Christmas Fun!

This is a picture of Jesse just waking up on Christmas morning. We somehow managed to sleep in until almost eight and it was bliss! Usually our mornings start around 6 Christmas morning. Anne and Matt and Paul had stayed the night so we were able to be with family. Kristin arrived early in the morning (that is what woke everyone up!)

Here is the loot under the Christmas tree!
I believe Jesse's was about half of that stuff! He
made out like a bandit!!

Opening one of his favorite things- balls. :) They
are spread all over the house now

He has finally understood that opening presents is fun. This year he took joy in ripping open all the presents but then wanted to play with everything as he unwrapped it.

Mr. Potato head has been one of his favorite gifts. He loves to take the pieces off and shove them into random holes. We have seen some scary looking Mr. Potato head's lately!

Me donning the AWESOME apron that my sister, Anne, made me. It looks funny with what I am wearing...well lets just face it- who is pretty on this morning anyway? I am opening some facial products my mom got me!

Jesse playing with his bus!

Christmas dinner. Jesse was hungry if you can't tell. He wasn't too thrilled about picture time.

I threw a few of these pictures in to show how he was last Christmas. This doesn't look that different, but i can tell a difference!

He was so teeny! My little boy is approaching the big number 2 in January and it is a crazy thought!! I will post more on his birthday. We probably won't have a big party this year because it still doesn't mean that much to him...but next year! Happy birthday little man!
We are thankful for this time of year but look forward to the changes coming up. Andy has found out that he will be moving to a closer dam hopefully in the middle of January. This means we can get into our own place and start meeting new people in the area. We are just looking forward to seeing each other more often and being close to family.
Jesse's latest: He is SMART and has really good eyes. He is always the first one to point out deer, airplanes, buses, or any kind of noise that we pass. He also signs each of these things with great enthusiasm so I am happy to see that he has not lost that. He is all around a cheerful little boy and is enjoying being around mom more. I have started a new trick with him: I say "marco" and he says....(you might think polo) but he says "marco." hahha it is great because wherever he is or whatever he is doing he will always answer and I know what part of the house he is into and if he doesn't answer then i go running.

Happy Christmas everyone!

I admit it always takes me about a month in between posts and I apologize for that...BUT no more!!! Well okay I can't guarantee that I can post any sooner because the lifeline for my camera to the computer is missing...happened somewhere in the move. Anyway....




Jesse "talking" to his blocks and acting like it is a phone. He loves to talk on phones and he especially loves to parrot you when you are on the phone. It is quite distracting!

Being a boy, naturally he loves sticks. Hitting with sticks, walking with sticks, and generally just looking at sticks. I don't know what it is that makes him loves sticks, but he does and most of the time he is naughty with them.

An outing outside requires bundling up!

Here is a thanksgiving dinner pictures. Jesse has taken to saying his prayers (with much guidance) and this is him getting ready for one....

Us looking for a Christmas tree...

We found one and now we are decorating it!

And he has to pose in the tree....(another boy thing?)

So that is what we have been up to. Andy has just recently switched jobs. He new job takes him all the way past the dalles to a little place called John Day. It is almost a three hour drive from where we live now...so we may be relocating in the near future to save on money and gas. Right now andy will stay in a hotel or some place for the time being during the week and come home on the weekends.
I am happy to say that I am now a college graduate!!!!!!!!!!!!! That deserves many exclamation points because it took me (what felt like) that many years to complete! I am happy to say that I have a B.A. in elementary education and am qualified to teach a range of kiddos. It was a long journey but a rewarding one and I am thankful to be done! I don't have the paper to prove it yet, but I am working on that. No pictures of the actual commencement because I didn't actually go. I was in school teaching the same day that graduation was. Oh well...maybe in the spring. :)
Jesse's latest: He loves to sing! He sings "Jingle bells" and only gets
to the "all the way" part and then is like a broken records. I love it any way. I believe he is happy his mom is back to play because he wouldn't let me out of his sight today. It was nice to know he missed me while I was gone.
So far our holiday has consisted of: eating sweets, looking at the zoo lights (see my sister anne's blog for those pictures), singing many christmas songs, taking jesse to get his first real Christmas tree and experiencing the cold....There is much more to come including several family gatherings in the future.
We are fortunate to be where we are and have so many loved ones close by. We miss our family that is still in Utah but will see them soon as well. There is a bright future for our family and we are looking forward to the future with hope! I hope this finds everyone well and that the holidays are spent around loved ones. Until later!