Old Family Photos

My Grandparents










Old photo of my Dad and his bother and sisters.


My Dad and Amy

Allie & Jake

Some of Allies gymnastics pics













Here's Allie balancing on her friend Taylor










Here's a pic of Allie & Jake


Karate pic of Jake

Glamour Shots

A picture company came to Chloe's preschool and took "glamour shots" of the kids. Here are a few of hers. They are not super clear because we didn't get them on disk. Oh, well. We'll make it work!

I Heart Christmas Time!

As our teens say, I heart Christmas time! I love all the things that the Christmas season represents. Of course, I love that there is a whole season celebrated for the birth of our Savior and all that His birth represents. But I also love the cookie baking, spicy smells, shopping, gift giving, family tradition, etc. This has also been a great season for teaching Chloe to be selfless. It's amazing that no one has to teach how to be selfish, but it takes discipline and hard work to be selfless. We took Chloe shopping to buy gifts for all her friends but she didn't get anything for herself. What a HUGE learning lesson. She is so use to getting toys for herself. Today her friends Halle & Arria were over and before they left Chloe gave them their gifts. Their eyes lit up when they received their gifts and Chloe had the biggest smile because she made her friends happy. We have been teaching Chloe about the real meaning of Christmas. For only being 2, she is starting to get it. In her words, Christmas is Jesus' birthday and we get gifts because it's His birthday party. Hey, it's a start and she's only 2! I also love the family activities that take place over the holidays! It's so much fun to decorate the tree and the house as a family. OK, I have to be completely honest here. I am pretty particular about "my" tree. It has to have tons of lights and the decorations have to be perfectly spaced, the lights can't have holes- they have to be even all around the tree, everything has to be uniform. That's why we also have a family tree!! The family tree is a hodge podge of ornaments and decorations. Oh... and the cookie baking. Everyone gets cookies!!!! And I love that people are always over at our house, drinking hot chocolate (Geoff)! How sad would our world be if there was no Christmas!

So Proud

Chloe has been doing very well in preschool! Before she started school, she could count to 10 on her own, say her ABCs and identify colors (primarily pink!!). Pretty smart for a 2 year old! Yesterday when I picked her up from school, I was reading through her daily activity page. She is learning a LOT of Spanish! I knew she could count to 10 in Spanish, but now they are learning other words. This month they are learning different foods. Preschool sure has changed over the years! I remember coloring and building houses out of foam bricks or gluing macaroni to construction paper. I was so proud how smart my Chloe is when she started singing me a song entirely in Spanish. Then while we were decorating her Christmas tree, she started reciting the Pledge of Alligence and Bible verses. The intelligence of children is far underrated by adults!! I might be bias because she is mine, as I am sure most parents are, but I have seen other 2 & 3 year olds that don't seem to be as advanced as Chloe. You may laugh at me when I say she is a genius, but you have to admit she is one smart cookie!!!!

And how could I talk about being proud without bragging about my husband!!! I hope all wives are as in love and in awe of their husbands as I am. Jeremy was a great speaker when we were in Bible college, but he has advanced so much! I love listening to him teach. He has developed his own style and personality that is just amazing- and captivating! It's incredible to watch him hold the attention of Jr. Highers and High Schoolers for an entire service while bringing real truth, Word, depth, life principles and fun! It's easy to just entertain, but to really change people's lives is completely different. I think because we've worked with teens for so long and I've taught in services quite a bit, I can truly appreciate the talent, skill and annointing that it takes to reach today's youth. Most people think it would be the easiest, funnest job you could have but I think it takes the most work, the most drive & determination and the most criticism of all professions! Honey, I am so very proud of everything you are doing and I am so honored to serve with you!!! I love you!

Chloe & Paige

This is Chloe with her friend, Paige. As you can see from Paige's uniform, she is here to support her basketball-playing sister. And of course, Chloe is our mini-cheerleader! They get to play together at basketball games and Paige is in Chloe's preschool class a few days a week. My little one really is a little one! Paige is about 4-5 months older but quite a bit taller.













This is their serious face!















And of course, no photo session is complete without silly faces!!!!

Happy Birthday!!

This is just a quick note to say

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEOFFREY RYAN!

Today is our friend's 25th birthday! Birthdays are the greatest holidays ever because once a year everyone gets to celebrate YOU!!! Geoff- just want you to know that we are blessed to have you as our friend. Thank you for your friendship, kindness, loyalty and movies!

Almost...

It's almost CHRISTMAS!!!!!! I love, love, love this time of year! People are more courteous, lots of parties to go to/host, my annual Christmas Cookie Baking Day with all the girls, LIGHTS everywhere, Christmas songs.... I just love all things Christmas! Jeremy and I can be such kids when it comes to holidays like this. But having Chloe is the biggest joy of all. She has been such a blessing in our lives. My heart melts when I get to see things through her eyes. Who knew that snowmen would be so wonderful? Or that snowflakes are so thrilling? Or that 2 year olds know that words to Frosty the Snowman? Her eyes light up when houses are decorated with lights and santas and all things tacky! When Jeremy & I are out shopping, we find so many things that we "just have to get for Chloe." Seeing a little kid get really excited because you bought her a new pencil makes you want to buy her the world.

And my wonderful husband... I don't even know where to start! He is a giant kid! He loves getting presents just as much as Chloe does. But the most beautiful thing about my husband is that he would sacrifice and give anything to see that Chloe and I are happy. While he is getting an amazing Christmas gift (and it is REALLY good ~ he's going to be so surprised!) he is more concerned that Chloe and I get everything we want for Christmas, even if it means that all he gets is socks and underwear (which he isn't). He is so giving and selfless. I am so happy being married to him- he truly is the love of my life. Around the holidays, people give the typical answer of what they are thankful for- their family. But I truly am thankful that I am married to a loving, giving, wonderful man of God and that we have a beautiful, vibrant daughter. I thank God all the time that I got the "best." At least to me, I got the best!!!

Two Peas in a Pod

While rumaging through some old photos, we came across some of my baby pictures and were shocked!!! It was Chloe!!! It wasn't until then that I really saw how much Chloe and I look alike~ she has my face, my nose, my eyes, my stance! Some of the faces I was making look just like the ones Chloe makes (and I usually blame them on Jeremy's side!).

Chloe's New Bed

Sometimes it seems like Chloe just grows overnight. We were putting Chloe to bed a few nights ago and realized that her little bed was getting a too small. Yesterday she got a "big" bed. We put the twin bed from the other bedroom into her room and went shopping for special sheets. After her cold booty night, I though she would appreciate some flannel sheets. She absolutely loves Hello Kitty and has been wanting the bedding for a while. Well... I found Hello Kitty flannel sheets! We had bought her a warm fuzzy Hello Kitty blanket that we were going to save for Christmas, but after finding the sheets I just couldn't help myself! And it was worth it!!! She so loves her "new" bed. Last night was her first night with all her new stuff and I think she likes it~ she drags her new blanket all over the house. She would have taken it to church if we had let her. I am excited about her new bedding because it is pink AND PURPLE. Sometimes I wish she wasn't so darn cute- I just want to give her everything her little heart could possibly desire. Even though I said I wouldn't spoil her, I just can't help myself!

Guess What I Did Tonight!!?!!

Tonight, we were all snuggled in our townhouse, watching a movie and sipping hot cocoa as the long-awaited snow fell into a beautiful white blanket outside our window.

IT SNOWED!!!!!! I'm so excited that after all the talk about snow it finally happened. Even though I've been in Seattle for quite a while, I still get shocked at people's reaction to just the slightest bit of snow. I would put pictures up right now, but my camera is broken. I will take pictures tomorrow with Jeremy's and try to get them up.

Poor Chloe, she HATES the snow and cold. Every day as we leave for school, she pulls her hat down over her face so that the cold doesn't get her. And Heaven forbid we go anywhere without her gloves!!! My daughter was meant to live in tropical weather! This morning I woke to her yelling, "Help me! I'm stuck! Mommy, help. I'm stuck." When I went to "help" her, she was sitting up, curled in a ball on top of her pillow. "Mommy, I'm stuck on my Hello Kitty (her pillow). My booty is cold. I can't get on my bed." She was "stuck" on her pillow because her bed was cold and she didn't want to touch it! So, there she sat with her blanket wrapped around her waiting for someone to help her off her pillow! I guess it's time to crank up the heat.