Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to Anna's grandparents! They have been married 51 years, and still hold hands. We are proud of them! Pictures are from an anniversary lunch at the Olive Garden after church. Yes, the waitstaff sang, and embarrassed them, but they brought cake!

Beary Cute...

About a week ago, Anna went to a local eatery with some friends after church. The restaurant had a big bear (not real) that the girls were fascinated by. Thanks, Amanda, for sending the photo!

Lucy's Birthday Party

These are from October, but just found them.....

Christmas Afternoon

After a nap, Anna called her friend Jenna and invited her to come over and play.

Christmas Morning Part 3

After the gift exchange, we headed over to the grandparents' house for a french toast brunch. One of Anna's favorite toys is a box at their house....she likes to sit in it and play with her stuffed animals and watch "Between the Lions" on PBS.

After "brunch," Anna sang while grandpa played the piano (notice the old hymnal, a discard from my childhood church). Anna also tried on her fancy earrings for Aunt Jean.

Christmas Morning Part 2

Grandpa, Grandma, and Aunt Jean came over for the big gift exchange on Christmas morning. Aunt Jean brought Anna a dollhouse.* Grandpa and Grandma brought Anna a violin. Anna also opened a few more presents from Mommy, including a kids' camera to replace the one that Santa brought last year that no one could work. Anna was "helping" everyone open their presents with her scissors. Grandpa played the old violin while Anna played the new one. Grandpa and Grandma were so surprised to get a gift certificate from Jean and Jane for labor for a CONTRACTOR to work on their house, which is in a perpetual state of renovation!

*Anna's grandparents also brought over vintage dollhouse furniture (saved from from my childhood) for Anna's dollhouse. It was pretty fun to see that stuff again!

Christmas Morning

On Christmas morning, Anna got to see what Santa brought, look in her stocking, and open one more present before the grandparents and Aunt Jean arrived. Santa brought the requested Leapster, along with some dolls and surprises in the stockings.
























Mommy had batteries and happies for the pets in her stocking. Anna was happy to give the dogs their bones and Truman the cat his catnip toy. When he saw his new toy, Truman kissed Anna on the nose, as if to say thank you!

Wow...some goggles! I have wanted these for a long time. I can't wait for my swimming lessons to start again!

Christmas morning photos....

Christmas Eve Night

Christmas Eve.....! Anna was SO excited. We put out the cookies for Santa, scattered the reindeer food out in the yard, and opened a couple presents each.
























Anna made some really neat Christmas presents at school....a tile with a fingerprint Christmas tree, a star Christmas ornament, and miscellaneous pictures. All the gifts were wrapped in handmade gift-wrap, which was as nice as the gifts inside.














































Of course we took traditional pictures in front of the Christmas tree....with Truman the cat. Anna adores him.

The presents I picked for Anna to open were a horse musical jewelry box that she spied in the toy store one day and really liked, and a kitty cat that had a carrier like the one we use to take Truman to the vet. Anna was SO excited about both of them. She sat and stared at the little horse turning around in the music box while "fur elise" played over and over. She has carried her kitten everywhere since she got it. Anna was excited about giving me two presents too. She was thrilled with her handmade gifts for me as well as what she picked out for me at the dollar store (I took her to shop for the family at the dollar store and let her pick out and pay for what she wanted to get for each person....she was so happy to do this "on her own".....loads of fun!). I truly enjoyed the slow opening of only two presents in the quiet of Christmas eve....we got to experience the warm appreciation for a gift and the enthusiasm for giving that sometimes gets lost in a big family gathering with lots of presents. This is definitely a tradition we will continue. :-)

On the Phone...

Anna was having a great time talking to Grandma on the telephone while rolling around on the floor. It was too funny, so I grabbed my camera.....