Thanksgiving Day 2009

Another favorite family holiday, Thanksgiving. Drew's family went up north in Wisconsin, so they missed our fun. but we probably missed them more. Drew and Alex went up last weekend for deer season, Then Tricia, Ashley and Tricia's mom, Benita went up Wednesday to celebrate Thanksgiving with their friends.

The remainder of the family gathered at our house for dinner. Julieanna, Geoff and Kyle, Sarah gather at the kitchen counter for snacks while dinner cooks.

(Please remember to click on each photo to enlarge it. The kids are good looking.)

Having just arrived, Logan is still shy and hanging on Mom. I love the commotion and chatter as everyone gathers.


Now the girls are warming to those less familiar. Short interactions and off on their own.



Sarah has put Logan's hair up in 'ponytails' and she looks so different. But look at this smile!

Both girls want me to read to them. It's a "terrible burden"; but, I assent to their demands.

They love to pick out the objects and the colors and to be praised for their correct choices.

Winner and still champion "cheesy smiler", Kyle! He has taught Logan well. With practice she may come into her own.

Cora is very good with this cloth book. She knows where each sound switch is and what the story is. Puppies, kittens and birds hide in bushes, bedrooms and baskets of laundry.

Poor Geoff, a headache already? Your in-laws aren't that bad are they?

Kyle gets a break too. Don't get too comfortable there, Buddy. You could be overwhelmed in an instant.

Sit by Daddy. Sit by Mommy. Sit by Aunt Julie. Read to me, No! Chase me!

Toy Story's Woody has a hat! Did you know that? Logan does. And as long as she is by the hallway, let's chase around in a circle. Of course I couldn't take a video AND chase. So I chose chase.

The girls LOVE to be chased or to chase around the hall. They can run and run until they get so excited they scream. As Sarah said, "I don't know why this is so entertaining. But it is; it's so hilarious!"

She is totally correct. If I stop Logan will say, "Do 'gin."

As I chase them Cora says, "Go, Grampa. Go!"

Then about the second loop they will squeal with glee as they come through this hall entrance.

This is video of Cora reading the cloth book. When she did the kitten button, Logan started mocking, "meow, meow, meow."

They get on so well together and can solve all their conflicts without any hysterics. they are marvelous little girls. And their folks are so good with them.

We are very fortunate to have four, now almost five, great grand kids and six wonderful kids.

Grandpa Gets Bonus Time

As the big day approaches I get to sit with Cora as her Dad works and her Mom goes to the doctor. Now that we come to the end of the wait I get to sit weekly with my little buddy.


Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt, I prefer to think of it as comfort. After a couple hours Cora looked around and said, "Gram pa, get camera." Her mom gave her a bit of a scolding about telling people what to do. Cora looked at her mom, then at me and said, "Get camera, Grandpa. Watch picture, Cora."

Obviously she got close quicker than I could get ready to take her picture.


If I wait long enough, Cora will play and I can get a picture. More pictures if I fore go the flash.

Cora was "wearing" her activity block.



See, it still is working well as a boot.

But now that she has seen Grandpa's camera she headed over lickity split.

(Not to be confused with "Lickity Lizard" )

As long as she has already noticed, I resort to flash and get a non-blurry picture. Now you can see how cute she really is. Then we had to review all the pictures on my camera.

We shared Kyle's birthday with her.


There is a flurry of action by the computer.

Caught at the peak of action, that moment of suspended action.

Cora wanted a "sticker" which Julieanna substituted a post-it for. Unfortunately Cora wanted the one with writing on it. We all know that stickers aren't blank.

"Les Feuilles Mortes"

When Autumn leaves begin to fall like snow, the daylight fades and I wax nostalgic for the days of my summer.

Just Like Old Milk

Just like old milk turns, so Kyle turned 30! NOT that Kyle turned sour. He obviously didn't because he shared his sweet Logan and Sarah with us on his birthday.

Logan is a doll. Her curly blond hair and big smile win you over. She ran around sharing schit-kers with everyone.


Here's proof he is 30. His mom wouldn't put it on his cake if it weren't true! Would she?
This cake, know by the rest of the world as pineapple sheet cake, was Kyle's choice.
Oh, our family has forever called it as the kids did, "Throw-up Cake".



"Nice job on the candles, Dad. Bet you couldn't do that if there were thirty of them. You are so funny, you make my nose run."



"Right, Uncle Drew? You got that too?"

"Daddy, did they used to paint your cards on the cave wall?"

"I know you are old and can't see that close. Let me hold it out here for you."

"Never mind, I'll read it to you."

"Give me another Schitker, Grandma. Please."

Logan likes to play with stickers. She generally places them on our knees either because that is where she thinks they belong or because that is an eye level palate for her.

Daddy asks a personal question and Logan is not bothered by it, wait until she is older. Then they play "Drop The Baby". Logan was counting, "1,2,3" in days past; but, she has now done the toddler count "2,9"!

Let's all sing "Happy Birthday"! Uh, well not me.

Logan really liked Alex's Nintendo.

"No, Mommy! No, do it this way."

Aveline

I've been wondering about a nickname for our new family member, Hazel. I was thinking it must be something unrelated. You know like "Jack" is a nickname for John.

I couldn't think of any. Not "Maggie", not "Shirley". Well what is the World Wide Web of Mr. Gore for?

According to Parenting.iVillage.com: Nicknames for Hazel are Aveline.

I am obviously not a naming expert; but, I don't understand a nickname being longer than the original name. This is like "William" is the nickname for Bill. or "Rumpelstiltskin" is the nickname for Hank.

Party Pictures

These won't be as exciting as the post below because these are still photos mostly. But they are pictures of my lovely family.


Kyle and Sarah went to Las Vegas for his birthday with some of their friends. Sarah's mom kept Logan from Friday to Sunday afternoon. Then she was generous enough to bring her to our house for Cora's birthday. Logan had not taken an afternoon nap but was playing well. About four o'clock I asked if she wanted to go night-night?
Logan, as usual, said "Uhh." So Grandma changed her diaper and laid her down. She only napped about twenty minutes so I got her up and she was kind of in a trance. She climbed up on Grandma's lap and fell asleep. They both had a good nap.


This is party preparation at its best.

Everyone else started showing up right on schedule for 7:30.


Drew and Ashley draw Logan's attention. You can see by Drew's and Ashley's faces that Logan is charming.



Tricia isn't allowed on the furniture. Or maybe she is our "Nell". She loves playing with the girls. And Cora loves books.



Alex is growing up! Look at him sitting with the adults behaving all grown up. He is a good kid.



Logan is glad to see Mom and Dad. She gets Sarah to play with her. And Logan acts well rested. "Thanks Grandma."


Look at the joy in Cora's face! She is so enjoying her birthday party.


Cora is so impressed by our singing "Happy Birthday" to her.

She has the ever popular Elmo. (her favorite, I think)

You can see her blow out the candle on the next post.

Look at her eat cake! Marie Antoinette would be so satisfied with Cora Genevieve.

Just kidding! We know that she didn't say, "Let them eat cake."

(Somehow this is the only one of Kyle. See the top of his head at the bottom?)

It's great to sit on Mom's lap and open gifts. This is the last birthday Cora will have as an only child. In fact the last gifting. Hazel will be here by Christmas.



Look at those curls! We need to get Ashley in something besides a sports jersey. She is a pretty young lady.

She just appeared in an invitational orchestra. It was a fantastic performance. Maybe her folks can post it.

That's Logan! She is so sweet and the happiest little thing.

Logan is into the "bear chair" and rocking big. Even though it is Cora's birthday party, Logan is doing her own thing and enjoying the attention she gets.

Cora Turns TWO!

Cora turns two. My but that is hard to believe. Conversely it is hard to believe she isn't older than that.

We celebrate two years for her anyway. I think she really grasped the idea and enjoyed the attention and traditional ceremony.

The gifts were a hit!

This will be good to drill on the alphabet and the sounds of letters. The second gift is a toddler "laptop" that may buy Geoff and Julieanna some free computer time on their own computers.

A sticker book will be a big hit! Cora and Logan both love to play with stickers at Grandma's and Grampa's house.

And look at all the princess paraphernalia! It will be fun to dress up as a princess. Logan is very relaxed about all the attention Cora is getting. Logan is quite content and self confident.

And a cat! What will she name it? Maybe Hazel or Lola or Basil? We will see. And what little girl doesn't love her very own bat. Especially the largest bat in the world, a Flying Fox or fruit bat from Australia.

Logan wasn't ignored all night. Grandpa loves her too. She is so pretty and happy.

Cake time! Look how happy Cora is this year. She knows what's going on.

Halloween 2009

Okay, so a blog is more interesting with text. I can see that now.

Actually, I created several posts over a period of days and scheduled them. This is my "oops." I forgot where I was in the process and this one posted on schedule before I finished.


Cora and Julieanna arrived first. Julieanna had some concern that Cora would not be happy wearing her costume. More especially, changing into and out of multiple times. She certainly doesn't mind at this early time of day.


Check out that little stinger! Cora calls it her "tail" and the antennae are "ears". Julieanna has started building a reputation now. Last year the Octopus and now the bee. What will it be next year. Something from the north woods? And there will be two little Turners to dress.



Check out her look. As if to say, "Are you done?"

"Okay, Grandpa; Just one more."

Julieanna, you are so clever. That heart, that Hazel; pretty clever indeed.

Kyle fights the battle. It's was like herding cats. His little burglar wasn't a problem. The picture just happens to be of him putting the last piece in place.


Aren't they all super? It's like a three ring circus, four ring circus when they all come over. I enjoy watching them all interact and the quiet when they go. It's terrific.


Red-eye correction somehow saw Ashley's "glove" and two of the pumpkin lights as red-eye.

But the picture is in focus and their eyes are open. They are all four such good kids and cute in every way.

Sarah's turn.

Too bad I shut it off so early.

October 28, 2009 Logan's Wednesday

It's Kyle's day to bring Logan to our house before he goes to work.


Logan like to take all the frogs out and then put them back. I think there are only a few people who understand that she is saying, "frog."


Grandpa got on the floor to color with Logan. This doesn't happen! But Logan liked it so much that it will happen again. Logan pats the floor by her and says, "Pa Pa sit."

How could I refuse that offer?


Logan also enjoyed putting stickers on everyone. "Here's one for your leg, Grandma."


Once it was place just so, Logan was a flurry of motion to get another sticker. I can begin to spell that phonetically as she says it.


Logan was so proud of herself. She put stickers on her eyes. Isn't that smile beautiful. I feel great when she smiles at me that way.

Her next move wasn't such a good one. She took the sticker off her cheek and put it on her left eye. That's right folks, both eyes at the same time. That renders one blind. And if you forget to close that eye ...


It makes your eye tear. Awwww. Let Grandpa kiss it.


"That's better. I can see to color again."


She liked wearing the Jelly Belly "food service" hat. It looks good on her. Doesn't everything?


She enjoyed coloring on the couch with Grandma. They are buddies too. Mostly because Grandma will hold everything Logan takes to her.

Could she be any more of a "ham"?

We had fun. Fortunately there is no video of Grandpa getting up. Unfortunately, Logan wasn't done at the same time Grandpa was. It would be great to be able to do this without the pain.

Grandma's turn to entertain while Grandpa recovers. Stickers may have saved my life!

What a girl! She is so easy to teach. It scares me sometimes.
If I make one slip, she will probably pick it up in a heartbeat.