More family talent and favorite keepsakes

Stephen's dad drew this "Peanuts" comic strip that now hangs on Eli's wall

Jana's Christmas gift, a creation from her new business

The Winnie the Pooh rug dates back to Stephen's birth in 1973


This picture also dates back to the mid-seventies and hung on Stephen's bedroom wall

Relics of a bygone era

Check out these sweet finds from Stephen's electronic past. The stereo we've had hooked up to our TV for a while now, and I think we actually did a post about all the kids records we play on there for the boys. . . but the clock radio is a recent find. I'd been putting Stephen's mission photos into photo albums, and he was searching one of his mission boxes when he stumbled upon this little digital dinosaur. Purchased in roughly 1985 and still tickin'! We keep it in the kitchen, oddly enough, but I use it almost every day while I'm making dinner for a little cooking ambience.

Quilts by Aunt Lisa

Eli's new favorite quilt

Love the jungle theme and bright prints

Here's the one she made for Bennett

Eli's Room

Lisa surprised us when we were up in Seattle for Christmas with a belated baby quilt for Eli. The brights colors and animals go really well with the quilt she did for Bennett when he was a wee one. She knows how much I love the bright greens and blues! I'm always amazed by what a talented quilter can create.

Last Week with the Walkers

Bennett feels like he's lost a limb or two now that Emma and Reuben have moved. He goes out back every morning to play, only to come back in five minutes later and report, "I don't have any friends out there to play with me, Mommy." Poor kid. They did just about everything together, those three.

It's not only the kids that will be missed, however. Stephen and I loved hanging out with Brandon and Maria. And of course all the girls had to have one last hurrah with Maria before the move, so we took her out the night before. Things--preschool, park days, morning walks, perpetual play dates--will not be the same without her. . . .

January Madness

One case of pneumonia, one nasty virus, two colds and one visit to the ER for stitches later, we are back. 2008 just ain't treatin' us right so far . . . but we're trying to muster up at least a little new year's optimism to hope the rest of the year will be better!

Neglected

As some of you know, I am a shameless date faker--all in the name of preserving history's proper chronology-- and have therefore updated the entire month of December. All posted tonight, of course. p.s. I promise to change the background soon; you're sure to be as sick of candy canes as I am . . .