30 December 2010

whirly ball...


















the ref looked at me and said "you're going to bring a $900 camera in here?" he was incredulous. but, the camera survived!!!

















fun times!! a true action shot!











whirly ball... thanks dad, for a wonderful christmas eve game! it was SO MUCH FUN!! so many memories there... surprise 16th birthday to start!!

















decorating the gingerbread man...











if you can't beat em, join em! david was sick and just wanted to watch the browns game... so the boys joined him!!!

















multi-colored carrots... who knew??











family photo...











all the girls in scarfs that aunt cindy made!!
















trying to take a family pic... and the camera moved... at least the boys got to be in it!
















family pic... my awkward position due to trying to run and get in the pic in time, and not sure where to sit, or if it was going to work... oh well!!!

this is it for 2010... a year of huge change for me. a year of beginnings and endings... and "see ya laters". i have so much to write about for 2011... i can't wait to get started. but, let's review this year....

i started out the year running a half marathon. in less time than i thought i could. i trained for and ran 13.1 miles. i am 50 pounds lighter than i started the year at. i am back to college weight. that is HUGE for me! i have tried so hard and so many ways to accomplish that. i won't lie... it feels good.

i moved my entire life away from my home of seven years, back to the home of my birth (or at least jr high/high school) and spent three months living with my parents again. then, moved again to rhode island. and started over. nora started school. i made new friends (and am trying to keep the old!).

my baby had a second surgery. sad, but we should be good!! both of my babies are so grown up. i saw God working in so many ways and doing so many things. there were trials- my own, and ones that i prayed friends through. laughter, tears. visits, vacations, memories.

we went around the table last night and did highs and lows for the year. i couldn't decide on one thing. it was so fun to be with my fam for three months this summer. but so sad to be away from the love of my life. it has been so fun to watch nora in school, but so sad to have jamey's surgery. deep creek was SO MUCH fun. marco was SO MUCH fun. (i lied... my highest high was my 30th surprise party... for my 29th birthday...)

what a year. something i read recently and love is that "God doesn't give explanations, He gives promises". and, He promises that He will "prosper you and not harm you". how awesome is that? like someone so dear always said, we see in such a finite window, but God sees all of eternity. who am i to say that something is "so bad", when God knows the outcome, and works all things together for His glory....? may He be glorified in me, and my i continue to find His glory in all of my circumstances...

jamey...

what a stinking big boy!!! he wanted to sit up in the big chair for breakfast, so i let him. he was so proud of himself... and his new haircut makes him look SO OLD!!

every time i go to get his hair cut (okay, the two times), i think, "i'll leave it long... just get a trim". then, i get in there and let them cut it all off (my fault, not theirs). and i love it, but mourn his hair cut. he just looks so much older!

what a whirlwind week.... we've had so much fun, and the flu has seemed to stop in this house (maybe because we passed it on... SORRY cousins!). so much fun had, so much family time. more pics coming soon, i promise!!

happy birthday to a dear, dear sister. thanks for loving my kids so amazingly much. i love you!!! so glad you were born. and to another friend in surgery... i am praying!

26 December 2010

Christmas morning...












my gluten-free, not so red velvet cake... isn't it cute????











Christmas eve dinner....











Christmas eve dinner sans children.... look at those smiles!!











cousins... matt, lauren, andrew
brooke, byssa, kerri, shell, dyh, stef, taylor











the presley family! (dd was sick...)











Christmas morning... stockings left by "santa"











say "cheese"!!

















her new shirt from santa...

















trying to get every blessed piece of paper off...

















his new book...

















he was told to go say "thank you" to mom-mom. so, he carried the whole gift to her to say thank you. so precious!!

















loving his new baseball/golf toy!

















her life-sized doll from cho-cho and taylor.

















her new dress mommy made!











tickles with uncle andrew!











my two babies. daddy is #4 in the flu line-up. sad for him.

24 December 2010

merry Christmas to all...

















saying "cheese" with cho-cho...

















her new strawberry shortcake... maybe her favorite gift!


















new tutu from aunt cindy and julia... loving on aunt julia!











embracing all sides of MY family's heritage! doing crackers with the presley family for Christmas... they loved it!! nora kept looking inside for "crackers". she was a little disappointed...











two days later, people are STILL wearing their crowns!!!











love my parents... and the davids!










merry Christmas to ME!! my new fabric came just before we got here!! isn't it BEAUTIFUL!!! i can't wait to start sewing with it!!

watching "a charlie brown Christmas"... in her charlie brown inflatable chair...

the tomato soup i made... after pureeing... this is only HALF of it... btw, it's almost gone!!

Merry Christmas to all... pics from eve and day to come!! we have had a wonderful week here at home so far. as i type, david is playing a game with my mom, someone is throwing up (the only downside to being at home- the 24 hour flu we have been passing around...), showering, doing dishes, kids are watching their new veggie tales...pretty much status quo for the week...

we had a game night/sleep over at libby and will's house. SO MUCH FUN. i think it will be a new tradition! (eliminates the need for baby-sitters... and we can play later because we all just fall into bed!) dentist appointments for nora and me. i think i've been to target almost every day. just having fun! oh... and bridesmaid dresses and wedding gowns!! oh, and my new obsession... JUST DANCE 2!

20 December 2010

dance party...












daddy and his silly kids!!!
















girls' night out!












my sweet kids!!











making her "birthday hat"











her Christmas performance!











family picture...











nora's teachers... miss bonnie and miss keri.
















chatting on the phone...


















uncle hans taught nora how to make music with her crystal wine glass...

















oh how i love that face!!

















loving on uncle joey!!

















snuggling with uncle hans!!











and with pop-pop. jamey LOVES those penguins!











look at those blue eyes!

















tonight, we discovered "just dance 2". LOVE it! and the kids loved dancing to it!











snuggling with josh... dd's bestie











dancing!











more dancing!

















tonight was pepparkaker night. a presley/peterson family tradition. we have spent years doing this... it shapes Christmas for me. so fun to get together tonight and do it. to have david there and helping...











and nora... (with cousin lauren)...
















check out that snow bank outside!