Silent Sunday

Holiday Tree at The Henry Ford Museum



My first attempt at Bokeh


Second Attempt...love this one (and I even like the reflection of the DC-3 propeller in the shiny ornament).

A Quick Review

It is finally the end to 2010 and what a year it was for us here. Personally, I am glad to see it go, and have hopes that 2011 will be a better one for us and for our families. The trials that our families went through, with Jim's Dad's accident and loss of memory and my sister Susie fighting (and beating!) breast cancer are not ones that I want anyone to have to experience. On a more personal level, Jim was quite busy with city council, and having to go through two budget cycles to figure out how to cut money was stressful and kept him gone quite a few evenings. This of course left me to deal with the kids and a dog that I thought I was (and really was not) prepared to deal with.

Overall though, I can say personally that the four of us really did not fair too badly this year. Tommi started 2nd grade and has a great teacher. She went through some PT and OT through U of M this summer and really started to blossom and grow and seems to have matured slightly. I can actually see that she is starting to catch up to her peers at least developmentally, though she is still behind academically. I can't wait to see what turning 8 and the rest of the school year brings in 2011.

Jay started preschool, and after a day or so of thinking he was in trouble because his teachers were calling him James, we got everything straightened out and he loves school. He is becoming even closer to our babysitter's son Josh and we all agree that we are definitely in trouble when they become teenagers. My little man makes us all laugh on a daily basis with the stuff that he says and I can't wait for him to start kindergarten this fall.

Jim and I were talking last night about hopes for this year and really could not come up with much we really want to accomplish. But in the next 5 to 10 years we would like to see some things happen with the house. In 3 years our bankruptcy will be over and hopefully we can start saving to update the kitchen and eventually build a garage so we can finish the basement. I hope that Tommi can catch up to her peers academically by the time she goes to middle school, and I hope that Jim's dad will get at least some of his memory back. I'd like a better car, something bigger that can hold at least 7 (my wish would be a Ford Flex) and I would love to see Jim continue to climb the management ladder at work. As far as my work goes, I would love to either be home or have a job that would allow me to be home before and after school (and doing more PMTO).

I would like to blog more, though I always say that and never keep up. I realized how important memories are, and I want to record the important stuff for Tommi and Jay as they grow. So if I were to make a resolution it would be to blog at least a few times a week as a record of what is going on in our lives. I don't have a way with words as some blogs that I follow have, but it's just a record for me really right? It's not like I have followers that read this when I write anyways.

Hello 2011! I am happy you are here. Good Riddance to 2010, may you soon be just a distant memory.

Silent Sunday

Vacation Fun...

My new favorite pic....

My hubby shot this of J on the beach at Lake Michigan during our vacation. I love that he is looking back at his footprints and the fact that he is not in the exact middle of the pic (Jim is not usually the kind to shoot something off center, he thinks some of my pics are odd that I shoot differently...)



So I had to just take this pic and do something with it... it reminded me of a poem I have always loved... Footprints So I sharpened the image a bit and added the end of the poem which is my favorite, and created this:



Turned out great, and I have an 8 x 10 on order from Sam's to hang on my office wall.

A PSA

Today's PSA is brought to you by Jay.

"Lock your car doors or big spiders will get in there and mess with your stuff."

Good to know.... I don't want those spiders messing with my stuff... unless they clean my car. If that is the case I'll leave the doors unlocked and they can come in all they want.

Silent Sunday

Happy Birthday Jay!

To my little man,

4 years ago today I was headed to the doctor for a check up after an ultrasound that was measuring you at over 10 pounds. I was still 9 days to my due date and was tired of being pregnant and anxious to meet you, though you seemed pretty content to be hanging out inside me kicking me and moving round quite frequently just to let me know you were still there. :)

It was decided that I would go to be induced because a scheduled c-section could not be done for another week and I refused to be miserable that long. When we got to the hospital we were pleasantly surprised that the doctor was willing to do a c-section.

So, approximately 4 hours later, we got to meet you. Here is my first view of you after you were born:



You looked bigger than you actually were, you only weighed 8 pound 14 oz. You were such a handsome little thing and with your addition our family was complete.

Now you are turning four and you amaze me every day. You are a smart, delightful, funny and sometimes crabby boy, but I wouldn't change you for the world. You are very literal minded and very interested in how things work. I joke that you have OCD tendencies (a joke only a social work mama can make because she loves you so much, and she has been told she was like that a little as a child). You are interested in lots of boy things: trains, trucks, cars, tools, and everything else, but you still love to cuddle with me.

You know how to spell your name and Tommi's, you can pick out some letters (K is a favorite thanks to the Kmart commercials) and can write the letter J. You are great little brother and your sister loves you as you love her even as you tattle on each other.

You are healthy, though a little small for your age, but you are growing and that makes me happy in ways you don't realize. We survived a Gluten Free Diet for a year and tubes in your ears. What a champ you were to go through ear surgery, a colonoscopy, upper GI and countless blood draws. Whew, I am glad that it is over.

You are excited to start preschool in the fall and I am excited to continue to see you learn and grow and embrace the world. I love you Jay Bird. Happy Birthday. :)