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Friday, December 31, 2010

Misc. Holiday Shots

Levi is pretending the toy bucket is a boat.  Milo is apparently trying to capsize the vessel. Ahoy matey.


 More cousin love.
 Milo just lights up anytime he sees Ruby.  She makes up new little nicknames for him all the time.  "mi-mi-cute-cutey" is a recent one.

 Nana and Papa got him a scooter and aside from bedtime he is never more than a few feet from it.  He is thrilled to be a scooter rider. Levi has not allowed Milo to touch it, however.
 Bedtime snuggles for Nana.
 With all the playing on the scooter, Levi has taken to wearing his helmet most of the time- even for board games.  You can never be too safe.

More Holiday Pictures

We spent a couple nights with the rest of the family at a hotel on the plaza.  Milo was not impressed with the pool.  He cuddled up to his Daddy the whole time.

 The four of them, quiet as can be, resting calmly.  This is not typical and lasted all of 4 seconds.

 Papa giving guitar lessons.


 Guitar lessons in your pjs- even better.

 Levi, ready for bed, sitting with Papa looking up video clips of puppies on Youtube.


 Lunch out with Nana and Papa.  He was just playing peek-a-boo with the napkin.

 Nana and Papa brought Levi a really fun game and played it with him several times. 

It was a fun visit.  A few highlights were a special trip for the big kids with Nana and Papa, serving a meal at True Light, and going wedding dress shopping with Lea.  We are so blessed to spend such quality time with our loving familes. 

Family Picture




These Shots Aren't Candidates for Enlargement (well, actually, the 5th one probably is...)






Flashback Friday- Birth Day Assignment

We interupt the Dickson Christmas blog coverage to introduce today's Flashback Friday.

This is a scan of a homework assignment I did for 2nd or 3rd grade.  What makes it remarkable in my mind was how my parents changed it from an interview of them into a research project.  We stopped at ONU's library on the way to church on Wednesday evening and my Dad showed me how to pull and view the microfiche sheets for the newspaper on the day I was born. 

It's a little hard to read.  Here is a partial transcript:

4.  How did you decide on my name? We heard about a baby named Amber and thought it was a pretty name.

6.   Who was president when I was born?  Jimmy Carter

7.  Can you remember any national event that took place on the day I was born?  There was rioting in Chicago in Humbolt (sic) Park.

8.  Can you remember any international event that took place on the day I was born?  Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 25th year as Queen of England.

We got the information about what happened on my birthday from the library but in light of the way the questions are worded, it kind of sounds like I had this conversation with my Dad:

"So, Dad, tell me about the day I was born."

"Ahh, yes.  June 5, 1977.  It was hot.  Your mother labored for hours and there was rioting in Humboldt Park.  I remember it well.  Also, Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 25th year of reigning England.  Yes, those are the events that stick out to me when I look back to that day.  Let's see...what else...one more thing: we named you 'Amber'"

Christmas Day

Milo woke up at Gran and Grandpa's ready to go.


We got to open our stockings. 


Levi got so many fun things- including a train whistle!


 Milo had a little help opening his stocking.  Afterwards we enjoyed a big breakfast of ham and waffles.


 The kiddos opened the rest of their presents.  Levi got an engineer hat and bandana, too.


 Later on, we went to Grandma D's to have lunch with some more of the extended family.

 The meal was delicious- a few things on the menu: ham, sweet potatoes, and pie.
 Later on we drove to Joel and Kelly's to meet up with the other side of the family.  Mom and Dad C. had flown in that morning.  Lea and Ryan had arrived the night previous and Aunt Kathy and Uncle Chuck drove in that day.  After a wonderful ham dinner, we shared gifts.


Sisters!  Sisters in matching winter gear!


 Levi received some explorer equipment.  He did not let those binoculars out of his sight.


 Cute niece in a princess snuggie!

mmmmm, ham.  I do enjoy a good ham but boy was I thirsty by the end of Christmas.

Christmas Eve at Gran and Grandpa's

We drove up to Lynn and Marji's on Christmas Eve to celebrate the holidays.  Here Levi's Grandpa is helping him follow along to a special book his Grammie got for him.  The book records someone reading the text.  All Levi has to do is open it and follow along.  His Gran and Grandpa provided the narration voices.


Cousin love.


They really are too cute together.


Double hug.


Milo en route to grabbing a toy from little unsuspecting Alison.


Levi got another recorded read-aloud Christmas book from Auntie Corrine.  Now he can hear her voice anytime he wants.


We've played quite a few rounds of this game already.  Levi likes feeding his caterpillar.


Levi keeps getting taller but no bigger around the middle.  Consequently, all his pants were kind of big in the waist.  We had not been able to find an appropriate sized belt.  Gran and Grandpa commisioned two belts from somebody in their church who works with leather.  Levi is so proud of them.  He enjoys very much anything that is like something his Daddy has.


 Engineer gear!  This tickles me to no end.


Milo says, "If I can't grab the beard, I'll go for the hair..."


Uncle Chuck is taking a quick catnap.


"Take it from me, reindeer slippers are tasty!"


All ready to leave for the Christmas Eve service.


Posing with his neice.


Wearing matching pjs.  Milo is ready to sleep and prepare for his first Christmas.


He REALLY wanted to wear the belt all night but we convinced him to take it off while he slept.