Good-bye 2008...

January.

February.

March.

April.

May.

June.

July.

August.

September.

October!

November.

December.

When I told Ava this was the end of 2008, she was uncharacteristically melancholy and said, "but I liked this year!" Then after a pause (and true to form) she said, "what will happen next year?!"

Two months old...

Jemma Jane is now two months old (which is quite different than eight weeks!) which means she got weighed, measured, and vaccinated today. Ava and Jack at two months were both in the 95th percentile for weight and 50th for height (we do love the chubbies!). However, I am happy to report that Miss Jemma is a perfectly proportioned 95% for both weight and height! She was very brave for her shots but has been immensely sad this afternoon, wanting to be held and rocked nonstop--I set her down just long enough to get these pictures, the last was followed almost immediately with a sad, sad cry. No one here has ever had a bad reaction to shots but now I am off to Safeway for some baby Tylenol! (Side note...still would rather have a sad afternoon and be safely vaccinated than not be vaccinated and just rely on everyone else to do it in order to keep those pesky measles and mumps away!)

Sleepy girl.

Big yawn.

Well, hello!

Back to the real world

So Christmas is over and we are back to the usual late December stuff--shoveling and finding room for the new toys! Ed spent a good three hours shoveling the roof in anticipation of rain... which came and turned our winter wonderland into a big slushy mess!
Here he is shoveling out a serious creek in front of our house! The good news is that I am planning on staying in all week and reorganizing (woo hoo). Every year I get an overwhelming urge to purge, purge, purge following the holidays so I plan to only head out for more plastic tubs, garbage bags, and trips to the Goodwill drop-off!

The Driskill Family Christmas, Take VI

Christmas one more time! (December 26)

Woo hoo, a dollhouse.

Some coug fans.

Jack's telling Jemma about her presents and how she's missing everything while sleeping.

Whew!!

Tuckered out yet again...Jemma spent most of the day asleep.

After a big ham dinner, we finished the night at the huge light display...in the snow!! I am pretty sure I have never seen a white Christmas in Lewiston.

Merry Christmas!

The Driskill Family Christmas, Take V

Christmas Dinner!

This was our eleventh Christmas since we've been married and we have never been home on Christmas night. We are always with Ed's family for the day but this year his dad had to work so we were home for the whole day. I always wondered what people do all day on Christmas and now I know--cook and clean! We had my parents and the Kimmells in for dinner and they brought the prime rib (how's that for a hostess gift??) and we had a yummy, relaxing night at home!

Emma held Jemma all night--hard to believe she was the flower girl in our wedding.

Jack helped Paul carve up the prime rib.

The Driskill Family Christmas, Take IV (Christmas morning!)

Look what Santa brought...a sleeping bag for Jack and an easel for Ava!

This little kid was just the right age for Christmas...it's all such a wonder and excitement!

This little kid was overwhelmed with all the goodness--she said "my hands are going to hurt from opening all these presents!"

And this little kid was tossing and turning all night--his excitement tops them all!

All tuckered out!

The Driskill Family Christmas, Take III

Our traditional Christmas Eve dinner--king crab for Ed (and a little for the kids if they're lucky!), shrimp and appetizers for me.

Jemma spent the evening here on the floor--she's easy to please!

The Driskill Family Christmas, Take II

Back to Grandma's for "Christmas morning" (December 24) fun! Presents, presents, and brunch!

The boys with their guns, protecting these two little dancers.

More movies!

And....more presents!!

The Driskill Family Christmas, Take I

"Christmas Eve" (December 23) with the Sawyers. The menu has been the same for as long as I can remember--Stephen's cheese dip and mom's wings are the staples--we add some new stuff every year but really we just love to chow on those!

Jack listening to grandpa read the Christmas story.

This year we decided to do the gifts from grandma and grandpa at night to save a little chaos the next morning and it was great--a little taste of what was to come!

Grandpa made these fantastic guns for the boys!

More weapons!

The children were nestled all snug in their beds (look closely--the boys have their guns!)

While we played Bingo (a serious tradition!). Those are all the prizes there in the middle. This year we had a couple kids join us on and off but we still got in some good rounds--I even won a whole dollar with my lottery ticket prize!

Have a Very Merry Christmas!

Christmas here starts in about an hour and doesn't end till Friday night...it really is the best time of the year!

Waiting for the tub

A first

Jack's poor table.

Ed actually had to shovel the back patio--after all the work he did laying the brick he wanted to make sure it makes it through the first winter!