Our Year In Pictures

06.15.11

2011-06-15T21:28:00.001-04:00

I know, right?

06.11.11

2011-06-11T21:31:00.001-04:00

Last day of first grade! He’s already thoroughly enjoying summer break.

06.04.11

2011-06-03T16:29:00.001-04:00

Hey, Henry, why’s your backpack so heavy? Oh, it’s just your rock collection.

06.03.11

2011-06-03T16:28:00.001-04:00

Happy birthday, Papa-with-a-beard! (And with inexplicably drawn hair – no offense.)

05.31.11

2011-05-31T07:59:00.001-04:00

Mommy’s little revolutionary.

05.20.11

2011-05-20T20:43:00.001-04:00

Henry achieved the yellow belt rank in karate yesterday. I don’t think he’s very excited, do you? ;)

05.19.11

2011-05-19T16:25:00.001-04:00

Mommy’s little hipster.

05.17.11

2011-05-17T19:29:00.001-04:00

I checked Henry out of school early for dentist & doctor’s appointments, and we had a special lunch together.

05.12.11

2011-05-12T17:19:00.000-04:00

Seven. I can’t stand it.

05.10.11

2011-05-10T21:28:00.001-04:00

All of us on Mother’s Day… I love these people.

05.05.11

2011-05-05T18:58:00.001-04:00

I do believe the girl likes her toast with jelly.

05.04.11

2011-05-04T14:35:00.002-04:00

A quick peek at a graduation shoot I did… I do plan on getting rid of that doorknob behind her. What was I thinking?!?
I’m so proud of this girl, I can’t even tell you. Working her way through college as a young wife and mother of three while holding a full-time job is no easy feat.

04.30.11

2011-04-30T08:11:00.000-04:00

Well, yesterday’s Plan B ended up with us at a playground, eating our lunch and getting some wiggles out before the long ride home. Maria’s tongue and vocal chords clearly did not get their wiggles out, and were exercised the ENTIRE 5 hour drive home.

04.29.11

2011-04-29T20:11:00.001-04:00

Well, this was about all we saw of the shuttle-launch-that-wasn’t today. You can see the vehicle assembly building where they, um, assemble the vehicle; and behind that sign in the water is the launch pad. Oh well.

04.27.11

2011-04-27T20:42:00.001-04:00

This goober needs a haircut, and soon.

04.24.11

2011-04-24T20:30:00.002-04:00

Happy Easter!

04.22.11

2011-04-22T20:57:00.001-04:00

Maria was enjoying some craft time with Mommy tonight. She had some really juicy gossip for a 2 1/2 year old.

04.21.11

2011-04-21T15:56:00.001-04:00

Now it’s Henry’s turn to model his new Easter clothes.

04.19.11

2011-04-19T18:52:00.001-04:00

Here you go, Nana & Papa. Maria wanted to show you her new dress.

[sorry posting has been light lately. I’m having lots of trouble finding inspiration/motivation.]

04.15.11

2011-04-15T08:59:00.002-04:00

We’ve heard more meows than human speech out of this one lately. Say hello to “Ria Cat.”
[that’s what she calls herself and she has started introducing herself to other people this way.]

04.12.11

2011-04-12T20:21:00.001-04:00

I wish to spend more hours like this.

04.10.11

2011-04-10T19:40:00.001-04:00

I made an applesauce cake for our neighbor’s birthday – seems my kids enjoy it just as much as I did as a kid.

04.09.11

2011-04-09T19:43:00.001-04:00

You can’t keep them from the sad books forever.

04.07.11

2011-04-07T16:44:00.001-04:00

The princess takes off her crown and takes a quick coffee break.

04.05.11

2011-04-05T19:38:00.001-04:00

Seriously. I can’t even stand it!

04.04.11

2011-04-04T19:35:00.002-04:00

Oh, I love this boy.

04.03.11

2011-04-03T07:34:00.000-04:00

As always, we had a wonderful and way-too-short time with Nana & Papa.

04.02.11

2011-04-02T07:33:00.000-04:00

Maria wanted to show her excitement over baseball season beginning with special headwear.

04.01.11

2011-04-01T19:30:00.001-04:00

Henry & Maria took a ride on a komodo dragon today at the zoo.

03.31.11

2011-03-31T21:50:00.001-04:00

GAH. Have you ever seen something so cute? These girls are a hoot.

03.30.11

2011-03-30T19:52:00.001-04:00

These two sweet cousins attacked a couple of clementines yesterday… Gone in 60 seconds.

03.27.11

2011-03-27T15:07:00.001-04:00

Intense Battleship competition going on right now between Nana & Henry.

[it’s Nana’s first time playing (she says)]

03.26.11

2011-03-26T20:28:00.001-04:00

Stella is a fabulous neighbor. She always returns the tools she borrows and never makes noise too early in the morning.

03.24.11

2011-03-24T19:44:00.001-04:00

I thought she was looking pretty grown up today.

03.22.11

2011-03-22T17:33:00.001-04:00

Sunday marked our first trip to the beach for the season. The season ends in May.

[after that, it’s too hot, too many people, water too warm to be refreshing]

03.20.11

2011-03-20T19:49:00.001-04:00

The kids and their friends take on a piece for piano-eight-hands.

03.17.11

2011-03-17T16:03:00.001-04:00

Just trying to reduce our carbon footprint in every way we can… those gas-guzzling clementines we used to buy were killing the ozone layer.

03.16.11

2011-03-16T19:55:00.002-04:00

My neighbors discovered a random amaryllis in their front yard a couple of weeks ago and now it’s bloomed.

03.15.11

2011-03-15T17:47:00.001-04:00

Henry brought home a spectacular Wild Thing today.

03.14.11

2011-03-14T18:26:00.001-04:00

*sigh* Doesn’t this just warm your heart?

03.13.11

2011-03-13T20:34:00.001-04:00

We did this last night, too, except she took all but one out in the night. We’ll see what it looks like tomorrow!

03.10.11

2011-03-10T10:41:00.000-05:00

Julia, just imagine your cousin Maria is playing “Happy Birthday To You” for you today.

03.09.11

2011-03-09T07:03:00.000-05:00

When Henry had his costume on the other day, I asked Maria if she wanted to be Snow White. I think she liked it.

[my mom made this for me more than 25 years ago!]

03.07.11

2011-03-07T19:02:00.001-05:00

~~Peter Parker~~ ~~Spiderman~~ Henry sure looks like he’s bulked up, doesn’t he?

03.06.11

2011-03-06T19:00:00.001-05:00

This is Henry’s reaction upon learning that there may be a little romance coming for Harry Potter in book 4.

[the back of the book says something about Harry’s crush on Cho Chang]

03.04.11

2011-03-04T18:41:00.001-05:00

She’s two-and-a-half! 35 inches of spirit.

03.03.11

2011-03-03T20:12:00.001-05:00

WELL. Ok, then.

[scampi sauce from Publix]

03.01.11

2011-03-01T19:24:00.001-05:00

Mini-Timon.

02.28.11

2011-02-28T20:51:00.001-05:00

Look who I met at Universal Studios today! Maria was v. excited.

02.26.11

2011-02-26T19:47:00.001-05:00

That’s my man, spending the day just down the street behind us as a Habitat for Humanity volunteer.

[*sigh*, just like old times – Timon spent a year with AmeriCorps volunteering for HFH. Please check out the petition to the right to help save this vital American program.]

02.25.11

2011-02-25T20:39:00.001-05:00

One of the things Compassion International does really well is to keep us connected with our sponsored child’s country.

02.24.11

2011-02-24T15:04:00.002-05:00

She was much more amenable to a photo shoot today.

02.23.11

2011-02-23T20:17:00.001-05:00

Another typical night.

02.22.11

2011-02-22T17:09:00.001-05:00

Lady Constance Cookminster is ready to get in the oven to give us another delicious meal.

[If it’s wrong to love a piece of cookware as much as I love this one, I don’t want to be right.]

02.20.11

2011-02-20T16:46:00.002-05:00

SEVENTY pictures it took to get one where she wasn’t moving. Apparently, Miss Maria Katherine wasn’t interested in a sweet smiley picture to wish her Auntie Katherine a happy birthday.

02.19.11

2011-02-19T19:44:00.001-05:00

This sight never gets old.

02.17.11

2011-02-17T19:24:00.001-05:00

Full moon – good time to get out the telescope.

02.16.11

2011-02-16T21:04:00.001-05:00

This is what happens when the youth group raises double what they did last year for World Vision…

02.15.11

2011-02-15T17:07:00.001-05:00

Stickers? What stickers? I don’t know anything about any stickers.

02.14.11

2011-02-14T17:27:00.001-05:00

Love to you and yours!

02.13.11

2011-02-13T18:08:00.001-05:00

Last night’s fire and s’mores with the youth were just what the doctor ordered.

02.11.11

2011-02-11T21:58:00.001-05:00

We’re on our 30 Hour Famine retreat… Timon’s tribe is working on their flag.

02.10.11

2011-02-10T20:31:00.001-05:00

These are the valentines Henry will be handing out tomorrow at his class party. I made them but it’s not an original idea, so don’t think I’m all creative or something.

02.09.11

2011-02-09T21:21:00.001-05:00

The alphabet tower never fails to amuse Maria and Henry.

02.08.11

2011-02-08T20:26:00.002-05:00

Yes, that’s her foot on the left. Crazy baby.

02.07.11

2011-02-07T19:57:00.001-05:00

Maria was very happy to have a day of snuggles with Grandma Judy.

02.06.11

2011-02-06T18:51:00.001-05:00

It’s not the SuperBowl without the dip.

[layers of cream cheese, chili, and monterey jack, 325° until melted]

02.05.11

2011-02-05T19:15:00.001-05:00

YAY BATHTIME

02.04.11

2011-02-04T17:17:00.001-05:00

I guess Socks&Sneakers month is over in Florida. Current temp: 79°.

02.03.11

2011-02-03T20:56:00.001-05:00

Henry tested and achieved the black stripe rank in karate class today… He was so focused and worked very hard at each skill. Proud mama.

02.02.11

2011-02-02T20:21:00.001-05:00

Hate the camera flash, love the girl.

02.01.11

2011-02-01T19:43:00.001-05:00

Maria must start earning her keep around here.

01.30.11

2011-01-30T19:53:00.001-05:00

This is Henry’s “OOH I JUST MISSED GETTING A YAHTZEE!!!” face.

01.29.11

2011-01-29T17:21:00.001-05:00

Just a typical Saturday at our house.

01.28.11

2011-01-28T19:33:00.001-05:00

It’s been a long, long week for my wonderful husband.

01.27.11

2011-01-27T18:28:00.001-05:00

Yes, I know I skipped a day.

No, we don’t know what that is on Maria’s forehead.

Yes, we’re looking into it.

No, I won’t freak out if I miss a day’s photo this year during weeks when I’m insanely busy.

01.25.11

2011-01-25T15:18:00.000-05:00

I’ve been in the woods for a couple of days.

01.24.11

2011-01-24T17:13:00.001-05:00

I’m at a conference and here are my friends working very hard on something important.

01.23.11

2011-01-23T19:00:00.002-05:00

He was telling me something but I truly cannot remember what it was.

01.22.11

2011-01-22T17:52:00.001-05:00

Maria helps unload a wheelbarrow-full of leaves on top of last year’s garden. Notice her “work shoes.”

01.21.11

2011-01-21T20:24:00.001-05:00

Good old Skip is still hanging in there after over a year. It’s a wonder since 75% of the time, he swims around in something that more resembles minestrone soup than clean spring water.

[I PROMISE YOU, IT’S THE SAME FISH.]

01.20.11

2011-01-20T19:26:00.001-05:00

It’s back from the dead, after 7 days and $320.

01.19.11

2011-01-19T20:00:00.001-05:00

A game of Spoons is an awesome way of blowing off steam with the youth group.

01.18.11

2011-01-18T17:32:00.001-05:00

This knucklehead is under the weather today.

01.17.11

2011-01-17T16:51:00.001-05:00

I ordered these adorable little felt birds from etsy and glued them to plain metal hair clips for Maria. LOVE.

01.16.11

2011-01-16T12:33:00.001-05:00

Here’s the view from where I sit right now. I took this to remember that I do enjoy living in this climate for about 3 months of the year, because it’s still very green and I can have the windows open for fresh air.

01.15.11

2011-01-15T20:06:00.002-05:00

While I slept in this morning, Timon and Maria made blueberry pancakes.

01.14.11

2011-01-14T17:12:00.002-05:00

Don’t look now, but it’s a photo taken in daylight hours!
[it’s my day off]

01.13.11

2011-01-13T19:55:00.001-05:00

A sweet lady in our church was getting new furniture and we are the beneficiaries of her gently used couch. Bye-bye, futon!

01.12.11

2011-01-12T15:28:00.001-05:00

This picture will always serve as a reminder to keep my anti-virus software up to date.

[Don’t ask.]

01.11.11

2011-01-11T20:24:00.001-05:00

Maria thought you might all like an extreme close-up.

01.10.11

2011-01-10T18:54:00.001-05:00

A post-dinner game of horsey is always fun.

01.09.11

2011-01-09T20:25:00.001-05:00

Do you think Henry looks like Timon? I can never tell who my kids look like.

01.08.11

2011-01-08T19:24:00.001-05:00

Here’s my boy, slick from the shower and enjoying an episode of Reading Rainbow.

[thanks, Uncle Peter, Auntie Greta, Zachary, Melody, & Kylie!]

01.07.11

2011-01-07T15:41:00.002-05:00

She’s always the last one off the tree.

01.06.11

2011-01-06T20:48:00.001-05:00

This awful cell phone picture doesn’t even come CLOSE to conveying how awesome the sunset was tonight. I’ve never seen its equal. (name that movie)

1.5.11

2011-01-05T20:20:00.001-05:00

My mom made this for me, God knows when.

[yes, our tree is still up!]

1.4.11

2011-01-04T19:05:00.001-05:00

Naturally, this mechanical walking and meowing cat is one of Maria’s favorite Christmas presents. Guess who DIDN’T give it to her?

1.3.11

2011-01-03T17:08:00.001-05:00

Yes, that’s one Elmo elbow pad. I think Henry was wearing the other one. Hey, good sharing!

1.2.11

2011-01-02T17:36:00.001-05:00

Oh, isn’t this one a cutie?