Fall in Gainesville?

Well, it isn't fall, but it's about as close as we get and it generally happens after Christmas. All of the leaves from one of the trees in our front yard fell in January and Jonathan spent one Saturday raking them up. Rosemary helped.

Driving

We have a few years before she gets her license, but she's already getting her practice in behind the wheel.

A New Shirt

Arriving on (or about) June 23, 2008.

Christmas 2007

Because the university added an extra day of vacation for staff this year, we were able to have bit longer with family than we have in the past over Christmas break.

We started our time in Central Florida with a visit at the Stiller's. The kids played and exchanged presents while Bennett, Sara, Jonathan, and I chatted and played games.

Rosemary and Caitlyn enjoyed the musical instruments.

Next, we headed to Groveland to spend a few days with Jonathan's family. We celebrated Christmas Eve morning. The brothers all wore the same color shirts by chance.

The kids finished decorating the Christmas tree.

Rosemary very much enjoyed the boxes...I don't think this one was even from one of her gifts.

On Christmas Eve, Jonathan's family and my family all went to Christmas Eve service together. I was so proud of Rosemary for staying in the sanctuary during the entire service (thanks to some goldfish and a lollipop).


We opened presents with my parents on Christmas morning.
This is a chef set that Rosemary received from someone in Jonathan's office.

And a priceless expression.
On our way home, we met up with our friends Steve, Becky, and their daughter, Abby, for a character breakfast at the Grand Floridian. The girls did great and the food was so good. Rosemary liked seeing Tigger, but didn't want to be up there without her dad.
Hi, Pooh! (This was one of the few characters that she actually knows)

Meeting Alice in Wonderland.
Afterwards, we took the girls outside to get some pictures. Not the easiest thing to do with a 15 month old and a 23 month old.

Christmas Decorating

We finally got to decorate for Christmas this weekend. We had been waiting because we were getting new living room furniture and it hadn't been delivered yet. It came last Monday so we were able to get the tree up on Saturday. We got most of it done while Rosemary napped.

Here Jonathan is placing our tree topper at the top of the tree.

The first year we were married, we went searching for the "our" tree topper, one that we would have for years to come and just love. We didn't find it. So here we are, four years later using a tree topper that's okay, just not our favorite. My parents have this great lighted topper that they got when they first got married and nothing that I have found has been able to compare.

Every year, we hang two ornaments first and take a picture of us hanging them up. The ornament that I hang up is from Disney's Yacht Club, which we got on our honeymoon.
Jonathan hangs up the glass bride and groom that my parents gave him as a Christmas gift the Christmas before we got married. We have pictures of each of us hanging up these two ornaments every year.
When Rosemary woke up, we were finishing up hanging up the ornaments. She watched what we were doing then went over to the coffee table where I had laid a few paper ornaments down, picked them up and started hanging them on the bottom branches. Very smart.

So far, she's been great around the tree. She occasionally plays with the ones that she hung on the tree, but often puts them back.

Dynah's Birthday

Dynah is Rosemary's best friend. We go to church with Dynah and her family so many times while we're there, Rosemary will ask, "Where Dynee?" When she sees her, she gets very excited so her birthday party was a very big deal.

Dynah enjoys her Sesame Street cake.

They had a pinata. I think Rosmary might have tapped the pinata with the stick but, strong though she may be, she did not crack it open.

Eating a lollipop.

Happy Birthday!

It's hard to tell, but Rosemary has colored spots all around her mouth from the cupcake sprinkles. If you click on the picture you might be able to see it better. It was very funny.

Thanksgiving 2007

This year for Thanksgiving we celebrated with Jonathan's family. Richard and Janice came up on Wednesday and spent the night. Tim's family and Zach joined us on Thursday.

Rosemary sat at the big girl's table with her cousins Olivia and Breanna.

Zach ate his entire meal with his titanium spork.

Matthew, Tim, Michelle, Richard, Janice, Zach, and me after our very delicious Thanksgiving meal.

It was also Sarah's first birthday so it was exciting to be able to be a part of that celebration too.

Afterwards, Sarah opened her gifts in the living room and we all relaxed and ate desserts.

Fun Memories

We've not posted in awhile so I'm going to try to catch up tonight. Below are some random pictures from the middle of November--just things that capture everyday life at home.

Snuggled up with daddy on the couch on one of the days we've had where it was actually cold.

Wearing mom's headband and shoes...she went and put each of these items on herself. I think she looks quite cute in the headband. The shoes are a bit too big. Her little toes slide right out the end.

Watching her favorite show, Lawrence Welk, on a Saturday night before heading to bed. I'm not kidding. She loves to watch and dance. We have a video of her "tap dancing" that's hilarious.

Pumpkin Patch and the Fall Festival

For our fifth Monday MOPS field trip in October, we met up in Alachua at a small pumpkin patch. The day was a bit rainy and cold, but it was fun to meet with friends and their children.

Since it was only two days before Halloween, most of the pumpkins were gone. There were a few left that Rosemary enjoyed trying to sit on.
We went on a hayride around the property.
And they had a hay bale maze for the kids to run around in.

On the 31st, our church had a fall festival for the community. Rosemary probably spent over half the night sitting in front of this galvanized tub--either playing with the ducks or waiting for me and Jonathan to turn our backs so she could jump in. She came home soaked!
Rosemary's friend, Dynah, was there too as a little bumblebee.

Vero Beach

We ventured down to Vero Beach this weekend to celebrate Jonathan's mom's birthday. Once there, we met up with Janice, Richard, Tim, Michelle, Matthew, Olivia, Breanna, Sarah, and Zach at the Disney Vero Beach Resort. We spent the weekend eating, swimming, on the beach, running through the rain, and just having a great time all together.

Saturday night after dinner, we headed to the campfire for s'mores and singing, with a quick stop on the deck (above). We made it through "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" and then the deluge began. We gathered everything and everyone up then high-tailed it back to the room.
Sunday, though initially quite dreary, turned out to be beautiful. The guys took advantage of the sun and played a little bocce. Matthew looks quite determined.
Although sunny, it was exceptionally windy. Check out Zach's hair.

Me and my girl.

I think this looks like a magazine picture. She's all serious.
She's still got her tiny feet.

Too cute.

The lobby had a small room to the side where old Disney cartoons were shown on a loop. The kids loved sitting in here and watching the shows, even if they'd seen them just a few hours before when they were last in the lobby.
The family at Shutters before we all headed home. That's Breanna on the front left and she wasn't hiding from the camera. She was actually sound asleep!

Birthdays and Big Girl Beds

Our good friends, Becky and Steve, invited us down last weekend to celebrate their daughter's first birthday. We hadn't seen Abby since she was about 6 months old and she's gotten so big! It was great seeing them, seeing how much Abby has grown, and celebrating such a big day. Unfortunately, the Pate's don't have a blog, so I can't link you to it...but they should get one!! :-) (Just kidding, Becky!)
This weekend, we took the drop rail off of Rosemary's crib and converted it to a toddler bed. So far she's taken two naps and gone to bed 3 nights in it. The only time she's gotten out when we've put her down is at naptime. The first time I think she was up about 14 times. Thank goodness we did it on a weekend and Jonathan could help with putting her back in. Eventually, she did fall asleep in her bed. That night, she didn't get out at all, just went right down. When I got her up in the morning though she'd gotten out of bed and was sitting quietly in the glider. The next day for naptime she only got up once then went back in and fell asleep.
And yes, that's a latex glove in her hand. She likes to put them on whichever appendage is easiest to reach. The other day at church she had one on her foot for a good half hour.