Happy Birthday, Julissa!

This past Saturday, my baby girl turned 4! Where has time gone?! Below are a few pictures from her birthday. This year, Grandma, Uncle Matt, and Aunt Lyndi were here to celebrate with us.

The Chocolate Bundt Cake has been popular this year. We have now had it for three birthdays in a row which is great as it is extremely easy to make.

It was difficult to get her to stay still enough to take a picture! Thus many different poses as I quickly snapped pictures.

Another picture of Julissa and the cake!

Julissa with a new doll. The doll's name is Anne Shirley!

Julissa opening her play cell phone!

A hopscotch play rug!

A princess pinball game!

Julissa has really enjoyed playing with snap dolls. So when I found this cute Shih Tzu puppy with snap on outfits I had to get it for her. She really loves puppies and kittens.

The girls enjoying time with Uncle Matt and Aunt Lyndi!

Julissa and Aunt Lyndi

An interesting picture taken by Sam. Mom at the kitchen sink with Jeff and I at the stove. We were either fixing Sunday dinner or cleaning up afterwards.

Online Art Lessons

A member of our family drew this koala bear while watching a sample online lesson by Mark Kistler. If you homeschool you can become a member of Homeschool Buyers Co-op and take part in a group buy where you can get 3 years of online art lessons from the Mark Kistler site for just $39.95. This offer is good through 2/28/09.

Visiting Family and Friends in Kansas

On Wednesday, February 4th, 2009, we left Indiana and headed to Kansas to visit with Jeff's family for a few days. We got in late that night or early in the morning depending on how you prefer to look at it.

On Thursday, the boys, their cousin, their Uncle Gareth, and their Grandpa worked on building a fort. Below are a few pictures of them working on it. While they were working on it, I went and visited with Jeff's cousin Vicki. I had a really nice time visiting with her uninterrupted by kids. Something that doesn't happen very often in my life.

On Friday, our family got to go and see Paul and Vicki's new house and stay for supper. We had a really great time visiting. Then we went to a nearby fellowship hall and spent the evening visiting with extended family and friends.

On Saturday afternoon, we headed towards home via Kansas City. We stopped and visited with our friends - Randy and Dee Winkler and children and Amy Winkler. It was great to see them all. It had been years since I had seen Randy and Dee. Jeff had never met them, so it had definitely been a long time. We also visited with my sister Jodi and her husband James and their kids. I got to see their new baby for the first time. I didn't think to get out my camera and take pictures. Most of the pictures that I do have from this trip were taken by my sister-in-law or by Jeff.

Joseph (our oldest nephew on Jeff's side of the family)

Jeff's Dad

Curtis

Gareth (our brother-in-law) watching Samuel.

Joseph working on the fort with Samuel and Grandpa looking on. The fort is nearing completion.

Another picture of Joseph.

Uncle Gareth with Julissa and Briana.

Deanna (our oldest niece on Jeff's side of the family)

Amanda (our youngest niece on Jeff's side of the family)

Benjamin (our youngest nephew on Jeff's side of the family)

Regina (Jeff's sister) with our dog.

Curtis and Samuel just relaxing at Grandpa and Grandma's house.

A parting shot of Jeff and his two sisters with their Grandmother. I think she looks great. It's hard to believe she is 90!

Recent Snapshots

A couple of Sundays ago after church in the evening, I took snapshots of Jeff and the kids. Here are the results. Some of them had actually gotten ready for bed, hence the pajamas.

Jeff

Curtis

Samuel

Alex

Briana

Julissa fell asleep on the way home and went back to sleep in the beanbag after getting in the house.

Valentine's Day 1995 and 2009

This year for Valentine's Day, Jeff and I went to our church valentine's banquet on Friday evening. We had a really enjoyable time, but I forgot to take my camera. The ones in charge did a great job with the decorating, speaking, etc. This year's topic was The Five Love Languages. It is really interesting how something that might make you feel loved doesn't necessarily make another person feel loved.

On Saturday, Jeff bought me Chinese food for supper from Panda Express. Yum! He also gave me a lavender rose, a really sweet card, and cinnamon-raisin bagels with creme swirls cream cheese. Thank you, sweetheart!

Now for the story behind this year's lavender rose. Fourteen years ago this Valentine's Day, Jeff gave to me three beautiful lavender roses. Lavender and/or purple are probably my favorite colors. I am not a huge fan of red after having had to wear it five days a week for many years due to red and navy blue being the colors of our school uniform. It was quite a few years after I graduated before I wore much that was red. Even at Christmas, I tend to decorate with burgandy rather than red. I don't really think Jeff knew that when he first got me lavender roses. He is just one that would rather give something other than the expected.

My first Valentine's flowers from Jeff

It was Tuesday, February 14, 1995, when I received these beautiful lavender roses from my fiance, Jeff. We were unable to be together on Valentine's Day that year because I was teaching school in Independence, Kansas and he was in school working on his PhD.

Now fourteen years later, I received a beautiful lavender rose from Jeff for Valentine's Day!
This rose is in either the vase I received fourteen years ago or one exactly like it.

I hope you all had a Happy Valentine's Day!

To My Sweetheart!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Scenery Photos from PA

Here are a few pictures of PA that I got from my sister Jodi. I ended up in PA without my normal SD card for my camera so I didn't really get many pictures.

The view near the cabins where we all stayed when we were together in PA in December.

I really miss all the pine trees in PA.

These are the kind of roads I traveled all my growing up years. The roads are very hilly and curvy. It didn't really matter how much snow we got we generally still went to church or school. Most years the roads were snow packed all winter. It was quite different when we moved to Cincinnati where all shuts down with the slightest snowfall.

A bridge in Cook Forest. We spent many a field trip/picnic day here in Cook Forest during my school years. We hiked many a trail, crossed many a bridge, and played a lot of softball in Cook Forest.