Family

 Well it's taken about 2 1/2 months to get a family picture.  I'm a little disappointed we don't have one from when Elias was younger, but I finally got around to getting this one. 

Isaac Is Three!!

We had a fire fighter party for Isaac's birthday.  They were supposed to rescue the little people from the burning house. It was more fun racing cars from the roof.

 Pin the fire helmet on the dog.

 Run through the ring of fire.

 Eat

 Blow!

 Ok so here is the cake I made. I was a little disappointed in how it turned out...but it was red.

 Other side.

 Thank you everyone for your gifts! Isaac loves them all!

 Isaac got a really cool Hess truck and car from his Great Grandaddy and Judy. He is waiting to put the batteries in.  

 His actual birthday.  He got a donut with a candle for breakfast.

 And presents from mom and dad!

We are so blessed to have Isaac apart of our family.

Lots of January Happenings

The Stringfellows were back at our house for a wii Dance Off.  Justin borrowed Just Dance from a coworker. I believe Justin danced every night (some by himself) for a whole week.  We had a blast with Erik and Erin.

Aren't you supposed to ALL do the SAME thing at the same time???

 This is a little better....

 Happy Birthday Mom!

 She turned 13...or was it 31??  Dad made her a killer cheesecake! Loved the berries and chocolate chunks on top! Olivia and Isaac made her a pen/pencil holder...as you see there in the picture.  I think she had fun....she even joined in the singing!  Love you, Mom!

 Olivia started preschool! She was a lot more excited than this picture shows. She goes Thurs. & Fridays 9-1. She likes the games best.

This is also the first day of Olivia's preschool.  Isaac jumped right in and found his favorite toy (toilet plunger??) and was sitting around the circle.  The program is through a nearby high school so there are quite a few high school "teachers" in the class as well as the main teacher.

 Found Isaac here at the top of the stairs one night.  Also found him sleeping in my bed when I woke up in the middle of the night.  Creative sleeping...I like it.

 We dedicated Elias at church last weekend. We thank God for him and will do the best we can to raise him according to the Bible and to love God with all his heart.

 Elias did his share of talking while up front.

 Olivia wanted this picture in here. I just love sleeping pictures....

 Olivia made some clay animals from her project box.

A First....

....and I hope a last?!


I know kids leave coats, gloves, hats, backpacks, lunchboxes, and an occasional sweatshirt BUT HOW DO YOU LEAVE YOUR DRESS AT SCHOOL???!!!


"I told one of my teachers to put it in my lunchbox, but she didn't."
"Why did you take it off?"
"I was hot."

Turkey Fish Play

Cooking a Turkey: Lesson 193

Found a 16 pounder for 76 cents a lb after Thanksgiving.  Kept it in the freezer for awhile.  When it says "thaw in fridge on tray"...it means it. I had to clean almost the whole fridge because turkey juice leaked everywhere (although it was in a bag and I didn't think I would leave it in the fridge as long as I did). After freezer, fridge, and oven, this is how it looked. Not bad. I used salt, pepper, butter/cooking spray. I thought I took out all the giblets...however once I started "plucking" the turkey, I found the neck was still inside. Yuck.

 After leaving it ON A TRAY in the fridge again for days, I decided to take one of my few breaks with all kids sleeping and attack the turkey. I sure didn't want all this trouble to be wasted and let the turkey go bad in the fridge. As I sat for way over an hour pulling this thing apart, I felt like someone lost in the wild, starving, and doing anything to survive... It got a little gross after awhile...especially with some of the sounds that were made while pulling certain pieces off.

 Finally! My plate of meat. I got 6 2-cup bags of cut up turkey to freeze and some to leave in the fridge to eat on.  Someone else can tell me if that is good or not... It didn't seem like a TON of meat, but maybe it is?? I've made turkey tetrizini and some other turkey/rice casserole dish.  Tastes like chicken.  After it's all said and done, I would have to say that everyone should cook their own turkey at least just once to get the whole experience.  However, I am not convinced that all the work that goes into it is worth it.  Maybe I was so slow because it was my first turkey?? But, the sense of pride and accomplishment still linger. 

I'm not sure what this face is saying....

 Family game of Go Fish. (we also really like uno, wack-a-mole, candy land)

 I can play too!

 I can play with my eyes closed!

Cutie pa tutie....in mom's professional opinion...

 Playing outside with the horns they got from a birthday party we went to for Justin's co-worker.

 Playing in the DUSTING of snow we got.  Just enough to warrant a nice cup of hot chocolate when they came inside!

Christmas

Christmas was very relaxing this year as it was just the five of us.  However, we did have Christmas with G&G before they left for Germany. Olivia wanted to help Grandpa open his trash picker upper. He is his neighborhood's liter patrolman.

We also had Christmas when Nana and Gramp visited. No real good pictures, but I thought this was fun.

This was Christmas day with the Ford five. Justin read the Christmas story before we opened presents.

 I'm hoping this is the LAST water bottle I have to get him. He has lost 3 of them so far...one of which was my favorite...giant one from the hospital when Olivia was born...great memory! Yes, I have forgiven him, I'm just still working through it. Since he works in a bunch of different high schools, if he leaves one at a school it is always gone by the time he gets back to that school to find it.

 What a big day!

 This was Isaac's favorite gift. It's a dog guitar.  Really cool actually. I highly suggest it...there's a whole band series at Target.

 Olivia favorite was the giant box of crafts and the shopping cart.  I think she uses it more like a baby stroller, but does manage to get some food items in it as well.

 How cool.

 I just couldn't decide which picture was more cute...

 I'm so excited to start my painting project.  Justin got me all the supplies I needed. I'll post it when I'm done.

The best gift: Jesus.  

Just Pretending...HA!

Scene:  Eating dinner at the table.  We just finished eating and are enjoying some of the candy from the gingerbread houses we recently made.


Isaac: (Picks up the whole house and bites off a piece)


Dad:  Hey, that's my gingerbread house.


Isaac:  Well.....I'm just pretending it's mine (while chewing).


Dad:  Oh.....ok.

Gramp and Nana Visit

Gramp and Justin took I&O to Lowes to make an engine for their train car they had made the week before with Justin.

 They put on Christmas stickers to make it a Christmas Train.

 Cheese!

 Nana with Elias being fed candy by Isaac

 Gramp with Elias

  Nana made Justin's favorite sugar cookies with the kids.

 They even got a little jumping in...

Thanks for coming! We had a great time!