SANTA!!!!

Jeremy wants Santa to bring him a train....and I want Santa to bring him better listening ears!!! Merry Christmas to all!

It's been a while....

Merry Christmas from us!
Jeremy playing in the snow on our day off from work and school due to weather....I know...it really doesn't look like it did when I was a kid and they closed school!!! It took a lot more than some potential ice and rain for us to get to stay home....however, I will not complain!!!

My first down hill sled ride...this is on my way back up!

Playing with my neighbors.

Our bus ride to Da Bulls game!

Jeremy's Favorite Player....Noah #13!

Jeremy watching Noah practice before the game!

Daddy, Jeremy and Mommy at the Bulls game.

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Sorry it has been so long...I hope that there are still some of you out there checking in to see if I have posted new pictures! I will try to be better. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

A Visit with my Cousin ~ Olivia!

We told them we wanted a picture of them together for Granny and they both refused....

This is the picture we ended up with after much trying.

We did not plan the outfits...it just happened.

Jeremy and Uncle Jason

Jeremy and Aunt Julie
(This picture and the one with Jason were made possible by Jeremy's complete addiction to bubble gum!!!)

Aunt Jaki and her little "blue eyes"! I am handing the honor of the nickname "blue eyes" down to my niece that has eyes as blue as mine!

Jeremy did not like this ride once it started so he ran the entire way home from the park!

Run Forest Run!

The highlight of Jeremy's weekend in Indy was the piano!

I think one day he may be a fabulous pianist!

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I hope you enjoyed our pictures from our visit to Indy to see "baby" Olivia...When we got there and Jeremy saw "little girl" Olivia he was asking when we would be seeing "baby" Olivia...I don't think he realized that she was going to have grown so much since last time we saw her. We had fun and can't wait to see her and her mommy and daddy again in Huntley for Thanksgiving!!!

THANKS!!! THANKS!!!! THANKS!!!!

Watch out...I'm backing up!
Doing the bear crawl up and down the ramp

Guest Bedroom with Jeremy's old bed and my beautiful new bedding!!

We also call this room "Grandma's Room"

Maybe some day it will be "the baby's room"

Jeremy's "new" double bed....so Mommy and Daddy can be more comfy when sleeping with Jeremy.....

This use to be Mommy and Daddy's bed and then it moved to Seattle...

Our "new" kitchen table!! This use to live in Seattle too and it was one of those rare finds on a garage sale that my mom was at when they lived in their apartment while waiting for their house to be built....all their furniture was in storage.....now it has a new home in Huntley!

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How did all of this get from Seattle to Illinois you ask....

That would be a great big thank you to my Uncle Bruce in Minnesota!!!

One of his trucks went from my mom and dad's house to pick up a load of apples and then to Minnesota...then from Minnesota to Huntley to my U-Haul to my garage to my house!!

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Stay tuned for pictures of more items that made the trip to live with us in Illinois

Jim Gill!!!

Jim Gill sings the sneezing song and other contagious tunes!!

Alabama Mississippi!

We got to see Jim Gill in live concert at Jeremy's future kindergarten school!

We had so much fun!

Playing with my shadow!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Today Jeremy started school!!!! Just 3 years and 3 months after this........
It seems like yesterday he was so small!!!

How the years fly!!! Before I know it I will be leaving him in Blacksburg!!!
(or some college somewhere!)

This is the new cozy blanket that I made for Jeremy to take to school.

Jeremy had a very successful first day of school...not too many tears!

Mommy didn't have any tears!!!! This time.

20 YEARS!!!!

This week school is starting in my town and I know that it has started most places in the country by now or will soon. I hated going to school when I was in kindergarten and I have vivid memories of crying my eyes out when I had to get on the bus. You see, I was painfully shy back then. Yes, it really is true...I was SO shy!!!! However, I don't think my dislike for going to school lasted long as every year at this time I have all kinds of fond memories of my first days of school. I loved going to get new shoes and clothes and I loved shopping for school supplies. That was my favorite part of starting school. Getting new paper and folders and pencils and crayons! It was a fresh start. Now, the schools give you an option to pay them a flat amount and you go to the school and they have all the school supplies that you need all neat and packed in a box....I know lots of busy moms that love this option...it is however, not an option for me. My most fond memory of school starting taken away to save a few minutes of my time....what kind of memory will that leave for my son? I hope to have the same fun with him getting our (his) list and going to the store to pick out the supplies that I...(I mean he)...wants. So, now on to the point of my post today.....this school……year marks 20 years since I met one of my best friends on the bus on the way home from school one day. TWENTY YEARS!!!! We were in 7th grade (12 years old) and from that day on we were together all.the.time!!! We spent our time trying to beat Super Mario brothers on Nintendo and walking to the mall. After 8th grade our lives ended when her dad took a new job and they moved to another state….So, after two very short years of spending our time attached at the hip we each started high school in two different states and then we ended up in colleges on opposite ends of the country….now….we are both married with a family of our own and kids that are starting school. Through it all we have kept in touch and our friendship has changed and matured and evolved along with each of us. We both have intentions of talking more often and trying to see each other even occasionally but life is…..well….life. It’s busy and we live 1,823 miles apart. However, every time we talk on the phone it is like we just saw each other the day before….it is comfortable and easy to talk for hours. I know that I can call her at any time of the day or night if I ever need a friend. We have been and always will be there for each other for all the ups and downs of life!!!! And maybe….down the road….when our kids are grown and married and have families of their own….we will have more time to spend together….but if not….I know that I always have a forever friend that is just a phone call away….and so does she!! Kristy, here’s to 20 years of friendship and to 20 more and 20 more after that!!!

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“Everyone has a “best friend” during each stage of life-only a precious few have the same one.”
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“Good friends are like stars…You don’t always see them, but you know they are always there.”
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“You meet people who forget you. You forget people you meet. But sometimes you meet those people you can’t forget. Those are your ‘friends.’”
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“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.”

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Bikes, Birthdays & Babies....Oh My!!!!!

Here is Jeremy on his new "big boy" bike!!! (Yes, that is a cop car in the back and Jeremy does go fast enough on his bike that he might actually get pulled over!)
It is a Thomas bike and so very cute!!!

Our "Day Out With Thomas was scheduled for the 19th....we got there and this sign was all we saw...it was rained out!!! It is a rain or shine event but it is not an event that goes on in a flood...that is what they had.....a flood!!! How sad....but we get to try again on the 26th....that is Sunday....and it has been raining every day since last Sunday....I hope and pray that it doesn't rain again and maybe the flood waters will go down and we can ride Thomas....this is an event that we wait all year for and I can't imagine having to wait another year to ride Thomas....please, all 3 of you that read my blog....pray for dryness!!!!

Here is Jeremy and his favorite friend, Olivia, playing pin the candle on the cupcake at Riley's (Olivia's one year old sister) birthday party....

Jeremy and his friend Dylan on the way home from the zoo a few weeks ago.

Jeremy holding Dylan's sister, Emma (2 months old)!! He loves to hold babies and has the longest attention span for this activity than any other....even playing with cars!!!! I think that he is in desperate need of a little sister or brother!!!! (Don't worry Mom!!! I'm not pregnant....yet!!!)

Jeremy in his Hokies sweatshirt and really cool birthday party hat and really cheesy smile!!!

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Sorry for the really long delay in posting pictures ... I hope that my 3 readers are still checking back in once in a while....and if there is anyone else out there that checks in ever that I don't know about....please....post a comment and say hi!!! I will try not to let the next post be so long....hopefully the next one will have pictures of Thomas....cross all those fingers!!!! And toes!

My FAVORITE friend....Olivia!

I'm ready to drive....come on Olivia....Let's go!
Oh....don't forget to buckle your seat belts!

Most important....lets turn up the radio so we can jam!!!!

We are ready to cruise in the pink Cadillac!!!

Hey Olivia!!! Look over there!!! An ice cream truck!!!!!

We are out of here!!!!

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This is Jeremy's favorite friend, Olivia. She turned 3 about 3 days before Jeremy...She lives a few doors down with her sister Riley. We play together all the time....we go to the park and we ride bikes....It is so much fun to have a good friend to play with!!!

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I just enrolled Jeremy in the same daycare as Olivia...starting the first week of September....he will go 2 days a week and Olivia is there every day....they promised that they will be in the same class....I hope that helps him adjust to a VERY new environment....Wish us luck! Me probably more than Jeremy!

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Happy Belated Independence Day!

Stingray Bay :

This is our park district pool that we went to on the 4th of July!

What Fun!
Jeremy built sandcastles....

Played with the sand tables......

Became very brave in the water.....

He even swam with stingrays!!!

Happy 4th of July 2007!

What a fun day!

Here Jeremy is all ready for bed in his patriotic PJ's that I bought for him to wear on the 4th last year when we were in Seattle visiting Granny and Pa! They still fit! His legs are just longer!

Here we are last year....getting ready to watch fireworks over Lake Union in Seattle! We will never forget that 4th! It was the best because we were with Granny & Pa!