Christmas Picture 2003

This was the Christmas picture I sent out in 2003.

Rachel at about 15 months. I love when she whispers "I love you" in the middle of the video and then says it so sweetly at the end in her babyish way.

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Chickens in Pine Grove

Julia gathering the eggs from our chicken coop.
Sheldon's $600 chicken coop! We could've bought a ton of eggs for how much we spent on buying the chickens, building the coop, and the chicken feed but that wasn't really the point; it was to be more self sufficient and since Sheldon is allergic to cats and dogs it was the closest our kids would come to having pets while they live at home!

"Bruh, Bruh, me see chickens"

"I cool dude"

We put Jared's sunglasses on Rachel so if she got pecked they wouldn't get her eye...The rooster that got made into stew for the trunk or treat pecked her on the eye lid; that's when Daddy decided it was time to learn how to butcher our poultry.

Jared taking Rachel to see the chickens. It was surprising how much fun the kids had chasing those chickens around.

Jared, Julia and Rachel Nov 2004

Was this really five years ago? It's going by too quickly! This was the picture I gave everyone for Christmas that year. I remember it took forever to get a picture where all three of them would look at the camera at the same time! At two, Rachel kept wondering off so I took a flower pot, covered it with that green blanket and sat her on it. This picture makes me miss my Pine Grove house just a litte bit, my side yard was awesome for taking pictures.

Jared's First Pop-Rocks Experience

Going through some old computer cd's I came across this letter Jared had written to his cousin Tyler...so sweet!

November 3, 2004

Dear Tyler,

Thank you for sending me a letter. I laughed so hard when I felt those pop-rocks on my tongue I almost cried! They tickled! I never had pop-rocks before!
I’m not meaning to gross you out but we killed one of our roosters with a hatchet, that’s a type of ax. Some times we use a hatchet to put pegs in the ground for a tent. We took rooster stew to our trunk or treat at church. We get a lot of eggs from our hens. Some times we get blue eggs but most of the time we get brown and I’m serious they lay them blue, we don’t paint them. I wish you could come over and see them. Wait! You can! (Aunt Sabrina, please let Tyler come over.)
I had lot of fun playing soccer this year, come over and see my trophy, it is small but it is a trophy. Have you played soccer?
Nice tank, here’s one for you. Do you like my picture that I made you?
I hope I see you soon.
Your friend,
Jared

Thanksgiving 2009

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Thanksgiving 2004

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Thanksgiving 2003

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Favorites of November 2007

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Rachel spent the afternoon rollerskating and playing hide and go seek with some neighborhood friends. I called her in the house about 5pm, by 6pm she had wrapped herself in a blanket, turned on the fire place and was sound asleep on the fire place bricks! Poor baby still doesn't feel all that great even though her sore-throat and fever are gone.

Rachel spent this last weekend with a high fever and a sore-throat...she always takes over Mommy's side of the bed when she is sick.

David's new lovey is his fourth of July Sylvester. This picture really shows how long his eyelashes are getting!

He was talking to him-asking him, "You ok?"

He was comforting him because he was throwing him up in the air and dropped him.

Daddy and David were tickling each other and Rachel was complaining that her head was "killing" her.

Once Daddy and David settled down to snuggle Rachel was out. Daddy put her in her own bed...

but she came right back in the early morning.

She still needed to be in Mommy's bed the next night.

Jared and David got their hair cut last week...such handsome boys I have!
Jared continues to grow at an astonishing rate; Grandpa Harry came over yesterday and Jared is now taller than his Grandpa.

Rachel's Idea of a Great Time

Rachel had such fun today...she went over the Mavy's to play with Emma and came home telling me: "We played Barbies and Polly Pockets and we rided two wheeler bikes and scooters. We looked at the fish in the waterfall pond in the back yard and played go up the hill, go down the hill...they just made that game up but it was really fun! Our craft was really fun; we got to glue everything ourself! It was so much fun!" Then she ended with telling me that when I got there to pick her up she was playing "family"...Emma was twenty and was going to get married and Rachel was her seventeen year old sister, but they didn't have a mom or dad, then she said, "but then you came and we didn't have time for the wedding!"

One happy 7 year old little girl.

"They Go-ed Poof"

David was trying to talk me into buying him more legos. When I asked him where his legos were that I already bought him he told me, "They go-ed poof!"

Favorites of November 2005

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Dressed and Ready to Go

Rachel came downstairs today with David dressed and ready to go! I was cleaning but had promised Julia when I was done we would go shopping for a pair of pants for her. Rachel took it upon herself to get David dressed, picking out his clothes by herself, found his shoes and put them on him, (he usually will only let me help him put his shoes on, being super uncooperative if the girls try to help him), she combed his hair, (even though it was parted on the opposite side I usually part it on). I was so proud of Rachel for taking the initiative to get him ready!

Whoops! Shoes on the wrong feet.

Proud Big Sister!

"I give you kisses if I take picture?"

Cute baby boy face:)
"I just take this many picture"
David's picture of Julia

"That Is Some Quote!"

Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Patrick Henry 1775

Julia came out of the office after doing her history on-line and was so excited and couldn't wait to share with me what she had learned about Patrick Henry and his "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech. She wanted to know if I had ever heard this quote and she proceeded to recite the whole thing word for word with all the passion and excitement her little 11 year old self could muster. I told her yes, that I had heard it before and then she said, "That is some quote!"

Day Trip to Reno to Visit Nonnie

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Visiting Jamie

We had a fun day Tuesday going over Jamie's house and jumping on their trampoline. It was in the eighties that day and the kids got super hot and sweaty jumping and jumping but didn't want to stop because they were having such a great time! (They just wanted to whine about being hot!)

Jayden just waking up from a nap.

Olivia checking out what Jared was doing on his computer.

Rachel playing with Jayden.

Jayden eating some Halloween candy.