November & December

Okay, so it's been awhile since I've updated....again. I will make up for it by posting lots of pictures. We are busy, busy, busy getting ready for Christmas. As usual, I am the only one in the family who hasn't gotten all of the Christmas shopping done. Even Claire has finished her shopping. She wanted to get everyone in the family something special from her, so I gave her a small budget to adhere to. She did really well. She stuck to the budget & even bought her own wrapping paper to wrap the presents herself. I think she would have loved to buy out Toys-R-Us for Sami, Libby, & Joe, but she kept herself in check.

Sami started walking right before Thanksgiving. She loves to put shoes on her feet (and hands) and walk everywhere. She hasn't had too many falls, but her little legs are little bruised here and there. Here is a video of her the day she decided to take off....

Sami also loves to give kisses to everyone. Here is a pic of her kissy face. This is what she does when I tell her "no, no, no"...she puckers up



Thanksgiving Day saw my girls off to Morgantown to have dinner with Grandma Candy & Aunt Cole. I didn't go because Kerri & I had our annual Black Friday shopping trip to Columbus early the next morning. Here is a pic of the girls before they went to see Grandma...

My friend Amanda invited Tom and I to have dinner at her house with her family. I was a little nervous once I heard she had never cooked a turkey before, but it turned out to be well worth the risk. Amanda & Jan had quite the spread. It was a fabulous dinner! We had a great time hanging out with all of the little boys in the family.

Our hostesses Jan & Amanda...

The spread...

I thought it was cute that all of boys had on the same socks in various colors.

Alexander's feet, Vinny's feet, and Evan's feet.

Sami loves loves loves her books. She calls them "boos". She loves to read the same "boo" over and over again. Here she is checking out the "boo" by herself. Please note the foot to help hold the "boo"

Just thought I'd throw this picture in cuz it's cute. This was Sami's first time bundling up with the works: hat, gloves, & coat.

We got the Christmas tree up at the beginning of December. Claire and I decorated the tree while Tom kept Sami in another room, so we could surprise her. She started blowing on it when she saw it, as you will see in the video. She associates lights with hot and she blows on anything hot.

Mom, Cole, and kids came down to Charleston last weekend to help bake Christmas cookies. We had a lot of fun. Kerri's new kitchen wasn't quite ready for us to cook in, so we had to use my itty bitty kitchen, but it worked out fine. Libby had her first sleep over with us. I think she had a blast with Claire. Here are mom, myself, Sami & Claire with our aprons on ready to conquer the Christmas Cookies.
Amanda & Even came over to hang out with us. Sami & Libby enjoyed having Evan over to play. Here is a pic of Evan having fun in Sami's crib. How cute is he?

Libby was also in on the crib action...

Here are all 3 hanging out in the crib...this was Claire's way of helping keep an eye on the kids...lock em up.

I was determined to get Christmas cards out this year WITH pictures of the girls. So, I dressed them up to get a few pictures. I took over 200 pictures. Photographer I am NOT. Here are some of the pictures we did NOT use...

I thought it would be good to hold stuff up over my head to make Sami look at me, but that led to her wanting the stuff over my head.

I tried singing and that only made Sami clap

Then Sami wanted to give me kisses...

We got Dad involved which made Sami smile but not look at the camera

We tried giving Sami a candy cane to play with, but she ended up wanting to feed it to Claire

Then Sami started pulling Claire's hair out of frustration

Claire had had about enough

She thought it would be a better idea to leave Sami out of the picture all together

Of course there was crying

Finally, Sami was ready for a nap

We did get some cute pictures out of the whole ordeal which you should be receiving in the mail by next week sometime. Merry Christmas, everyone!

October 2008

Due to harassing emails & snide comments (ROB & JAN!), I am finally updating the blog. I've been a little busy. October was a busy month. We a had a wonderful visit to Garrett County at the beginning of the month to take part in the Autumn Glory Festivities. Tom actually got some time off of work, so we did lots of visiting with the Beachys for a few days. The weather was perfect fall weather...leaves were beautiful, sun was shining, and temperature was unseasonably warm for Garrett County. Sami & Claire had a blast at Grandma & Pap Beachys, and Tom, Kerri, & I got to see many old friends.

Sami also celebrated her 1st Birthday on the 26th. Corey & Cole graciously let us have the party at their "kid friendly" home. It was a great mini-vacation for me. Cole is always up bright & early, so I woke up to coffee already made & Libby happy to see me every morning. Cole & I worked as a great team helping each other out with the kids...I think I may have to move in. Sami had lots of guests: Mommy, Daddy, Sissy Claire, Grandma Candy & PawPaw Harold, Cole, Libby, Joe, Aunt Kerri & Uncle Will, Uncle Rob & Aunt Tia, Grandma & Pap Beachy, Uncle Michael, & Cuz Jenna Sue. Sami got lots of great new toys. They are making my life easier by keeping her occupied while I work. I think her favorite is the baby doll (Daisy) that Grandma Candy got for her...the doll has hot pink shoes that come off & on & off & on...

Sami still hasn't taken those first steps on her own yet, but she is a master at cruising. She is very eager to learn new words. When we are reading books, we have very long pauses on each page in order for her to concentrate on how to say the words. Words she has down pat: ball (anything round is a ball including Oswald on Noggin), baby (she gives all baby dolls kisses when she sees one), banana (pronounced nana of course), kitty, meow, quack quack, woof woof, oink oink, cheese, mama & dada indiscriminately, shoe (she loves to wear shoes....well, she likes you to put them on, then she takes them off, then I put them back on, etc.), bye bye (she said this a lot with her Grandma Beachy knowing she would take Sami outside), Pap Pap or Bob Bob for Pap Beachy, no no (she says this anytime she knows she is doing something she shouldn't & then crawls at full speed away from me), and she tries to say sissy for Claire but always in a whisper.

OK, so her are some pics (and videos too)...

Me & my girls in Garrett County

Daddy & Sami

Sami & Aunt Kerri

Claire taking a break from raking leaves

Sami sharing leaves

Sami blending in with the scenery

We actually knew someone in the parade this year...JennaSue

Sami & Libby dressed up for Halloween...this is the only pic I could get: no one was cooperating--Joe had already spit up on his Halloween outfit, and Sami & Libby weren't in the mood for pictures.

Sami sharing leaves again

Sami on her new rocking giraffe

Libby enjoyed Sami's new giraffe more than Sami

Libby was also very helpful to Sami with the opening of presents since Sami didn't have a clue & Libby is getting to be an expert now at age 2 1/2

Claire reading Sami her new book of animal sounds

Sami & Claire before trick-or-treating

This a video of Joe laughing & Tom's mom (10/26/08)

Here is a video of Sami's first taste of sugar (10/26/08)

This is a video of Evan blowing on Sami...he would get so tickled at himself that he could hardly blow (10/31/08)

Busy weekend

My 15 year class reunion was August 2nd. Yikes! Grandma Candy watched Sami & Claire that Saturday while we went to Oakland for the reunion. This was Sami's first overnight stay without her Momma. Tom & I had a wonderful time, and Sami did great for her Grandma....slept 11 hours for her!!!! Sunday we had a nice visit at Uncle Rob's house where Sami got to explore many new things...including a piano. We also had time to go to Tommy's niece's 1st Birthday Party...Happy Birthday, Randalyn. Her birthday wasn't until the 14th, but Tommy's niece Donnelle was in from Florida with Connor, so they had the party early. I only got to see the Bozics for a few minutes before we headed home, but I got to hold my butterball nephew for a few minutes & a give Libby a kiss before she went down for a nap.

Our reunion was at Pizzeria Uno's & then merged over to the Honi Honi Bar next door.

Sami hangin with Uncle Rob at the piano.

The next Tori Amos???

Randalyn's first birthday cake!

Randalyn loved the ball Uncle Tom picked out for her.

Randalyn with her mama, Ashley.

Randalyn's new wheels.
Sami trying out Randalyn's new wheels...her legs are a little too short to reach the pedals.

Tommy's niece, Jenna Sue, holding the birthday girl.

Donnelle and her son Connor.

Sami with cuz Ashley.

Sami with cuz Donnelle.

Tommy's sister Tammy & her grandson, Cole Bug.

Grandma Beachy trying to juggle her great-granddaughters.

Cole Bug playing ball.

Tommy's brother Michael with his baby Dixie & the birthday girl.

Sami's first trip down a slide with her big sis.

The birthday girl giving Sami kisses.

Tommy's parents with 10 of their 11 grandchildren (all girls & their only grandson wasn't there) & 4 great-grandchildren (3 boys & 1 girl).

Grandchildren: Amy, Donnelle, Ashley, Taylor, & Bobbi Jo--Sharon's kids, Cortney, Jay (not picutred), Jenessa, & JennaSue--(Tammy's kids), Claire & Sami--Tommy's kids.

Great-grandchildren: Talon--Amy's son, Cole--Cortney's son, Connor--Donnelle's son, & Randalyn--Ashley's daughter.