Happiness

December 11, 2008 - Sarah gets an early Christmas present (her brand-new 7MP digital camera!) so she can capture memories of our birthday trip to Chicago. This is in the hotel room the night of our arrival. Room service for dinner and lots of fun on the big king-sized bed as she and Daddy roll around playing tickle monster. I love this shot because it captures Aaron with such candid joy on that face I love so much!

The Face of Fun

Here is a picture of Sarah and her cousin Katy (in the pink) finishing up one of the 4-wheel tubing runs they took with their grandfather, also known as Bob-Pop but formally known as Grandfather Tallman, Sir, a.k.a. my Dad. The girls had a blast, and even Grandma Sandy got in on the action, going for a spin or two herself.

What an excellent, wonderful time we had celebrating an "early" Thanksgiving. I put "early" in quotes because really, every day should be a day of giving thanks - and that weekend was certainly no exception. Most of our family was together, the snow was absolutely gorgeous, the food delicious and the company divine. Games were played, snow was blown and shoveled, and the woodstove kept us all warm throughout it all. I wish we could do it every year -- the weather was truly beautiful and I will be putting up some other pictures here as well that hopefully show a little bit of that beauty to the rest of the world.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Sarah's Gone Batty!

Well, I am proud of myself! Sarah went back and forth this year on what to "be" for Halloween and finally settled on a "Graveyard Fairy" costume from Costume Express. I ordered it, and got a phone call a few days later informing me that it was on backorder. A few days after that, I got another phone call saying it wasn't shipping. What to do!?

At that news, Sarah decided she didn't want to trick or treat because her Dad wasn't going to be here. She has been dealing with Daddy being in Illinois extremely well for an eight year old, but every once in a while it peeks through and this was one of those times. We talked about it, and she finally decided she wanted to be a pillow. I thought, "I can make a pillow costume - how cool would that be?!" and I was going to be a blanket. JoAnn Fabrics was gonna love me!!!

Later, she decided that she wanted to be a bat, after purchasing "Fang" the black Halloween Webkinz bat. I thought, "I can make that!!" and voila, I did! I think it looks pretty awesome and you may or may not be able to see the little black ears she's wearing but I did those too and they look pretty awesome as well!

This picture was taken as she was getting leaving for the Brownie Halloween Party at the fire hall. It's got exactly the effect we were looking for and I can't wait to take another one -- this time from the front!

Happy Halloween!!!

Canning

While we were up in PA this past weekend I helped Dad & Sandy make and can tomato soup and hot peppers. My father works very hard on his garden, from putting it to bed in the fall to waking it up in the spring and nurturing it all spring and summer long. The bumper crop of tomatoes this season brought about some absolutely delicious cream of tomato soup -- everything that went into that soup was natural and from their garden, except I believe some celery and carrots, although the carrots most certainly could have come from the garden. My point here is, with all of the salmonella and other food scares, growing and canning your own food makes more and more sense. Our lot is heavily wooded and does not lend itself to a garden; however, when we move to Illinois, that's one of my list toppers - a home that has a spot for a garden.

I am going to try my hand at making preserves - I have a big gallon sized zipper bag filled with blueberries from -- you guessed it, Dad & Sandys bushes in PA, as well as about a quart of raspberries, just picked on Saturday. I'll let you know how the canning goes -- hopefully, we will have a delicious taste of summer to spread on our toast through the winter!

Blue

For my birthday my DH came home from Illinois after being gone for 7 1/2 weeks. It was so damn good to see him and have him here, we miss him something fierce!

My birthday wish from my daughter was a picture frame "done by" her with a picture of her and her Daddy in it. I took the pictures that make up this collage at the airport right before he left, and I call it "blue" because we were very unhappy that he had to go, not to mention the obvious "blueness".

Sarah and her piano

Well here we are, your first notes on the piano. You are so excited! I am excited, too, because I love watching you discover new things. The dogs are extra curious, as well - and earlier, while we were eating dinner, we heard some surprise notes and then saw Kozmo and Hobbes tearing out of the study -- they discovered the piano as well!!! It will be interesting to see if your toe-dipping turns into a full swim; either way, I am happy we can give you the opportunity to try!

I wish your Daddy were here to see this in person - but I know he'll love this video too!