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Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Family times

We so enjoyed having Andy home for a few weeks over Christmas. He will be deploying to Afghanistan in February so we won't have a stretch of time with him for a while. He may be home to leave his Jeep here along with his belongings while he's gone, but if that happens it will be a very short time.
So - we tried to take in all the family time we could.
Here are a few pictures from our house during these 2 weeks.
Oliver loved crawling under the tree.



The night we opened our gifts, Oliver was in his glory. There was wrapping to play with and bags and boxes to craw into!



It's fun to watch Andy playing with Oliver. Andy hides around the corner and Oliver tried to sneak up on him. Soon there is a cat zooming around the house and Andy laughing his head off!

There was a lot of this going on too. We got the new Donkey Kong for our Wii and Bob and Andy had lots of fun trying to defeat it!


I try to get a picture of all the kids in front of the tree every year. This year Laura protested, saying she looked horrible because she had been sick, but they agreed, after I threw out the fact that I couldn't get one next year because of Andy being gone.
Anyway - I was blessed to have them all with me. That's the best gift for any Mom!

21 comments:

Karin said...

It's so good to get an annual picture but we missed doing that in all the family fun! You have a lovely family - still so young and I bet it's a lively household when they are all together! Blessings!!

Sandra said...

I always enjoy your annual picture of the kids, which of course are not kids anymore, but you know what I mean LOL

So glad you got to spend more time with Andy, I pray for a safe and quick deployment for him. :)

Darla said...

looks like a great time. Oliver made me smile, what personality that cat has!

Mindy said...

It's such a blessing having the kids together at Christmas. I also had all four of my kids here. I have yet to get that pic though, got to get on that before the eldest goes home.

Unknown said...

What a great idea to take a picture of the kids each year in front of the tree.

What a cutie Oliver is!

So glad you were able to enjoy family time with Andy.

I got Donkey Kong Kountry too. It's hilarious, although I'm horrible at it.

Just Mom said...

We're loving that Wii console too. :-D

Looks as if you had a wonderful time this Christmas. YAY! And I love the last photo. A LOT.

Jean said...

This was fun reading about your Christmas and seeing all the pictures. How very precious that Andy could be home. Ray will soon be deployed too. But they were not able to have off long enough to come up here for Christmas.

I love you letter from Santa tradition! And Oliver is adorable! Reminded me of a cute picture I took a number of years ago of Jeremy's cat Mercedes sleeping amidst all the Christmas decorations I had spread out on the dining room table before putting them up.

A Stone Gatherer said...

That Oliver is a cutie!!! So glad you guys had a good long time with Andy here!

Kari said...

Oliver looks like he's having fun.
I'm glad that you were able to have Andy and all your children home for the holidays.

Connie said...

What a fun 2 weeks you had with your family. Memories that will hold you up until Andy is back home again. I am so jealous of your cat, Oliver. ha ha

Sadie said...

Awesome photos! Love the ones of the cat! Looks like a great holiday. I will have Andy in my prayers.

Jenny said...

It certainly is the best gift for a mom, to have all her babies together in one place. I can't believe I didn't insist on my four/five posting by the tree!

My prayers are with Andy and your family as he deploys. I know God will watch over him. Meantime his and your great sacrifice is humbly appreciated.

The snow on your page is making it act so oddly for me. Everything seems "sticky." LOL

Jenny said...

Posing ... not posting ... by the tree! Told you it was sticky ...

Susan said...

Glad you got that picture. Our kids don't often know how important those are to us Moms but they'll be so glad for every one of them in the future.

I've never had a child in the military so I can't truly appreciate how that might be but my prayers are with all your family during this time of separation and especially his going overseas.

Ms. Bake-it said...

How wonderful Andy was able to be home for Christmas and you were all able to spend two weeks together! I love the picture of Oliver and Andy playing. We have a lot of that around my house! Great shot of all the kids together! I wish I had thought to get a picture of all the kids together. I was so busy watching my Little Darling that I only took a few random shots of him as well as some of him with my son and DIL and some random shots of my youngest son but none of the four of them together. I do believe you have just given me a new tradition that I will begin on Christmas 2011!

Thanks Mari!

~ Tracy

Shelly said...

Cute pictures of Oliver! Loved the story and the best gift for a Mom is having all of the kids together. Glad they agreed to the photo.

Kayren said...

I enjoyed all the pictures, especially of Andy playing with Oliver. Oliver always cracks me up with his antics!

I'm glad you had some special time before Andy's deployment. I'll be praying for his safety and your peace.

Sharon said...

It sounds like you had a great holiday and made even sweeter with your son being home. I like the way you made them feel guilty!!lol sometimes we just have to do it to get the pics.
Will be keeping Andy in my prayers.
Have a nice day.

Renee said...

You have a beautiful family ~ Have a blessed and happy year!

Nancy said...

Oh you are so right...having our children and grandchildren with us means the world to us moms....

I am so glad you had all your kids with you for Christmas and that you made wonderful memories while they were all together.........

Hugs and blessings

Bonnie said...

I love the photo of Oliver under the tree ... and with the little snow flakes coming down on the blog ... it's so wintery, I love it !

Looks like you had a lovely Christmas with a whole bunch of family around you ! I'm glad it was such a special time for you !!