Deer

Dad sent me this email today while I was at work. The fencing you see is actually our front porch. I leave for work at 6 a.m. so this was after I left.

At about 6:30 this morning, I thought I heard the garbage truck. I wondered if it was here this early in the morning. I peeked out one of the shades in our bedroom and saw deer at our front porch. I got your camera and went into the living room where it was dark and the window shades were open. I turned the camera flash off and took these pictures. I tried to get one that you would have really loved. The bigger deer was on its hind legs standing up eating the berries on the tree. I couldn’t get the picture before it was too late. Although you can’t see it in the pictures, there were snowflakes coming down. The pictures may be a little blurry because I had to hold the camera real still while taking the pictures without the flash. I’m sure glad the outside flood lights were on. It was the garbage truck.

New Year's Eve

We were lucky enough to be able to go to Angela, Ryan, Kathleen, Brandon and Cody's for New Year's Eve. We got there the day before and first thing we did was open presents!
Dad and I were pretty excited to get all new bathroom stuff for our new bathroom and in Dad's favorite color: red. Dad had just said to me the day before, "I wish we could throw out every towel we have and get all new ones." Well, he got his wish. Thanks Angela and Ryan!



Grandpa playing the candy game. "Do you want the one in my hand, or do you want what someone else has?"







These two are so photogenic:
Look how Cody plays twister:

Then Angela and Ryan wanted to "play":
When they fell, Cody jumped on top!

Cody climbed to the top of the fridge to get the crown and the camera and then took pictures of all kinds of things:

Grandpa made the kids icees and since that wasn't enough sugar, gave them all giant sugar sticks (sorry about that Ang and Ryan):

Kathleen got a really sweet book for Christmas called, "Kathleen Saves the School" that has her as the star of the book and includes her friends names and even her teacher and her school's names. Grandma loved it when Kathleen read it to her!

Kathleen said it was a dream come true when her Dad pulled out the shrimp ring and put it in front of her.
New Year's Eve snacks:

Brandon and Cody riding the pony and playing the Wii:



Cody loves wearing the game pieces in his ears:

Playing Charades. I wish I had videoed this. It's hilarious--Cody's word was hula hoop.

We gave the kids horns to blow for New Year's Eve but apparently they thought they were dunce caps:



Glow in the dark hats:

Kathleen and I tried to take a picture of it in the dark. It didn't turn out too well but you get the idea:





Look close and you will see that it's exactly at midnight (New York time, 10 p.m. Meridian time so the kids could go to bed):

I just thought it was cute that the hats said to kiss on the t.v. and the couple is kissing just as Angela kisses Kathleen:

I won the crown in Apples to Apples (two times in a row now!):

When we got to Kathleen's house, she had drawn me this really sweet picture that says, "The Grandma Style." I told her I would put it on the fridge when I got home so here it is, on my fridge. I love it. Thanks Kathleen.