{parents}

This is from Thanksgiving day too but it was so precious and special to me, having been the only sibling with a child for 11 years, that I thought it deserved it's own post!

Me & my younger brother Erik with our babies
James 4 months & Janice 11 months

{thanksgiving}

Yeah I know it's a bit late...and maybe, if you're lucky, I'll even get Christmas posted before Valentines Day!! haha =)

That would be the worlds worst picture of my hubby and I

even James enjoyed his meal!My cousins Lauren & Chrissy and Chrissy's boy Chris....yes they are Chris and Chris!

Aunt Jeanie & WyattOh how sweet it was to watch these two cousin playing!My pretty cousin Lauren and James

Grandma enjoying her youngest grand babies
& Janice "petting" the baby!

[matt & wendy}

Hello friends!

I received an email from my younger brother today. Matt and Wendy are dear friends of his and the family and are asking for a little help. As I read their story in Wendy's own words, on the blog mentioned below, my heart was touched. They truly have been through so much! If you can take 2 minutes of your time please read my brothers message below, go visit the site and leave a quick comment!

Thank you!

FROM MY BROTHER:

Hey everyone,

Some of you know my buddy Matt Ewell, some of you don't but he and his new fiance are asking for a little help. They are finalists in a competition to win free photography for their wedding which would help them a ton! I don't need to say how much they've been through over the years, and how much this would help them. They need everyone to go to: http://amelialyon.net/ and post a vote for them in the comments. If you don't know them that's okay, help me help them! Just takes a second...

Thanks!

{christmas sweaters}

Today at church as we walked in I noticed little Chase had on a darling sweater....it was the same one James had on. I am so glad I had my camera in the car and though James was asleep when we tried to take the picture, they are still too cute!


Then as we were walking out James woke up...here's the boys with their dads

{do you flip 'em}

So how many of you have actually read all the instructions on the back of the fish sticks box? Did you know it says to flip them over half way through the cooking time? Am I the only one who cooks the entire bag for one meal? Seriously what are they thinking? Is it not true that pretty much 90% of the fish stick cookers in the world are mothers with more than one mouth at the table anxiously awaiting these tasty quick fix sticks? And unless I'm totally lost, aren't people who sit around making charts and writing emails to big head hauncho guys telling them who they're main consumer is?

Then who in their right mind decided to put "turn sticks over halfway through baking" in the instruction? Who actually thought any of the consumers they targeted would have the time to sit and turn over every little tiny fish stick on that pan all the while having to explain to the hungry heads at the table that NO they are not done yet mommy has to flip them first?

I, for one, sure would like to meet the person who decided to inflict such a heavy burden upon the mothers of hungry children in this world!

However I decided tonight I would give this technique of theirs a try...so when the time was half over I opened the oven, got my hot dog tongs, and started to flip......then I really flipped! That was seriously an unnecessary annoyance! I was thinking the whole time (even though I knew my thoughts were not in my favor) "these better be the best tasting fish sticks ever!" And after another 10 minutes in the oven you know what we discovered....?

They taste the same!!

so how many of you actually bother to "flip 'em"?

{buddy get the grinch}

Buddy was out to get the Grinch! He growled and snarled and sure showed that Grinch! He was so scared he went right back into the chimney!

{saturday morning cartoons}