Happy New Year...

Merry Christmas...

Merry Christmas from Matthew! He is big enough now that he can get around in the snow, build snow forts, stay outside for 2hrs. sledding and shoveling and absolutely LOVE the snow...

Merry Christmas from Sara! She is big enough to sit in the snow and that's about it. Except for the occasional bout on her tummy which she seemed to enjoy the other day...

Merry Chirstmas from Ella Jane! She is big enough to sort of get around in the snow and does best if she's just playing in the front yard or shoveling the driveway with the boys.

This is when I don't like the snow...when it's time to pick Matthew up from school and I have to wake a sleeping baby, bundle her all up and head out, then come home to a sleeping toddler who I then have to UNbundle and transfer to bed only to have her wake up and start crying because she's cold and uncomfortable... (that's sara in the bjorn, and ella jane in the stroller)

...thankfully it's Christmas break and we can stay home, give Sara the two naps a day that she needs and let the kids go sledding to their hearts content!

...this is what your cards all looked like before they went out. Yes, spread all over the floor where Sara quickly decided to set up camp so if some of them are bent, you'll know why...

So Merry Christmas everyone. As I understand it most of you have snow as well which is especially fun if you're in Seattle. A white Christmas for you, what a treat!

Snow Day #2...

And it's a big one. We had 10 inches of snow fall during the night. Ten inches! Wow. Thank goodness for kind neighbors who let you borrow their snow blowers. It's still snowing and it is so magnificent at this extreme level that it really is quite pretty. The kind of pretty when everyone gives up on trying to get to wherever they should be and just goes outside to play because really they wouldn't be able to make up our unplowed hill anyway.

Pics to come for sure!

Snow Day #1...

We had our first snow day yesterday and much to Matthew's delight he shouted a big YAHOO! when I told him the news. I bought snow shovels for the kids and needless to say they love to help out with the shoveling! So after a nice cozy morning in the house, we spent some time outside playing and getting half the driveway cleared.

Our master snow shoveler has been in Memphis this week enjoying a much warmer climate and a great hotel! He comes home today and we're so excited to see him.

Today is the 2nd installment to my root canal and I so excited for it. My tooth has not felt this great in years. No pain. How fortunate I am to have great health care whenever I need it.

Almost bliss...

So I closed my eyes today for about 45min. so I could of course catch up on all that sleep I lost last night. Does it count as a rest if it was in the dentist chair? And not for a nice little cleaning....or a nice little filling for that matter but a ROOT CANAL? I know, right?

Apparently...

when you are up from 2-4:30am with the newly turned 7 month old, go to bed at 5:00 and then up again at 6:00 with the same baby, only to go back to bed again you're going to be really tired and sleep in and then wake up and realize that everyone else slept in too and proceed to RUSH the Kindergartner out the door so he's not late for school.

But I wouldn't know anything about that.

She's growing up...

Sara is 7 months old today. It hardly seems possible. She's past the halfway mark to one year. She was born last spring but was that really SEVEN MONTHS ago??? Here she is...

Have Gunns Will Travel...

The kids did GREAT in the airport! They traveled very well and I was very proud of their behavior. The big kids enjoyed the plane ride; Matthew especially, understanding that we were indeed in the sky, flying through the clouds etc. The sleeping picutres above were upon our return home...we were tired to say the least...shhhh....zzzzzz...........

One of our grandmas in Maryland; Elna Helgerson. She loved on little Sara and enjoyed our visit. The kids were well behaved and played with a basket of toys while she and I caught up on each others news and snapped these pictures of her and Sara

Don't we love our Jones'??? Thank you Katie for taking some of these pictures. I was busy gabbing and you took the opportunity to take capture some great memories. Good job!

Ella Jane was in heaven, getting the chance to play with these girly girls. Thanks Anabel and Eliza for letting Ella Jane be the Little Mermaid for a day!

Thanks Diane for keeping Sara warm and cozy during church!

The famous Schumacher van and our friend Peter. Thanks Patsy for taking care of us and for losing sleep to take us to the airport! Thank you Tracy for the box of snacks; what a treat to have ACTUAL spiderman fruit snacks! MJ and EJ are so lucky because of you :)

I think the pictures speak for themselves but we had a fabulous time in So. MD!!! They held up well with all the running around we did and enjoyed getting reunited with old pals. It's also nice to be back home again and back into our routines. We are looking forward to Thanksgiving next week! Next week? Yikes.