Christmas Catch-Up

Thought I better get my Christmas Day pictures posted before the year is over!!!

We had a fun Christmas morning at home....

Then we went to Lonnie's sister's house with his family, for dinner in the afternoon.

Annual Family Portrait In Front Of Someone Else's Tree:

Next year we are going to set up the tripod and get one in front of our own tree!

Then on Monday the 28th, the sun came out, it was a whopping 36 degrees, so we bundled Eli up and took him outside for his final Bronco ride of 2009.  Good thing, too, because it's been snowing ever since!

I think Old Navy needs a handsome special needs kiddo in their ads, don't you?

I'm going to send this in to them......since he's all decked out in Old Navy gear :)

Merry Christmas

Christmas Time Is Here

December has been busy!  Grab a cup of cocoa...we have some catching up to do!!!

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On December 10th my Momma would have been 67.  I don't know why, but I miss her the most on her birthday each year.  Maybe because she loved getting spoiled for a day?  Actually, she loved being the center of attention whenever possible!  On her birthday I think she didn't feel the guilt!  :)  LOL~

She loved her birthday....and I loved finding just the right gift for her.  It's hard now when I see something I know she would have loved, when I'm out shopping, and I just have to leave it there on the shelf with no Momma to take it home to. :(

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Lonnie and I got to go on a date on Friday the 11th!!  First one since July!  We went to a Comedy Cafe our church hosted.  Comedian Daren Streblow performed and it was great!

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Then, on December 16th, my dear hubby had a birthday.

We celebrated at a lunch with his family on the 14th....and went back to his Mom's house for Kahlua Cream Pie and presents....Lon got new seasons of House and X-Files from his Mom.  I got him the Oswald Chambers Devotional Bible.  His sister got him a nice pullover.  It was a good day.

Then, on his actual birthday morning....he opened more presents....with Eli helping....and laughing. 

(Click on the picture to make it bigger....Eli's smile is worth it!)

These gifts aren't as exciting.  A clip-on book light (for aging eyes!!) and some McKinney Auto Glass Window Cleaner (a coveted item in our valley).

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We had a "Christmas Card Photo Session" on the 11th.  Hurried and designed my cards and got them ordered from Shutterfly.  Finally got them mailed out on Friday, the 18th!  Yikes.  I've never been so late!  But, Eli hadn't been feeling well, so I was just waiting for a day that he seemed calm and happy.  I'm VERY thankful for the fabulous shot I got for the card!  (Will post it soon!)    Only took 52 pictures to get the great one! :)  All you Moms of special needs kids know what I mean, right?!!

Here are the out-takes:

 

Yup - the OUT-TAKES - wait until you see the best! :)

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Yesterday, our local children's therapy center had their annual Christmas party.

Eli got his picture taken with Santa.

I don't think he likes Santa's fur on his face!  haha

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We got our first big snowfall on the 15th.  Almost 3 ".  Yuck.

(I know my sister Ricky is cracking up right now!  She lives in Montana and lives in below zero temps and massive snow banks all Fall, Winter, and Spring!)

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I've been quite the social butterfly this month!  Three lunches with my former co-workers, dinner with my small group from church, party with friends, Scrapbooking night, Scrappin' at the Village, decorated bulletin boards at our local NICU and therapy center........and I'm looking forward to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to have more get togethers with family!

Me and Erin - the friend I organize the Selah scrapbooking event with each month, 4th Fridays at her church.

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I told you've I've been busy!  And I haven't even mentioned shopping, wrapping, and baking!

HUGE THANKS to my dear hubby who has been supportive through it all....and enjoyed lots of quality time with his precious son, so I could be so busy this month.  Thanks, Babe!  I love you!

Oh, Christmas Tree.....How Lovely Are Thy....Giraffes!

Life has been a little busy around here.

It took some time for Eli to get used to his new way of eating....and we finally started increasing his calories....and then the inevitable happened....we gotta figure out how to help him get it OUT! :)

The life of a CP kid:  Calories IN.  Poops OUT.

Alas.

We are confident that we are on the right path to help him feel better, and he's had a few great days in a row :)  Yahoo!  We had to quit giving him his prunes and pears because it doesn't work as well in the J-tube.

We are giving suppositories every 3 days to help him "go" and hopefully he'll get on his own schedule again soon.

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THANKSGIVING WAS WONDERFUL.

We went over to Auburn (South of Seattle) on Wednesday to spend time with my family.  They have cable internet service, so I was not able to get online with my laptop for 5 days!!!  And I survived!

When I got home, I just didn't feel like blogging.....and thats why I've been gone two weeks!

(Thanks for hanging in there with me.)

I didn't really get any great pics...I was so happy visiting with my Aunt Shiela and cousin Love'e....the camera just didn't even come out much.

I know.  Imagine that!

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Thanks to Emmett - our spirited cat - we have not had a Christmas tree since 2003 -

the year this picture was taken:

 So, this year I decided to try it again.  I put the tree up on a table than none of our cats seem to be fond of....and so far they have left it alone! :)  It's in Eli's dayroom, which has a pocket door - so I figured we could keep the cats out  if needed.  I am thoroughly enjoying the glow of a Christmas tree in the evenings!  I'm also happy Eli gets to enjoy it this year, too.

Here are Eli and Piper hanging out while I untangle lights....

After decorating the tree, I decided to put all of Eli's small giraffes in the tree...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the way it turned out!

It looks just perfect in his Giraffe themed day room.

See the Toy Story ornament in the bottom of this photo?  It's his 2009 ornament.

Can you believe I found this cool Carousel Giraffe for his FIRST Christmas?

Last night and into today we had the most wild and crazy wind storm I've ever experienced.

ALL.NIGHT.LONG. The wind blew so loudly - I felt like I was at the beach with airplanes flying overhead!

It started around 9 pm last night - snowed a little - then just kept whipping until about 3 pm this afternoon.

Lon just finished getting all the leaves picked up yesterday.

Now we have to go pick up branches from our Weeping Birch trees.

It's never ending yard clean up around here!

But I wouldn't trade it for the world.  I love our home.