hot but not unbearable. It is cool in the mornings and evenings. The kids can play outside and everyone is trying to get their costumes ready. Caleb is modeling for me now. He earned his first dollar. Grabbed it right out of my hands when I was trying to pay Adria for her modeling costumes. He wouldn't let go even with a tug of war. Adria finally said he wanted paid too. He is a little capitalist.Kids are going outside to play a lot and the weather is so nice. The climbing tree is getting lots of use. It's also a nice place to hide from your little brother.

Leaves are just starting to fall. Adria and Amara spend hours up there.

With fall comes the County Fair. We took the grandkids to the fair and they had a lot of fun. This is a picture of 4 of them. The 5th one is not ours. The kids had so much fun with this monkey. (Jonah couldn't go with us so we had to improvise).

It was Angela's 30th birthday so after the fair we all went out for dinner. We sure fill up a table when we get together.