Guess what we did on New Year's Eve???

New Year's Eve is a weird time for us. It is the anniversary of the day we got married in the church but it is also the day I was induced into labor to have Madison. This year I wanted to do something different. So, we went and got tattoos. John got my name tattooed on his left upper arm. I wrote it out and the tattoo guy made a stencil of it and used that. I guess John is stuck with me forever...or his NEXT wife will have to have my name too!!

I wanted to get a tattoo in memory of Madison. So, I came up with the idea to have an "M" with angel wings. It hurt like a #$%#$&^$ but now that it is done and not hurting anymore I love it. It is on my lower back so no one will really see it for the most part. I will not be getting another one though...too much pain.

Christmas Day ~ 2008

Jilliann ... she is a ham!! She got a box of dress up clothes and decided she had to put ALL of them on. She wanted to pose in front of the tree. I took 20 pictures of her. She had fun.

And then she changed into the outfit Andrew and Adrienne bought her. Very cute.

She loves her dolly that goes pee pee on the potty. It even signs a song about it. Since she is now potty trained she finds this very fun. At least it only makes the sound of going potty. I don't have to clean up after it!!

The boys got so much stuff. They had a lot of fun. Cars that go on the wall, games, video games, socks and underwear!! We had a fabulous Christmas. Not a day goes by that I don't remember how blessed we are to have a great life....and great friends and family like you.

Christmas Eve Already???

Austin was happy to get Newton's Cradle. He learned all about Newton's 3 laws of gravity this year in science and was very excited to tell us about it. The down side to this is he also saved up $200 because he wants to get a merman tail to swim in our pool with. He is currently obsessed with becoming a merman. 2 steps forward...one step back!!
















Jilliann was in a "fabulous" mood when she awoke from her power nap during church. We had promised her presents for being good in church and she was none too happy when we told her she had to eat dinner first. I think she looks an awful lot like her cousin Laci in this picture. She eventually was happy....when she got a new baby doll.











Here we all are at Grammies house waiting to eat. Johnny came and blends in well with out black and grey theme. I wonder when the kids are going to absolutely refuse to dress in coordinating outfits. It makes me happy though!!

This and That

Here are some odds and ends from November and December 2008....


Jilliann and I went to a real English Tea Party with Grammie. We had so much fun. Jilliann loved trying the teas and wearing all the different hats that were there. We even started a new tradition of getting her English Tea Cups for a collection.

















Justin was on the swim team this year and did a really good job. He even enjoyed the practices 3 days a week! It was a lot of work and we are very proud of him.

Here is a picture of my 2 beautiful "nieces" (the are really 2nd cousins but I call them my nieces). They are both seniors this year and have grown into beautiful women. I heart them both very much.

Thanksgiving 2008

(left) Everyone at Thanksgiving...


(below) all the Great Grand Kids

Wow, it is hard to believe the time has come for Thanksgiving again. There is so much to be thankful for. We had to go to "Plan B" this year as the weather was not its usual perfect self so we gathered at my house. It was a lovely time. We are so lucky to have our grandparents with us for another year.