Christmas 2014

Our advent - we forgot to light one of the candles on week#3 so week#4 we lit the last two.

 



Christmas dinner at mom's (above is Hellen hiding, Lea, and Sarah - below is Jerry, Lea, Sonya, Sarah, tommy, Don, Les, Hellen, Mom))

The dogs had a secret santa and we opened some gift early and some Christmas morning

Christmas morning shot of the annual Swarovski crystal snowflake that Jerry gives me every year. 2014 is particularly beautiful.

Random shot of Eddie with Uncle Les

And, for the final, yes I did give my hubby pooper scooper service for Christmas!

Thanksgiving 2013

Jerry & I went to Mom's for Thanksgiving dinner. Sadly, Marge just wasn't up to attending. We had talked it up the last couple weeks and her ALF had her dressed up and hair done but when Jerry went to pick her up she had nodded off and refused to go. We're learning you can't get agreement from her if you wake her up. He hung around a while hoping she would change her mind but, instead, we had our first Thanksgiving without her.

What a surprise when we got there. We were expecting cousins Lea and Sonja (with their husbands) but Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry were there too! Mom knew but didn't tell any of us. We had a nice meal and a nice visit. After dinner mom and I went to Michael's which is our Thanksgiving tradition. Every year I ask the Michael's staff how they feel about working Thanksgiving evening and they say they love it because if you work Thanksgiving night you get black Friday off.

Mom's beautiful fireplace and the garland we made for it last year

Me and Jerry

Cousin Lea and Don

Aunt Mary and Uncle Larry

Cousin Sonja and Tommy

The Thanksgiving table

Cousin Sarah's 8th Birthday

My cousin Erica planned another fabulous birthday event for her daughter Sarah's birthday - three hours at McGough Nature Park. We started with snacks and punch and looking around the desplays. Next, the park rangers brought in animals, both alive and taxidermy, and gave a presentation. The aniamls included snakes, owls, raccoon, fox, and alligator. Next we had birthday cake and opened presents. Then the park ranger led the kids in a craft project of turning pine cones into bird feeders. The day ended with feeding the turtles in the pond. Both adults and kids enjoyed the afternoon.

 Our brave birthday girl

A clos eup of the albino corn snake Sarah was holding

Cute little screech owls

Mom and me in front of a taxidermy sand hill crane

The family - Sarah in front, Erica, Lea, and Don in middle, Sonja in the back. Lea is my first cousin, Erica & Sonja are my first cousins once removed, leaving Sarah as my first cousin twice removed. Don is husband, dad, and grandpa.

The craft project - peanut butter and seed covered pine cones

The turtle pond held 8 species of turtles