Reminiscing 2011 (Catching Up Part 9)

The girls got puppies for Christmas! Claire has this one she can take for a walk with her new double stroller.

And Cate has this cuddly little guy...

...that she just loooooooves!

She was preoccupied enough with her puppy on the screen that she let me take a picture of the three of us.

Reminiscing 2011 (Catching Up Part 8)

All that was left for Christmas Day was to do a little baking. Both Jill and Mom wanted to make Peanut Blossoms so we brought out our red and green sugars to give them a holiday look. Jill's and Mom's recipes must be different because we used Mom's but Jill had told her to make a double batch and we ended up with 13 dozen cookies!

Reminiscing 2011 (Catching Up Part 7)

Early Christmas Eve afternoon Tony and Tricia had just time enough to stop quick for a little slush and gift exchange before Tony had to be to work. (How he survived his work schedule and all the holiday gatherings I'm not sure!)

Brian, Kate and Maya could get away for a little visit too. I caught them coming...

...and going. The weather made it just a pleasant walk across the road from Willow Hill.

For the most part, Maya was in high spirits.

But she knew when somebody strange was holding her!

Family portrait.

And then there's this bunch...

...and what was left after all the grandboys and families had stopped at Grandpa and Grandmas.

Bookworms Are We

We've both finished reading one book already in 2012. Since I'm a lady of lists I keep track of what we read and last year Jill made it through 30 while I hit 58. I attribute my increase over other years to canceling my weekly Sports Illustrated subscription. Even though Nooks are starting to run in the family I don't think I'm ready for one of those yet. But thanks to the Public Library and everyone that loaned me a book in 2011! Reading is a great pastime!

Reminiscing 2011 (Catching Up Part 6)

Christmas at Mom and Dad's was a sporadic affair. We started on Christmas Eve Eve when Jon and Mindy and the kids stopped in before heading over to Willow Hill. Harvey and Natalie were pretty fired up and Jill got right in the mix.

Jon could hold down Harvey but only for so long.

Natalie couldn't escape those fatherly arms either.

And Mindy corraled Harvey long enough for a mother and son shot.

Somebody got the bright idea to turn Harvey into Little White Riding Hood.

And here are those Greats with their great-grandparents!

Reminiscing 2011 (Catching Up Part 5)

Once in awhile Cher and the kids go to Sargents Nursery for a program called Wee Wednesday. Way back when, she asked if I'd like to go along because the one in December was decorating a Norfolk Pine and an extra set of hands might be nice.  

The program started with the reading of a couple of Christmas stories while even us older folks enjoyed BIG cookies with the wee kids.

They had stations with little pines set up in the greenhouse where we're used to finding impatiens in the spring. Each child got a box and could pick out any of a multitude of decorations for their tree.

Each one was different and beautiful!

We had Harveys all wrapped up when the lady came along and said she'd take a picture of all of us but I think by then Harvey may have been more enthralled with having his own water bottle than with showing off his tree.

Knowing the kids would be doing this in December is why they decorated one at Thanksgiving for Maya...so she could have one of her own too!

Reminiscing 2011 (Catching Up Part 4)

So later that same day Jon and Mindy were due for a date night so Natalie, Harvey and I spent the evening together. I coaxed them into taking a picture with me by letting them take turns pushing the button on the camera. You can see it must have been Harvey's turn next because he's all set to go!

And I was trying to get a pose where our heads are close enough together that it would work as the thumbnail on my Facebook profile. Haven't tried that yet to see if it'll work.

The kids were trying on the hats some Santa must have left behind another time. A pink Santa hat? Do you think maybe Mrs. Claus was along for the ride last year?

It matchs Natalie's dress almost perfectly.

They had a book where you had to find the hidden objects blended into the picture. Natalie was being such a good big sister and helping Harvey with that.

Of course we had to have a snack not all that long after supper.

Frosty came on at 7:00 but at 8:30 we were still watching animated Christmas shows.

I may have been in trouble for keeping the kids up too late. I'll know I was if I don't get asked back to 'sit!

Reminiscing 2011 (Catching Up Part 3)

There was a Saturday in the middle of December where my day was full of kids. Claire and Cate came over for a couple hours after their Mom got home from a late shift at work. We had a little craft project to do.

It was a Christmas tree!

Cate put out the call to come to tea.

And a tea party it was. Little pinkies up and all!

There was actually a second tea party in the dining room but Claire took so long setting it up just right that we didn't have time to take a picture. The girls got into the caps so we photo'd that instead.

And then it was off to McDonald's!

Reminiscing 2011 (Catching Up Part 2)

This year we frosted cookies at our house. Mindy and Harvey had a doctor's appointment to check out his ears but could join in later and Tony and Jon stopped by after work so it ended up being the Christmas gathering at our house since there was no other day when most people could come. 

It was pretty intense at times.

And I don't only mean the artist's concentration. The decorations themselves were fairly intense also. Check out Natalie's cookie! 

I'm not sure if she adopted that style from Tricia or if it was the other way around.

When Harvey got there he seemed to like a lot of sprinkles too!

It was a colorful display of cookies when all was said and done.

Reminiscing 2011 (Also Known As "Catching Up!)

You may remember, Thanksgiving was three holidays ago already! We spent it out at Cher's with almost everyone present and accounted for. Before our meal there was some hijinks going on with Jon and Natalie.

And after we ate she and Harvey worked on decorating a little Norfolk Pine for Maya to have for her very own. (The reason for this will show up in a later post!)

The tree looks almost bigger than Maya!

Both she and her mom were in good spirits!

These glasses turned up and a lot of people wanted to try them on.

I think Grandma looks better in her regular ones!

We both wanted a picture with some of the Greats.

This is the best I could come up with with all of them!

It's quite a challenge getting four people to have their best faces on all at the same time.

2012!!!

A safe, healthy, Happy New Year to all!!