Friday, January 25, 2013

'12 Days of Christmas

Inspired by Dr. Seuss
I hung lights and stockings on our wall















decorated Christmas tree to the music from
the movie "Rent"







enjoyed family
Christmas cards!

Alysse and Sierra baked yummo cookies!



















While waiting to see Santa, we ran into a young lady from our hometown of Chatham.
Maria went to school with Jamie and now has two wee ones of her own.
She was at the mall with her mom, children, and sister Anna (not pictured).


















offering assistance for holiday spending and the long wait in line for Santa,
Mike quoted Charlie from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia,"
See, me I can take those 5 dollars you gave me and feed myself for a month. I buy some flour, milk, and vitamins and boil em down into energy balls.
 
Evan and Si went sled riding in the food court





































An early gift for Evan







man-sweeper - picks up rocks, nails and blocks of cement









Christmas with the Hollopeter's


(left)
Liam, Nikki, Jessalyn and Matty



(below)
Liam, Si,
Zachary
Tara and Lyla

reindeer Liam and Si






father or son
-- did one of them earn the lump of coal?

The Ferrier Christmas
After a bad case of flu, trip to emergency room,
and days after Christmas, Patty got to meet Liam!

Jimmy holding 4th generation!










Liam's height was measured and added to the wall/doorjamb! 

THE glasses

And when Christmas Day arrived, it was very different.
 For the first time in 31 years
we had no children at home to wake us
early on Christmas morning.






We missed them a lot. However,  Sierra, Jamie, and Matt were with the Perez Family in Florida and having the time of their lives! And went to Universal Studios and visited Hogwarts

and Hogsmeade
The Sorting Hat




and
Butterbeer!






They saw Dr. Seuss Land firsthand!
Poppet-ville!
encountered a dinosaur at Jurassic Park
I love Jamie's signature cuteness with this face!
Sierra's happy face after flying over the quiddich field!
(love this face, too!)



With time in Florida over, sad Daisy doggie eyes, sad Si Si eyes




So, like the very first Christmas, we went in search of a child
Thank you, Cheri and Bruce, for your hospitality!
With the flu making its rounds, all the family ended up having a blessed holiday season.
Sweet dreams, Good Knight.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Sierra Azul hike



 getting ready for the chilly hike
house on top of one of the hills we were hiking
 the sun went on other side of the mountain

first hike in tennis shoes after foot surgery

view from the mountain--
40 miles in the distance is Oakland (on right)  and San Francisco (on left)





Having run ahead of us hikers (like I ran ahead of Mike and Nikki during lunch at Apple to take their picture and embarrassed them on two levels), Mike re-enacted my ridiculous-nous. Cracked us up.















looking down at the trail we'd hiked up 
fresh air!