Christmas 2008

The kids woke us up at 6:30am Christmas morning (thanks to me turning off Brady's alarm clock which was set at 4am). I guess Santa thought the kids were well behaved this year...not too sure what he was thinking...what a nice guy!












The first stop of the day was to Meme and Pampy's.

Sorry Brady you are STILL not taller than mommy...maybe by next Christmas!



The Rorabaugh's pose for a quick family picture before we exchange gifts.










Then on to Mima and George's house.







Yes George, we see your Texas t-shirt...but what about your present..I think I see an Ohio State t-shirt that has fallen out of the box.



Alyssa's new Baby Alive doll. This one drinks from a bottle, eats baby food and then goes to the potty....



Now time for a drink...



...and on the potty she goes....



Archie is in the Christmas spirit too! I love my dog..even though he is a very high maintance dog he is the most loving and easy going dog we have ever had. We love to dress him up and we THINK he doesn't mind it much either.....









Tell the truth!!!



For the $20 we spent on ONE picture with Santa, I thought I would share the "professional pose".



What's up with Cole not wanting to sit on Santa's lap? I like my picture better...



How can something so sweet, get a time out two days before Christmas? Her mother should get a time out for allowing her hair to get so crazy!



This year we once again had Christmas Eve dinner at David and Monsi's house to celebrate with our dad and Sandy.

Dad trying to read and understand an electronic ticket David, Liza and I purchased for him to go to Guatemala in January.



To our beloved family in Guatemala, We apologize in advance for the arrival of your Tio Don, we are sure he will have a great time visiting with everyone but just so you know...still silly, but a bit odd! Good luck with him! He is very excited to see everyone!


Nice kids!



Nice girls!



Naughty boys!



Katy and Alyssa help tia set the table for dinner.



Thanks David and Monsi for hosting dinner!



Then off to Mema and Pampy's house for more food-ham and scallop potatoes! Let's just TRY to get a good picture with your cute outfits on.....



Santa's knows when you've been picking at your nose...or other parts....



This is the best it is going to get...



"I know baby...just a little bit longer before Santa comes!!!"

Christmas Tradition

Mima's 3rd annual Christmas craft with the kids was clever...easy to clean up too, which is my kind of project!!

Alyssa at Educare Academy

Alyssa has enjoyed full-time pre-school at Educare Academy over the past few months. In early December, the kids performed two songs in a quick performance and then there was a party where the kids were able to get a bear from Build-a-Bear. A silent auction also took place this evening where the kids' artwork was sold at the highest bidder. The proceeds of the artwork was donated to Make A Wish Foundation.

Alyssa with her teacher Miss Natalie while getting ready for their big performance.



Santa's Reindeer



A piece of Alyssa's artwork inspired by Claude Monet.



Making a wish...



Giving her new bear's heart a kiss before it was put into the chest of the bear.





Now that Alyssa is in school she wants to do her homework ALL the time. Writing her two favorite words takes most of her homework time!



We train them early in O-H-I-O!!!!

Alyssa's 4th Birthday

We celebrated Alyssa's birthday with a small family party. We will celebrate again this summer for her 1/2 birthday with more friends. Having a birthday so close to Christmas is a little crazy!






One gift she received was a new doll, 'Baby Alive' a baby that really drinks a bottle and pees in her diaper..kind of gross but way cool to a four year. Alyssa needed a quick training session on how to feed a baby and then on changing diapers.

Compassionate Friends

Don't forget to LIGHT your candles THIS SUNDAY!



Worldwide Candle Lighting:
The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting®, held annually the second Sunday in December, this year December 14, unites family and friends around the globe as they light candles for one hour to honor and remember children who have died at any age from any cause. As candles are lit at 7 p.m. local time, creating a virtual wave of light, hundreds of thousands of persons commemorate and honor the memories of children in a way that transcends all ethnic, cultural, religious, and political boundaries.

Now believed to be the largest mass candle lighting on the globe, the Worldwide Candle Lighting, a gift from TCF to the bereavement community, creates a virtual 24-hour wave of light as it moves from time zone to time zone. Hundreds of formal candle lighting events are held and thousands of informal candle lightings are conducted in homes as families gather in quiet remembrance of children who have died, but will never be forgotten.

The Worldwide Candle Lighting started in the United States in 1997 as a small Internet observance but has since swelled in numbers as word has spread throughout the world of the remembrance.


TTTS World Awareness Day:

THANKS to those of you that spread the word last week for the first annual TTTS Awareness Day. This day was an international mobilization effort created by The Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome Foundation to increase awareness of the #1 problem facing multiples. TTTS is a disease of the placenta that effects identical twin preganancies. We lost our Angel Baby Christopher to TTTS. IF you know of an expecting mom of twins (or other multiples) PLEASE let them know about TTTS and it's foundation in order to become better educated.
http://www.tttsfoundation.org/

A visit from Tía Gladys

Tía Gladys (our aunt from Guatemala) came to Ohio to help us cheer on the Buckeyes to another win against Michigan and of course to spend family time during Thanksgiving weekend.









The day before Thanksgiving the kids, my Tía Gladys and I went out to lunch with Grandad. It has been years since my dad and my tía had visited with one another. It was a sweet reunion.







Alyssa thinks she is in charge of her brothers and her cousins....



The kids taking turns saying our Thanksgiving family prayer









Great job kids! Mima better make the prayer longer because in about two years Alyssa will need something to read!

Gracias Tía por venir a visitarnos. Estuvimos muy feliz. Te quiero siempre! Besos y abrazos a todos!

Annual Pumpkin Patch

Searching for a pumpkin...





Nice...



That's a little better...

Brady's Year

Brady has had a GREAT start to middle school.

Off to his FIRST dance!



Brady was awarded Student of the Month for his team for the month of October. Mrs. Snively, one of his teachers said the following during the award ceremony(which is also stated on the back of his certificate:

With the theme of respect in mind Team 605 chose Brady Jackson as our October Citizen of the Month. Brady is a definite role model to his peers and classmates. He is always polite and respectful to teachers and is equally respectful to other students, even those he does not know well. Brady is also actively involved in Boy Scouts and works hard to help others as evidenced with a summer project to bring school supplies to needy children in Guatemala. We hope that Brady’s care, compassion, and respect for others continues to grow as these are attributes that we wish all of our students could possess.



Hey Brady...can you at least act a little excited...



Two weeks later, Brady was the first boy scout awarded a Certificate of Excellence Spriit of Scouting Award from the Delaware County Simon Kenton Council. The Spirit of Scouting recognized Brady for his outstanding work in helping to gather and deliver school supplies to Orphan Outreach in Guatemalafor the backpack project he did this past summer. See the the site below to read the story again:

http://www.orphanoutreach.com/news/2008/0902-Brady/index.html





Mr. and Mrs. Ross with Brady (his scout leaders)



WAY TO GO BRADY! WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE GREAT YOUNG MAN YOU ARE BECOMING!!

Trick or Treat

Cole and Alysaa 'trying' out their costumes about a week before Halloween. They are pretty good at their characters. I love how Alyssa has matched her shoes with her cast!






Trick or Treat night, the Jacksons joined us (yep, another Jackson family...no relation though). The whole Jackson family dressed up! Brady enjoyed having people 'pull his finger' with a fart machine....typical!!





Lots of candy....actually we still have some left.

Pretty in Pink...and Purple

I guess this is the result of having two older brothers...... After playing with Brady, jumping off the couch and having him catch her the FIRST three time...the fourth time, Brady was done playing and he dodged the jump.... Which is why kids should NEVER jump on or off furniture!!!!



One week later a much better cast that was supposed to be water proof. She kept the cast on for about four weeks. With the cast on, you would have never noticed she even had an injury. She 'injured' the boys several times with the cast while using it as a weapon...that a girl!!

More football pics

Cole finished the football season earning a really cool irredescent trophy! Next year, Cole will be sporting football pads. My baby boy better start eating some more to add a little more padding to all 52 pounds of him!