2009 highlights

There have been lots of great/big things about 2009--I thought I'd do a "letterman top ten" for the blog...however mine are in no particular order and may be changed as I reflect on this post in the next few days..

10. jeff deploys to iraq (ok this isn't great but is certainly memorable and big so it should make the list) and we learn to use skype and manage 1 minute phone calls
9. Thanksgiving to christmas holidays for the rest of the family in Ohio and Hilton Head--thanks to everyone who traveled to join us in this month of adventures!
8. making new friends in the azores and keeping in touch with previous friends through facebook and e-mail
7. watching the kids play t-ball and soccer as well as biking, tag, and climbing on the playground outside
6. experiencing a new culture and language
5. enjoying the rainbows that show up during the months and months of rain that we experience...
4. Firsts--heather lost her first tooth, charlie started portuguese school, cameron started crawling, eating, walking, birthday
3. enjoying time in the Azores--hiking, beaching, socializing
2. trip to crete
1. trip to Disney

I hope that 2010 can bring as much fun with family and friends as 2009.

last few Ohio days

What we thought was going to be a week with my parents turned into a much shorter time when we found out that the plane would leave on the 4th of Jan instead of the 7th. Ugh! Instead of relaxing I've been frantically packing up christmas gifts and contacting people to help us at both ends of the journey once again. Mom has been trying to spend some extra time with the kids while I pack to get us ready to get on the road.

christmas

Christmas Eve we left Jeff's mom's house and headed for my parents for Christmas Eve service at church. The kids were really well behaved and Heather read and sang the songs while Charlie followed along. We managed to not set the church on fire and enjoyed a quiet moment with the lit candles and Cameron on the floor eating raisins. We got home, the kids made a last minute note to Santa, left cookies, milk and carrots and tried to settle down for bed. That was quite a challenge and Santa wasn't able to come until after 10:30 pm. Heather was up at 7:30 hoping that the DS was under the tree. We got everyone up and headed off to see the surprises. Not wanting to be held up by the Santa note (which was the most exciting part last year) Heather ran upstairs crying that she just wanted to see what was under the tree. After calming her down we headed down to check out the gifts. The kids were delighted with the barbies, bakugon, books, socks, and more that santa left unwrapped by the tree. We dove into the presents and the kids were delighted with all their presents (even no mention of no DS!--santa just didn't think it was necessary). Cameron had no interest in the present opening so he just roamed the room looking at everyone else's gifts. Cameron was most interested in the bear that Jeff sent, only after he heard Jeffs voice coming from the box ;-) After all the presents were opened by the kids the adults started in on theirs as well as opening the kids toys to play with. Mom fixed a nice Christmas dinner and we all relaxed. We were able to skype chat with jeff and despite the distance it was good to have him join in the christmas day festivities. The rest of the time my sister and brother were here we spent doing some shopping, some football cheering and I even had a sibling lunch with Kelly, Bryan and Christopher (heather was not happy to be left behind!!). It was sad for all of us to say goodbye to Kelly, Bryan and Christopher but thanks so much to them for their help with the kids and the time they were able to spend with us!

cleveland fun

We had a great--albeit short--trip to Cleveland for Christmas with the Hughes family. Because of schedules and the unknown of leaving it was a very short--but packed trip. The kids had a great time playing with their aunt and uncle and enjoyed time with their cousins as well. Highlights for the trip included a trip to Chucky Cheese, playing the wii, puzzles, making a gingerbread house and of course opening presents at "early Christmas" as Heather dubbed it. It was pure present unwrapping chaos as two 6 year olds and 2 4 year olds dove into their presents with Cameron walking around supervising and choosing not to touch his. After present unwrapping and testing we had a great meal and enjoyed some time to relax while the kids tested out their gifts. Heather and Charlie and their cousins played really nicely together once again. They enjoyed some Mario cart with Ashley and Jeremy before bed.

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

The kids were delighted to wake up to about an inch of snow on the ground. They made the most of it building the snowmen pictured as well as sledding (not pictured) down the hill behind my parents house. They did it together and individually and got along very well the whole sledding time. They also managed a small snowball fight which did not end badly. After that we went to another basketball game where santa greeted us at the door. Heather has become reluctant to "visit santa" but did choose to sit with him over stand next to. Cameron was very hesitant and forced me to be in a picture with him...tonight we watched for Jeff on the WWE special salute to the troops. My mom saw him more than I did but it was fun to try. We may have spotted him next to a flag--if not that guy has become my kids dad for the WWE event! yesterday the kids put peanut butter and sunflower seeds on pinecones that they rescued from hilton head and the lucky recepient was this squirrel.

christmas is really coming

The kids got even more into the christmas gift spirit yesterday when I took them each to the store to pick out something for each other. I decided last year to let them each pick out a gift for each other and for cameron. They delighted in picking out the perfect gift for their siblings which was really nice. They took their time and despite Heather knowing exactly what she wanted to get for charlie and charlie picking out exactly what Heather told him she wanted they perused the aisles to make sure they got the best thing. Continuing the holiday spirit we were visited by Mrs. Claus--a friend of mom's--and her beautiful costume. In the afternoon we went by my elementary school so Heather could see the school that I went to and we could exchange books with my first grade teacher who gave some to us for Heather to read (she teaches second grade there now). We went by my first and second grade class and I got a glimpse of what it would be like for Heather to be in school there. I think she would have been Ok but I think that staying in the Azores and coming for an extended holiday was still the best decision in most respects. Back in the holiday spirit we went to my mom's friends house who has like 30 christmas trees of all sizes decorated in a variety of themes. Mrs. K also let them decorate healthy cookies which they enjoyed almost as much as picking out a candy cane and ornament off a special tree. We then went to see the christmas lights at a house nearby that goes all out and synchronizes their lights to music (like the old beer commercial) and it's awesome. The kids enjoyed it as did myself and my parents. Despite all this holiday fun Heather is doing pretty well keeping up with her schoolwork that her teacher sent as well as reading her first chapter book on her own--frog and toad...

At some point in the last few days we also decorated the christmas tree. The kids enjoyed looking at the ornaments and we did the not breakable set and sill managed to break some ;-(. Cameron liked to just carry them around but Charlie and Heather did a good job getting them onto the tree. We had cut the tree down with mom and dad before thanksgiving.

basketball game

We had a lot of fun going to a basketball game tonight. The kids watched the whole game and only asked once how much longer. The most fun was seeing the bobcat and watching charlie and cameron dance and show their enthusiasm for the ga.me