Snuggle

Brianna and Henry went back to bed for a snuggle.

The Saxophone

Samuel wanted to take up the drums but his band leader said there was no way she was teaching the drums.  He chose the next best thing, the saxophone.

Yoga

Addison and I like to do Yoga in the evenings to relax before bed.  Once in a while Carmella joins me instead. 

Surgery

Addison went into ear surgery essentially deaf.  He came out with perfect hearing.  Praise be to the Great Physician. 

Big Sister

Elisabeth helping Addison get dressed for church.

Color Cards

Addison loves his flashcards and Carmella loves doing his flashcards with him.

Fans

Our football fans having some fun

Dusty

Someone was visiting Pa's lab... and I think they should have brought a dust rag.

Livvy Time

A few minutes of snuggle time with her lovey and her Pa is a good way to wake up.

When You Have Two Big Sisters Less Than Ten You Might Wake Up From Your Nap Accesorized

This Side of the Door

Carmella was too sick to go out in the snow with the other children but she enjoyed watching the kids out the windows.  They took a few minutes from their sledding to give her a special hello.

Trumpet

Aedan was so excited to get his trumpet.  It seems he was made for this instrument. 

The Birthday Boy

We were out of town for Allen's birthday so we had his celebration a few days late.

The Eye Doctor

After a visit to the eye doctor, Addison's eyes remained dilated for 5 days.  He was so good about keeping his sunglasses on to protect his eyes from the sun!

Macaroni Grill

Stopping for a bite of lunch after a visit to Children's Hospital.  As much as we hate having to travel to doctor appointments all the time, it is fun to have a little one on one with Henry.

WANTED: Battat 18008

Henry uses this toy in his therapy and we have found he is very responsive to it. His therapist has tried to get one through her professional sources but they don't make this anymore. All the newer ones are electronic bells and whistles. I've searched thousands of listings on eBay the last month with no luck. We had something similar years ago that I donated! I am sure there are tons of these buried on the shelves of thrift stores across the country since no one really wants toys without batteries. I would appreciate if those of you who frequent second hand shops would keep an eye out for this.

Description:
CAll Battat 18008
Dog beeps when pressed
Blue handle clicks when pulled
Bell dings
Etc...

It does not need to be this exact model... The key is the interaction that he has to work for the response.

Thanks,
kathleen

Fresh Baked

When we bake bread the first loaf is devoured about ten seconds after it comes from the oven.

Heart Cookie

These cookies weren't the tastiest but they sure were beautiful.  What can I say?  I'm a sucker for a seasonal pastry.

The Henry Ford

Our friends were married at the Henry Ford.  The day after the wedding we celebrated Nathaniel's birthday by spending a few hours checking out this museum.  Now that our friends have moved to Minnesota I can think of no reason I would ever travel to Michigan, except to spend some more time at the Henry Ford.  If you ever find yourself in the area stop for a day at what I think is one of the best museums.

Black Tie

I love my man in a tuxedo.  And what better time to wear a tuxedo than when witnessing the marriage of an amazing couple we love so much?

Flight 93

An impromptu side trip on our way to Detroit landed us at the Flight 93 Memorial.  I was pregnant with Nathaniel on 9/11.  This was a sobering reminder of the young man who isn't alive today.

Twelve

Our handsome man... growing up so fast!

Caught Snuggling

You never know where Henry might turn up.  More often than not when I go to get him out of bed someone has already kidnapped him and snuck him away to their own room for a snuggle.

Frosted Window Panes

Wood Carriers

I love to see our fellows working together.  They find so many ways to make various jobs fun and sometimes easier.  We ladies of the house sure do appreciate the hard work they gathering, cutting, splitting, stacking and carrying firewood so we can stay warm and toasty even on days when the temperatures are in the single digits. 

Bedford Falls

These ornaments were given to my brother by a friend and many years ago he passed them on to me.  It's a Wonderful Life is one of our favorite Christmas movies and I have used these in countless ways to decorate over the years.

Scotland Yard

The kids love to play board games together... especially strategy games.

The Physicist's Flat

The girls made a special spot for the little physicist in their room.

The Artist

Emma has done a great job honing her skills in paint, pen and ink, charcoal, and pastel.  Her pencil sketches are still my all time favorite. 

Happy New Year!

There's our guy!  Ringing in his first new year.  Here's to a prosperous year full of blessings, adventures and growth.