Saturday, December 29, 2012

Walking in A Winter Wonderland!

I don't have to travel. I'm home so I can actually appreciate the beauty of the snow. I have blogged numerous times about "Tom's" path which runs along the river. (It isn't really his path of course.) Those blogs were usually springtime blogs. Today I was 'in the mood' so I grabbed Tom and my camera (not necessarily in that order) and headed out.
We started at the end of our driveway.
 
We just follow the path until it circles back to our house.
 
 
 
 
 
"Hey!!! Wait for me!!!"
 
 
I stopped a lot to check out the view looking back. (I'd say the direction but I have no idea what direction it is!)
 
 
Maybe I'm better off going forward.
 
 
Tom decided that it was my turn to be in the picture. See that blob on my face (be nice!!!). It's a snowflake! I was having a hard time keeping my camera dry but you can't really tell that from the pictures.
 
 
Crazy Tom was telling me about his 'distance markers' that he has placed along the trail to help measure his daily walks. He said that it took him several days to finally get this huge log this far! He's crazy!!!
 
 
This is another distance marker.
 

 
 
 
Check out the shape of that tree!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I love this photo! My camera wasn't set right or else Tom's arm wasn't long enough. I think the latter!
"Hi Honey!"
 
 
There! Now the camera is set correctly (I think).
 
We are back inside. As night creeps in, the snow continues to fall and I am glad to be home.
 
 
 
 

Thursday, December 27, 2012

A Grandkidlet Christmas

 
It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!
 

Blake, Nicholas, Marley, JoJo, Alexis, PopPop & Layla

The Smith grandkidlets (and their parents) arrived Sunday afternoon. Brent, Jen Snell, Layla and Marley arrived a short time later to say hello. The house was suddenly filled with laughter, hugs and kisses, presents and way too much food! I wouldn't have it any other way.
Blake & Nicholas never have a problem finding something to do even if it means getting out the old, old blocks and creating something.
After while, Nicholas got out one of the scrapbooks of his 1st year of "babyhood".
Alexis loves knocking down anything that her brothers build!
Marley and Layla came over to see their cousins. Blake and Marley couldn't wait to begin building together! They are quite the team!
 
December 24th is the official Kattau Christmas. This works out so well since Tom and I can head to Battle Creek to be with Mother and Debra on Christmas Day and the "kids" can go to their "other" families.


It is "our" Christmas morning.
Nicholas and Alexis wait for presents to be passed out.

Blake is ready!!! The first present is delivered!

Jason looks for the "on/off" switch on the drums.
"Who bought this anyway???"

"I love the Walkman!!! It's red!"

 
"A globe?" (I just remembered that I haven't paid my sister for this very expensive Goodwill marble globe!)

"How many more pictures are you going to take  JoJo?"
 
"I just can't wait for more presents!!!"

"I love taking pictures of myself on Daddy's phone," says Lexi.
Blake is quite amused!

"Just what I wanted!!!" says Nicholas.

Is my living room shrinking or are these kids growing???

This is the year for 'coats'. These are feathery soft dress coats for the girls. Alexis has a light-weight cream colored one.

Blake is ready for a heavy snow!
Tom found Nicky a "Saints" coat.
(He'll let me know if I wrote the wrong team name.)

I found this hat for Tom at Goodwill! NOT!
 
After opening presents, eating, playing, eating, napping, and more eating, nearly everyone (Jason stayed home with Blake who had a slight temp) went to Trinity UMC for the family service.
 
Brent, Marley and Kendra light a candle during Silent Night.

Jen, Layla and Nicholas light their candles.

Silent Night, Holy Night
 
Alexis blows out her mommy's candle.
 
After the service, we went home to graze have another bite to eat.
Jen's dad joined us for supper. I wasn't the best hostess since I needed to be back at church for rehearsals and a 10:00 service. There was a full choir, large orchestra, bell choir and all the trimmings. It was a beautiful service. I was home by 11:55.  Little did I know that at this time, Brent was at his house with the beginnings of the flu!!!
 
                                          December 25th
                         The boys are ready for their gifts from
                                  Santa and Mom and Dad

Each boy had shopped for the other and got each other the SAME thing! (Kendra said that it was so hard not to tell them!!!)

"OMG!!! Is this what I think it is???"

"Mom! Dad! Come see what I got from Santa!!!"

"Never mind! I'll just walk on the box.
It's more fun than opening it!"

"I love it!" says Nicholas.

"A bathrobe! Now I don't have to wear Mom's!" says Blake.

Alexis is proud of the ornament she made at school 
 for Mommy and Daddy. (She is lower left.)

Santa knew Alexis would love this birthday cake.
Lexi can "cut" it up and share her cake.

Jason shows off the canvas photo of when we went
to Washington last September. Tom took the picture of
Jason and Kendra with Mt. Baker in the background.
 
Well, another Christmas has now passed. After cleaning up and packing up, Kendra and family headed for Christmas #4 in Kokomo (Jason's family), Brent stayed home and was sick (the girls went to their mother's for the afternoon) and Tom and I headed to Battle Creek to be with Mother, Debra, Brian & Laura, Carl & Erin,  & Naomi (that was a surprise even to Debra!) and Sharon and Keith.) Tom and I returned home, got the house in order and Layla and Marley came for the night and Wednesday to let Brent do some recovering.

Today (Thursday), I returned to Battle Creek  (Tom is home with the girls) to take Mother for her 3rd eye injection. One hour before her appt., the office called and rescheduled until tomorrow. Guess I'll be heading home on Saturday. In the meantime, Mother woke up this morning with a very swollen jowl. She obviously has an infection or something going on but of course, I can't get the dentist office to call me. I don't know how this is going to turn out but we'll just play it by ear.