Dec 31, 2006

Year in Review

(I switch between first and third person narrative throughout this post. Deal with it.)

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January: As 2006 begins, we realize it's only a matter of time before we have to leave San Francisco. We start frantically photographing all of our favorite spots in earnest.
Positively Haight StreetThree pretty "Painted Ladies"

February: Emily turns 28 while Doug is interviewing in Rhode Island. We learn we'll be moving to Rhode Island. Emily has to look at a map to find Rhode Island...then starts house hunting on-line.
March: We visit Carlsbad, (near San Diego) while the Flower Fields are in bloom. This further cements our desire to be living here as soon as possible. (2011)
April: Doug has a three-week externship somewhere in the boonies and takes the opportunity to grow as much of a beard as it's possible for him to grow. (Which isn't much.) I stare at it in amazment then tell him to shave.I take the boys to Utah while he's gone and get to see my very good friend and ex-roommate Anna; who, because she worked at "The Rock Garden" in Provo and snuck me in free one night, is responsible for me meeting Doug exactly 6 years previously. (Did I mention I'm responsible for her meeting her husband? Did I mention she's a much better Rock Climber???)
May: Emily travels to Rhode Island to house hunt.
While she's away, Doug buys his own house. A bounce house.
Emily is still in shock at his impulse-buy 7+ months later.
Also, UCSF Dental/Medical School Friends start gathering more frequently for photo's, play dates, and parties...
in anticipation of being scattered across the country upon graduation.

Doug takes, and passes, the Dental Boards using his wife as a patient/guinea pig. We're still working on rebuilding a relationship of trust.
June: Quite the month.
Banquet's and parties abound leading up to graduation.
Gin, Me, Kim, Em
(don't we clean up nice?)
Lee, Brett and Doug on graduation day.
(Where's Nate?)
Max saying goodbye to two of his best girl friends, Ani and Abby.Goodbye San Francisco!
Goodbye familiarity and everything we know and love!
Here we come RHODE ISLAND!!!

July: We get settled in and try to adjust to 80%+ humidity.
The whole family spends a week in New York while Doug completes orientation.
Samuel turns TWO and stays perfectly sweet, well-mannered, and obedient
for another 6.4 minutes.


August: San Francisco friends (now living in Michigan) visit and help us celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary.
Molly, Kim, Brett and Kody in front of our Newport house.




My anniversary present: A Trampoline!!!

September: Grandpa "Dub" visits and we explore Boston and Cape Cod with him. Of course, some of the most beautiful scenery is right outside our front door.
(See below.)
A wedding of friends takes us to Canandaigua, Palmyra, and Niagara, NY.

October: Doug turns 29 which is REALLY old. Fae (my most gracious and revered mother) visits and we tour New Hampshire and Newport, RI.

November: A visit to Plymouth, Massachusetts and our first Thanksgiving without parental supervision. (Or cooking assistance.)


December: Max turns FIVE and now thinks he's allowed to do whatever he wants. We take another trip to New York to see it in all its Christmas splendor.

The best part of the year: We get to see Baby Boy #3 for the first time!
If you made it to the end of this post, you really like us. Thanks! (Or maybe you were just bored...?)

It's been a bloody long year, this has been a bloody long post, and I need a nap.

See you next year!!!

Dec 29, 2006

Glad Tidings!

Merry Christmas! This was our second year away from family and friends (...present RI friends excluded) but we had a great holiday anyway! On Christmas Eve we went to the home of some VERY generous friends who hosted a fabulous party for us and a few other families. We had many scrumptious breakfast foods (for dinner), played a fun present game, and watched all the kids reenact the nativity.
Max the Bandit? Nope. He's a Shepard!


After overstaying our welcome by at least an hour*, we headed home to open Christmas Eve presents. We all got new Christmas Jammies, but in addition, the boys also got new Slippers and new Silky Christmas Pillowcases from Grandma Fae.

Sam gave his new "Cars" pajamas a big hug. Then he immediately wanted to try out his new pillowcase so he layed down and started snoring.

Once pajamas were on boys and pillowcases were on pillows, it was time for bed. Doug convinced the boys that since it was Christmas Eve, they had to sleep in the same bed. (His siblings all used to sleep in the same room on Christmas Eve...which our boys already do...so he squished them into the top bunk.)

Christmas Morning was FABULOUS and the boys loved all their presents, but especially the one's SANTA left! We even experienced our very own CHRISTMAS MIRACLE when the boys slept in until 8 a.m.!
Max was dismayed to find it STILL hadn't snowed by Christmas morning, but he likes his sled anyway. His other Santa toy was this Marble Game.
Sammers is a bit obsessed with THOMAS so he was thrilled with his new Train Table!

I hope your Christmas was as MERRY as ours. Max is already talking about next year. Yikes.

(*In our defense, there was still a lot of food left. I was just trying to help out by eating it.)

Dec 22, 2006

IT'S A.....

NOTHER BOY!!!!!
We had our ultrasound this afternoon and will be joined by another little boy some time in May!!! I guess I wont be getting my pink fix this time around, but we're excited nonetheless.

(The technician pointed out that I'll have lots of time to myself when all the boys are off at Scout Camp in the future. A very good point, I thought. )

We have no names picked out yet, but will keep you posted. In the mean time, here are a few profile/head shots fr
om his very first photo shoot!

(They're not very clear because he has his hand up by his mouth.)

Dec 21, 2006

A Few of My Favorite Christmas Things

Nativities:

Hawaiian Coconut Creche and Costco Creche

Willow Tree Creche and Doug's Jerusalem Creche

Honeymoon Mexico Creche

Kid Friendly Creches. (I love the Little People version)

Christmas Cards:
(Especially when they come with a picture and/or letter)

After today, I need to start a new door.

Books:

Awesome gift from BFF Ang. The Jan Pienkowski illustrations are awesome.


"The Sweet Smell of Christmas"
I'm pretty sure this book is older than I am. The Scratch 'n Sniff stickers don't smell anymore, but I try every year anyway. Luckily I remember exactly what they used to smell like 20 years ago.

German Spinny Thing:

Doug got it on his mission. I really like it in theory...because it involves fire. But in actuallity, the propellers always fall off and we can't light the candles because we only have one set.

Ornaments:

Mayflower ornament. Ships in bottles are just really cool.

Handprint Santa: made by Max and (*sniff*) San Francisco Trolley


From my childhood. The rocking horse says "Emily 1978" on the other side. All of my siblings had a different one from Grandma Call.


I love Christmas!!!!!