Daniel Can Crawl!

Isn't he adorable?!

Daniel's First Christmas

Daniel's first Christmas has come and gone. We stayed home this year and celebrated with just our little family (Grandparents Christmases will be this coming weekend.)Daniel didn't seem to think too much about the presents, or even the wrapping paper. He just wanted to eat the ribbons and bows. Jason and I bought him a cell phone, my sister Laurel sent him a huge box of clothes, a book, and a train. She sent me a t-shirt she made with Daniel's beautiful face in the O of LOVE. If it wasn't for her gifts, there wouldn't have been much under the tree!



At lunch time we went to a friend's house and ate great food and played games. It was very sweet of them to invite us to crash their family's Christmas dinner.

The whole long weekend was relaxing and so much fun. I just love spending time with him - getting to play all day, taking naps together, and watching him learn.

Tea Party

Christmas time is the perfect time of year to get with friends and do girly stuff like drink tea! I helped to host a tea party at my friend Shara's house last weekend. We had about 12 women from Sunday School together (without most of our kids) to chat, eat a lot of food and drink a lot of tea and coffee. I had a great time and I think everyone else did too.
We didn't get pictures until half the girls left so we'll have to do it again!

Lindsey, Courtney, Erika, Shara, Kat, Amanda

Daniel's First Christmas Tree

Last year was the first we cut down a real tree - it is well worth the extra time and money. I just love the look and smell of the real tree; Christmas seems more real somehow with a natural tree.
These pictures are pretty self explanatory. Daniel just loves the tree - the lights and shiny ornaments.

Roxy and Raider

While our family enjoyed time together over Thanksgiving, Roxy spent time with our friends Courtney, Jeremy and their dog Raider. Raider is a West Highland Terrier with youthful energy who thinks Roxy is wonderful. He wants to play with her, and of course, she wants nothing to do with him. The union of the two is almost always a circus. A fit of barking and growling while Raider tries to get close to Roxy and and Roxy saying "Back off kid!"

It seems they had an okay time together despite the perpetual conflict. They played together outside, had to get their paws cleaned together, slept in the same bed (at least one adult apart), and rested within the same proximity of each other (as close as Raider could get)!

Let the Festivities Begin

Today my best girlfriend since third grade drove two hours with her beautiful baby to visit me! We see each other about two-three times a year but we have the type of friendship that makes it seem like we are together all the time. Babies made the day less activity packed then I thought it would be, but I loved just being with Ang and watching our kids play! We have kids! - How weird is that?!

We did manage to go to the 1756 Troxell-Steckel farmhouse to visit with a 1840s PA German family preparing for Christmas. We even encountered Beltznickel who determined we were good this year and gave us candy and nuts! On our way out of the house we found Santa Clause too!




The day was perfect and has put me in the Christmas mood. We had gorgeous snow, a Christmas history lesson and time with loved ones. I started putting up some Christmas decorations and we'll most likely get our tree tomorrow.